"Burst", Art by Ange McLane

Art Opening Karaoke Party Friday August 26th, 6 to 9pm

Show runs through September 17Th, 2016

noun

an instance of breaking or splitting as a result of internal pressure or puncturing; an explosion

inspiration: Magic Realism

baseline: the mundane

uniting factor: explosive color

Ange McLane

Born in Mexico City to a Mexican mother and an American father, Ange spent her early adulthood in Texas, and relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2006. She started photographing a myriad of subjects when she was eight years old, and has been painting, drawing, and writing poetry and short stories ever since. Ange studied Liberal Arts at the University of Saint Thomas, Human Resources Management at Rice University, Fine Art Photography at the MFAH Glassell School of Art, and Digital Photo-Montage as well as Experimental Film at the San Francisco Art Institute. She has participated in multiple photo exhibits, and directed short film projects. Ange is currently collaborating with Dimitri Moore in multiple short film projects and a web docuseries. Ange’s mission in life is to remain incorrigibly curious and never stop expanding her knowledge base, to encourage and inspire others to be the best version of themselves, and to promote compassion, kindness, and understanding in order to create a better world. casiopeanin.tumblr.com, instagram.com/casiopeanin

ROAD SCORES

Sudhu Tewari and Carly Hoopes sculpture and photographs

sculpture and photographs

Artist Party Friday, Jan 8, 2016, 6 to 9pm

Show runs December 27th, through March 19th 2016

Sudhu Tewari and Carly Hoopes sculpture and photographs
ROAD SCORES is a project born from the love of collecting treasures found on the side of the road (and abandoned buildings, railroad tracks, freeway underpasses, etc.)

Inspired by the burnt out wreck of an RV found in the Trinity mountains, Tewari decided to create a series of sculptures from objects found in the wreckage after spending several hours watching Hoopes find interesting shots of the untouched remains.

Carly Hoopes is a Bay Area photographer who documents “naturally” occurring compositions as she finds them (without rearranging ANYTHING). You may find her gathering bits of visual treasure on the side of the road, near railroad tracks, freeway underpasses, alleyways, dumpsters, piles of garbage (to some), or going quietly into abandoned structures.

The subject matter of Hoopes’ work is often ephemeral. She composes her photographs in camera from the momentary arrangement of weathered waste, burnt remains, abandoned structures and objects with an awareness that anything and everything could be altered dramatically by the kick of a foot, steady wind, curious hand or work of a demolition crew. While not for everyone, Hoopes has a unique perspective on rust, detritus, and neglected place and matter.

Hoopes’ photographs are honest (sometimes uncomfortably direct) expressions of her empathy for and questions regarding life, death, truths, and the inaccessible horizon as nothing is clearly seen and always in flux.  cargocollective.com/carlyhoopes

Sudhu Tewari has been called a professional bricoleur, junkyard maven and young audio-gadgeteer. Sudhu builds electronic audio devices, electro-acoustic musical instruments, kinetic sculpture, interactive installations, wearable sound art, mechanical televisions, physical models of astrophysical phenomena, lamps, objet d’ art, and sound sculpture.

Highly educated at Mills College in electronic music, Tewari has been seen performing improvised music on the east and west coasts of the US, Europe, and Japan. In 2006 Sudhu was selected to be the Artist in Residence program at the Recology in San Francisco. Since then, Tewari's visual and interactive art has been exhibited at many galleries and museums in the Bay Area and a few in Europe.

Tewari is currently a PhD candidate at UC Santa Cruz in the Cultural Musicology program. Sudhu also teaches youth and adult classes at the Crucible in Oakland and has recently been working with young adults to create interactive, kinetic, and musical public art works.  sudhutewari.com

In the realm of human adornment Photography, jewelry and wearable art by Wendy McDermott & Susan Tuttle

Artist Party Saturday October 17th, 6 to 9pm, With Tom Lattanand on guitar

Show runs September 7th, through October 24th 2015

Two brilliant Jingletown artists explore the more feminine side of art, through multiple mediums.

