Alex Lucas at Iceberger

In Defense of Home, In Defense of Industry

Artist: Alex Lukas
Gallery: Iceberger Gallery
Opening Reception: Saturday November 1st: 7 - 9 pm*
Exhibition Dates: November 1st - 29th
Address: 3150 18th St. #109 (18th & Treat)



Alex is one of the first artists that caught my attention when I moved to San Francisco. I'm looking forward to this exhibit.

"Alex Lukas' prophetic drawings explore the role that visions of disaster have played in the contemporary American imagination. Reflecting an era in which there is an increasing lack of distinction between reality and entertainment, when exploding buildings and breaking levies are viewed on television with frightening familiarity, Lukas' depictions of our world in the wake of some uncertain catastrophe are at once known and foreign. The media, Hollywood, and our contemporary climate's language of fear increasingly inundates and influences our collective consciousness; Lukas' depictions of a future certain are very much mirrors of today. In Defense of Home, In Defense of Industry is Lukas' first solo exhibition."

Matthew Palladino

"I dont usually do illustrations, but this Russian magazine asked for an image of this guy, who was very strange looking, and said I could do whatever so i couldnt resist. I like the idea that this image is floating around Russia now. Bong! " origin

Ron English at The Shooting Gallery

Artist: Ron English
Gallery: Shooting Gallery
Opening Reception: Saturday, November 1, 2008
Exhibition Dates: November 1, 2008 - December 10, 2008
Address: 839 Larkin Street

Dreaming of Babylon

My friend, David Shillinglaw, just hung "Dreaming of Babylon," the new exhibit at Nowhere North Gallery. He and two others curated this group show, which is traveling around the UK. The title is based from a novel by Richard Brautigan, "celebrating both confusion and shifts of meaning."

The show will run from October 21, 2008 - December 19, 2008.
Address: High Barnet, EN5 4EL

Shawn Barber

I re-read Shawn Barber's artist statement/FAQ page recently. It's even more relevant today than in the past. With the uncertain economy leaving people in a funk, we need to remember that how we perceive the future reside within ourselves.

From Shawn Barber's website:

"Experience and risk taking precedes opportunity. Opportunity fosters growth, knowledge and confidence. Confidence is taking responsibilty for your choices and actions, knowing that the integrity of your decisions will solidify your personal aesthetic on life.

Everything in life comes down to choices.
Do I want to sit in front of the tv to get away from the monotony of everyday life?-
How long should I stay at the party, talking about the same old same, night after night?-
I hate my job, I hate my boss, I should be doing something else with my life, but just not right now.
I'll do it tomorrow, I'm really not in the mood, I'll deal with it later, I'm bored.
These statements are an example of possible choices and decisions.
These passive sentiments are felt by many.
I felt this way and said these same words.

In 1995, at twenty-five years old, I finally got off my ass, went back to school and started to take responsibility for my actions, my future and myself. It didn't happen overnight. It didn't happen in two years. Change comes from the willingness to allow new ideas, different opinions and maintaining an open mind to the infinite possibilities there are when one is willing to take chances. Believing in what you do and DOING what YOU want to do, creates opportunity and builds an empowering state of mind.


we do what we have to, to get by. it's too easy to give up right away. anything that is worthwhile takes time, patience and an open mind. life is not perfect and you will definitely have down times, that's part of it. what separates the successful people and the ones still working at coffee shops (i've had my share) is the belief in what you're doing. as long as you're true to yourself and believe in what you're doing- you will become successful. money comes and goes-it's not what is important; sure you've got to eat, but how many people can truly state that they get to do what they love to do every day and are making a living at it. i guess what i'm saying is don't go in thinking about$$$$, or copying someone else's style to make a quick buck, do what YOU do and the money will eventually come. that, and you'll respect yourself and won't regret believing in yourself.

I work every day-monday to monday, at least 12 hours a day. I paint every single day, sometimes a few hours- sometimes several. I'm at a point now where i'm working primarily on personal work and focusing on learning the craft of tattooing. I just took a break from teaching in the art school system, something that I've done for the past 8 years.


from september of 1997 to the present (01.01.08)- i've made over 900 paintings and illustrations. I keep a running log of each and every work i make, to know what i've done and to see where i'm going in my work. I look at these lists often and there are a ton of paintings that are just plain bad. through looking at my bad work and seeing what i don't like and what doesn't work for me- i try and not make the same mistakes / decisions that i had in the past. it's all about learning from yourself and listening to your own worst critic. i also have quite a few friends and colleagues that i show my work to- for feedback, comments and criticism. a lot of the times i may disagree with what they have to say or we have different tastes and opinions, but i trust their judgment and they are only trying to help. they may see something that i had totally overlooked, or i may be killing something or sometimes the piece is a dog and you have to allow yourself to become detached and analyze the work besides yourself. step away, take a break, go back to the work tomorrow- look at it with a fresh perspective- anything you can do to make each piece the best it can be, every time out. it's a challenge and you will never, ever have a winner all the time. but you have to realize that fact. you must also accept that you are the conductor of your work and your success. you are in control."

