Beautiful art abounds this weekend in the Mission.

***

There are people who can walk into a room and immediately magnetize it. They walk into a room and you know it. It's not a conscious thing they do, there's just something about them that captivates you.

I remember the first time I saw Soad. I just thought she effused some sort of magical qualities and I couldn't help wondering who she was.

I met her at Ney and Jennifer's tango studio for an artist's reception of Soad's tango-inspired paintings. At the end of the show, I introduced myself to her, and asked her if someday I might take her portrait for my new i live here:SF project. I tried to explain myself to her in a way that wouldn't make me sound like a crazy stalker, considering she had no idea who I was.

I'm glad to say that our photo shoot together, which is still one of my favorites, has also led to a wonderful and supportive friendship.

***

Soad is participating in the Open Studios weekend in the Mission. She's opened her gallery, her home and her heart to those who want to come and appreciate her art and meet other kindred spirits.

If you can, stop by and say hello. I'm sure you'll adore her just like I do, and discover a wonderful artistic talent, besides.

***

From her invitation:

StudioSoad SF Open Studios this weekend!

It has been said that art is a tryst,
for in the joy of it maker and beholder meet. ~Kojiro Tomita
I can't wait for us to meet... this weekend!

Saturday & Sunday, October 10th & 11th from 11am to 6pm
or by appointment
3560 24th Street, #5 (@ Guerrero, 3rd floor, no elevator), San Francisco - 4 blocks up from the 24th/Mission BART station

See you soon...
un abrazo,
Soad

http://www.studiosoad.com/
sign up to be on my email list: http://eepurl.com/dG8i

General Open Studios Info: http://artspan.org/

Backstage Pass

“So-called art restoration is at least as tricky as brain surgery. Most pictures expire under scalpel and sponge.” ~ Alexander Eliot

***

I honestly don't know how I'm going to be able to go back to work on Monday.

This Staycation has been so full of cool little adventures that I literally have not had time to process them all, let alone post them.

(Yes, this is a Sir Joshua Reynolds portrait.)

***

Behind this secret white door is the paintings conservation lab at the de Young Museum.

You might remember my friend T., who is an art conservator at the museum. Actually he works on paintings for most of the fine arts museums in the city. Last year he was kind enough to take me on a tour of the labs. Now it looks like we might collaborate on a project together, making a book about how paintings are conserved. A book for kids. We're both really excited about it.

So today I came back to the labs and spent half the day there, watching, observing and learning more and taking over 300 photos.


***

This is just a fraction of what I took pictures of. I'd add more but I've also been invited to a movie night with the art conservators. We're going to have chicken curry and watch Lust for Life, the Vincent van Gogh biopic starring Kirk Douglas. I think watching this movie with a bunch of art conservators will be pretty interesting and I bet there will be some fun commentary.

I won't be able to add much to the discussion, so I'm bringing the ice cream.

The last post I did about T. and the paintings, with some other great photos, is here.

For Gillian: At the National Gallery of Art

Hi Gillian. Yes, you were right.

From The Voyage of Life, by Thomas Cole.
This is The Voyage of Life Manhood, c. 1840.

I remember how gorgeous this series of paintings were. So large and vivid and dreamlike.

But this is the painting I went to see three times on three separate days of a very short Washington DC visit:

Woman Holding a Balance, by Johannes Vermeer
c. 1664

Seeing art like these paintings is an experience you never forget.

***

So, Gillian... Art before the crabcakes? Or eat first and get it out of the way?
Also, Legal Seafood has killer crab chowder. Yummm.

;-)

Peeking Behind the Canvas

For those of you who remember reading From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and wishing you could run away and live in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, this post will be a little taste of that fantasy.

Today, I got to go on a field trip of sorts (courtesy of The Boy), visiting a friend of ours at work, after hours.

Our friend is an art conservator for the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. He very kindly took us on a tour of his atelier, where he conserves paintings for the deYoung Museum and the Legion of Honor.

Our friend regularly works with centuries-old paintings, gently removing layers of yellowed lacquer, repairing torn canvases, and "in painting" areas where the paint has been completely removed.

These paintings, worth many millions, are restored to glory under the expert and gentle hands of our talented, patient friend.

His atelier is part artist retreat, part laboratory.


As much as I loved hearing the description of the restoration work before me, I couldn't help being fascinated by all of the materials and supplies.



Chemicals, pigments, palettes, all sorts of linens and mylars and solvents and tools, a Leica microscope, a heated vacuum table, an X-ray machine...all fascinating artifacts of this secret world that exists behind the museum's galleries.

I love getting glimpses of these hidden alternate worlds, learning about the different and fascinating things that people do all day.

More photos here.