art and evolution

2011-12-08T13:53:00.001-08:00

I am making and selling jewelry and holiday cards at the staff craft fair at the SFMOMA Dec 15th, here are some pics of merch. Come by and see me, although I may be in Arizona due to a family tragedy. Hopefully someone will sell my merch for me that day...I have invested A LOT of time and money...
These are not all there are, but a few that will be available. A few necklaces, mostly earrings, not all are feathered BTW. I also have homemade holiday cards, hand watercolored, very cute. 12-2 pm Dec. 15th, SFMOMA in the Schwab room, to the right of the atrium.
thanks,
Leanne fanciemammal

WFAL/ Subterranean Cyclery show OCT 2011

2011-11-16T19:42:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pics from the last group show I participated in, Oct 2011 with the Well Fed Artists League at the Defunkt Subterranean Cyclery shop. We came, we conquered....We got hangovers. It was fun! Davey Dye and myself along with an old SFAI friend Chris A. Gould, (the Head of WFAL) all showed a few pieces along with a Welder, "Kate she Welds", and a few other painters and photographers. This lovely Brick walled building will soon be the new sight of the White Walls expansion interestingly enouph.

Not much else to say, we got it all hung, it stayed for a little over a week and it was fun, artist pulling together to make it happen, might as well have fun even thought the economy is bad and no one's buying. thats not the point really, we made new work and put it out there for the world to see. Way to be proactive WFAL!!! Can't wait till the next opportunity!

-Leanne, da Fanciemammal

"Roam" by Amelia Konow at Pure Beauty Salon June 2011

2011-06-01T13:28:00.000-07:00

I am sad to announce that this Friday June 3rd will be the last First Friday show at Pure Beauty on haight street. But on the other hand, I am proud to have Amelia Konow's Photographs in "Roam".

Friday June 3rd 2011, "Roam" by Amelia Konow

6-9pm, snacks and refreshment will be served as always, and please feel free to BYOB if 2buck chuck doesnt suit your taste.

Amelia describes this show as:

In the past three years I have moved across America twice and traveled to Turkey, Holland, France and Panama. While on these trips I carried my Poloroid camera with me, to capture landscapes and abstract compositions. My surroundings were constantly changing and each place was a new experience seen with fresh eyes. The plane and car rides in between always left me drifting off and daydreaming about my adventures, often while watching the clouds. Between the towns and the various citites I traversed the only thing that stayed the same was that everything was guaranteed to change. Roam is the story of my journey - not just the places in between.

-Amelia Konow

Thank you for reading this blog, hopefully a new opportunity will present it's self to me and I will be able to keep curating somewhere. It has been a wonderful opportunity to show my friends art and help artists to have their first solo shows. But maybe it's my turn to have the art shows. Maybe I will find time to paint more, and perfect my craft. I just don't know where I am going artistically, but I know I have an apartment full of art work, and a head full of ideas. Hopefully some of them are good enough to make me stand out in some way.

"Hello Dollface" Work by Marla Verdugo, at Pure Beauty Salon

2011-04-19T16:43:00.000-07:00

Marla Verdugo's Vintage inspired photography is a lovely display of a Labor of Love. Marla not only takes the photographs does all the styling , hair and makeup as well as photoshop all herself.
Pure Beauty is proud to announce Marla Verdugo's first solo photography show. Friday April 29th 6-8pm. If you like her work this is a perfect opportunity to meet the artist as she is based out of southern California, although Marla travels all over California to work in photo shoots for anything from Cheerleaders to high end magazine quality shoots.
What Marla Says about her work:
"I am an artist at heart, and have always been a junkie for it, ...art, life, beauty and fashion. I always embrace the messy, akward and out of place, which I see as the beauty with in it all. My vintage inspired photography was inspired by my love of vintage films, cars, and music of the 1920's to 1960's, old family photographs and of course, my obsession with red lipstick. I love dolling up all types of people and placeing them in another world that I see in my mind and showing them for all to see, which makes me happy!"

For more information please go to www.marlaverdugo.com, or www.marlaontherun.blogspot.com. Marla also has a fan page on facebook! become a fan and support her love of art, love life, and everything vintage!!!!

