Friday, November 25, 2011

The Western Angst of Amy Guidry



Amy paints our “wild west” while hinting at humanities’ sad ability to wipe out the “wild”. 
About this series - she says:  "In Our Veins" explores the connections between all life forms and the cycle of life. Through a psychological, and sometimes visceral, approach, this series investigates our relationships to each other and to the natural world, as well as our role in the life cycle. Concepts such as life and death, survival and exploitation, and the interdependence and destruction of living and nonliving organisms are illustrated throughout.”






For the Eclectix Interview with Amy and more of her fabulous works, click here.

For Amy's website, click here.
Some images posted here have been cropped.



(Originally posted in the Eclectix  "Bad To The Bone" Issue, Sept-Nov. 2011,
 along with the permanent online exhibit of anatomy-related art, LINK HERE.)

Local Art Exhibit for Black Friday


Why not skip the mall and go see some monsters in Oaktown? The Collaborate Gallery has a tasty show up right now, overflowing with nice takes on the monster in us and around us. Lots of artists we love and some new loves in this show - Buddy Nestor, Alex Pardee, PureBred and Lisa Wood, just to name a few. It was our first time visiting this great space since they opened last June and it's a tall, open clean environ with a cool catwalk upstairs along one wall.

Collaborate Gallery, Oakland, CA

This is a nicely eclectic show, well-edited - all kinds of medium and styles. Pen and ink, sculpture, assemblage, paintings - large and small - just about something for everyone. For all the art images and artists, check out the gallery link (above). "Monsters" is up for the next few days until Nov. 29th  and you might just find a great piece of art for someone on your list.

Chuck Light

Buddy Nestor

Lucien Shapiro

Nicolas Giraud
Rossella Scapini

Ben Clarkson

Paul Romano

Lisa Wood
 Lisa Wood's art are very interesting and haunted  little collage assemblages, bits of memorabilia, hair, vintage photos all mounted and framed by antique china dinner plates. Each "plate" came with a "case number" and on an accompanying card - a tale about the person or persons. These seemed like little artifact documents of real people and sad incidents in their lives. Not sure whether they are fact or fiction - they are very moving in either case.

Scott Wilson

Detail of large sculpture, Stacey Ransom

Jon Carling


Monday, November 14, 2011

The Spirit Board Show at Articulated


Dropped into Articulated Gallery to see "The Spirit Board Show" and we have some pics to share. This gallery is located inside Loved To Death on Haight Street, which is a great oddities store full of beautiful and creepy collectibles. The gallery is aptly located up some eerie narrow steps, plastered with warning signs. "Spirit Board" is full of favorite artists and wonderfully ghostly art - special takes on the old school Ouija board and otherworldly visitations. Just a partial roster of the artists included: Edith LeBeau, Jennybird Alcantara, Buddy Nestor, Jessica Ward, Karyn Crisis, Monique Ligons and Caitlin Hackett. For all the artists and photos of all the art click here. 

Jennybird Alcantara

Detail of Jennybird's piece- very cool little old school paper doll hands, fastened with brads, elevated in a 3D fashion.

Monique Ligons

Buddy Nestor

Edith Lebeau

Jessica Ward

Karyn Crisis

Caitlin Hackett



Science & Art in "Genus, Species"


A tasty little  show up at Modern Eden, "Genus, Species" makes commentary on odd and beckoning critters with a science bent. Our natural world collides with today's art in a fresh exhibition by local artists.

A few of our favorites are posted here - but they are all worth seeing and absorbing. An original and indie way to start that Xmas shopping! The show is up thru December 4th.





Featuring works inspired by scientific botanical and  anatomical illustrations with artists’ own unique twist on the traditional style. Exhibiting artists include: 
Robert Bowen, Chelsea Brown, Chamber Made, Steven Suiter , Cory Benhatzel, Sheri 
Jurnecka, David Camisa, Katie Bacigalupi, Matthew J. Price, Archer, Genessa Kealoha, Sean 
Sczepanik, Alison Trujillo, Max Kauffman, Lacey Bryant, Tiffany L. Pascal, Cody Vrosh, Bradley 
Platz, Kim Larson, Emi Slade, Michael Foley, and Angela Willetts. 

