Busiest time of the year

Hope you all are having a pleasant holiday season. It's a bit chilly here (mid 40s here in Oakland) but thankfully my heater works and my room is fairly well insulated.

It's been a very busy December and will be a very busy January for me as well. I've been commissioned by Chronicle Books to do all the illustrations for an upcoming book. It's quite a task - more drawings than I've ever done in just a month and a half, but I'm hoping for the best. All I can say is thank goodness that I have these two weeks off to work full-time (that's the plan, at least) to complete them all.

I've also been speaking with Eleanor Harwood about putting together a show at her gallery at the beginning of the new year, but that has been moved to the middle of 2009. It's quite a relief, of course, but I'm also very anxious to see what Jesse Schlesinger and Matt Momchilov have in mind for their walls.

Too many things on my plate! Honestly, I'd been hoping since October that I'd be playing video games nonstop or vacationing in LA during this break, but I can't sincerely complain. I'm grateful for the opportunities and can only hope that I can produce work that I and everyone else will enjoy.

NY Times Magazine | My Game Face

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/11/18/magazine/20081123-games_index.html?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

Robbie Cooper captures young video warriors midbattle.

After the Imperial Presidency | NYT Magazine

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/09/magazine/09power-t.html

...The Oval Office images, created for the magazine by the German photographer Thomas Demand, depict a life-size set made primarily out of cardboard and colored paper. "We see the Oval Office as a representational device or a bit of stagecraft for presidential power," Demand told us...

A few of the images from the magazine:

Upcoming Show: "Portrait" @ Hallway Bathroom Gallery [SF]

I hope you are enjoying the lovely and varied weather of October (it's currently in the mid-70s in Oakland).

The Hallway Bathroom Gallery in San Francisco will have an opening reception on the fine Saturday of October 18th for the upcoming show, "Portrait." I will have a new piece up in this second portion of HBG's 3-part exhibition, "Landscape Portrait Pattern."

Join the festivities if you can - hopefully I'll see you there!

*****

PORTRAIT
October 18th through November 30th
Opening Reception Saturday October 18th 3pm to 8pm
Gallery Hours Saturdays Noon to 5pm

391A South Van Ness Avenue
San Francisco California USA

An international group of artists has been invited to respond to an assigned theme by producing one small work. Through this survey, Hallway Bathroom Gallery wishes to explore the subtle similarities (as well as differences) existing within contemporary art being made today, extending an invitation to the artist and the audience to identify a wide range of aesthetic values as determined by the assigned starting point.

More info @ http://www.hallwaybathroomgallery.com/

You Are There Canceled

Hey, sorry folks. The You Are There show I mentioned in the last post has been canceled/postponed. Sad times. So far, the next happening to look forward to is the Hallway Bathroom show. The first part of their 3-part exhibition opened today; go and check it out if you have a chance.

Cruel Summer

It's really not that bad of a summer, but it's certainly been much busier than past years.

New apartment in Oakland, and various art goings-on:

FasTrak will be ending this weekend, while The Magical Rainbow Pony Show continues through the end of August (I'll get to see it in person this weekend! That should be quite nice).

I plan on having a new piece (fingers crossed) in a temporary gallery space during next month's (in two weeks!) Oakland Art Murmur. A new bike shop will be opening up, but before that happens, a rather exciting Oakland-only show called You Are There will take place. After that, a nice month or so will pass before part 2 of Landscape Portrait Pattern goes up at Hallway Bathroom Gallery in San Francisco.

Busier than I'd anticipated for this time of year, but it's better that it comes in spades rather than not at all.

More details about the above shows here: http://events.seeinsidefordetails.com/

Also, saw the Beautiful Losers documentary at YBCA over the weekend and found it quite inspiring, as all good art movies should be. They said at the screening that it should be on wider release in September, so keep your eyes peeled.

Okay, and I've effectively gotten this stuck in my head - overalls, bananas, and all.

To Be Seen (TBS): San Francisco, 7/12

It's both amazing and terrifying that it's July. The older I get, the faster the days pass. I heard that all the time when I was young, but I was too bored and lazy to take it to heart.

I'm back from an Independent weekend in Los Angeles. The trip down was much too short and stressful. Instead of enjoying fireworks with rarely-seen friends and taking in the all-too-sweaty weather, I cooped myself up at a friend's home, straining to finish a triptych for this show.

