Past show Index
“Material
Evidence”
Mixed media work of
Peter Boyer, and Master Plasma sculptor Ed Kirshner
Closing Party March 15th 2008, 6-9pm
Closing night will showcase a live performance
by Oakland reed
renegade Cornelius Boots


Enter a world were materials come alive in an inspiring array
of elements, both elegant and serene these masters of design transform materials
designed for constructing buildings, into creations that seem to take on a life
of their own.
Included in the display are the compellation plasma
jellyfish sculptures by Ed Kirshner and Bernd Weinmayer, a master flame worker from Austria. www.weinmayer.at
Peter Boyer
Boyer's art deals with physical and material elements. He
builds paintings by successive applications and deletions of various materials:
canvas, muslin, linen, paint, gesso, charcoal and graphite. His is a process of
working and reworking the surface by tearing off and reapplying his materials
until the work attains what he has described as "presence".
Peter Boyer was born in New York in 1948, moving to the West Coast
with his family in 1960. He studied art in California
and Oregon, receiving his BA from San Francisco State University
in 1977. He also studied architecture at The Southern California Institute of
Architecture. Boyer operated a small design/build business in the 1970's, which
acquainted him with the materials and techniques of building construction. Much
of this knowledge has been applied to the process he follows in creating his
mixed media works. www.peterboyer.com
Ed Kirshner
Artist statement:

Like Dr. Frankenstein in his lab, I hover over my glass and
gas plasma work, spending many hours mixing, balancing and fine-tuning. Still,
the plasma light behaves in a way that I can never completely control. I can
change or direct its behavior by varying the pressure and mix of gases, or the
frequency and the voltage of the power, but I can never fully predict the
detailed effects any of my actions will have. Though frustrating at times, this
unpredictability is at the very heart of my work. This is the personality, the
mystery, the life that I try to create in my sculpture.
Ed Kirshner of Oakland, California was born in New York City in 1940. He studied architecture and sculpture at Cornell University,
the University of California at Berkeley and the Oskar Kokoschka School
of Vision in Austria.
After thirty years of developing and
financing affordable housing, he returned to study art at the California College
of the Arts in Oakland as well as at Pilchuck
and Corning glass schools and Northlands
Creative Glass in Scotland. His glass and gas plasma sculptures have been
exhibited throughout the U.S.
as well as in Taiwan, Japan, Australia,
Austria, France and Turkey. His work, “Cone of Chaos”,
was a Corning Glass selection in 2000 and is included in Corning's recent book "25 Years of New
Glass Review." His piece,
"Java High," was a recent acquisition of the di Rosa Fine Arts
Preserve in Napa, California.
Ed has taught glass and gas plasma workshops in the U.S. as well as in Asia and Europe and is on the
faculty of The Crucible Fire Arts School in Oakland
and the Glass Furnace in Turkey. He is also a Trustee and the Treasurer of the
Museum of Neon Art (MONA) in Los
Angeles. www.aurorasculpture.com
Cornelius Boots
Closing night will showcase
a live performance by Oakland
reed renegade Cornelius Boots. A progressive rock composer, bass clarinet
performance specialist, wu wei woodwind instructor and Zen
flutist. Founder of Edmund Welles. Boots is currently undertaking more
large-scale, primordial, avant-orchestral compositions. Recent pieces include a
commission by Chamber Music America
and Yerba Buena Center
for the Arts.
The live performance
for Material Evidence will reflect the elements of earthiness, experimentalism,
and unpredictability found in the artwork. A primarily improvised ambient
set which will combine the usage of the robot bass clarinet—an amplified,
effected, mutated bass clarinet—and the sounds of the mendicant bamboo
flute-playingcharacter "Shunyata Wu-xi" (wizard of the void), utilizing
shakuhachi and staff flutes in addition to tape loops, and voice to create
minimalist industrial-new age and existential blues. www.corneliusboots.com, www.edmundwelles.com

ROBOTS ARE
ART
DIY Show
& Contest
Show runs through Jan 17th, 08

The robotic art was judged by Monty, from ANYBOTS the first humanoid robot of it's kind.
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KTVU Video Link
NOVOSCENE image link
Gallery Pics



