ArtBusiness.com logo

Art Business The Web

  • << Back to San Francisco Gallery Openings
  • HACKETT MILL - BELLJAR - LAB - PUBLIC WORKS

    LOWER HATERS - PARK LIFE - WONDERLAND

    HIVE - SANCHEZ ART CENTER

    01.14.11

    (with assistance from DeWitt Cheng, Clare Coppel, Kristin Farr and RWM)



    Do you know how much your art is worth? Click here.

    ***

    Hacket Mill Art Dealers and Advisors: Frank Lobdell, 1948 - 1949.

    Comment by AB: Impressive show of early abstract expressionist works by Frank Lobdell, born in 1921. These were painted while he was still a student at the California School of Fine Arts (now San Francisco Art Institute) which he attended from 1947-1950 after returning from service during World War II.

    Frank Lobdell artist art

    Art by Frank Lobdell.

    art

    Art by Frank Lobdell in above image closer.

    Photo

    Abstract expressionist art by Frank Lobdell.

    art

    Frank Lobdell art.

    art

    Art by Frank Lobdell at Hackett Mill Gallery.

    ***

    The Luggage Store Gallery: CUSP - Works on film & video by Kevin Jerome Everson & Akosua Adoma Owusu. Curated by Arnold J. Kemp.

    Review by Clare Coppel: A film and video projection installation called "Cusp" features works by Kevin Jerome Everson and Akosua Adoma Owusu. For example, a black and white video shows two men installing a billboard advertising Volkswagen, and roads being salted in the Midwest early on a winter morning during the era when American car companies were encouraging African Americans to migrate north and work in the factories.

    Comment by AB: Also on display are film stills, and compilations, clips and highlights of films and videos produced by Kevin Jerome Everson & Akosua Adoma Owusu over the past several years.

    Kevin Jerome Everson & Akosua Adoma Owusu artist art

    Video art by Kevin Jerome Everson (photo c/o Clare Coppel).

    art

    Kevin Jerome Everson video art (photo c/o Clare Coppel).

    Photo

    Video art by Akosua Adoma Owusu - "Revealing Roots."

    art

    Video art by Kevin Jerome Everson & Akosua Adoma Owusu.

    art

    Kevin Jerome Everson & Akosua Adoma Owusu video art.

    ***

    BellJar: Little Chirps - Ashod Simonian and Olivia Warnecke.

    Review by RWM: Sad to see the nearby Artist-Xchange Gallery fold recently, but its neighbor Bell Jar continues to present fascinating artistic offerings. Marvel at the beautiful birds that have been put on display. The birds painted in gouache on price tags by Olivian Warnecke are gorgeous. Revel in their alertness remembering at the same time that as a monitor species, they'll be among the "first responders" when things go bad in the environment. They are a part of us all, though, and we also can send the warning for them as well as ourselves. Ashod Simonian offers a different interpretation of the birds with images within images, some for adult viewers, beautiful nonetheless. Nice to see such dramatic and wild work available at reasonable prices.

    Olivian Warnecke artist art

    Art by Olivian Warnecke.

    art

    Olivian Warnecke bird art in above image closer.

    Photo

    Art by Ashod Simonian.

    art

    Ashod Simonian art closer.

    art

    BellJar proper - gallery through the door in the back.

    ***

    The LAB: Enter Slowly. Curated by David Cunningham.

    Artists: Anna Barham, Cath Campbell, Maud Cotter, Laura Gannon, Alexandra Navratil, Linda Quinlan.

    Comment by AB: Six emerging artists from Europe exhibit works that are mainly spatial and architectural in nature, much of it admirably precise. Wanna help caption images? Email me.

    artist art

    Art & installation.

    art

    Cardboard construction art.

    Photo

    Cardboard construction art above from the side.

    art

    Yet more cardboard construction art.

    art

    Cut paper art.

    Photo

    Pinkie cam detail of cut paper art above.

    Photo

    Precision cut metal art.

    Photo

    Art.

    art

    Cardboard construction art.

    art

    Installation art.

    ***

    Public Works Gallery: Christopher Spurrell - Landscape and the Self; Juan Buhler - Street Posters. Review by RWM: Simply gorgeous images by Christopher Spurrell with colors that astound as well as decorate. You cannot help but notice the details and intricacy. What some may find missing in conceptualization is made up for with glamour. These works will enliven any abode.

    Comment by AB: Christopher Spurrell transforms close-up photographic portraits into completely amorphous abstractions, intended to represent emotional responses to those individuals. Juan Buhler photographs action on the street, prints them on cheap paper, and then displays them here as they might look affixed to outdoor walls with wheat paste.

    Christopher Spurrell artist art

    Art by Christopher Spurrell.

    art

    Art by Christopher Spurrell in above image closer.

    Photo

    Christopher Spurrell digital art.

    art

    Digital art by Christopher Spurrell.

    art

    Photography by Juan Buhler.

    Photo

    Juan Buhler photographs.

    Photo

    Juan Buhler photos.

    ***

    Lower Haters Gallery: Putting the Pieces Together - Hugh Leeman.

    Comment by AB: Hugh Leeman dignifies those less fortunate in our community while heightening our awareness of their plight.

    Hugh Leeman artist art

    Art by Hugh Leeman.

    art

    Hugh Leeman art.

    Photo

    Art & installation by Hugh Leeman.

    art

    Hugh Leeman fashion.

    ***

    Park Life: Bitches Brew.

