I first met Evan when I moved to San Francisco's Mission district from New York City in 2001. Evan, whose work I was not only familiar with but also loved, welcomed me to his home where I got to know him, his family and his studio. I ended up photographing him shortly before he and his wife Shawn moved to Denver Colorado in 2003.
Several years had passed until I took a trip out in both 2009 and 2011 to spend some extended time with Evan and his family, photographing him working in his studio, his home and throughout Denver. I have always loved being a bit of a fly on the wall watching him so methodically make art. There's are real sense of technique and pride in everything he does. These photographs represent my most recent trip to Denver, in Autumn of 2011, where I was fortunate enough to stay in their new guest home on their property, which shares a wall with his studio. It's lovely. I hope you enjoy these photographs of Evan and his world. -Andrew Paynter
So your most recent show in November was at London's Stolen Space where you created works based on buildings and scenes you saw in London. Can you tell us a little bit about the show?
The show in London started with a trip there in June when I wandered all over the city for several days just making observations, shooting photos and trying to get a feel for London. When I make a body of work about a specific place it's important to be there myself, not only to take photos but just to have the experience of what it's like there, the overall feeling of a place. For the rest of the summer and fall I worked on about twenty new pieces based on my trip. The work ranges from pieces that are nearly photorealistic, to other pieces that are a combination of abstract, geometric forms combined with people and elements pulled from the urban environment.
Trying to comprehensively capture London would be nearly impossible, my goal with the show was to offer a glimpse of what London felt like to me as an outsider.
I wanted to avoid showing the most typical, tourist attractions of course. I found myself drawn to the more traditionally working class parts of east and south London that have remnants of post-war industrial buildings, factories, canals, old pubs and such.
Do you travel much? Big fan of London?
I travel out of the country about two or three times a year, and domestically a few times a year. I have a family so I can't be traveling all the time, but I do get out and see a lot of the world. Since I live in Colorado I think it's good for me to travel frequently, I like living in a quiet, easy place but I like to experience things and get inspired. London is pretty fascinating. I love traveling in any really old city. The sense of history, traversing streets where people have been for centuries. In London there is the feeling of all the difficulties that city has had to endure over time and yet it's still there, stronger than ever, it feels important and weighty.
Mario's show "Everything Under the Sun" opens up at FFDG Friday, Nov 11th (6-9pm) at our temporary gallery space at 248 Clement St @4th Ave in the Inner Richmond. FREE Tacos from El Tonayense - * Music from BLKTOP Project featuring Tommy Guerrero, Ray Barbee, Chuck Treece and Matt Rodriguez - * Vodka from Blue Angel.
Damon Soule's third solo show Then What Happened opens @FFDG in San Francisco Saturday, August 20th (7-10pm). Gerald Anekwe swung by his studio a couple weeks back to see what he has brewing for his show.
San Francisco Art Institute graduate, Damon Soule's newest paintings take what he's been doing for years further into a mind bending reality. Beautiful.
You've had two solo shows with FFDG in the past, what are some of the things you are taking into consideration while working on this one?
FFDG is a small space, so it's a great place to put together a cohesive experience. That's all you really have to worry about.
How would you describe your work to someone?
Aw man, that's always hard. I usually just describe it as crazy paintings. If I was painting things that I could describe in a simple sound bite, I would be disappointed with myself.
All At Once - 66" x 74"
In addition to SF, you've lived in Portland and NYC. What are some of the things you've enjoyed about living and working in these cities?
NYC is great because you can always get something to eat nearby anytime of day. Portland is cool because people are relaxed and know how to have fun. No one'ss really trying very hard there which I find refreshing.
What brought you back to SF?
I love the community vibe in the Bay Area. It feels like things are really happening which I didn't get in NYC. That may be just my perception but since that's how I feel, I had to come back here. As far as I'm concerned SF rules! However, I like to keep it fresh and that means not getting too comfortable.
Second String - 24" x 36"
You've been exhibiting for over a decade, what would you say is the most important thing you've learned along the way?
Keep it personal and challenge yourself. If you get bored, flip it upside down. Life is short, so don't get stuck in a rut.
