I confess that my general impetus to write a blog post is to talk about my latest travels, but this time it’s about what’s here, now. My biggest news is that I have co-curated a retrospective show of paintings by my dear old friend Randy Sexton, in a collaboration with another old pal, now gallerist, Tony Wessling, and our friend Carol, who is Randy’s widow. Don’t miss “Will the Circle be Unbroken", a Retrospective Show of Paintings by Randall Sexton at Wessling Contemporary. I am blasting out this email now to let you know that we are also hosting a Curatorial Talk on Sunday, 9/21, at 3pm. Tony and I will be talking about Randy’s life and work.
Join us at Wessling Contemporary, at 39 Grant Ave, off of Union Square in SF. The show runs through 10/1. I can’t imagine there will be another large show of his paintings like this ever again. We got a magazine feature! See it here: https://fineartconnoisseur.com/2025/08/randall-sexton-retrospective-will-the-circle-be-unbroken/
September is my birthday month, so everything is part of my celebration!
A signature piece in Randy’s show, Worth the Wait, is still available!
SLIDESHOW: RANDALL SEXTON RETROSPECTIVE PAINTING SHOW, WESSLING CONTEMPORARY - SEPT 2025
WHAT ELSE?
I just attended the 100-year anniversary celebration of SFWA Gallery, during their September show. I have two big pieces on display. What a joyous event! Pictures are below.
SFWA CELEBRATION
“Golden Boy”, a male subject, is a little unusual for me. I call our model Peter “Adonis”, because he embodies that. This piece also conveys the richness and warmth of summertime in Spain and Italy.
NCWCA FALL EVENTS
As the new Professional Development Chair on the BOD of NCWCA, I work with a team who is organizing a so many events! And you can be my guest. Here are just a few programs coming up:
Sept 17 - Public Event:
Women Empowering Women series: The Art of Transformation, an evening focused on navigating career shifts, balancing work and family, battling imposter syndrome, and taking bold steps toward meaningful change. 6-8pm, The Commonwealth Club TICKETS & MORE INFO
Oct 14 - Member’s Professional Development Program (on Zoom): Working with an Art Coach, Presenter: Rhiannon Evans MacFadyen, 7-8pm (after the meeting)
Oct 10 & 24 - Artist’s Exhibition Tours: Join us for gallery outings. See member artists Renée Owen & Sherrie Lovler: Two Solo Exhibitions - Adrift: A Landscape of Loss & Distant Voices. And Nimisha Doongarwal, One Person Show - She Isn’t a Metaphor.
And we just hosted a very informative program by Artwork Archive on the business side of art.
Contact me for event details. I can invite guests to all member events and programs.
WHAT’S NCWCA?
I’m a member and serve on the BOD of our local chapter, NCWCA, short for Northern California Women’s Caucus for the Arts. Women’s Caucus for Art (WCA) was founded in 1972. WCA is a national member-based organization that is unique in its multidisciplinary, multicultural membership of artists, art historians, students, educators, and museum professionals.
The mission of the Women’s Caucus for Art is to create community through art, education, and social activism. WCA is committed to recognizing the contribution of women in the arts; providing women with leadership opportunities and professional development; expanding networking and exhibition opportunities for women; supporting local, national and global art activism; and advocating for equity in the arts for all. As an NGO (non-governmental organization) of the United Nations, the WCA actively supports Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s).
WCA utilizes art as the universal language to engage artists, NGOS, and civil society on a broad range of issues such as gender equity and environmental sustainability. WCA is a proud Founding Program Partner and supporter of The Feminist Art Project, an international collaborative initiative recognizing the Feminist Art Movement and the aesthetic, intellectual and political impact of womxn on the visual arts, art history and art practice, past and present.
NYC ARTWEEK
Rell Rushin, Invisibility Collective member artist is based in Pittsburgh, PA, and she attended Fall Artweek in NYC. She met up with Bay Area artist and IC member, Nimisha. I hope to get there again next year.
EARLY FALL IMAGES
Just a nice photo taken in Seattle in August of our friend’s backyard harvest in Seattle.
Weekly walk in the park photo. As much as I love the colors…there’s this.
STUFF LUXE OPENS IN SOMA
STUFF LUXE art and home furnishings is now in SF’s SOMA! I’ve just installed my wall of art with two Art Explosion friends, a woodworker and a weaver. It’s their grand opening on Oct 4th! I’ll be there. Will you?
