#bay-area-artists

#bay-area-artists

On a recent Saturday afternoon in downtown Mountain View, groups of people filled the outdoor seating at restaurants along Castro Street, dogs and their owners strolled the sidewalks and minutes after the Don't Eat Me storefront opened its doors, people shuffled inside. The pop-up shop recently opened in a previously vacant space on Castro Street, selling original artwork, stationary, clothing, accessories and home decor from Bay Area artists.

Beyond those big names, Stagecoach's undercard features several classic Bay Area acts. Journey, the legendary group behind "Don't Stop Believin'," is slated to perform, as is Third Eye Blind, who penned "Semi Charmed Life," which may be the cheeriest song about crystal meth ever written. Counting Crows, the '90s alternative band famous for the ubiquitous radio hit "Mr. Jones," is also in the lineup. All three groups were founded in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Drawing on a natural curiosity cultivated in childhood, Aoki has come full circle on what captures her attention. Aoki says her younger self would be surprised that she's managed to carve out a life as a painter, since it wasn't really considered an option in her family. Sneaking it in as a double major, Aoki graduated from University of the Pacific in Stockton, with a BA in mathematics and studio art.