User talk:Jimgleeson
my name is jim gleeson I am a 3rd generation SF native who attended Corpus Christi Grammer School, Riordan High School and USF/Academy of Art College.I currently am on the Faculty at the Academy where I teach drawing.My interest in Sf history goes back to stories my father tells me about the Mission District where my Father James Gleeson and Mother Gerry Finney grew up.The neighborhood was working class Irish and some Germans and italians,My Dads mom operated a few grocery stores on Dolores st and then on treat ave near 25th st.My Dad played baseball for the harrison Athletic club and loved to go to Seals stadium. I have started a series of SF history Paintings that are intended to describe various eras and events in sf history, the first painting I completed is the SF general strike of 1934. My Paternal Grandfather James Gleeson worked on the waterfront docks with Harry Bridges. He didnt like Harrys Socialist politics but said he was a good man. The account that I choose for my painting was the murder of 2 longshoremen supposedly at the hands of the Police Dept. This event so outraged the population that they shut down the west coast ports and won the strike. My second painting is about old Chinatown and is inspired by photos taken by arnold Genth.I have always been facinated with the mystery and romance of old chinatown...the Tongs the brothels Opium dens and gambling. I created a painting titled murder in Chinatown that depicts a gang style hit of a respected Tong Leader.The gunman runs through the throng of men standing on waverly place. There is a beautiful prostitute in the center of the painting looking at the dying Tong leader. The painting is not based on an actual event but Im sure something like that happened. The third painting is of the fight for the heavyweight championship that took place at the Cow Palace Oct 14, 1949 between Ezzra Charles and local great fighter from the Excelsior Pat Valentino. I went to grade school with Joe Guglielemi his nephew and he told me about his uncle and what a great fighter he was. I saw an article in the examiner about this site and thought i would contribute.