We’re quite pleased with another of the newest additions to Barrio Logan: Bread & Salt (1955 Julian Ave), an experimental center for the arts housed in a reclaimed bread factory.  The project is one by Public Architecture, who’ve also moved their offices there. The long term plan includes live-work units, design spaces, workshops, a cafe, and gallery spaces including one run by the San Diego Museum of Art. You can already find designer Jason Lane there at JXL Studio.

If you missed the opening of the first artist exhibition (image below), you can check out the space (and scores of antique machinery) Thursday, March 14th (7 pm) for Voice of San Diego’s Meeting of the Minds featuring six speakers (including Public Architecture’s own James Brown) and of course, beverages.

Follow Bread & Salt here.

One of our newest neighbors in Barrio Logan, San Diego Public Market, is pulling out all the stops to present their First Annual Authentic Street Food Market.

On Sunday, March 24th (6-8 pm), the 22,000 sq foot former boiler factory will be transformed into an authentic “farm-to-cart” festival, featuring some of San Diego and Baja’s best chefs coming together to celebrate the age old tradition of street food.

It would be hard not to be excited about the tremendous lineup — including Javier Plascencia of Mision 19 and Erizo; Diego Hernandez of Corazon de Tierra; Matt Gordon of Urban Solace and Sea & Smoke; Kevin Ho and Juan Miron of MIHO Gastrotruck and Stand & Deliver; and Chad White of Plancha Baja Med…The list goes on. (Check out the full line-up here.)

We’ll admit we’ve been enchanted by Javier Plascencia, for one, a number of times: during our outing to Tijuana’s Mision 19; Suzie’s Farm Second Autumnal Equinox Dinner (image below); and at his pop up dinner at North Park’s El Take It Easy. After getting a taste of what Baja has to offer, from its culinary talents to the wine country of Guadalupe Valley, and even its growing craft beer scene, it’s hard not to embrace it. We drool over the exploits of San Diego-Mexico culinary bloggers Life & Food and Tijuana tour guide extraordinaire Turista Libre on a regular basis.

Below: Javier at Suzie’s Farm Autumnal Equinox Dinner: Caja China roasted goat with Green Zebra salsa, yellow chard, burnt onions, and goat cheese quesadilla (Photo credit: Life & Food)

We connected with SD Public Market event co-chair Melissa Mayer, who along with Andrew Spurgin, share this admiration and felt it was imperative to reach out not only to neighbors in Barrio Logan for this event, but also across the border to invite friends and colleagues from Baja as well. They recently delighted in visiting Mirta Rodriguez, for example, from Mariscos Ruben, who was recently featured in the newly released book Where Chefs Eat. “What amazing food we had there…scallops the size of pork chops!” she says.

On March 24th, they tell us to expect “Mexico’s tacos, TJ dogs, borrego and barbacoa, papusas, udon and yakitori, French crepes, and churros”, among other delicacies. Also partake in craft beer and cocktails, live music, and entertainment. The tickets go for $85 (VIP) or $55 (General) which includes food and drink — see details and buy ‘em here. Net proceeds support the micro-business incubator and education arm of the permanent market, set to open mid year.

We hope to see you in Barrio Logan March 24th — and at the Sunday & Wednesday farmers’ markets that grace the market halls while Catt White and her team amp up for the build out of the permanent vendor stalls. Learn more at www.sandiegopublicmarket.com.

Location: 1735 National Ave., Barrio Logan//San Diego

Tickets: Purchase here // View event flyer

The Bakery Design Collective presents “Vivian Beer: designed in SoCal,”  with a reception Saturday, January 19th from 4-7 pm.

The exhibit will be open by appointment January 16th-26th (contact Vivian Beer (845) 239-2729) — along with a lecture on January 26th 4:30-5:30 in collaboration with the Furniture Society fundraiser.

The lecture is free and open to the public. 20% of any sales from the show on the 26th will be donated to the Furniture Society fundraiser.

Location: The Bakery — 1701 National Ave// Barrio Logan, San Diego

See Vivian’s other works at www.vivianbeer.com.

Also on Saturday: Drop by the neighboring (& recently renovated) artist studios at the Glashaus for a show by painter Jill Joy @ 6 pm (1815 Main Street).

Mark your calendars for the eve of Thursday, October 25th for the opening of San Diego artist Wes  Bruce’s Structures Poetry Humans at Lux Art Institute in Encinitas. Also featured is a one-night-only jewelry spread at the museum store by Bearhead Factory, in collaboration with Tend Living.

>>>Check out our interview with the talented Ms. Erin Merriman — the mind behind Bearhead Factory’s fantastical creations – here.

Find tickets here, with details at Sezio.org.

It’s been several years since Golden Hill had a street fair, but we’re happy to say that our buds at Sezio are bringing it back this summer. In fact, it’s this weekend! The band lineup is looking especially rad, including one our favorites – Cuckoo Chaos.

So if you’re looking for something to do this Sunday, cycle over to GH (there’s a bike valet!), enjoy a brewski from the Stone Brewing curated beer garden, and soak in the rays & tunes!

More details on the FB event page.

Editor’s Note: To see some of Charles’s work, check out the awesome video recently featured at Dwell about San Diego architect/artist/teacher Chris Puzio and the sculptures he’s designed and fabricated for the San Diego County Medical Examiner Building.  The footage shows Puzio’s massive works in process — structures, which, he says, “echo the geometry and pattern of star formations and biological structures.”

Artist Profile : Christopher Puzio from Charles Bergquist on Vimeo.

Going on this week: the Cartoon Network’s 20th Anniversary Exhibit at Jett Gallery in Little Italy July 11-14th. Over 75 international artists have been assembled to reinterpret their favorite characters.

Fear and Courage by Jack Teagle

Meanwhile, the Cartoon Network pops up again at the New Children’s Museum (a stone’s throw from the Comic-Con craziness itself) with the Adventure Time “takeover” July 11-15th. Harlan was pleased with the giant character that graces the downtown skyline.

I had no previous knowledge of the “Adventure Time” show, but I’m quite sure its fans would enjoy what they would find. There is a transformed side entry to the museum that involves a brief journey down a darkened staircase with characters suspended on high and keys which open lockers filled with Adventure Time paraphernalia.

More intriguing to us was the so-called “fan art” gallery upstairs in the museum, in which artists have re-interpreted the Adventure Time characters in their own pieces.

(bottom: Grant Coghill)

The museum is a gem, as always. The exhibits draw the kids in as much as the modern lines do.

Boo!

“There’s a play area over there, but I’m checking out this modern design,” says Harlan.

Architect Rob Quigley has created an environmentally sustainable space that’s proved to be well-suited to the wandering of the kids and adults alike. Windows are open. You can see outside. You can blow bubbles on balconies.

The current exhibit features trash — a kind of a recycle-reuse theme. One of the main exhibits involves an activity from Brazilian artist Vik Muniz and his brilliant documentary Waste Land. It’s on Netflix streaming — Do it…

So go ahead, Comic-con. We approve, and thanks for providing for the youngins!

All of your pieces are handcrafted. Can you explain some of the process that goes into crafting your collection?

My pieces have always been called chunky or oversized, which is so funny to me because they are always a miniature, wearable version of something that I conceived of as huge and then scaled down to a wearable size.
I begin each piece by carving a solid piece of wax. This can take up to 6 hours, but I get into kind of a trance and don’t want to stop! I cast these in metal, usually sterling silver or brass. Most of my time is actually spent sitting at my work bench grinding, polishing, drilling – It’s really physical! Then I get to wear new styles around, thinking about how it can be improved, which is of course my favorite part.

Some images of art that inspire you?

There is so much lately! Pinar Yolocan portraits, the French comic artist Moebius, feminist heavy hitters like Kiki Smith, and of course the art of mother nature.

(top to bottom: Pinar Yolocan, Kiki Smith, Romance Was Born)

I keep a lot of images from National Geographic in my workspace – close-ups of moon craters, aftermath of forest fires, lava rivers, that kind of thing. Right now I am really excited by contemporary photography, especially fashion photography, like Antonella Arismendi and fashion bloggers like Prism of Threads – they do these fantastic photo shoots that always make my heart race.