Unfortunately, this last weekend also marked the opening of some very good shows that I would have liked to have attended. Will have to make sure I plot out some time to check out the following:

3: Ernesto Burgos, Kyle Ranson & Derrick Snodgrass
Curated by Chris Duncan
Gregory Lind Gallery
July 3– August 16

Michelle Blade: The Elliptical Good-Kind
Jack Hanley Gallery
July 5 - August 8

Will hopefully see those tomorrow, when I hope to be able to make it out to these:

Summer '08 | New work: Photography & Sculpture
Stephen Wirtz Gallery
July 8 - August 23, 2008

Jennifer Merrill: Demikhov's Hands of Glory
Iceberger Gallery
July

Go out and see some shows. I know that it's very hard to get yourself motivated to leave the house, to walk around, to be attentive to others' work, but you've gotta do it. If not for yourself, then for the sake of the egos of others.

Three good ways to find out about shows in the SF Bay Area:

http://www.fecalface.com/calendar/calendar.php
http://www.artbusiness.com/1open/calendar.html
http://www.happenstand.com/

Call for Artists: New American Paintings - Deadline Extended

For those of you who missed the June 30 postmark deadline for New American Paintings (Pacific Coast Edition), the date has been extended to July 28th. Submit! It's a great magazine, and you should be a part of it. More info at newamericanpaintings.com

"30 Under 30" @ Varnish [SF]

Images from the 30 Under 30 show up now until June 28th @ Varnish Fine Art in SF:

Oakland Art Murmur (April)

A bit dark, but a few shots from April's Oakland Art Murmur / First Friday:

24th & Mission Artwalk

Little Tree Gallery got all the 24th & Mission area galleries rallied around something called the 24th & Mission Artwalk back around the first weekend of April. Here are a few shots of the work from that night:



I found the little heart sold stickers so terribly charming at Matt Gonzalez's show at the Soap Gallery. The night was fun; Ruth and I went to quite a few galleries we'd never been to before, so it was great opportunity to explore the area. I'm looking forward to the next artwalk (tentatively suggested as a quarterly event).

"Kick Out the Jams" @ Luggage Store [SF]

Hold & Cold just came out with their second issue, and it's super sweet. Stood around at the opening reception the other Friday and got a few pics. Check out the show before it comes down June 14.

Call for Artists: New American Paintings (Pacific Coast)

New American Paintings is currently accepting entries for their 2008 Pacific Coast competition (CA, OR, WA, AK, HI).

Postmark deadline : June 30, 2008

Submission Checklist:

*4 35mm slides OR 4 printouts (no larger than 8.5" x 11"; no discs please)
All styles: painting, drawing, monoprints/types, mixed media; 2-D only.

*Resume (with contact info : name, address, email, telephone number)

*Entry fee $35 (check made out to The Open Studios Press)

*Self-addressed, stamped envelope (letter size for notification and/or large enough in which to also return your materials.) Caveat: no envelope will mean a delay in notification

Send To:

The Open Studios Press
450 Harrison Ave #304
Boston, MA 02118

Questions: (617) 778-5265 or visit: http://www.newamericanpaintings.com
Prospectus: http://www.newamericanpaintings.com/artistinfo.htm

"30 Under 30" @ Varnish [SF]

Will have one of the pieces from the Annie & Michael V series in this juried show put on by Artspan and CCA.

The 30 under 30:

Rita Alves, Ian Amberson, Seth Armstrong, Peter Belkin, Nancy Chan, Deanna Charles, Ariel Clute, Lauren Cohen, Demon Cutler, Joseph Findeiss, Julia Goodman, Joshua Hagler, Queena Hernandez, Josh Hershman, Jessican Laurent, Carol Anne McChrystal, Matt Momchilov, Argishti Musakhanyan, Kara Nelson, Ian Norstad, Kate Nichols, Ernesto Ortiz, Leah Rosenberg, Theo Rigby, Noah Sakamoto, Sam Snowden, Estee Stevens, Hilary Williams, Gavin Worth, Judy Wu

More info: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/5/prweb926824.htm

My friend, Mary Anne, said a very sweet thing, that being in a "30 Under 30" show means two things: "It means you're young, and you're tight."

News: California's top court overturns gay marriage ban

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080515/ap_on_re_us/gay_marriage

SAN FRANCISCO - The California Supreme Court has overturned a voter-approved ban on gay marriage, paving the way for the state to become the second in the United States where gay and lesbian residents can marry.

The justices released the 4-3 decision Thursday, saying that domestic partnerships are not a good enough substitute for marriage in an opinion written by Chief Justice Ron George.

... In striking down the ban, the court said,

"In contrast to earlier times, our state now recognizes that an individual's capacity to establish a loving and long-term committed relationship with another person and responsibly to care for and raise children does not depend upon the individual's sexual orientation, and, more generally, that an individual's sexual orientation — like a person's race or gender — does not constitute a legitimate basis upon which to deny or withhold legal rights."

