Paint Speak

Steuart Pittman's Disposable China

2011-12-18T20:46:00.000-08:00

Steuart Pittman
Untitled (Caochangdi District, Beijing)
2011
4" x 6" C-Print

Thank you so much to Pac Pobric, who made this project/interview possible!

NEW WORK FROM MY OLD MAN | OCT. 2011

2011-10-21T20:33:00.001-07:00

John Pittman
#202 - Grid Memory - Two Pinks
2011
Alkyd/Wood Relief
18 x 15 x 1.5"

CITY SLACKER

2011-10-19T16:32:00.000-07:00

Slacker Ridge, Marin Headlands, California

GIVE BERTH

2011-09-05T23:16:00.000-07:00

West Oakland, California

DISPOSABLE SUMMER 2011

2011-07-19T01:00:00.001-07:00

1/4 Albers Truck, SF

Jah Planter, Oakland

Yellow Streak, Oakland Coliseum

Pink Link (Back from the Dead), Oakland

Cy Twombly (1928-2011)

2011-07-06T19:58:00.000-07:00

ART HK 11

2011-05-27T02:07:00.000-07:00

Really enjoying my time here in Hong Kong. The art fair has been great and the city is just incredible. It is complete architectural mayhem here, I've never seen anything like it. I'd complain about how it's 90 degrees and muggy but that would be silly...nothing to groan about here, I'm having a wonderful time. Since photos of art fairs are boring, here are a few shots from my midnight stroll around the infamous Wan Chai District last night.

MANIAC : HIT BY THE EIDOLON

2011-05-20T20:50:00.001-07:00

I'm in a group show next month in Sacramento alongside some great artists. Just dropped off the paintings today, it looks like it's going to be an excellent exhibit. It's going to travel, so stay tuned...

OPENING DAY LINEUP ((REVISITED))

2011-05-10T01:00:00.000-07:00

(( TRICK )) BAR CRAWL
Downtown Oakland, California

SFMOMA PERFORMANCE | 4.28.2011

2011-04-14T23:55:00.000-07:00

YOURS TRULY PERFORMS WITH___PACKARD JENNINGS_AND_SCOTT VERMEIRE___IN SUPPORT OF THE CLOSING OF STEPHANIE SYJUCO'S___SHADOWSHOP___

John McCracken (1934–2011)

2011-04-11T00:08:00.000-07:00

HOMECOMING : GINA TUZZI GNARLS SANTA CRUZ

2011-03-22T22:43:00.000-07:00

My BFF Gina Tuzzi has a show opening up next week in her beautiful hometown of Santa Cruz, California. Suffice to say it was pretty crazy when we realized that - for months - we'd both been working on painting exhibits explicitly related to voodoo. So deep was my stoke that I designed this vintage mahalo flier on her behalf.

Best Case Scenario: check out Gina's show in S.C. on the 1st, sleep on the beach, and then drive your 1947 Chevrolet Woody Wagon up Highway 1 the next day to check out my solo show at ZZA's in Oakland.

NEW VOODOO | Steuart Pittman @ ZZA's

2011-03-17T22:32:00.001-07:00

Jim Nutt @ MCA Chicago

2011-03-09T11:29:00.000-08:00

Jim Nutt's "Coming Into Character" is - far and away - the best exhibit I've seen in 2011. This video begins to explore the dense group of paintings and drawings, which must be seen up-close and in-person to fully gauge their extraordinary beauty. The show runs through May 29th at the MCA Chicago.

SOUTHERN EXPOSURE'S 11th ANNUAL MONSTER DRAWING RALLY

2011-02-23T12:47:00.000-08:00

I'm honored to be taking part in this year's Monster Drawing Rally! Southern Exposure provides the Bay Area art community with wonderful programming all year round and they deserve a ton of support in return. Join us if you're able this Friday, February 25, from 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM at the Verdi Club in the Mission (2424 Mariposa, b/w Potrero & Hampshire, 17th & 18th). Donation at the door is $10 and up, and food and beverage will be served. More information available here.

