San Fran Voice

Back in August, San Fran Voice had the opportunity to interview Bay Area painter Angela Simione. Her strikingly intense work sends both personal and political messages to her viewers. You can check them out on her art blog, The Shape of Secrets. But art is always much better in person. And Angela’s work can be seen this month at HANG Annex Gallery. The gallery is located on the 2nd floor of 567 Sutter Street. The artist will be there for the opening reception this Thursday, November 1st from 6-8. The exhibition, titled “Relativity” is part of a group show in which you can also see the work of Jose Arenas and Jeanne Lydon.

As you might have noticed, the Thursday of the event is the first Thursday of the month. If you didn’t already know it, that means its the Union Square Art Walk. Galleries are open throughout the area and the neighborhood is filled with creativity and fun. Learn more from this old blog post on the topic.

*The above untitled image is a 10″ x 10″ oil on canvas by Angela Simione.

Technorati Tags: art sanfrancisco painting gallery opening reception

When I first heard about the Mission Indie Mart (through local vintage designer Dena Rose) it was a small affair held in the backyard of the founder’s Mission home. The mart is still in the Mission but it’s grown too large for backyards and has moved into its new space at 12 Galaxies.

What is it? It’s a place where you can go to check out the creative works of all different types of local San Francisco designers. Need new clothes? Fashion designers are on site with their stuff. Thinking that accessories are more along the lines of your immediate needs? Those will be there as well. You’ll also be able to find antiques and crafts and all sorts of off-the-wall stuff. And since Halloween is just days away, you might find that perfect strange thing you needed to compliment your not-yet-complete costume.

Even if you don’t find something to buy, you’ll probably have a good time. There will be local music and BBQ food and that terrific atmosphere that comes about when over forty different designers come together in one space with their creative energy. At least that’s what I’m counting on since I’m going to (fingers crossed) finally make it to this event for the first time since hearing about it months ago.

It happens on Sunday, October 28th at 12 Galaxies which is at Mission and 22nd St. It runs from noon to five. See you there?

Technorati Tags: san francisco, mission, fashion, designer, indie, event

“Through Her Face” by Sytiva Sheehan

Sytiva Sheehan is a San Francisco Bay Area painter who is currently expanding into working in three-dimensional art. She is motivated by the desire to use art to bring awareness of important issues to others and to hopefully make some change in the world doing what she loves. In this interview with San Fran Voice, we learn about her work and her experiences in the city as well as what advice she has for other emerging artists.

What can you tell us about the basics of your artwork?

I work in acrylic, oil, pen, and 2D. I am currently enjoying learning 3D so that I can add that to the selection of what I do. Most of my work starts from a painting or storyboard. The paintings are based on characters to reflect life as it is (or life as you see it). For example, I personally love the elderly so I have taken one character and put her in many situations, even some that are troublesome to look at. This allows me to explore many different facets of life through one character. At the same time, it lets me send certain messages. For example, there is a MUNI (San Francisco bus) painting that reveals young people sitting in the seats reserved for seniors. In this particular painting, the elderly woman is hanging on to a pole. The idea behind this painting is that people who see this painting would not want to behave in this manner, making elderly people stand up while they are seated. Hopefully the image will stick in their minds and they’ll remember to stand the next time that they are on MUNI.

That sounds like a neat project. What projects are you working on now?

I am currently working on several projects. There are six new paintings which will probably be done in the middle of 2008. Also, I am currently a team member on another project for an animated short in 3D studio max. In the near future, I will be collaborating with San Francisco writer Tony Dushane on another animated short. Before Christmas, I will hang two 5-foot paintings at the Nervous Dog Coffee shop in San Francisco’s Mission neighborhood. This is a special project for me because each painting took more than two years to complete.

What longer-term art goals do you have for yourself?

It would be my dream come true to find work as a full time storyboard artist. I’d continue painting for the rest of my life and hope that it would make a difference in the lives of others.

Where do you get your inspiration?

I am inspired by artists, writers and musicians who all work together to create something larger than themselves. I enjoy attending art events with these people, particular those events which are culturally guided and politically aware. I’m also affected by tragedy in various forms, such as the problems of the elderly and the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. In a way, these things inspire me also. I like activist art which works to change the world.

