Free Portraits

8th Annual SF Emerge Exhibition
GenArt

Warfield Building
988 Market St., San Francisco, CA

November 5th, 2005

"Emerge, Gen Art SF's annual exhibition, features the work of a prominent jury's selection of cutting-edge Bay Area emerging artists. An all-medium exhibition, Emerge is the cornerstone of Gen Art's efforts to increase exposure for emerging Bay Area artists and to cultivate a new generation of art enthusiasts." (www.genart.org) I was recruited to this exhibition as a performance artist. Being as I didn't have any formal performance sculptures ready for the show, I opted to set up my street portrait stand in the exhibition space, which was offered free for members at the gala opening. As a layman's performance project, it went over quite well with the gallery goers. I drew over 25 faces, mostly on 4x6 colored Canson paper, using black & white beeswax pencil. My line went right out the door, with an average wait time of 2 hours. My first subject was artist Joe Jarrell (I hope you got your portrait back, Jarrell) at 7:30PM, and my last was at 1AM, when Emerge finally decided to kick me out. It was about then that I'd realized I'd missed the last train back to the East Bay (thanks, Dana, for fronting for the cab ride home). All pictures were taken by Dana Teasedale. Other artists who exhibited (paintings, sculptures, etc.) at the 2005 Emerge included: Sonya Blesofsky, Freddy Chandra, Chris Cobb, Pablo D'Antoni, Dan Grayber, Elise Irving, Joe Jarrell, Keira Kotler, Robert Larson, Ajna Joy Lichau, Jason Mortara, Roger Ngim, Laura Paulini, Julia Petho, Marina Shterenberg, Bayete' Ross Smith, Kirk M. Stoller, and Jeong Im Yi.

after midnight - note the drinks on the window sill behind me

this fine lady abandoned her volunteer post for 2 1/2 hours in order to get her portrait

my line, invading Chris Cobb's installation area... this photo was taken around 10PM - the blonde woman on the left (behind the man in the white jacket) had her portrait done at half-past midnight!

these ladies were so nice!