Dan May

Dan May's painting small tiny pequeno. They're friendly and affordable. Check out his flickr.

Current exhibit in LA at La Luz de Jesus Gallery.

Street Art Around London

Caught these while going to eat lunch at Macondo Cafe in Hoxton square, where David Shillinglaw's latest exhibit is hanging.

A Trip To Mountain View

The St[art]er Home exhibit was the beginning of a much awaited project by the guys of Sezio. The neighbors were just as into it as everyone else. At the Mountain View house, an older neighbor passing through made the comment, "I am used to Van Gough but this, this comes from the young artists. I understand it. They are trying to express themselves and put out new ideas."





More artists are realizing the strong affect their art has on people, when it can be found not only in galleries but in unusual locations. Seeing art in unexpected places expands the way people understand it and can make it seem more approachable. It's great to see people opening up to the idea of visiting to galleries after understanding that the artists are real people who share their same perspectives.





I'm looking forward to the next St[art]er Home. Thanks Sezio.

Barcode At "One Night Stand"

Who: Scott Blake
Gallery: Live Worms
Date: Tuesday, October 21, 2008 from 6-10 pm
Address: 1345 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA

Barcode Art comes into being by:

"Scott Blake takes barcodes and turns them into art - art that is simultaneously pop and op, intellectual and personal, minimal and ocular. Blake uses the black and white icon of our data-drenched existence to stimulate thought on topics from consumerism to religion and individual identity. He urges the viewer to consider the limitations of digitized human expression and to appropriate these symbols of commodity."

Andres Garcia Ibanez

Paintings by Andres Garcia Ibanez
On exhibit at Halcyon Gallery in London through November 9, 2008







Halcyon Gallery in London has a solo exhibit of paintings by Ibanez, a Spanish artist, recounting the brutality of the Abu Ghraib prisons and the existing violence in American culture. An article in Art Review discusses Susan Sontag's writings and speeches from Rumsfeld that highlight the denial surrounding our current war.

Hallway Bathroom Gallery:

LANDSCAPE PORTRAIT PATTERN: an exhibit in three parts part 2 - portrait

Artists: Group Show
Gallery: Hallway Bathroom Gallery
Opening Reception: Saturday, October 18, 2008 from 3 – 8 p.m.
Exhibition Dates: October 18th through November 30th, 2008
Address: 391A South Van Ness

Joshua Abelow / Heidi Anderson / Nancy Chan / Randy Colosky
Mark Delong / Sonya Derman / Bill Donovan / James Gallagher / Servando Garcia
Oliver Halsman Rosenberg / Joseph Hart / Maxwell Loren Holyoke / Timothy Hull
Chris Johanson / Eddie Martinez / Rachel Niffenegger / Kottie Paloma
Jaret Penner / Sarah Peters / Eric Shaw / Suzannah Sinclair / Jonathan Solo
Michael Swaney / Justin B Williams / Jessica Williams
Michael Williams / Margaux Williamson

Juxtapose Covers Us at Red Dot

Justin sent Juxtapose some picks we've taken over the week and they put a little somthin up on their blog. Check it here.

Mr. Brainwash

Found this on the Wooster Collective's site, while looking through London street art blogs... even though these bloggers are from New York and this is in LA. Oh the internet.

London So Far

Conor Harrington, a man with killer dreads and rising art career passed through the brewery today on the way to his studio. Mike chatted it up with him a bit, while the rest of us were eating lunch.

Jason, a guy behind the scenes at Trumen Brewery, showed us a piece he just got from Conor and then Greg's art arrived at the hotel in this truck.





Photo cred Justin Giarla

Thanks Maggie

My friend Maggie shared with the internet about the new twitter feed I started, SFArtOpenings. She caused a great stir, leading people to follow, as well as a mention by "Eye on Blogs".

You can follow the SFArtOpenings feed here.

Thanks again Maggie!

