Beast Blog

Weekend To-Dos

The Crucible, Oakland's educational metal foundry, is having it's 6th Annual Student Art Show and Open House on Saturday April 9 and Sunday April 10.

“Julia Morgan: The Paris Years” with Ph.D. candidate Karen McNeill at 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 9 at the Julia Morgan designed Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant Ave. Cost is $15.

Two New Shows at the Cricket Engine

The Cricket Engine is an art studio/collective/gallery in West Oakland.

From my inbox....

DANGEROUS PLAYTHINGS Featuring: Megan Archer, Rebecca Kay, Kathryn Otoshi, Natasha Page, Andrew J. Phares, Jacob Pieprzyk, John C. Rogers, Schultz, Lisa Solomon, Shalene Valenzuela

September 10-19, 2004
(for this exhibit, Gallery open Fridays 2-6pm,
Saturdays & Sundays noon-5pm or by appointment)

Reception: Saturday, September 18, 6-9pm

This show will feature a wide array of work from ten
different Bay Area artists. Each artist approaches the
notion of “dangerous” playthings” in their own unique
way. Yet all artists in this show share an essential
quality: every one of them is attentive to their craft
and handling of the aesthetic material. This show
promises to feature an array of visually intricate
works that are not only playful, but thoughtful,
investigative, dark, mysterious, and alluring.

websites of featured artists:
www.kokidsbooks.com (Kathryn Otoshi)
www.lisasolomon.com (Lisa Solomon)
www.shalene.com (Shalene Valenzuela)

WOULDN'T YOU RATHER STAY AT HOME?
a group exhibition featuring Bay Area artists:
Jonathan Barcan, Brian Barreto, Amber Gravendaal,
Kerri Lee Johnson, Niki Shelley, Simmin Joy Terry and
Mary Younkin.

September 22 – October 5, 2004
Reception: Sunday, September 26th 5pm – 8pm
Free food, drink and music

The exhibition highlights works by emerging Bay Area
artists who have come together to showcase their ideas
and esthetics. The artists involved are committed to
establishing and maintaining a lasting artists
community composed of talented artists that support
and promote the sharing of culture and encouragement
of artistic discovery. The exhibition includes works
on paper, mixed media, painting and sculpture.

Fire! Fire! Fire is Cool. Heh heh.

The big Beast event this weekend is the Crucible's Fire Opera. It comes in two flavors. On Friday, a fund-raiser event with auctions and food, that costs $125. On Saturday (when I'm going), a party-party-party until the wee hours of the morning.

Saturday - Including the Kitchen Sink

Kitchen Sink Magazine is having a party on Saturday, an art show and fundraiser.

For those who don't know, here is the location of 2000 Myrtle St.

Light My Fire

The biggest Beast haps this weekend is probably Ignite, the benefit fundraiser for the Crucible, taking place Saturday night.

As a recent Berkeley resident, I'm annoyed with my new municipality for having kicked out The Crucible. By all accounts it's an amazing organization and was a real bright spot in the community. From what I understand, the city shut them down after an event (a hip-hop show staged by a shady promoter) went awry. Though the Crucible had been nothing but a good thing up until this point, Berkeley opted for a bizarre zero-tolerance stance.

Oakland, eager to bolster its artistic cred, and desirous of improving the warehouse areas in West Oakland, was more than happy to accommodate The Crucible in giving them a new home. Our loss is their gain!