Susan Tuttle

"My main passions consist of photography and designing and producing jewelry, both self taught. I’ve been photographing for more than 30 years. My captured images are as I saw them and are printed without any computer manipulation other than color correction. I also enjoy creating mixed media pieces, particularly in the form of shadow boxes. I strive to capture humor, depth, and emotion of the unusual as well as the familiar. I become easily immersed in the other world behind the lens. I attempt to challenge myself in capturing an image that may not be clear to myself or to others."

Wendy McDermott

This body of work seems to have evolved directly from and is attributable to my personal experiences as a wife and mother over the past twenty four years. It also encompasses the stories of countless others who have followed similar paths - partly chosen by them and partly chosen for them by traditional societal values and expectations.

The pieces shown here are emblematic of the outer trappings of femininity and fashion while offering content that is characteristic of the internal struggles of maternal existence.

My previous work was characteristically functional – as wearable art – objects of adornment – with more thought given to design and commerce than to emotional or intellectual content. This is in keeping with generations of women that produced functional art for themselves and to sell – utilizing ornament and pattern – to beautify as well as to record their culture, religion or history into objects that they used every day. This “women’s work” imbued with these archival qualities has historically been rich with political and personal significance. (And, sometimes, it is merely decorative).

While I continue to investigate the realm of human adornment, I have now arrived at a different perspective in the body of work being shown here. This work is related to and in some ways derivative of being a jeweler and in fact, employs many of the same techniques. It exists in the framework of functional, wearable art, but is not really practical. Thereby removing itself from the context of “craft” and into a gray area where the oft separated worlds of craft and art blend.

Though this work is intensely personal (speaking to my own experience), I like to think that it is also universal (and even slightly political), in that a wide audience of viewers can and do respond to it as reminiscent of their own life experiences.

The intent here is to fill a gap - to recognize and speak to and for those ensconced in a suburban home environment, rarely recognized for their contribution, save a yearly Mother’s Day Card. It is presented in an attempt to foster a greater awareness among those whose lives are distant from this world – the world of women/moms in suburbia - who are uncompensated for their eighteen hour days - child rearing, cooking, laundry, cleaning, chauffeuring, scheduling, fixing, organizing, supporting, nesting, ad nauseum. They are the hardest working, most selfless and dedicated people I know.

Tom Lattanand on guitar

Tom Lattanand is a multifaceted guitarist, composer, song writer, and producer who resides in Oakland. His dynamic, multilayered, and percussive solo guitar playing creates a sound much bigger than one might expect. His guitar compositions are both intricate and high energy, while drawing from a wide range of musical styles. A steady presence in the Bay Area music scene since 1998, he has collaborated with a long list of artists, while he currently performs in the groups Albino and leads the newly formed project Root Logic. tomlattanand.com,  https://www.youtube.com/user/tlattanand

The science of beauty Photography by Donovan Rittenbach Sculpture by Benjamin T. Smith

Artist Party Saturday March 14th, 6 to 9pm
Show runs February 23rd, through April 4th 2015

Two fearless artists explore the natural world through dreams, sacred geometry, magic and monsters.

Donovan Rittenbach, M.A. - Photographer
Donavan is a beekeeper, magician and amateur scientist. He will reveal the world of honeybees like you have never seen them before, through a microscope. His intimate portraits of these invaluable insect allies will fill you with awe and wonder. His photographic studies of flowers will reveal the mathematical secret of beauty found in flowers, that fills our lives in magical and mysterious ways  donovanrittenbach.com