12/15/07 Robots Are Art opening party showcased, Monty the first humanoid robot of its
kind, who judged the robotic art in this DIY Art show and contest. It was his first
open to the public appearance. A few Pleo’s (baby Camarasaurus) wandered through the crowd as critics. Pleoworld.com
Robots served beer,
painted paintings and even a disgruntled beggar robot will is on
display, so expect robotic diversity to be a cornerstone of this art
show.
A presentation on the history of robotics by Frank
Garvey was shown at 6pm, along with spin the robot raffle
prizes and free robotic magazines. ( The premier raffle prize will be a cool robot toy from Boss Robots & a visit to ANYBOTS to spend time with Dexter & Monty in thier own natural setting)
This
event will encompass a diverse group of robotic artists including mixed media,
painters and kinetic artists. The contest will be 100% violence free,
and will focus on form, function, and fun. Prizes will be given for categories
such as overall artistic esthetics, unusual functionality, robots as a
reflection of society, and incorporation of unusual objects to name a
few.
Judging the robotic art will be, Monty
the first humanoid robot of its kind along with Trevor Blackwell, Ph.D. Founder
and CEO of ANYBOTS and David Calkins, President
of the Robotics Society of America,
and founder of the international RoboGames. www.Anybots.com, http://robogames.net/index.php
Robotic Artists:
Cheryl Finfrock - Painter
Camp Peavy - Robotic artist
Mike Wilder - Robotic Artist
Willy Matsuno - Mixed Media (Prize Winner)
Max Chandler - Robotic Artist
Paul Gibson - Painter (Prize Winner)
Christoper Palmer ( CTP) - Robotic Artist (Prize Winner)
Mark Murry - Mixed Media (Prize Winner)
Scott Wiley - Painter
Liz Mamorskey - Mixed Media
James Lovekin - Mixed Media
Paul Baker - Kinetic Artist
Nemo Gould - Robotic Artist (Prize Winner)
Al Honig & Dr. Johnathan Foote - Robotic Artists
Mark Galt - Robotic Artist
Frank Garvey - Robotic Artist (Prize Winner)
This is a not to be missed show!
Spo
nsors:
Anything, Anytime, Anywhere
Boss Robots, Berkeley
The East Bay's independent weekly
Served by a Robot

New Era for Edutainment Robot

Covering the world of personal robots
East Bay Hispanic Newspaper
The Latest in Hobby, Science and Consumer Robotics
Inside bay Area.com
Pleo is now Live! 
Judges:
Monty the first humanoid robot of it’s kind will be
judging the robotic art along with the amazing Trevor Blackwell, Ph.D. Founder and CEO of ANYBOTS
David Calkins, President of
the Robotics Society of America, and founder of the international RoboGames.

About FLOAT :
FLOAT
is an urban art spa committed to providing an ever changing space that
showcases local artists, and provides an opportunity to unwind, float
and open-up the creative channels in all of us. Taking a different view
of what a spa should be, we are dedicated to the simple fact that every
float should be as unique and extraordinary, as the art.







“Exhibit 17: Attention to Detail”
Photographic Images by Jill Thomas and Lori Nunokawa
Opening Reception November 17, 6-9pm
Show runs through December 13th, 2007
Music by DJ Cue
“Attention to Detail” is a collection of work by two artists documenting the ever changing urban terrain.
Take a journey with photographers Jill Thomas and Lori Nunokawa into a
virtual reality of fictional communities. Enter solitary scenes of
metro spaces and larger than life color and texture.
About the artists:
Thomas is a collector in pursuit of the ordinary. She’s always on
the look out for discarded, abandoned or forgotten things.
Attracted by the color and repetitiveness of things on the street, in
the woods, on the beach or in her backyard Thomas gets down low to make
the miniature monumental. Her images combine with her background
in drawing and painting to create an abstract landscape of contrasting
colors, simple shapes and rich textures.
www.gigglingirl/Jill.com
Nunokawa cruises through life with a camera stuck to her eye, capturing
photographic images of her life in San Francisco. When she leaves the
city, she takes her camera along and photographs things of interest to
her in other surroundings. Other times she combines images and
makes special photos of places only she can imagine where the
inhabitants might just be tiny plastic facsimiles of human life.
The images of reality and fantasy are often blurred.
www.gigglingirl/Lori.com
About the music:
DJ Cue hails from Daly City and has been DJ’ing since 1986 and
Producing since 1991. His formats include Hip-Hop, Electro, Breakbeats,
and Experimental. He has released albums with many different labels and
on his own with more that 30 different releases to his credit.
More information on DJ Cue can be found at his website
www.djcue.com
Masks of Africa
An exhibit of African
masks and sculpture from the private collection of Horgan Edet, and Judah Dwyer.
With the photography by Craig Riedel.
Exhibit runs through November 15th, 2007

