Save Our Historical Murals / Tonight at 6:00

The SFUSD board voted to paint over all of Victor Arnautoff’s murals—all 13 scenes, not just those objected to—at an estimated cost of $600,000. The vote was unanimous.

@solomamihood

We will attend the SFUSD's board of education meeting on tonight, at 6 o’clock, at 555 Franklin Street (between Fulton and McAllister). We want to strongly protest their proposal to whitewash or cover the magnificent Victor Arnautoff murals that now grace George Washington High School’s walls. As part of San Francisco's vibrant art community, we adamantly demand these murals be preserved and enhanced with lighting and signage so they remain a treasure for all to experience.

If you’re able to attend with us, please do.

Closed this weekend – Reopening for Jessica Dunne, Saturday, August 24

FOG will be closed next weekend, and will return for Jessica Dunne’s opening on Saturday the 24th, with the artist’s talk at 2 and a special musical offering by Elixr at 3. We are so pleased to be showing Jessica Dunne’s beautifully expressive works of the Sunset.

Million Dollar Babies oil on linen 40 x 60 in 2019 photo by Lee Fatherree

New Kid on the Block

We want to take this opportunity to welcome the new kid on the block - the New Fung Tai Framing & Gallery at 3028 Taraval. It is being run by the brother of Ming Chan’s partner, the former calligrapher who worked out of this shop for 20 years. We wish them much success, and we will be sending prospective framing customers to you.

In another neighborhood, Anne just took down her four-month display of 12 paintings at the Infinity Towers. Those paintings were seen by the residents, and one wrote “This is such great art. I love looking at each aspect in the paintings. You can truly connect with it.”

So come on down to FOG, catch the last two weeks of John Rampley’s marvelous show, look at ANNE’S works, and maybe hear a tune or three...cheers, Peter

ruth weiss reads

The great Beat poet and nonagenarian ruth weiss gave a poetry reading this afternoon at 2 pm. A longtime friend of John Rampley, ruth ventured from her home in Mendocino for this special event at FOG.

John Rampley and Friends

A great visit today with John’s friends. They are all artists and Wilson and Regina live and teach art in Samoa and are starting an art gallery there. They also have been commissioned by a London art museum for a show this spring.

Zeke, John, Wilson, Regina (and black & white pal)

John Rampley's Opening

and meanwhile, out back…

Hanging John Rampley's Show

Just finished hanging a great new show, John Rampley’s Metamorphic Patterns, an enticing array of his vivid paintings.

Anne and I returned from Europe on Monday after a 31-day swing through Amsterdam, Berlin, Paris, London, with a day trip to Brussels to visit the Rene Magritte Museum. Overall it was a great mind- and eye-opening journey, a reaffirmation of our real global inter-connectedness, and a much needed break after three and a half years of running FOG.

On a sadder note, Jeanie Bertrand, my singing partner and loyal Fog family member, fell in her house on the 10th of June, and broke a bone in her shoulder that needed an operation. She is in a physical rehab facility at present, and we all wish her a speedy recovery.

Celebrating and Remembering Lew Carson

Memorial Day is a day to commemorate and celebrate, so let us remember Lew Carson, a wonderful artist who showed here at FOG in January, 2018. He had a marvelous exhibition and we became good friends as well as avid fans of his art. He was the real deal, just brimming over with artistry and brilliant painting. We were looking forward to a new show, but sadly he passed away on December 24, 2018, from complications to his chemotherapy. He joins four other FOG artists who have died, but their shows and art live on, and will be remembered. Anne and I will be living with one of Lew’s beautiful pieces.

Untitled #44 46" x 36"

Sunshine on a Cloudy Day

On a rainy day, Lianna brings some sunshine into the gallery.

DeWitt Cheng's Opening

DeWitt pursued several different avenues – engineering, art history, painter – before finding his love of street photography about ten years ago. Wherever he goes, DeWitt has his camera to capture the moments of San Francisco’s nature, light and urban life.

photo by Rachel Meyer

He described his compositions as formalist. Half the photos in the exhibition are of clouds and skyscape at Ocean Beach, just five blocks from his apartment on Taraval Street.  The others are Sunset houses, condos under construction, and office towers in downtown San Francisco. DeWitt has been posting his photographs daily on his Facebook page for over a decade. Now they can be seen in a large format on the walls resembling painting.

