JOIN US for the next South FIRST FRIDAYS Art Walk on April 3rd from 7–11pm. RSVP

The South FIRST FRIDAYS art walk is a self-guided evening tour through galleries, museums, and independent creative businesses featuring eclectic art exhibitions and special performances.

NEW EXHIBITS…

• Anno Domini // the second coming of Art & Design – 366 South First St. map

  
  artwork by Michael Foley

  Anno Domini & Slave Labor Graphics present APE–POP

  The Alternative Press Expo returns to San Jose, CA for the first time in 15 years when the 2015 edition of the event opens its doors on October 3-4 in downtown San Jose.

  Founded in 1994 by SLG Publishing owner Dan Vado, The Alternative Press Expo (or APE as it is more commonly known) began life as a comics convention that spotlighted and celebrated independent publishers, cartoonists and creators. The spotlight widened soon after to include publishers of any size doing non-mainstream (superhero) comics. After the event moved to San Francisco, APE widened its scope yet again to include artists who were not necessarily producing comics.

  APE-POP is a series of Pop-Up shops, gallery events and happenings that kicks off at Anno Domini during the South FIRST FRIDAYS Art Walk on April 3rd, 7–11pm.

  We are honored that artists Mark Badger (Doctor Strange, Excalibur), Crab Scrambly (Everything Can Be Beaten, Your Skeleton is Showing), John Hageman Jr (Woodland Welfare Manifesto), Donny Foley, Michael Foley, and Jef Bambas (Model: A) will be showcasing their artwork along with having books and prints of their work on hand to sign.

• Higher Fire Clayspace & Gallery – 499 South Market St. map

  
  

  For April, Higher Fire Gallery is featuring fine ceramic vessels and sculpture by 15 artists, crafted specifically for Ikebana—the Japanese art of flower arrangement. All 15 artists were recently featured in a juried show at the 2015 Ikebana International show in San Francisco.

  Join us Friday, April 3rd at 7:30pm for a demonstration & discussion of Ikebana flower arrangement by Yu-Mei Chen, plus a reception for all featured artists.

  Featured artists include: Frank Arroyo, Barbara Brown, Trudi Burney, Cristina Chang, Yu-Mei Chen, Misako Kambe, Linda, Mau, Melinda Morishima, Yuki Nakanishi, Erik Nass, Nancy Niles, Henriette Ponte, Ken Takara, Gerry Tinder, and Chi Wong.

• KALEID gallery – 88 South Fourth St. map

  Artists’ Reception for two new featured exhibitions by KALEID Gallery resident artists: Shannon Amidon, and PeeMonster, with live music by ContainHer.

  
  

  “In the End We All Return to the Earth” new works by Shannon Amidon

  In her new series “In the end we all return to the earth,” Shannon Amidon delves further into encaustic painting, layering and collage, as she explores the process of healing; the persistent duality of life and death, and the mix of emotions elicited from experiencing the birth and death of loved ones in a brief span of time.

  Amidon crafts intimate environments that hold both a sense of strength and vulnerability. Fragments of beloved books, mementos and letters of late family members are paired with organic imagery derived from memories of both joy and anguish. Amidon reveals reflections on the past and hopes for the future; honoring and celebrating those who have left and those still new to the world.

  
  

  “Diary of a Broken Boy” new work by PeeMonster

  “Diary of a Broken Boy” focuses on the innocence of a dwindling boyhood, the journey of coming through in a backwards world, the sometimes destructive crutches that we hold as coping mechanisms, and the heightened level of awareness that youth develop toward an aging culture and stigmas. The exhibit incorporates bits and pieces of a writing I’ve done over the past several months–a diary in essence, of a young man who deeply deciphers the trauma of realizing the depths of his own self and self-consciousness, alone, confused by the hate and cruel natures of this world, and finding sanctuary and comfort within his own gift of abstract literacy.

  Based in California, I draw to communicate when I can’t find the words. My art is a means of processing everything within and without my own perception.. it is a translation of what I feel, think, see, from my heart to the outside world. I am inspired by everything, and choose to live my life surrounded by love. I like to feel the universe move from under my skin. ~PeeMonster

• MACLA Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana – 510 South First St. map

  
  Image credit: Dulce Pinzón, 15 Rubber Duckies (2011), C-print

  MACLA presents, the 17th “Latino Art Now! Exhibition” featuring over fifty works by contemporary Latino artists. Save the Date: 25th Anniversary Celebration & Art Auction May 16, 2015