On working, creating and living in San Francisco …

San Francisco is choreographed by art, music and design. Art is absolutely everywhere. Portraits, Statements, and Stories. Things left out on the street too long will be dragged home by some artist who will use it to create something beautiful out of it. Recycled creativity, just like Stacy Alexander (previously interviewed by San Fran Voice), is prevalent. Each artist here has a focus but in the end they all work together to create something larger than just their own body of work.

As far as going to see art … I guess you can say my favorite galleries are the homes of other artists in the process. I love the mess, the tools, and the smell of wet paint. I love the art of planning, brainstorming, storyboarding seeing things in the raw, for a writer, I love the back-story, character development and commentaries. I do like to go to the art events in the mission because they are culturally guided and politically aware. I like art, which keeps the history of a culture, and I also like activist art, which changes the world.

What advice do you have for emerging artists?

I believe that people should paint what they love or paint what moves them, good or bad. If you like abstract - Paint it! If you like realism - Paint it! Don’t paint what is in style just because it is in style. Too much of the same is almost invisible. Keep art true to yourself. I have gotten rejected for a show because I paint what I like. This is when someone said “That’s Okay! Start a rejection folder; it’s healthy!”

I had another post in mind for this morning, a post sprung from a thought that formed while I was reading a book this morning by a San Francisco author. But as a I write this, a highly agitated man is screaming obscenities at tourists right outside my window and I’m having trouble focusing on what I’d originally planned to say.

What I’m thinking about instead is what a good friend of mine said last year on his first visit to San Francisco. We were riding the bus, going to or coming from some event, and I’d casually asked him if he liked the city. He looked around the bus, his eyes lingering on the eclectic group that was gathered there, and he hesitated. Finally he said, “the crazies are just too close to you here”. I laughed and said, “I love the crazies” and we dismissed the conversation.

But the truth is that San Francisco’s geographically small area and high level of tolerance for outrageous behavior do sometimes combine to put a little too much craziness in one area. For the most part, I think that this generates an energy level that only feeds the terrific cosmopolitan creative spirit that hums throughout the city. But I’m willing to admit that there’s a spectrum of crazy and sometimes it gets a little bit out of hand. I’m thinking of the man frightening tourists outside of my window. I’m thinking of a scary walk home I took one night through a notoriously “less than good” neighborhood here. I’m thinking of last year’s Halloween in the Castro.

Now, let me discuss “crazy” for a minute. Crazy is a loaded word. And that’s part of the problem here. Some would say that the sidewalk saxophone player who sleeps on the street and wears the same clothes every day but keeps his instrument perfectly polished is “crazy”. Some would say that the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence who grace events with their elaborate outfits and undeniable air of expressive authority are “crazy”. There are some who would say that everyone who lives in San Francisco is a little bit “crazy”. Crazy is a spectrum. There’s no line that says, “okay, here you’re normal, there you’re not”. This is especially true in San Francisco, where what looks crazy elsewhere is just a normal day and where “crazy” ideas become innovations that help to shape the world.

But for me, there’s a line. On one side is creative, expressive, eccentric, off-the-wall, entertaining, edgy … On the other side is “crazy” and by crazy, I mean dangerous. That’s the determining factor for me. It is my personal belief that everyone should be able to live as freely as they want, unlimited by others in as much as is possible within a society. But it is also my personal belief that this freedom ends when you begin to infringe upon the same freedom in others. When your eccentricities pose a threat to the well-being of those around you, you’ve gone from creative to crazy in my book.

Obviously, this isn’t a clear cut line. There are endless arguments of debate possible about what exactly harms another person. But what I’m realizing at this moment is that San Francisco has a pretty good intuitive sense about these things. I don’t believe that we generally harass or outcast the creatively eccentric folks who live amongst us. But as I peek out my window to check on the status of the situation below, I see that a crowd has gathered and is ushering the tourists away from the belligerent man while working to calm him down. We tolerate one another here, more so than most places, but there is also a strong sense of community in San Francisco. In the Bay Area, in the city and in the individual neighborhoods … people here consider this their home … and we look out for each other here - both in our permissiveness of “crazy” and our protection from it.

