Upon reading an article about Santa Fe’s Kash Kari Gallery in the fall of 2007, Bonnie Brae resident Wendy Lesko was inspired to visit and enroll in a beginning tile class there. In April 2008 “An Oasis in the Desert: Zenzele,” the first tile mosaic in a collection that would later become known as “Alley Art,” was completed and unveiled in the alley between Ohio and Josephine streets. With the support and assistance of neighbors Mike Murphy, Jan Lacher and Donna Moseley, Wendy created the piece which is now one of many mosaics that famously comprise the Alley Art that makes our neighborhood so special.
How It All Began
During the summer of 2008, over copious amounts of wine and fabulous food at the Bonnie Brae wine parties and inspired by Wendy’s artwork, the neighbors came up with the idea to beautify the alleys and turn them into a showcase for personal creativity. A second mosaic that drew upon Donna and her husband Dave’s love of Hawaii brought even more people together who contributed to the design, tile laying and mounting. And just like that, the Bonnie Brae Alley Art Consortium was formed.
In the early days, Wendy (who has since retired from organizing new Alley Art pieces) would guide and assist artist-homeowners with bringing their ideas to life. Most of the pieces that exist today are made with tiles that have been rescued and recycled from home remodeling projects. Importantly, each work represents the personality of the artist-homeowner. As Alley Art took off, each piece would have its own unveiling party complete with a back-alley potluck and cocktail party.
Keeping the Legacy Alive
Over the years, Alley Art has drawn interest from both within and outside of Bonnie Brae. Articles have been written about this unique neighborhood feature and many people have taken a walking tour of our alleys guided by our interactive Alley Art map. We encourage you to keep an eye out for these neighborhood gems when you are out and about. Or take a video mini-tour to check out the early days of Alley Art.
While our neighborhood continues to change with the times, it is our hope that we can preserve the spirit of what Alley Art represents. The original Bonnie Brae Alley Art Consortium defined their mission to:
- Delight alley wanderers with unexpected beauty
- Promote friendships and neighborhood pride
- Encourage artistic development and growth
- Get neighbors working together to beautify our alleys
- Experience camaraderie
- Recycle otherwise-unused materials
- Enjoy our new neighborhood acquaintances by sharing food and drink
If you have an interest in furthering their work and expanding the presence of Alley Art throughout the neighborhood, please contact us at board@bonniebrae.org.