Before there was South Beartropolis, there was Hillcrest.
This bold, luminous figure study — painted in RD Riccoboni's signature painterly contemporary impressionism — was the direct creative spark for the South Beartropolis district in the celebrated Beartropolis Fantasy Flyover Map. The warm golden figure set against a swirling turquoise and yellow expressionist field captures the spirit of San Diego's most vibrant, free-spirited neighborhood: sun-drenched, confident, and beautifully alive.
Painted as a preliminary study for a larger work, this piece carries the raw energy and spontaneity that only a first-vision painting can hold. The thick, gestural brushwork and bold palette reflect Riccoboni's deep love of color, light, and the human form — a visual language rooted in Van Gogh, Cézanne, and the California Colorist tradition.
Hillcrest is the soul of South Beartropolis. Own the painting that started it all.
Product Information
Hand-signed print by the artist. Printed with archival inks on acid-free paper. Available in multiple sizes — select your size from the drop-down menu. Ships directly from the artist's studio in historic Balboa Park, San Diego, California. Makes a meaningful gift, collector's piece, or statement for any home or workspace.
Where do you see this hanging in your space?
---RD Riccoboni is an internationally collected, award-winning California artist. His paintings celebrate imagination, community, and the beauty of place. RD's work is represented in museum and institutional collections across the United States.
Every Riccoboni artwork is created to celebrate imagination, joy, and human connection. Original paintings and signed editions are carefully prepared and shipped from the artist's Arts Studio in historic Balboa Park, San Diego, California.
"I'm a storyteller in paint. Every painting tells a story. Thank you for becoming part of mine."
— RD Riccoboni
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Original may be available at rdriccoboni.com