"Patricia Araujo began photographing, drawing, and painting San Francisco's SOMA (South of Market Street) almost as soon as she moved into the neighborhood, during the late 1990s. Her work has been based on drawing in general and architectural drawing in particular. She studied architecture before she studied painting, and since the San Francisco neighborhood where she lived has many interesting buildings, some of them architecturally distinguished, it seemed natural that she should begin by painting what she saw every day".

"Beyond her own neighborhood, San Francisco as a whole can easily be seen an architect's dream city. SOMA Rising explores architectural practice as both imagination and sometimes sad reality. But it ends on a hopeful note: accepting the inevitability of change, its rooftop views show us the city from a vantage point that in itself speaks to the possibility of growth and renewal." By Jerome Tarshis

San Francisco Bay Area painter Patricia Araujo, steps beyond the scope of her 2008 book “SOMA SEEN”, with a new solo show titled, The City from SOMA Grand, and a new book publication in 2012, “SOMA RISING”. Araujo has been painting San Francisco’s central city architecture for over a decade, addressing the themes of urban growth and decay. She continues to be enchanted by the rich architectural history of_that area and the decayed beauty that remains. “SOMA RISING”, features selected paintings by Araujo of her continued interest in the facades of both iconic city landmarks and abandoned downtown buildings. Some of them refurbished and put back into active use, some of them still-handsome abandoned buildings. Featured favorite landmarks by Araujo include the Golden Gate Theatre, the Warfield, the forgotten Fox Theatre, Hibernia Bank, the Old Emporium dome, the Old Mint, the 33 New Montgomery Clock, and the PG&E Power Plants of 6th & Jessie Streets. This book finalizes by showing her latest series of paintings of rooftop views seen from SOMA Grand, a high-rise luxury building centrally located in SoMa, which captures fantastic panoramic views of buildings in the South of Market and downtown districts, including notable landmarks like the Federal Building, Transamerica Pyramid, the Marriott, the InterContinental Hotel and the tallest residential building in the city - One Rincon Hill. Her paintings pay tribute to a marvelous city that continues to rise!