The Shadow Views Works by Aisjah Hopkins

Tonight, ARTWorkSF held its first solo show in its new gallery. The artist being showcased tonight was Aisjah Hopkins, who has been featured on this blog in the past in other ARTWorkSF blog entries. This was also Aisjah's first solo gallery show.

Eternal Symbols I by artist Aisjah Hopkins

Eternal Symbols II by artist Aisjah Hopkins

This show was entitled "Eternal Symbols" and featured some of Aisjah's work in a number of mediums.

Some of Aisjah's work at the Reception

This exhibit is currently showing at ARTWorkSF's Gallery, located at 49 Geary Street, Suite 215, in Downtown San Francisco. But if you want to see this exhibit you will have to hurry. This exhibit is only scheduled to run through this Saturday, December 2, 2006. Gallery hours are noon to 5:00 p.m. through Saturday.

Artist Aisjah Hopkins with The Shadow

Aisjah's work is available for sale during this exhibition. In fact, one of her pieces had been sold tonight prior to the arrival of The Shadow to the reception.

For more pictures from the reception, click here.

The Shadow Views Several Landscapes

The Shadow is now back to full-time blogging again after taking some time off to take care of personal matters during the holidays. This blog will now go full speed through the end of the year.

For starters, let's begin with another artists reception.

On November 17, 2006, The Shadow was in attendance at the office of San Francisco Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi as he hosted yet another Third Friday Art Reception. Last Friday's reception was special because it marked the 2-year anniversary of Supervisor Mirkarimi's Third Friday Receptions.

Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi addresses the audience at Reception

This month's reception featured the art of Gail Camhi, Jacqueline Ruben, Heike Seefeldt, and Sue Vaughan. Each artist showed a different landscape genre using various media.

Examples of some of the artwork on display

Gail Camhi is showing Landscape of the Imagination. In watercolor, Ms. Camhi uses wet on wet technique to activate responsive dialogues with color, and allows her subjects to present themselves as part of the explorative process.

Jacqueline Ruben is presenting Landscapes of Distance and Approach. Her paintings emerge from the spark of all the impressions and sensations swirling around us in the phenomenal world. This mixed media series of four paintings explores the intersection of interior space with the peripheral world.

Heike Seefeldt will exhibit Landscape of Manipulation. By arranging and manipulating diverse materials in a collage overlay technique, Ms. Seefeldt questions the extent to which raw information is manipulated and channeled by media, politics and religious messages.

Sue Vaughan will exhibit Landscape of the Human Body. Many of the portrait and figure drawings included in this show were created at the San Francisco Art Institute or the Mission Cultural enter and are based on black and white photographs from the book, The Body: Photographs of the Human Body, by William Ewing. Ms. Vaughan began to explore portrait drawing in high school.

An example of artist Sue Vaughan's work

All four of these women have mastered the art of landscape in their chosen genre. This was a very exciting exhibit. The Shadow has included the web sites of both Jacqueline Ruben and Heike Seefeldt under the Artists and Gallery Links on the left side of this blog if you wish to view more of their work.

Artist Heike Seefeldt poses in front of some of her work

You can view this exhibit in the offices of Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi in Room 282, San Francisco City Hall, during regular business hours. The exhibit will run through December 13, 2006.

Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi (center) with the four artists

For more pictures from the exhibit, click here.

The Shadow Enjoys "Coffee, Tea and Wine"

Last Thursday, The Shadow was invited to an art reception at a venue new to The Shadow -- San Francisco Women Artists.

San Francisco Women artists is a collective of female (and male) artists. They have a very quaint gallery in the Laurel Heights area of San Francisco.

Their current exhibit is entitled "Coffee, Tea and Wine". Artists showing in this exhibit are:

• Dawn Ming
• Caren Lorber
• Regina Kirschner Rosenzweig
• Barbara Swan Roger
• Sandra Lo
• Norma Kaline
• Marilyn Cullen
• Jennifer mack
• Allie Hyde
• Catherine Moreno
• Ming Wu
• Donna Solin
• Susan Marineau
• Jordana Weiland del Feld
• Carmey S. Wyllie
• Carry Swenson
• Ella Driscoll
• Helene Sobol
• Catherine Lerke
• Pauline Crowther Scott
• Karen Gann
• Sonia Melnikova
• Bernice Kehoe
• Marilyn Gray-Raine
• Nina Goldfeather
• Thalia Stratton
• Jess Zepeda, Jr.
• Margaret Tchen Ware

Afternoon Tea by artist Sandra Lo

This gallery is not as large as some of the venues that The Shadow has visited in the past, but it is one of the best that he has visited so far. The crowd was very engaging and the artists very happy to see The Shadow there.

