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Step Up to Mosaic Art
Many of our guests are often surprised to learn that some of the most beautiful places in the city can be found right under their feet. San Francisco is home to an array of beautifully tiled steps, all with different themes, and created by a variety of artists, groups, and community organizations.
We here at Hotel Spero, along with our sister property The Marker San Francisco, invite you to visit the stunning mosaic artworks listed below.
From the sea to the stars—that was the inspiration for this joint neighborhood venture that culminated in a 163-step tiled stairway in Golden Gate Heights. Begun as a grassroots effort by Jessie Audette and Alice Yee Xavier, the project used handmade named tiles that were created by artists Aileen Barr and Colette Crutcher.
Hidden Garden Steps
A true labor of love for artists Aileen Barr and Colette Crutcher, who not only came up with the design, but also made 148 risers. 600 tiles were created with rolled clay and inserted texts, kiln-fired, and glued onto the risers while community volunteers filled in the riser backgrounds with broken tile pieces. The Hidden Garden Steps was one of 14 San Francisco projects to win a Neighborhood Empowerment Award.
Conceived by Friends of Lincoln Park founders Meg Autry and Anna Yatroussis, the idea was to renovate an iconic staircase suffering from decades of decay and neglect. A team was assembled for this seven-year project that included artist Aileen Barr, who designed and created the 52 wide steps for this spectacular Beaux-Arts-inspired display.
Flights of Fancy: The Tiled Steps on Arelious Walker Drive
Located in the city’s Bayview-Hunters Point District, this connects Northridge Road and Innes Avenue. At four feet wide, the staircase contains 87 mosaic tiles were designed with inspiration from Native American pottery and Middle Eastern tile, along with additional influences, by artists Colette Crutcher and Aileen Barr.