(Antonella Arismendi, top, & Min Kim, bottom)

A story to share about sourcing your materials?

I purchase my metal for casting from a refinery that harvests scraps from many different industries. I am an avid recycler, so it has been exciting to learn that almost all sterling silver, brass, and bronze used in jewelry casting has been recycled. Working with a refiner is satisfying because say you are filling an 18k gold ring; you can literally put a piece of paper down, collect the dust, fold it up, and bring it to the refinery, and they will pay you for it – there is this sense that nothing is wasted.

What is your most prized artifact at your studio? What’s its story?

I have a deerskin smudge fun that was gifted to me by a Garifuna Medicine Woman. We were preparing for a workshop, and she pulls out this beautiful beaded fan, and my first thought was something childish like “Oooh, I really want her to give that to me!” She turned to me and informed me that it (the fan) was tired of being x-rayed and fondled by airport security and wanted to stay with me… I was ecstatic!

After leaving New York City, you lived in an Earthship in Taos, New Mexico. We have one day to spend in Taos. Where do we go?

That’s easy – shopping for antique jewelry at The Plaza Gallery, a drive across the Rio Grande Gorge to the Greater World Earthship Community for photos and general inspiration, a dip in the hot springs, and dinner at The Love Apple, a sweet farm-to-table restaurant in a crumbling adobe church that sources its ingredients from over 20 local farms.

What future project (or collaboration) appears in your wildest of dreams?

I’m currently collaborating with local botanical design firm Tend Living, so stay tuned for that, but I want to collaborate with everyone! I’ve realized that the underlying drive behind my work is to contribute something to the cultural conversation that is this moment on planet earth, and that collaboration is the ultimate way to do that. I’d love to do runway pieces for Romance Was Born, stage pieces for Yolandi of Die Antwoord, or Karin of Fever Ray… or Bjork. (You said wildest dreams!) I’ve also been dying to melt down some heirlooms and make a solid gold gummy bear necklace for my son.

We have to ask… Power animal?

Mouse, Bear, Dragon.

Many thanks to Erin for the constant inspiration! Find more event details at Lux’s website, and peruse more gems from Bearhead Factory here.

Perhaps you checked out LWP Group’s Community @ The Martin Building in Bankers Hill at CONSPIRE… Well, this time around our friends at Sezio are teaming up with LWP Group to present COLLIDE, another one-night take over at the newly renovated Community @ Carnegie on 9th & Broadway in San Diego’s East Village.

Art, music, craft beer and cocktails will fill the hallways and rooms of the five-story Community @ Carnegie building on Saturday, April 14th (6-10 pm). Featuring: Exist 1981, Spenser Little, Charles Bergquist, Michael Delaney, Neko, Walker McCullough, DieKuts, James Noland, Angella d’Avignon, Matthew Bradley, DOUBLE BREAK, Wes Bruce, Morgan Manduley, YELLER, Louis Schmidt, Christina Tsui, Mike Maxwell, FEELIT.

Details here.

Tocayo and Exist1981 have put their mark on some of San Diego’s more memorable spaces over the past couple years (El Camino, Cucina Urbana, random sewer drains), but their collaboration goes back more than a decade. Join us on Feb. 3rd at Subtext Gallery to celebrate them and see some new work!

Join us at El Take It Easy on Wednesday, January 11th for VEGANIZED! : an evening of prolific local art, food & music.

Our long-time co-conspirator Acamonchi will be sharing some of his new work, as well as putting a new coat of paint on the above-pictured pedicab he beautified many moons ago.

Chef Max Bonacci will be preparing a three-course vegan meal featuring produce from Suzie’s Farm (fixed-price, $20). To round out your sensory experience, Ejival of Tijuana’s Static Records will be providing some tunes.

Event starts at 5 pm, full swing at 7 pm. Kitchen open until 11 pm.

¡Nos vemos allí!

As some of you know, we share a studio space with the fine folks from mi-workshop – an architecture & design studio helmed by Miki Iwasaki. Miki has curated one major design-focused exhibition each of the last two years (last year it was called Coffee & Donuts).

This year, Miki and fellow architecture instructor Philipp Bosshart have approached the exhibition from a really interesting angle – prototypes, studies, and the works in progress that lead designers down the path to a final product. The exhibition is called MATTER.

We’ve watched over the last few weeks as Miki and Philipp received some really interesting and varied work submitted from all over the world, including a TRON-esque helmet prototype, some beautiful ceramic hands with metallic patterns, and some bizarre animal/industrial push toys made from extremely heavy steel parts.

MATTER opens at The Bakery this Thursday, Sept. 1st at 7:00 pm.

More info about the show on Miki’s website, as well as a selection announcement on The Bakery website.

Set & Drift, in conjunction with fellow culture-pushers Neat Neat Neat and the San Diego Architectural Foundation, is proud to present Gary Hustwit’s new documentary, Urbanized, screening in San Diego on Sept. 27th. Hustwit’s last two films (Helvetica and Objectified) have made a huge impact on the design community, and Urbanized promises the same minimal style we’ve all come to love.

Urbanized tackles the planning of cities and the incredible transition of mankind into urban centers, which currently makes up over half the world’s population (and 75% by 2050). Some of the world’s best minds in architecture and planning were interviewed for the film, including one of our heroes, Jan Gehl, who’s tasked his firm with “making cities for people.”

Sept. 27, 2011 – 7pm
USD Peace & Justice Theater
Tickets »

While 30th Street has developed over the past decade into one of the best craft beer corridors in the US (perhaps the world), the irresistibly sensual wonderland of craft cocktails have been all but absent until now.

Besides Jayne’s Gastropub, it’s been difficult to find a spot along 30th to slide into a discreet corner with your date and share in the warming indulgence of finely crafted spirits (keyphase, finely crafted) paired with an equally delicious meal. Luckily for locals exploring a nightlife, El Take It Easy recently obtained their liquor license, ushering in an evolved era for 30th Street.

Read more about the cocktails, developed with Dean James of San Francisco’s Alembic. We recommend trying the Paloma with hand-squeezed grapefruit juice and 100% Agave. You can thank us later.

This Friday (6/24), Neat Neat Neat is hosting VOLUME, an art show at one of our favorite independent businesses here in San Diego county – the illustrious UNIV clothing store in Encinitas. The show features work by three musicians (Tim Kerr / Otis B / Sonny Kay), who all ventured into the irresistible world of visual art.

We’re very excited about the exhibition concept – yet another exploration in interdisciplinary goodness by Neat Neat Neat founder Josh Higgins. Keep it up!

More info on the Facebook event page.

Pop Gallery in Culver City is hosting a closing reception Friday, June 10th for SUNSET CIRCLES — a show feat. a group of San Francisco artists, including the talented Jay Nelson (see above). This reminded us of our enlightened wanderings around The Sunset district of San Francisco last winter, where we encountered one of Jay’s custom built bicycle mobiles at Mollusk Surf Shop (also home to some ambitious indoor treehouses and an art ‘store’ by Thomas Campbell). Within a couple blocks, you’ll run into the General Store and Trouble Coffee (for coffee, coconuts & toast of course). So worth a visit.

Bike to Work week continues with a nod to those traveling across international borders for work. If you’re in San Diego and looking for a good way to spend your afternoon, join the cycling community of Tijuana for a symbolic international ride.

Details posted here by Tijuego.

Mike Maxwell will be unveiling new works at Extra Sensory — opening this Friday, May 20th 6-10 pm at Subtext Gallery. Mike’s new pieces are influenced by hallucinogens, and the new looser aesthetic, he tells us, was partly influenced by his mural work last summer. We do love our Mike Maxwell mural down here at The Bakery, plus you can’t miss the 70 foot mustachioed man at 14th & J. We’ll be there, munchin’ on MIHO Gastrotruck.