I visited Erik Otto at his studio mid-April, right before he had a group show at the Mallick Williams Gallery (Robin Williams’ Daughter). I was stoked to have the opportunity to check out his studio, learn about his process, and maybe get inspired to paint more myself.
I first met Erik when I was covering a show of his at White Walls for FF and he seemed like a cool dude. Indeed he is cool, and was open to share his artistic practice, thoughts, and philosophies with me. It turns out he went to San Jose State and was involved with the animation department (which my brother is in). He was taught and influenced by Barron Story, and from fellow classmates who went on to have successful careers in the animation industry. Erik deviated away from illustration, choosing to focus on paintings and installations with reclaimed paint and wood as his medium. In our conversation we talked about working with companies, how not to get girls, tree hugging, Barron Story, and why school is cool. I hope you enjoy!
So what’s up with this NY thing, have you shown there before?
I haven't. They’re new, they've only been open since this last fall. It's Robin Williams' first-born daughter I think, along with her husband. The Williams family, little known fact, owns 6 pieces of mine. Since the divorce of his wife he's slowed down buying art and his kids are kinda steppin' in. Hopefully I get to meet him out of this.
Like Miss Doubt Fire, hey!?
Yea! But more like Toys. I used to have Toys and then pause it and sketch everything. It's kinda cool how it has come full circle, someone that influences you, probably more than you know it, and then he likes your work.
Do you do that a lot, stop and sketch from movies? Movies have great compositions.
When I was young, yea. Certain movies it's good compositions all the way through, just pause it anywhere.
Are you pretty busy these days?
After this show I hit the ground running as soon as I return, I'm doing this big commission for RedBull, on top of this piece (the house project installation) which will go live, that’s going to the dump basically (Recology), there's a sculpture garden down there. They do private tours, it's the dump over by Bayshore. I was there almost everyday.
And there is one more, a grant through the SF Arts Commission. Which is cool, all this outdoor alternative exposure stuff right after a super traditional style show. Me being the SF street artist, sort of lowbrow comin' in, who knows how it's gunna be responded to. They were like go easy on the reclaimed wood material, and I'm like that's my whole thing, I don't know how to go easy. You tell that to me and it makes me want to do it even more.
Last night we swung through Jeremy Fish's North Beach studio to have ourselves a look see at his current show before it's crated and shipped out to NYC for the June 23rd opening at Joshua Liner Gallery.
Instead of creating works on what's clicking around in Fish's own head, he gathered a list of artists, skateboarders, rappers, athletes, a stripper, a cop, and a historian whose funny, heartfelt, insanely interesting stories he would record and then illustrate.
The stories run from murder, fights, embarrassing situations, and one focused on a drugged out Keith Haring and some mural drama at a South of Market gay club in the 80s. 30 pieces of work and 30 stories to be heard. The gallery show will feature headphones next to each work where you can hear people like Snoop Dog recount a crazy childhood story involving him pulling a worm out of his pants. Or maybe you wanna hear from Ron English tell a tale from the early Billboard Liberation days.
We'll have more videos next week. In the meantime, let's figure out what's in a hard working artist's fridge... It may surprise you.
Los Angeles based artist Derek Albeck’s recent solo show at POVevolving Gallery in LA’s Chinatown entitled, “Mysterious Strangers” is that of nostalgia and personal history. Known for his photorealistic graphite drawings and flannel mask installations, Albeck’s representations are flawless. His use of mirrors, both broken and whole, are there to add an entirely different world of color, and a sense of identity, to his otherwise black and white pieces. The stories behind them add even more.
Several of the characters displayed in “Mysterious Strangers” are just that, relatives in Albeck’s life that he barely knew. “The narrative aspect of the work is romantic, in a sense, because I’m trying to re-appropriate these things that happened in my life. For me, it’s all about forming an identity, recreating these pasts to make sense of the present,” says Albeck.
I stopped by Rob Minervini's studio in SOMA this week to see where all the magic happens, and I was not let down! His studio is filled with beautiful work. Rob has a show opening up this Saturday, Sunken Dreams, at Gallery Hijinks and in July he will be a part of The Bay Area Now 6 exhibition at YBCA. Below you'll see past works and works in progress for the YBCA show. Can't wait to see the finished pieces! -Ashley Taylor
Tell us a little bit about your personal and artistic background?
