NYC in September

September 26, 2024 Susan R. Kirshenbaum

Alisha, Erica, Rhiannon, Rell, and me

FALL ART SEASON

Tis the season…swinging from sleepy, hot summertime into an exuberant autumn, NYC wakes up and shows off. Back in NYC! What a feast! Full of fairs and friends…with tons of walking and snacking – bagels, smoked fish, pizza, diner food, deli, and a couple of truly elegant restaurants. So much people watching and seeing art. So much, too much, running up and down stairs to catch trains or catch a performer on the move at a show (Life and Trust).

We made it back to The City after canceling our June trip due to kitty health issues. That’s another story. Speaking of stories, I am writing today, on my birthday, very low key, because I feel like I’ve celebrated a ton already, and I will continue to celebrate during my upcoming adventures in Spain and London next month.

Tonight I am doing something I can’t quite imagine, so I have to try it. I’m attending “Draw and Guffaw” at Gallery-O-Rama, where 5 pieces of my work are currently featured in their figure show.

WALKING AROUND THE CITY

We visited Art on Paper, The Armory, CLIO, and Spring Break. We looked around MOMA (and dined there), Neue Gallery, and Fotografiska.

We walked The Highline and attended the launch of a brand new art space, The Williamsburg Biannual. We tramped around the Lower East Side galleries, and shopped in the West Village and SOHO.

As usual, I tried to gauge what is trending at these galleries and art fairs. Happily, there was a surprising amount of figurative work. There’s still plenty of: fabric, stitchery, sparkles, gold leaf, plus cut, collaged, and constructed paper. I was looking for and found many beautiful boxed sets of prints and altered book art. Participatory video and photography (selfies encouraged) were there in abundance. My favorite is still the Art on Paper fair, but the other shows surprised me with lots of wonderful work. I keep an eye out for art that I simply like, would consider buying, or would curate into a show…we played the game of “if you had a budget of xx, what would you buy/collect?”

We hung out with cousins, old friends from NYC in the 80s, were hosted by more old friends from our travels, and newer friends who joined us for the fairs – from SF and Pittsburgh, including The Invisibility Collective.

STREET PHOTOGRAPHY: FOTOGRAFISKA

FOR CONSIDERATION: FIGURATIVE WORKS

THINGS I LIKED THE LOOK OF

CATCH A BREATH BETWEEN

We returned last Thursday night, in time for my Art Explosion Open Studios, which started on Friday night, allowing a very short time to be with both of our cats, who have been unwell. On Saturday night, after the vet explained the situation, we had to put down our older cat (just 16), Reginald, due to sudden-seeming ravaging cancer.

Meanwhile, it was my Open Studios, and I spent time there as planned. But it all just felt pointless.

This week my artworld is gearing up (again) for Artspan Open Studios and last night was ArtLaunch. We’ll get through this, including our younger cat Nigel, who is sorely missing his lifelong buddy.

Maybe that’s why I am home writing my blog, surrounded by so many flowers, instead of out and about on my birthday.

That said, this morning I went to the annual Flower Piano event held in the SF Botanical Garden, followed by breakfast at Art’s, an old school Korean joint in the Inner Sunset.

Yesterday I popped out briefly to watch the ceremony at SFPL in the Civic Center, a dedication of a piece of public art by Lava Thomas, a large sculpture of Maya Angelou. Our friend and Invisibility Collective colleague Mary Graham also worked on this important project. There’s a photo below.

Now I have to gear up for our next trip, which is soon. No complaints! We’ll visit friends in Mallorca, Girona, and London, with a side trip to Valencia.

I’ll be back in time for SF’s Day of the Dead Altar Celebration, where I’ll build an altar with Rhiannon. Last year we honored our fathers who’d passed. Maybe this year, at least for me, I’ll pay a tribute to my cats. After all, it’s the year for childless cat people.

REMINDER TO PLEASE VOTE!

DON’T MISS THESE UPCOMING EVENTS

Show Stopper, 2358 MKT Gallery (Castro) | Closing 9/29 - I have a piece, The Birds, in this curated group show. It’s my first time showing at this gallery.

Unbound Figures: Human Vessels, Gallery-O-Rama | Closing Reception: Oct 6, 4-6pm | 1920 Polk St, SF - I have 4 large pieces hanging from the ceiling from my Banderas series, and one piece, Bed of Roses, on the wall, which is the same work used in the gallery's promo piece! This is an exciting new gallery.

SFOS Open Studios, Sept 28-29, 11-5pm | Art Explosion, 744 Alabama St, #209, SF | Artspan Exhibition at SOMARTS - During SFOS my studio will be open both Saturday and Sunday. It's packed with luscious art and a fresh batch of small items including my RedBubble merchandise. Don’t miss more of my art installed on the hall walls. I'll be giving Procreate demos, and serving up sweets and bubbly.

Root Division Benefit Auction & Exhibition | Auction: October 24, 2024 | Root Division, 1131 Mission St, San Francisco, CA - I have a piece, Stone Fruit, in Root Division's Annual Benefit Auction Exhibition! Come see the show when it's up from Oct 8-24 and support Root Division by bidding in the auction on the 24th! More info here.

Giving Flowers, ACCI Reception Oct 5, 4-6, Live Music Oct 19, 4-6, Through Nov 10 - I have a piece, Tapestry, in this juried group show in Berkeley. It’s my first time showing at this gallery.

Festival of Altars, Potrero Del Sol Park, Sat, Nov 2, 10-11pm - The invisibility Collective will create a beautiful altar again this year and I will be there all day.

NEW WORK

My Women and Nature series continues, but every now and then a man appears…or a different shape like a circle.

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Signing off for a couple of months (back 10/27/24)!

Susan

xox

Order my print on demand custom art merchandise: Srkirshenbaum.redbubble.com