We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day down at the Farm Proper. With a gathering of family, friends, and neighbors, we took a bit of time to share food, plant some seedlings, and get a bit of country in the heart of the city.

The tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, basil, lettuce, eggplant, chives, cucumbers, and other veggies we can’t recall at the moment were provided by our generous friends down at Suzie’s Farm. And yes, we said strawberries. Read more on early berry season (plus find some great recipes) right here on the Suzie’s website.

It’s exciting to get the farm carts populated for another season, but we knew the soil needed a little jumpstart. Growing in containers is always more challenging than growing in the ground – the isolated soil biology requires a little extra TLC to make for a bountiful and diverse environment for healthy root systems. We called on our friend, fellow farmer, and Barrio Logan neighbor Jaime at Indoor Garden Depot for assistance, and he answered with a healthy dose of worm tea. We’ll be sprinkling it on the new seedlings over the next few weeks, and are excited to see the plants take off with some living soil under their feet!

And then there was food. Quinoa with beets, Kale salad, watermelon, home-brewed IPA, homemade brownies, and pulled pork! But the bit hit, unsurprisingly, was a battery of hand-made sausages from The Linkery, rounding out the summertime vibe with grilled savory goodness. Gotta love a potluck.

Thanks to all who helped make a day of planting and eating great food. It was a much needed feast after the last couple weeks of renovations at The Bakery. More on that reno’ shortly…

Photographs by Michael Kazma

Our friends at Sheepless are co-hosting a screening of The Greenhorns on Tuesday April 19th, 6:30pm, at The Loft at UCSD. Directed by Severine von Tscharner Fleming, and grown out of a grassroots non-profit organization of the same name, the film’s mission is to recruit, promote and support the new generation of young farmers in 21st century America. Following the film will be a panel discussion with some of San Diego’s most provocative advocates of small-scale sustainable agriculture — including Robin Taylor & Lucila De Alejandro of Suzie’s Farm and Jay Porter of The Linkery and El Take It Easy.

Zanzibar at The Loft is working with the folks at Suzie’s Farm to produce a local tasting experience to accompany the film. The dinner will feature multiple small plates created with fresh, local, and seasonal produce from Suzie’s Farm. Packaged tickets for the film and dinner includes a reserved seat, dinner, choice of beverage, and admission to the screening of The Greenhorns. Package or film-only tickets available via Ticketmaster or by contacting the Box Office directly at 858-534-8497.

Check out more details at Sheepless.org.

‘Tis spring, and we are hosting a little reunion down at The Farm Proper on Saturday, April 16th (4-6 pm).

We’ll have some soil amendments from Jaime, the nutrient enrichment guru from Indoor Garden Depot, and some seedlings from Suzie’s Farm ready for the planting. The BBQ will also be going, so bring some drinks and something to throw on it if you like.

We hope you can join us, and feel free to spread the word!
The Bakery, 1701 National Ave., Barrio Logan / San Diego, CA

Ryan and Don Clark of Invisible Creature

Josh Higgins of Neat Neat Neat brings designers to San Diego to inspire, and inspire they did. Don and Ryan Clark of the Seattle-based (and Grammy nominated) graphic design studio Invisible Creature descended upon San Diego Saturday, April 2nd to lead a design talk at The Casbah, followed by a live performance by The Black Heart Procession. Having spoken in many a hall and classroom before, the artist-musician brothers called this a welcome opportunity to share their design inspirations in a rock club — and at the legendary Casbah no less.

With their iconic album cover designs and monster-filled works, the brothers Clark seemingly live in a surreal world – which is perhaps a key to their appeal. But we’d also attribute their charm to all they have to say about the world around them; their passion for the creative process is addicting. Visit the Union Tribune Arts blog post to read more about the inspirations we walked away with.

One of the greatest things about our two-city region known as Tijuego, is that it’s easy and fun to ride your bike from one city to the other (it’s only ~15 miles apart!). In the spirit of that accessible adventure, we’ve taken several rides Southward to discover some really interesting stuff on both sides of the border, from the salt flats, to Suzie’s Farm, to moonscaped underpasses, to sleepy little barbacoa joints in East TJ.

Luckily for San Diegans, some peeps at Tijuego will be leading a ride this Friday down South! The objective: to join Paseo de Todos – a monthly ride through Tijuana that’s a great way to see the city accompanied by local safety-conscious cycling enthusiasts, beach cruiser dads with their BMX kids, TJ hipsters, and several San Diegans embracing more of their home here in Tijuego.

A word of advice: don’t forget your passport or you’ll be sorry.

We are beyond excited for Invisible Creature’s visit to San Diego next week. If you’re a local designer, consider yourself lucky! We find something new and exciting every time we peruse their work, and it’s safe to say they have a strong hold on a wide variety of styles and techniques. Pack your Rhodia pad, because we’re looking for the Brothers Clark to reveal some of the secrets behind their process during their lecture at the Casbah.

While you stare at the lung-entrenched-eyeball-multiverse of an album cover above (designed by IC, of course) take a listen to installment #2 of the Invisible Creature Top 10 At-The-Moment tunes, courtesy of Don Clark.

1. Rumour Has It – Adele
2. Four Letter Word – Beady Eye
3. Rope – Foo Fighters
4. Tell ‘Em – Sleigh Bells
5. Clarion Call – Delphic
6. Wring It Out – Rival Schools
7. Bright Lights Bigger City – Cee Lo Green
8. The Angels Are Surely Weeping – Young Galaxy (featuring Hanna)
9. Dust Devil – School Of Seven Bells
10. I Wanna Deadbeat You – The Night Marchers

Now hear this… The talented and deservingly illustrious Clark brothers of graphic design & illustration studio Invisible Creature will be coming to San Diego on April 2nd to give a talk and share some insight into their design process on stage at the infamous Casbah! One of their favorite bands, SD-based The Black Heart Procession will play a set afterward, rounding out an interdisciplinary evening of design and music.

You can thank the recently launched Neat Neat Neat for bringing us such a world-class happening. The Invisible Creature event is just the first of many big things to come from Neat Neat Neat, so keep yer eye peeled and your monocle handy.

Finally, we’re proud to say that Minstrel Fridays is BACK, baby! What better time to resurrect the mixtape series we started way back when (2008!), then with a hearty sampling of Invisible Creature’s musical influences through their “Top 10 At-The-Moment” tunes? The answer is: no better time.

This week we’re featuring Ryan Clark’s Top 10 songs … stay tuned next week for another top 10 from his brother Don Clark.

1. Feel It All Around – Washed Out
2. King Night – Salem
3. Ego – Omnium Gatherum
4. Surfacing – Chapel Club
5. Lippy Kids – Elbow
6. Hide And Seek – Mirrors
7. Erebos – Hate
8. All Of The Lights – Kanye West
9. Whirring – The Joy Formidable
10. Turn The Bells – White Lies

Tonight was a good night. We got to see our friend Josh Higgins on stage with his band Fluf for the first time, rockin’ out in honor of Stimy at the Casbah.

Tons of musicians came out to the Casbah to honor Michael Steinman, a well-known singer in many San Diego bands, who recently passed away.

Mr. Higgins will be back at the Casbah on April 2, 2011, playing host rather than bass guitar. He’s organized an evening of design and music, showcasing the graphic work of Invisible Creature and tunes by The Black Heart Procession. Should be one helluva evening. Details

Very excited to see some of our favorite local artists (Neko, Tocayo, Persue, Surge and others) in this group show. Neko introduced us to Kevin Peterson recently but we’re looking forward to seeing his work in person for the first time.

The show opens this Saturday at Green Flash art gallery/surf shop in majestic Cardiff, California (just across the tracks from the “Cardiff Kook“) – more info on the art show here.

Ron Miriello, of Barrio Logan based branding firm Miriello Grafico, is launching his 100 Worlds Project with a proper opening February 18, 2011 at Jett Gallery in Little Italy (San Diego). The exhibition features 100 globes sculpted meticulously from salvaged and unexpected materials.