Last night was one of those nights when I felt like being out and about but didn’t actually feel like wandering too far from home. Luckily, it never takes too much time to get to a place in San Francisco where something was happening. In my case, I just needed to wander around the corner to the North Beach library where I found a melding of creative minds at a cozy little reading by three North Beach poets. These poets harkened back to the old days of the Beat Generation that filled the bars and cafes here … but of course I wasn’t here in those days so I can’t attest to what nostalgia their coming together last night created. What I can attest to is that it was an hour well spent amongst people who have opted to make creating poetry a regular part of their daily lives, rather than just a passing phase.

I can tell you about the poetry, of course. But poetry read aloud is something which is better experienced in person than via post-activity description. You can read it for yourself or catch up with the poets at other readings as they are all active around town. Look for Jessica Loos, Mark Schwartz and Ronald Sauer. The Beat Museum is a good place to start for locating these folks who read about days past and present with an energy that transcends time.

The poetry was worth hearing, but what caught my attention and interest was less the poetry than the crowd of people gathered to hear it. We all know that I love to people-watch, that observing other characters in the dance of life is where much of my inspiration comes from. There was no shortage of inspiration there. The people were casually themselves, unique in ways both subtle and obvious. The androgynous body sitting two seats ahead of me never turned for me to get a better look, but the hair hanging down in layers of purple, orange and blonde caught my attention for more than a moment. The stoic man in the front right corner of the seating area would have appeared solemn if it weren’t for the decorative feathered hat and peasant-type blouse he wore. The gentleman who sat sketching the scene is probably someone I ought to know although I don’t. And Mark Schwartz’s boisterous laugh filled the room in a way that reminded me we should all laugh with such lack of restraint.

It is these glimpses into the lives of people that make poetry out of the city. And San Francisco hums with this poetry every single day.

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Stacy Alexander is a versatile Bay Area artist who uses mosaic art, among other mediums to share her perspective on the world. She’s a recycler who uses found and re-used objects to create her pieces, frequently letting the items dictate what the work will be about rather than trying to design a piece and then find the right materials for it. Asked to finish the sentence, “The life of an artist is …”, Stacy tells us that it is “a heavenly hell full of insecure securities, pain and joy”. Stacy not only lives this life herself but also supports the work of other Bay Area artists through her Live Journal blog. In this interview with San Fran Voice, she tells us more about her mixed-media work and her life as an artist in San Francisco.

What can you tell us about the basics of your artwork?

I am an avid recycler who, as a mixed media artist, allows the materials to speak to me and tell me what to make. Often, I will lace my compositions thematically with current events (in particular women’s issues or political issues that resonate with my beliefs). Mosaic art is just a small part of what I do, but I try to incorporate mosaic into a lot of my assemblages and collages.

How would you describe mosaic art to someone that was unfamiliar with it?

Mosaic is the perfect medium for anyone who hates to throw out something that can be recycled. Simply put, it involves pieces of anything that can be adhered to another surface. Glass, wood, fabric, paper and tiles all fit into this category, but the art doesn’t stop there! I have made mosaics out of bones, buttons, bottle lids, broken tempered glass and sticks.

If your art could be seen anywhere right now … any city, any particular museum or gallery, by any one person … where would you want it to be?

I am a fan of Frida Kahlo and do many pieces based on her work, her persona and her life. I’d love to see something I did hanging in the Museo Frida Kahlo in Mexico City.

What projects are you working on now?

I always have many artful irons on the fire. Currently, I am working on a series of collages and assemblages that represent women’s friendship. I also have some mosaic furniture in the works and am sketching out an installation that has to do with tiaras (What Paris Hilton calls, “princess hats”….rolls eyes) that represent people who I admire.

My work is currently hanging at Institute of Mosaic Art, 3001 Chapman Street, Oakland, CA.

How does the city inspire or affect your art work?

Many of my materials are area-urban-specific. I also get a lot of energy from the city and pace my energy to its internal beat.

Do you have a favorite gallery in San Francisco?

It would be very difficult for me to narrow it down to one since I do mixed media work and am influenced by all types of art. I love the Fraenkel Gallery for photography, but I also enjoy the Himmelberger and many others.

