Artspan Auction 2008

What: 2008 Artspan Auction
Location: Electric Works Gallery





This past weekend I volunteered for the Artspan auction. There was a hefty turn out and many pieces sold. It was my first time in Electric Works, which is fun space. Definitely reminded me of an old factory work space, where the overseer could watch from upstairs to make sure all the employees were in line.

In the space usually used for printing, we wrapped the sold art pieces.

Next time you are over there check out their book selection. I picked up "Art and Objecthood" by Michael Fried and love it.

Stella Im Hultberg, "Silent Spring"

Artist: Stella Im Hultberg
Gallery: Gallery 1988
Exhibition Dates: March 28, 2008 - April 19, 2008
Exhibition Title: Silent Spring


Stella's paintings and drawings offer a sense of peace and meditation. Extended brush strokes, transparency in bodies, lively female hair, and beauty.

Stella Im Hultberg, originally uploaded by libbynicholaou.

Installing Chihuly

I went to check ouhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gift the Annie Leibovitz exhibit at the Legion on Wednesday morning and found folks installing the Dale Chihuly exhibit! It was fantastic to see all the colorful glass lit up by the early sun. Everyone there thought seeing the assemblage process was more fantastic than the final sculpture. Some wanted to be able to take one glass limb home...I wouldn't have minded either.

A Piece of History

Reading about periods in art history to prepare interview questions for Michael Page, I came across this from the Islamic Art period. I am fan of lines, symbolic object placement, and monotones, which are all here!

From Wikipedia:
"In 1250 the Mamluks seized control of Egypt from the Ayyubids, and by 1261 had managed to assert themselves in Syria as well. The Mamluks were not, strictly speaking, a dynasty, as they did not maintain a patrilineal mode of succession; in fact, Mamluks were freed Turkish slaves, who (in theory) passed the power to others of like station. This mode of government persevered for three centuries, until 1517, and gave rise to abundant architectural projects (many thousands of buildings were constructed during this period), while patronage of luxury arts favored primarily enameled glass and metalwork. The Baptistery of Saint Louis, one of the most famous Islamic objects, dates to this period."



Detail of the "Baptistère de Saint-Louis," 13th-14th century, Mamluk, today in the Louvre.

An Indy Photo Exhibit

Artist: Christelle Imperial de Castro
Gallery: Bottle Capp Gallery
Opening Reception: Thursday, March 27, 2008 6- 10 p.m.
Location: 180 Capp Street

Exhibit title: "PICTURES OF YOUR FRIENDS"


















"Pictures of Your Friends will be a display of both b&w and color photography. She considers it to be more of a photo installation that just a simple photo show, as it will combine lightboxes, framed pieces, large and small pieces, and other random eye candy type shit. Everything is priced to sell, according to Christelle, as all proceeds of the show will benefit her first publication, Everyday People, set to be released May or June of this year."Link

Eva Lake's Video Interviews

Eva Lake writes a hearty art blog from Portland, Oregon. She works with photomontage and paint for her own creations, while she keeps abreast the art scene with interviews and daily commentary.


Here are couple of her video interviews done in San Francisco.

Catherine Clark at PULSE NY

Catherine Clark Gallery is the only representative of San Francisco at the PULSE Contemporary Art Fair in New York this year. They will be exhibitihttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifng paintings by Masami Teraoka.









If you are in New York this weekend for the many art events, check out Pier 40 for Catherine Clark.

Marcel Dzama

Artist: Marcel Dzama
Gallery: David Zwirner
Represented by: Richard Hellar Gallery
Exhibit Dates: March 6 through April 19, 2008




"Untitled (Page 9 of 13)"






"The Banks of the Red River A Veritable Army of Underdogs"






"No one plays the blues like Rose Lind"







"My Ideals were clay"






"Weep our sad bosoms empty"







"The Nursing child is a blower of hot flesh but not love hothouse cauliflower"

Filipa Cesar

Artist: Filipa Cesar
Represented by: Cristina Guerra

Colors of the Muni Fast Pass

Artist: John Kuzich
What: muni fast pass combinations


I was excited to find this article on SFgate.com about John's project. He has been collecting fast passes for the three years and anticipates obtaining 6000 - 8000 when he is done.




Favorite part from the article:
"But Fast Passes didn't initially lure Kuzich with their deeper meaning. Instead, he was enchanted by their color schemes that change month after month and their embedded holographic strips that shimmer in the light. It was later that he realized the common bond they represent, a commodity he describes as "truly San Francentric."

He is still in need of more passes.
If you have some you can send them here:
John Kuzich
660 4th Street #271
San Francisco,
CA 94107

SFAI = Impresario

Great art by students and alumni of SFAI. You can find more on their online gallery.

Holly Coley

Matthew Trygve Tung






Nancy Tobin






Paul Hendrik






Catherine Czacki






Chad Moore






Chris Ballantyne






Colter Jacobsen






Denise Laws






Elizabeth Barnum






Linda M. Ford / Pam Martin






Paul Wackers

Figments: A Photographic Installation

Artist: Lauren Anderson
Gallery: Diego Riviera Gallery
Location: 800 Chestnut St
Rehttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifception & Talk: 4:30 p.m.-7 p.m.

