Art - The Canvas

Mission Open Studios Highlights: Elliott C Nathan's Pop-Up Studio

— By Kevin Montgomery (@kevinmonty) |

It's Mission Open Studios time again, meaning hundreds of neighborhood artists will be opening their studio and gallery doors to the general public, giving us a weekend-long art walk of sorts.  And while many of the names and venues participating this round will be familiar to Open Studios veterans, Elliott C Nathan's (who you might remember from yesterday's tax comic or unlucky pennies) temp space at the corner of 24th and Bartlett will be a one-time deal this month and this month only.

Elliott fills us in:

I am taking over 24th and Bartlett for this weekend only; it's a pop-up open studio happening Friday evening, then Saturday and Sunday 10am - 6pm. Outside my regular work, I am also building an interactive piece that people will be able to draw all over.  I will also be featuring my line of Sunken Monkey mini skateboards.  Here's a time lapse video showing the creation of the boards: 

Whoa. Sick rooftop view of the city, Elliott. (And sick boards, too)

Anyway, if you haven't already, get familiar with the Mission Open Studios calendar for this weekend and make a note to swing by Elliott's pop-up studio.

Previously on Uptown Almanac: 

How to do Taxes

— By Kevin Montgomery (@kevinmonty) |

Mission artist Elliott C Nathan recently launched a new comic Ellio McHelium's Guide to the World, which is sorta like Clarissa Explains It All, only from the perspective of a 7-year-old boy whose primarily concerned with cooking hotdogs and thieving his drunk mother's credit card.  Do give it a look.

Previously on Uptown Almanac: 

Playable Electric Guitar Bicycle (And Other Functional Nonsense From Cyclecide)

— By Kevin Montgomery (@kevinmonty) |

If you suffered the misfortune of not attending Cyclecide's Heavy Pedal Crank Art Exhibition, here is a brief look at the brilliantly creative bicycle hooey you missed:

What we have here is a functional, playable electric guitar bicycle thingy.  I have no idea how real guitars work (other than that heroin addicts pick them up and make beautiful sounds), never mind a bicycle electric guitar.  But I was assured by a handsome scumbag in a denim vest that it most certainly played music, despite its burdening weight.

This is a custom lowrider with a bejeweled seatpost and a smoking baby gripping a nip of Jack.

I was told Cyclecide is no longer permitted to ride the Bomb Bike within a 6 block radius of Civic Center Plaza anymore (I was not actually told this).

This bike punches the dumb fucks in front of you hogging the bike lane.

Finally, this beautiful Mad Max monstrosity really stole the show.  It features a detachable sidecar, ammo storage, “oh shit” bars, fuel canisters (for burning down the state, or something), bells, whistles, and countless cup holders for bottles of bourbon.

With that, I must implore you to check out Cyclecide's next show, so follow their blog and keep up to date.

"Merry Band of Mariachi-Punk Musicians" to Throw Down at Cyclecide's Heavy Pedal Crank Art Exhibition Closing Party TONIGHT

— By Kevin Montgomery (@kevinmonty) |

I know it can be a little hard to see what's going on in the photo, but that's an art gallery full of bikes—oh so many bikes.  And should you want to see this exhibition with your very own eyes, you'll have to head over to The LAB at 16th and Capp between 8-11pm tonight for the closing night party.

Cyclecide has the info:

The aim of this exhibition is to explore the concepts, principles, and ideas that the bike has inspired, transgressed, or altered.

Join us for a fun and inspiring weekend celebrating that most versatile machine, the Bicycle. Artists recycling bicycle parts, making work inspired by the bicycle or building their own hybrid machines include Johnny Payphone (clockwork bike); Keith Martin; August Wood; Loid Mongoloid(bike slot machine and jewelry); Jay Broemmel (slouch cycles-altered bikes); John & Sarina Raffa; Slim Buick (custom vintage bikes); Paul Cesewski (Kinetic bike sculptures); Kal Spelletich (Turbo Trike); Yoli Hadde; Neil Smith & Justin Solomon (Black Label Bike Club,  Oakland); and Jarico Reesce (Cyclecide), among others. We Invite all to come and see bikes that have been transformed or altered into pre-cycled sculptures and vehicles of imagination!

Also join Cyclecide and participating artists for Saturday night’s closing party celebrating the rise of the Bikes. Screenings of Jay Broemmel’s spoof “The Loaded Warrior” and the Cyclecide bike “safety” video. DJs, live performance by Los Banos, Cyclecide’s merry band of mariachi-punk musicians, and more to be announced.

Merry ban of mariachi-punk musicians, you say?  Well worth the $7-15 sliding scale donation!

Picasso's Bicycle "Bull's Head" Updated For the I-Used-to-Dismember-Dolls Crowd

— By Kevin Montgomery (@kevinmonty) |

70 years ago, Pablo Picasso affixed a bicycle handlebar and saddle together and called it “Bull's Head,” inspiring generators of shitty DIY crafters to put two 'found objects' together like puzzle pieces and call themselves artists on Etsy.  And, fortunately enough, Picasso's pioneering work has been refreshed for the I-used-to-dismember-my-sister's-dolls-and-throw-the-limbs-at-the-neighborhood-cats crowd (of which I was most certainly not a member) outside of Radio Habana Social Club.

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