South FIRST FRIDAYS Art Walk Today!

From Phantom Galleries: This Friday is the South FIRST FRIDAYS Art Walk in downtown San Jose.  Oct. 4th, 7-11pm, all venues are free & open to the public. Here's just a few highlights to get you started Friday night: At KALEID Gallery: new feature exhibitions by Mariya Milovidova, and Michelle Waters The Journey new works by Mariya Milovidova This particular collection of new works by Milovidova is the reflection of a personal life journey. This journey describes her fascination with fashion, foreign cultures, architecture, and romance. It can be seen in every single artwork as it tells its own story, but it truely comes alive when the viewer reads their own story within the paintings and drawings. Mariya Milovidova was born in Odessa,the beautiful city in Ukraine by the Black Sea where she attended Greckov Art School studying the techniques of old school European masters. Currently she resides in Bay Area where she graduated from San Jose State University with a Bachelors in Studio Art. We Are All Animals new works by Michelle Waters The art in this show gives voice to the billions of animals who live, suffer and die in factory farms and laboratories, and the wild animals whose world is being stolen by habitat destruction, overconsumption and poaching. It is not a question of Do animals have rights? But a question of What gives us the right, to take life? Where do we draw the line? These are the questions behind the paintings in this exhibition. Michelle Waters has been painting since the mid 1980s, and shows her work nationally. She is also an animal rights, environmental and social justice activist. Phantom Galleries presents Rocks, Waves & Clouds by Matthew Seigel at Pho69. Similar to traditional Asian scrolls, Matthew’s paintings capture the impermanence of an idea or location. His new paintings were inspired by the natural beauty of a low tide walk along Maine’s rocky coast. Overwhelmed with the colors, forms and relationships of rocks, the sea and sky, Matthew immediately set up an impromptu studio on his father’s farmhouse porch. The result are these modern, vibrant scrolls, acrylic on synthetic rice paper, hung on aluminum rods. Matthew invites you to experience Maine. Phantom Galleries presents Five Zero Five by Ashley Gulizia at Good Karma Vegan Café. Inspiration is drawn from bright colors, striking shapes, and nature. It is the random things and places that spark perspective. Beauty is all over the place – even the rarest of places. Using light to manipulate dramatic scenes, the world becomes surreal. Opening thought to where beauty lies. Phantom Galleries presents Heritage of Rural Life in India by Yasala Balaiah at 95 S. Market St. Yasala Balaiah an established senior artist was born in India in 1939 & now resides in Hyderabad. Balaiah is also known for his delightful paintings of “Telangana Women,” drawn from the beautiful rural backdrop of his native land. His colorful paintings of brightly attired, dark complexioned, straight nosed strong boned Telangana women, captured with a native candor brings a refreshing whiff of rural splendor. One can’t help but admire the artist’s attention to detail and the extensive work that has gone into not just portraying the expressions but their attire too. Use of bright orange, red, yellow and green has a captivating effect. Whether it is a group of women gossiping in the village or farmers with their cattle, each painting narrates a story of the rural life. Phantom Galleries presents Dysfunctional by Andrew Agutos at 376 S. 1st St. “My canvases are windows into an ideal world imagined in my head. Architectural, geometric structures are surrounded and covered in patterns referencing pop art, abstract expressionism and graffiti. Remixed Warhol-camouflage, iconic cartoon imagery and colors from the fashion world are presented in a synthetic space much like the internet. Organic forms are layered with angular shapes, creating environments that are comfortable, chaotic, inviting and unknown.” Seeing Things Gallery: Dave Dave Dave featuring the photography of Dave Carnie, Dave Schubert and Dave Franklin Everyone knows someone named Dave. Most know two, three maybe, even four or five Daves. I know a lot of Daves. I know a painter Dave, a few musician Daves, one of my oldest friends is named Dave, and the guy who lives next door to me is named Dave too. One thing I’ve figured out is all Daves are not created equal. Some are cool and some outright suck. The Daves in the Dave, Dave, Dave show, however, are what I like to call extraordinary Daves. All three of these Daves are photographers. These days the word “photographer” is thrown around too easily, but these Daves are not just good photographers, but great photographers. These Daves are Dave Carnie, Dave Schubert, and Dave Franklin. If you don’t know these Daves, look them up and be ready to see some things you’ve never seen before—and maybe add some more Daves to your life. Anno Domini // the second coming of Art & Design presents Suicide­ a new series by Barron Storey. The legendary illustrator and fine artist, Barron Storey, returns to Anno Domini for his fifth solo exhibition with the gallery. Having lost several people close to him to suicide: mother, her brother, ex-wife, and close friend, Storey began asking others: “Did you know anyone who committed suicide?” So many did. Storey made drawings of each one in his journals….pages and pages of them. The resulting art works on canvas are poignant, beautifully expressed moments of deep despair and the struggle to understand “why?”. An illustrator, graphic novelist, fine artist and noted educator, Barron Storey has created award-winning artworks for the covers and pages of Time, National Geographic, Saturday Review, and The Sandman: Endless Nights, among many others including the cover of the classic novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding (1980 edition.) His artworks are held in the collections of the National Air and Space Museum, the American Museum of Natural History, and Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery. Storey resides in San Francisco, CA and is a professor at California College of the Arts and San Jose State University. Special music performances throughout the evening by Freya Seeburger (cello) & Giovanna Hutchison (soprano). For full schedule of exhibitions and locations, please visit: www.SouthFIRSTFRIDAYS.comor you can keep informed through the Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ArtWalkSJ

