Field Trip to San Francisco

Yesterday, I had the excellent fortune to go on a field trip with Kim and her Painting class to the City. Her instructor, Tobin Keller took us on an amazing array of visual culture. We had a great time, the class bonded, and I met some great new people. It was quite inspiring, and fueled the inspiration mill.
We had a great tour of CCA, California College of the Arts in Oakland. Kim and I wanted to trade houses with somebody in Oakland, and go to school there for at least a year. An amazing facility. I especially loved the sculpture studio, and the huge clerestory windows in one of the painting studios. Also every jewelry bench has a flex-shaft grinder! So many smells sent me back in time to my art school days. The photo lab...you know that acetic acid smell.

We then went to Thekla Hammond's studio to see her huge installation. She and Tobin will be showing together in 2007 at the MAH with another artist, Cheryl Calleri...all about plexiglass and the body. Here are shots of Theklah, Tobin and the Class.

Tobin and Theklah.
The orange plexi panel just to his left is a portrait of Tobin

Me, Kim, Teklah and Annie

Then on to Dick Blick to buy art materials, lunch at Bette's diner (to go) a quick look at O Chame's walls, into the Gardener for 2 minutes, then on to the Kala Art Institute to see The White Album, curated by Lauren Davies. Here are some shots of one of my favorite artists, Rob Larson. These are white match books that he's beautifully arranged. They are so gorgeous.

This piece of Rob's in about 48 inches square

detail

Another interesting artist, Laura Paulini does some gorgeous textured paintings. She is currently showing at the Takada Gallery. A show called Day Trips will be up through March 25.

This is modified oil on panel, probably 12" x 12"

Flat file at the Kala Institute.

Then off to SF MOMA. A very interesting show of new work by Wangechi Mutu. A chance to visit all my dear friends, Eva Hesse, Mark Rothko, Agnes Martin, Jasper Johns and Robert Rauchenberg. They send their best to you all.
We then went to the Andrea Schwartz Gallery to see Santa Cruz artist, Robin Kandel. Show comes down today, March 3. Then on to Braunstein/Quay to see Aaron Petersen's show. It got a good review, and sold quite well. About 16 of us had dinner at LuLu's and then we walked up to the first Thursday happenings at John Berggruen Gallery, showing Christopher Brown's latest work. Buildings Birds and Box Cars. The astronomical prices topping 95 and 110k. A sax player out on the fire escape of the gallery enticed us up to Dolby Chadwick to see some wonderful paintings by Jeffrey Beauchamp. That was about all the visual input we could take. Thanks Tobin, a marvelous day! And by the way, where did you get those orange pumas, anyway?