Almost done with mural at "Bite Me' sandwiches, 17th and so. Vanness

2011-03-10T13:41:00.000-08:00

Below, you'll see the origional drawing for "Bite Me" sandwiches mural, although side ways.
the "Bite Me" logo, also not finished in this photo. More info below.

Davey helped a little when I was too tired to reach, or just too short.

I have been trying to finnish a mural for my buddy Issacs Sandwich shop this month ( and last), but it's hard when I am on my tip toes on a ladder. I had scaffolding for a few days, but it wasn't mine, so now it's back to ladder status. Hopefully today is the last time I have to do this. It's turned out cool, here are some pics, I'll update when it's officially done! maybe tonight.

Adam Donnelly at pure Beauty salon on haight st. march 4th 2011

2011-03-06T21:44:00.000-08:00

We had a great turn out and a great time, thanks to all who came!

Adam Donnelly at pure Beauty salon on haight st.

2011-02-24T11:57:00.000-08:00

I am please to announce that the photographer Adam Donnelly will be showing at Pure Beauty Salon on Haight street Friday March 4th 6-8pm. Refreshments and booze will be served, if you do not prefer the delicate flavors of 2 buk chuk, then be proactive and BYOB. As you may well know, PB is at 1560 haight st, at Clayton st, the gallery is located in the salon above the store.

Adam says his work is about transitions, as in his own life, he has moved thirteen times, most recently from Boston, to San Francisco, each time he documents a new "home", he is trying to capture what he has established for himself, new friends, roots, familiarities. He chooses to hand hold the camera which for him best describes " quick ,fleeting, experimental moments, which coincides with the constantly moving transitional periods in my own life".

For his full artist statement see the posting on the Fecal Face website in the calendar postings for March 4th. Hope to see you all there!

-Leanne C. Miller da Fancie Mammal

"And It Felt Like a Kiss" 2011 at the Incline Gallery

2011-02-13T13:05:00.001-08:00

Leah Brawley, Gina Contreras, and Nora Aogi at the Incline Gallery, run by San Pancho Art Collective, (SPAC)'s opening "And it Felt Like A Kiss" , feb 11th 2011. Murals, paintings and drawings from some talented artists! All the work was clean and illustrative, their color choices coincided beautifully as did their concepts. There was a great crowd as you will see in the photos below, enjoy! and if you haven't gone, go, it's well worth your time. They sold some work too! So proud of those lovely ladies!

pics from Believing is Seeing 2011

2011-02-13T12:57:00.000-08:00

We had a great time thanks to all who showed up! Please enjoy the pics from Natasha Lowery, Homero Hidalgo and Brianne De John's "Believing is Seeing" Feb 2011

"Believing is Seeing" Friday Feb. 4th, 6-8pm (or 9pm) at Pure Beauty Salon

2011-02-02T11:50:00.000-08:00

Please come see the paintings and scultures of Natasha Lowery, Brianne De John and Homero Hidalgo, three amazing SFAI grads at Pure Beauty Salon on Haight st. Friday Feb 4th 6-8 pm. Pure Beauty Salon is upstairs above the store, there will be refreshments, wine and snacks served, you may also BYOB. Please come and support them!

Dan Strombergs opening jan 2011 at pure beauty

2011-01-10T19:34:00.000-08:00

Dan's Pure Beauty Opening! Jan 2011

Here are pics from Pure Beauty, Dan Stromberg's show of new drawings.

see his animation demo reel at chili bean.biz!

Dan sold a few pieces,

quite a few respected fellow artists came thru. Helen Bayly, fellow Mural artist, recently was awarded with fellow artist, Bo Heimlich a mural in the Polk street mural project!!! Wow! She also was a co-muralist in the 180 ft long mural on market street. Such a talented girl. Alex Braubach, awsome artist, and co-curator at the Evergold Gallery.