South First Friday Tonight!

The very first South First Friday of 2013 kicks off tonight, and it looks like there are several new participants in Downtown San Jose's premier art crawl. This is the first time I have even heard of the Seeing Things Gallery on 30 North Third St., same with the LGBTQ Youth Center. I also don't remember The Studio Rock Climbing Gym or Pagoda officially participating in the past. It should be a lot of fun, so come on down and check out some cool art at 21 venues Downtown! For more info click here.

New Feature Exhibits at KALEID Open February 1st

from Phantom Galleries by Cherri Lakey

Two new KALEID feature exhibitions help kick off the 8th year of the South FIRST FRIDAYS Art Walk!
Join us for opening receptions for KALEID artists Melanie Sharr, and Jeff Hemming, two talented painters each unique in their narrative and aesthetic style.


LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION by Jeff Hemming


Houses In My Dreams by Melanie Sharr

Opening Reception Friday, February 1st, 7-11pm
Free & open to the public


88 South Fourth Street (@ San Fernando)
San Jose, CA 95112
info@KALEIDGallery.com
408-947-1785
Gallery Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, noon -7pm
Free admission

Wednesday Wishlist: More Subzero-like Events in SoFA

Subzero yet again mesmerized thousands with tons of unique entertainment, food, and art... with often times 3 or 4 main attractions happening simultaneously. This week's wishlist is for more events like this in SoFA, which is uniquely suited for the arts in San Jose. We have Zer01 coming in September, but it would be great to see at least one other arts event of this scale each year in SoFA. I could totally see a Halloween costumed event in October or a Brazilian Carnival inspired event in February.

South FIRST FRIDAYS Art Walk April 6th

from Phantom Galleries by Cherri Lakey

Two new feature exhibitions open at KALEID Gallery this Friday, April 6th, 7pm!

Of War and Peace, The Truth Just Twists, It’s Curfew Gull Just Glides
a collection of paintings by André Hart



Selcouth
new work by Shannon Amidon


Artist's Reception 7-11pm
KALEID Gallery
88 South Fourth Street (@ San Fernando)

New exhibition opens at PHO69

Phantom Galleries presents A World of Colors and Whim by Florence de Bretagne at Pho69.
Artist's Reception 7-11pm
321 South First Street


New exhibits at MACLA, Anno Domini, WORKS, SLG ArtBoutiki, Art Ark Gallery and more! Visit the South FIRST FRIDAYS Art Walk web site for full lineup here.

South FIRST FRIDAYS Art Walk Today!

from Phantom Galleries by Cherri Lakey

The South FIRST FRIDAYS art walk is an eclectic evening of Arts & Culture in
downtown San Jose's SoFA district (and beyond!) every First Friday of the month

JOIN US for the next South FIRST FRIDAYS art walk on MAY 6th!
7pm ’til 11pm — ART WALK venues are free and open to the public


KALEID Gallery – 88 South Fourth St.

Artist’s Reception: RENASCI by Emonic
RENASCI is the Latin word meaning rebirth or to be renewed. The body of work presented will deal with concepts and subject material based on human energy for an upcoming illustrated book called CRETUM due later next year.
On view through May 27th



Artist’s Reception: The Strip by Katie C. Gutierrez
Intrigued with the notion of distilling a place as visually overwhelming as Las Vegas down into simplified points of bleeding light, Gutierrez encaustically collages her own photos with iconic vintage Vegas imagery to create her own brilliant yet hazy version of this place she loves to hate.
On view through May 27th


Phantom Galleries – art exhibits in vacant storefronts and alternative spaces

66 South First St: Connections by Lacey Bryant
Bryant is interested in the disconnect between humans and nature and sets out to examine and reconcile that divide. The subjects of these paintings interact with creatures, sharing messages, fruit, freedom. The relationships they share are on equal footing. However, as with much of her work there are things left a mystery. We don’t know what message was shared or what the recipient’s reaction will be. Some of the questions left are more tenebrous-is the fruit being offered or stolen? This lingering tension encourages a dialogue, and a way to look at ourselves through a different lens.



