Out and About in June, 2011

by Patricia Frischer

I viewed a wonderful video talk sent out by Dan Springs about shattering your miss-conceptions by Jared Cohen and realized yet again how important it is to have an open mind to allow creativity to flow. I also know that we can’t just talk about ideas we have to do things and do them with passion and conviction. That is why I am so excited about the DNA of Creativity project. I spent a day and a half at the Art of Science Learning Conference at Calit2 and then we held a DNA of Creativity meeting where 28 professionals gathered to further discuss the project, give in put and feedback. This was our third meeting and I think we now have a project which has legs and will help us meet the goals not only of SDVAN but to follow the mission to fuse the art and science communities.

Now that Art Meets Fashion is almost over, I have had a chance to go to a few exhibitions and boy has it been fun to see what is up and about in San Diego. I am not claiming to have made a survey of everything out there, but I just visited the shows that were in my path.

Italo Scanga mini retrospective is at the Oceanside Museum of Art to Aug 21 and I am looking forward to seeing a selection of his more intimate objects at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library. He broke new ground in San Diego but I think it is the way that his colleagues speak of his zest for art and his welcoming spirit that adds to his status. Also at the OMA is Beatrice Wood Drawings and Ceramics to Sept 18, a charming eccentric women with an exciting love life that she captured in her often naïve way which makes art so accessible to all. Jeff Yeoman was a star at the Gold Coast Paintings of Southern California, California Arts Club now over. There were a few other paintings that made the show worthwhile. I liked Eric Merrell and Ken Goldman and I imagine these lush landscapes were a treat for the Oceanside audience.

I enjoyed the crowd and the cookies at the Zandra Rhodes and Andrew Logan tea party at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library. I know both and own many marvelous jewelry pieces by Andrew from my time in London. It appeared like there were lots of sales for this one day event. Code-O-Chromes by David Fobes now over but well reviewed by Kevin Freitas on our Picked RAW Peeled blogsite. I love color field works and so was enchanted by these made from duct tape. They are all about the edge and seem to be on the edge of being edgy so I will follow his work with great interest.

Lynn Engstrom and James Watts at RB Stevenson are now over but the Watts showed a new (to me) style not using his usually tin tacked method. It was almost globe shape of drift wood hanging with little men dangling like chandelier crystals. I saw a similar pieces at the Solomon’s home in La Jolla (they were host for the annual SDMA Contemporary Art Council picnic) called brick man. I loved the sense of humor that Watts brings to his work.

Behind What It’s In Front Of: John McLaughlin painting and Roy McMarkin sculptures at Quint Gallery gave me a chance to see their new space just east of Torrey Pines on Gerard. The façade has been designed by Roman de Salvo (SD Art Prize) and has a retro maze feeling that suits the building perfectly. The show of augmented and altered bureaus was so intriguing and bodes well for exciting shows in the new larger space.

It is your last few days of Patricia Patterson show at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido open only until June 30 so get your skates on if you have not seen the show if only to see the one installation room which is brilliant papered her personal notes.

We looked forward to seeing Gustav Stickley and the American Arts and Crafts Movement as we lived for a time in a Renee Macintosh inspired home near Glasgow. This American version has strong ties to that European master’s work. On the night of our view we also got to see, John Dillemuth with his crazy and charming wood machines like a cross between a Da Vinci invention and Rube Goldberg and Brian Zimmerman with his astounding chairs which seemed to be site specific rising up in the atrium of quietly adding to the aesthetics of the eastern rooms. Both were part of the Summer Salon Series, What Does a City Need, Every Thursday from June 2 to Sept 1 at The San Diego Museum of Art Balboa Park, 92101 and highly recommended. By the way to the parties at the SMDA are elegant and fun and real crowd pleasers with special cocktails and exotic foods. Well done to the staff for putting on these events for people who really want to see the art besides having a good time. I think they hit just the right balance.

Who wouldn’t like wondering among the incredible gardens with exotic flora and cascading waterfalls of the SD Botanic Gardens but an added pleasure is the New Sculpture installation curated by Naomi Nussbaum Synergy Art Foundation aided by Dennis Batt. Special pieces by Cheryl Tall (with added mosaic skirts), Jeffery Laudenslager (who continues to grow as a master kinetic artist), Deanne Sabeck (new 3-d column of glowing light), Sandra Chanis (cleverly sites over water), and many, many more.

At the Lux Art Institute, see the work of South African sculptor Claudette Schreuders and the new sculpture she created while in residence at Lux. These works are an unexpected blend of realistic and cartoon that draws you in and then surprised you with a certain poignancy. A big wow for the ceramic objects for sale by Kelly Schnorr who reproduced ordinary objects but added unusual colors and transfers to show her quirky take on life. Very reasonably priced as well.

I also went to Hera Hub a new business center for women started by Felena Hanson for a Legal Issues in Business workshop by Amanda L. Mineer from the Legal Center for Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs, Inc. Watch her new space for other events of interest to those setting up shop of some kind or another.

I end with just a plain old crazy-assed Mid-summer party at Fusion Glass Company in La Mesa full of artists wearing wings and sporting wands and eating, drinking, and dancing. All this gaiety was a thank you to their customers and artists for a great year of sales. No fee, no cause, just bohemian artists doing what they do best. A big thank you to Debb and Paul for including us.