Emeryville Perspectives, 6475 Christie Ave at 65th St., wet-jet cut corten steel, 2023

Jill McLennan designed this fence based on her observations and research of the Emeryville Shoreline and Marina Park. She created the three panels as artistic visions of life along the San Francisco Bay, looking west, north and east towards the city of Emeryville. She documents the different types of plants, trees, animals, fish and birds that frequent the Bay, as people explore the natural beauty. 

Points West: Bay Bridge to Golden Gate

The first panel shows the views looking west towards San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge and Mt.Tam in Marin. Pelicans fly over the bridge and dive into the bay as Ohlone paddle their canoes through the wetlands. Alcatraz lurks under the bridge and Mt Tam rises into the skyline.

The second panel turns north towards the Richmond Bridge, the North Bay Hills and a glimpse of UC Berkeley. Within the panels, she depicts a variety of birds who live and migrate through the area, including Pelicans, Herons, Egrets, American Coots, Stilts, Plovers and Canada Geese. She nods to the long history and presence of the Ohlone Peoples acknowledging their land, with tule grass and canoes. 

The third and largest panel, facing west, illustrates the skyline of Emeryville as viewed from across the Marina looking East. In the foreground, there are sailboats, shoreline plants and a variety of shorebirds. And across the water are some of the buildings and condos of Emeryville, bordered by trees and hills. 

Together the three panels display dynamic perspectives of the Bay Area, its natural wonders, human habitation and transportation. The birds, grasses and waves create movement throughout the piece and connect the three panels with common imagery. Each panel leads into the next as if you are walking around the Emeryville Marina Park on a sunny East Bay day.