What do you think the average visitor to San Francisco should know about the art scene here?

The art scene in San Francisco has a distinct, expansive flavor unlike that of any other city. One can find anything here in a friendly, easily-accessible way that other major art cities do not offer.

What is one other thing that you think we should know about your work?

My work is ever-evolving, changing by the week, the day and the hour. I am not afraid to challenge tradition and to try new things and I’m not necessarily all about ego.

Oh, and I like to show my support for fellow Bay Area artists through a Live Journal blog called bayart-news.

Jazz music usually sounds very old-timey to me. That’s not a complaint or a negative statement of any kind; I love that sound and the way that it takes you back to a time that perhaps you only know from the movies that you’ve seen. But I have to be in a certain kind of mood to be interested in that kind of music. What I found when listening to the five tracks on the EP sent to me by Marlina Teich was that I didn’t have to be in a particular music to hear her kind of jazz. I think this is because Marlina manages to do what few other jazz musicians that I know of have done, melding a very modern sound with this old-timey feel to create music that is timeless.

Marlina Teich definitely has that old jazz sound, that indescribable quality that makes you nostalgic for an era that you might not even have known in real life. On “It Had To Be You” which has a mellow tune to it, she sounds quite a bit like Patsy Cline. And on “Route 66”, Marlina’s voice punctuates the lyrics in that way that upbeat jazz is known for. It’s a sound that inevitably takes your mind to a rainy day in New Orleans in the early twentieth century. But there are moments in these songs when it’s clear that you are listening to someone who is infusing influences ranging from back then (and before) to today and that’s what makes Marlina’s music so timeless. She’s a modern jazz singer who is playing her songs with absolutely no pretension and all of her heart.

On my initial listen-through, I was sure that my favorite song was “Frim Fram Sauce”. This is just one of those very fun songs in which the lyrics are playful. Plus, Marlina’s vocals are really highlighted in this song – and Marlina is a woman whose got vocals that are worth making a note of. She has that warm, earthy voice that exhibits the timeless quality explored through the music itself. “Frim Fram Sauce” shows this off. But after listening to the CD several times, I actually decided I preferred the first track, “Almost Like Being In Love”. It’s not too fast, not too slow … not too old, not too modern … it’s one of those “just right” songs that I could easily listen to in any mood.

Marlina Teich has been performing in San Francisco for years. You can learn more about her (and her awesome Jazzheimers organization) from her interview with San Fran Voice.

Shane Papatolicas is a local musician who won my heart with his catchy instrumentals and poignant lyrics. He’s got a California style, a warm voice and poetic imagery which meld together to create plain old good music. You can learn more about what I think about him from this review. Or you can just learn more about him from the following San Fran Voice interview. And if you’re a drummer or you know one, this guy’s looking for some talent so don’t hesitate to get in touch!!

What’s the story behind your path to becoming a performing musician?
Well, between ages six and eight I got up at midnight mass on Christmas with a snare drum and played The Little Drummer Boy to a full house; it was surreal. I’ve ditched the drum and the church since then though.

I then spent a lot of my youth on stage in my father’s band. My father is a drummer—one of the best I have ever seen—and for several years as a kid I was a waterboy/stagehand for an Elvis tribute band my father was in. I would stand on stage in a suit and tie and give Elvis his seltzer water in between songs. Sometimes I’d even get to replace the scarves that he’d throw out to adoring females. Mind you, most of this occurred at small town fairs in New Hampshire. It was awesome, and I’m not kidding. So, if there was one thing that my fans could know about me, it’d be that I started young and I’ve earned my stripes.

What would you say are your musical strengths? Weaknesses?
I’d say that if I spent half as much time playing the guitar as I do writing then I’d be a much better musician. I have come to love the guitar through writing, but it functions mainly as a rhythmic tool for me. That’s why I have a ripping lead guitar player like Billy “Bones” Mungovan on my album; that guy can melt the fretboard of an acoustic guitar.

If you had to sum up your sound, what would you say?
Simple but diverse rhythms with catchy hooks and a lot of words.

