Varnish Re-Opens With A Kick Ass Show!

New Varnish Fine Arts

This week-end Varnish Fine Arts had their grand re-opening after closing down their former location - when the city of San Francisco nabbed their space, (using "imminent domain") for a transit project. The exhibit has art by many Eclectix favorites and every piece is fantastic - a solid and fascinating array. 

The killer pieces selected below are just a small sample of the quality and imaginative works packed into the new gallery. The space is a little smaller than their last, without a bar and is located very close to where their old space was. The best exhibition going on right now in the city, so get yur sweet selves out to see it!

Jennybird Alcantara

Jennybird Alcantara, John Mosbaugh and Al Honig

Isabel Samaras

Laurie Lipton

Wish we had a bigger pic of this one by Beth Bojarski

Craig LaRotonda

Here's the all-star line up of artists:

Chris Mars
Laurie Lipton
Annie Owens
Chuck Sperry
Edith Lebeau
Robert Bowen
Kevin Evans
Robert Williams
Isabel Samaras
Craig LaRotonda
Kevin Peterson
Aunia Kahn
Sri Zeno Whipple
Dylan Sisson
Jennybird Alcantara
Scott Musgrove
Nathan Spoor
Beth Bojarski
Ciou
Winston Smith
Skot Olsen

Choice Exhibit Alerts- In LA, SF, Seaside and Seattle...

Some updates for upcoming and ongoing exhibits that look just fantastic!

Dan Harding

May 14th- ongoing, Los Angeles: Congregation Gallery presents three solos - Dan Harding "Splinters", Larkin "Rhinestone Deities", and Patrick Deignan, "Bad Obsession".

Patrick Deignan

Larkin

On May 21st, Los Angeles:  Corey Helford Gallery is pleased to present “Flight and Fable” featuring new works by three remarkable female artists from New Contemporary Fine Art Movement: Sarah Folkman, Krista Huot and Isabel Samaras.

Isabel Samaras

Krista Huot

Sarah Folkman

 May 13th - ongoing, Seaside: Alternative Cafe Gallery presents the "Fourth Annual New Brow Exhibition". Featuring the works of Anthony Ausgang, Van Arno, Shawn Barber, Chrystal Chan, Luke Chueh, Andy B. Clarkson, Amy Crehore, Adam Flores, David Joseph Gough, Eric Joyner, Jophen Stein, Kevin E. Taylor, Jason Limon, Chris Mars, Buddy Nestor, Terribly Odd, Charmaine Olivia, Michael Page, Everett Peck, Christopher Polentz, Dan Quintana, Isabel Samaras and Kelly Vivanco.

David Joseph Gough

Chrystal Chan

June 10th, Seattle - Roq La Rue presents John Brophy, "The Long Arm of the Zeitgeist" and Melissa Forman, "Misplaced Memories Long Forgotten"

Melissa Forman

John Brophy

 

May 14th - June 4th, San Francisco: Shooting Gallery is pleased to present "American Iconomics", a dual exhibition of works by Akira Beard and James Charles. The two bodies of work presented are intertwined in their subject matter – with both artists fixating on the idea of the “contemporary American icon.”

Akira Beard

James Charles

"New Beginnings" at Space Gallery in San Francisco, This Friday!

Zira from Planet of the Apes by Isabel Samaras

"New Beginnings" at Space Gallery

Opening: March 11, 7 pm to 12 am

Thru April 2nd, 2011

1141 Polk Street, San Francisco, CA

A New Eclectix Interview With Isabel Samaras

"It all kinda whirls together - old movies, a pretty broad spectrum of art, music music music, all the sci-fi books I tore through as a kid, Ultraman and all kinds of Kaiju, fairy tales and fables, the absurdist humor of Monty Python, monsters of every ilk, and very most especially all the many permutations of love: unrequited, blazing out of control, thwarted, tender, forbidden, maternal, and inter-species. Often a painting will..." 

For a little life story, artist tricks and some gospel according to Isabel -

Direct link to interview page

"As They See It" Exhibit, Our Favorite Picks, 941 Gallery

Posted here are some faves from the gallery's second and current show, As They See It, which opened Saturday night. Shooting Gallery and White Walls owner- Justin, just opened 941 in the Tenderloin. You enter thru a long narrow hall, past the bathroom and bundled art to a nice large and open space. Many of the pieces were familiar from previous exhibits. 

I really loved the 3 bunny/kangaroo pieces floating in their urban environs by the pretty Jessica Hess, not to mention the fantastic little neckpiece she created out of 3 vintage ties.

She graciously let me check out  the stitch work on the underside and wow, this was an art piece by itself!  

Isabel Samaras has a hilarious new painting of a Victorian woman getting serviced under her ballgown.

Scott Hove's new chandalier "cake" piece dominated the huge space with his usual sweet ferocity.

Akira Beard had a nice wall full of his wonderful mixed media portraits, some of the best stuff there. 


And here are a few other wonderful pieces... 

