Episode 57: Meryl Pataky

The newest episode of the podcast features, Meryl Pataky, a multi-disciplined artist known for her amazing neon pieces. Based here in the Bay Area, I visited Meryl in her studio to discuss her early beginnings as a mixed media artist, her neon practice and  She Bends, an organization she founded to create a more equitable future for neon. Finally, we also talked about the new exhibition curated by She Bends at the Contemporary Jewish Museum (CJM) in San Francisco titled First Light: Rituals of Glass and Neon Art. The exhibition features neon work by various artists including Meryl, that “explores mastery in craft as a devotional pursuit, presenting breathtaking artworks that connect both artists and viewers to spirituality, wonder, and universal questions of human existence.” The show is up at the CJM through April 28, 2024. Visit the museum website for more details. For more info about Meryl and her work be sure to visit her website at merylpataky.com  or follow her on Instagram at @merylpataky. Learn more about She Bends at shebends.com. 

Meryl Pataky (Image by Anna-Alexia Basile)
Meryl Pataky (Image by Kirby Gladstein)
Meryl Pataky (Image by Kirby Gladstein)
Meryl Pataky “Pass Me The Hammer” 2017
“Pass Me The Hammer” 2017 (detail)
“Pass Me The Hammer” 2017 (detail)
Meryl Pataky “I’m Just As Tired As You” 2019
Ru’ach 2023

Episode 55: Isaac Vazquez Avila

After a long hiatus the (art)Scene Podcast is back with a  brand new guest: Isaac Vazquez Avila, a painter & sculptor based in San Francisco. I stopped by his studio in Bernal Heights to discuss what drew him to the Bay Area, his art practice and his recent projects including the exhibition that wrapped up at pt. 2 Gallery in Oakland and teaching. Follow Isaac and his latest projects at https://www.isaacvazquezavila.com/ or follow him on instagram @aliencitizen

Image Credit: Adan Pol Vazquez
Isaac Vazquez Avila ”Sun Stoned” Gouache, flash paint on artist made wood panel 72 x 48 inches 2023
Isaac Vazquez Avila ”Turbo bit flor bug” Gouache and acrylic on wood panel 10 x 8 inches 2023
Force of Healthy Growth

Episode 49: on-off.site with co-founders Stephanie Garcés & Stephanie Smith

This week we have two new guests on the podcast: Stephanie Garcés,
Education and Community Engagement Coordinator at SFMOMA & Stephanie Smith, Director of Content and Creative Strategy at CCA. Today you’ll hear them both discuss on-off.site, a creative collective focused on experimentation, collaboration and inclusion.

Be sure to submit to on-off.site‘s #callforart, which is open to individuals and collectives who are fully or partially based in the Bay Area. ⁠In response to #COVID-19, this project shares creative practices and offers opportunities for direct-to-artist donations.

️Visit on-off.site/artists/holding-space to learn more⁠. #HoldingSpace

To learn more about on-off.site website at www.on-off.site or follow them on Instagram.

Stephanie Garcés
(Image courtesy of on-off.site)
Stephanie Smith
(Image courtesy of on-off.site)
(Image courtesy of on-off.site)
(Image courtesy of on-off.site)
(Image courtesy of on-off.site)
(Image courtesy of on-off.site)
(Image courtesy of on-off.site)

Episode 48: Luca Atonucci #3

Luca Antonucci (co-founder of Colpa Press) is back on the podcast this week to talk about the projects Colpa Press is working on during the quarantine and the current state of the 2020 SF Art Book Fair. He also discusses new features to look forward to at the art book fair.

Luca Antonucci, co-founder of Colpa Press
OCULTAS – Luca Antonucci and David Kasprzak
 Video Paintings – M.Jensen
The Art of Computer Designing: A Black and White Approach – Osamu Sato

Episode 47: Christo Oropeza #2

This week Christo is back on the podcast to talk about his new role at SFMOMA & Incline Gallery’s 9th anniversary show at anälog gallery. We also just check in with each other and see how we are dealing with the COVID-19 self quarantine. 

Follow SFMOMA on Instagram @sfmoma to see what they are up to during the shutdown with #museumfromhome.

Visit inclinegallerysf.com to learn more about the gallery’s 9th anniversary show at anälog gallery.

Christo front of his mural titled “whatever the work may be” 2019 with his Parents Cenobio and Rosario Oropeza
Artist dropping off artwork at the 9th year anniversary. (From left to right : Alán Miknis, Gina Contreras, and Gallery director at anälog gallery, Don Ross)

Episode 37: Marcel Pardo Ariza & The Tallest Part of the Arch

For today’s episode, Marcel Pardo Ariza returns to the podcast to discuss their inclusion in the YBCA’s Bay Area Now (BAN 8) exhibition; the Womxn* Art Handlers group they co-founded & the recent exhibition they curated at Southern Exposure titled The Tallest Part of the Arch. 

The Tallest Part of the Arch closed March 30, 2019, for more info visit the Southern Exposure website. 

To learn more about Womxn* Art Handlers and any upcoming programming visit http://womenarthandlers.com.

Marcela Pardo Ariz & Kaitlin Trataris (image courtesy of Womxn Art Handlers)
BAN 8 at YBCA (Image credit: Charlie Villyard)
Marcela Pardo Ariza
“Randy Andy, Dollface, Tania, Lu, Louis, et al.” (1983~, 1975~, 1992~, 2018)
Tallest Part of the Arch at Southern Exposure (Image credit: Minoosh Zomorodinia)
Tallest Part of the Arch at Southern Exposure (Image credit: Minoosh Zomorodinia)

Episode 35: Christo Oropeza

My first guest of 2019 is Christo Oropeza, owner and co-founder of Incline Gallery in San Francisco. A native San Franciscan, Christo discusses his early beginnings as an artist and his current role as a curator, gallery owner and community arts programmer.

The current show at Incline Gallery titled The Unmonumental opened January 25th but there will be an opening reception on February 1, 2019 from 6-9pm. For more details visit inclinegallerysf.com. You can also follow the gallery on Instagram.

  • Christo Oropeza
  • At Incline Gallery: Josue Rojas, Christo, John Zarobell

Episode 32: Soleil Summer

Today’s guest is Soleil Summer, Exhibitions Associate at the Museum of African Diaspora (MoAD). We discuss her journey to the West Coast and into the art world including her time at the Betti Ono Gallery in Oakland and her membership in the Bay Area-based art collective known as the Black Mail Collective. We also talk about her role at MoAD in helping coordinate their emerging artists program.

To learn more about events and programming at MoAD please visit their website at www.moadsf.org and be sure to follow them on either Instagram or Twitter.