HELLO, NEWMAN

2011-02-14T17:21:00.000-08:00

Grant Newman
Passport to Pretty
Acrylic on Mounted Advertisements, Transparency
11" x 8.5"
2010

HAPPY V-DAY FROM PAINT_SPEAK
HAPPY V-DAY FROM PAINT_SPEAK
HAPPY V-DAY FROM PAINT_SPEAK
HAPPY V-DAY FROM PAINT_SPEAK
HAPPY V-DAY FROM PAINT_SPEAK

TAKES ONE TO KNOW ONE

2011-02-06T23:22:00.000-08:00

Art Critic and Writer, Jeff Kelley, standing alongside his own work
Cal Arts
1971

NEW WORK FROM MY OLD MAN, Pt. II

2011-01-27T17:43:00.000-08:00

#181 - Offset Orange
John Pittman
Alkyd on wood
19 x 13 x 1.5"
2010

TAKING IT TO THE STREETS

2011-01-14T20:57:00.001-08:00

Flags
West Oakland, California

Showroom
Sears Department Store
Downtown Oakland, California

Space Phone
Civic Center BART
San Francisco, California

HAPPY 2011

2010-12-31T20:19:00.000-08:00

Kazimir Malevich
Black Square
Oil on canvas
1915

ART BY THE POUND

2010-12-20T12:56:00.000-08:00

Michael Nesmith
"Art By The Pound" from Elephant Parts
1981
VIA Vantasea

EVEN I COULD HAVE PAINTED THAT

2010-12-13T13:01:00.000-08:00

Without question, the best coloring book in the world. The Albers page is hilarious.

DISCO NAP

2010-12-04T18:16:00.000-08:00

Cory Arcangel
Naptime
2002

BLUE SCREEN (DEATH)

2010-11-22T20:51:00.001-08:00

Blue Screen (Death)
Copperplate Etching
Edition of 15
20.5" x 14.5"
2010

As a lover of artist editions and prints, I was thrilled when approached by Oakland artist, Tallulah Terryll, to collaborate on an etching. I have wanted to make a new print for months now and I remain most grateful for this incredible opportunity. Tallulah's recent acquisition of a high-end etching press has enabled her to pursue her passion of creating prints with fellow artists. A professional printmaker by trade, I can not say enough about her visual sensitivity and knowledge of materials and processes.

After working for several weeks on this project, I am proud to announce the release of Blue Screen (Death). This 5-color etching, unframed at 20.5" x 14.5", exists in a limited edition of 15. Printed on acid-free, 180g Arches paper, each piece comes signed and dated with an edition number and printer's stamp. Proceeds will be split 50/50 between artist and printer, and the price will increase incrementally as the edition sells.

The "Blue Screen of Death" is an iconic error screen that appears when certain computers "die." This phenomenon is capable of inflicting major psychological trauma in its victims; nowadays when our personal computing devices die, it can feel like a part of us is also perishing. It is tempting to dismiss this attachment between person and machine as disgusting or unfortunate, but the reality is that computers are becoming an inextricable element of who we are, a mysterious new appendage for the 21st century. I see this piece as an homage to the increasingly intelligent machines and technologies that host and inform our techno-psychological condition, albeit one that is numbing at most times and infuriating at others.

To purchase a print, please click the PayPal button below or email me directly. Visit Tallulah's website here.

MARK ADAMS @ MACARTHUR BART

2010-11-21T12:48:00.000-08:00

Mark Adams
MacArthur Bart Station Murals
2002
Image VIA flickr

I can't believe it has taken me this long to make mention of my favorite murals. These bold abstractions were created by S.F. artist, Mark Adams, in 2002. The MacArthur BART stop takes the cake in terms of abstract public murals in the Bay Area, and the question again arises, why are the overwhelming majority of murals of the figurative persuasion? Everyone I know loves these paintings, I think the public is much more interested in abstraction than the powers at be are willing to realize...

ROB FLOSS

2010-11-18T08:52:00.000-08:00

Portland-based artist and kindred mustachioed prankster, Luke Forsyth, brings us Rob Floss, Professional Landscape Painter. Excellent use of the fan brush, Mr. Floss.

FORASTEROS IMAGES

2010-11-09T00:41:00.000-08:00

Amor
Acrylic on paper
11" x 8"
2010

I've finally posted images from my first international exhibit, "Forasteros," which took place last month at Dancing Elephant Projects in Bogotá, Colombia. Check them out here.

SAMARA HALPERIN @ SOEX

2010-11-08T19:01:00.000-08:00

Drawing by Gina Tuzzi

Check out West of the Wonder Wheel, a series of events taking place this week at Southern Exposure celebrating the work of artist and filmmaker, Samara Halperin. My band, Boomerang Boomerang, will be making a rare public appearance at the Carnival Reception on Friday, November 12th, at 7 PM, so that is also kind of noteworthy. I am so happy to be involved in this event in some small way, Samara is an incredible teacher and someone who has greatly influenced the way I think about art and media. She is widely loved throughout the Bay Area and this promises to be well-attended and spectacular. Bonus points if you wear red and white...