Collectors and entrepreneurs
Horgan Edet and Judah Dwyer have been collecting and showcasing African art and
artifacts for over 20 years. Nigerian born Edet has an eye for quality as he hand
selects, and negotiates the purchase of African art, both locally and abroad. On display will be a diverse selection of
masks and sculptures representing many regions of Africa.

Dryer is the educational
powerhouse of the team, by bringing awareness of African traditions to the local
San Francisco
community. Since 1997 Dryer has directed and trained the dancers for the
African Outlets award winning San Francisco Carnival contingent, for the annual
festival and celebration each May.
Capturing the spirit of
the Carnival contingent will be the hand processed black and white photography
of Craig Riedel, a San Francisco
based professional photographer.
Passing along more then just tradition, Edet and Dwyer, are the founding
members of Paths of Native Africa, a not-for-profit (501c3) that undertakes self-sustaining projects, education and
cultural exchange to help overcome hardships and improve the quality of life
for the African people.
www.pathsofnativeafrica.net
In 1989 Edet and Dwyer opened the African Outlet, an eclectic African store
located in the Hayes
Valley district of San
Francisco. The African Outlet is considered to have the finest selection of authentic
African goods in the San Francisco Bay Area, by the FLOAT curators. Stop by one
of their neighborhood BBQ’s for a one of a kind San Francisco experience. www.theafricanoutlet.net
++++++
EXPLORING THE UNDERGROUND
Appreciating African Spirituality
TUESDAY,
NOVEMBER 6TH, 2007 – 6:30 TO 8:00 PM
Please join the journey by attending this
free educational event:
RSVP to: 510.535.1702 info@TheFloatCenter.com
Inside Out
New works by painter Cheryl Finfrock, and plasma sculptor Michael Pargett
Opening Artist Reception, Sept 15th 6-9pm
Show runs through October 16th, 2007
"Inside Out" is the expression of dreams illuminated by an explosion of
color. Painter Cheryl Finfrock explores archetypes and dream mythology
through psychedelic animal imagery. Her work is a tantalizing escape
into the depths of dreams, populated by a highly entertaining and
sometimes disturbing array of bizarre creatures. Her powerful use of
color makes these images unforgettable.
Illuminating the show is the work of plasma sculptor Michael Pargett,
who is fascinated by the interactions between high voltage electricity
and noble gas mixtures. His glass and plasma sculptures are but one
reflection of that fascination. His work "Art Electrique" is a playful
combination of geometrically beautiful pieces with a pinch of Meet the
Jetsons.
Cheryl Finfrock
"Dreams inspire my work. Images ranging from public domain icons to archaic glyphs fascinate me.
With high voltage colors I search for a visual language of universal
archetypes. The creation and deconstruction of this language occurs
through the physical act of painting. In my recent work, color,
texture, and layering become the psychology of expression. Fauvism,
Expressionism, Abstract Expressionism, and Carl Jung influence me.
Specific influences are Edvard Munch, James Ensor, Georges Rouault,
Rainer Fetting, the COBRA painters and Jean-Michel Basquiat."
- Cheryl Finfrock
Cheryl Finfrock's paintings are highly recognized in national and
international collections and have been featured in several
publications and television programs, including CURVE magazine. Recent
exhibits include New York City, San Francisco, Berlin, Paris,
Copenhagen, Olmouc, and Sophia.
Finfrock a trained welder and sculptor, has found her forte in
painting. She is a favorite in the collection of the FLOAT owners, and
recently left the bay area to live in Austin Texas. Please join us for
her return in this, not to be missed event.
www.Cheryl Finfrock.com
Michael Pargett

