Shinichi Maruyama: Gardens

This series of paintings by Shinichi Maruyana is an impressive display representational of Zen gardens. "The Zen garden is the expression of boundless cosmic beauty in a physical environment, created through intense human concentration, labor and repeated action". These paintings express just that: capturing the essence of liquid, frozen in mid-air.

Maruyama repeatedly throws tempera paint into the air and photographs the results, then arranges the frozen actions in compositions that defy logical physics.



In doing a bit of research on this artist I came upon an earlier project, Kusho, in which Maruyama photographs sumi ink and water.

David Altmejd

Entering Andrea Rosen Gallery last weekend I was instantly drawn into the large installations by David Altmejd. These large plexi cases were filled with plaster hands, heads, threads, insects, and precious gems... a strange, interesting and scientific mix of objects which ultimately formed a painfully detailed diarama of decay.

The subjects are less about death than the transition into something else, a transformation that seems to mimic a change from man to animal in a series of tunnels and almost vein like structures. These tunnels morph into one another and suggest a biological transfer of energy from human parts into nature; crystalized formations, insects, and infinite webs.

José Parlá: Walls, Diaries and Paintings

Last weekend I visited Bryce Wolkowitz Gallery in Chelsea and was blown away by the work of José Parlá. His work is an exciting blend of textures, colors, memories and experiences of urban landscapes. Inspiration comes from Istanbul, Havana, Tokyo and New York, to name a few - documenting accumulated memories and experiences of these places he's been.




The layers which each piece are composed of reveal newsprint, street art & posters, thick paint and graffiti. Each reminded me of an urban setting that I may have seen at one time or another, the many beautiful cities, walls and alley's I've stumbled upon. To simulate the experience even further, he even painted an installation in the hall of the gallery, as if you are traveling through an urban alleyway.



I suppose it makes sense that I am drawn to his work, as his paintings are certainly reminiscent of some of my favorite artists: Anselm Kiefer and Jackson Pollock.

Metamorphosis

This weekend I completed a new piece, "Metamorphosis", for the ArtSpan Benefit Art Auction to be held on March 26th. This is my absolute favorite art fundraising event of the year - it's always a packed house, lots of original affordable amazing art, with both live and silent auctions. I personally love the buzz of the live auction - so much fun to see the art enthusiasts get all get all fired up for the chance to own their favorite pieces.

ArtSpan Benefit Auction

Saturday, March 26th 2011

VIP: 6-9:30pm

Regular Admission: 6:45-9:30pm

SOMArts Bay Gallery

934 Brannan Street

San Francisco, CA

more info:

http://www.artspan.org/sf-open-studios-benefit-art-show-auction

Jennifer Trask: Intrinsecus

The final and absolute favorite artist which I discovered at The Dead or Alive Exhibit was Jennifer Trask. This wall installation made from a found 19th century Italian wood and gold leaf frame uses bones, teeth, antlers, silver and gold leaf to create a completely organic and absolutely beautiful piece of art. This installation, Intrinsecus, refers to the Dutch tradition of Vanitas, which is Latin means “emptiness”, and loosely translated corresponds to the meaninglessness of earthly life and the transient nature of vanity.

What's even more interesting is that she is formally trained as a jeweler and metalsmith. I can see how that has transcended into using natural objects to create something so intricate.

These "flowers" are actually made of rattlesnake vertebra.

Tessa Farmer: Little Savages

Two artists I saw at the Dead or Alive Exhibit were so compelling I felt they deserved their own post - Tessa Farmer being of of them. The attention to detail in her sculptures is impeccable. Each tiny scenario has a crazy amount of detail which is hard to even make out with just the human eye alone. Her background working in a Natural History Museum and entomology inspires her work - which I suppose is why I am so drawn to these spooky little scenes.

This series is called "little savages" - quite fitting...

Her work, made from insect carcasses, plant roots and other found natural materials, comprises hanging installations depicting battles between insects and tiny winged skeletal humanoids.