    Artists: Kelly Tunstall, Marci Washington, Aiyana Udesen, Hellen Jo, Rebecca Ebeling.

    Review by Kristin Farr: Park Life's latest exhibit borrows its title from a Miles Davis album and was created in response to 2010's "Bro Palace" exhibit at the gallery, which unapologetically featured only male artists. A powerhouse group of female artists (Marci Washington, Aiyana Udesen, Kelly Tunstall, Hellen Jo, and Rebecca Ebeling) comes together to stir up this year's women-only exhibit, "Bitches Brew." An all-female line-up shouldn't seem like a novel idea, especially in progressive S.F. but, unfortunately, it's still a rare occurrence (though it's looking like 2011 could be the year to tip the scales into balance).

    The artists in this show are inspired by a range of topics including (but not limited to) fashion photography, celebrity culture, and history through a feminine perspective. Marci Washington's gothic-inspired, painterly illustrations for what she describes as "a novel that doesn't exist" are striking as always, and her mysterious narrative appears to be gaining momentum with her latest work. Aiyana Udesen's unique celebrity portraiture includes a haggard Britney Spears, and a striking rendering of everyone's favorite HBO vigilante, Dexter, one of the only male muses in the show. Female figuration permeates the exhibit, but you won't find any portraits of the average "lady." Take a closer look to find out what's really cooking inside these artists' brilliant minds.

    The word "packed" doesn't begin to describe the opening of "Bitches Brew." You can barely move or get close enough to the gallery walls to see the art, a clear sign that this is a show not to be missed.

    Marci Washington artist art

    Art by Marci Washington.

    art

    Art by Rebecca Ebeling.

    Photo

    Rebecca Ebeling art (I think).

    art

    Art by Kelly Tunstall.

    art

    Art by Aiyana Udesen.

    Photo

    Hellen Jo art.

    Photo

    Demographics.

    ***

    Wonderland Gallery and Boutique and Chillin' Productions: Our First Party of the Year.

    Artists: Alex Garcia, Andrzej Michael Karwacki, Steve Javiel, Xiau-Fong Wee, Pixelstud TM, Alex Garcia, more.

    Review and images by Clare Coppel: All kinds of art including abstract mixed media and cityscapes, lots of red, lots of shiny surfaces, taxis, and a little girl on a bridge.

    Andrzej Michael Karwacki artist art

    Art by Steve Javiel.

    art

    Art by Xiau-Fong Wee.

    Photo

    Art by Pixelstud TM.

    art

    Detail of Pixelstud TM art in above image.

    art

    Art at Wonderland Gallery and Boutique.

    ***

    Hive Gallery: Terry Furry - Bedroom Floor, Kitchen Counter.

    Review and images by DeWitt Cheng: Terry Furry's oil paintings in Bedroom Floor, Kitchen Counter depict iconic mechanical Pop subjects (toaster, teapot, blender, coffee press, egg beater) and humbler clothing items, used and thus somewhat anthropomorphized (shoes, socks, jockstrap, briefs, wife-beater), balancing Warholian irony, Oldenburgian humor, and Thiebaudian celebration. Nice crowd-- or does it simply look that way in this tiny gallery?

     artist art

    Terry Furry's "French Press" and "Toaster."

     artist art

    Art by Terry Furry - "Brown Boots and "Black Boots."

     artist art

    Receptionistas with "Wife Beater" - art by Terry Furry.

     artist art

    Terry Furry and "Supporter."

     artist art

    Detail from "Supporter" - art by Terry Furry

     artist art

    Aesthetic supporters at art by Terry Furry, Hive Gallery.

     artist art

    Aerial shot of buzz - art by Terry Furry.

    ***

    Sanchez Art Center: Three shows.

    Review by DeWitt Cheng: Three, count 'em, three shows-- all with humorous titles-- debut at Sanchez. In the West Gallery, "All About Me: Self-Portraits, Real & Imagined" features works by members of the Art Guild of Pacifica, ranging from realistic to surrealistic. In the East Gallery, "Editions & Additions," features the printmakers David Avery, Linda Lee Boyd, Barbara Rogers, and Ron Tanovitz, and the journal-makers, Debra Cramer and Jill Russell; a somewhat different version of this show was at San Pablo Arts Gallery a few months back. In the Main Gallery, "Painting from the Wrong Side of the Brain" features the eccentric magic-realist paintings of Robert Armstrong, Jeff Carr, Gael Fitzmaurice, Linda MacDonald, M. Louise Stanley, and Jesse Wiedel. I'm unable to get titles of some of the artworks, but viewers can get the scoop on the painting show, at least, on February 13 (the last day for all three shows), at the 4pm artists' talk.

     artist art

    West Gallery portrait show.

     artist art

    Art by Michael Risenhoover.

     artist art

    Sorry, label is unreadable.

     artist art

    David Avery.

     artist art

    Linda Lee Boyd and husband.

     artist art

    Barbara Rogers.

     artist art

    Ron Tanovitz.

     artist art

    Artists' journals by Debra Cramer and Jill Russell.

     artist art

    Paintings by Jesse Wiedel and M. Louise Stanley.

     artist art

    Art by Gael Fitzmaurice.

     artist art

    Art by Robert Armstrong.

     artist art

    Art by Jeff Carr.

     artist art

    Art by Linda MacDonald.

     artist art

    M. Louise Stanley visits "Melancholia," Durer's allegory of creative block (?).

    ***