Back to Dan, his drawings, when covered in glass sort of turn it into mirrors. so there is no reason to try to take pics of it for the blog. Therefore these are just crowd pics. Please go and see, and look at these extremly low priced pieces for all their glory, and maybe even buy one, price point, $2.50-$60.00! No Joke!! thanks you all for reading my blog, pass it along, and come to the shows at both Pure Beauty and Incline Gallery!

-Leanne, Da Fancie Mammal

"Free to Fail" new Drawings by Dan Stromberg at Pure Beauty

2011-01-05T11:42:00.000-08:00

Proud to announce Dan Stromberg will be having all new work up at the Salon at Pure Beauty. 1560 haight street, haight at clayton, upstairs!

curated by me,

Leanne C. Miller da Fancie Mammal

Dan Stromberg's (AKA Chili Bean Paste Bucket) Statement about what this work represents to him.

" This work is not about reinventing the wheel.

I just wanted to draw from a gut level. A good dosage of failure will help acknowledge the merits of a success. Jump off a cliff. Seduced by an evil nectar into a bloody pulp. If you have ever felt the cathardic relief of just sayiny "Fuck it", then you are free. You are free to fail."

-Dan "Chili Bean" Stromberg

Yuka's opening at Pure Beauty 2010

2010-12-21T21:51:00.000-08:00

Yuka's opening was awesome! People came, we drank, we enjoyed her fun and curiouse art work! Love it! THankyou to all the people that made it out. Please go and see the show by the end of the month at Pure Beauty on haight st, she is also selling her awesome jewelry there too!!! I got some earrings myself. Enjoy the pics!!
-Leanne C Miller da Fancie Mammal

New Incline Gallery opening, and announcing Yuka Ezoe opening at Pure Beauty friday Dec.10th

2010-12-07T14:24:00.000-08:00

I will start with the announcement of the great artist, Yukako Ezoe's opening 6-8pm at Pure Beauty Salon on Haight street. We are a week late this time, so it will not coincide with the haight st art walk, but that matters not. Yuka went to San Francisco Art Institute, and currently teaches mural classes and works with the Precita Eyes mualists while showing at bay area galleries, she recently had a show at N.O. on Valencia Street in San Francisco. Yukako makes collage/mixed media work, using brightly colored whimsical characters, often including animals from Octopi to lions, to express her ideas of cultural awareness to improve social conditions and promote the idea of beauty in diversity. The show is as usual, 6-8pm at 1650 haight st San Francisco, at Clayton street. Please come upstairs in our salon/gallery, and behold Yuka's work, she will also have her jewelry for sale that night, great for gifts this holiday season, No?? ( She sells this jewelry all over the bay area, Portland and New York, hot stuff huh?) There will be wine and treats to enjoy, so please come out and support!!! For more information see Bahamakangaroo.etsy.com for her jewelry, and Yukakoezoe.com for her artwork.

Next is the very exciting news of my art collectives opening of the Incline Gallery. San Pancho art collective started a few years ago by my good friend Christo Oropeza. I immediately jumped on board knowing it was a great opportunity and that Chris was a dreamer with the drive to make it happen. Since then we have had two successful and fun fundraisers both at El Rio in the mission, and participated in many art walks, including our first group show at Pure Beauty Salon about a year ago. Chris has wokred hard for us to get a great website, http://www.sanpanchoartcollective.com/, and had presences at festivals and art conventions. The Inclines Grand Opening "Something from Nothing" was a smash hit! Huge turn out, and we even sold a few pieces of work, incredible for a first time homespun group of 20-early 30 somethings!! Respected people such as Alam Bamberger of Artbuisness.com and SanFranciscoartbeat.com came thru. Sf art beat.com gave a rave review as the number one "Cool art collectives" in the Bay Area! See: http://http//sanfranciscoartbeat.com/2010/09/28/some-cool-art-collectives-in-the-bay-area/. Our gallery hrs this week, dec 13th-19th are: Wed. 12-6, fri 2-8, sat 12-5, and sunday 2-8pm. O.k., enouph, here are some photo's!

Photos from Wyeths opening nov 2010

2010-11-23T15:29:00.000-08:00

Wheth Bowarts opening had a small but fun and appreciative crowd, the work looks awesome in the salon. I almost just want to keep it up! enjoy the photos.