Benjamin T. Smith - Sculptor



















Since the beginning I was pursued by monsters in my dreams. Until one night I stopped short and said, “If you’re going to run behind me, follow me, don’t chase me!” Since then they have been my subjects. 
   There’s the friendly monster story. Alternately, there is the horror of the momentum of our current trajectory.  My art is a static representation of hallucination. My favorite piece is a painting by Brueghel, the Blind Leading the Blind.  
   When you see a face in a grain of wood where is that coming from?
I’m sure we have all also seen other things that are even harder to explain. Anyway I do, everyday, in every little piece of junk around me. Incessantly, they call out to be saved. -Benjamin T. Smith   benjamintsmith.wordpress.com

Shock and awe

A group show…
Opening Party Saturday September 27th, 6 to 9pm

Show runs September 11th, through November 8th 2014

Shock and awe (technically known as rapid art dominance) is a military doctrine based on the use of overwhelming creative power, dominant artistic awareness and maneuvers.  Showcasing spectacular displays of artistic power to paralyze the enemy’s perception of art and destroy their will to fight to remain boring.

An eclectic group of artists, most of whom reside at the Historic Cotton Mill Studios in Oakland.

Artists include:

Charles Boyd- Watercolor Artist

Cheryll May Macintyre- Painter

Craig Riedel – Photographer

Darcy Vasudev – Henna Artist

Hannah Woebkenberg - Abstract Artist

Ian G. Fabre - Interdisciplinary Artist

J. B. Mackinnon – Champion of creativity

Jeff Ritter   - Alchemist, Mad man & Industrial furniture designer

Lucciana Caselli - Visual Artist

Marty McCorkle – Painter

Sam Breach- Fine Art Photographer

Susan Tuttle - Fine Art Photographer

Thomas Lindahl Robinson – Photography

Wendy McDermott – Painter

"Hot Chicks and Homeless Peeps"

The art of Ange McLane

Opening party Friday 4/27/12, 6 to 9pm

Featuring the music of Tyler Jakes
Show runs 4/16, through 5/26/12

 “Hot Chicks and Homeless Peeps,” takes risks with the borders of the acceptable and the risqué. 

Ange McLane 
Born in Mexico City to a Mexican mother and American father, Ange McLane grew up first below the border, and then above, in Texas—finally choosing to make her home in the Bay Area, in 2005. Her experience of the two cultures, and an early exposure to art-making, heavily influence her current photographic work.

Ange began carrying a camera with her daily at the age of 8, photographing her friends as well as her own installation art work, which was comprised at the time of doll nativity scenes and modeling clay cities.

In college, Ange pursued Advertising at the Universidad de la Comunicacion in Mexico City, Art History at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, TX, and Fine Art Photography at the Glassell School of Art in Houston. More recently, she studied Digital Photo-Montage and Experimental Film at the San Francisco Art Institute. 
“Hot Chicks and Homeless Peeps,” takes risks with the borders of the acceptable and the risqué.

Her subjects are not overtly sexy, nor overtly subjugated. They are complicit with the act of being photographed. She captures each one’s subtle essence, inviting their revelations, whether in flesh made visible through lingerie, or in personal message exposed via cardboard and marker.
She says, “I am interested in the sensuality of the image, the bold colors, not just in a visual way, but in a contextual way. I enjoy when an image brings together a balance in light and dark and bold color.”

Of her series of street photographs, Ange describes, “Seven years ago, while I was studying at the Glassell School of Art, I frequently ventured into downtown Houston—this was pre-gentrification—with my camera. I was meeting people that were living on the streets, talking to them. I would buy them beer or cigarettes and we would talk about their lives. I started to carry cardboard and markers with me. And I would invite them to share their real message with the world. This was way before the time of Facebook and smart phones, way before anyone was carrying a camera and posting their thoughts with apps.”

Regarding the juxtaposition of the two groups of subjects, Ange’s work invites the viewer to question assumptions. She says, “With the homeless, I wanted to portray that beauty and that fight. And when it comes to the girls, it’s not slutty — they’re just feminine.”

The collection of images in “Hot Chicks and Homeless People” bears witness to Ange’s natural affinity to bold colors, architectural composition, and edgy, thought-provoking themes.

