CATHARINE CLARK - ELI RIDGWAY - SFMOMA GARAGE WINDOWS

VARNISH - MARKET STREET - FABRIC8

PHOTOBOOTH - SF ART INSTITUTE

11.03.12

(with assistance from Tami Tsark and RWM)



Tips for when you appear in public with your art. Click Here.

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Catharine Clark Gallery: A Pilgrim's Progress - Chester Arnold.

Review by Tami Tsark: Chester Arnold's show presents panoramas of canyons, creeks, and chasms; journeys to countrysides, forests, and mines; and dialogs with bones, pails and hats. As you enter the gallery, the paintings strike you as contemporary work created by an "old-world" painter. The paintings take you to places you feel you might know, but know you have never been. Look beyond the rich, expertly rendered layers of paint and you'll find, upon closer examination, familiar but unknown objects and memorabilia. The tools, the skeletons, and other magical things that are lodged into the crevices and the nooks and crannies of the majestic environments, revealing a hidden yet palpable unknown story (unless you're fortunate enough to hear the stories told by the painter himself).

The show's opening reception on November 3rd includes an artist's "walk-through" and gives a lucky audience insight into his work, his paintings and his teachings-- as a journey-- which he fondly describes as the "disorganized religion of art." (The show's title comes from-- and references-- the Christian allegory by John Bunyan.) He explains that the work is idea-driven and reflects his childhood of "Sixty Years in the Forest." Profoundly in love with painting at an early age, it is clear that this could not be more true for Arnold now.

This show is one of discovered narrative. At first glance, you are presented with rich moody environments. Look closer and you'll uncover and be taken-in by work which is cleverly embedded with humor, and with deep translucent light. The content is one of rich allegory and delicate spirit. Chester Arnold describes the work as "a physical objectification of detail... an inseparable union of interests" which he coins as a new genre of painting, "Psycho Realism." Every paint stroke and every object reveals his love, his acute exploration, and his celebration of these worlds.

If you've not yet seen the show, I encourage you to journey into these spaces and embark on the passage of time and experience through which these paintings might lead you.

Review by RWM: Observers and testifiers are lost here in these woods which show human impact. One could say that landscape paintings need not always be about beauty. They can also document the damage we are causing the environment. In this case, we see the resource removal in action. We also see our footprint with the associated garbage left behind. Wonders abound, but it is important to note that they may one day cease to be.

Comment by AB: This dude can paint. Definitely worth seeing.

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Eli Ridgway Gallery: James Sterling Pitt - On A Clear Day We Were Lightning.

Comment by AB: James Sterling Pitt tells me that each of his abstract sculptures represents a specific memory or event in his life. I point to two or three of them and ask what they signify. Without hesitation, he details their stories. Several complex chronological drawings reveal more about how his journalistic process works. Good show; go see.

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Varnish Fine Art: Isabel Samaras - Making a Better Yesterday Today.

Review by RWM: Hard on those who are not iconoclasts here, but great to see these pop icons on display. None are taking themselves too seriously. The observer is likely to enjoy the playful images, but one's heroes or stars are made fun of in this. They are probably not likely to mind, though, because they have our attentions once again.

Comment by AB: No dearth of wry at this irreverant bacchanal. Those of you with some art knowledge can try and guess which famous paintings are parodied. Check it out.

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Market Street Gallery: Paste - Denise Fiedler.

Comment by AB: Whimsical mixed media collages by Denise Fiedler are composed mainly of antique documents and news clippings. Nicely done; sidle on by.

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San Francisco Art Institute: Return to SFAI Party + Winter Art Festival.

Artists: Charles Linder, Jeremy Fish, Carlos Villa, John de Fazio, Cat U-Thasoonthorn, Jeremiah Jenkins, Amanaa Rendall, more.

Comment by AB: Combination alumni party and alumni art show serves up an abundance of food, beverage, live music and a special guest presentation by noted SFAI alumna Karen Finley in the lecture hall.

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Addendum:

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