HOLY MOLY

2010-11-07T23:58:00.000-08:00

Robert Holyhead
Untitled
2010
Oil on canvas
45" x 30"
VIA Karsten Schubert VIA ARTFORUM

SMPTE Color Bars & Brian Eno's "St. Elmo's Fire" (1975)

2010-10-15T01:46:00.000-07:00

STEUART PITTMAN : EMERGING BAY AREA ARTIST

2010-10-11T17:32:00.000-07:00

SWATCH

2010-09-25T00:27:00.001-07:00

Northgate/Uptown/Ghosttown, Oakland, California

DIAMOND DOOR

2010-09-17T21:54:00.000-07:00

North Oakland, California
MAHALO : ANNA K.

PACKARD JENNINGS' "CIRCULAR TIME" @ SF INTERSECTION FOR THE ARTS

2010-08-29T22:12:00.000-07:00

Packard Jennings
Long Shot: Dining, Labor & Ponies
2010

I'll be acting in Packard Jennings' new piece, "Circular Time," this coming Tuesday at Intersection for the Arts in San Francisco. This is something I'm really excited about, here's some more information and the press release:

Date and Time: Tuesday August 31, 7:30-8:30 PM 
Location: Intersection for the Arts, 446 Valencia Street (Btwn 15th and 16th) 
Tickets: Available at the door only. $5-$15 sliding scale. All proceeds go to pay the participating actors.

 Join us for Circular Time, a live reading of artist Packard Jenning's project, Longshot: Dining Labor and Ponies, on view now at the SFAC Gallery as part of the exhibition Now & When. For Longshot, Jennings invited eight conceptual artists to meet in the private dining room of an upscale restaurant to discuss what project to make with their project budget provided by the gallery. The brainstorming for a time capsule took place over the course of a three-hour meal. After the bill was paid there was not enough stipend left to produce the project. All that remained was the conversation.

During this live performance, Jennings has hired actors to read a transcription of the Longshot dinner conversation. The names of the original participating artists will be left anonymous with the idea that the potential value of this reading comes, not from thinking of any specific artist’s perspective, but from experiencing a collaborative conversation between a group of artists. Like revealing the larger mass of ice that lay beneath the small cap of an iceberg, we want to make this normally invisible aspect of art-making visible.

The point of this work was to value process over product, to fund the development side of a work, rather than a physical final object. Please join us for this unusual experiment.  Based on the project Longshot: Dining Labor and Ponies by Packard Jennings with Amy Balkin, Anthony Discenzam Aaron Gachm Jonn Herschend, Lizabeth Rossof, Steve Shada and Stephanie Syjuco. Currently on view as part of Now & When at the SFAC Gallery through Saturday, September 4, 2010.

Read Glen Helfand's ArtForum review of Now & When here.

"16777216" by Richard S. Mitchell @ JANCAR JONES GALLERY

2010-08-28T18:10:00.000-07:00

A beautiful online/interactive piece by Richard S. Mitchell debuts tonight via the Jancar Jones Gallery website. Read the promo blurb below and check out the piece by clicking here or on the image above. This is something really great, I haven't been so pleased with my MacBook in months.

16777216 is a web-based piece by San Francisco artist, Richard S. Mitchell that consists of over 16.7 million frames, each set to one of the colors comprising the RGB color model, displayed at 25 frames per second. The color display is created by the web browser (or other web client) synchronized with the server. The result is a real-time performance that does not vary when viewed on different computers or in different time zones. The color sequence begins with black and moves towards and ends with white. The color changes most quickly through the red channel, more slowly in the green channel, and most slowly in the blue channel. This mapping of number to color channel is an artifact of binary counting and circuit design. Each frame color value is represented by 24 bits divided into 3 bytes of 8 bits each. Byte values range from 0 to 255.

16777216 will launch at 6pm on Saturday, August 28th and can be viewed in the gallery until 9pm that night. For the rest of its run, the piece will be viewable online through the Jancar Jones Gallery website. Run time: 7 days, 18 hours, 24 minutes, and 48.64 seconds

NANCY WHITE @ NEW AMERICAN PTGS BLOG

2010-08-27T22:49:00.000-07:00

Nancy White
#38
2010
Acrylic on hand-tinted paper
5.12 x 5.75 inches

Check out this Q & A with the great Bay Area painter, Nancy White, up now on the New American Paintings Blog. Nancy's small wall sculptures and paintings on paper are really impressive. Be sure to browse them online but know that you really need to be viewing them in person. This is this case with all good painting, no? Nancy shows in SF at Jancar Jones and at Gallery Joe in Philly.