Dead or Alive: Nature as Art

During a recent trip to New York I had the pleasure of stopping into the Museum of Arts & Design for a much anticipated show - Dead or Alive: Nature Becomes Art. Naturally I was drawn to this exhibit because of it's focus on organic materials which were once produced by or part of living organisms - feathers, bones, egg shells, insects, fur, antlers, dried and rotting plants. Once-living parts of flora and fauna were recombined and rearranged into works of art that address the transience of life, and examines beauty in the extreme.

Here a large cascade of 1000's of pigeon feathers emanate from one of MAD's signature glass bands that cut across the gallery ceilings (Kate McGcwire)

Levi van Veluw’s photo series are self-portraits, drawn and photographed by himself: a one-man-process. His works constitute elemental transfers; this youngest artist of the exhibition uses his own head and shoulders as a canvas on which to build natural landscapes.

Some favorites were the skulls by Jan Fabre which use actual Jewel beetle, click beetle and ground beetle shields on synthetic material to create these beautiful sculptures. The texture and colors of actual beetle shells are just amazing, I could look at them for hours.

ArtSpan's ArtLaunch 2010, Saturday Oct.2nd

I recently completed this piece which will be showcased in ArtSpan's SF Open Studios kickoff event ArtLaunch 2010 (formerly The Private Preview Gala) on Saturday, October 2nd.

Featuring over 430 original artworks by SF Open Studios artists, all work will be on sale and will take place at the SOMArts Gallery, 934 Brannan Street at 9th Street. Tickets are available to registered SF Open Studios artists and members for $35 in advance / $40 at the door and to non-members for $50 in advance / $60 at the door. ArtLaunch 2010 will stimulate your creative side with an interactive art project, an open bar with Pernod Absinthe cocktails, fun eats by Thomas John events, music, and a 5% discount (up to $50) for members on the original artwork for sale. The show will run through the end of October.

What: ArtLaunch 2010
When: Saturday, October 2nd. 7-10pm
Where: SOMArts, 934 Brannan Street @ 8th
More info: info@artspan.org 415-861-9838

Official Site: http://www.artspan.org
Buy tickets: http://artlaunch2010.eventbrite.com/

Bar 821 in NOPA

I was invited by Bar 821 to be part of this years 9th annual Divisadaro Art Walk which was held this past September. The Art Walk held in NOPA - from Geary to Haight - is held quarterly, and the event’s tone is much more casual, with a younger, more alternative clientele, and overflowing with community pride. In addition to the community galleries presenting the latest artwork from neighborhood artists, many bars and restaurants also participate in the festivities by curating their own art shows, including Bar 821. My work will continue to be on display through the end of October, and we will hold an artist reception sometime near the end of the month, so stay tuned!

Bar 821

821 Divisadero (btwn McAllister & Fulton)
San Francisco, CA
open 5-11pm daily

SOMA Spring Open Studios

Stop in at my Open Studio this weekend at:
Clara Street Studios
185 Clara Street
(off of 5th street between Folsom & Harrison Streets)
Saturday & Sunday, April 17-18, 2001
12noon - 6pm

Please join me this weekend for Spring Open Studios. For the past few years we have been organizing a spring event in addition to the fall, but it's never been that well attended or publicized. Artist Mike Kimball and myself have taken it upon ourselves to organize over 100 artists in the South of Market neighborhood in order to create a larger artist network and sense of community, making our fellow artists more accessible to the public. It has been a work in progress, and this year I feel as if we are finally seeing the results that we've been looking for.

The addition of Arc Gallery to our neighborhood has been an integral part of creating this sense of community and has acted as a catalyst in identifying SOMA as an emerging artist mecca. Last Friday's Spring Open Studios Preview Reception at Arc was a HUGE success, bringing in over 500 guests. The energy at this event was amazing - a wonderful mix of San Francisco's finest mingled in our gallery while a full on temporary food court assembled on Folsom Street outside the gallery, including Pizza Politana, a mobile neapolitan wood-fired pizza oven.

I am particularly excited about this springs event because Mike and myself have worked so hard the past few years to get our group on the map, and it has been extremely satisfying to see all of our hard work pay off. Please come on by and check out over 75 artists in our neighborhood this weekend and see what all the buzz is about!