I have a mix of a fine art as well as a public art and mural painting background. I’m from the Philadelphia area and recently became a dual Italian / American citizen which I am excited about.
SF based Henry Lewis invited a few friends over to his studio last weekend before he shipped his paintings down to Los Angeles for his solo show “The Absence of Light” @Corey Helford Gallery opening this Saturday, March 19th.
Here's a taste of his recent work and say howdy to a few of the fine folks who stopped by.
Manuel visits the Brooklyn studio of street artist (also w/ intense oil painting skills) Dan Witz whose show, WTF, just opened on Saturday @White Walls here in SF. ~CHECK IT.
San Francisco stencil artist Adam5100 has a show with Mike Giant opening this Saturday, Dec 11th at The Guerrero Gallery. Last Thursday we swung through Adam's Mission studio to see what he's been up to. The works for the show were at the framers, but he had plenty of goodness for us to take a look at.
Long time Fecal Pal and fellow Ohioan, Tiffany Bozic opens her first NYC solo show Confiding to Strangers November 11th @Joshua Liner Gallery. We stopped by her studio a couple weeks back to have first look at her paintings before they were crated and shipped off across the country. Enjoy the photos and video.
Tiffany is lucky enough to get to travel to parts of the natural world very few ever have. Her husband, Jack, is a scientist who studies small mammals and birds. Africa, Papa New Guinea, far off uninhabited islands in the South Pacific, Tiffany has experienced what few others have... The last couple years of travel are evident in her new works below.
Before Damon Soule's solo show Tessellating Pigments opened Oct 14th at Jushua Liner in NYC, Manuel ran into him in Brooklyn and stopped by his studio... Soule's show runs through Nov 6th and looks amazing.
Our buddy and LA based artist Travis Millard visited the studio of childhood friend, Kiel Johnson, whose show opens on September 23rd in NYC @Davidson Contemporary. Kiel is one damn talented/ hardworking artist. This studio visit gives you a little insight into his talents and a look at some his fantastic cardboard works and drawings.
Detail of a large drawing featuring everything that Kiel owns.
Mark Whalen (Kill Pixie), who's showing with Jay Howell at FFDG w/ an opening set for Sat., Feb 18th (6-9pm), did paintings for Autolux's new video for The Science of Imaginary Solutions which was animated & directed by Thomas McMahan. The video premieres online Feb 12th at midnight.
Before the online release, they're hosting a preview party Sat evening across from LACMA in LA to celebrate and screen the new video. ~complete details.
A bunch of Mission district businesses here in SF (Mike Giant, Benny Gold, Joshy D, and others) got together to put together a Mission Map of businesses you should check out. Map and app release party goes down Saturday @111 Minna in SF (7-10pm)... We just moved FFDG to the Mission and didn't make the 1st version to be included. There are talks of a future V2 release.
We still have a few prints left from the MCD show @FFDG. 4 color silk screens from the likes of Jeremy Fish, Aiyana Udesen, Matt Furie, and others for $75.
Say hi to Fecal Face & FFDG's new intern, Alexander Uhrich, who's in his last year at SFAI. He has to put in 90 hours of work, so you'll be seeing a lot of him.
Check his site to check his photography... Mucho eye entertainment to be viewed.
Hey, if you're a Tumblr fan, Fecal Face is on there as well. We'll be posting a taste of what you see here on the site... Tumblr was nice enough to give us fecalface.tumblr.com since someone had it but never made a post on it... You know what? Wonder if we claimed it years back and forgot about it. Hum.
Ryan Wallace & Chris Duncan open Transmission Lines in Toronto at Cooper Cole Gallery Friday, Feb 3rd.
Wallace and Duncan's linear variations of shape explore the margins of time and space while echoing the unstable tension between vision, perception, and reflection. Both artists explore a variety of materials to great visual effect. ~complete show details.