Ron describes his motivation: To me, the globe is more than a metaphor for the world, it’s a metaphor for collaboration. What began as a project of using found objects around me to construct the first piece, grew into a series. The series grew as I invited people to participate and contribute to create more globes. It’s been a magnet for creative collaboration with clients, craftsmen, photographers and designers…all who have become a part of the 100 Worlds project creative community.

We’re looking forward to perusing the results of this collaborative craftsmanship. The exhibition will be up through March 26, 2010.

It’s an honor to participate in this upcoming show January 17th at BLAH. Hope to see you there!

Thanks for joining us for Current: an exhibition of hand-crafted design at The Bakery, featuring Black Whale, a fantastical knitted lighting installation by Korean designer Kwangho Lee, with mercantile, a pop up shop showcasing design objects by 9 American designers. We’d like to extend a monstrous thank you to all of the individuals and organizations that support us in bringing these types of events to San Diego. Take a gander here at some of our first photos of the event. Also stay tuned for Black Whale‘s reappearance this fall… and don’t be a stranger of course!

With Current right around the corner, the transformation of the fabrication studio here at The Bakery has begun. On September 3-5 we present mercantile, an impromptu pop up shop featuring hand-crafted works by 9 American designers and artists. It’s an opportunity for this multi-discipline group to unveil limited runs of their latest experiments. Here’s a sneak peek of the items that are rolling in (more here!)

Above: a preserved beetle elytra necklace by L.A. based Cloven Hoof //Below: a repurposed roof vent lamp by Chicago-based designer Casie Lurie

Saturday, September 4th will be quite the night in Barrio Logan. Join us for Current at The Bakery, then head across the street to Voz Alta for Keeping Time, a group show featuring 7 local photographers. Then hit The Glashaus — a mere 3 blocks away — for Device Gallery’s Creatures of Industry featuring Greg Brotherton, Nemo Gould, Jeremy Mayer, and Guillermo Rigattieri (shown above). It’s all within strolling/biking distance, with Blueprint Cafe around the corner open 5-10 pm.

For those of you coming into town for the festivities, get in touch with us for special discounts at The Pearl Hotel! The Bakery and The Glashaus will be open Friday through Sunday for the ART SAN DIEGO 2010 Contemporary Art Fair (at The Hilton) so you can stroll by as you please. Hours here.

Current — Sept 1-5th at The Bakery in San Diego — unveils Black Whale, a knitted lighting installation by Korean designer Kwangho Lee.

Kwangho shared these photos with us of his inspirations, including some snapshots from Seoul and some from his grandparents’ farm in rural Korea. View his photo set at Flickr.

Kwangho’s rural upbringing on the farm inspired him to apply traditional hand-crafted techniques (knitting) to otherwise uninspired urban materials (power cables), to create these sculptural lighting installations. His idea is that “works done by hands can bring new meanings and value to the ordinary things.”

UPDATE 01/14/2011: Here’s a video Converse did about Kwangho.

The Bakery transforms for Current September 1-5! RSVP now:

Weds., Sept 1: Patrons’ Night > A special preview night in Barrio Logan, catered by the infamous MIHO Gastrotruck with a hosted bar and live music by members of The Silent Comedy. More details here! 

Sat., Sept 4: The Opening > The opening event for Current — same night as art openings throughout Barrio Logan — across the street at Voz Alta, and 2 blocks down at Device Gallery at The Glashaus! FREE. RSVP here!

Ten days ago, Mike Maxwell launched the Live Free Wall outside The Bakery. Since then it’s been a blur of artists painting the wall over and again. The time lapse of the whole project will be unveiled Thursday night August 12 at Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, alongside the Viva La Revolucion exhibit, which features the work of Banksy, Shepard Fairey, Barry McGee, Calma, JR, Ryan McGinness, Os Gemeos…the list goes on and on. Check out the preview above, and we’ll see you at TNT!

Update: See the full time lapse here!

His work has taken him to exhibitions from Paris to Milan, Berlin, and New York. This summer he’s dreamed up Black Whale for Current, and it’s now making its way to San Diego. Mark your calendar for its debut — more event details here!

Above: Wall by Calma, in East Village

We had a wonderful time with you all in Tijuego (aka Tijuana+San Diego) this past weekend, enjoying a wealth of street art and experiencing our two cities the way they should be – on bike. We must thank the 15+ organizations we partnered with — most intimately Sezio and Turista Libre — as well as our 2010 Patrons who help us put on events like these and further our mission of promoting cultural exchange in San Diego. And of course, thanks to you 150+ cyclists who came out to ride!

Below: Freeway underpass space-scape, Tijuana

Check out the time-lapse of the SD ride from Charles Berquist, with photos of the San Diego ride by Charles here and some Set & Drift Tijuana faves here.

Also… make sure to see the winning photo sets of Tijuana (David Cannon: here) and San Diego (Nadja Lancelot: here), who are going home from the Tijuego rides with gift certificates to El Take It Easy, El Camino, and Velo Cult!

Below: Wall by Shepard Fairey, Hillcrest

Thank you all for coming on the Tijuego Street Art Bike Tour over the weekend. This was truly a community effort with many sponsors, bike and art organizations, visionary building owners who helped murals materialize, and ad-hoc helpers along the way.

Help us out by letting those involved know you had a great time and value their support!

MCASD
Honest Tea
El Camino
El Take It Easy
SD Bike Coalition
Velo Cult
Paseo Urbano Bicicletero
SD Bike Commuter
CROL + Irene + Chicano Park
Miriello Grafico
Bic Control / Los Cruzadores
The Tijuana Police for escorting us through the streets!
La Casa de Tunel
Reacciona Tijuana

Apologies for anyone we forgot to mention!
Sezio //  Turista Libre //  Set & Drift

Set & Drift is honored to bring the work of Kwangho Lee out from Korea for Current — an exhibition of hand-crafted design — this September. For the upcoming exhibition, Kwangho is building a large scale lighting installation, a transformative and sculptural piece knitted with power cords as his unconventional medium. Though born and raised in rural Korea, Kwangho now lives and works in Seoul, and he’s been sending us some tantalizing shots of his studio and work in process.

Below: Kwangho uses this table with a circular hole surrounded by pegs to knit some of his pieces. He says he created it after coming across a similar smaller scale tool used in metal jewelry making.

The creation that he’s dreamed up for Current has acquired the name Black Whale, a 7 foot long knitted lighting installation that’s coming to life and being prepared for its migration to San Diego. Read more about Kwangho’s process here and be sure to make a date for The Opening at The Bakery. {Full event details here!}

LOOK: The work of Josh Higgins & Grant Brittain converge at Subtext this Friday, July 30th!

We’re so looking forward to this collaborative show featuring our fellow collaborator and San Diego based graphic designer Josh Higgins (you might recognize his posters from past Set & Drift events below!). He’s also the founder of The Haiti Poster Project, quite a monumental undertaking, which continues to raise funds for the victims of the earthquake in Haiti through sales of posters designed by artists and designers from around the world. He’s one insanely talented, hard-working, passionate, and wonderful guy! So come out:

Different artists, different mediums, different content. But the song remains the same (or at least similar). Friends and fellow artists Grant Brittain and Josh Higgins will grace the walls of Subtext. Brittain’s portraiture of some of skateboarding’s greatest names through the years features icons and underground heroes. Higgins’ poster-art focuses on his work with punkers, musical heros, and charitable causes.

The place will be packed, so get there early!

Set & Drift Presents CURRENT:
An Exhibition of Hand-Crafted Design

THE OPENING:
Sat. Sept 4, 2010 (7-10 pm, free > RSVP here!)
Sounds by Will Redd and DJ Claire
Saturday night will be host to Artist Openings throughout the Barrio Logan neighborhood. Drop by Current then check out the photography show across the street at Voz Alta and open artist studios throughout The Glashaus (a must-see re-purposed glass factory), including Device Gallery’s Creatures of Industry.