Personas

“personas”

Photography by Lily Earl
Art that challenges us from within
Show runs June 5^th, through July 23^rd
Opening Party June 11^th, 6 to 9pm
With live music by Tom Lattanand & Danny Heines

Lily Earl was born in Danville, Illinois and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. Lily studied film and television production at Solano College. After several years working in radio broadcasting, Lily

returned to photography by completing an internship at Moya Photography gaining hands-on experience in all phases of studio and lab production. Lily Earl has also worked as a custom b/w fiber printer and picture framer. As an emerging artist, Lily has exhibited work in several group shows including: Project Artaud, Gamma B/W and the Academy of Art University Gallery, San Francisco.  

The series on exhibit is the Chrysalis for Gia 2010 Series: Integration*Transformation*Assimilation

“Nature, Love of Life and the interconnectedness of all things is what inspired me to create the Chrysalis for Gia Series. Insects camouflage themselves in nature integrating themselves into their environment. Life is transformed and assimilated just as I have been. I always liked butterflies when I was a little girl. Now with this series of images I feel the integration, transformation and assimilation of the beauty of nature within myself and hope that other little girls will mature and discover the beauty of nature.” - Lily Earl

Opening night music:

Tom Lattanand   
Known for his captivating guitar style and compositions, Tom Lattanand brings forth a sound that is bold and expressive. His solo guitar performances display a unique mastery of the instrument while moving audiences through beautifully subtle and high energy music.  tomlattanand.com 

Danny Heines

Long known for his virtuosity as a fingerstyle guitarist, Danny Heines has been a major force in pioneering the rhythmically propelled technique of "tapping" on acoustic guitar. His multi-layered compositions and uniquely percussive solo pieces are rooted in a strong melodic sense and performed with awe-inspiring articulation. dannyheines.com 

Art of the Cotton Mill Studios Paintings, sculpture, photography and mixed media by: Keiko Nelson, Bill Stoneham, Susan Tuttle and Elizabeth Tennant

Closing party 7/12
6-9pm


On display at the artist owned and operated FLOAT Gallery will be hand-picked, select group of Cotton Mill artists who live and work in the building: Keiko Nelson, internationally accomplished sculptor. Bill Stoneham, painter, sculptor and animator, Elizabeth Tennant, painter and Susan Tuttle photographer and mixed media artist.

Dreams and Distortions…… 

The series of visions currently showing at the Float Gallery at the Cotton Mill Studios is a swim through a dreamy underworld. Bill Stoneham’s tortured figures are emotions flayed raw upon the canvas, their crisp outlines and sharp textures inviting a meticulous examination. Elizabeth Tennant’s gentle monsters glow with the fever of a child’s imagination. Rising for breath, the viewer finds the gentle humor of Susan Tuttle’s photography, which captures daily life in striking clarity. The majestic and fluid forms of Keiko Nelson’s stone, bronze and water sculptures provide an anchor, giving a still point where the real meets the unreal. After an hour in the gallery, the viewer will feel as if she has been gone for days, moving in a sea of dreams.

About the Artists:

Keiko Nelson

Keiko Nelson is an international artist, who has exhibited her works and lectured about her art in the United States, Japan, Germany, Ecuador, Hong Kong, Egypt, Thai, China and Mexico. She was an artist in residence at the University of Chiapas in Mexico for the International Sculpture Symposium, and given a grant for a one –person exhibition by the Ministry of Culture in Egypt. She was given in the Artistic Achievement Award by the Pollock-Krasner Foundation in New York in 2002, among her interests range from sculpture through fine art, design and textiles. Her works feature the subtle flow of natural force. Her work has been described by the Curator Emeritus of the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco as “a unique fusion of the East and West, the retrospective and the progressive and delicate and the dynamic.” www.keikonelson.com