The exhibit included not only paintings but also creamics and sculptures.

Artist Caren Lorber with her work Tea at the Triton

This exhibit will be showing through December 2, 2006. San Francisco Women Artists Gallery is located at 3489 Sacramento Street (at Laurel Street) in San Francisco. Gallery hours are Wednesday - Saturday from noon - 5:00 p.m. For more information on them, visit their website.

For more pictures from the reception, click here.

ARTWorkSF Presents Curator's Picks

Last Thursday, The Shadow went to view a special exhibit now on display at the Hotel Triton in downtown San Francisco.

Ball Game Gone Wrong by artist Tama Greenberg

Artists in this special promotional exhibit are:

• Jo Farrell
• Suzun Hughes
• Les Phillips
• Celestte
• William Ulrich
• Lisette Lugo
• Cherie Pinsky
• Jennifer Mack
• Blake Tucker
• Tama Greenberg
• Raymond Lobato
• Rosalie Anelli Yerby

The Shadow is calling this a promotional display because each artist is only showing one piece at this exhibit. However, this is exhibit is showing because each of the above artists has a solo show at one of 300 venues that ARTWorkSF has around the Bay Area.

Presidio Park, San Francisco by artist Cherie Pinsky

This exhibit, as The Shadow mentioned earlier, is showing at the Hotel Triton, 342 Grant Street in San Francisco. The exhibit will be showing through December 6, 2006.

For more information on where each artist is currently showing, go to ARTWorkSF's website. You can also click on the individual artists name in the Gallery and Artists Links Section of this blog.

For picture of other works at this exhibit, click here.

It's A Sweep!!!

About this time last night, many of you knew that the Democratic Party took control of the House of Representative once again -- the first time since 1994. The Democrats needed to take 15 seats to get the majority -- instead they took 25 seats. Quite a feat, The Shadow must say.

But wait....there is more.

The Shadow has just found out within the past hour that the Senate is now under Democratic control as well. This gives control of the Congress back to the Democratic party and severely weakens President George W. Bush in the final two years of his presidency.

And if that was not enough.......

Today it was announced that Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld was stepping down from his post. After 6 long years, the president finally realized that the country is not happy with his policies in Iraq.

The Shadow urges all to stand behind House Speaker (to be) Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader (to be) Harry Reid to put this country back to the respectibility that we enjoyed during the presidency of Bill Clinton.

More to come on this later.

The Shadow Views Kellyann Gilson Lyman's Work

Last Thursday was a busy night for The Shadow. In addition to the regular visit to the ARTWorkSF Gallery, The Shadow was invited to another opening featuring an artist associated with ARTWorkSF, Kellyann Gilson Lyman.

Winter into Spring I by artist Kellyann Gilson Lyman

Kellyann's work is currently showing at the historic Monadnock Building, which is located at 685 Market Street (just off Third Street) in San Francisco. Her works are being displayed on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Floor lobbies just as you get off the elevator.

Pastel Paris by artist Kellyann Gilson Lyman

Kellyann uses several different types of media and her show is definitely worth taking a look at.

Artist Kellyann Gilson Lyman with The Shadow at her Reception

Kellyann's works at the Monadnock Building will be showing through December 30, 2006. For more of her work, you can visit her at her web site. She will also be listed in the artist links to the left of this blog.

For more photos from the reception, click here.

The Shadow Sees Some "Relics"

Last Thursday night, The Shadow made his monthly visit to the ARTWorkSF Gallery in downtown San Francisco to view their latest exhibit. Their latest exhibit is entitled "Relic".

The following artists participated:

• Robert Bradshaw
• Natasha Dikareva
• Jo Farrell
• Jeffrey Glossip
• Dean Gustafson
• Suzun Hughes
• Jennifer Mack
• Katalina McGinley
• Christopher Norman
• Troy Paiva
• Raven Reyes
• E. Marie Robertson (who was also the Guest Curator)
• Phyllis Rockne
• John Wilson
• Carmen Wolf

This exhibit, in the words of Guest Curator E. Marie Robertson, is:

An exploration of the ability of time to venerate or debase objects, people, cultures, nations, empires, planets. The concept is based on the two contradictory meanings most associated with this word: the remains of a saint or holy person, held in highest regard, or a pejorative term describing something outmoded, ancient, or unworthy of attention.

