Southern Exposure Annual Auction: MEGA MEGA MEGA

I was asked to participate in Southern Exposure's annual auction, "Mega Mega Mega" on May 9, to support the grandaddy of all Bay Area non-profits.  So Ex is a long-running and highly supportive answer to a lot of Bay Area art needs;  providing shows, jobs, and financial support through grants.  I knew that the day of the event it would be super crowded, so another artist participant, Libby Black, and I decided to venture over to Southern Exposure earlier in the week to preview the show.  It was nice to be able to take in everything in the open space and figure out what we would bid on if we had the cash.   For the collector, the auction is a great opportunity to find all your local favorites at cheaper prices, and with silent and live sections, you can choose to beat out challengers quietly or with the excitement of a crowd.  Visit Southern Exposure's website to view all the works available.

A smattering of local and diverse works hung floor to ceiling.

A small Welly Fletcher sculpture.

A blue Jonathan Runcio painting above and a Libby Black portrait of Richard Avedon below.

Hard to get a good shot through the glass of Marci Washington's severed head and a Futurefarmers photo.

I like this Erik Scollon ceramic chastity thing.

Libby in the quiet, open space.

That's my piece, "Tilda", and a pretty sweet Anthony Discenza sign about kittens to the left.

Scene change:  Libby and another auction artist, Hilary Pecis on the night of the auction.

The massive crowd gathered around the action and the auctioneer.

New Exhibition: Hilary Pecis

"Half Truths and Outright Lies" by Hilary Pecis, Guerrero Gallery, San Francisco February 12 through March 5

A solo opening featuring new work by my good friend, Hilary Pecis, is coming up this Saturday, February 12, at Guerrero Gallery in San Francisco.  Yeah Hil!  I can't wait to see her new digital collages!  

Juxtapoz recently posted a preview of works in the show.

Hilary Pecis website

Two Mission Openings: Southern Exposure and Triple Base Gallery

 I am a little behind in posting these two shows I saw in December, with the end of the semester and Christmas taking a big bite out of my time.  Both are shows already through, but here are some pictures!

Southern Exposure's annual juried exhibition, "Boom", was chalk full of recent or current CCA grads and buddies.  Congrats to the participants; I was told over 700 people applied for the show, leaving only a seven percent chance of getting in!

 The scene at Southern Exposure

 Hilary Pecis and a Boom-themed explosion digital collage 

 Noah Krell's video piece in which he convinces a girl to drag him up a steep hill

Mark Benson and his sculptural piece, "Oversight (Undershirts)" (you can't see the red sock from here)

Carlos Ramirez's ceramic sculpture based on Mario Brothers' game pieces

Lindsey Lyons and her linen painting of floor detritus

Some of the artists/intellectuals:  Noah Krell, Julie Henson, Mark Benson, and bud Mark Taylor

Next up was the annual Holiday party and Flat File show, "Out of the Flat Files", at Triple Base Gallery.  I was part of the show, too, but I didn't take a photo...

The scene at Triple Base, with an extra wall for even more viewing at the event

This guy is amazing!  Edmund Wyss only does machinery- mostly cameras.  This is a photo realistic gouache painting

Gallery Co-Director, Dina Pugh, in the back room with Christmas goodies made from scratch

A Rachel Kaye drawing wall

Rachel Foster's tricky screenprint

Bryson Gill and Jay Nelson

I found some favorite girls outside.

"Alluring Subversions" Group Show at CCA

I have been neglecting my blog lately, but I haven't been neglecting my duties as an artist to go see new shows and to support my friends. A few weeks ago I visited a group exhibition at CCA's Oakland campus in the Oliver Art Center called, "Alluring Subversions", curated by undergrad Mariana Garibay. Not only did she pull off this massive show, which included 19 artists, (CCA faculty, grads, and alumni), but she put together two separate artist talks in conjunction with the exhibition. I was impressed with the show, as well as with her initiative to undertake such a feat. Congrats to Mariana, who did it all for the sake of getting it done.

Site-specific work by faculty Jeffrey Gibson

Cool ladies mingling, Maysha Mohamedi, Rachel Foster, and Kate Haskell.

Paintings by Hyun Sun Jo

Mixed media work by Catherine Ryan

New digital collage by Hilary Pecis

Hilary Pecis

Bryson Gill and his painting

Pigment installation by Abby Zialcita