Flourish

Art Day Part II

After the Frida frenzy...Norma and I indulged in 77 and 49 Geary, 2 buildings packed with art galleries in downtown SF. I was on a mission to see one particular artist, Sarah Wagner, whom my boss had recommended...and rightly so. Her gossamer deer sculptures were absolutely perfectly made. Hanging with their feet just grazing the concrete floor in the unique Patricia Sweetow gallery, were a family of deer. The artist explained that she constructed a cardboard deer form and then tailored the silk organza "skin" around the form which was later removed. The installation is title "Nuclear Family" because the artist is concerned with environmental catastrophe and made these deer to stand in for ghost-like victims of a nuclear disaster.

On our next stop, we cruised through the Marx and Zavattero gallery (but weren't allowed to take photos) of work by Mat Gil. A sort of Jetsonesque set-up, the artist had made a group of sleek ceramic forms that rotated on a shiny steel conveyor belt. On the walls were his paintings of the same objects. I actually enjoyed the shadows that the turning objects made on the wall, more than the work itself. hmmm.

Next door in Togonon Gallery, we checked out another recommended show by Steve Baibak titled An Inherited Dystopia. I loved this work (although it was too crammed in the space) and would go back again for another look. These eerie visceral sculptures constructed from discarded objects, was settled only by the sound of a kinetic piece made from parts of an electric fan that dragged a wire across the concrete floor. It was a soothing sound in a funny way.

Other great shows we checked out: Travis Somerville, Walter Robinson, Ray Beldner installation at Catharine Clarkgallery...outstanding!    Christian Marclay at Fraenkel Gallery and Marcos Rosales at Seven Wolf...provocative. Also a nice surprise was Amanda Smith at Jack Fischer Gallery, "Candy Garden and Sparkling Sabers". Just up my alley of cute/cynical, these ceramic friezes are inspired by Indian miniatures and explore questions of class in all societies. Watch the YouTube video for more details.

Had enough art yet? Stay tuned... next Norma & I head to the Mission!

Art Day part I

The other night I dreamt that the pupils of my eyes were the color of liquid mercury...

It might possibly be that I looked at way too much art last Thursday in the city with Nest partner in crime Norma Quintana. But in the dream, it wasn't a bad feeling. It was as if I was glowing from within--filled with the reflections of every piece I had just absorbed, every passion that went into them.

 

The first was the BIGGIE. Frida Kahlo at the SFMOMA-how can you not get excited about this? Frida is one of the most ubiquitous names in modern art (and one of the only women of this stature). Although I was disappointed that the exhibition contained so few large paintings, I was sastisfied with the intimate effect of the small "retablos" and personal photographs. The thing that made the greatest impression on me, was what I overheard in the constantly crowded galleries. Women (mostly) were making comments to their friends and even strangers about the work and Frida's own tragic history. "You know she had polio"..."and that horrible accident". Everyone seemd to know all about Frida. On one hand, it's a shame that there are so few artists that reach this kind of celebrity, and it usually takes a feature film to bring them to the attention of the American public. On the other had, it was just cool to hear so many people get excited about modern art...and invested in the life of one amazing artist. I think we all see in Frida, a woman who faced great suffering, yet never feared to self-expression and always stood out in a crowd.

 

We are flourishing!

Its rare when something exciting happens in the way of exhibitions in Napa (though you can always count on the Nest and di Rosa Gatehouse). Thankfully Liz Lopez has opened a new solo show by local artist William Callnan III titled: Sublime Transitions. The reception on Friday night was packed with appreciative art hounds and fans of all ages.

What was so interesting about the installation was the mix of zen-like ceramics (shown alone or in narrative group) and the super elaborate 3D wall pieces. It took a little adjustment time to go between the two, but the brain stretch was worth it.

Being the democratic soul that he is, Will provided ample opportunity for the audience to get involved. The kids played in a sandbox, arranging the ceramic meteors at whim. Adults joined in at the graffiti wall. And the art itself was interactive--with tiny doors to open, revealing further depths of meaning. One complaint though Will, the Magic 8 Ball wouldn't give me the right answer!

I have known Will for at least 3 years--went to his wedding to the beautiful Ms. Nikki Ballere--and have been cheering his determined pursuit of an art career. Well, your there Will! Congratulations on the show and the immensely cool gathering of friends.

If you missed the party,call for an appointment to see this show: (707) 320-8868 or email lizggallery@gmail.com. See pics in the Sublime Transitions photo album at right ;)

G Studio 421 Walnut Street #212 Napa, CA 94559

 

and now for some of my favorite geyser photos

  

 

  

Dangerous Delineation

So I spent a few precious drops of gasoline to drive into Oakland last night for a lecture intriguingly titled "Craft Kills" I guess it is the first of a series that the OAM will host around the topic of contemporary craft. The guest speaker was the spunky Jennifer Scanlan, Associate Curator at the Museum of Art & Design in NY. The crowd was a mix of gray-haired docents and CCA students who came to examine the argument that craft is no longer valid as a category of art. I myself agree and disagree. I understand that people have misconceptions about what craft is. Those without up-to-date exposure, probably still define it as teapots and basket weaving. But I think most people in that room last night knew better. And still many nodded their heads in agreement with the CCA's decisions to remove Craft from the institution's name (and change the name American Craft Museum to Museum of Art & Design).