"Lauren Anderson presents a distinguished photographic installation. A largely conceptual endeavor, the work aims to de-center the audience and subvert the visual content. Large suspended frames of collaged, literally thrown-together images create a distinct tension between the work of art and the viewer. This disorientation produces a discomfort that immediately instigates an awareness of the viewer's physical and subconscious participation in voyeurism. Embodied figure outlines directly underneath the three suspended components of the installation allude to traces of the artist at the same time inviting the viewer to lie down and surrender to the images. The display, like an unconscious self-portrait, displays a solid epiphany; the artist's exploration of personal demystification and a momentary negotiation of her photographic process."link

Artist talk@ 4:30, March 25th, opening reception to follow
Show dates: March 23-29

Fecal Face Dot Gallery and Gallery 3 Opening Pics

Last night I got to meet Justin Giarla, who directs White Walls, Shooting Gallery, and Gallery 3. It was refreshing to meet someone, who has similar experiences as me, with going into galleries and feeling out of place, then to see him do something about it that takes the SF art scene by force. Below is the beginning of his "about" statement on the Gallery 3 site.




Justin's about statement from Gallery 3.

Whimsy recap

Photos I got of the opening last night at Rayko.


I see why Kirk Thompson's photo was used to publicize this exhibit, since his images embody most the theme, Whimsy. He messes with your initial notion of what is in the composition.

I found myself leaning in for a closer view to understand which objects were 3D and which were painted in the background. I like that instead of photoshopping in images, he finds creates a unique placement of objects with found backgrounds.

James Gobel at Marx & Zavattero

Artist: James Gobel
Gallery: Marx & Zavattero
Address: 77 Geary St.
Exhibit Dates: February 14 - March 29, 2008

This month Artforum covered James Gobel's exhibit, "Bear Hunting," at Marx & Zavattero. You can read the review here.



I had a great summer working at the old Fifes in Guerneville, CA, during Lazy Bear weekend 2007. Constant party, high energy, folks happy to be alive and on vacation.

In processing this exhibit, I found interesting the point Ken Pratt brought up that, "the artist seems to be fully cognizant that the promise of community has been replaced with a form of corporal capitalism." Community is something that continues to become more valuable in my life and capitalism, a market that is never satisfied.



Apart from the social statements Gobel makes through his work, I appreciate his use of multiple mediums such as acrylic felt, wool felt, and yarn.

Whimsy photography by BAPC at Rayko Photo

Who: Bay Area Photography Collective
Gallery: Rayko Photo Center
Dates: March 20 - April 20, 2008
Opening Reception: March 20, 6-8pm

Photos below are by Kirk Thompson.



"This exhibition explores the idea of whimsy. Humor is often overlooked as an element in fine art photography. This show addresses the lighter side directly and includes work that is witty, playful or ironic."link




Rayko has some fun toys to play with as well. I haven't seen an "ART*O*MAT Vending Machine" anywhere else. And am excited to get some shots in the B&W photo booth!



Right now I need to check out more photography, to build a stronger sense of what I appreciate and what I can do without. So, to Rayko I go!

Photos from Sketch Tuesdays

Event: Sketch Tuesdays
Where: 111 Minna Gallery
When: March 18, 2008

These were taken with the camera on my phone, which I am still getting used to taking quality-ish pictures with. The night was rad...good music, lots of artists I've been wanting to meet, and not to mention the cool part of watching creativity unfold.

Enjoy!

Jeremy Blake at Catherine Clark Gallery

Artist: Jeremy Blake
Gallery: Catherine Clark
Exhibit Dates: March 15 - April 19, 2008
Address: 150 Minna Street





Jeremy is known for his magical images, vibrant colors, and hallucinatory films. Trained as a painter at CCA, he went on to produce films of varying lengths for folks like David Berman and Beck.


In Catherine Clark's video viewing room you can check out his piece, Winchester Redux.

The following are "Sodium Fox" and "Round the Bend."







His last project, Glitterbest a film about Malcom McLaren, stays unfinished after his death in June 2007.

Chris Johanson at Jack Hanley Gallery

Artist: Chris Johanson
Gallery: Jack Hanley
Exhibition Dates: March 08 - April 12 2008
Address: 395 Valencia Street





Chris, a painter who is included in the "Mission School," is showing bright colored works this month at Jack Hanley Gallery in the Mission.



His paintings work largely with themes from Folk Art, portray scenes from daily life, and relate to the viewer on a personal level.



You can find photos from the opening reception on Art Business.

Third Tuesdays/Sketch Tuesdays

What: Live sketching/art making by local artists.
Where: 111 Minna Gallery
When: Tuesday March 18, 2008 from 6-9 p.m.


If you weren't able to catch Jay Howell at the opening reception for his current exhibit at 111 Minna, you can chat with him tomorrow at Sketch Tuesdays with other local artists.

