SoMa Artists Studios voted the best artists collective

BEST ART COLLECTIVE:  SoMa Artists Studios 689 Bryant, SF

http://somaartiststudios.com/

A Whole Lot of New Stuff up

I've got several new posts up at Chez Namaste Nancy and the SF Examiner.com and it's not always the SAME stuff so take a few minutes and read what you may not have read already. I will be contributing on an infrequent basis to Venetian Red and will cross-post those essays to my own blog and the Examiner.

I'd like to remind the spanners who continually try to slip something in the comments section that comments are moderated and links in unknown languages or to porn/self-advertising sites will always be rejected.

http://cheznamastenancy.blogspot.com/

Views of Paris

If you cannot make it to the Legion or the De Young, try a free quick trip through the "Views of Paris" exhibition in the Concourse Gallery, 555 California Street, San Francisco. Paintings are from Le Trianon Fine Art, currated by Casey & Associates.

Toy Theater at MPD

"Toy Theaters, Worlds in Miniature"
Twenty-one rare toy theaters from around the world
at the Museum of Performance and Design
Veterans Building / 401 Van Ness Avenue / 4th floor
Open Wed - Sat, 12 - 5pm

I was lucky enough to get a private tour of this show with the curator, Bill Eddelman. His knowledge and enthusiasm for toy theater is infectious and I soon found myself imagining my own handmade dioramas. The assembled theaters, full of 2D actors and stage sets, tiny lights, toy furniture and paper moons, were mostly in glass cases - good thing because I had an irresistible urge to put my hands in them and start moving things around. Took me right back to childhood.

The theaters are from all over the world and the show is organized by country of origin. Mostly classical fairy tales and opera are represented, and they're mostly Victorian Era theaters (ranging from the 18th century to present.) Besides the constructed theaters, the walls are full of flat printed sheets of more paper-doll-like actors, backdrops and props.

For those of us who like to know what goes on behind the curtain, the construction and workings of the theaters can be seen from the sides. I was reminded of contemporary artists who have recently exhibited work with toy theaters - Sandow Birk and William Kentridge. And I couldn't help thinking that this is a art form that would appeal to the SteamPunk and Make crowds.

Actually, it appeals to me.

More photos at MPD's Flickr site.