CCA Open Studios (MFA & BFA)

Back in April, before I flew down to LA for a few days, I threw myself into a very art-heavy weekend. Oakland Art Murmur/First Friday, the first 24th & Mission Artwalk, and CCA's Undergraduate and Graduate Open Studios. Have finally gotten around to posting just some of the images from that weekend. Prepare yourself for more.

Mary Anne Kluth

My friend, Mary Anne, with whom I attended CCAC, has a website (and it's about time)! I only just found it a few moments ago after a look at my site statistics.

Looks really good, and I can't wait to see her stuff at the upcoming SFAI MFA exhibition.

Example (w/ details):



Website: Mary Anne Kluth

Her work is amazing and just keeps getting better. Come out to the reception May 16th and check this stuff out in person - it's well worth the trip out to Fort Mason.

NPR is not the same thing as PBR

I admit it: I've turned into that person who mentions NPR over and over again. Is it because it's one of my last channels for entertainment, news, and trivial information wrapped into one? Almost certainly yes.

These NPR fans... I'd always eyed them with a slight stink-eye, imagining them sitting back easily, their hands clasped slightly above their sweatered bellies, laughing fully and lengthily as droll voices on their antique-style radios discussed the follies of the American government.

A few hairs always prick up at the back of my neck when I feel the compulsion to mention the most recent item I'd heard on NPR.

"Have you heard the name of the woman who won the 'worst name ever' contest?"
"Yeah, I heard about Twitter on the radio the other day."
"There's a fantastic joke they told about McCain on 'Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me' this past weekend."

I listen to NPR at work to keep myself awa-, er, alert as I haven't had much time to get new music. One of my staples is "This American Life" and they replayed a fantastic episode recently.

Give it a listen for free here:
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?episode=328&date=05022008

It's so good for so many reasons.
And for the record, I still feel the same way about NPR as Summer feels about TAL. Listen to the podcast, and you'll know what I'm talking about.

Thomas Demand

thomas demand - bathroom
Originally uploaded by bestbeon.

Currently distracted by Thomas Demand's infinitely impressive photographs.

He constructs various environments exclusively out of paper and photographs them.

More: Flickr

Call for Artists: New American Paintings [West Ed.]

EDIT: This deadline is only for the "West Region" (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NE, NV, KS, ND, NM, OK, SD, TX, UT, WY)
[I knew something seemed odd about how early the deadline was... Sorry for confusing everyone.]

Postmark deadline: Wednesday April 30, 2008

New American Paintings Competitions are conducted annually in each of six regions of the country. Competitions lead to publication in our bimonthly journal, New American Paintings, which, juried by curators from prominent museums, has extended the reach of artists and expanded the resources of collectors since 1993.

Juror:
Andrea Karnes, Curator, The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

Submission Checklist:

*4 35mm slides OR 4 printouts (no larger than 8.5" x 11"; no discs please). All styles: painting, drawing, monoprints/types, mixed media; 2-D only.

*Resume (with contact info)

*Entry fee $35

*Self-addressed, stamped envelope (letter size for notification and/or large enough in which to also return your materials)

Send To:

The Open Studios Press
450 Harrison Ave #304
Boston, MA 02118

Swarm Gallery, Rowan Morrison [Oak]

Ricky Allman + Zachary Royer Scholz
Project Space: Installation - Christine Wong Yap, "Dark Into Light"
February 8 - March 9, 2008

Swarm Gallery
560 Second Street
Oakland CA 94607

Info: http://www.swarmstudios.net/gallery/exhibitions/Zach_Ricky.htm




Christopher Russell
"Part of Everything"
February 6th - March 9th

Rowan Morrison Gallery
330 40th St.
Oakland, CA 94609

Info: http://rowanmorrison.com/chrisrussell.html

Upcoming show to check out: Chris Russell @ Rowan Morrison [Oak]

Christopher Russell
"Part of Everything"
February 6th - March 9th
Artist's Reception: Saturday, February 16th, 6-10pm

Rowan Morrison Gallery
330 40th St.
Oakland, CA 94609

Hours: Wednesday - Saturday: 11am -6pm or by appointment.

Info: http://rowanmorrison.com/chrisrussell.html


Chris is a schoolmate from CCA and has always made very lovely paintings. Should be an excellent show at a very cozy gallery.

Thom Yorke on "All Songs Considered"

Some Valentine's Day love (<3) from Thom Yorke and "All Songs Considered":
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18960914

(cc photo: "Thom Yorke Cat" by JO87)