Stackpole's mural at Coit Tower

                              

Industries of California by Ralph Stackpole

Last month I had the privilege of seeing the work of WPA artists, including Ralph Stackpole, at San Francisco's Coit Tower. My family and I stumbled upon this monument on a morning walk from our hotel at Fisherman's Wharf.

Once inside, we were treated to a series of murals commissioned by the Public Works of Art Project under the New Deal federal government program in 1933. Perhaps Stackpole's mural stood out to me because of my fondness of old factories and images of laborers. There is immense beauty in these images.

The entire experience took my breath away. I imagined the artists working alongside each other. I thought about their conversations, collaborations, and debates. I could have stayed all day.

Industries of California by Ralph Stackpole

Industries of California by Ralph Stackpole