  Work by Pilar Agüero-Esparza, Juana Alicia, Jose Maro Alvarado, Efren Alvarez, Remy Amezcua, Natalia Anciso, Jose Arenas, Carmen Argote, Victor Cartagena, Carolyn Castaño, Melanie Cervantes, Diana Contreras, Betty Davis, Yvonne Escalante, Marcos Gaitan, Crystal Galindo, Adriana Garcia, Nereida García Ferraz, Elizabeth Gómez, Gronk, Yolanda Guerra, Jaime Guerrero, Adler Guerrier, Wayne Healy, Ester Hernandez, Celia Herrera-Rodriguez, Lisa Iglesias, Janelle Iglesias, Francisco “Pancho” Jimenez, John Jota Leaños, Alexis Lobato, Fa! Luján Waisberg, Michael Menchaca, Gustavo Martinez, Hector Dio Mendoza, Gwen Mercado-Reyes, Antonio Nava Perez, Viviana Paredes, Miguel “Bounce” Perez, Dulce Pinzón, Poesia, Juan Carlos Quintana, Benito Rangel de Maria, Daniella A. Rascón, Tony de los Reyes, Patricia Rodriguez, Veronica Rojas, Roberto Romo, Santos Shelton, Pablo Soto Campoamor, Paul Valadez, Patssi Valdez, Linda Vallejo, Cristina Velázquez and more…

  
  

  Music performance by Nosotras, 8pm

  Nosotras, a music ensemble comprised of some of the Bay Area’s most talented women of all ages creates sophisticated performances that share the beauty and the wealth of Latin American music and dance.

• Seeing Things Gallery – 30 North Third St. map

  
  

  Artist’s reception: “BLOOD SWEAT TEAL” by Jason Adams

  Jason Adams has made a living out of his expertise with a stick. His precision movements can be seen in countless videos and photo shoots, which span two decades. His Campbell garage is filled with monuments to his craft. The scars of past accomplishments cover his body like the damage on a derby car that just won’t quit. Jason Adams is a professional skateboarder, and visual artist. He’s also a devoted Sharks fan.

  “I started getting into the Sharks about 8-9 years ago out of local pride,” Adams reveals about his fondness for the team, “I grew up Skateboarding in the streets of San Jose. I never had too much interest in team sports of any kind; but that all changed, when I found a huge interest and respect for the game of hockey and hockey players.”

  Being a world-recognized visual artist, it didn’t take Jason long to start transferring his admiration of his Sharks to his canvases. His style is primarily based on layers of handcut stencils that give the art a sense of urgency, and mettle that underlies the beauty of what immediately catches the eye. In his newest show, Adams has chosen to dedicate the entire body of work to his San Jose Sharks.

• ZERO1 Garage – 439 South First St. map

  
  Image Courtesy of Kyle Walker

  VIRAL VIDEO FEST

  What happens when you take the act of viewing a viral video out of the private space of your home or office? How does this normally solo experience translate in a public setting, surrounded by both friends and strangers? Come find out and experience a crowd-sourced collection of the Internet’s best viral videos.
  You might laugh. You might cry. You will definitely see some cat videos.

• Circle-A Skate Shop – 108 Paseo de San Antonio Walk map

  

  #GoingDumbUpThe101 A short photo essay of the Girl and Chocolate Skateboards Team Tour.
  Photo’s by Moses Kinnah and Patrick Johnson with art by Force129

• The Craftsman – 399 South First St. map

  
  

  Artist’s reception: “These Are Not Paintings” by Jessy Dunn

  I, Jessy Dunn, am a photographer from Manhattan, New York. I began this project while driving cross country as a sort of abstract travel-log. Using the camera’s settings along with my technical knowledge I produced these images going sixty to eighty miles an hour in the middle of the night.

• Downtown Yoga Shala – 450 South First St. map

  
  

  “Portraits of a Traveling Yogi” by Nadia Nasiri

  Downtown Yoga Shala is proud to present featured artist Nadia Nasiri, a promising young self-taught photographer and avid yoga practitioner. This series will feature both indoor and outdoor yoga self portraits taken with a tripod and timer or hand held remote during her travels internationally and abroad. Although this began as a personal hobby for her, Nadia’s intention with sharing her art is to inspire others to cultivate an appreciation for the natural world around us and invoke an interest in yoga and travel.

• TechShop San Jose – 300 South Second St. map

  

  Artist’s reception: “Tension Studies” by Robby Cuthbert

  Robby Cuthbert designs and builds tension-based furniture and sculptures. Combining wood and steel cables, every piece explores how tension and opposing forces can be applied to create a stable system without the use of glue or fasteners. In the exhibition “Tension Studies,” Robby will exhibit pieces that combine traditional woodworking methods with modern technologies to achieve unique results. Carefully engineered tables, shelves and lamps will all be on display, along with abstract “brainstorming” sculptures that serve as precursors to the more functional designs.