Another intriguing bio: Joshua Petker

"I used to say I was born in the wrong century. The way overly dramatic kids claim to be old souls living in the present day, I was convinced I was secretly an impressionist painter, meant more for turn of the century's demi-monde opulence rather than today's world of animators, illustrators, and monster movie artists. I didn't go to art school. I don't know all the proper techniques. I learned colour theory by doing graffiti, but the story of the graffiti-artist-turned-fine-art-painter has been played out since the mid-'80s. My own life seemed to be working against me. I was convinced I should have been born in 1850.

Then I realized that I was approaching everything wrong. I live in Hollywood, this century's den of inequity and excess. I have eccentric colourful friends that rival the models of Degas and Renoir, I spend nights at Los Angeles bars that could rival those painted by Monet, and as this is 2007 I have access to neon pink and hot orange that I imagine even Van Gogh wouldn't know how to utilize. I am a contemporary painter interested in historic themes. There isn't anything wrong with that. I don't have any art school loans to pay back. I primarily paint women because I'm tremendously influenced by Klimt - and really focused on beauty."

- Juxtapoz Magazine, October 2007

Mike Giant at White Walls Tonight

With Travis Louie, Kris Kuksi, and Mercedes Helnwein in the Shooting Gallery next door.

Jay Nelson at Triple Base

Artist: Jay Nelson
Gallery: Triple Base
Opening Reception: Friday, October 10, 7-10pm
Exhibition Dates: October 10 – November 9, 2008
Address: 3041 24th Street

"Jay Nelson’s drawings, paintings and sculpture are created as part of his quest for individual autonomy within the modern American landscape. His solo show at Triple Base Gallery pays homage to the long history of the Western frontier as a destination for a romantic solitary experience. Focusing on San Francisco’s Ocean Beach as his point of departure, Nelson will employ a range of media to explore his subject of inspiration.

While Nelson’s paintings and drawings imagine a utopian, psychedelic experience within the natural environment, his sculptures serve a dual function as both fine art and self-sustaining utilitarian objects. Previous sculptures have included site-specific treehouses, an energy-efficient car camper, compact “case studies” for travel, and most recently a motor scooter outfitted for exploration. Nelson’s sculptures are simultaneously useful tools to transport oneself into the sky, forest or ocean as well as an imaginative starting point for the venture into a place of pure experience."

Rad Intern Wanted at Gallery Three

Intern wanted for Gallery and Design Studio in SoMa.

A gallery and design studio who share a space in SoMa, specializing in low brow art and organic handmade & modern design aesthetics, is seeking a part time unpaid intern.

Who:

This opportunity is ideal for someone in school for design or studio art. If you are interested in freelancing or establishing a name for yourself as an individual designer/artist, this is a great environment for you.


Benefits:

Apart from being around influential artists and gaining thorough experience in the gallery and with designers, you are welcome to use the space for your own projects.


Design & Gallery Responsibilities Include

Assistance with design projects
Updating blogs and websites
Assistance with hanging and taking down exhibits.
Preparing art & orders for shipment
Event mailings
Minimal construction assistance

Bryan Schnelle's Artist Statement

I'm gathering up info from all our artists at Gallery Three and just today read through Bryan Schnelle's artist statement. It's fitting for the times and interesting to think about, if you aren't already.

ARTIST STATEMENT


“The important thing is the obvious thing that no one is saying.”
-Charles Bukowski


My current work is an attempt to expose, explore, and maybe even come to terms with our society for what it is, to accept and dissect the fundamental wrongness of our being. It is a satirical illustration and sarcastic acceptance of the fear, hopelessness, and emptiness of daily life in our rapidly crumbling society. I am not above employing “stupid humor” as a tool to grab the viewer’s attention, as there is always something else, just beneath the punch line, a platform for serious thought. Ski masks are used to conceal people’s true identities. Hardcore old English text delivers social commentary through meaningless headlines and apocalyptic heavy metal lyrics. Backgrounds are left solid white to further illustrate the isolation of the world in which these characters inhabit. Motives are unclear, lies are repeated so many times that they are believed to be truth, the earth is angry, God is hiding and man is trying to take his place. I like to think of this body of work as some kind of warning from a parallel dimension or abstract communication from a higher plain of consciousness.

Mike Giant's Bio

I always like reading people's bios, from a contributing writer of a magazine to a well known popular figure.

In looking through Mike's website before his opening at White Walls this Saturday, I went straight to his bio.

"Birth. Upstate New York. Drawing. New Mexico. BMX bikes. Heavy Metal. Skateboarding. Punk rock. Hip-hop. Thailand. College. Dishwasher. Raves. Lorelei. First tattoo. San Francisco. Dharma. Think Skateboards. Angi. London. Adult bookstore. Computer animation. Tattooing. New York City. Newskool. Skullz Press. Everlasting. Track bikes. Brooke and Leia. Tokyo. Tattoo 13. Plum Village. Albuquerque. Stay Gold. REBEL8. Manifestations. Ordained minister. Megan. 36. Amsterdam. Right here. Right now."

