Heidi Hardin - The Stream of Consciousness

Heidi Hardin with Colette Crutcher and Michael Azgour - Stream of Consciousness

[ARTIST BACKGROUND] Heidi Hardin is a San Francisco community artist, educator and long-time art advocate who works in the Bayview Hunters Point neighborhood to connect children and youth with the new Shipyard. Hardin is the founder of Think Round, Inc. a non-profit organization that combines well- established educational programs with newly created initiatives, sometimes in partnership with the SFUSD schools in the southeastern neighborhoods. Hardin is collaborating with accomplished mosaic tile artists and art instructors: Colette Crutcher and Michael Azgour for this commission. Heidi Hardin received a Bachelor of Arts Degree and Master of Fine Arts Degree from the University of California, San Diego.

[PROPOSED ARTWORK] Stream of Consciousness has two parallel themes: water and literacy. Artists and youth will investigate diverse subjects of chemistry, history, ecology, astronomy, mythology, the arts and evolution. Local teens, guided by the artist team will explore the subject of water, as it relates to our Bay Area ecosystem and Hunters Point Shipyard in particular. The theme is linked by the study of diverse subjects such as chemistry, history, ecology, astronomy, mythology and evolution. Finally, the study of water integrates art, science and literature. Youth will create clay tiles that illuminate the multi-layered story of water. The tiles will be inserted and permanently adhered to the back of the custom seating element of 120’ created by CMG, the lead landscape architecture firm.

[ARTIST INSPIRATION] The inspiration is the spectacular view of the San Francisco Bay. The artist team reflected on how important water has been to the development of the City of San Francisco, beginning with the Gold Rush to the modern day environmental cleanup of the Shipyard. The artists were moved by their appreciation of the significant role water plays in the present back into deep time - including even the origins and evolution of life.

[YOUTH INVOLVEMENT] Heidi Hardin and her team will seek youth who will partner with the artist team to design visual images that depict historic and environmental themes.