• Studio Climbing Gym – 396 South First St. map

  
  

  “Into the Mountains” by Michael R. Reynolds

  Michael R. Reynolds is a filmmaker and an award winning landscape and nature photographer based in Berkeley, California. He has spent extensive time hiking and climbing in the Sierra Nevada. His portfolios include images from the Southwest, the mountains of the western United States and the Pacific costal area. His fine art prints have been displayed in numerous exhibitions, galleries and are held in private collections. He is also passionate about creating time-lapse videos that feature the mountain environment.

• Third Space Fitness – 550 South first St. map

  

  “The Tracks Show” featuring artists: Carlos Rodriguez, Renee guilt, Helene Ehrlich, Magic Gil, Brandon, Steve, Eli Lippert, Max Dehart and Selah Peña

  An eclectic collection of artists brought together by The Tracks studio to express community, culture, diversity and the unification of San Jose artists.

CONTINUED EXHIBITS…

• Phantom Galleries at Pho69 – 321 South First St. map

  
  

  Phantom Galleries presents “False Color” by Mark Hannah at Pho69.

  Inspired by the color and spatial distortion of vintage film photography, False Color explores subjects from minimalist and architectural to land and seascapes rendering them not as they’re experienced but as they may be remembered. All works were created using vintage cameras, expired film, and infrared film.

• Phantom Galleries – 95 South Market St. map

  
  

  Phantom Galleries presents: A Journal in 3D – “Marrcord” I Remember by Gianfranco Paolozzi

  “What i remember of those small italian towns where i became what I am.” ~Gianfranco Paolozzi

• Works San Jose – 365 South Market St. map

  
  art by Maggie So

  “Don’t Draw That: répondez s’il vous plaît”

  Exhibition continues with new digital submissions from around the world: Qatar to Chicago, Hyderabad to Portland. Local to international work in response to the murder of artists by terrorists in Paris, global attacks on freedom of expression, and the environment that fosters or fights aspects of these issues. The attacks and ensuing calls from many in reaction, including world leaders, for artists not to create provocative work on religion or other subjects that might offend—have spurred a wide range of responses from creative individuals and communities. Works has invited artists, cartoonists, designers, poets, etc., to submit work that responds to any aspect or point of view on these subjects: Do images incite hate and violence? Can images counter hate and violence? What should be the response of creative people to attacks on individuals or on freedom of expression itself? Are there other questions that should be posed?

• Art Ark Gallery – 1035 South Sixth St. map

  
  artwork: “Village” courtesy of the artist, Kristin Lindseth

  Closing reception: “Cross Pollination”

  An art exhibition featuring the work of Art Faculty and Instructional Technicians working in the Visual Art Departments of Silicon Valley’s six community colleges: Evergreen Community College, San Jose City College, Mission College, West Valley College, Foothill College and De Anza College. Live music by Aaron Lehr.

  Participating Artists: Barbara Allie, Gary Barten, Michael Bashista, Cheryl Battiato, Judith Bell, Marcia Briggs, Ingrid Brook-Kothlow, Heidi Brueckner, Jason Challas, Kimberly Cook, Lee Crowley, Chris Cryer, Mark Engel, Mitra Fabian, Julia Feld, Michelle Gregor, Ron Guzman, Andrew Hedges, Jeremiah Jenkins, Kate Jordahl, Dave Kempken, Deborah Kennedy, Rachel Lazo, Kristin Lindseth, Lesley Louden, Mark Nobriga, Michael Pauker, Diane Pierce, George Rivera, Juliana Kang Robinson, Yori Seeger, Lynne Todaro, and Gary Tolome

  Live music by Sweeney Schragg

• Caffé Frascati – 315 South First St. map

  

  First Fridays is Caffe Frascati Opera Night presented by First Street Singers, with the Bay Area’s finest opera singers performing your very favorite classical arias and duets live in the cafe!

• Psycho Donuts – 288 South Second St. map

  
  Artwork by Valery Milovic

  Psycho Donuts in downtown San Jose is a quirky donut shop and art gallery. The gallery displays top local artists and has an ongoing exhibit featuring the work of Nicolas Caesar, Murphy Adams, Christine Benjamin, Michael Foley, Michael Borja, Valery Milovic, Carlos Villez, Eric Joyner, Laura Callin Bennett, John Hageman and John Cloud!

• Vyne Bystro – 110 Paseo de San Antonio Walk map

  

  “Grape Minds” – Wine Inspired Noggin Toppers from Chimeric Millinery

  Short synopsis of the show: Like a good glass of wine you don’t need a special occasion. Life is an occasion. Tuesday is an occasion. Good friends, good food, they are all an occasions worthy of celebration. Similarly, the hat MAKES the occasion, it doesn’t need to wait to be worn. These hats are inspired by wines of all kinds, wine terms and even wine regions. They are intended to be worn anywhere and in any way you wish, and when they are not topping your noggin, they can brighten up a bookcase, vanity or serve as center piece on a dining room table. Cheers!