Pargett enjoys the paradox between the high energy that creates the
illumination, and the slow, sensual movement of the gas mixtures that
can be achieved to present a visual experience that is as compelling as
it is hard to describe. His expressions are at times humorous and
at others inspired by a desire to honor the basic elements of the
gasses themselves. During the filling portion of the creative process,
he attempts to allow the gases themselves to express how they would
like to manifest within the glass. “They feel as though they have
something to say, if I only knew how to listen consistently” -
Michael Pargett
Pargett’s background is in Electrical Engineering, Construction,
and Electronics. He has worked in the Film Industry, in Commercial
Lighting Design, and in Medical Imaging Equipment Installations. He
also creates illuminated sculptures using standard neon tubing.
Starting in 1996, he learned neon tube bending from Ron Carlson, at the
University of California San Diego Crafts Center. He has also
volunteers at The Crucible in Oakland, using his electrical experience
to assist in the continuing installation of equipment.
Homeland Obscurity
Group Show of Paintings & Sculpture by Catherine Richardson & Will Tait
Show runs through September 13, 2007
Utilizing
different media, Catherine Richardson, painter, and Will Tait, sculptor
investigate the notion of sense of place and connection to home.
Resonances both artists share include a search for the deep seated
meaning of “home” and “land” which they share
with us through their process and their work. Nature and tangible space
plays an important role in both artists’ work as well.

Catherine Richardson:
Catherine
Richardson was born in, and grew up in, Yorkshire, North England, and
later, London. She made deep connections to the natural world at an
early age, as her play areas were the Dales and Moors. Walking is a
major pastime in the UK due to public access to land. She moved all
over the UK and in order to understand each place and Catherine would
walk everywhere, often getting lost, only to discover... new home.
Catherine
has a BFA in Metal sculpture and silversmithing from West Surrey
College of Art & Design (UK) and an MFA from JFKU (Berkeley) and
currently lives in Petaluma CA. While studying for her MFA at JFKU in
Berkeley, she allowed the connection to the natural world of her
childhood to become what her artwork was really about.
http://cjrich.com/
Catherine Richardson~In Her Own Words:
The artwork in this show is my investigation into location and its connections to
"home"
when the home of origin is in another country. I wonder what makes my
current place a home. The idea of home becomes obscure; dimmed by
relocation, commuting and
overly busy lives. What experiences and perceptions, of a locale, can be created to help
evolve
a sense of belonging when one is missing? In our ever-changing
environments, the natural world is a constant and provides a reference
of the real. Pieces in this show illustrate my walking the locale while
I deepen my levels of perception and awareness, unveiling the
obscurities of place until I understand my connection to it.
Exploring
the idea of “belonging” as one of the senses, I am curious
to know how it evolves; whether we live most of our lives in one region
or we take a nomadic trail, I am interested in what is it that gives us
a sense of belonging. What is a constant in an ever-changing landscape?
There are many layers of a locale to explore, just as there are levels
of responses when we are intent on realizing them through relationship