I hate to say it, but it sounded like the latter decision was based on convenience for curators, so they could broaden their shows, include nontraditional themes, and appeal to a high brow audience. Nothing wrong with that really--push the boundaries. But I cling to the word CRAFT as a noble, defining practice, that will never go away (and can change as much as it wants).

How else do you define artwork that requires a specific set of technical skills, and carries a rich history of cultural and artistic tradition? How can places like CCA and artists like Scott Andresen and Judith Schaechter claim their niche and find a home? This is the problem of deleting a word you still really need.

 

And why can't CRAFT be a verb? Artists are crafters even if they are just constructing an alternative reality. Surely film directors and cinematographers refer to their "craft". I dunno, I am spinning off here into nonsense. Just something for everyone to think about.

While you are thinking, check out some of these other artist/crafters mentioned in the lecture. Those were some precious drops of gasoline well spent!

El Anatsui   http://elanatsui.com/index.htm

Claire Coles   http://www.clairecolesdesign.co.uk/

Cat Mazza  http://www.microrevolt.org/

Anne Wilson   http://www.annewilsonartist.com/projects/top/walkthrough.html

Gord Peteran  http://www.cranbrookart.edu/museum/peteran.html

Simon Starling  http://www.guggenheimcollection.org/site/artist_work_md_210_1.html

Sketch Design by Front  http://www.frontdesign.se/sketchfurniture/

Tropical Heat Wave

OK, I am a little behind on the blogging...our opening party for the new Avant-Garden show was last Thursday, May 15, a beautiful tropical night with temps in the 80s. I love this weather. It means staying out in skimpy clothes, sipping beer foam from the keg, admiring the pink clouds behind your friends heads, ahhhhhh.

The night was even more exotic with the voice of Venezuelan jazz singer Maria Marquez and happy flowers and veg all adjusting to their new pots in the Community Garden. I loved how so many people were wearing green. The space is glowing green with the installation by Oakland artist Carrie Lederer. She uses found objects, papier mache, and fake foliage to create an Alice-in-Wonderland adventure. You have to shrink and stretch just to see all the details. 

Also the work by Lewis deSoto and Joyce Hsu makes us pause and investigate botanicals in a more unusual way. deSoto's sunflowers and weeds are caught in motion, defying the typical "still life". Hsu's architectural blossoms deconstruct the petal, pistil, and stamen. Created out of super thin plywood, they scatter weightless across the room.

Enough poetry...let's talk about the food! Ashley Teplin and Raul Salinas (Yes chef) did it again! The spring crudite and spreads matched our bright green decor and the gourmet ants-on-a-log were genius. Topped off perfectly with strawberry, taragon, and basalmic salad. slurp!

Everyone walked away with an free tomato plant leftover from our abundant donation from Home Depot. They helped make our Community Garden one of the most welcoming spots in Napa. Be sure to check back later this summer to pick strawberries, peppers, eggplants, tomatos, etc from the garden. Its all there for you!

Thanks for coming everyone. I hope to see you at our upcoming event (see www.napanest.com). Friday May 30 is a shopping feast for the ladies...and Saturday, June 14 we'll be making Shadow Portraits.

How to start a community garden

Take one big dreamer (me), one resourceful landscaping designer (Emmanuel), and an amazingly motivated group of Home Depot department managers, and voila! you've got yourself a cool "repurposed" garden for friends and neighbors to share and enjoy.

Despite warnings from my Dad (who was only trying to keep me from burning out) I dove head-first into this project, not knowing how or why or what would happen. Then my uber-networking pal Ashley, set me up with Emmanuel from Green Cherry. In him I found a kindred spirit. He is an optimist, a creative powerhouse, a generous, sweet artist.

Emmanuel's idea to use recycled tires as planters was the inspiration for our "chic junk" look. They work perfectly with the cactus and succulent section of the garden (my personal favorite).

It would have been impossible, of course, for the two of us to do this alone. Knowing that Home Depot stores take on community projects throughout the year, I wrote a letter to the store manager Lynette Trowbridge. Almost instantly she turned me over to John Bonetti in the garden department to go over the plans. There was never a moment of "No, we can't do that, you can't have that". I was blown away by their generosity and professionalism.

So on Tuesday, May 6, the crew arrived and started diggin! In one day, Team Depot removed the weeds, layed down landscape fabric and fresh gravel (over 6 tons!), painted a 120 foot long fence, arranged and prepared all the pots for the happy plants that were also all donated by Home Depot.

