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New Mural Lights Up Sky Over San Francisco's Bayview

SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX 5) -- From neighborhood blight to bright: Artists have transformed part of San Francisco's Bayview, and it's hard to miss.

In the daylight, the bright colors and abstract geometric shapes at 496 Amador stand in stark contrast to the abandoned gray grain silos, graffiti, broken windows and industrial landscape around it.

At night, the giant mural dubbed "Bayview Rise" lights up to create a trippy, otherworldly glow over the Bayview District.

"For the port, it is a dramatic difference from what it was before. It was an eyesore before. Now it's something really cool to look at," said neighbor Charles Cronister.

The mural and light show was designed by Seattle artists Laura Haddad and Tom Drugan. They interviewed people who live in the Bayview, where they found inspiration for the wall of paint, lots of it.

"We think it's representative, and community thinks it's representative and the artists do," said David Beaupre of the Port of San Francisco.

Among the items on the mural: A steer to remember what used to be called the "butcher town" neighborhood, a heron, Islias cherries for the nearby creek, grains and finally hot air balloons to honor Bayview activist Essie Webb.

"Who recognized the Bayview community in the 60s as a community like a balloon with the air let out of it and was just waiting for someone to come back and re-inflate it and allow the community to rise up," Beaupre said.

There are different colored light cues each night making the mural seem like its dancing, each highlighting a different story and perhaps painting a portrait of Bayview's future.

"I think it's a step that can help that can begin to change a community," Beaupre said.

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