Mission San Francisco de Asis

The sixth mission, founded June 29,1776 by Father Francisco Palou was named for St Francis, founder of the Franciscan Order. Francis was born in 1182 at Assisi in the Umbrian region of Italy.  The son of a wealthy merchant, he gave up his inheritance, began a life of poverty and, in time, founded the order of Friars Minor which later became the Franciscan Order.

The Portola party stumbled upon the enormous bay of San Francisco while searching for Monterey Bay, which they had missed. With the importance of the great bay recognized, the Viceroy ordered two mission settlements.  A large overland party was organized under the command of Lt. Col. Juan Bautista de Anza.  De Anza chose a site for the mission on the bank of a stream he named Arroyo de los Dolores because it was the feast day of Our Lady of Sorrows. The name Dolores soon became attached to the mission as well. The beautiful church was begun om 1782, but a more favorable site was chosen which was dedicated in 1792 and has survived the earthquakes of 1906 and 1989.   The walls are four feet deep and the original redwood logs supporting the roof are still in place.  This unique mission has been beautifully preserved and faithfully kept in its original state.

Painting the Mission:

I had not been to San Francisco for a long time and the degradation of the city hit me.  Looking at the mission, I knew it was not a two-session work.  Parking was difficult and I was lucky to have my patient husband around to help me set up, move the car and keep an eye on the parade of not-too-clean individuals.  One passer-by while muttering expletives grumbled:  "You Street painters!".  I had a good spot, but since the next day was Sunday, I was concerned about all the cars that would be parked in front.  We arrived early and found the area littered with beer cans and paraphernalia obviously used for drugs. . .  even a discarded shirt and food containers.  It took fifteen minutes to clean up the mess.  The cars weren't a distraction. A bright note: the manager of the mission gift shop came to see my efforts and liked them.  She hoped I would have cards made to sell at her shop.  It took another day to finish the painting and I refused to squash it under the imposing presence of the Basilica next to it.  I gave the mission the space it deserved.