Studio Visit with Meredith Dittmar

I recently made a visit to Meredith Dittmar’s artist studio to get a first hand look at the process and beauty of her polymer clay sculptures. I was in awe to enter her lush “Homes & Gardens” backyard where she sculpts and paints large, playful creatures. In her art studio, amps and turn tables are ready to set the mood for creating the insane amount of detail you see in every facet of her sculptures. With scientific and technical precision, Meredith assembles a delightful pallet of colors and shapes into scenes of mystery with deep philosophical roots. We spoke about technology, math, religion, nature, and the world existing within these realms.

She is currently working on a few separate collections and commission works that she let me photograph. The stages in her procedure come together in many different, and often somewhat random ways; beginning with a sketch and improvising until the piece is completed.

Meredith’s high energy and comical sense of humor transmit into her characters and figurines. You can see more of her figures she calls “My Guys” on her website corporatepig.com.

White Rabbit Group Show

White Rabbit

New works by Claire Droney, Jamil Williams, Victoria Fong, and Brut

Opening Reception: June 9th, 2010, from 7-11pm

Heart is proud to present White Rabbit new works by Claire Droney, Jamil Williams, Victoria Fong and Brut . This exceptional collection of graphite, pencil, photography and digital multimedia works form an exhibition that is both unspecified and abstract in nature. With nostalgic imagery, White Rabbit seeks to create a metaphor of how our minds interpret experiences. Please join us for the opening reception on Wednesday, June 9th, 2010, from 7-11pm.

Claire Droney applies her studies of linguistics, neuropsychology, and cognitive neuroscience to a visual language that is reflective of her own experiences. Incorporating the natural world of botany, weather systems, fire, ocean life, and astronomy, she highlights the simultaneously chaotic and systematic order of the cognitive process. Droney uses multiple layers of material, and often includes words or phrases within the pieces in attempt to capture the depth of a single moment or experience. With the utilization of graphite and pencil she extracts a delicate and meticulous process that feeds largely into the concept of her work itself, hinting to the concepts of time and the drastic, yet elusive, roll it plays in our lives.

Jamil Williams’ photographs are a collection of thoughts, with some works captured within a moment, and others across a span of months. The artist seeks a “continuous head space” where he creates an image without obstruction or pause, influence or consideration. Working primarily with film, he uses everything from disposable cameras to high-end medium format cameras, working to preserve a certain personality and imperfection of the mechanism that produced the negative present in the final print.

Victoria Fong’s experimentations of photography utilize formats with multiple exposures, cross processing, and light leaks. In these pieces, she focuses on the impact of moments overlooked and incorporates the “mistakes” that often occur with processing expired film. One may also observe typographic elements and attention to design in this particular body of work.

Brut  is a collector of photography, gathering both aged and digital photographs, and harvesting them with an instinctive, almost subconscious ease. The composed photographs are tweaked, twisted, mixed and abused to the point of revealing what appears to be their inner image; a deep empathy comes to life within the photograph, in turn personifying a character preserved in material. Despite the use of computers, Brut’s photography is perceived to be an impression of light, undisturbed and original.

Please join us for the opening reception of White Rabbit new works by Claire Droney, Jamil Williams, Victoria Fong, and Brut, on Wednesday, June 9th, 2010, from 7-11pm. Heart is located at 1270 Valencia Street, San Francisco, CA 94110. Please visit our website for further information at http://www.heartsf.com.

Pictures from Transplants at Heart

If you didn’t get to make it to the opening of Transplants, works by Kevin Earl Taylor, Ben Venom and Jon Casey Clary, then check out the pictures we captured of the art and the wine drinking. Thanks to everyone who came out and supported the arts!

Excellent Condition Sneak Peak

My good friend Jason Vivona has some new works in the group show titled “Excellent Condition” (and that it is) at 111 Minna, in SF. I went by today to get a sneak peak and was thoroughly impressed with the collection of works from the 17 artists, and I’m sure you will be too. Here’s a small glimpse of what you’ll see at the opening reception tomorrow, May 6th starting at 5pm.

Transplants works by Ben Venom, Jon Casey Clary, and Kevin Earl Taylor

Transplants

Works by Ben Venom, Jon Casey Clary, and Kevin Earl Taylor

Opening Reception: Wednesday, May 12, 2010 7-10pm

Heart Wine Bar and Art Gallery is proud to introduce Transplants, an exhibition of the perspectives of three artists, Ben Venom, John Casey Clary, and Kevin Earl Taylor, and their illustrious journey to the Bay Area. The show will explore a collaborative impression of the natural world and its relation to the uninhibited state of the human mind; a purely organic experience. We at Heart look forward to sharing this event with you on May 12, 2010, from 7pm to 10pm.

Ben Venom is a self-proclaimed “visual commentator on the unique culture of the Southern United States.” Perhaps this makes him an expert on the lifestyle engulfed by Southern comforts. Nevertheless, at this current point in time, Venom is a Transplant from the down-home dirty south to the wind-whipping dirty streets of San Francisco. In the Transplants show, Venom will employ a multi-faceted collaboration of elements on screen-print, with cyanotype, tea, and resin, taking a nod to nostalgia; the collection brings to mind 1978’s Michael Cimino film, “Deer Hunter” with Robert De Niro. Ben Venom’s works are deeply rooted in Southern culture, as “politics, racing, and heavy metal” all play an integral role in his ever-expanding opus of creativity.

