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Archive for October 2008

Nichibei Potters

In Sonoma County, California where we reside, we have become aware of a number of excellent ceramicists. We try to make a point of visiting the Nichibei studio every time the local ARTrails comes around. Their studio atop a bucolic hill in Sebastopol is a showcase for their modern take on traditional Japanese pottery.

Nichibei-2

Mikio Matsumoto & Cheryl Costantini formed Nichibei in 1985. Their elegant creations include classically formed vases with delicate details of spirals, dragonflies, or leaves, mugs perfectly formed to fit your handgrip, Japanese-style garden lanterns, perfectly proportioned bowls, porcelain animals and dinnerware.

Nichibei-3

To see more of their work, please visit the Nichibei’s Web site at  www.nichibeipotters.com. For locals, we highly suggest that you pay a visit to the Nichibei studio. They open their studio twice a year during the Sonoma ARTrails. There is an Annual Holiday Open House coming soon on December 13 and 14. Mark your calendar.

Sunday, October 26th, 2008

 

San Franciso Open Studios

We are in the midst of San Francisco’s twice yearly Open Studios. The grand daddy of artist open studios, San Francisco Open Studios has been going on since 1975 and has expanded to four weekends plus an opening reception weekend. Each weekend, different areas of the city will participate. This weekend, October 25 & 26, artist studios will be open in the Financial District, North Beach, Potrero Hill, Russian Hill, SOMA, Tenderloin, Bayview, and Excelsior.

Coming up next weekend, November 1 & 2 will be the grand finale at Hunters Point Shipyard. Hunters Point weekend offers an opportunity to the public to visit with over 170 artists in one location.

We met many excellent artists during last spring’s Open Studios. We have featured the following artists on HaveMuse:
Alan Mazzetti, Audry Welch, Ellen Markoff, Ivy Jacobsen, Mirang Wonne, Rebecca Haseltine, Susan Friedman and Thea Schrack. Make sure to visit their studios to see their latest creations.

Open Studios is put on by the nonprofit arts advocacy group ArtSpan. For more information and maps, visit the ArtSpan Web site.

Thursday, October 23rd, 2008

 

Light and Shadow

Ketsel Photography - Bird  Series

Talented photographer Gayle Ketzel has an intriguing collection of photographs of birds, particularly crows. Working out of Seattle, Washington, Gayle has become very fond of the plentiful Northwest crows. She worked out a process of shooting digitally through the viewfinder of a vintage camera that creates an otherworldly, cinematic quality to her photographs. We picked out a selection of her spooky crows that put us in a Halloween mood.

Please visit Ketzel’s online store to see more.

Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008

 

“Slow Flowers”

Slow Flowers Series

As autumn approaches, leaves falling all around, it leaves us longing for the new breath of spring time. When we saw the recent creations of Thea Schrack, we felt alive with the renewal of spring again.

Thea Schrack’s latest works have gone in a new direction. Inspired by flowers found in her weekly farm basket, some as small as a little fingernail, Thea has intensified her attention to detail with these exquisitely crafted pieces.

Thea referred to this series as "Slow Flowers," like the Slow foods movement – a way of living and eating, good for the people and the planet. One could also see it as slowing down to experience all the small details in nature’s gifts.

Visit Thea Schrack’s Web site to see more: www.theaschrack.com

Wednesday, October 15th, 2008

 

Particles – New Series from Alan Mazzetti

Alan Mazzetti - Particles

Alan Mazzetti is showing his most recent series at the Art People Gallery in San Francisco this month. Read the following to get a feel for Alan's thought processes and inspirations behind Particles.

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By Alan Mazzetti

I’m very excited about this new series – Particles.  It’s an evolution of the themes I was working with previously: showing changing relationships by depicting matter and energy. Within each painting, you’ll see different relationships between the circles: they’re single and in groups; they change scale; some are flat, some dimensional; some are mathematically precise while others are organic and accidental.

That’s why I use circles as an icon – it’s elemental enough to stay true through these different incarnations. The big difference technically – and visually – is that I previously started with a digital transfer of my circular icon representing matter and energy.  Replacing that is what I call an event – a circle made of smaller circles that suggests a dimensional object and simultaneously a reflective light source.

In addition to the changing relationships within the painting, each one is composed so that you can change the way it hangs.  Every new orientation will emphasize different elements within the piece and change your perception of it. You continue the creative process begun in the studio.

I think one of the most important functions of art is to encourage us – both the artist and the viewer – to see things in new ways.  These paintings are meant to continually change your perspective.

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Visit Alan Mazzetti’s Web site to see more.

Monday, October 13th, 2008

 

Nature Inspired Hand Screen-Printed Textiles

Pippijoe Textiles

Pippijoe’s limited edition screen-printed fabrics – designed and hand screen-printed in Melbourne, Australia.

Caitlin, the creative hand behind Pippijoe, is an independent designer with a background in interior design and landscape architecture who has ventured into hand screen-printed textiles. Caitlin’s inspiration usually comes from nature, and the help of her one and three year old children.

All Pippijoe’s fabrics are printed on natural fibres (hemp and cotton) with environmentally friendly inks. Creative artisans have made interesting household products and accessories by using Pippijoe fabrics. Please visit Pippijoe Web site to explore more.

Friday, October 3rd, 2008

 

ARTrails, Sonoma County

Date: October 11–12 and 18–19, 2008
Time: 10 AM to 5 PM

In Sonoma County we are blessed to have two different open studios events. For two weekends this October (the 11th-12th and 18th-19th), ARTrails will once again bring artists and the public together with resident artists inviting curious art lovers into their studios to get a taste of the creative process. A program of the Arts Council of Sonoma County, ARTrails will this year celebrate its 22nd year.

Preview works of art by the 138 participating artists at:

Arts Council Gallery
404 Mendocino Ave. Suite C
Santa Rosa, California
(707) 579-2787

ARTrails Preview Exhibition:
September 27 – October 24, 2008

Opening reception:
Saturday, September 27, 2008
4 PM to 6 PM

Graton Gallery
9048 Graton Road
Graton, California
(707) 829-8912

ARTrails Preview Exhibition:
September 30 – October 26, 2008

Opening reception:
Sunday, October 5, 2008
3 PM to 6 PM

Friday, October 3rd, 2008

 

New Perspectives – Art People Gallery

Alan Mazzetti will be showing his most recent works at the Art People Gallery in San Francisco, California.

NEW PERSPECTIVES
October 1 – 31, 2008

Art People Gallery
50 Post Street #41
San Francisco, CA 94104
More info: www.artpeople.net

Friday, October 3rd, 2008

 

Ivy Jacobsen at Artspan’s Open Studios Exhibition

One of HaveMuses featured artists, Ivy Jacobsen will be showing her works at Artspan’s Open Studios Exhibition in San Francisco, California.

Date: October 4 – 31, 2008
Opening Reception: October 5, 4 PM to 7 PM
Private Gala Event: October 4, 6 PM to 10 PM

SomArts Gallery
934 Brannan Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
More info: www.artspan.org

Friday, October 3rd, 2008

 

Finding Home in A Tree

Finding Home in A Tree

We found Ivy Jacobsen's arts at the Hunters Point Ship Yard open studio. Since then, we have been visiting Jacobsen's Web site and continuing to admire her art. Shown above is one of her recent paintings, titled "Finding Home in a Tree" – private collection, 36×36", oil, bronzing powder, & mixed media on canvas.

Friday, October 3rd, 2008