-Leanne C. Miller

Wyeth Bowart, "Free Haircut" opening reception!

2010-11-05T13:34:00.000-07:00

Come check out Wyeth Bowart's work at Pure Beauty on haight, 1560 haight st, 6-8pm, friday nov 5th!

haight st at clayton

Complimentary snacks and beverages will be served....but no actual free haircuts! haha

also see his blog at, wyethbowart@blogspot.com

see you there!!

Chris A. Gould at Pure Beauty for First Fridays Haight st Art Walk!!

2010-09-24T13:19:00.000-07:00

I am proud and pleased to announce a comrade from yesteryear will be showing at Pure Beauty Salon on Haight st Friday Oct 1st! Please come out to see his lovely photographs which I have enjoyed for a long time myself. Chris A. Gould is an amazing photographer, his work is a quiet observation of the world around him.

"Chris A. Gould uses the light and shapes found in a still frame to capture the feeling, the movement and the possibilities embedded in a moment. By sharing these he hopes to provide just enough information to spark a story or frame the question with in the viewer."

For a preview of his work, please go to, www.csagould.blogspot.com

I am excited about this one, please come and enjoy wine and snacks! I hope to see you there folks n friends.

-Leanne C. Miller, da fancie mammal

Pics from Karen Thomas art show, "Lovely Ladies" aug. 2010

2010-08-24T23:20:00.000-07:00

I want to thank Karen Thomas for having her funny, beautiful, curiouse work this month, the show is coming to and end soon. So if you haven't seen it yet, make it out to Pure Beauty Salon on Haight st. 1560 haight, at claytoon, they are open 7days a week. Here are a mix of pics from both the hanging of the work and the actual art show.
-Leanne

August Haight st art walk! "LOVELY LADIES" New work by KAREN THOMAS

2010-07-29T17:35:00.001-07:00

This month is another show stopper, Karen Thomas will be showing at the Haight st Art walk, at Pure Beauty Salon upstairs. Her work is funny, beautiful and thought provoking, she uses many mediums from printmaking to paint and drawing, much of her work is mixed media. I will not try to convey her message as she has a lovely artist statement I will include here, and her resume also. The show details are:

KAREN THOMAS, Friday August 6th
Pure Beauty Salon on Haight st.
1560 Haight st at Clayton st. Upper Haight
6-8pm
Wine and snacks included! It's a package deal!

Karen Thomas

ARTIST STATEMENT: My work explores a “nuveau-grotesque”. I am interested in creating images that explore eroticism in a overt/subtle way. My work is an examination of mythology, feminism, erotica, and my family. I use photographs and my imagination to depict grotesque characters in a slightly erotic manner. A common element in my current work is about the cultural and mythological significance of the language of hair. I have been researching hair as an aspect of femininity, otherness, and as a symbol of man’s connection to wild animals. The implications of a hair determine intelligence, sexual prowess, femininity and masculinity. These prints and drawings focus on the duality of woman and beast. By pushing standards of beauty to an extreme I illustrate the fine line between what is considered beautiful and what is considered monstrous. A recurring character in my work is the She-Beast who has a body covered in hair, which represents the pull between desirability and the grotesque. She-Beast is based on the Germanic myth of Woodwoses who were hyper sexual and animalistic which was symbolized in the artwork by their body being covered in hair.

Karens CV

Education: BFA, Visual Arts Studies, University of Texas at Austin, 2006MFA, Printmaking, San Francisco Art Institute, 2008.