386 South First St: The Palette Knife Dance… paintings by Ruthy Gold
A series of paintings (acrylic on canvas using a pallet knife only) capturing the movement and flow of real life moments.


Caffé Trieste – 315 South First St.

Opening Reception: Barbarians and Beauties by Sandi Billingsley
A series of work inspired by the conflict Billingsley has felt and witnessed in some women: the desire to be a hard competitor in the workplace and the desire to be a gentle object of desire. On view through June 25th.
First Fridays are Opera Night! at Caffé Trieste with some of the Bay Area’s best opera singers performing your favorite arias and duets.


Good Karma Vegan Café – 37 South First St.

Opening Reception: Alviso Slough photography Josh Marcotte
A forgotten portal to the bay perched on the edge of the city, once crowded with steamboats and stagecoaches, Alviso sits eclipsed in the sun. Forgotten waterways and abandoned buildings litter a town swallowed up by San Jose annexation. “Alone, I wander the streets with a camera in my hand, in a place that is truly lost in San Jose.”


Pho69 – 321 South First St.

On View: Janice Kirkpatrick (nee MEYER) Visionary Reflections
Kirkpatrick’s work combines strong colors with unique inner visions of universal symbolism. Her paintings and drawings often reflect dream imagery, with a lyrical musical influence. The imagery and forms she creates depict a strong sense of intuitive knowing and a deeper understanding of the magic in the natural world. She is able to transmit this to us in color, energy and form to change us on a deep inner level. Even though she had her start in Africa, she is heavily influenced by many world cultures and spirituality. She has a special affinity for the Native American culture, India, Hawaii and long gone cultures such as Atlantis and Lemuria.
Pho69 also features live contemporary music on First Fridays. Come check out local bands performing favorite covers and original music.

All this plus new exhibits at Anno Domini, MACLA, Higher Fire Clayspace, SLG Artboutiki, Downtown Yoga Shala, METRO, the Art Ark and San Jose Jazz at Eulipia.
For full listing of events and information: please visit www.SouthFirstFridays.com or call 408-271-5155


Media Sponsor: Metro Newspapers
Enjoy FREE PEDICAB RIDES between art venues courtesy of South First Fridays and Eco City Cycles!


The South FIRST FRIDAYS art walk event is produced by Two Fish Design with additional support provided by the San Jose Downtown Association, the San Jose Redevelopment Agency and 1st ACT Silicon Valley.

PhotoSeries 0: Speed Art Crawl

Nothing like a night in Downtown San Jose. Josh and I went for the First Friday Art Crawl and in record time too.

I hadn’t been to one before so I brought along my camera to catch some of the crazyiness. Starting with a great view and dinner from the Knight Ridder building.

We caught a petty cab from KALIED all the way down to the SLG Gallery. Now, let me tell you a petty cab is the way to go. It’s like a mini-adventure. Here we are speeding down the street.

Mike White, show below, the author of Amity Blamity was at SLG working away. He was giving out personal sketches and papercrafts. Had a quick chat with him and it turns out he was heading up to WonderCon on Saturday too.

On our way out, Josh bumped into fans of the blog, Vanessa and Jared. Maybe we should have tweeted about each place we were heading to so we could meet up with more people. A tweet mob.

After hitting up a few more places we discovered…a KOALA~! Well it’s more of a koala butt, but you get the picture. [ah, see what I did there? ;) ]

It was great night for a speed art crawl. It’s wonderful being able to see a diverse amount of art mediums. Now some of you are probably wondering, where are the photos of the art?! 3 parts to that. A. I wasn’t sure some of the artist would like me taking photos of their work. B. The studios might not like it. C. It’s FREAKING Art Crawl! You need to get out there connect, talk, hear and see the art and people (I left off taste, unless you want to lick the art which is probably a no-no). So show your support for these local artists.

On our way back to the car I noticed these strange alien mushroom plants. Such a nice color. For the rest of our Art Crawl photos you can check them out @ here on Facebook.

Now others of you might also be wondering, who’s entry is this? Well, it is I Alvin. I’m a photographer from true2lifepix.com, you can check us out on facebook.com/true2lifepix too. One night after dinner Josh and I both talked about wanting to do a series of documentary street photos about San Jose and so we finally got together for first the series, South First Friday Art Crawl. You’ll eventually start to see more sets on the site from us. Let us know what you think!