HABITUAL HOMESTEADERS @ COMPOUND GALLERY

2010-08-11T14:22:00.000-07:00

This is shaping up to be a big weekend for openings in the East Bay. You won't want to miss "HABITUAL HOMESTEADERS: New Work by Gina Tuzzi and Tyler Bewley," opening this Saturday, August 14th, from 6-9 PM at the new Compound Gallery. The show runs through September 19th. For more images and information, check out the websites of Gina Tuzzi and Tyler Bewley.

NOWHERE / ANYWHERE IMAGES

2010-08-11T01:18:00.001-07:00

Front Door / Back Door
Oil and acrylic on panel
10" x 8.75"
2010

I've finally posted images from my recent solo show, "NOWHERE / ANYWHERE," at Blankspace Gallery in Oakland. Check them out here.

BRIAN CARAWAY @ BRANCH GALLERY

2010-08-04T15:30:00.000-07:00

Brian Caraway
Main Guns Double Front
2010
Acrylic on panel
25.5" x 26.75"

I am eagerly awaiting the opening of IV: Hope Is Always New, a new solo exhibit of paintings by Brian Caraway. I met Brian in graduate school at Mills and in no time he became like an older brother to me. His work stands out amongst the growing number of young, Bay Area abstract painters. The show runs from August 13th through October 1st at the beautiful Branch Gallery in Downtown Oakland, with an opening reception taking place August 13th from 6 to 9 PM.

TUZZI TIME

2010-07-30T11:34:00.001-07:00

Gina Tuzzi

Let's Have An Accident (Detail)

2010

Graphite on paper

VIA HOLY GHOST

"PERFECT CANVAS" @ TEMESCAL STREET CINEMA

2010-07-11T23:38:00.000-07:00

If you find yourself in lovely North Oakland this Thursday, July 15, be sure to check out TEMESCAL STREET CINEMA at 49th & Telegraph. My short video about beards, HOW TO BUILD THE PERFECT CANVAS (2009), will screen alongside a work-in-progress version of BEARD CLUB, a much better video about beards and mustaches by San Francisco based filmmaker, Laura J. Lukitsch. Join us at ROYAL NONESUCH GALLERY at 7 PM for a reception before heading over to the 8 PM screening. Come early and bring a chair!

KAY ROSEN

2010-07-03T19:23:00.000-07:00

Kay Rosen
Stilllife with Blue Table (Earthquake)
2007
Editioned silkscreen print
58.4 cm x 49.5 cm

WITRAK ATTACK

2010-06-17T00:34:00.000-07:00

Andrew Witrak
why the hell did you tell me the score to the Brazil vs. North Korea game?
2010
Video VIA LIKE PARADISE

Andy Witrak keeps blowing my mind.

BONES BRIGADE

2010-06-10T00:00:00.000-07:00

WILLIAM EADON @ THE SELBY
VIA ANOTHER DIRTY SUMMER

2010 SF FINE_ART_FAIR

2010-06-01T00:08:00.000-07:00

Steve Lambert
Everything You Want, Right Now!
Ed 1/5
Pine, Oil Enamel, Laser Cut Acrylic, Light Bulbs, Wiring
30" x 42"
@ Charlie James Gallery, LOS ANGELES, CA

The long-awaited return of San Francisco's Fine Art Fair was notably rad. Here are some pieces and galleries I really enjoyed. Also of note: top-notch work from Oakland mainstays JOHANSSON PROJECTS, CHANDRA CERRITO CONTEMPORARY, and SWARM GALLERY. East Bay's got it poppin', all day long. Behold:

Ethan Worden
Thank You (2)
E.V. of 3
2008
Needle-pricked Paper
11" x 8.5"
@ Swarm Gallery, OAKLAND, CA

Lorser Feitelson
Untitled
1964
Oil and Enamel on Canvas
72" x 60"
@ Louis Stern Fine Arts, LOS ANGELES, CA

Chris Johanson
Tomorrow Is Alright
2005
Aquatint Etching
Image size 11½" x 10"
Paper size 16¼" x 14"
Edition of 20
@ Paulson Bott Press, BERKELEY, CA

Jennie Ottinger
Men On Stoop
Oil on Panel
12" x 12"
@ Johansson Projects, OAKLAND, CA

casteneda/reiman
object landscape (white palette)
2010
Cast Plaster, Drywall Mud
13" x 6" x 6"
@ DCKT Contemporary, NEW YORK, NY

Laura Paulini
Charlie Frequency
2009
Egg Tempera on Panel
40" x 40"
@ Eleanor Harwood Gallery, SAN FRANCISCO, CA

STEPHEN WESTFALL SPEAK

2010-05-24T22:39:00.000-07:00

An unassuming and bizarre video portrait of Stephen Westfall at the American Academy in Rome, 2010, by Nick Barberio ((( THANKS TIM S. )))

BAY AREA ABSTRACT PAINTING: ALIVE, WELL

2010-05-17T19:52:00.000-07:00

Hyun Sun Jo
four and a half red Xs
2010
Oil on canvas
72" x 84"

I was pleasantly surprised to see an abundance of abstract painting around this year's Bay Area MFA exhibits. If I'd taken it upon myself to write down the names of these talented artists, I would list them here. Oops! Maybe next year.

