Sunday, June 22, 2008

AutoEroticia at the FLOAT Gallery

AutoErotica

"It's All About The Car"

A Group show…

Phillip Hall - Digital light painted photography

Bill Silveira - Auto inspired assemblage sculpture

Laurel True - Asphalt Mosaics

Show runs 7/13 – 9/6/08

AutoErotica celebration party 8/09/08, 6-9pm

Let’s face it…. Big old beautiful cars are sexy!

The US, with its love for the car, is fighting the need to become fuel efficient, healthy and green. But no, we don’t want to drive a Twinkie! Huge American cars are in our blood and we aren't letting them go easily.

Each of these three Bay Area artists have their own unique take on the love of the car and travel. They honor our rapidly disappearing, uniquely American, decadent automotive past.

About the Artists:

-Philip Hall

PhilWhen it comes to capturing the fine art of automobiles, Hall understands that the beauty of light is in the details. For more than 30 years, Hall had looked at light from a different perspective. An award-winning lighting designer, photographer, filmmaker and lighting control specialist, it has always been his medium of expression.

Philip’s lighting projects include; televised visits by The Pope, the Queen of England, 4 Presidents of the United States, celebration of the Golden Gate Bridge, feature films, commercials and thousands of permanent lighting systems in the Bay Area, his favorite being the renovation of the San Francisco Opera House. His work is included in the private collection of Jay Leno.

Ever since Hall focused on the definitive detail in that 1953 Corvette, his subject has been the elements of the automobile. Artist statement: "What intrigues and stimulates me is how shadows detail life, enhancing or diminishing perceptions or emotional reactions to my artwork. Reality is defined in my work by revealing the mystery of an image -- its light and shadow -- through crystallizing or distorting pixels until the inherent beauty of an image is revealed." www.philhall.biz




-Bill Silveira

BillSlightly curmudgeonly, a bit on the eccentric side, with a maniacal enthusiasm for the automobile since his early youth, Bill Silveira enjoys making art out of discarded auto parts, rusty scrap metal, and other unique items that seem to find their way into his vast collection of interesting and eclectic junk. A business owner and resident of Oakland's Jingletown arts district since the early 1990's, Silveira likes to think of himself as "Sanford and Son-ish with a slightly twisted bent."

Owner of Automania, this semi-retired used car dealer is also well known in the film industry as the guy who can provide you with just about anything you need from classic cars to caskets for your photo shoot. Learn more about Silveira on Kim Larsen’s blog.

-Laurel True

LauralLaurel True is a Bay Area artist specializing mosaic, mixed media and public art.

She travels widely to teach and facilitate large- scale, community based projects and maintains artistic or residential bases in Oakland, New Orleans and in Ghana, West Africa. She lectures internationally and has been featured in many books and publications.

"In her new series of mosaic relief panels, artist Laurel True turns away from more traditional mosaic materials such as ceramic, glass and stone, instead creating her works from asphalt, concrete and other roadway detritus collected from her Oakland neighborhood.

True bases her works' designs on random and intentional road markings such as tar lines, cracks and skid marks made from sideshows and car spinouts. True's series is a visual and conceptual investigation of what beauty might be found in urban landscapes, exploring the ugliness, grit, solidity and underlying grace in both her materials and surroundings."

About FLOAT:

FLOAT, Floatation Center – Art Gallery is the only floatation center & art gallery in the San Francisco Bay Area, floatation therapy is a unique and powerful tool that allows you to shut out the world, and drift into the deepest possible level of physical and mental relaxation. FLOAT an urban art spa offers new, public exhibits of local artists to stimulate and challenge your senses.


FLOAT, Floatation Center – Art Gallery 1091 Calcot Place, Unit # 116 (located in a store front loft of the historic Cotton Mill Studios) Oakland, CA 94606

Media is welcome to "experience" a complementary float

For more information and high resolution images please contact: Allison Walton, 510.535.1702

info@thefloatcenter.com , www.thefloatcenter.com

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

East Bay Open Studios

Jingletown's participation in the East Bay Open Studios the weekends of June 7 and 8, and 14 and 15 was reported to be a huge success. Saundra Warrens of In Saundra's Garden ceramics/mosaics and Kim Larson from the 420 Gallery are said to have made record sales this year. There was a lot of foot traffic and art fans.

Institute of Mosaic Art had a community meeting to discuss changes that will be taking place in their future.

Other artists, vendors and pedestrians were out in full force making this event one of the best to date.

Way to go, Jingletown!