*UPDATE Wednesday, April 22: Fnnch will release a second batch of 250 face masks for sale on Thursday, April 23 at noon PST. The artist will donate 100 percent of the proceeds to SF New Deal, which delivers food to hospitals and people in need. He has already raised over $70,000 for COVID-19 charities through sales of his masks and limited edition art works.*
When San Francisco street artist Fnnch—the anonymous painter of all those cute and now iconic honey bears that grace buildings citywide—announced via Instagram on Friday that he was debuting honey bear face masks to benefit Covid-19 charities, we were on it like white on rice.
Unfortunately, his two mask designs ($75) both sold out within about 20 minutes, with 100 percent of proceeds going to Covid-19 charities. The non-medical masks are designed by Stockhausen Design and sewn in Fnnch's San Francisco studio—the team is employing an out-of-work artist to help. Each mask has a pocket for a removable filter and come with a P2.5 filter, an "N95 equivalent."
If you weren't quick to click, you can still pick up some limited edition Fnnch art to support the cause: The artist is offering two new coronavirus-themed designs, a Mask Bear and Soap Bear, as both paintings and prints, and will donate 50 percent of his earnings to the Safety Net Fund, which gives money to Bay Area artists, musicians, and performers who have lost their incomes due to the pandemic.
The works will be available for just 10 days, so hurry up if you want a signed-and-numbered painting ($500/spray paint on maple plywood) or print ($125) that will help to support local struggling artists.
Also look out for Fnnch's Covid-themed bears painted around town.
PS: Shop more reusable fabric face masks by Bay Area designers here.