SONNY SMITH: 100 RECORDS

2010-05-10T14:20:00.000-07:00

Local artist/musician/writer Sonny Smith discusses his new exhibit, "100 Records," at Gallery 16 in SF. Also be sure to check out his excellent band, Sonny & the Sunsets, and their amazing new record, "Tomorrow Is Alright."

GOTTA SUPPORT THE TEAM

2010-04-25T23:38:00.001-07:00

Very excited to check out THE 2010 MILLS COLLEGE MFA EXHIBIT, BETWEEN YOU AND ME, opening Saturday, May 1, from 6-9 PM. Seems like just yesterday I was meeting this crew on Day 1 of Ron Nagle's Grad Seminar class. Time flies when you're having fun, no? Promises to be a great show...an early congrats, Team, on all of your hard work! You totally rule.

SARA HATES GARY. GARY LOVES SARA

2010-04-20T00:18:00.000-07:00

Northgate/Uptown/Ghosttown, Oakland, California

Jason Byers @ Rowan Morrison Gallery

2010-04-17T18:29:00.001-07:00

Jason Byers' new exhibit at Rowan Morrison Gallery in Oakland is a must-see! It opens tonight and runs through May 15th.

LUDWIG LUCK

2010-04-01T00:40:00.001-07:00

Ludwig Sander
Small Blue
1959
Oil on canvas

So this guy finds a Ludwig Sander painting at a yard sale, buys it for $10, and then posts pictures of it on his blog, admitting to causing extensive damage to the piece. Umm...

DUDE. Next time you find an original Ludwig Sander painting for $10 at a yard sale: wrap it up in a t-shirt! Put it between two pieces of cardboard! Focus all of your attention on the task of not destroying the painting when transporting it from the yard sale to your house! Honestly.

2010-03-30T23:08:00.000-07:00

Paramount Theatre, Oakland, California

BIG-WAVE ZIP

2010-03-23T09:04:00.000-07:00

Jetty Marker at Maverick's, Princeton-By-The-Sea, California

US STOP

2010-03-18T12:12:00.000-07:00

Greyhound Bus Station, West Oakland, California

CLAIRE SHERMAN @ MW CAPACITY

2010-03-16T13:32:00.000-07:00

Claire Sherman
Hole II
2009
Oil on linen
36" x 40"

Check out the Claire Sherman interview over at the excellent MW Capacity, "A Painter Blog for No-Coasters." Claire was my painting Professor at Knox College and I can't say enough about her enthusiasm regarding painting and the influence it has had on myself and other students. She's a great teacher and a prolific artist, this is a nice glimpse at what she has to say about her own work.

FINAL FIRST FRIDAY @ BLANKSPACE

2010-03-04T19:05:00.001-08:00

Come on out to blankspace gallery tomorrow night, March 5, 7-10 PM, for what will be their final First Friday/Oakland Art Murmur event. As announced earlier this week, the gallery will be closing its doors upon the conclusion of my show, "NOWHERE / ANYWHERE." I'm incredibly honored and humbled to be the final artist exhibiting in this space, which for four years has been a fixture of the East Bay gallery scene. Kerri and Jason have done a lot of great work as ambassadors and proponents of Oakland's diverse art community, and the consistency of their high-quality programming will undoubtedly live on in their new pursuits. I'll say it now and I'll say it again, thank you guys so much for everything you've done with this show and over the past several years, keep fighting the good fight!

Chris Ballantyne @ Hosfelt SF

2010-03-04T12:25:00.000-08:00

Chris Ballantyne is such a great painter! His work routinely captures the futility of architectural structures and the ways in which they impose on the natural world. As you see here, he is also a skilled muralist. His show, Some Songs from the Shore, is up through Saturday at Hosfelt Gallery in San Francisco.

TOP of the POPS

2010-02-26T18:07:00.000-08:00

John Pittman

Composition #92
2004
Enamel on maple
6.5" x 10" x 7"

My dad's new website has officially been launched!

NOWHERE / ANYWHERE cont.

