JOHN GARTH
1889 - 1971
John Garth lived at 471 Castenada in the Forest Hill section of San Francisco. He was born in Chicago, Illinois on December 21, 1889, the son of a prominent physician who taught at the University of Chicago. John studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and Yale University. After graduating from Yale University, he traveled the world - to Venice, Istanbul and Hawaii. He arrived in San Francisco in 1919 and stayed here the rest of his life.
"Garth temporarily was art director of the Pacific Railways Advertising Company, and from 1920-35, conducted the Garth School of Art. He staged his first one-man show at Gump's and maintained a studio in the Fairmont Hotel. During the 1930s he served as mural director for the WPA Art Project on the San Francisco peninsula. For 15 years he served as art critic for the San Francisco Argonaut and for many years was chairman for painting and sculpture for the San Francisco Art Commission." (quote from Edan Hughes' website)
1889 - 1971
John Garth lived at 471 Castenada in the Forest Hill section of San Francisco. He was born in Chicago, Illinois on December 21, 1889, the son of a prominent physician who taught at the University of Chicago. John studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and Yale University. After graduating from Yale University, he traveled the world - to Venice, Istanbul and Hawaii. He arrived in San Francisco in 1919 and stayed here the rest of his life.
"Garth temporarily was art director of the Pacific Railways Advertising Company, and from 1920-35, conducted the Garth School of Art. He staged his first one-man show at Gump's and maintained a studio in the Fairmont Hotel. During the 1930s he served as mural director for the WPA Art Project on the San Francisco peninsula. For 15 years he served as art critic for the San Francisco Argonaut and for many years was chairman for painting and sculpture for the San Francisco Art Commission." (quote from Edan Hughes' website)
John Garth was the first owner of 471 Castenada which was built in 1941, and he still owned it at the time of his death on June 1, 1971. He designed the map of the Forest Hill subdivision which is still used today. The map was just a minor art work. His largest creation can be seen at the Marina Safeway. Putting his experience as a mural director for the Works Progress Administration to good use, he designed the four-panel mosaic work for the Marina Safeway in San Francisco.
The Marina Safeway was built in 1959 and was the first of many Safeways built in the what is known as "the Marina style" with its arched entrance and exterior walls covered with a rocky facade. The Marina Safeway was also the first of several Safeway stores which featured a John Garth-designed mural. Now the Marina Safeway is the only one left with the panels still displayed on the side of the store. The four panels depict the World Sources of Food. The images shown below are from an SFGATE article Mural at Marina Safeway hits 55, Tiles Intact .
Go see the murals next time you go to the Marina Green or Fort Mason. It is the last of John Garth's murals in situ. The residents of Carmel were not able to save the mosaic panels during a Safeway renovation in 2006.
In 2013, in Millbrae, the old "Marina style" store was torn down and replace by a 2-story "lifestyle format" store. However, the tile panels were removed, preserved, and reinstalled on the outside wall facing El Camino. Kudos to the Safeway corporation. read more about the preservation.
Be sure to click on the Millbrae images to see the entire panel!
Go see the murals next time you go to the Marina Green or Fort Mason. It is the last of John Garth's murals in situ. The residents of Carmel were not able to save the mosaic panels during a Safeway renovation in 2006.
In 2013, in Millbrae, the old "Marina style" store was torn down and replace by a 2-story "lifestyle format" store. However, the tile panels were removed, preserved, and reinstalled on the outside wall facing El Camino. Kudos to the Safeway corporation. read more about the preservation.
Be sure to click on the Millbrae images to see the entire panel!