Open Studios, 2009, bronzes by Sean Poreda, intaglio collages by Charles Stinson

Did you make it to Suite 300 @ 1890 Bryant Street Studios?
Thanks if you visited!

Didn’t make it?  Here’s a brief summary:  Artists throughout the building opened their studios for visitors who came to enjoy new art and learn how it was created, which is always a wonderful opportunity.

Visitor at Open Studios 2009

As always, the Friday evening reception had a great throng of art lovers. Saturday and Sunday were unusually busy:  Word got around this studio building is not to be missed:  (see SF Chronicle.)

Open Studios, 2009 (bronze, by Sean Poreda; intaglio collages by Charles Stinson)

If you follow my art, you know I work in multiple media and show a variety of pieces.  But for this Open Studios I focused almost exclusively on new intaglio collages. Why?

Well, I wanted to focus on this new body of work and I wanted to make space for presentation of bronzes by my studio mate and friend  Sean Poreda, who debuted a number of his wonderful “City” and “Morph” bronzes.   His art is thought-provoking, beautiful, and meticulously crafted; don’t miss it!

If you didn’t get to visit and learn about my intaglio collages, here’s a brief explanation about my most recent works (several people told me the images in my emailed invitation simply didn’t do them justice).

Exhibit at Open Studios 2009

For a number of years I have made limited edition prints (primarily copper-plate etchings).  In producing the editions, I often end up with a small number of leftover prints.

Rather than destroy these, I began cutting them into interesting shapes and assembling the pieces into fanciful collages.

Photo courtesy of John Carr 2009

This process has been fascinating for me, and based on visitors’ comments, the images might be love children of Edward Gorey, Monty Python, Hieronymous Bosch, Pablo Picasso and Aubrey Beardsley.  What stories those names elicit!

Sean and I had a great time designing the ‘gallery mode’ of the studio, and are now shifting back into ‘production mode’.  We are on to next steps in artistic exploration in Art&Idea Suite 300.  Come visit us someday soon.  Call to arrange a visit …  or sign in and I’ll invite you to the next show.

Meanwhile, check out photos of latest works.

Visitor at Open Studios 2009