to place. I investigate these questions in each location that I
inhabit. I attempt to cultivate a sensual exchange with the natural
world utilizing the approach of phenomenology, a philosophical
discipline that describes ways the natural world makes itself evident
to our awareness. As I research this fluid region of direct experience
and the structures and sub-structures of place, my artwork defines a
personal connection separate from the purely objectified, mapped world,
and I come to understand more fully, a sense of “belonging”.
Catherine Richardson “Maps”, Drawings and Paintings:
The
“maps” and paintings are larger 2D format. They follow the
system of a map without being navigational tools, but rather a
collection of stories of my experiences in relation to place.
Will Tait:
Tait’s
first conscious memory of making artwork goes back to when he was six
years old. Fascinated by how the Old Masters created the illusion on a
two-dimensional surface of objects in space, as he grew up he drew what
was around him. For the most part Will drew flowers, leaves, trees,
weeds in fields, and other natural subjects. Later Tait studied for
several years at The Art Students League of New York in Manhattan.
In
addition to sculpture Will paints, draws, creates one of a kind
furniture, and also uses computers as a creative medium. Will
Tait’s work is in corporate collections, the Palace of the Legion
of Honor, several galleries and he has exhibited at the San Francisco
Museum of Modern Art artist’s gallery. http://willtait.com/
Will Tait~ Sculpture~ In His Own Words:
Inspiration
for my wood sculpture has always been gleaned from nature. Currently
(2007) I look to the physical manifestation of the interplay between
natural forces. These forces can be ephemeral like the shapes formed by
foam on the edge of waves interacting as they meet the sandy beach and,
at other times, a more solid manifestation, such as bark shaped by the
growth of a tree, or roots shaped as they grow by the resistance of
nearby soil and rocks. For me these manifestations exist in what I
think of as the space between the seen and the unseen. This constantly
fluctuating space, filled with dynamic energy in constant flux,
influences my process and my art profoundly. “My work is more
about beauty as I find it in the natural world than intellectual
concepts. I suppose at heart I am a romantic.,” - Will Tait
Burdened Dreams
Paintings and sculpture by Marty McCorkle and Victoria Skirpa
Opening Artist Reception July 21, 6-9pm
Show runs through 8/16/2007
Two self-taught artists, a
sculptor Victoria Skirpa and painter Marty McCorkle, display
distinctive figurative work that reflects compulsive artistic visions
that originate from narrowly self-imposed rules. Often transcending the
burden of obsession, the resultant works resonate with misshapened but
lyrical depictions of the organic and human form, challenging whether
these artists are trapped or liberated by their burdened dreams.
About the Artists
Marty McCorkle:
McCorkle’s
work blends oil painting and computer to deliver engaging, sometimes
startling figurative images. Using the computer like a blade, McCorkle
follows self-imposed rules to digitally cut up bodies into bands and
circles of color at the expense of subjects’ outline and volume.
McCorkle then paints from these computer screen images onto canvas,
amplifying suggestions of movement and of vision’s ephemeral
quality. McCorkle’s more dynamic paintings become experiential
snapshots while his more contemplative images stand as studies in
deconstruction.
http://martymccorkle.com/
Victoria Skirpa:

