Noe Valley Voice March 2005
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Café People

Sketches by T.J. Walkup

Illustrator T. J. Walkup, 34, lived in Noe Valley until his family moved to Napa when he was 5 years old. One of his earliest memories is of climbing out of a bath at the age of 2 and peering out the window at the corner of 28th and Sanchez streets. He attended preschool at St. Paul's, as well as a daycare center on Valencia Street. "The school at St. Paul's is now condos, and the day care is Badlands Books," says Walkup.

After Napa, Walkup spent some time in Los Angeles and made his way back to San Francisco when he was 26. He moved into his current Valley Street apartment in 2001. A self-taught artist, he has illustrated several books, including Something to Say (DHB Publishing, 1990), by author Just Dan. His work has also appeared in such publications as The Napa Register and San Francisco Chronicle Magazine.

When not illustrating or hanging out with old-school cartoonists like Morrie Turner and Cleven "Goodie" Goudeau, Walkup works as a technician in the entertainment industry. He has directed video for Universal Studios, as well as for local TV commercials.

He's currently working on a children's book, and a documentary titled "Goodie: Outlining an Invisible Man."

Walkup loves to sit in the cafés near his home, "watching the people go by" and sketching quick slices of Noe Valley life.
He paints in oil and gouache, as well as pen and ink. (And he accepts commissions --
e-mail gargoylex@sbcglobal.net.)

"As an artist," he says, "I see Noe Valley through the lines in the architecture, and the faces of the children making memories with their parents."

--Olivia Boler

From top to bottom, the cafés depicted are: The Last Laugh Café on Dolores Street, the Diamond Corner Café, and Martha & Bros. Coffee on Church Street. All sketches are ©2005 by T. J. Walkup.