If we walked into the middle of one of your live performances right now, what would we see and hear?
Right now it’s just my guitar and me, but I make it fun for the audience by mixing it up. You’re not going to hear a bunch of mellow tear-jerkers or a lot of whining. Anyway, I am looking for a new drummer and a bass player though, so please get in touch if you know anybody.

What’s your favorite song from Going My Way to perform live?
I always like playing Sometimes on the 38 when I’m playing in The City because people laugh at the references and they tend to pay closer attention. I can always tell which people actually ride Muni.

How does the city inspire your music?
San Francisco is where I live and where I do my writing, so it is inevitably going to be a part of my songs. There is a vibe, or an attitude, here that encourages you to think that what you are doing is important, so it’s easy relax and do it. It’s truly a city that appreciates artistic expression, and because of that it is inspiring.

Do you have a favorite SF venue?
Café du Nord, Bottom of the Hill and the Great American are great, but I love The Independent most of all; I think they have the best sounding room. Of course, it’s always fun to see a band get up at The Fillmore and be totally geeked that they are playing there. I saw Josh Ritter forget a whole verse and chorus to a song he has played a million times and he had a big smile on his face all the while. Nevertheless, I haven’t played at any of these places yet, so this is purely as a fan.

Which spots in the city can you be found in when you’re just out and about?
I do a lot of running in Golden Gate Park. It would be the one place that I would truly have a hard time leaving behind. Other than that, I like the Haight and I hang out on Clement Street quite a bit as well. There are a bunch of great restaurants on Clement—Burma Superstar, Giorgios Pizza, Q, Le Soleil—that don’t get a ton of attention. Plus, Clement St. has the best book store in the city (Green Apple Books). I’ve spent a lot of time and a lot of money there. As far as bars go, I like a lot of bars in the city for no specific reason. Shanghai Kelly’s, Finnegan’s Wake and the Noe Valley Tavern are frequent spots. The Toronado and Magnolia are places for delicious beer as well. I really like beer.

Where do you want to be a year from now?
I’d love to be a working musician for the rest of my life. I don’t need to make a ton of money, but a steady and livable income playing music would be great. So, if I’m further along on my way to doing that then life will be even better.

Pay it forward … who are some other musicians in the city that we should know about?
Well, a lot of the local people I like are already well known, so they don’t need my endorsement (though I could use theirs). Jackie Greene, Jesse DeNatale, Beulah, Brett Dennen, Two Gallants, Deerhoof, The Heather Combs Band and The Mother Hips. As far as up and comers go though, I got a chance to play with The Grace Woods Trio a few weeks ago and they just won the Emergenza battle of the bands in SF; they’re really good. Oh, and that Kate Isenberg girl you reviewed sounds great too; I’ll have to check her out soon. Maybe she and I could do a show together? Anyway, the SF music scene is loaded with diverse talent, but it could really benefit from having another big, big name come out of it soon.

Kate Isenberg is an amazing local singer-songwriter who has been working hard to carve out a career for herself in the creative arts. Hopefully you got a chance to check out my review of her recent CD release, The Time Comes on Humming Tracks. In this interview, Kate tells us about her work and gives us more insight into that CD.

Tell us about your work.

My work in the arts is multi-faceted, reflecting three major areas of interest: music, illustration, and writing. Currently, music is the pursuit I devote my after-work resources to, though that has shifted before and will likely shift again.

What do you enjoy most about your career? What do you do dislike?

It’s varied—and it’s varied. Being an artist with more than one passionate interest and facility, I enjoy several modes of expression. But having more than one focus can make it hard to devote the time and energy required to become an expert in one field, let alone market a work of fiction, a CD, or a portfolio of drawings.

What has been your greatest success? Setback?

My greatest success, in general terms, has been to carve out a life that allows me to continue pursuing my arts at a serious level. Our culture makes this hard, since the arts don’t often pay enough to live on until one is very successful, which may be years down the road, if ever. My greatest setback seemed, at first, to be my decision to step away from magazine editing, several years ago. After working very hard for five years for national magazines, it seemed a shame to not step up on that ladder, which I was prepared to do, from a resume standpoint. But stepping away from that world forced me to commit to my artistic endeavors more seriously. And, in the end, it clarified what does compel me about journalism, such as reviewing books.

What are some favorite projects you’ve completed and why?