In the days following the Fukushima nuclear disaster, I was asked to make a poster for the Devo show at the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco. The image was a Japanese girl, wearing a nuclear t shirt, with the kanji character for earth tattooed on her shoulder. She was dead. I called her Sue Nami, and much to my surprise, the band liked it. ~keep reading Zolton's story of Sue.
Ever Gold in SF opens a month long residency with Josh Short'sBomb Shelter Radio and Tenderloin Self- Defense Club tonight, Thurs (6-10pm). Check the video for a complete picture of what to expect.
Over the course of his residency at Ever Gold Gallery, Josh Short will build "Bomb Shelter Radio" and host several live sonic events that will include experimental noise transmissions, live metal and hardcore bands, and subversive FM radio interventions. This will also be aided by guerrilla public installations of radios installed around the Tenderloin bringing his interventions directly to the street as a form of audio graffiti. During the day the gallery will become the "Tenderloin Self-Defense Club", where Short will offer martial arts instruction to the neighborhood inhabitants, artists, and musicians. ~show details
The rain came down hard on the 20th but people came through to view the massive show featuring works from Albert Reyes, Aiyana Udesen, and Matt Furie. The show runs through Feb 11th.
Last week we did our first themed Photo of the Day asking you to email in your quintessential San Francisco photos. We got so many great entries and couldn't squeeze them all in. So, here's a bit of overflow from the images emailed in.
Hey there, I just got back from a short residency down in a small town two hours north of Mexico City called Tequisquiapan. I was asked to come down there to meet some of the crew of the Clipperton Project, which basically is going to be a crazy boat trip in March with scientists and artists going out to a very remote atoll in the Pacific called Clipperton Island. Anyways, I thought you might like to see some photos of the town and the graffiti that I was surprised to find there.
We can finally shut up about FFDG's fire, about FFDG's temp space, about all the transitions, because we signed a 2 year lease on a new space in the heart of the Mission District last night!
Real Ethereal embraces our mysterious relationship with life. It blends the physical with the metaphysical on a journey through an ever-transitioning space where common interactions become extraordinary and perception ventures into the otherworldly. Real Ethereal examines possibilities of unseen realities and metaphorically represents the winding path that reveals before us and conceals behind us; the future remains a mystery while the past fades quickly into the recesses of our mind. We are left with the present: the mysterious reality of our existence; the hair of time difficult to grasp.
Recent UC Santa Cruz photography graduate Sean Vranizan emailed over this series of images he creates by using a scanner as a camera, upon which found and collected objects, both two-dimensional and three, were used in collage format.
SF based artists Alex Ziv & Quinn Arneson are in their final year at the San Francisco Art Institute and open the two person show UNIBROW: BRIDGING THE GAP Thursday, Dec 8th at Gallery Heist.
Great new video by Philadelphia based director Tobias Stretch whose videos feature his puppet work - If you have some time, browse his other great bizarre dreamlike videos.
A few November weekends back, I headed down with Travis Millard and Jim Dirschberger for o Breaks, a group show curated by Jay Howell and Louis Schmidt, which opened 11.11.11 at Double Break store and gallery in San Diego, CA.
Before the show it was pretty much just me and Pacolli painting the whole gallery and doing all the instalations and hanging all the work. lots of shit to be done. I also painted the front of Choque the week after the opening. And we had a little concert at Choque in which I played keyboard and two other folks played guitar and sang. Ephameron went there the day before the opening and did a tape installation as well. During the month we also had a zine/print/shirt sale at Choque as well. It all went very well and we had a blast! -Mildred
I am dealing with a new series called "Pseudo-Advertising", where I focus upon the relationship between todays muralism and the contemporary outdoor advertising.
Last week, after swinging by Rebel 8 clothing's HQ in San Francisco, we swung by the HQ of Strange Bird Distribution distributors of Low Card, Think Skateboards, Hubba Wheels, etc...
Stopped through Rebel 8 clothing HQ last week to see what their up to. We've known Joshy D. 10 plus years back when he was doing the SF graffiti site, HiFiArt.com in the early days of the internet when Fecal Face was just getting its start. Nice to see Mike Giant, whose designs adjorn many of Rebel 8's clothing, and Josh doing so well.
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