Emeryville’s Bus Shelter Art Program

 I’m pleased to share my love of local native plants through Emeryville’s Bus Shelter Art Program, on display from May 1 through August 30, 2025.

For this project, I created four original pieces in response to the program’s theme, “From Fertile Ground – Art and Innovation.” This series honors the native plants of Emeryville, all grown in my own garden. By cultivating manzanita, ribes, coffeeberry, yarrow, yerba buena, and more, I have deepened my connection with these local species. For this project, I pressed their leaves and flowers, incorporating them into collages.

The Lisjan Ohlone people have nurtured reciprocal relationships with these plants for thousands of years. I hope to inspire others to welcome them into gardens, onto their plates, and into their lives for both nourishment and healing. Native plants are perfectly adapted to our climate, requiring less water and no pesticides. However, urban development and non-native species have displaced many of them.

Our local pollinators, birds, and other wildlife depend on these plants to survive. In these works, each plant cutting holds a place, just as they do in our ecosystem. Whether you have a small balcony or a full yard, I hope this series sparks curiosity and a deeper connection with the n ative flora that sustains our shared environment.

Established in 2009, the Sharon Wilchar Bus Shelter Public Art Program—named in honor of longtime arts advocate Sharon Wilchar—aims to enliven the city’s bus shelters with rotating public art. Every four months, a new artist’s work is featured at four separate locations, offering moments of reflection and beauty to commuters and passersby alike.

You can find my posters at the following bus shelters in Emeryville:
• Hollis Street and 63rd Street (Southwest corner) 
• 40th Street and Emery Street (Northwest corner) 
• Powell Street and Commodore Drive (Southwest side) 
• Shellmound Street near Bay Street Garage (Southwest side) 

I invite you to visit the locations and engage with the work. Your impressions are welcome—feel free to share your thoughts or photos using the hashtag #EmeryvilleArtShelters.