Skirpa’s glass-work
confronts and explores the tension in attraction and repulsion; the
grotesque is a point of inquiry. Her metalwork tends to evoke
futuristic universes. She often seeks a playful relationship with work,
evocative of feminine iconography and sexual innuendo. However, a
continual thread remains: the relationship of forms to living bodies -
animal, human, and insect. On display will be glass, metal and mixed
media sculpture and jewelery.
Skirpa’s self imposed
rules are evident in the dance between opposites, never resting on any
side, in constant opposition of each other. Opposites and opposition
fuels the energy of her work, dynamic tension, and continual movement,
sometimes exhausting and often exhilarating.
“Collapsing a piece into
only one possibility , seems never enough, as if cheating the work, of
a life it could have had” – Victoria Serpa
http://www.victoriaskirpa.com
A Question of Belief
A group show of paintings, photography and sculpture featuring,
Cherie Raciti, Nina Glaser and Marianne Hale
Show runs 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.
“Homage to the Ordinary”
A group show of collage, sculpture and photography
by Tauna Coulson and Tempe Sikora
A minimalist view of travel
Artists Tauna Coulson and
Tempe Sikora guide you through their personal discovery and celebration
of the beauty within the ordinary. Their artwork will be presented
through collage, sculpture, photography, and infused with the DJ music
of g Dub.
“Homage to the
Ordinary” is a collection of work from two artists, and friends,
whose approach to art attempts to capture the overlooked elements
around us, transforming fragments into a delicate, bold,
harmonious whole. Coulson and Sikora welcome you to explore their
personal, elemental, and sometimes whimsical perceptions of life.
About the artists:
Tauna Coulson
A graphic designer by
profession, Tauna Coulson is no stranger to visual intrigue. With her
extensive knowledge of grid theory, visual hierarchies and composition,
Coulson illuminates a sensitivity and feminine beauty unique to her
art. Between a discernible fascination with color and line, and a
3-dimensional aspect of her work, one finds it hard to define as merely
collage.
This exhibition, Coulson's
first public show, has previously been enjoyed only by friends and
family in her home. You're invited to view her many years of material
and inspiration.
www.coulsondesign.com
Tempe Sikora
“I’ve always been
drawn to nature, especially the variety and beauty in its minutiae. The
drive behind my work is a desire to capture the fleeting moment or
oft-overlooked element, so it can speak out directly and unfiltered to
more souls than just my own.
Perhaps my inclination to
focus on details and things closer-up comes from my natural
near-sightedness? Even once my vision was corrected, I still found
myself fascinated with isolating or zooming in sharply on an element,
to highlight its peaceful or energetic essence. But in a few recent
pieces I’ve intentionally countered that tendency by shooting out
of focus, playing against detail.” - Tempe Sikora
Originally from Connecticut,
Sikora has lived in San Francisco since 1996. Her passion for the
natural world is currently leading her career towards ecological
architecture and natural building.
www.rarestbloom.com
About the music:
DJ g Dub (Greg Weber) will be
unleashing some of his own new tracks the night of the opening. His
work is an eclectic blend of Latin, Afrobeat, Hip-Hop and Electronica
dance music.
A celebration of the work of QiRe Ching, with live music by Cornelius Boots
Opening Party 4/21/2007 6pm-9pm
Show Runs 4/16/2007 – 5/16/2007
“Dreaming
Nature” is a meditation on the spirit that inhabits life, nature,
and everything around us. This event will combine music, an industrial
setting, and natural images influenced by both East and West to evoke
that spiritual presence.
This
opening party FLOAT marks the beginning of our 2nd year. To show our
appreciation to both the artists and our customers, we will be raffling
off complementary floatation sessions during the event. In addition, we
will have food, drinks and live woodwind music by Cornelius Boots.
About the Artist:
QiRe
Ching juxtaposes images of animals, landscapes, tornadoes and
architectural elements in loosely defined settings. The horizontal and
vertical structure of the underlying composition conveys a sense of
stillness, solitude and reflection. The paintings are informed by these
troubled times, in which we find a great split between East and West.
The decorative motifs are influenced by Ching's interest in Persian
miniature paintings and medieval manuscript illuminations.
For
Ching these elements represent a time when opposing worlds exchanged
ideas and mutually influenced each other. He employs decorative
patterns not only as surface ornamentation, but also as a meditative
vehicle, by virtue of their repetitive elements and references to
nature. The paintings are partitioned into sections that function as
fragments of thought or experience, or rooms that one might wander
through. They refer to interior spaces, the world outside, and the
spirit by which both are animated.