2010-02-07T20:41:00.000-08:00

Within these paintings I compose elemental forms and explore the interactions of colors. By reducing a figure/ground system to its core, I am able to enhance the sculptural qualities of each piece. As a result, I think of these works as painted objects as opposed to pictures or images. I hope to achieve an overall feeling or mood with each piece, but I also value the interpretations of others and will continue to see the meaning of these - and any - paintings as something evolving and unfixed.

While I am clearly indebted to art history and a range of geometric/minimal painters, I am increasingly confident about these formal systems redefining themselves as a force in contemporary art. Minimalism no longer has a single "look," and in 2010, any number of artists might cite the reductive impulse as a component of their practice. In a culture that is practically defined by its own excess, it seems reasonable that artists would adopt a counteractive visual language.

I am inspired by the eccentric array of architecture in the East Bay, especially where I live in West Oakland. I find beauty in forgotten, overlooked structures, and my paintings fittingly evoke walls, passageways, and windows. I am less concerned with specific locations and more occupied with how archetypal shapes and forms construct a sense of place. The title of this exhibit refers to an offhanded comment a friend made last summer. When explaining her desire to relocate, she said she wanted to move "...out to the middle of nowhere, anywhere." This specific combination of words resonated with me and seemed at home with paintings that are often anonymous, stark, and quiet. I share that sense of longing for harmony, and in this way these paintings are my own "Nowhere, Anywhere."

Check out "NOWHERE / ANYWHERE" at Blankspace Gallery in Oakland, Thurs-Sun, Noon-6 PM, between now and March 14th. Visit blankspacegallery.com or my website for more images.

NOWHERE / ANYWHERE

2010-01-25T00:28:00.001-08:00

Elusive Half-Ogive Sighting

2010-01-22T01:55:00.000-08:00

Grand Lake District, Oakland, California

MAIL GAZE

2010-01-20T22:25:00.000-08:00

Fantastic news! The USPS recently announced a series of stamps honoring ten Abstract Expressionist painters. They hit the shelves March 11, mark your calenders. I can't seem to find any high-res images right now, but you get the picture...Pollock, Rothko, Motherwell, Newman, Hofmann...they're all there. Also, the excellently titled, “The Liver Is in the Cock’s Comb," (1944) by Arshille Gorky makes an appearance. The set was co-curated by Ethel Kessler and University of Illinois Art History Professor, Jonathan Fineberg, who happens to be the brother of legendary Knox College Professor of Classics, Steve Fineberg.

This is great news for art lovers and and stamp lovers alike. And - as if that wasn't enough - the 2010 Stamp Program will also highlight the Mackinac Bridge and Negro Leagues Baseball, amongst other gems. So...how can 2010 not be a good year?

THE GATES

2010-01-16T17:27:00.001-08:00

Christo and Jeanne-Claude
Free Fabric Sample from The Gates
ed. of 1 Million
7 cm x 7 cm
2005
©2005 Christo and Jeanne-Claude

I recently watched "The Gates," an HBO documentary about Christo and Jeanne-Claude's artwork of the same name. The piece was famously installed throughout Central Park in the winter of 2005 after more than 25 years of negotiations between the artists and various detractors. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the film, especially the latter part, which captures the joyous reactions of bewildered park visitors. Further proof that a little a cadmium orange goes a long, long way...

The late Jeanne-Claude comes off as a particularly interesting character throughout the movie. Her unflinching and shrewd business sensibility is a strange - and perfect, I guess - counterpart to the romantic nonchalance of Christo. In spite of the duo's insistence against the unauthorized sale of any detritus associated with "The Gates," I am very interested in acquiring one of the million fabric samples pictured above. If someone wants to send one my way, I swear I wouldn't tell a soul...

Kenneth Noland, 1924-2010

2010-01-05T12:08:00.001-08:00

"FILM IS RHYTHM"

2010-01-02T16:24:00.000-08:00

A film by Hans Richter
Germany 1921
B&W 3 Minutes
NOTE: Not the original audio.

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2009

2009-12-24T22:56:00.001-08:00

Ellsworth Kelly
Green Triangle
Screenprint ed. of 100
36.5" x 36"
1971
((VIA Woodward Gallery))

Carmen Herrera

2009-12-20T22:20:00.000-08:00

Carmen Herrera
Blanco y Verde
1966

The New York Times Art & Design section strikes again. Check out this article on Carmen Herrera, the 94-year-old minimalist painter whose first piece sold just five years ago. To paraphrase the philosophy of my teacher and mentor, Ron Nagle, Herrera is finally getting Cheese Now. This story reinforces the idea that unwavering commitment and quality are worthwhile pursuits within the art world, whether or not the art world says so. Massive thanks to Tim S. for the heads-up!

