Original artworks by local artist Obi Kaufmann to be featured in ad spaces at BART stations
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Three original watercolor paintings by celebrated poet-artist-naturalist Obi Kaufmann are now enlivening BART stations by taking over ad spaces across the system. The artworks are being released in tandem with the launch of the spring 2025 One Book One BART book club. The club’s official selection is Bay Area Wildlife: An Irreverent Guide by Jeff Miller, which was illustrated by Kaufmann.
The unveiling of Kaufmann’s artworks marks the relaunch of BART’s Poster Art Program. The goal of the program, which has featured original works by Miwako Nishizawa, Monico Chavez, Josh Ellingson, and Owen Smith, is to enhance the physical environment of BART stations and celebrate the wealth of artistic talent in the Bay Area. The program is a joint effort between BART Communications, BART Marketing, and the BART Art Program.
Kaufmann’s original paintings feature some of the local species found in the natural and urban spaces accessible by transit, including San Francisco, Don Edwards Wildlife Refuge, and Mount Diablo. Each panel is themed around a different group of wildlife: “Big, beautiful birds of the Bay Area,” “Our wildlife neighbors of the Bay Area,” and “Endangered species of the Bay Area.”
“Transportation agencies throughout the United States and internationally have seen the importance to community and customers in bringing art and culture into transit spaces,” said BART Chief Communications Officer Alicia Trost. "Bringing art to our system also builds a sense of safety and belonging, as we have repeatedly heard from our Not One More Girl initiative outreach."
“Artworks enhance the travel experience with education, joy, information about, and celebration of a particular location and its unique characteristics," added BART Art Program Manager Jennifer Easton. "Obi’s artwork demonstrates his deep appreciation and passion for our neighbors in the wild, reminding us that reducing our environmental impact by using transit can help preserve their critical environments.”
On Saturday, May 3, from noon to approx. 1pm, Kaufmann will partner with BART to lead a first-of-its-kind BART Train Expedition. The free, family-friendly ride on an in-service passenger train will take us on a journey through the East Bay’s mosaicked, ecological landscape – all through the windows of a Yellow Line train. During the ride, Kaufmann will transport us through “deep time” as he tells stories about the area’s ecosystems, water, fire, infrastructure, volcanic history, trees, and more. RSVP here and scroll down to learn about other upcoming One Book One BART events.
Kaufmann’s original BART paintings will be available for purchase as 11x14 art prints, coming soon to BART’s merchandise store Railgoods. Railgoods will also sell unique “Animals by BART” t-shirts featuring the fauna displayed in Kaufmann’s paintings. Sign up for the mailing list at the link above and follow BART on social media to be alerted to the release of the prints and t-shirts.
Oakland-based Kaufmann is known for his illustrated books on ecology and geography, including the award-winning California Field Atlas and his latest, The State of Fire: Why California Burns. Kaufmann brings his signature style – soft watercolor illustrations and handwritten titles that mimic field guides of yore – to the paintings he created for BART.
"Growing up in the Bay Area as a young naturalist, I relied on BART to get me to the parks, open spaces, and wild landscapes that inspired me to become the writer and artist I am today,” Kaufmann said. “So many decades later, I am happy to report that those same places are accessible, and teaming up with BART to celebrate the Bay Area's rich wildlife legacy is a dream come true."
In addition to celebrating ecology, Kaufmann’s works are an urgent reminder that the Bay Area is home to many at-risk wildlife populations. Sustainability is one of BART’s core values, and it has been since our system was founded. As highlighted in our Transit Saves campaign, if it weren’t for BART, we’d have to plant a forest the size of San Francisco every two years to offset the CO2 that would be generated from increased vehicle emissions. The people of the Bay Area need BART, and so do the plants and animals that reside here.
“We want people to think of our stations not solely as liminal spaces to mindlessly pass through, but places where you can experience art, culture, and even a sense wonder,” said BART Principal Marketing Representative Michelle Robertson, who spearheaded the relaunch Poster Art Program project. “Some of my fondest transit memories involve riding BART to regional green spaces, and I’m grateful to Obi for giving all of us a reason to celebrate transit and the wealth of experiences it takes us to."
The artworks also serve as inspiration and encouragement for people to use public transit to get outside! To get going on your next outdoor adventure, visit bartable.bart.gov/outdoors and discover a wealth of hikes, bike rides, and outdoor itineraries by BART stations.
One Book One BART returns with a natural history theme
In keeping with the natural history theme, BART is excited to announce the return of One Book One BART. The club is a novel strategy for rider and employee engagement that invites members of the public to read the same book at the same time and participate in themed events in BART trains and stations. This will be the third iteration of One Book One BART, which began in 2022 with Hua Hsu’s Stay True.
This year’s selection is Bay Area Wildlife: An Irreverent Guide (Heyday Books) by conservationist Jeff Miller, with illustrations by Obi Kaufmann. Bay Area Wildlife takes an educational and highly entertaining approach to the region’s local fauna, “revealing why each of these creatures matters, as well as the threats that loom over our region’s incredible biodiversity.”