OPEN GALLERY:
Fri-Sun. Sept 3-5, 2010*
*open throughout ART SAN DIEGO Contemporary Art Fair (at The Hilton Bayfront)

View full event details and photos here!

Not an official Set & Drift Patron yet? Join the circle today! A $50 tax deductible donation ($100 for two) makes you an official Patrons of 2010 programming! We couldn’t do it without you.

A monstrous thank you to our supporters: MIHO Gastrotruck, Vin de Syrah, Trumer Pils, Influx Cafe, Suzie’s Organic Farm, Halcyon Tea, Caxao Chocolates, New Belgium Brewing, The Linkery, Sea Rocket Bistro, The Pearl Hotel, Temecula Olive Oil, The 3rd Corner, Cafe Moto, and Honest Tea.

Join Sezio, Set & Drift, and Turista Libre for a bicycle-powered street art tour of Tijuego (Tijuana + San Diego). The tour will be split into two rides and will visit urban art installations adorning both of our sister cities.

TJ Ride // Saturday, July 31 // 1:00 pm
Meet at the gates on the South side of the pedestrian border crossing in Colonia Federal. After-party at Pop Diner starting at 4pm

…SD Ride // Sunday, August 1 // 11:00 am
Meet at Urban Outfitters, Hillcrest by the OBEY mural
The ride will conclude at MCASD Downtown at 2pm
After-party at Super El Camino in Little Italy at 4pm

Photo Scavenger Hunt
We’re encouraging all participants to document this ride, and the art we’ll experience along the way. After the weekend, upload your photos to Flickr and email the set link to info@sezio.org. We’ll choose two winning albums, one based on quantity of photos and one based on quality photos. Each winner will be granted a one year membership to Sezio and to MCASD, along with gift certificates to El Camino and El Take It Easy, and some gear from Velo Cult.

Border Crossing Details
We recommend taking the trolley to the border. If you choose to drive, park at San Ysidro and cross through the first turnstile into Mexico. Walk down the promenade with a mural on the right and a row of official-looking teller windows on the left. Soon thereafter you’ll come to a fork where you can keep going straight or turn right. Turn right, go through the second turnstile, and we’ll be right there on the other side waiting for you.

Bike to the Museum Day @ MCASD
The SD Ride corresponds with Bike to the Museum Day at MCASD’s downtown location, and the Viva La Revolucion exhibit. A free bike valet will be provided at the TNT location (across from the museum). Your bike valet ticket will be good for 1/2 price museum entrance and for a 2 for 1 drink special at the El Camino after-party.

RSVP on Facebook

Check out the tour map

The Survey Select Narrative Art Exhibition is now up — taking place July 15 to September 5, 2010 at the Wonderbread Factory in San Diego. Mark Murphy has gathered a truly admirable group of 65+ artists, including the likes of Jeff Soto, Dalek, Kelsey Brookes, and Bonnie Marie Smith (a Set & Drift favorite, shown above). The exhibition examines “a new tradition of storytelling”, and we are thrilled that it’s here in San Diego. Catch the public reception tonight! (And keep an eye out for the clever display pieces by local design-build firm Bells & Whistles.) Find artist and event details here.

We’re hosting a happy hour gathering at The Farm Proper at our Barrio Logan studio on Monday, July 12 – 6 pm. Drop on by!

Details here.

The upcoming exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD), entitled “Viva La Revolucion,” has generated a tremendous amount of dialogue around the idea of street art, and with that dialogue – controversy. This came to a head with Barry McGee‘s (TWIST) mural across the street from the city hall. Mike Maxwell has been documenting as well as contributing to the explosion of murals showing up on walls across the city, and caught some great footage of McGee’s team attacking an enormous wall while under scrutiny.

Although it’s a common practice to commission walls for artist murals, and we totally understand the value of MCASD grabbing some walls for these artists, we find it a little ironic that an exhibition specifically about the street art movement includes officially sanctioned walls for artists (especially if the MCASD backs down under local criticism).

The beautiful thing about the museum’s exhibition is that while some walls are “official”, some are very much unofficial works done by the artists under their own accord. You may be able to take the street artist off the street, but you can’t take the street out of the street artist.

We’re looking forward to watch this play out over the coming weeks (the exhibition opens to the public on July 18th), and see how MCASD handles ongoing criticism and subsequent education/outreach. One thing is for certain so far: this museum is doing their job by starting dialogue and pushing this city to consider what contemporary art is or should be.

Set & Drift Presents Current

Reception: Saturday, September 4, 2010 / 7 to 10 pm

VIP Preview Night: Thursday, September 2, 2010

Open Studio: September 3-5, 2010, in conjunction with the international San Diego Art Fair (downtown San Diego)

Set & Drift presents Current, an exhibition showcasing the blurry line between art and design. The working furniture design workshop of The Bakery will undergo a temporary transformation, to feature a sculptural knitted lighting installation by Korean designer Kwangho Lee. A pop up shop in the studio will also showcase limited edition furniture pieces, prints, and objects by designers including Miki Iwasaki (mi-workshop) and Josh Higgins. The Bakery is a historic building in Barrio Logan, which houses a creative studio and exhibiton space, as well as The Farm Proper, a mobile, urban farm experiment.

1701 National Avenue, San Diego, California USA

As a sequel to the Shaken, not Stirred show at Spacecraft Gallery in June 2009, a group of San Diego designers, architects and educators are coming together again to show recent projects and concepts under development. The exhibition will include sculptures, drawings, digital fabrications, and models to showcase fresh perspectives and a snapshot of the work being created in San Diego.

Artists & designers include: Ted Smith & Kathleen McCormick, Rinehart/Herbst, Hector & Adrian Perez, Miki Iwasaki, Rene Peralta, Megan Willis, David White, Jim Darroch, Christopher Puzio, Jose Parral & Tasi Paulson, Philipp Bosshart, Andy Ralph, Brian Dick, Jon Linton, Michael Hoffman, Daniela Deutsch, Cameron Crockett, Adriana Cuellar & Marcel Sanchez-Prieto, and Nathan Colkitt.

RSVP & more details

Saturday, June 26, 2010 (5-9 pm)

The Bakery / 1701 National Ave, San Diego, CA

It’s a busy night — Sezio drew up a handy bike route that hits on the events happening at The Bakery, San Diego Space For Art, & Suture!

Watch the preview.

& Purchase tickets here.

What we’re harvesting: Aztec spinach, strawberries, wild arugula, pole beans, magenta lambsquarter, purple radishes, beets, kale, tatsoi.

The Farm Proper is an experimental project created by a collaborative of artists, designers, and backyard growers to inspire urban cultivation and pocket farms. Using abandoned/defunct shopping carts as our medium, we have designed a scenario to take over a temporarily available industrial lot to provide the community with organically grown food.

Our intention was to start a conversation and indeed it’s begun with some welcomed coverage via Fast Company and designboom of Milan, Italy.

Check in on the farm at Facebook or Flickr for an evolving set of photos. And don’t be a stranger – we’ve got some events planned for this summer at the farm. Sign up for updates here.

On 15 May 2010 Set & Drift hosted a Seed Bombing Potluck at The Farm Proper.

The Farm Proper is an experiment in the urban landscape.
Set & Drift, in collaboration with mi-workshop, have repurposed an industrial dirt lot outside The Bakery in the Barrio Logan neighborhood of San Diego, California. The farm is comprised of abandoned/defunct grocery carts filled with vegetables cultivated organically by a collective of artists, designers, backyard growers, and other creatives. It’s a project meant to inspire urban cultivation and pocket farms. Using abandoned shopping carts as our medium, we’ve designed a scenario to take over a temporarily available industrial lot to provide the community with organically grown food. The designer is the new farmer!

Above: An assemblage of artists and designers discuss and farm: Mike Maxwell, Kevin Joelson, Patrick Kenney, Sean Kelley, Scott Ballum & Stacy Kelley

Project details here.

Full Flickr set here.

Below: Architect Miki Iwasaki of mi-workshop builds architecture for the pole bean climbers.

Art and Copy, A Film by Doug Pray, is coming to Birch Theater in North Park June 24th.

