“Riding Shotgun in the Rain”
2026 Paintings of San Francisco Streets
(Showing at ARC GALLERY August/September 2026)
“These paintings are inspired by photos taken from the passenger seat during rainstorms.” Mark D. Powers
Cow Hollow - Webster & Filbert
This beautiful home on Webster, at Filbert, has always been a favorite of mine. I pass it often while riding around the city. On a cold rainy day, I snapped a pic that I knew had to become a painting. I left out some details, but I think the piece does justice to the architecture.
Wiped - Van Ness at Jackson
I love this image because of the energy. I caught the wiper blade mid-stroke and the person running across the intersection in the rain. I also like the way the piece blurs the background, leaving the foreground raindrops in focus. It adds a nice touch of depth.
Wipe - Golden Gate Bridge
I travel across the bridge a lot, as do many of us who are lucky enough to call the Bay Area home. I tend to shy away from painting the bridge because it’s so iconic…how can one do justice to something that’s been painted so many times by artists? This painting is one such answer. I thought the image was unique enough to become a painting. I like the glow of lights in the foggy/rainy atmosphere and even love the yellow-lined highway divider that has become just part of the commute for folks.
Van Ness at Alice B. Toklas
This image was captured from a car that had these really cool hard water spots on the windows. I chose to paint it because I really liked how much depth is created by making the raindrops and water spots very clear, while making the rest of the background totally blurred out. I think it makes the viewer believe they are actually looking through rain-splattered glass.
Union Square - Stockton
Shortly after a rain I was riding through Union Square and caught this man walking in front of some high-end display windows. I love the way the various colors are reflected in the drops and the way the windows reflect on the wet sidewalk.
Van Ness - Tommy’s Joynt
Tommy’s Joynt is the last original hofbrau in the city. The food is generously served and reliably good. I love how their wildly painted building is subverted to the raindrops on my window. Fans of the place can easily recognize what it is. I like the view of the building from Van ness, with the crosswalk and side street (Geary).
Paul Thiebaud Gallery
Located on Chestnut Street, in North Beach, the gallery specializes in works by contemporary artists and old masters. I love the simple two-story building and the way the golden light reflects in the rain. This image was captured on a windy day, so the rain is steaking on the window, adding some fun energy to the piece.
MS Queen Anne - Pier 27
As a former Coast Guard officer, I love ships of all kinds. The Queen Anne is a beast. A true ocean liner, it’s designed for cruising around the world on long voyages. I love this image because it shows how much she dwarfs the pier. For scale, the fence at pier 27 is ten feet tall. The ship is 1,058 feet long and has 14 decks, making her 210 feet above the water.
Umbrella Man - Ocean Avenue
I caught this man waiting for a bus on Ocean Avenue in the rain. It’s probably my favorite piece in the series. There’s just something iconic about a lone person with an umbrella.
Mel’s on Geary
Mel’s is an American classic where I enjoy a burger from time to time. I love how this image shows the sodden flag and the streaking rain on the window. I also really dig the mustard-and-ketchup colored trash can and paper box out front on the sidewalk. I kind of made them the focal point of the piece in a way.
Division at Harrison
Several years ago, I was riding as a passenger in a little Honda and we got t-boned by an SUV. The lady was texting at the time. The door intruded 36-inches into my seating area. I unbuckled and moved just in time to survive, but broke all of my ribs on one side. I happen to live in this neighborhood and watched these old, green structures become a vibrant blue over the course of a year. I think it really brightens up the ‘hood and makes the place feel like progress is happening. I love the way this image has so many raindrops and how the blue really sets them off.
SF City Hall Raindrops
The rain came and went with a bluster, and we parked on Larkin, across from City Hall. I absolutely love how bright and sunny it is and how the raindrops on the window are so easily visible. Old Glory flapping in the breeze is pretty cool, too.
Crossing Sutter at Divisadero
There’s nothing that says “busy city life” more than people in a crosswalk during the rain. I love the lady’s blue jacket and umbrella, and the other pedestrians going out of frame. The streaking water on the glass is always a fun thing to paint as well.
Hole In The Wall Saloon
Several years ago The Hole in the Wall moved from 8th Street and Folsom to Folsom, between 9th and 10th. It’s a notorious gay biker bar with a great pool table and friendly staff. I played on their pool team for years and have been know to enjoy a cold beer there every once in a while. Hat’s off to Joe and John for celebrating 30 years!
FIDI - Post and Kearny
I just love the trench-coat lady on her phone who stands under a stop-hand sign, and the guy earnestly walking with his umbrella. It’s a classic lunchtime image of downtown San Francisco that I had to paint
Golden Gate Bridge Drops
The iconic bridge is still recognizable, but the star of this image is the rain-splattered window and the blurry cars in the foreground. This piece was surprisingly challenging, finding the right visibility for various bridge elements.