The book will serve as a jumping off point for a series of outdoor excursions by BART stations and on trains. Stay up to date by visiting bart.gov/bookclub and signing up for the email list at the top of the page.
One Book One BART events
All events are free to attend, but an RSVP is required.
Guided Nature Walk with Author Jeff Miller and Pals
When: Saturday, April 19
The first walk will leave the station at 9am. The walk from 19th to the Rotary Center will take approx. 45 - 60 minutes. RSVP for the first walk (9am) on Eventbrite here
The second walk will leave the station at 11am. The walk from 19th St. to the Rotary Center will take approx. 45 - 60 minutes. RSVP for the second walk (11am) on Eventbrite here
Where: 19th St/Oakland Station to the Rotary Nature Center
Itinerary subject to change.
Meet Bay Area Wildlife author Jeff Miller as he and some conservationist colleagues and local naturalists take us on a ~1.4-mile guided nature walk of Lake Merritt that will begin at 19th St. Station in Downtown Oakland.
Expect to see lots of water birds and an assortment of herons and egrets, maybe even some fish! The walk will end in front of the Rotary Nature Center on the lake, where participants will have the opportunity to rendezvous with and learn from local environmental organizations.
Wear comfy walking shoes, fill up your water bottle, and bring whatever else you may need for the walk. And don’t forget your copy of Bay Area Wildlife – Jeff will be signing books.
Bike Ride and Birdwatching
When: Saturday, April 26
- Early short ride - Departs North Berkeley Station at 7:45am. The ride is approx. 8 miles roundtrip and will end at North Berkeley Station at approx. 9:45am. RSVP for the 7:45am short ride on Eventbrite.
- Long late ride - Departs North Berkeley Station at 10am. The ride is approx. 15 miles roundtrip and will end back at North Berkeley at approx. 1pm. RSVP for the 10am long ride on Eventbrite
Where: North Berkeley Station
Itinerary subject to change.
Heath Maddox, BART Manager of Bicycle and Micromobility Access Programs, and local birdwatchers will host two bike rides -- a shorter one for early birds and a later one for those looking for a long ride -- with birdwatching stops along the way. The ride will start and end at North Berkeley Station.
In addition to the expertise of local birdwatchers, we’ll have a digital guide featuring info on birds we might spot on the ride. Find the short 7:45am route here and the long 10am route here.
Bring your bike, helmet, and binoculars – we’ll have extras on hand to lend. You should also bring anything you need to be self-sufficient and keep your bike rolling (spare tube, patch kit, pump, etc.). If you do not have a bike, you can rent one from the Bay Wheels hub at North Berkeley Station.
BART Train Expedition with Obi Kaufmann
When: Saturday, May 3, noon to approx. 1pm
Where: Pleasant Hill/City Centre Station to 12th St/Oakland Station
"Bay Area Wildlife" illustrator and acclaimed poet-naturalist Obi Kaufmann takes the public on a first-of-its-kind BART Train Expedition! The free, family-friendly ride on an in-service passenger train will take us on a journey through the East Bay’s mosaicked, ecological landscape – all through the windows of a Yellow Line train. During the ride, Kaufmann will transport us through “deep time” as he tells stories about the area’s ecosystems, water, fire, infrastructure, volcanic history, trees, and more.
At the end of the approx. 30-minute ride, we’ll disembark at 12th St./Oakland Station and walk with Obi to Frank Ogawa Plaza, where we’ll pay homage to the Town’s most famous oak tree.
About Obi Kaufmann
For poet, painter, and naturalist Obi Kaufmann, California is a magic network of living systems connecting ecology and beauty in a grand quilt, holding enough science, mythology, and language for a hundred field atlases to come. Obi Kaufmann regularly travels around the state, presenting his work and vision as keynote addresses to such groups as the Klamath-Siskiyou Wildland Center, Pacific Forest Trust, the Mojave Desert Land Trust, the Mechanics Institute of San Francisco, the Anza Borrego Foundation, the Mono Lake Committee, the University of California at Berkeley Botanical Garden, the University of California at Davis Plant Sciences Department, the University of California Santa Barbara Department of Water Sciences, the Peninsula Open Space Trust, the California Native Plant Society, the Wilderness Society, and the Audubon Society. Obi had a 2022 residency with the National Wildlife Federation as the illustrator for the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. One year later, in 2023, he was the artist in residence for the National Park Service at the Whiskeytown NRA. Obi’s essays and paintings have been published in Dark Mountain Literary Journal, Zyzzyva Literary Journal, Bay Nature Magazine, Western Art & Architecture, Sunset Magazine, Juxtapoz Magazine, and On the Range Magazine. His 2023 essay "The Mind of the Redwood Forest" won an honorable mention as one of the best essays in the country, as awarded by the Norton Books Anthology. Obi regularly posts his work on Instagram as @coyotethunder. He is published by HEYDAY and represented by WILDBOUNDPR. Tune into to his podcast, PLACE AND PURPOSE, with cohost Greg Sarris.