ART & COPY is a powerful new film about advertising and inspiration. Directed by Doug Pray (SURFWISE, SCRATCH, HYPE!), it reveals the work and wisdom of some of the most influential advertising creatives of our time — people who’ve profoundly impacted our culture, yet are virtually unknown outside their industry. Exploding forth from advertising’s “creative revolution” of the 1960s, these artists and writers all brought a surprisingly rebellious spirit to their work in a business more often associated with mediocrity or manipulation…

Details found here.

Seed Bombing Potluck at The Farm Proper
Saturday 5.15.10 // 2-4 pm

it’s harvesting time at The Farm Proper, and we’d like to share some of the bounty with you! we also have a load of newly acquired carts that are filled with soil and ready for the planting. {we have seeds for you to plant or bring ones of your choosing} …

BYOB for the ice bucket //
we’ll have a couple Farm Proper salads & snacks, bring some farm food to share if you like.

bring friends, bring your shovel, drop by for a few, don’t be a stranger.

The Farm Proper is a mobile, urban farm experiment at The Bakery.

established January 2010 :: photos

Facebook invite

Photo by Carly Ealey (full photo set of the event here)

Much gratitude to Sezio for the review and insightful documentation of this month’s Liquidation Sale hosted by Set & Drift here at The Bakery!

Pop Zen and a Fort with The Vision at The Bakery in Barrio. Fear not, folks, this isn’t 2012. What may sound like an apocalyptic nursery tale was in fact Set & Drift’s latest collaborative event, presenting the work of Keikichi Honna and Wes Bruce, and including a performance by The Vision of a Dying World, hosted at The Bakery on April 3. This event marked The Bakery’s gallery debut… <more>

Update: Friday, April 23rd (that’s today, folks!) we’re opening up The Bakery to Wes Bruce to show the fort one last time before it’s dismantled. Drop by and get a tour with the artist himself.

A ‘thank you’ to all of you who came out for our most recent show at The Bakery — Liquidation Sale! by Keikichi Honna with Live-in-able Fort by Wes Bruce (detail pictured above).

Another thank you goes out to Keikichi and Wes, two very soulful artists and longtime collaborators of ours; Miki of mi-workshop; Jackson of The Vision of a Dying World; our supporters at New Belgium; and Brian Deppe, who caught the whole thing on film. And lastly, a very special thank you to all of you who purchased Keikichi’s work!

We hope you had a chance to explore the fort by foot but if not, peep some shots here. Voz Alta also threw a great show across the street, making it quite a night down here on the block in Barrio Logan. It was a pleasure hosting ye. ‘Til next time!

Update: Wes is hosting one more showing of the fort Friday, April 23, before it’s dismantled. Details here!

We are very much looking forward to Only In Your Fondest Dreams, the Brian Flynn opening next Friday (4/9/2010) at Subtext. While Flynn’s graphic edges couldn’t be more crisp, the line between art and design is starting to blur in a rather beautiful way, opening the door for new dialogue.

Talk amongst yourselves.

Featuring Keikichi Honna, Wes Bruce, and The Vision of a Dying World.

Details here.

Feat. Mike Maxwell, Niko, Exist 1981, Tocayo, Kelli Murray, Brent Sandor, Carly Ealey, Wes Bruce, Sean Kelley, Stacy Kelley, Sean Ward and Jane Weibel

More details from Sezio here, and the Niko/Mike Maxwell collab time lapse video here. 6-10pm // Musical acts include The Paddle Boat, Black Mamba & Dr. Popsicle

Here’s a peek at what’s going on over there right now.

Below: Sean Kelley’s piece

A collab by Carly Ealey & Brent Sandor (left) & Sean’s work in progress (right)

Tocayo, work in progress

Love this one by Exist 1981…

And this one…rar.

By Wes Bruce. (We have been up late…)

Hope to see you Friday!

Set & Drift has moved to Barrio Logan — we’re sharing a studio space with mi-workshop {object & space design}. We opened the studio up the other night and are looking forward to hosting future events! Here are some shots, including our golden chihuahuas and a film screening of Jean Painleve’s Science is Fiction in the workshop {below}. Keep in touch for details on upcoming happenings.

Tired bicicletas. These guys made the trek from the San Diego neighborhood of South Park down to Tijuana. (We gave them a break on the trolley on the way home.)

On 05 of December 2009 we set out by bicycle — joined by Jay, Katie, and Michael of North Park farm-to-table restaurant The Linkery — in the direction of Suzie’s Farm, an organic farms that supplies The Linkery with some of its produce.

Set & Drift also happens to be part of the Suzie’s Farm CSA program. Every two weeks we pick up one box of whatever is in season at the farm (from Grant’s Marketplace in South Park – oh so convenient). To give you a sense of what’s inside, we laid out a December box on our table.

So beautiful. Such variety. Building recipes based on what’s on hand is a new creative challenge.

Suzie’s Farm owner Robin was generous with the taste tests. We were also excited to hear that strawberries will make their way into the CSA box in early spring.

They’re trying out growing heirloom tomatoes in the greenhouse. Farm owner Lucila explained that sometimes it’s good to be rough with tomatoes. Perhaps if they think they’re on their way out, they’ll make babies faster. And those are some delicious babies.

Suzie’s farm is not far from the U.S./Mexico border. So close, in fact, that we decided to take the bikes across. We ended up at Tijuana ceviche restaurant Erizo: amazing. The quail egg was a nice touch.

After many shared plates and a few bottles of wine we decided to link up with Derrik on his Turista Libre outing. We found ourselves at TJ bar Garces, a fantastic lounge that pays homage to Mexican actor Mauricio Garces — fully outfitted with gold upholstered booths and mirrored tables. We spent a good amount of time with the Turista Libre crew, admiring their loot from the Tijuana shopping spree, before hitting the road.

So sore the next day but so worth it.

Set & Drift is proud to support The 2009 Gingerbread Collective: a charitable showcase of gingerbread houses built by over a dozen San Diego architects and designers. The event benefits local non-profit Second Chance, which provides job training and housing opportunities to assist with employment and self-sufficiency. Set & Drift’s Sean Kelley experimented with a little baking to design the event’s tasty 3-dimensional graphic (above). It’s a tricky material for us creatives, and we are super excited to see the masterpieces that come out of this multi-discipline exhibition of creativity and collaborative networking.

Above: Sculptor Matt Devine’s mid century modern “Case #22 Inspired Gingerbread House”, feat. a frosty pool, edible shrubbery, and some seriously creative furnishings.

Below: Furniture designer/architect Miki Iwasaki of mi-workshop unveils COLLECTIVE LANDSCAPE, which considers how we live on our landscape and what it means to be a collective. He’s crafted some reclaimed hardwood remnants to stand amongst a community of sculpted cookie and surreal candy living spaces.

A public showcase happens at Arclinea — a modern Italian kitchen design showroom — Thurs/Fri 12/10 & 12/11 from 6-9 pm.  Or, if you want a more intimate viewing, gather with the builders for a cocktail gala the evening of Saturday 12/12, where the jury will announce the winners and guests can bid on houses to call their very own. Gala tix are $25 with 100% of proceeds benefiting Second Chance. Added bonus: tasty treats from spots like Starlite, Cucina Urbana, & Stone Brew will be served up at the gala as you meander through the maze.

One of our favorite artists, Matt Stallings, unveils his show After the Bomb Popped at Subtext Gallery in San Diego this month. We’ve located an interview // photo preview of his work –> Muchas gracias to Sezio for the diversity of questions and the entertaining format, and for letting us ask him what his power animal is.

And so we tell you of the wonder-fulness that is Matt Stallings and remind you to meet him on your computer, and at Subtext, if you are in the area 12.11.09.

Matt Stallings’s DNA =

Coffee + Television + Fruit Loops + Cartoons + Bear Suites + Nostalgia + Comedy + 1+1=3 + Madonna Gap tooth + Beer + Kids + Tabloids + Love + Wife + Family + Red Beard = White. Medium height. Slightly hairy human.