THANKS FOR READING MY BLOG!
I’m Susan, an Artist & Curator
I'm co-curator of "Will the Circle be Unbroken", A Retrospective Show OF Paintings by Randall Sexton at Wessling Contemporary, 39 Grant Ave, SF, CA | Announcing! A Curator's Talk SUN, SEPT 21, 3PM
https://fineartconnoisseur.com/2025/08/randall-sexton-retrospective-will-the-circle-be-unbroken/
SFWA Exhibition: Second Summer Show Reception 9/20, 2-4pm (See my 2 pieces)
MY STUDIO: Art Explosion Studios, 744 Alabama St, #209, SF, CA
Board chair, ED, and gallery director accepting an award from their local supervisor.
RECENT SHOWS I’VE SEEN & LOVED
NCWCA Member Bushra Gill is discussing her work at Olive Hyde Gallery in Fremont.
NCWCA EXHIBITION TOUR The River Flows is at the Olive Hyde Gallery and it is a collaborative exhibition featuring NCWCA artist Bushra Gill and artists Yuting Wang, and Kiana Honarmand.
Yuting Wang describing her work at the Olive Hyde Gallery in Fremont. Yuting assembled the group of three artists.
Oakland Asia Cultural Center features NCWCA member Nimisha in a solo show, She Isn’t a Metaphor.
A signature piece from Nimisha’s show running through October.
Brian Singer’s solo show: What the world needs now is...
At Thacher Gallery at USF, 2130 Fulton Street, SF, through Nov 9.
John Goodman, moderator of The Life Drawing Group, is was at the Andra Norris Gallery (in Burlingame) with his new book of drawings and his current series of paintings in a group exhibition.
Below the GG Bridge we took out of town guests to the Black Gold show by Haines Gallery at Fort Point, SF.
2 NEW PUBLICATIONS
I have a new Barbie Book! This is a very limited edition for friends who I traveled with last spring to Turkey (below). Flora and Babs.
Second in my black and white series of little photo books, this is comprised of selections from Europe and the US 2019-present.
Here I am with “Stone Fruit”. This piece has been described as sensual, femine, and feminist. My scarf is by my friend Lucy Delgado, aka “The Bunny’s Revenge”.
WORK IN PROGRESS
What’s my work about?
It is about strong women and our bodies merging with nature, in layered colors and textures, through drawings, paintings, and photos, all created on an iPad.
Growing up, studying, then working at my family’s art school in Pittsburgh, PA, I taught my first art class at 21. In SF I continued my art studies where I met Jack and we’ve lived in Hawaii, NYC, and Spain.
An active member of the Bay Area art community, I serve on Arts Boards, consult, curate, exhibit, and do volunteer work. In 2020 I founded the Invisibility Collective (we are always looking for new participants). For more than 30 years I’ve participated in The Life Drawing Group hosted by John Goodman.
This is the model Karen and it’s about being both a model and a poet from Haiti.
My Monday Night Life Drawing Group leads to weekly art-making.
ACTIONS EVERY DAY
Always enjoy a good sign at a demo. Loved being a part of this Labor Day Demo in SF.
More September Events
SFWA Centennial Celebration: 9/13, 1-6pm
(I'm showing 2 pieces)
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"Will the Circle be Unbroken", Retrospective Show of Paintings by Randall Sexton at Wessling Contemporary, 39 Grant Ave, SF, CA (btw Geary & Market) Announcing! Curator's Talk - SUN, SEPT 21, 3PM
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SFWA Exhibition: Second Summer Show Reception 9/20, 2-4pm
(See my 2 pieces)
VISIT ME! Art Explosion Studios, 744 Alabama St, #209, SF, CA
LINKS: https://linktr.ee/SusanRKirshenbaum| MY BLOG
MY OWN OPEN STUDIO
At my Private Studio Sale with the artist May Shei, held in August 2025 at Art Explosion, since I am unable to participate in SF Open Studios this fall.
A SHORT TRIP TO SEATTLE
Part trip reunion (Turkey/Greece), annual pie party, fun with friends, and art tours!
Art cars! Kelly Lyles (middle) is an art car artist and she just acquired this beauty.
To her right is our Turkish guide Aydin (aydin@eontours.com) and to her left, Gloria, who was also traveling with us, and is a modern dancer and choreographer.
My entry into “art pies”.