This year, I released my third collection of original songs, a CD called “The Time Comes on Humming Tracks.” Unlike my previous two records, this one was mixed and mastered by professional sound engineers to match the sound quality of any album you’d hear on the radio or in a music store. But this CD also has a special place for me personally because it’s the first complete work I’ve released that feels artistically realized. I composed the arrangements myself—a huge pleasure and challenge—and recorded most of the tracks myself, at home on my computer with a set of good microphones. I’ve always been fascinated by multi-track audio, ever since I first borrowed a 4-track Tascam analog tape recorder, in 1996. On that Tascam, I experimented with layering vocal harmonies and guitar lines on top of each other, and I saw the possibilities an artist could have—given some technical know-how and a lot of patience—to create a complex and rich sound scape. New-folk indie artists like Sam Beam, of Iron and Wine, reflect this; Sufjan Stevens takes it to a symphonic level. During my ten years or so as a songwriter, I’ve always wanted to create a collection of original songs that were sonically richer than the solo guitar and voice aesthetic that, by necessity, I’ve most often performed with. It’s not just about more harmonies, more guitars, more instruments. With today’s digital multi-tracking capabilities (much more advanced than that Tascam’s), it’s very easy to layer tons of audio tracks on top of one another. The best songwriters and arrangers out there, in my opinion, are the ones who use every track in service of the song’s particular aesthetic, its unique “backstory.” What I was after with this album was not a technical stunt, but an artistic goal: to find the combination of guitar, mandolin, piano, bass, drums, harmonies, and (in one instance) slide flute to capture the essence of each song, and the essence of my songwriting approach.

What are some of your personal and/or professional goals for the future?

I hope to increase the amount of time I’m able to devote to my arts. This is a funding question, in large part, and requires that eventually the art pay for more of its own development. More time means more opportunity to devote myself to my craft, and to specific goals: another full-length CD, a longer work of fiction, a collection of my comic strips, for example. All of these are laborious endeavors with a necessary quota of unproductive time: time to daydream, time to be a novice, time for false starts. Then the productive time can begin, with more exploration and fool’s errands along the way. And that doesn’t even begin to cover the time required to market artistic works in our media-saturated society. Marketing is essential to making an income from the art, though. So it follows that time—as much of it as possible—is necessary for any serious artistic pursuit, let alone three.

I can’t help but wonder if bace135 is a Gemini. Like the Gemini, his music has two sides to it which seem like they would contradict one another but which actually fit well inside of a full personality. Maybe I’m biased by the double EP that I received – Monkey Vs. Robot and Man Vs. Machine. The first has a hint of hip hop but is primarily electronica / dance music. The second has some electronica but is primarily hip hop. And they both come together to create a complete musical set of electronic hip hop that captures the essence of Bay Area music.

Monkey Vs. Robot is emotive music. It’s the moody side of the personality, demanding attention with its insistent feelings. It’s the EP that encourages you to follow the music in order to push your own emotional boundaries. In contrast, Man Vs. Machine is the EP that’s more grounded, rooted in a solid hip hop foundation. It’s the urban breakdance, the physical experience of the music. Together, they give you both the emotional and the physical experience of the city.

The seven tracks that make up Monkey Vs. Robot remind me of lullabies. Like the lullaby, they can be haunting or they can be comforting. Which emotion is elicited may have more to do with your own experiences and the memories brought forth by the songs than with the music itself. This EP reminds me of the childlike side of the Gemini, the playful (but sometimes impetuous) nature of youth. It runs away and gets reigned in, it frolics in joy and it pouts in frustration. It has the melancholy as well as the optimism of the very young.

Man Vs. Machine is the adult side of the Gemini, the serious side that looks reality in the eye even when it might not want to. In these tracks, the child has been given a voice and is using it to describe his experiences in the world. My favorite track on this EP is “Sunshine Lemonade” (the recipe for this drink is provided inside the cover of the EP). It shows off the lighthearted side of hip hop, reminds me a little bit of the songs of summer that would play in videos on MTV when I was a kid. It merges the two sides of bace135 and brings them together in a fun, playful way.

Listen to the tracks or buy the album for yourself on bace135’s website or MySpace page.