Jon Casey Clary explores the visual limits of the monotonous. It is the place we call home, the surrounding of our everyday in which Clary evokes such mysticism in his works. Clary takes advantage of the tools he has been given, whether it be a brush, a camera, or a computer, and harnesses their every worth; redirecting the gift of his influences, he can expound a world all his own. In his compositions, Jon Casey Clary draws forth the curious milieu of a celestial world, and reminds the viewer of all that is so unattainable in reality.

Kevin Earl Taylor extracts from the ephemeral, paying homage to the “chaotic and incomprehensible” of the “human paradigm” as it relates to the natural state of being. He has exhibited paintings around the world and is published both nationally and internationally. For Transplants, three artists will come together from different ends of the spectrum, employing an intimate and somewhat vulnerable migration to the Bay Area as means of self-expression. Kevin Earl Taylor’s works examine life-like creatures in a morbid, dream-like state, utilizing colors that draw from a personal intimacy with the everyday natural world in order to animate “a parody…offering visual depiction of this all at one grotesque, lovely, and hilarious production.”

Check out some more pictures from our photo shoot for Transplants at Heart.

Sneak Peak for Antistrot

Sneak peak at The Shooting Gallery and White Walls opening receptions this Saturday! Dropped by yesterday to check out the art from my good pals of Antistrot. Johan and Silas are just two of the members of the Antistrot group and came all the way from Denmark to install and paint murals on the walls of The Shooting Gallery.

Check out some of the sneak peak pictures of whats in store for this weekend.

Martin Machado

Martin Machado is a painter, photographer, filmmaker, and traveler of the open sea. His works stem from a life reflective of his passions and career as a merchant marine, commercial fisherman and sailor. When the long months at sea are done he resides in beautiful San Francisco with his brothers.

"Days on the Bay" Gouache, Oil, Spraypaint, and Panel

"Days on the Bay" Gouache, Oil, Spraypaint, and Panel

"Untitled" Gouache, Oil, Fiberglass Cloth, and Panel

"SF Cargo" Gouache, Oil, Panel

"Days on the Pacific" Gouache, Oil, Panel

"Days On The Pacific" Gouache, Oil, Fiberglass Cloth, Epoxy, Panel

"Untitled" Guache, Panel, Fiberglass Cloth and Epoxy

"Thirteen Rows At Dawn" Oil, Watercolor, Panel, Fiberglass Cloth and Epoxy

Marty begins his paintings while on tour, often using the rocking motions of the sea as the premise for his works. By spilling paint on paper and letting in freely move across the surface with the rocking of the boat he creates a parameter in which his ocean scenes will develop.   His experimental methods of painting include materials such as epoxy, fiberglass and seawater.  Once the painting is finished he coated the paper on wooden canvas with resin forming a clear and solid surface safe for touching (similar to the feel of a surfboard).

Martin with his works

His studio

work in progress

work in progress

His paintings capture a peaceful serenity abstracted with obscure shape and unusual colors. Almost dreamlike in nature, his perspective is easy to relate with.

His earlier series of works are quiet different using architecture and photography as the foundation of his works. “Frustrations with early painting lead me to adopt a technique learned by the late Steven Cuiqui, where photography, digital technology, and painting come together. Eventually I realized I wanted to come back to full painting, but by that time photography had and will continue to be an integral stage in my work. Themes such as labor, the changing western landscape, and the loss of time have always been a large part of my work. Of course there is the obvious change from land to seascapes.” -Machado

"Municipal Pier, San Francisco" Oil Canvas

"Business Park, San Jose CA" Oil on Digital Prints Mounted to Panel

"Business Park, Goleta CA" Digital Prints Mounted to Panel

"Business Trip" Oil on Digital Prints Mounted to Panel

For more information on Martin Machado please visit his website at www.martinmachado.com.

Pakayla Biehn and Gallery Six in SF Chronicle

Also read the online version here

Opening Night at Gallery Six

Gallery Six recently had the pleasure of working with an artist who goes by the name Jason Vivona. His art is a mixture of humorous situations, psychedelic colors and shapes and insightful creations of mixed mediums.  Vivona’s “Eternal Beauty Rest” incorporated painting, drawing, sewing and spray paint. Not only was the artwork impressive but the night had something for the ear and stomach too, with a live band, home brewed beers and Danica’s famous chocolate chip cookies.

Eternal Beauty Rest window installation made of painted, sewn lettering and yukalaylee.

Get Real! Natalie and Greg strike a pose.

Look over here everyone

Cool Kidz

D Young V, Jason Vivona, Jay Howell and friend

Danica tea cup'n

art, art galore

and the band played lovely songs

Allison on the mike

For more images from Jason Vivona’s “Eternal Beauty Rest” please visit www.gallerysixsf.com.

Winter Group Show in the mix

Winter Group Show installation and craziness from White Walls.  Hope you are  all coming out for this huge exhibit of more than 20 artist from across the country. Opening reception begins Saturday, December 12th from 7-11pm.

Robert Burden

Casey Gray spray paint extraordinaire

Mercedes Helnwein

Akira Beard and Henry Gunderson

Mark Warren Jacques

Clayton Brothers