Photos via Fecal Face (including one below), and watch the studio tour/interview by Sezio. (And if you really want to get crazy, there’s a preview of the upcoming show here.)

This Friday, October 2nd, San Diego based artist Mike Maxwell opens his new La Jolla studio to the public for the first time. Join Mike for drinks and hors d’oeuvres on the rooftop lounge over looking the Cove above his studio. And take a gander at his blog for the latest.

Make sure to mark your calendars for next Friday’s opening of Cereal Killer at Subtext, which promises a tasty exhibition of breakfast-mascot-inspired paintings by Patrick Ballesteros. There is mischief in those eyes, and as Stephen Colbert reminds us, bears are not to be trusted!

Get down to the Kava Lounge tonight at 9pm to kick off Fall the right way – with hip-hop. The Fall Hip-Hop Showcase, presented by San Diego House Parties, will feature live performances by K The I ??? with onepersun, Edword Sizzamouf, and M-Double-A-L, and the Afta Shock Dance Crew will also be on hand.

We recently visited the Lux Art Institute in Encinitas for the opening of Elizabeth Turk’s artist residency. The residency and show is a coming-home of sorts for the artist, who grew up in Orange County but until now has been working in New York. The Lux space seems to fit her work well, as the modern lines of the architecture and sculpture blend with the inherent organic atmosphere of her conceptual queries and the surrounding landscape.

Elizabeth’s stark white marble forms look convincingly skeletal, offering an inverse to the dark bio-mechanical world of H.R. Giger.

She’s a slender lady, but unleashes a plethora of power tools to create her intricate sculpture from such a hard material. Elizabeth grinds the marble with a wide range of diamond and carbide-tipped tools, from large power grinders to small metal files and dental instruments.

The corner of the gallery space will act as Elizabeth’s makeshift studio during her stay.

The studio space is filled with studies, images of inspiration, and notes on patterns in nature, evolution, and psychology.

One of Elizabeth’s sculptures is made from an immense marble slab, resting on the floor. These stalagmite-like water droplet forms had us glancing up at the ceiling… for what I’m not quite sure.

Elizabeth has created a series of collars that are intended to be “delicately monumental.” The time and physical exertion takes it’s toll on the artist, motivating her to find relaxation in graphite drawings. I’m not sure how relaxing it was to draw these highly detailed hair-like strands on two 45 foot rolls of vellum – I guess it’s all relative.

Elizabeth also creates intricate drawings and prints, mixing flora and fauna into semi-recognizable but otherworldly patterns.

In addition to the opportunity to interact with the artist and her art, the Lux property itself is most definitely worth the visit. The Lux building, which was recently LEED certified (the first art museum in California with that distinction), is nestled into a native California chaparral covered hillside just north of San Elijo Lagoon. Elizabeth will be working in residency at LUX through Oct. 3, but her work will be up through 10/31.

Los Angeles artist Megan Whitmarsh has a show coming up on September 12th at K___R____E_T___S, an art gallery/project room in Malmö, Sweden. KRETS shares our common vision, seeking to show contemporary art in a way not bound to the conventional and commercial art market. KRETS works with diverse media and happenings, such as art exhibitions, workshops, film screenings, and music performances.

The upcoming show, “YETI CRYSTAL RAINBOW”, is up through October 11, 2009, and includes an opening with the artist on September 12th. The exhibit features Megan’s signature embroidered canvasses, soft sculpture, and a site specific wall mural, communicating her desire “to synthesize an optimistic vision of the future with the detritus of modern life.”

Not in Sweden? We hear ya. Check out her embroidered yetis and other fanciful creations here.

Pictured below – (Not necessarily in this show but one of our favorites nevertheless) –

King Kong Shares Kit Kat

San Diego’s Subtext Gallery+Bookstore celebrates its third anniversary this Friday, September 4th (6-10 pm), with “Wanderlust”: new works by Art Center colleagues Brody Albert and Demetrius May.

It seems like human nature to hold onto our youth, continue exploring, and to pursue paths not yet traveled. Yet, in true human fashion, we process these emotions in different ways...

Thank you for the memories, Subtext, and cheers to many more to come!

<The exhibition will be open by appointment September 4th-27th, 2009.>

Sezio has officially launched their Artist Exchange Program and is getting the party started by bringing Brooklyn-based artist Morgan Blair out to San Diego. A recent RISD graduate and Brooklyn-based artist, Morgan Blair is spending the week living and working at the Luce Loft in downtown San Diego.  The exhibition will be opened up to the public both Friday and Saturday nights with “Brain Glamor – Morgan Goes Pacific”. Check out Sezio’s interview with Morgan here!

When: August 14th & 15th (6-10pm)
Where: Luce Loft (1037 J. St – SD, 92101)
Details: Free & All Ages

Introducing…

MUSTACHE MAYHEM!

The Silent Comedy is in the thick of creating a new album, and they’re reaching out to the community for help. Here’s how it works:

1. Participants submit a photo of themselves with a mustache (real or fake), along with a donation toward the band’s recording fund.
2. In recognition of the support, the band will include the photos in the jacket of a limited edition pressing of their new full length record.
3. In addition, each contributor will receive gifts ranging from a copy of the new record to a hand painted box loaded with limited edition artwork, merchandise, and rare recordings (depending on their level of contribution).
4. Details, submission forms, and guidelines can all be found at www.thesilentcomedy.com.

MUSTACHE PARTY

To kick off Mustache Mayhem, the band is hosting a Mustache Party at El Dorado Cocktail Lounge on Wednesday, July 29th. Attendees are encouraged to wear mustaches (real or fake), and prizes will be awarded to the best mustache (male and female).

Some of the Mustache Party fun will include:

• On site photographer (and provided mustaches) to help you submit your Mustache Mayhem photo.
• Giveaways from various individuals and organizations (including Sezio.org, Set & Drift, a signed print of The Silent Comedy photographed by Rebecca Joelson, and more). Each partygoer will receive a ticket for the drawing free of charge.
• “Pin the Mustache on Justin” game where participants attempt to correctly place the mustache on a photo of  Silent Comedy banjo/mandolin player, Justin Buchanan.
• A brief acoustic performance by The Silent Comedy.
• Party favors (including mustache decals and chocolate mustaches).

It’s going to be a fun night, and all in the name of getting a rock-album created by one of our favorite bands. See you there!

There’s a north county happening this Saturday that has the makings of a legendary event. The Burning of Rome is playing live at Speakeasy Studios with guests Judgement Day, spoken word by Ed Dekker & live art.

But that’s not all…

The darkhorse of the evening is a puppet art show from the mind of visionary North County-import Neil McLean of the UK. While at Lou’s Records in Encinitas, we picked up a limited edition DVD sneak preview of Neil’s “televisual situation comedy” DUNGEON that he’s making in his garage. There aren’t many left so hurry over. Your purchase will be made under the watchful gaze of one of the puppets from DUNGEON, who resides on the wall behind the register.

Keep a weather eye on a Minstrel Fridays mixtape from Mr. McLean, coming soon to the Set & Drift blog!

If anyone’s down for a nautically themed art show, it’s the crew over here at Set & Drift. Cruise down this Saturday to see new work by several Yeller artists at the Wharffice.

Get a preview of the show plus directional coordinates here.

UPDATE: Poster deadline extended to Monday, August 10, 2009. Submission info here.

Here’s an excerpt from ParkerWhite’s call for entries:

The donated posters will be sold exclusively online, and all profits will go directly to the San Diego Food Bank. Our goal is to raise at least $10,000 to help feed the hungry.

The theme is “Help End Hunger.” We are looking for uplifting art that will help educate the public about hunger-related issues.

Set&Drift in conjunction with AIGA San Diego and Subtext is proud to present Objectified, a documentary film by Gary Hustwit.

If you haven’t already heard, Gary Hustwit’s latest documentary Objectified is coming to town July 10 at the Museum of Contemporary Art in La Jolla. The film dives into the world of products we’ve surrounded ourselves with, and the designers that create them. It’s a must see for any creative, so get it on the calendar.