Luxor by artist John Wilson

Perhaps the biggest personal highlight for The Shadow was to finally see, in its completion, artist Suzun Hughes work, Relic Totem.

Relic Totem by artist Suzun Hughes

Many of you have seem "fragments" of this work on various blog entries, but now you can see the entire work here. It is 10 feet high and simply beautiful.

Artist Suzun Hughes with Relic Totem

As you can see by the pictures below, this was a well-attended opening.

Art Patrons at Reception

ARTWorkSF Marketing Director Jen Morris (left) pours a glass of wine for artist Suzun Hughes

This exhibit will be open through November 25, 2005 at the ARTWorkSF Gallery, 49 Geary Street, in San Francisco. Gallery hours are Tuesday - Saturday, noon - 5:30 p.m.

For more pics from the reception, click here.

Remember to Vote Tommorrow!

The Shadow urges all eligible United States citizens to go to the polls tomorrow and vote. At stake are several issues across the country and sometime just making the effort to go to the polls can make a big difference.

The biggest difference that can happen is that the Republican party might lose control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

There are also several states that are considering same-sex marriage amendments to their constitutions.

Issues of parential notification before a minor's abortion are also coming up in several states.

Make your voice heard -- go to the polls tomorrow and vote for the candidate of your choice.

The Shadow Comments on Halloween in the Castro

Halloween was over a week ago and most people have now gone about their business getting ready for the election and the holidays.

But not in San Francisco.

For those of you who may not have heard -- Halloween is a big deal here in San Francisco. Usually in the Castro District of the city -- which is the predominantly gay area of the city -- a large party ensues. In past years, this has been a peaceful party drawing upwards of 300,000 people. But not so this year.

This year's party turned into a shootout at the end of the party. Nine people were shot and another woman was trampled just as police were starting to break up the party. It brought an ugly end to a party whose roots go back almost 50 years.

A debate is now in progress on whether to cancel the party altogether or modify it more to avoid this type of thing happening again.

The Shadow's advice to the city -- let the party go on but under certain restrictions:

1. There should be admission charged for this party ($5.00 is good -- the money can then go to a charity)

2. There needs to be an age limit (21 and over).

3. The party needs to be held on the weekend before Halloween -- not on the actual night itself.

San Francisco's mayor has established a task force to deal with what to do with this party. The Shadow will keep all informed as information develops.

The Shadow Enjoys "Good Times"

Well it is election season. But it is also the time of year when most artists in San Francisco brings out some of their best stuff. Tonight was no exception.

The Shadow attended the ARTWorkSF reception for their newest show "Good Times". Featured artists at this exhibit are:

• Malcolm Nicoll
• Sherri Cavan
• Lynn Friedman
• Nancy Rodger
• Julia Carrabino
• Maury Edelstein
• Taiko Fujimura
• Jennifer Mack
• Roberto Montoya-Mejia
• Dan Cope
• Ailene Coffino
• Lois Llewellyn
• Fong Fai
• Michael Childs
• AnneKarin Glass
• Marcia Middleton
• Ana Fernandez
• Rosalie Anelli Yerby

Apprehension by artist Nancy Rodger

The exhibit is being shown at Polarity Post Productions, 69 Green Street, San Francisco. Viewing hours are Monday-Friday from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. This show was guest curated by artist Lynn R. Friedman.

Guest Curator Lynn Friedman (right) talks with a patron at Reception

To quote the description of the exhibit:

It's a common misconception that tragedy is the primary inspiration for artists. Well what about the good times? Chagall celebrated his domestic bliss. Peter Max drew brightly colored submarines. This exhibit is a celebration of humorous moments, happy thoughts and joy in life!

The show will be open through January 13, 2006 and there is plenty to see.

For more photos from the reception, click here.

Be sure to join ARTWorkSF for their First Thursday Gallery Show, Relic, at the ARTWorkSF Gallery,49 Geary Street in San Francisco from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. That same night, artist Kellyann Gilson Lyman will hold a solo show at the Historic Monadnock Building, 685 Market Street (between 2nd and 3rd Street) from 5:30 - 8:00 p.m. There will be three floors at art to admire. The Shadow will attend both shows and will bring that to you on this blog.