Interview with Eden Veaudry

Last month Eden Veaudry had a solo exhibit at Million Fishes Gallery in the Mission. After seeing her work and talking with Tamara, the woman who curated the exhibit, I knew I had to talk with Eden. Here's the result!



Bio: Eden Veaudry is a Victoria, British Columbia based cross-disciplinary artist who creates optimistic art that addresses her experiences in the daily dream landscape while inspiring the viewer with a greater curiosity and appreciation of the strange, organic forms that make up the everyday world.
She works in a wide range of media including drawing, painting, textiles, and film. She is primarily interested in expressing everyday sensations by manipulating her immediate impressions of the shapes, colors, and moods she finds around her. Link





How have you seen your work developing, since the beginning? You use an assortment of mediums, which they referred to as "remix" in the Million Fishes blurb. Can you explain this further? Is there a new medium you are thinking about trying o

Drawing has always been my favorite thing to do. When I was 10 years old I started to fill my school notebooks with these elaborate, tiny flower mazes, which is definitely the root of what I am doing now. I've always been interested in patterns, tangled lines, flower shapes, and fabric. Around 2003 I began drawing self-portraits in black pen on white paper. Over time these self-portraits began to get smaller. I began to incorporate lines from the periphery of my vision.



I was reading a lot of Gertrude Stein at the time, and I was interested in how she was able to bring forth a very specific feeling without actually revealing the emotional specifics of that situation. I was interested in unpacking the lines that made up the room around me. I wanted to draw a self-portrait consisting only of, for example, the lines that made up the blanket or the clothing that covered the body. Gradually I moved away from the body entirely.



My ideas flow in and out of different mediums without any constraints. Sometimes I will 'sketch' out an idea in crochet, and it will end up in a monotype print. Or I will embroider a drawing that I found in an old sketchbook onto a piece of fabric.





I use photography to document all of my sculptures, and often I will photoshop the photographs until they are unrecognizable. Then I will draw or embroider the distorted photographs. It is always spontaneous. I like to leave things up to chance. Lately I've been making little films on my digital camera and manipulating them on my laptop. I am interested in spending more time making music.




In your recent exhibit at Million Fishes, you exhibited reflecting bodies of work, drawings, and textiles. How do you approach what you want to show in an exhibit? What is important to you in an exhibit?


This is an area in which I am still learning. I think some of the earlier shows were a bit sloppy, and I am learning to be more strict with what I show. It's tricky for me, because some of the gallery spaces are quite vast and my work is very small, so often it is not the best situation for viewing. I think my art is best viewed in book form, or on a computer screen.




Every six months or so a new body of work will slowly begin evolving. When I decide to have an exhibition I will sort through all the things I've made that have a similar feeling running through them. I set these aside and look at them and think about what it is they are trying to say to me.




What do you like about living in Canada? Did you grow up in the town you are now living in? If I were to come visit you where would you take me?

I like the quietness here, compared to the United States. There are fewer people, and a lot less visual noise as well, in terms of fewer billboards and garbage and so on. I also like that I can walk wherever and whenever I please, even long into the night, and feel perfectly at ease. Victoria has been my home base for the last 9 years, but I grew up in rural Southern Ontario.



If you came to Victoria I think I would take you to some galleries - the Fifty-Fifty Arts Collective, Open Space, the Ministry of Casual Living, and Fan Tan studio 16 1/2. We could go to Lady Marmalade for french toast, and then head to the Value Village to hunt for wool and dresses. Then we could walk along the ocean, gathering driftwood.



What/who are your major influences? If they are people that you know, do you ever tell them something like, "Hey you're amazing and amaze me?"

My heroines are Eva Hesse and Louise Bourgeois. Each one appeals to me because their art is abstract yet approachable, warm and tactile. In a dream world, I want to hug their sculptures. Their works possess a perfect balance of emotion and intellect. The forms they use are organic and recognizable to me, as though they were culled from my own internal landscape.



I am influenced by the spirit of dada and punk. I also enjoy Sonia Delaunay. I am interested in Olafur Eliasson's use of light. Every time I've seen a Vincent Van Gogh painting in real life, I felt like I'd been punched in the belly and I started to cry. I am often astonished by the beautiful energy & creativity of my friends and penpals, who turn letter-writing, home decorating, cooking, sewing, and dressing into works of art. I ought to tell them more often!



Many of your exhibits are spread out across North America. Do you enjoy traveling for them? What has been your favorite trip in general? What makes a great trip?

I do love traveling, though I am generally a bit of a recluse. I like to go out into the world and gather ideas to bring back home. I realized a couple years ago that I could use my art as an excuse to travel, and this has worked out well as I've met a lot of really interesting people this way.



My favorite trip so far, in general, was my first trip to New York city many years ago. I arrived in Manhattan at 6 o'clock in the morning after spending 3 nights on a bus, and to see the city skyline rising out of the morning mist was incredible. It was everything I imagined. It was the first time in my life I felt entirely comfortable in a place. I fell in lhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifove for the first time, as well, so overall it was a transformative experience.



A great trip is full of new colours, sounds, smells, and shapes. I know it's been a great trip when I come home feeling different inside.

Her Website.