Charles Dabo has been a working artist in the Bay Area since 1989. He is now a proud Portola resident with a new mural, “Portola Gardens” @ 2480 San Bruno Ave. ⁠

“The people, the Portola District community where I currently live, local events, and the cultural diversity of the Bay have influenced and inspired what I paint.” Along with the geographical impacts, Charles harks back to West African proverbs with a goal in mind: “to acknowledge important events that become a lesson to learn, and to pass on to future generations.”⁠

Through vivid colors, stylized mythical animals and assembled geometric shapes, Charles reenvisions life lessons into relevant issues we as a society need to relearn. ⁠

His process involves a routine procedure based on how West African artists craft imagery representing a benchmark of a lesson or important event. “Therefore, I follow the same process by creating images that interpret proverbs and ancient symbols to highlight a wisdom that could be implied in a constructive approach to certain social issues such as implicit bias.” His abstraction is rooted in optical illusions, pushing away from a static, two-dimensional design. ⁠

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Feature Published: June 4, 2021
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