Two more talents! photo by Cheryl Cooper

Charles, who printed DeWitt’s photos photo by Cheryl Cooper

assembling for the talk

Our fearless leader (left) and two faithful FOG friends.

Hanging DeWitt Cheng's Show

That’s Anne, and Jenny (of Sweet Passion Bakery and Le Trio fame).

MAY 4 - 26, 2019

Pedestrianism: Walkabout Photos by DeWitt Cheng

Opening: Saturday, May 4, 2019, 1 - 5 pm

Artist's Talk at 2 pm

Field Trip

Starr invited us to visit Oliver Ranch, a beautiful sculpture site up by Geyserville.

Oliver Ranch Installation — Roger Berry, “Darwin”, 1988-89 (Corten steel sculpture)

A touchstone and a portal

As we get set to open our fifth show of the year, along comes this email out of the blue. It has put big smiles on our faces. Thank goodness for the kindness of other artists. Let’s get some more folks “popping into” FOG.

Hello Anne,

It is somewhat ironic that I have never set foot in your gallery, because I find myself popping in to your space pretty regularly via the web.  I have lived in Michigan since 1978, but FOG has become a kind of touchstone for me, returning me to my native state.  I was born and reared in California –– attended SFAI and was one of San Francisco’s first licensed street artists (1972). 

So this is just a little note of thanks for being a portal to the stomping grounds of my youth.

I wish for your gallery a long life.  

Stephen

Stephen Duren, American Artist

Eggsquisite

This was at the FOG door when I arrived to open the gallery: an eggsquisite octopus etched egg. Mark D. Powers has been delivering Friday free art eggs to various sites in the city for ten years and FOG is one of the recipients.  A BIG THANKS to Mark for his most special gift. 

Going to the Dogs

Jeffrey Nemeroff's Opening (Vol. II)

Jeff began his talk by commenting that his last FOG exhibition was about his love of the ocean. This one is more about his love of the weather at the ocean. His recent work focuses more on clouds and sky at Ocean Beach. These paintings have more brush work than palette knife and the surface is not at dense as his previous works.

Standing room only.

Taking a break photo by Cheryl Cooper

Their Art Lives On

We are greatly saddened by the recent passing of Janet Norris, one of the wonderful artists who has shown at FOG. Three other FOG artists: Mamade Kadreebux (12/31/17), Richard Kamler(11/1/18) and Tom Akawie (1/18/19) have also passed. All four artists presented a deep and richly nuanced body of work that made Far Out Gallery proud. Their art lives on...    

Janet Norris photo by Mark Hubbell

Mamade Kadreebux

Richard Kamler

Tom Akawie

Happy 100th Birthday, Ferlinghetti

from your friends at FOG. We sang some songs, we read your poems, we cut your cake and drank to you.

photos by Peter Munk (above) and Cheryl Cooper (below)

Anne read “The Artist,” and Peter read from “Little Boy” and also recited “Baseball Canto.”  There was a great reading of “I Am Waiting.”

All in all–including the cake and Prosecco–it was a magical event. Enough so that we’ve decided to host a yearly LF celebration.

Ferlinghetti / San Francisco Chronicle

Book Release Party at City Lights

Ferlinghetti’s new book, Little Boy, was released on March 19, and the release party drew a big crowd.

photos by Starr Sutherland

Join us for our own celebration chez FOG from 4-6 on MAR. 24

Lawrence Ferlinghetti's 100th Birthday

The whole city is gearing up for LF’s 100th birthday just two weeks from today. Anne and I went to the opening of his painting and drawing exhibit at Rena Bransten’s gallery at Minnesota Street.

S. Francisco Acrylic on paper 36 x 74 1/2 in. 1993

If you happen to be in Paris, there will be two weeks of celebrations at Shakespeare and Company, City Lights’ sister book store. We’ll be having our own celebration chez FOG from 4-6 on the 24th.  Everyone is encouraged to read a favorite poem, with cake and prosecco to follow.  Calling all “Whitman’s wild children.”   

Come in and peruse some of Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s books of poems on our window shelf.  We would love to hear you pick out a favorite, and give it a good reading.  Anne’s got a beauty, and so do I.

Join us for our own celebration chez FOG from 4-6 on MAR. 24