Watch this entire Truly CA episode: A Brush with the Tenderloin by filmmaker Paige Bierma. (Running Time: 24:36)

The Tenderloin District in San Francisco is rarely recognized for its cultural diversity or rich history, but rather for its prevalence of street crime, drug deals and prostitution. When Swiss-born San Francisco muralist Mona Caron was approached to create a mural there, she had to think twice. "Going into this project, my greatest worry was, God, I'm going into a place where there's so many societal problems. Art is really the last thing that people need," says Caron, who was hired by the Tenderloin Community Development District to paint a three-story mural at the corner of Jones Street and Golden Gate Avenue.

The act of painting a mural naturally draws onlookers. In A Brush with the Tenderloin, Caron gets to know a host of memorable characters during the course of the Tenderloin project. Fortunately, Caron's murals constitute true "public art," intentionally engaging residents in a dialogue about their neighborhood. Dozens of locals, like homeless rocker "Indian Joe," kite-maker Jeff Marshall, and former heroin addict Lisa Demb, become integral to the finished piece, which shows the Tenderloin as it was, is, and could be.

Tenderloin Community Development DistrictTenderloin Community Development District

A Brush with the Tenderloin