Bill Stoneham   

Bill Stoneham's professional art career began in 1972 at Feingarten Galleries in Beverly Hills, CA. Feingarten bought Stoneham's paintings for two years and hosted a one-man show that was reviewed with statements like "...at their best when at their weirdest" and "The best works here deserve the attention of collectors".  In 1992 Stoneham started working at ILM, sculpting in the creature shop, building feature film sets. When art went digital, Stoneham followed, mastering digital 3D modeling and cinematic production. During his career, Stoneham created inspiring digital and fine art for many entertainment companies including Lucas Arts Entertainment, Cyan Worlds, and Crystal Dynamics. Today Stoneham is painting and creating digital art and animations - all in surrealist style - exploring figurative and textural concepts influenced by the urban environment and the social/political forces at work in our world. www.stonehamstudios.com



Susan Tuttle


Susan Tuttle moved from the East Coast to San Francisco in 1978. She is the Director of Montclair Gallery in Oakland, which she founded in 2003 with East Bay glass artist Janet Thompson. Susan is a photographer and jewelry designer, and her jewelry designs are on permanent display at Montclair Gallery. She graduated from Ithaca College in 1976 with a B.A. in Liberal Arts and a minor degree in Art History. She studied graphic design at the Academy of Art College beginning in 1982 and was involved in the profession for 20 years. She participates in the annual East Bay Open Studios, San Francisco Open Studios, well as other juried and non-juried exhibits in the San Francisco/Bay Area. From 1999 until 2004, she was involved with San Francisco’s ArtSpan, proofreading the annual San Francisco Open Studios Guide. In addition, she is an associate director at San Francisco SOMA’s new GarageGallery, where she has also exhibited her photography and jewelry designs.



Elizabeth Tennant

Elizabeth Tennant is a native California artist with a BA in studio art. Working in oils exclusively, she is committed to magical realism and the craft of painting. Her lifelong interests in psychology and mythology give her a perverse, fantastical visual language that conveys deep emotion. Her works can be found in collections throughout California and on the East Coast. www.ElizabethTennant.com

Opening party music:

Daniel Berkman is a San Francisco-based multi-instrumentalist who has played with artists ranging from Essence to the San Francisco Ballet. Well known for his inspired West African kora playing, he will be flexing his electronic muscle as Colfax, releasing his debut electronic album later this year.

A Question of Belief A group show of paintings, photography and sculpture featuring, Cherie Raciti, Nina Glaser and Marianne Hale

 through 7/14/2007

"A Question of Belief" showcases three extraordinarily diverse artists, who express the power of belief through photography and sculpture. Writings in the sand. Uncommon views of beauty. Celebrations of an artist's unique view of the Buddha…

Discover for yourself which beliefs these artists reveal...

About the Artists

Cherie Raciti:

As Professor of Art at San Francisco State University, Cherie Raciti has won multiple awards over the years. Her work is included in many permanent collections including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.  Raciti will be presenting acrylic, mixed media paintings of simple shapes and patterns derived from both the sacred and the secular found in many cultures. Part of this work is her Buddha Head series, a 2 1/2 D take on traditional views of the Buddha figure that invite intimacy with the viewer.

Nina Glaser:

After 20 years of an amazing international photography career that included teaching at the Academy of Art University, and the publication of two monograms: "Outside of Time" and "Recomposed". Nina Glaser has completed the body of work she felt she was destined to do. Although she no longer creates art, she has graced us with a return showing of a few of her images for this show.  Glaser's work is both haunting and extraordinarily powerful, a personal favorite in the private collection of the FLOAT curator. Glaser has transferred her story telling and creativity to the Art of Hypnotherapy.

Marianne Hale:

Marianne Hale firmly believes in the power of positive change on a global level, and does everything in her power to send out this message.  Development Associate by day, an amateur photographer all her life, she is entering the gallery scene with an intention to share her message of nature revealed with as many people possible.  Strongly under the influence of fairy dust, she quite literally writes her messages of empowerment and belief in the sand, revealing what nature already knows.