QiRe
Ching has been a painter for thirty years. In 1989 he received an MFA
from the San Francisco Art Institute. During the height of the AIDS
epidemic, he worked closely with AIDS patients as a psychiatric social
worker. The deaths he experienced in his personal and professional life
led him to pursue images that could contain his pervading sense of
sadness and loss.
He
sought to bridge the distance between the waking world and that which
lay beyond. The veil that separated the two realities had become
permeable, their connection more fluid. Ching’s interest in the
divine essence that inhabits materiality led him to undergo Jungian
analytic training at the C.G. Jung Institute in San Francisco. He is
currently a Jungian analyst in private practice. More recently, the
arrival of a daughter has highlighted the relationship between spirit,
nature and the day to day permutations of ordinary life.
About the Music:
Oakland
woodwind specialist Cornelius Boots is a progressive rock composer,
bass clarinet musician, wu wei woodwind instructor and Zen flute
adept. He leads the world's only composing bass clarinet quartet,
Edmund Welles, for which he has composed and arranged over 60
pieces. His most recent work is "2012: A Requiem for Baktun 12
the 13th and Final Cycle", written for a featured performance at the
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts.
The
evening's performance will be spontaneously created specifically for
the Dreaming Nature exhibit. This is the premiere performance of
"Shunyata Wu-xi," the performing name of Boots' mendicant bamboo flute
set, meaning (wizard of the void). Shunyata Wu-xi utilizes shakuhachi
and staff flutes and also employs the occasional tape loop, Tibetan
singing bowl, and actual human voice. It prioritizes breath and
spontaneous creativity. Musical elements are drawn from Zen
meditation solo pieces, Japanese folk songs and pilgrim hymns, blues,
soundtrack music and Tibetan chant. The resulting sound can be
described as minimalist avant-new age or Buddhist blues.
www.corneliusboots.com
www.edmundwelles.com
Bad Intentions
Counterculture expressed though painting, music and film
Collaboration by Scott J. Taylor and Clayton Glinton
Opening Party
Saturday March 17th 2007, 6pm-9pm
Show runs 03/15/2007 through 04/15/2007
Bad Intentions is a collection
of the recent work of collaborative artists and student filmmakers
Scott J. Taylor and Clayton Glinton. Strongly influenced by graffiti,
blues, hip hop culture and media counterculture, the young artists
developed their recent work from a need to find a creative outlet in
between projects while in film school. Taylor and Glinton invite you to
experience their world of bad intentions through sound, video and the
daunting images of characters, challenging your view of reality.
Opening night DJ’s include: Scott Taylor (waxonwaxoff
productions), KODA (45 amp, urban drums), Doubleday (company truck)
they will be spinning funk, hip hop, and a little jungle, included in
the show will be two experimental films by Taylor:
THE NEW GODS - (black and white, silent) is about a man with a bug
problem. It explores opposites and repetition in composition. With an
Akira Ifukube track from King Kong vs. Godzilla. 1minute, 50 seconds.
A Wolf and Little Daughter - (Color) Adapted from a children's book my
3rd grade teacher used to read to us, "The People Could Fly: American
Black Folktales", By Virginia Hamilton. Think "Little Red Riding Hood,"
but without the BS. 3 minutes.
About the artists:
Scott J. Taylor
“I do not consider myself a GRAFFITI artist. I'm so much
more than that. I mean, yeah I've done some graffiti, but so what? A
lot of people do that. I also do not make BLACK ART. Yes, it is
true I am a big assed 210 pound Negro but I do not make Black
Art” - Scott J. Taylor
Music is Taylor’s primary inspiration for most of his work. He
has been drawing since he can remember. His father, also a graphic
artist, taught him a lot. Taylor has always had an interest in
cartoons, sex, and comic book illustration. He incorporates these
subjects sparingly throughout his pieces. He has always been an avid TV
casualty and comic book junkie, and it shows in his work. More recently
Taylor has been experimenting with multi-layer stencils over bold mixed
media backgrounds and with intense compositional framing.
Taylor has two kids, they're grrrrrrrreat--like frosted flakes. He
lives in East Oakland and attends school at The Academy of the Art
University.
Clayton Glinton
“I look at art as a way to satisfy the senses. I create art
for the enjoyment I get out of the process and for the sight of a
finished piece. I try to construct images filled with truth and
illusions that can resemble different images to different viewers
resulting in mixed views and interpretations. Using complex mazes
of color, lines and depth my paintings intend to take the mind on a
spiritual, psychedelic, sexual, and sometimes, dangerous journey.
With a long background in graffiti style competition and influence I
approach a canvas with an altered direction and self-satisfying
goal” - Clayton Glinton
Originally from Colorado, Glinton developed his interest in the arts at
a young age. He started with comic books and evolved into
painting characters and letters in the streets.
Art has helped
him explore things in this world once never thought
possible. Currently living and attending school in San
Francisco, the Bay Area has been a blessing and a wonderful source of
inspiration for his work.
Press:
M A R T I N W E B B
“P A S S E N G E R S”
Paintings,
drawings and mixed-media with sticks-and-mud, live music by Lucio
Menegon and Suki O'Kane
Opening Artist Reception
Saturday February 17th
2007, 6pm-9pm
Show runs 02/15/2007 through 03/15/2007

"I grew up in
England. Whilst
the other kids were playing cricket I was drawing pictures and making
things out of sticks and mud. In many ways little has
changed”
Martin Webb
Have
you ever flown over England? The entire country is a very beautiful
patch