Solo Exhibitions: Go Be A Beast, Cowboys and Angels Salon, San Francisco, CA, 2007;Drawings, Paintings, and Prints: New Works by Karen Thomas, Flood Gallery, University of Texas at Austin, 2005;Selected Group Exhibitions: Today, Misssion Cultural Center for Latino Arts, San Francisco, CA, 2010;Dirty Jokes, Indie Industries, San Francisco, CA, 2009;Group Show, Space Gallery, San Francisco, CA, 2009;Art-a-Thon: ArtSeed Instructors and Students, ArtSeed, San Francisco, CA, 2009;Erotic Art Show, The Kinsey Institute Gallery, Bloomington, IN, 2009;In Dreams, Pen and Brush Gallery, New York, NY, 2009;Negotiations, Clara Street Projects, San Francisco, CA, 2008;Fast Track, The Lobot Gallery, Oakland, CA, 2008;Vernissage, Herbst Pavilion Fort Mason, San Francisco, CA, 2008;Composing Biology, Swell Gallery, San Francisco Art Institute, 2008;Token Woman Show, Diego Rivera Gallery, San Francisco Art Institute, 2007;Los Angeles Printmaking Society 19th National Exhibition, Riverside Art Museum, Riverside, CA 2007;Making An Impression, Swell Gallery, San Francisco Art Institute, 2007;Continuing MFA Show, Diego Rivera Gallery, San Francisco Art Institute, 2007;Evolution, Swell Gallery, San Francisco Art Institute, CA 2007; SFAI Now, Red Ink Studios, San Francisco, CA, 2007;What You See Galore, The Lobot Gallery, Oakland, CA 2007; Dirty Candy bar, Swell Gallery, San Francisco Art Institute, CA 2007;Terror? An international interdisciplinary project, Intersection for the Arts Gallery, San Francisco, CA 2006;One Night Exhibition, Triple Base Gallery, San Francisco, CA, 2006;Senior Studio Show, Creative Research Lab at Flatbed Press, Austin, TX, 2006;Artists and Future Art Teachers, Creative Research Lab at the Flatbed Press, Austin, TX 2005;School of Fine Arts Exhibition, Bass Concert Hall, Austin, TX, 2005;300lbs Per Square Inch: Advanced Intaglio Show, University of Texas at Austin, 2005;Intermediate and Advanced Intaglio Exhibition, University of Texas at Austin, 2004;Scholastic Arts and Writing Awards Exhibition, Corcoran Art Gallery, Washington D.C. 2002; Publications: San Francisco Art Institute Graduate Exhibition Catalogue 2008, Cover art and articles in Dirty Candybar Zine, Volumes 1-4, Dirty Candybar Art Collective 2007, Los Angeles Printmaking Society 19th National Exhibition Catalogue

Another noteable art show the same night in the east bay is at " Johansson Projects" 2300 Telegraoh Ave, Oakland 94612
5-8pm, ERIK PARRA a solo show see http://www.johanssonprojects.com/
Erik is an awesome artist and curator, he also teaches art around the bay area. I met him at 111 Minna Sketch tuesdays. If you are in the east bay please see his show if you can't make it out to Haight st.

Bo Heimlich at Pure Beauty friday July 2nd! "There goes the Neighborhood"

2010-06-16T21:53:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to announce Bo Heimlich will be showing at Pure Beauty Salon on Haight st. Friday July 2nd as part of the Haight street art walk! Bo has participated in Sketch Tuesdays at 111 Minna Gallery, he sells pretty much every piece he makes every single time, and has participated in other shows at Minna and graduated from The Academy of Art University in 2008.
"There Goes The Neighborhoood" show is at the usual time, from 6-8pm, please come by for refreshments during that time at 1560 haight st, at Clayton.

If you didn't get to see them in person, here they are digitally..

2010-06-09T17:40:00.000-07:00

Here are the finished pieces that were in my may 6th Cafe Royale show. If you didn't get to see them in person, here they are for your eyes to behold, and mind to assess. These are almost all experiments. By that I mean they are acrylic, and spray paint, and also my usual oil paint, some have all three in one! We'll see if they fall apart. I also poured a resin over them, you can see it in the pictures on some of them. The largest piece is the one with the rabbits on it, it's about 4 1/2 ft by about 2 1/2 to three ft wide. That one is traditional, just good old oil paint and other solvents and things that one would normally use on an oil painting. If you read in the earlier blog, these are about the family dynamic, I used animals like fossa's and moles and rabbits, that are commonly known to kill their offspring in times of diress. You can take from that what you will, I'm not writing an artists statement here. Maybe in the future. But I plan on making another body of work, which may or may not be related.
Friday was the Haight st Art walk, it was alot of fun, a decent but small crowd showed up, one of the artists brought a bottle of whiskey, and we proceeded to polish that off before the end of the night! It was a good time, the work is up till the first week of july, so stop in at 1560 haight st if you'd like to check it out!
-Leanne, da fancie mammal

