Patric Stillman is working hard to create a space for artist to show with a juror or curated but always with a theme. His first show attracted even a few international artists and as you see below, the quality of the work on display was a very high quality on this theme. Artists sometimes rise to the challenge when limited to a theme and this is especially true for this show which features 10 local artists out of the 80 selected.
Keith Parks strips of black and grey paper, artfully arranged on a straw floor stunned me. The photo is much darker than the illustration below and you see paper strips first and then they loosely form a shape that emerges as a bird. It is subtle and beautifully photographed and seems to capture the essence of birdness fragility and flight in this indirect nuanced creation.
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Keith Parks: Nested
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John Meza: Avian Terraglyph
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| Sam Laorum: Squawk Squad |
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| Ron Testa's Kwagiuti Ceremonial Raven Mask is a historical photo by Charles Carpenter taken at the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Expo. Printed from a 6x9 glass plate negative / scanned and a digital print made in 2013 by Ron. Photo courtesy of the Chicago Field Museum Archive, which Ron curates. After much thought, Jenna Jacobs decided to allow the work because of the strength of the image and it made for a good companion piece for the other work Ron submitted of a photo he took. |
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Miki Yokoyama" Crow
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The Studio Door has announced that it has found a permanent home in North Park on 30th and Gunn in the heart of the bustling neighborhood. The new facility will showcase an art gallery, working artists studios, GOLDEN art supplies and gift store, and Art-to-Market programming to help promote contemporary artists.
2015 has already been a wild ride for the arts business. After establishing a partnership with San Diego Art Institute - North Park (SDAI), The Studio Door planned to take over the SDAI lease for its facility on Ray Street. The space was previously branded as the San Diego Art Department. After moving in and beginning the laborious work to transform the space in preparation for its current exhibition, the artists received the announcement that the property owners were breaking the lease with SDAI effective March 1st to create leasing offices.
“It was a great disappointment. A lot of people were looking forward to the prospect of reviving the neighborhood’s Arts and Culture District,” said Patric Stillman, founder of The Studio Door. “A lot of excitement was being generated as we came in on the heels of Simply Local’s Brian Beevers new management for Ray at Night. The stars seemed aligned.”
As The Studio Door reached out to showcase the current international exhibition, The Crow Show: An Homage To The Raven, the press picked up the news and the word quickly spread. “Artists, businesses and neighbors began reaching out to contact us with encouraging thoughts, property referrals and personal introductions. Suddenly, we had the good fortune of having many eyes on the street seeking out a new facility for us,” said Stillman. “We were blessed by the generosity of friends and strangers.”
Angela Landsberg, Executive Director of Main Street North Park (northparkmainstreet.com), was one of the community members to step in with an interest to keep The Studio Door in North Park. Introductions fell into place, which eventually lead to The Studio Door finding a new space two blocks from their current exhibition.
“What a miraculous beginning for The Studio Door and its studio artists,” said Crisinda, an artist working with glass at The Studio Door in her own studio. “A half a dozen artists were also caught up in this change. We found ourselves scrambling with the short time frame to find new working spaces, which was particularly daunting as we faced the reality of losing the creative community we established as studio artists. It was wonderful to see The Studio Door act quickly to find a space where we would also be able to follow.”
“It’s a win for arts in North Park,” said Kevin Greeland, Certified GOLDEN Working Artist and educator (arthausblog.com). “The community response really underscored their passion to live in a community with a thriving arts scene.”
Allowing for a month to transform the new space, The Studio Door will reopen in April with 50 To Watch, a landmark exhibition and national publication celebrating the region’s visual artists.
Meanwhile, the successful run of The Crow Show: An Homage To The Raven continues through February 27th with regular hours on Ray Street and at the Art Institute of California- San Diego in Mission Valley. Check the website for hours.
For more information on The Studio Door, its programs and services, please visit www.thestudiodoor.com and sign up for the monthly newsletter at http://eepurl.com/0q59H.
On behalf of the participating artists, thank you for taking the time from your busy schedule to visit The Studio Door and reflect upon The Crow Show.
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