Artist: Mike Giant
Gallery: White Walls
Opening Reception: Saturday, October 11, 2008 from 7-10 pm
Address: 839 Larkin

Grand Opening for Gallery 1AM

Gallery: 1AM
Opening Reception: Friday, October 10, 2008 from 7pm on
Address: 1000 Sixth Street

Apart from being excited to have new interesting arty neighbors on Sixth Street, I am happy to announce their opening party. Gallery 1AM was conceived by two guys with a background in street art.

After talking with Twick, I get the strong sense that this gallery & merchandise space was well planned. Their intention is to enhance the culture they grew up with and not surrender to art alone but through their own means incorporate it into their daily self expression.

The opening will be a party with DJ, live art making, and drinks.

Richard T. Walker at David Cunningham

I went to see Richard's opening at David Cunningham Projects and realized I'd seen his work on a smaller scale at Iceberger Gallery earlier this summer. It was an interesting to compare experiences from the two exhibits mainly due to the environment of the gallery.

At DCP, I enjoyed watching Richard's triptych projection piece, where the videos are engaging with each other. Then In the back room, he has several flat screens set up with head phones to watch man in nature.

Tim Keogh, opens an essay on Richard with a quote from Henry Moore saying, his sculpture "must be set so that it relates to the sky rather than to trees, a house, people, or other aspects of its surroundings. Only the sky, miles away, allows us to contract inifinity with reality, and se we are able to discover the sculptor's inner scale without comparison." He goes on to explain how Richard's work bears the same affect and discovery.

These video's continue have a very calming affect on me and enable me to be apart from the business in the city, while I watch them. Richard, himself, is a unique individual who is currently an affiliate artist at the Headlands and completing a fellowship at Kala in the east bay.

NaturalSynthetics

I'm curating a show that opens the beginning of November at Adaptive Path with artists Joey Piziali, Deric Carner, Whitney Lynn, Erik Otto, Kevin E. Taylor, Bailey Winters, Lindsay Jesse and Ernesto Ortiz.

Here's a preview. More details to come later.

Lindsay Jesse


Ernesto Ortiz


Bailey Winters


Joey Piziali


Kevin E. Taylor

Resurrection: The Dead Space Show

Opening Reception: October 4th, 6pm – late
Exhibition Dates: October 4th 2008 through October 31st
NB: Art, music, refreshments will be provided
Address: 1800 Campbell St, W Oakland, CA


LoBot Gallery is proud to resurrect a group of past Oakland art galleries to once again produce art shows for the land of the living. LoBot has repurposed it’s large main gallery into over 7 galleries to include over 50 participating artists in the DEAD show. Part art fair, part group show; each space is individually curated by the participating galleries. While this show serves to present a broad survey of bay area artists, it is also intended to raise awareness of Oaklands recent history of gallery start-ups and DIY art spaces. While there will be an exceptional amount of art present, there will also be an opportunity for interested viewers to expand there understanding of why individuals create these art spaces, and also why such spaces close their doors.

Deedee Cheriel

I found Deedee on Saigon Market.




I like what she's doing with humanity, nature, and sexuality. Her ideas and concepts match those behind the exhibit I'm curating at Adaptive Path this November. Here's her site.



"Deedee tries to capture the human condition in her work: the desire for love and the spiritual connectedness of humans to nature. She believes that our path away from nature leads to self-destruction. She's compelled to paint about love and human interconnectedness as a remedy to the over-saturation of violence in our culture.



Her inspiration comes from sexual imagery as depicted for centuries in Indian temple imagery. When she was informed by her Indian heritage, the erotic images of animals in her work served as a metaphor for basic human emotions. The playful cast of characters: birds, wolves, bears and deer originate from the Pacific Northwest, where she grew up."

Irana Douer

I just found this girl's work today. Incredible, something I definitely connect with as a female... not being gender exclusive. See more interesting images on her site, only a few here.



She's all over the place apart from her own magazine, Ruby Magazine, based in Argentina. You can get her images on wallets at Poketo.

Scarecrow by John Casey

Rowan Morrison Publishing presents "Scarecrow" by John Casey, the collectible new art book featuring over 60 unseen biomorphic drawings from the depths of the subconscious. Specs: 6" x 9", 2-color offset printing, limited 1st edition, signed and numbered by the artist, intro by James Kaufmann, $20 → Available October 30th, 2008.