Sandra Yagi's Primal Opening


Sandra is one of the foremost surrealist artists in the Bay Area and it was great to finally see such a huge collection of her works on exhibit here in her home turf, at Modern Eden


A second exhibit titled, "Genus, Species" contains smaller works with a natural sciences theme and is delightfully organically inclined. (More to come on this show in a future post).  Modern Eden is a fantastic space, clean, large and inviting - with lots of well lit and spacious walls - easily the cream of the local gallery crop. 


Sandra's solo is aptly titled "Primal Renderings" and features a series of newer and older works, based on aspects of our inner ape and scientific morphed creatures with a pre-historic bent. Many of her subjects have been stripped of their skin, offering up beautiful anatomical studies of musculature dancing within skeletal form.




 "Yagi’s recent paintings incorporate anatomical imagery to explore the human psychological condition, such as cutaway skulls portraying basic human drives and the thin veneer of humanity overlaying our animal nature. "  -Via Gallery website



 There is a whole wall of S&M and bondage related art, with skeletons acting out the partner in sexual games and foreplay.


These are delightful, fun quirky works which Sandra says she researched in person, visiting various houses of ill repute. How's that for homework?


This is an engrossing show, encompassing the breadth of Sandra's incredible works, each piece relaying a hinted narrative - enticing without being over stated.  Smaller works and larger works as well as prints are available to purchase. Technically adept and studied, imaginative and interesting subjects which urge further contemplation. An artist worth collecting, her pieces will engage and satisfy for years to come.
Exhibition is on display thru December 4th, 2011.



For a previous Eclectix post with more of Sandra's images from the show,  click here. 
LINK - to Sandra Yagi's wesite

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Fabulous Fernando Vicente


Born in Madrid, Spain - artist Fernando Vicente’s massive portfolio contains an eclectic variety of incredible works. An illustrator and fine artist, he runs the gamut from cartoons to editorial, pin-ups to portraits, realism to fantasy, cartography to anatomy.  The elegance of Fernando’s “Vanitas” series 
(the ones with a green circle background), elevates anatomical art to a surreal and decorative - yet unusual beauty.







(Originally posted in the Eclectix  "Bad To The Bone" Issue, Sept-Nov. 2011,
 along with the permanent online exhibit of anatomy-related art, LINK HERE.)

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Edward Walton Wilcox Interview, 10/19/11


Edward’s art is a spiritual experience, imagery with such luminous light and aura to it that it refuses to be captured in a photograph. His colors are sepias, ambers and the warmest golds of sunsets – against the dark, murky depth of  our world’s underbelly. Seeing his work in person hooked me – classical masterpieces of mood, physics and unearthly delights. Edward is not only a master painter but an accomplished sculptor as well – he shares some of his thoughts here with grateful Eclectix.

For the entire interview and a gallery of Edward's  works, click here.
For all the Eclectix artist interviews go to Eclectix Etc.


Tuesday, November 8, 2011

SF Sculpture In The House at Varnish

Nemo Gould

As Part 2 of Varnish Fine Arts re-opening at it's new space, a select group of fantastic sculpture, some animated and robotic. Many familiar names from past Eclectix exhibits and features - Nemo Gould, Elizabeth Dante, Jessica Joslin and Dan Romo and some are fresh discoveries. It is one of those shows you have to see in person, moving parts and lights, glistening metallic sheen and 3D elements are so lost in a flat photo!
For all the artists, check out the gallery link, above.

Jessica Joslin

Stanislav Szukalski

Exhibit Dates
Opening: Nov. 12th, 4-8 pm
Closing: Jan.7th, 2012

The pieces (below) look fantastic- my apologies that they are so small, I couldn't find bigger ones on the web. Just gives you all the more reason to get out there to see them!

Stephanie Morgan

Elizabeth Dante

Dan Romo