Life of Victoria Blyth Hill, Noted Art Conservator, Celebrated at LACMA

On Sunday, June 30, the life of noted art conservator Victoria Blyth Hill was celebrated on the terrace of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art where Hill had worked for 26 years, retiring in 2005 from her position as Director, Conservation Center. Victoria died on April 20, 2013. I knew Victoria socially through my…

Isabel Samaras on ArtPadSF, aka “Fun In The Sun”

  ArtPadSF, now in its third year, pulled in about 9,000 attendees who all seemed to realize the same thing: it’s a great place to spend a sunny afternoon.  Unlike the giant fairs where you’re locked inside a huge, windowless Thunderdome of art, ArtPadSF allows you as many mini-sanity breaks as you need while you…

Isabel Samaras on ArtMRKT: “More Art Than You Can Shake A Stick At!”

ArtMRKT moved to Fort Mason this year, into a vast space filled with 70 booths representing everything from blue chip to alternative and non-profit arts organizations.  Because they feature galleries from far and wide, once you’re inside the windowless, anonymous white enormity of the Festival Pavillion you could be anywhere in the world (it was…

ArtPadSF 2013 VIP Opening, SFMOMA SECA Benefit

I knew I would be having an artfully art-filled weekend at ArtPadSF when I saw that the exterior of Phoenix Hotel, decorate by Zio Ziegler of Wallspace. The VIP Preview on Thursday was a benefit for the upcoming San Francisco Museum of Modern Art SECA Art Award exhibition. SECA, Society for the Encouragement of Contemporary…

CARTWHEEL’s Guide to ArtPadSF May 16-19, 2013

For three days and four nights beginning the evening of May 16, a selection of contemporary California galleries will all be poolside in San Francisco, and they’ll be doing more than just kicking back and relaxing! Quite the opposite: At ArtPadSF, the art fair at ultra-hip Phoenix Hotel, the whole complex is abuzz as collectors,…

Pancakes and Booze: 100 Artists, Plus Bands, Visual Artists and All-You-Can-Eat-Pancakes!

Pancakes and Booze!  Booze and pancakes! What could be a better way to enjoy the world’s largest show of emerging artists–100 of them in 10,000 square foot building–than with free all-you-can-eat pancakes and washed down with pay-as-you-drink alcohol.  Oh and bands! Lots of bands! Two stages of bands!  And  body painting! Admission is $5 You…

James Haunt Solo Art Show at Handplant

We loved seeing James Haunt take top honors at Red Bull Curates: Canvas Cooler in March, and the artist hosts a solo art show at Handplant Skateshop in Laguna Beach on May 4, 2013. In addition to original artwork, attendees will see the launch of a summer apparel collection by the artist and music by…

ArtPadSF May 16-19

Now in its third year, ArtPadSF returns to the uber-hip Phoenix Hotel, located in San Francisco’s once notorious Tenderloin District, now home to a burgeoning blend of art galleries, restaurants and high tech businesses. ArtPadSF 2013 will host 40 galleries in the boutique hotel’s groovy rooms which surround the vintage kidney-shaped pool. The art fair focuses…

Collecting: It’s in the Cards

  I love collecting postcards of art, and often spend time in museum gift shops mulling over the options. Usually I buy duplicates, one for me to save, and extras to mail or use as gift cards in packages. Packaged postcards of exhibitions have been an increasingly popular item, and some sets of postcards, notably…

Gallerists Discuss Armory Arts Week

Amory Arts Week was a flurry of activity for collectors, artists, and of course gallerists, the majority of whom travel thousands of miles, coordinating the shipping of art works, setting up their booths, and then greeting myriads of visitors over the course of four days, before tearing it all down, and shipping it back. We…

Animal Style: A Conversation with JAW Cooper

  JAW Cooper doesn’t know this, but she often wakes me up. She gets me out of bed. You see, I have very troubled sleep and most mornings my eyes open before the alarm sounds. In those drowsy moments, when my body isn’t quite motivated to propel itself off the mattress yet, I end up…