The artists contributing were Kevin Cyr, Jessica Hess, Isabel Samaras, Shawn Barber, Aaron Nagel, Eric White, Robert Burden, Coro, Dave Schubert, Jonathan Darby, Morgan Slade, Pedro Matos, Akira Beard, Danny Heller, Michael Forbes, Adam Caldwell, Scott Hove, and Derek Weisber.


Gallery Link

Isabel Samaras and Her Beautiful Beaver Boobs

Isabel just completed this great pair for a great cause. This piece is now on it's way to the Tiki Oasis 10th Anniversary Extravaganza in San Diego, the original "Tiki Weekender",  a three day, non-stop, jam-packed celebration including the Keep-A-Breast art show organized by Baby Doe von Stroheim and featuring over 24 artists, creating painted and multi-media breast casts. The proceeds go to The Keep-A-Breast Foundation. www.keep-a-breast.org. This looks like a fun little vacation if you're in need of a little paradise and some good karma.  Go pick up a nice rack for yourself and support a good cause!

Last Gasp Kickin' Ass Art at Their 40th Anniversary Exhibit, at 111 Minna Gallery in SF

Doggie Greeters

Great scene happening at the opening and celebration last night of Last Gasp's anniversary party. If you don't know who Last Gasp is - briefly they have been responsible for supporting and publishing many counter culture artists, cutting edge writers and poets and fringe musicians, here in San Francisco. Many who have gone on to fame and fortune, breaking ground in our cultural landscape.

Ed Hardy

The line up of artists is a veritable whose-who of pop-surrealism and kustom kulture - Gary Baseman, Tim Biskup Glenn Barr, Robert Crumb, Richard Corben, Guy Colwell, Ron English, Tony Fitzpatrick, Christopher Felver, Camille Rose Garcia, Justin Green, Bill Griffith, Rick Griffin, Ed Hardy, Frank Kozik, Joe Ledbetter, Carol Lay, Adrian Lee, Michael Manning, Chris Mars, Scott Musgrove, Junko Mizuno, Liz McGrath, Laurenn McCubbin, Mitch O’Connell, Annie Owens, The Pizz, Mark Ryden, Michael Rosen, Trina Robbins, Spain Rodriguez, Dori Seda, Winston Smith, Eric White, Robert Williams, Attaboy, Aye Jay, and many more.

Chris Mars

Camille Rose Garcia

The crowd was a wonderful mish-mash of colorful artsy types. Lots of snappy dressers, friendly familiar faces, wierdos, usual art groupies, and freaks, just my kind of crowd. At one point there was some out-of-control, attention-sucking woman who kept flailing around in some sexy? dance on a bench, eventually hitting people around her, including artist Isabel Samaras who got it in the face. The place was nicely crowded and every 5 or so people there was a strong whiff of fresh herb, the pockets must have been packing it. Then there seemed to be a cadre of older women in leopard/cheetah spotted faux fur coats, not together- but they would have made a great photo if there had been room to herd them up.

Best Darn Shirts In The Place!

Jennybird Alcantara

Junko Mizuno

Dudes With An Agenda Of Some Sort

Reverend Levba

Winston Smith and Isabel Samaras

Mitch O"Connell

Striped Dude and Red Headed Tee Shirt Seller

The venue was 111 Minna, a bar, club and gallery. The past shows I had been to there, were poorly lit. Much of the art was stuck on temporary wall dividers in the middle of the space and you could barely see it. However, for this event, I was happy to see things were much cleaner. The dividers were gone, all the art was respectfully on the actual walls and it was all lit very well. The gurl DJ spun some great stuff including the Ramones, which always seem to cheer me up, along with a darn tasty margarita.

So much outstanding, eclectic art and eye candy, a very good vibe and friends meeting up again -  good time, great show, all around! 

http://www.lastgasp.com/
http://www.111minnagallery.com/

Mo' Love Art... Isabel Samaras Scratching It

A look at some art in-progress, from artist Isabel Samaras. A little step-by step on her recent illustration commission for the Santa Fe Reporter.

About the assignment, Isabel had this to say - 

"The art director, Angela Moore, emailed me originally asking me to do a Devil Babe couple kissing for the cover of their Valentine's "Love & Sex" issue. Along the way the idea changed, as they often do -- briefly it was going to be tattooed hipsters but we settled on a more "mythical" romance between Medusa and a Satyr." 

The original line drawings are ink on scratchboard. For those who don't know- scratchboard is a process where a surface board is coated with ink, then let to dry. The image is formed by scratching thru the ink to reveal the white underneath. Many tools may be used to scratch- Xacto blades, the end of a paper clip, a needle or anything sharp and pointed. It is kind of like drawing in reverse, like a negative to a photograph. One may buy pre-made scratchboard at art supply stores, as well.

After the drawings were completed the color was added to a scanned image in PhotoShop.

The original scratchboards are for sale, get your itch on, quick!

"Medusa's Kiss", 12" x 14", ink - $295

"Little Cupid", 6" x 5", ink - $75

Contact Eclectix (eclectixp(at)yahoo.com) if interested...

Does anyone recognize these two lovebird models? Strangely familiar to those in the know...