Hustwit also directed Helvetica, a documentary about graphic design and the typeface that’s become a ubiquitous part of human visual communication across the globe. Judging from his directorial debut, Hustwit’s films should probably be required watching for all humans. So if you haven’t seen it yet, rent Helvetica as a warm-up to Objectified.

And as if the screening wasn’t enough, Subtext Gallery is bringing some added radness with an after party featuring a live performance by El Ten Eleven (who rock the soundtrack for Objectified and Helvetica).

Believe you me, this screening will sell out. Get your tickets now and we’ll see you July 10!

We’ll be cruising down to Subtext this Friday for the opening of Origins. The show features new work from Kyung Soon Park, Francis Vallejo, & Austin McCormick, focusing on their interpretation of heroes/heroines.

See you there!

The good people over at City Heights Farmer’s Market are celebrating their first birthday this Saturday in grand and tasty style. Read their invite below…

9 am to 1 pm // The corner of Wightman & Fairmount

If you (think) make the *BEST* tamales in town, or if you (think) you know someone who makes the *BEST* tamales in town, send them our way. $275 in Cash Prizes will be distributed to the makers of the BEST tamales!, we are especially encouraging City Heights residents to participate. And of course, I expect to see many of your smiling faces at the Market on June 6th, participating in the TAMALE CONTEST TASTING!

Interested tamale-makers should contact Morgan Congdon at the IRC, 619-641-7510 x 279, or morgan.congdon@theIRC.org

Photo by Mexicanwave.

A big thanks to Miriello Grafico for hosting Set & Drift as we prepare for the Thread Show this weekend. MG was kind enough to provide space in The Logan warehouse to stage our Native Curiosities installation this week.

Here’s a glimpse at the staging that began on Saturday…

In addition to housing Miriello Grafico’s design studio and LJG, The Logan will soon be home to video production company DV creations, rounding out a strategic partnership anchored in Barrio Logan that forms an incredibly capable creative powerhouse.

Here’s a preview of our installation at the upcoming Thread Show on May 30/31 in San Diego. This old school silo in the Wonderhaus is our blank canvas.

The inverted cone on the inside looks like something from the set of THX-1138.

See more photos of Native Curiosities at FLICKR

A big thanks to Carly and Zack from Sezio…
… for cruising up to Oceanside for the Native opening at Swiv Tackle Circus. Carly took some great photos and wrote up a review of a fun night filled with art, music, and urban garden-grown snacks.

We’ve also uploaded some tasty photos of the urban garden bounty, and a short video featuring Tocayo’s NATIVE sign painting.

Native will be up at Swiv Tackle Circus through May 23rd, including this Saturday for THE COLOR INK BOOK, ISSUE 3 release party, so check it out if you missed the opening!

Photo credit: Carly Ealey

Here’s a little footage behind the sign that Tocayo created for the Native exhibition at Swiv Tackle Circus in Oceanside, CA. Stacy and Sean Kelley of Set & Drift helped paint out the sign lettering while Tocayo built up the black edges of his dream-catcher illustration.

Photo credits: Carly Ealey, Tracy
Music by Orishas, from the Tocayo Time mixtape.
More info on the exhibition here.

The Color Ink Book is the third installment of a coloring book series with some rad illustration. Check it out this Saturday, May 16th at Swiv Tackle Circus for live art, music, drinks, eats, and giveaways!

And if you missed the NATIVE opening, this is a good time to see the exhibition before it’s gone on May 23rd!

SET & DRIFT will be at THREAD San Diego Saturday – Sunday May 30-31st! Join us at the Native Lounge in the flour silo at the old Wonderbread Bakery in East Village for a collaborative art installation set amongst indie fashion designs, live screen printing, drinks, music, and good times! Visit THREAD for more details and to RSVP before May 15!

See photos of Native Curiosities at FLICKR.

If you’ve been paying attention, San Diego is celebrating beer with a passion. Show some love by voting for your favorite Beer City in the states and show Charlie Papazian (homebrew hero and founder of the Brewers Association and the Great American Beer Festival) what’s what.

Thanks for the heads up from one our favorite watering holes, Blind Lady Alehouse, part of an impressive microbrew corridor along 30th St. & Adams Ave. that includes Hamiltons, The Whistlestop, Sea Rocket Bistro, The Linkery, Ritual Tavern, Toronado, Jayne’s Gastropub…

Did I miss anybody?

Another chance to see the NATIVE exhibit (up thru 5/23) — tonight is Stencil Nation @ SWIV.

Thanks so much to all of you who helped and came out to celebrate at NATIVE Saturday night! There was great energy, and we are so thankful to SWIV for their creativity and positivity and for hosting us in their amazing gallery space. The exhibit is up through May 23, so stop by and check it out!

Check out some great photos at King Bee, and we’re updating our flickr set in the next couple days. Send your photos our way if you have ‘em.

xoxo SET & DRIFT

We’re beginning to reap quite the harvest from SWIV’s urban-community garden, a collaboration amongst SWIV, Hill Street Cafe (next door), and some obliging neighbors. We’re excited to share the booty at NATIVE, as well as some tantalizing fresh squeezed juice from locally grown blood oranges, courtesy of Hill Street.

Tocayo

a Skate Stool and Spare Time Clocks, Miki Iwasaki

While we’re working hard on the NATIVE show at Swiv Tackle Circus on April 25, we wanted to dish out a preview of one of the artists from the show.

Hit play and delve into the work and life of designer/architect/teacher Miki Iwasaki. Through an intimate series of introspective ponderings, Miki explores how the small objects in our life shape the big picture of how we live. Check out more of the work from his studio, Mi-Workshop.

This beautiful little gem of a film, entitled SCALE: furniture/architecture/society, was shot and directed by filmmaker Jeffrey Durkin of Breadtruck Films, and debuted at the Pearl Hotel in February. We’ll have a mini-theater setup for the film at NATIVE.

Make sure to cruise up to Swiv on 4/25 to see the latest wood works from Miki.

La Milpa grows organic vegetables, herbs, and greens, and is home to a handful of goats, chickens, and kittens. They’re at the farmers’ markets (Oceanside, Vista, La Mesa, Hillcrest) so say hi to them and buy some stuff. They’re doing it right over there.

{They’re also hosting their monthly potluck/movie/wood fired pizza gathering under the big oak tree at the farm April 18, 2009 at 5:30 pm…another good time to join in a toast to their dedication.}

Chickens plus chick and chocolate mint sampling

We bartered some time weeding stinging nettle out of the beet plot for a handful of fresh cut cilantro. Owner and bread and pizza making guru Barry generously donated a bit of sourdough starter he’s been cultivating for 10 years to get our first batch of pizza dough rolling.

At the Session 1 Eat Easy we served up Sean’s ‘New Mexican’ pizzas – corn, peppers, onion, poblanos, pine nuts, goat cheese, and farm fresh sourdough and cilantro. Taking a cue from our Berkeley obsession Cheeseboard, we left out the tomato sauce. (We go for a fine layer of chopped ristra chiles in its place.) Delicioso… and much love to our new farm/foodie friends.

Check out the photo gallery and bask in the glow of what we can accomplish with a just a few drinks and a bit o’ teamwork at Holiday Matinee.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, April 25th!

SWIV TACKLE CIRCUS and SET & DRIFT present NATIVE:
An exhibition about our evolution as natives to Southern California and as humans native to planet earth…

FURNITURE, FILM, ART, and BIKES By Miki Iwasaki, Jeffrey Durkin, Josh Higgins, Stacy Kelley, Tocayo, Sean Kelley, Jeff Black, Shaney Jo Darden, and Thatcher.

More details soon — Sign up to receive all the latest!

Opening reception: 6:00-10:00 pm
530 South Coast Highway >> Oceanside, California

Join us at San Diego’s Starlite Lounge tonight and help some kids get clean water.
Get more info from the evening’s organizer Holiday Matinee here!