Nick Coley painting returns to Canessa through December.

M-F 10-3
708 Montgomery
San Francisco CA 94111

San Francisco Art Heaven Painters
Canessa Gallery, 708 Montgomery

Oct. 30 - Nov. 26

Anonymous North Beach Artist - 2009
Termeh Yeghiazarian

Canessa Gallery
708 Montgomery Street
@ Washington & Columbus

October 4-25, 2009
11am - 3pm M-F

Reception
October 23, 5-8pm

October 24, 25
North Beach Art Walk

Or by appointment
www.termehart.com

A collection of mixed media portrait paintings by Termeh Yeghiazarian, recording admired peers who live and work in North Beach.

Artists have lived in North Beach since its early days. They are an integral part of the cultural fabric of the neighborhood.

Who are these artists? What do they do? How do they survive?

List of artwork:

1 - nick
2 - judy
3 - howard
4 - carol
5 - julie
6 - jane
7 - alex
8 - kim
9 - dominic
10 - susan
11 - candace
12 - danny
13 - barron

Artist statement

I use portrait painting as a genre to explore politics of representation. Who and what does a portrait really depict? How much of this depiction is about the observed, how much about the observer, and how much is influenced by the prevailing social/political and economical circumstances?

At the same time, I also appreciate the process as a purely painterly exploit.

Representation is an entirely subjective venture. As an Iranian/Armenian/American, a woman and an artist, I find myself subject to representation on a regular basis. After years of attempting to hack my way through seemingly never ending crop of stereotype and misrepresentation, I am beginning to resign to this fact.

And so, a portrait can be conceived as a mirror: the observer, whether it’s the artist or the viewer, will project in it his or her self. Yet, what remains after the fact is the true intrigue of a portrait, its mystery.

Termeh Yeghiazarian

Comment

Termeh, a San Francisco bay area artist works mainly in mixed media and conceptual art. Her body of work is a visual journey which explores the dichotomy of her cultural background as an Iranian/Armenian/American.

Through portraiture Termeh eliminates the conventional engagement with the subject and viewer. She depicts her portraits from behind or in profile. Her portrait creates a dialogue between identity and representation of her interlocking worlds. It creates a dialogue about diversity, beauty, individuality and anonymity.

In her recent series, Anonymous North Beach, she does a case study of the local artistic community in North Beach. Through each portrayal, Termeh tries to define the social context of the individual, the community and her connection to it all. It’s in searching and investigating of others that we find a connection and contrast in ourselves. -- Nerissa Hallim

A favorite Canessa Park post revisited...
Sometimes impressions from the past stay in the mind permanently, as do these in this article by Stephanie Young that mentions the unique room at Canessa Park, now five years later on its 43rd year as a gathering space for poets, artists, organizers and entrepreneurs.

Canessa Park was perfect because of the light. And the turquoise doors. And the brick. And the people in the wooden chairs ... and how washing my hands there feels communal and safe.

Do follow either link, as there is also a poem conveying the sense of place by Del Ray Cross, "I love you against the red bricks."

Phylum, below kingdom, above class, Canessa Gallery through July 2, 2009

Jason Trinidad, Semar Prom, Brendan Pattengale, Dori Latman, Ethan Jamison, Julia Haft-Candell, Michael Fairchild, Colby Claycomb and Jamie Barnes

See jaiv1 and phylumcollective.

Exhibition at Canessa through March 29, 2009

Toby Lurie
Synesthesia
Performance Painting

My original concept, Synesthesia, is a fusion of painting, poetry and music...
when language becomes music becomes art... all become one... seeing, feeling, singing... in joy

Synesthesia
Interlacing the various art disciplines, music, language, performance with painting, the mortar that binds all forms together

Dale E Moyer
Life Drawings with Attitude

Celebrating the human form created by the Creator... by allowing the viewer to celebrate the model's world, captured in a moment in time

Drawing with an attitude
Drawing from life is essential to helping the artist understand, convey shape and form, and spatial relationships. Drawing the human figure provides additional elements such as spirit, emotion, attitude, mood and character.

“RE: CANESSA GALLERY--ARTISTS! ESCAPE THIS TRAP!!! (financial district),” a recent craigslist post, discusses a problem the artist has with vanity galleries. Canessa Gallery Artist's Resource is a nonprofit public benefit corporation and is not organized for the private benefit of any person. It operates under several generous private donations that cover 75% of $4,000 monthly expenses. In the absence of more donations from our annual fundraising campaign or obtaining a grant of some kind for the exhibition program, artists contribute the remaining 25% either through maximum $1,000 commission on brisk sales or direct donation. The gallery has been running since 1966, a nonprofit since 1993, and remains one of San Francisco's best places to show, entirely free from commercial picking and choosing. Please call the gallery at 415-296-9029 if you have any concerns.