This Week in SF - My First Pop-Up is at Maker & Moss

So excited (and busy) getting ready for this show and sale. It's the first time I'm displaying all of my art and goods. Now Cherry Pits Art has a fall/winter line - all with my figurative drawings and paintings in a gorgeous array of colors and patterns! 

Hot/Cold Pad - Filled with Cherry Pits

Join us at Maker & Moss, in the heart of Hayes Valley, San Francisco, on Saturday, 10/22, from 11am-6pm. I'll be there the whole time so if you are nearby stop in and say hello. 

My pop-up venue, Maker & Moss, is my friend Matt's lovely home goods shop. Matt and I met each other while we were working at the JCCSF, where we used to go for "inter-departmental walks". We continued our walks after we both left over two years ago. On a walk many months ago we decided to do this pop-up show, so here it is at last. 

This is a rare opportunity to see everything I've been making - in person. Check out my art fabric tote bags, throw pillows, silk scarves, tea towels, cocktail napkins, placemats, hot/cold pads (filled with cherry pits!), greeting cards, gift wrap, art pendant necklaces, fine art prints on paper, and monumental silk scrolls. And dresses too, made to order.

I've been making art and art merchandise like crazy and several folks have helped me tremendously - so here's a shout out. Huge thank you to my sewer buddies, Mary Allen (my neighbor), Connie Walker-Shaw and Eva Hernandez from SEW (West Portal/SF), and Rachel Myers from Home Decor Learning Center (Concord). Thanks, too, to Jack, Kat, Lyndee, Valerie, Rhiannon, and Matt for the all the different ways you've helped me get here.

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Gift Wrap

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Tote Bag

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Sofa Pillow

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Silk Scarf

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Silkscreen Print

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Tea Towel

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Color Block Silk Scroll - Series

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Shift Dress

A Visit to SF Galleries

On a rare hot and sunny day we went gallery hopping in San Francisco's up and coming art neighborhood, Dog Patch. We meandered around an uncharacteristically uncrowded Minnesota Street Project  where we saw this great exhibit by Sidney Russell: New Work, at Rena Bransten. WOW. Totally relate to these iconic, large-scale, sewn clothes. Very "Alice".

We also enjoyed the beautiful Hosfelt Gallery (see wall detail below)...and their 20th Anniversary Exhibit.

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Inside Hosfelt Gallery the walls are artfully left as found in certain places...

And we visited two more great galleries, Catherine Clark Gallery and Brian Gross Fine Art where we discussed and the super-cool work of Roy De Forest on display. All in all it was an excellent art afternoon with friends and family.

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Me surrounded by BIG dresses.

Making Bags and Pendants Now Too!

Textile Wearables

Carry-All Bags (hand-sewn locally and made from digitally printed fabric from my original art). My textile products make a bold statement that reflects confidence – close to a campaign – for pride in the female form, close to flaunting female nudity. It says “be fearless”.  Sometimes subtle, buried in pattern, other times large, dramatic, and bold graphic identifiable figures, my textiles make an assertive expression.

I create my textile patterns digitally from my original model drawings, also created digitally. I scale and adjust the artwork, depending on the end-use and particular fabric. This fabric is 100% linen-cotton canvas. These bags  are lined with 100% cotton.

I draw my product prototype designs by hand. Once I get my digitally printed fabric, I wash it, iron it, and turn it into my product prototype and often I invent as I go. Most of my products are made locally in San Francisco, CA and are printed in the USA.

In early 2015 I started learning to sew in order to repair or remake a huge amount of knitwear that my cat, Nigel, had chewed up. I brought garbage bags full of sweaters and scarves to a nearby sewing studio (SEW) where I transformed the unwearable into art clothing. I now have great knitwear/artwear from this era! Once comfortable sewing, and later that same year, I transitioned into creating my own fabric and clothing which is designed to spotlight my figurative artwork. My art fabric (and paper goods) feature a single work of art - large, colorful female nude drawings, paintings, and photo collages, made into a repeat pattern.

I’ve been drawing short poses with live models for many years and I am prolific. This means that I have an enormous supply of potential art to use. I have to edit and select what work to feature - very carefully - and there’s always trial and error involved. The textiles I create come from my weekly model drawing sessions at The Box Factory. Since 2013 I’ve been drawing on my iPad with a stylus. In 2015 I started Cherry Pits Art, my personal brand.

Two-Sided Picture Frame Art Charm Necklaces

I’m crazy about being able to wear my artwork and it’s so exciting to see it scaled to different sizes. This is the smallest version available of my original art prints, framed, and ready to wear. I’ve selected two pieces of my artwork for each necklace. Each pairing reflects a powerful symbiosis of my works of art.

The art is printed on thick stock, glued back-to-back, and trimmed to fit inside the glass and metal frame charm. (Note that it’s best not to try to remove it or even open the little door handle.) The necklace ball-chains are 15” long plus 2” for the charm. They are available in two metal tones: dark copper and bright silver. Hand assembled. Artwork is printed in the USA. © 2016 srkirshenbaum

In SF? Stop by! These cool art fabric bags and 2-sided art pendant necklaces will be available for sale at my Maker and Moss (www.makerandmoss.com) Pop-Up Art Show and Sale in Hayes Valley on Saturday, October 22 from 11am-6pm. They are now available in our online shop.

Cherry Pits Art Cards Are In!

This is a limited edition set of 4 x 6 inch blank greeting cards. This selection of five images represents some of my favorite works, which I’m currently featuring in several mediums – large prints on silk, fine art paper prints, soft sculpture, and textiles. I’m making cards now because I’ve always loved paper and ephemera. I save and collect cards, postcards, and stamps. I even met my husband while working at a renowned postcard shop in San Francisco’s North Beach. I still live in San Francisco (and we're still married). Each 5-pack of cards comes with a set of brown craft envelopes.

These cards and more will be available for sale at my Pop-Up Art Show at Maker and Moss on October 22 in Hayes Valley and also at my Open Studio at The Laundry on 26th and Mission Streets on November 5 and 6. Stop by either or both between 11 am - 6pm. These cards are available to order online HERE. Hand-signed. Printed in the USA. © 2016 SRKirshenbaum

5-Pack of Art Cards with Envelopes

Red, White, and Blue Series - It's in the Air

Wanting to bring attention to the election during my ArtSpan SF Open Studios scheduled the weekend before the election - oh my! I wasn't thinking about that when I registered for November 5-6. Oh well, I hope we are not all too distracted! I'm sure engaged in this campaign.

Here's a little series of drawings in the appropriate color scheme. 

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"Draping" ©2016 Susan R. Kirshenbaum

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"Looking at You" ©2016 Susan R. Kirshenbaum

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"Leaning Back" ©2016 Susan R. Kirshenbaum

Silkscreen Intensive Workshop at Kala

This past weekend I participated in an intensive workshop to re-learn the silkscreen process and familiarize myself with Kala in Berkeley, which is an excellent printmaking facility! Plus, a great teacher and a small class comprised of friendly, talented artists.

It was a lot of work - messy, sweaty, and a lot of ink under my nails, but now I have a complete edition of 13 silkscreen prints on heavy fine art paper to share with the world. Very satisfying. Here they are laid out on the drying rack in the print studio. My original drawing is on the home page. I simplified the artwork and made it into a two-color print (ballet pink and rich black). The prints are 15 inches wide x 11 inches high.

View of Kala's printmaking studio

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My silkscreen print edition on the drying rack at Kala.