Anne Truitt: Perception and Reflection

2009-12-15T09:33:00.000-08:00

Anne Truitt
First
Acrylic on wood
1961

Check out Ken Johnson's New York Times review of Anne Truitt's retrospective at the Hirshhorn Museum, “Anne Truitt: Perception and Reflection.” Can't wait to see the accompanying monograph...anyone want to donate a plane ticket to D.C.?

JUDD LOVE

2009-12-12T13:46:00.000-08:00

Ilya Kabakov, "School No. 6," 1993

Huge props to Anna K.! In this article she explores her new surroundings at the Chinati Foundation in Marfa, Texas.

MY SIX-YEAR-OLD COULD HAVE DONE THAT

2009-12-05T21:19:00.001-08:00

Get a load of this guy! Thanks for the heads-up, Dad...

Postcards Aplenty

2009-12-02T23:25:00.000-08:00

December 2009 Postcards
Acrylic on watercolor paper, varied dimensions

R.A.C. Silent Auction

2009-12-02T18:01:00.000-08:00

Check out the annual Holiday Arts Festival and Silent Auction at the Richmond Art Center this Sunday, December 6, from 12-5 PM. The benefit raises funds for the R.A.C.’s educational programs, exhibitions, and community art classes. I'm really happy to have a painting in the auction alongside many great artists and in support of a good cause.

2009-11-23T20:59:00.000-08:00

Parking Attendant Booth, Berkeley

S.P. POSTCARDS @ HOLIDAYLAND

2009-11-20T12:19:00.000-08:00

Altered vintage postcards
Mixed media, varied dimensions

If you're like me, you probably:

A. Have not done any holiday shopping
B. Do not have a lot of money
C. Feel numb and anxious upon entering large chain stores
D. All of the above

Thankfully there's a solution to this predicament for those of us in the East Bay: Holidayland at Blankspace and The Compound one week from today, November 27, from 6-9 PM! Wear plaid to show support for independent Oakland businesses, and have your picture taken with Paul Bunyan to benefit art programs in Oakland schools!

I am selling 50 customized vintage postcards for $3 each. They are each stamped and ready to send to loved ones. My friends know how much I enjoy sending postcards and this edition is very special to me. Hope to see lots of people - and plaid - out and about next Friday!

"Horizontal Lines"

2009-11-19T11:23:00.000-08:00

This is a beautiful experimental film from 1962 by Norman McLaren and Evelyn Lambart. Note the music, courtesy of Pete Seeger. Thanks to Anna K. for the heads-up, hope you're enjoying Marfa!

2009-11-18T12:39:00.000-08:00

Totes
Disposable Camera Photograph

Hallowed Ground

2009-11-13T16:31:00.000-08:00

This is the Berkeley Free Market Building, at 2571 Shattuck Avenue. Richard Diebenkorn made his "Berkeley" series here in an upstairs studio between 1955 and 1956. These days the building is home to an art store and a bikram yoga studio on the ground level.

TRANS: form | color

2009-11-12T12:58:00.001-08:00

Leonhard HurzlmeierOink
Alacquer/Varnish on wood2008
This is without question the best group show I've seen in the Bay Area since moving here two years ago. If you're in town, be sure to check it out at Meridian Gallery between now and December 19.

This is the third installment of "TRANS," a traveling show featuring works by nine artists from around the world:

Kasarian Dane (U.S.), Stephan Fritsch (Germany), Brent Hallard (Japan), Leonhard Hurzlmeier (Germany), Robin McDonnell (U.S.), Mel Prest (U.S.), Richard Schur (Germany), Nancy White (U.S.), and John Zurier (U.S.)

These artists share a heightened sensitivity toward color, physical painting structures, and the long history of abstract painting. As Peter Selz notes in an accompanying catalog, however, each artist has arrived at this style of geometric/minimal/abstract painting in their own unique way:

…These painters, calling themselves TRANS, meeting in person or on the Internet, found that they share a common interest in the painting process, pure, and often not so simple. Unlike previous groups, they share no common ideology and they certainly are not likely to publish a manifesto. And they all agree that it is the viewer's response, which completes the work…

It's worth noting that these artists sought out each other from the beginning and were not "picked" by a curator or gallerist. In the highly fragmented and nuanced world of contemporary art, it is refreshing to see this physical manifestation of shared, transnational visual concerns. It reminds us that one is never alone or without allies in his or her artistic pursuits, regardless of style and motives.