art business review and haight st art walk

2010-06-03T14:19:00.000-07:00

Art business made it out to my show last month may 6th at cafe royale, please see the review here: www.artbusiness.com/1open/firstthu0510b.html. It also has alot of fun reviews about the other openings that night, it was a great one. I missed Greg Ito at Kokoro studio, but saw it on art buis, and wow it was an amazing show!
Friday night please come and see Alex Helibron and Peter Hurley's show I curated at Pure Beauty Salon on Haight st, 6-8pm!!! LOTS of new work/ collaborations. We are at 1560 haight st, haight at clayton. Wine and snacks. I do not have internet service at home right now, So this is a short and sweet blog today, but please come out friday!!!
-Leanne C. Miller

Garden/ mural opening and last stages of painting at Gough and Eddy

2010-05-22T17:45:00.000-07:00

Here are the final pics of the mural being painted on the last day, and more pics of a fundraiser/ opening for the garden and mural. I gave a little talk, ate some amazing food, and listened to an amazing musical artist, Lia Rose play some awesome songs, which you can check out at http://kck./bgPVUa. Then Novella Carpenter, one of the successful urban farmers in Oakland, who recently wrote a book, gave an awesome speech. She has even grown and cooked food for the Black Panthers, or whats left of a commemorative activist group in their name. Please look her up, an amazing and funny as hell woman. The box above is a beehive, yes they keep bees, super cool!!! There is o much life in what used to be a dirty vacant lot full of trash, now it's a well organized dirt filled garden!!
I was also asked to work on another part of the garden and re-do some murals on the north side, which I agreed to. Why not?! and I can do whatever I want to the walls, animals will be there for sure, probably native SF animals n stuff. Thats about it. Thank you for your attention and interest! If you have not, please check out my show at Cafe Royale 800 post st. before the end of the month!!!

Branden and his friend chris k helped me on the last day, as well as Ray ortiz from the San Pancho Art collective!! sweet deal!!!

2010-05-08T19:08:00.000-07:00

Here are TONS of photos from my opening Thursday at Cafe Royale. I had a great turn out, people seemed to like the work and I sold a small piece. But that's not the point really, I painted a bunch of new things, I wanted people to see them. If YOU want to see them, go to post and leavenworth on the corner, up thru May 2010. The ones taken during the day are of last sunday when Marko helped me hang the show, couldn't have done it without him!
If you go see the work, in a nutshell, the work is about family, cummunication, and miscommunication, I used animals instead of people for a reference to human behavior relating to evolution and putting humans on the same plane as animals, (which we are animals but people don't see themselves that way). Alan Bamberger from art buisness.com came by too, he took some pics, If you want to see them, go to Artbuisness.com and look for the openings link.
-Leanne C. Miller da Fanciemammal

Last nights Sketch tuesday and Cafe Royale flier for may 6th

2010-04-21T18:27:00.001-07:00

Here is the flier for my art show at Cafe Royale May 6th. The pressure is on, I had only about 1 mo. to finish all new paintings. For those of you saying they have seen this painting, yes, this was finished in Oct 2009, but everything else is BRAND NEW!! I am nervous tho, I am confident in my paintings, but getting them finished in time in a way that satisfies me is what worries me, but It'll be workin away everyday till I hang them on the 2nd.
On to fun last night at 111Minna sketch Tuesdays! I met Jenny Bird, (http://www.jennybirdart.com/) an amazing female artist who was recently published in High Fructose periodical art book. She is super nice, and very talented. I also met many other great people, sold a piece or two, but Dan Stromberg (chilibeanpastebucket.blogspot.com) did even better! He sold everything he made, except he gave one to Last Gasp Creator and art critic Ron Turner. www.lastgasp.com. Here are some photos.