The garden was planted by community volunteers on May 10, and revealed to the public on Thursday May 15. No one could imagine the pile of dirt and weeds that used to be in front of the Nest. What we have now is a calm, clever, imaginative garden with unusual plants as well as a ton of veggies and herbs that Nest visitors are welcome to harvest for themselves. (extra produce will be donated to the Napa Food Bank).

So thank you Emmanuel and Team Depot and volunteers Katelyn, Sheri, and Nancy for dreaming along with me. I hope you come and enjoy the "fruits of your labor" often.

I make therefore I am

Once in a lifetime do you get to ride with 14 friends in a 40 ft long Magic Bus with a giant hand making a peace sign on the roof, down to San Mateo to meet about 1,000 people who put their hearts and hands to work making stuff for the love of making stuff. Our field trip to the Maker Faire on May 3, was definitely a highlight in my year and from the excited grins on the post-faire ride home, I could tell it meant a lot to everyone.

   

Scotty Miller and Peri Pfenninger were our hosts on the Magic Bus which picked us up at the Nest at 9 am. We would have left earlier if we knew that about 40,000 people had the same idea of spending the day at the San Mateo fairgrounds. But we got there in one peace, accompanied by many hoots and honks from the vehicles we passed, and landed at the Maker Faire.

    

We split up and followed our bliss. Ashley and I ended up at the Swap-o-rama-rama, where we exchanged our tired ol clothes from some new rags to silkscreen and deconstruct. I am quite proud of Ashley who picked up on the sewing machine like a pro and created a fantastic combination of Victoria Secret nightie with button-down baseball shirt. Hot.

Ignoring our stomachs and bladders, we hit the Bazaar Bizarre where 72 crafters created a smorgasbord of handmade items, many cleverly made with recycled materials. I was hunting for new items to bring to the Nest, so look for some great new items coming soon.

When we did stop to eat, we had to honor our new yenta's wishes to bond with the Secret Eating Society. They had a booth serving offal tacos and hibiscus coolers. I went for the refreshing cooler, but Ashley braved the lamb cheeks taco. According to her, "fresh!"

Along the way, we met Phil of Nirvino a social networking website devoted to reviews, information, and news on wine. A brilliant way to choose you next bottle. Jump on and start reviewing! Phil gallantly escorted us through the rest of whatever we could see before the bus called us home.

We made one last stop to watch the infamous Diet Coke and Mentos Fountain, a backyard experiment which has become a cultural phenomenon, appearing on the Late Show with David Letterman, the Ellen Degeneres Show, the Today Show, and performed live around the world. It was worth it although we had to run our butts back to the Magic Bus, shamefully late, but happily satiated and ready to MAKE.

Thank you Scotty and the Weird Load for your eager participation. See you next time.

Here's to new friends

Yes, the North Bay has an art yenta. Rob Keller has been dubbed the Chuck Woolery of Napa Valley, making love connections all over the place. He came storming into the Nest last Sunday (the day before he was featured on the front page of the Napa Register) with two gals from the Secret Eating Society.

From the moment I saw their zine, I had twinkles in my eyes, just like Davy Jones on the Monkees.

 

These ladies are into Slow Food, taste and trailblazing in the land of cool. They host underground dinners, write about old world salad hunters, and publish an exquisitely designed full-color zine.

Look for more collaborations between the Nest and the Secret Eating Society. For now we are reveling in the joy of new found mutual admiration.

Thanks Yenta!

Get down in the Mission

Sometimes it feels like miles away when we are all cozied up in our Napa pads. But I assure you it is worth the trip. This month, one show in particular not to miss: "The Question is Known: (W)here is Latino Art?" at the Mission Cultural Center. On view through May 24, this show features some of the most well known names in contemporary Bay Area art, including 2 Napa artists!

Artist Antony Torres curates this powerful exhibition of 30 artists showing paintings, sculpture, and installations exploring Latino identity. Torres writes that "The Question is Known" "is concerned with making what should be a simple and obvious statement — that Latino artists and art practices are diverse."

Diversity flows in the works of local boys (and pals) Lewis deSoto and Rob Keller. deSoto's piece Pakhan-gyi is a digital print made up of hundreds of stills from porn websites, but the overall image is of the footprints of the Buddha. The work addresses the temptation of lust by examining the simultaneous eroticism and ugliness of the porn industry.

Rob Keller's incredible living sculpture in the show combines a hive of live bees, a fiberglass donkey, "prosperity" wallpaper, and bee boxes. None of us are sure if Rob has Latino heritage but his message about migration and the disappearance of workers is straight brilliance.

After I hit this show, I enjoyed a somewhat steamy performance of the Cuba-Caribe dance festival at Dance Mission. My sexy friend Adrienne impressed me in those 3" gold heels, but so did the half-naked male dancers who inspired "primitive feelings" in most of the female audience! The Fourth Annual CubaCaribe Festival runs April 18 - May 4. Get your tickets through Dance Mission. There's a dance party after the performance on April 26. look out!