2009-11-10T13:01:00.000-08:00

Construction Site, Yolo County, California

Damn Yankees

2009-11-05T12:26:00.000-08:00

Franz Kline and Ludwig Sander at baseball game, ca. 1950-1
Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution
VIA The Parrish Art Museum

Today marks the beginning of that dark span of months widely known as the Major League Baseball off-season. In the meantime: hockey.

2009-11-04T14:38:00.000-08:00

Daylight Saving

The Responsive Eye

2009-11-01T22:28:00.000-08:00

This is too good to be true. Experience the 1965 Op Art exhibit, The Responsive Eye, with none other than Mike Wallace. WEIRD. Also note Parts II and III. VIA MINUS SPACE.

ABSTRACT PAINTING DISCUSSION at MILLS COLLEGE 11/4/09

2009-10-19T13:36:00.000-07:00

Click the image for details...

2009-10-16T11:07:00.000-07:00

Save the Last Dance for Me
Mary Heilmann
Oil on canvas
1979

2009-10-16T11:05:00.000-07:00

Homer struggles to comprehend Marge's text paintings, 10/11/09

2009-10-14T13:37:00.000-07:00

Desert Road
Helen Lundeberg
Oil on canvas
50 x 40 "
1960
((VIA Louis Stern Fine Arts))

2009-10-05T11:30:00.000-07:00

Temp Tent, Yolo County, California

2009-09-30T13:08:00.000-07:00

Morning, West Oakland

2009-09-25T13:32:00.001-07:00

Oh That Is Such Classic Jen
Altered Screen Capture

2009-09-22T11:04:00.000-07:00

Colbert vs. Munch, 9/14/09

2009-09-20T18:29:00.000-07:00

The Train (1964) is an excellent film that you can currently watch for free on Hulu (or simply by clicking the embedded video above). In many ways, it can be seen as a prototype of the generic action thrillers that became popular in the 1970's and continue to dominate at the box office today. The excessive explosions, Nazi antagonists, and distressed damsels are all there. However, these tropes merely serve to enhance an already-good, entertaining film.

The story is a mostly-fictive take on the art theft that occurred within Nazi-occupied France. As the opening credits unwind, we see Nazi henchmen carefully packing and crating various stolen treasures of the French state. Here is a crate of stolen Seurat masterpieces:

The sets throughout the movie are beautiful and anyone who likes the sights and sounds of trains and rail yards will not be disappointed. It is, of course, no surprise when the downtrodden heroes foil the Nazi's plan to steal a train full of French masterpieces. However, the battle is won by a sequence of unexpected French trickery, and ultimately the good guys prevail by doing what they do best: painting. To make matters even more strange, "the glory of France" is saved as a result of some frenzied, Jackson Pollock-style action painting. Sometimes fiction is stranger than truth, and this movie makes efficient use of both.

2009-09-16T21:12:00.000-07:00

Fall Ball
Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, California
Altered Digital Image

John Baldessari: A Print Retrospective

2009-09-10T22:30:00.000-07:00

“Throwing Three Balls in the Air to Get a Straight Line (Best of 36 Attempts)”
1973

Two enthusiastic, three-dimensional thumbs-up for the Baldessari show currently on display at San Francisco's Legion of Honor (through November 8, 2009). Composed of over 100 prints from his "post-painting" period, the exhibit provides a puzzling and colorful experience. Baldessari's imagery and ideas generate a stark sense of contrast as one walks through the basement galleries beneath the Legion's exquisite vaults. The upstairs chambers, lined chronologically with old masterworks, become stoic showrooms to the L.A. guru's mischievous visual laboratory below. What results is a clever and thoroughly satisfying curatorial provocation that enhances both ends of an art historical spectrum.

Dig, Digging, Doug

2009-08-31T14:12:00.000-07:00

Here's an interesting video from one of the more confounding people I know, Doug Williams.

2009-08-24T20:29:00.000-07:00

L.A. Stack
Walt Disney Concert Hall Parking Garage, Downtown Los Angeles

2009-08-20T13:10:00.001-07:00

Fake Lake, Oakland, California
Altered Digital Image

New Work from my Old Man

2009-08-17T11:17:00.001-07:00

#164 - Periwinkle
John Pittman
Alkyd on wood
8 x 9 x 1.25"
2009

2009-08-17T10:33:00.000-07:00

Last week I had a nice chat with John Casey over at the BayVan launching soiree. John is a phenom when it comes to drawing, and a very friendly guy to boot. If you see him around town, he will probably give you a really cool sticker.

2009-08-13T22:01:00.000-07:00

Dr. Simon Ingram is an artist from New Zealand who makes paintings with machines made from rudimentary electronics and Legos.