Indigo Rickshaw: Handmade Color, Homegrown in Bernal Heights

A neighbor profile on the maker behind our block's favorite watercolors

Sep 23, 2026

Indigo Rickshaw: Handmade Color, Homegrown in Bernal Heights

Get to Know Your Neighbor: Rina of Indigo Rickshaw

If you’ve wandered around Bernal Heights and stumbled across jewel-toned watercolors or a hand-thrown ceramic palette that looks almost too pretty to use, there’s a good chance you’ve met Rina’s work already — even if you haven’t met Rina.

Rina is the artist, maker, and neighbor behind Indigo Rickshaw, a small studio built on a wonderfully simple idea: follow your curiosity and see where it takes you.

How it all started

Rina’s road to running a business is anything but typical. By day (and often by night), she’s an infectious diseases physician. She’s also a parent and homeschooler, which means her plate is already full before “art studio owner” enters the picture. But that’s exactly how it happened — Rina set out to solve one small, practical problem: building herself the perfect portable art kit.

That one project opened a door. She went down the rabbit hole of paint chemistry, experimenting with honey, gum arabic, and artist-grade pigments until she was making her own watercolors from scratch. What started as a personal fix for a personal problem grew into something bigger: small-batch handmade paints, custom ceramic palettes, and journals now reach artists and curious makers everywhere.

Creativity with a conscience

Talk to Rina for five minutes, and you'll notice two things she cares about deeply: bold color and doing things sustainably. She loves rescuing and repurposing vintage art supplies, giving old materials a second act instead of letting them go to waste. And while she’ll be the first to admit the “perfect” portable art pouch she set out to build is still a work in progress, that hasn’t stopped her from encouraging the rest of us to make art wherever we happen to be.

A neighborhood kind of business

Don’t expect a rigid five-year business plan from Indigo Rickshaw. Rina runs things by instinct and inquiry — each new product or collection grows out of her ongoing curiosity about color, materials, and craft. It’s a refreshing reminder of what makes Bernal Heights businesses special: people building things out of passion, not formula, with community woven into every step.

Want to see what Rina’s up to lately? Check out her latest collections and peek behind the scenes of her process at indigorickshaw.com.

Mexican Spirits & Wine Tasting

A Fundraiser for Ogden Avenue Gardens

We had so much fun last year; we’re doing it again — premium tequila, smoky mezcal, and the wines of Mexico, poured for a good cause.

Join us for an unforgettable evening celebrating Mexico's rich spirits and wines. Sip your way through exclusive tastings paired with small bites crafted to complement every pour. Gather with friends, savor the flavors, and raise a glass for something worth growing.

All proceeds benefit Ogden Avenue Gardens — help us grow something beautiful for our community.

📅 Saturday, October 17, 2026
🕕 6:00 – 9:00 PM
📍 Baukunst, 433 Cortland Ave, San Francisco, CA 94110

Get Your Tickets

Come thirsty, leave inspired.

Bernal Connect

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