Friday, November 17, 2017

SDVAN Giving Tuesday





Every year we remind out supporters about the Better Giving Campaign Giving Tuesday. We appreciate their cash donations, but this year we decided to offer the opportunity to support San Diego Visual Arts Network to a selected artist. We gave Cheryl Sorg the remit to incorporate the Giving Tuesday Logo into a specially designed art work that we could use on our website and emails to promote the day. Ms. Sorg uses a special paper that changes color from different angles. So when photographed from different viewpoints it appears to be a whole new work of art. We made a selection of these to create a banner for our site.

We give back to our supporters every year with a no fee accessory exchange party. This year we have invite Cheryl Sorg to showcase her works of art at that party. So the effort she made for us will do double duty! We hope that the coverage we give to her along with our thanks will be of benefit to her. We certainly believe by having an original work of art created especially for our campaign, we are getting a great benefit from her. 


Our great thanks to Cheryl Sorg.


Our Giving Tuesday campaign this year is on TUESDAY NOVEMBER 28TH. We appreciate our supporters and their cash donations. Donate to SDVAN online, by phone or by post.. Those of you who can give $25 of more will be listed on the permanent sponsor page.Thank you so much for your tax deductible donation. Our 2017 Support page is now online….make sure your name is on it and remember SDVAN in your annual end of the year giving.

OMA: Maruyama, Undocumenta, Brooks, Dieter, San Roman, Crump

By Patricia Frischer

October 7, 2017–February 18, 2018

Wendy Maruyama was one of the SDVAN SD Art Prize recipients in 2015 and it is gratifying to see this wonderful display of her work so dramatically presented at OMA. This sensitive homage to wildlife is moving and respectful.  






September 23, 2017–January 28, 2018


UnDocumenta is part of  Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA and the title is a play on the big semi-annual exhibition in Germany called Documenta, but in this case referring to undocumented refugees from across the border. The artists included are: Claudia Cano (in disguise as a cleaning lady), Teresita De La Torre (wearing a found immigrant shirt for a whole year) , Ana Teresa Fernández (painting out the border wall), Dominic Paul Miller (perforated drawings), Omar Pimienta (giant inflated Statue of Liberty and a recreated passport office to Colonia Libertad, Marcos Ramírez (ERRE) ( the faux border wall that replaces the façade of the museum).

It is important to acknowledge those who funded this show. The lead sponsors: Ving and Valya Simpson, supporting sponsor Fenner Milton and program sponsors Larry and Debra Poteet

Alessandra Moctezuma, the curator,  will be working on programming for the exhibition as part of her sabbatical from San Diego Mesa College. Bilingual Spanish/English guided tours, public lectures and artist talks, and a tour of artists’ studios in Tijuana are among the programming in development.

Programs Related To This Exhibition
Nov Sun 19  Bilingual Guided Gallery Tours Of Undocumenta 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Dec Sat 2  Embroidery As A Form Of Resistance 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Marcus Ramirez 'Erre'



October 21, 2017–March 18, 2018

It is always wonderful to discover a new artist and we are blessed in San Diego to have so many. I found this more traditional work to be surprisingly inviting and compelling.  




October 21, 2017–March 18, 2018

So many textures and patterns, Dieter is obviously enjoying herself immensely and that is translated to her audience. All three of these smaller rooms were so well curated and displayed and it was a pleasure to see the artwork focused in a new way. 



October 21, 2017–March 18, 2018

A terrific work from Julia San Roman was the star of her show and should be snapped up by a collector. But one can only realize its strength by understanding the other works that surround and support it. 



August 26, 2017–February 18, 2018

A little cute goes a long way, that is why I gravitated to the naughty room where I found this wonderful Japanese pillow book inspired erotic painting.  Mr. Crump, we like your Hyde side.  







Friday, November 3, 2017

London Post Script 2017

On the  last two days of our London trip I finally started to discover some very local art delights just minutes away from our ABNB flat. Yes, the fall has arrived and the leaves are changing and tingle of cool air is coming. But I was so pleased to see such wonderful art just a stone's through from our front door. For all of you are considering visiting, don't forget to discover Bermondsey...and that includes my  London friends!






This was a tale of the future apocalypse but set in World War 1 and 2.  I loved the disappearance of heads and the appearance of the wonderful circle/spheres as a mystery element of hope. 






The exhibition was on the top floor of a private home up a set of lovely wood stairs. The work was a mix of variations on clothes and accessories from a frock made from old bicycle tires to the rough wool of a sheep. We have seen recycled fashion before, but I think it was the hand wrought details of this work that was so poignant.   






The second part of the show has some charming rabbit themed works which I am including for my good friend Irene de Watteville. In fact the hats above would suit her so well. And how could i not include a gallery cat for Michelle Kurtis Cole!







Tucked into an old industrial park was a huge space, so was a perfect showroom for Nicola Tyson. I loved these small drawings and her full life sized figures were stellar. The space and the connect Tannery Gallery/Project has artist studios and a public drawing room










Tannery Projects Appropriated Sunlight: Ralph Anderson and Nancy Milner

From this group show I choose two artist, Ralph Anderson shaped strokes were painted red on the reverse and so the wall glowed around the cut out and around the outer edges.  These rounded free works made a nice contract the Nancy Milner's color field stripes with the out of focus change over. Both of these artists' works are completely flat. 

Ralph Anderson

Ralph Anderson

Ralph Anderson (detail0

Nancy Milner

Nancy Milner




We were turned on to this meditation center by Richard and Victoria Nathanson although they live all the way on the other side of London in Putney. 
Richard Nathans on is an exclusive private art dealer who just curated an exhibition in New York on Modigliani Unmasked | Drawings From The Paul Alexandre Collection And Other Works.  Read his essay: What I Am Searching For