Golden hour in Golden Gate Park January 2019
New Year’s Resolutions
This is how the year started out - with my arm still in the shoulder surgery sling, so it didn’t seem like a good idea to line up too many art shows. I’ve just been liberated from the sling and now I can step back and see where to focus this year. I figured out my goals for 2019 include: apply for and get Art Residencies and Grants to be able to work on bigger projects/installations. I’d also like to collaborate more with other artists, find a good-fit crit group, make some public art, and enjoy my new role as Exhibitions Director for SFWA. I hope to win over new Patrons via Patreon - ideally adding folks who don’t even know me personally.
“Color Block Silk Scroll Series: Jade Reaching” 2016
“White Silk Scroll Series: Red Hair Curly and Straight” 2016
TWO SF ART FAIRS
I’m still feeling inspired by the shows I attended in SF last week - FOG and Untitled.
Untitled VIP entry was great fun at Pier 37 this year, despite the overpriced cocktails. It was also an entertaining fashion show for our city which is not especially fashionable. I felt like a tourist so we went to eat afterward at Fisherman’s Wharf, Pier 39!
FOG is all about beauty and luxury. The best of the best and an extension of SFMOMA. So it’s great to just go, look, and learn! And attending with a few different friends lent several fresh perspectives. Here’s a peek into their Gala: https://hauteliving.com/2019/01/fog-design-art-fair-2019/665573/
A FOG installation that was popular with the photographers.
Gorgeous displays abound at FOG.
BOUGHT AND SOLD!
At the same time that I sold my piece at Arc’s SNAP!” show I bought a painting by my creative director, curator, painter friend Joseph Abbati.
“Graffiti Wall Series: Break Dance” sold at SNAP! the annual Juried show and sale at Arc.
EAST MEETS WEST
Crazy to add to so much stimulation in last several days but I had a free hour so I blasted through the Legion of Honor to see a simply stunning show: https://legionofhonor.famsf.org/exhibitions/east-meets-west
Incredible to think that these royal men decorated and bejeweled themselves as much or more than their female counterparts.
Stormy gray SF winter skies. The Legion always reminds me of the Louvre.
SIGNS OF SPRING!
I started my Friday afternoon walks again, mostly in Golden Gate Park. I’m reminded how much I love this city! I get inspired by the rain-fresh air and springtime beginning in January. Reflections in Stow Lake abound. Pink and white Magnolia trees are coming into full bloom in the Botanical Garden.
Just outside the DeYoung Museum (SF)
Stow Lake early evening reflections, Golden Gate Park (SF)
Golden Gate Park magnolia tree trunk.
The permanent display at the Asian Museum (SF)
COLOR COMBOS
Whenever I wander into the Asian Art Museum I linger over their collection of delicate, multi-colored snuff bottles. I love the color combinations especially all the coral and jade…Stay tuned for my visit to the next show at http://infocus.asianart.org/kimonorefashioned/ at the Asian Museum (SF).
SAVE THESE DATES!
> SFWA Gallery Receptions: Thurs 2/7 & Sat 2/23
> City Art Coop Gallery (SF) Reception: Fri 3/1
ENTIRE SILK SCROLL SERIES
It seemed that I didn’t have so much going in the way of art shows booked for the year so when the opportunity arose to rent the entire rear gallery at SFWA for February - I took it! I will show my entire series of seven silk scrolls. This might be the last time I will show them. I’m feeling an itch to move on…
So I’ll be taking down the three scrolls pictured here (below). This is the last week of “Advanced” so I led a group of art-loving friends through the exhibition, curated by Joseph Abbati, at Senator Scott Weiner’s office. It’s a great show in a great space!
I’m in the center with painter Usha Shukla and textile artist/curator Deborah Corsini. My scrolls are in the background.
LITTLE SQUARES
“Mirror Series: Offering” is one of a large group of square images that are also included in my new book. There are three styles within this little square series. They are: (1) simple, clean single figures, (2) mirrored or multiplied figures, (3) drawings that are photo collaged. This series debuted at City Art Gallery (SF) in November and three were featured in “Small Presents” at SFWA at the end of 2018.
“Mirror Series: Offering” is an image I shot in Burma then collaged with a mirrored life drawing.
SELF-PUBLISHED!
Interested in my first book of work with 30+ pages of art? Many works are included from the square series plus others which I haven’t printed yet. I still have several in this limited edition: Inquire at srkirshenbaum@gmail.com
GRAPHIC POSTER SERIES
In March 2019 I’m launching a Poster Series at City Art Coop Gallery in the SF Mission. I have the front space in the gallery window!
“Graphic Nudes: The Poster Series” are my latest grouping of figurative works in bold solid colors.
MISSED THIS EXHIBITION?
It was just at the DeYoung Museum (SF) – my favorite SF museum. If you didn’t have a chance to catch this eye-opening show it just ended. It was beautiful, surprising, and thought- provoking. I believe you could try to see it in Berlin…
How do fashion designers modify their high-end designs for a modest wearer? Apparently there’s a whole fashion and art movement including super-cool artwear too. Note the leather jacket below.
My neighbor saw this exhibition and she was artistically inspired: “It was awesome and exciting to see and learn about such exotic works and people and the pride they have in their culture and religion. I also learned the word #mipster (a Muslim hipster) who are so fun and relatable.” -Brooke S.
There’s photography and video in the show too. I saw this (same?) series of artistic scarf photos at the Jenkins Johnson booth at the Untitled show.
“Agony or Ecstasy”
DAY-TIME DRAWING
This month I started attended a day-time drawing group. What a novelty! It’s located right in Golden Gate Park in Sharon Art Studio.
Big, graceful men - here are some sample works with the latest male models, bodies curving in their own ways, made into collages or left as simple gesture drawings.
“Weighted Stance”, digital drawing 2019
“Thrust Forward”, digital drawing 2019
“Sunset Years”, a digital collage 2019
“Mountain Man”, a digital collage 2019
“Balance and Gesture”, digital drawing 2019
“Woman Warrior”, a digital collage 2019
MARCHING ON THE SIDELINES
A Political Note:
The Women’s March took place last weekend and I watched it roll into The Embarcadero (SF). I loved the energy, clever signs and creative costumes. I choose to put aside the controversies surrounding the organizers of this march. I’m delighted there’s so much force behind the rejuvenation of the “Women’s Movement” (which I grew up in). I didn’t march this time due to my arm sling - getting bumped around in crowds is painful…
In my heart and in my art I march for women every day.
Simultaneously, the government shutdown painfully effected my family directly, and I’m glad that at the point of this writing that it’s over for the time being.