A few hours ago Anthony Lister was painting the door outside FIFTY24SF Gallery and the camera crew was there to catch it all on film.  He’s as nice as his art is awe-inspiring.  Don’t forget to check out Lister’s Magic Trick opening tonight at FIFTY24SF from 7 to 9 pm.  See you there!

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Tonight FIFTY24SF Gallery presents 2 solo shows hosting the works of Anthony Lister and Greg.Craola.Simkins.

Magic Trick is a solo exhibition by Anthony Lister, a painter and installation artist born in Australia, and based in New York City. Anthony Lister’s creations are described as brilliant, broken and abstracted figural works depicting the darker side of both heroes and villains. His fractured renderings place them as imperfect and exaggerated, post-post-modern opposites to how they were conceived – as symbols of modernist humanism. Lister’s work is a reflection and interpretation of the constant bombardment of media, and its relationship with the viewer. His mixed media technique of utilizing various types of paint, from spray paint to watercolor to acrylics, gives his work a depth that has made him one of the most sought-after contemporary artists today.

Seeing Things is a solo exhibition by Greg.Craola.Simkins, a painter and illustrator based in Southern California.

Simkins began drawing at an early age and started doing graffiti under name Craola. Graffiti art became his impetus for creating and gave him the confidence to paint large works. In addition, it taught him perspective, color theory and further developed artistic skills, which later translated into his work with acrylics. His outlandish dreamt of characters are part of a fantasy sideshow, inspired by elements from pop culture, the old masters, nature, carnival kitsch and most importantly, a warped imagination. It is the careful weaving of these elements that makes Greg Simkins a sought after surrealist painter today.

Opening Reception: Thursday, February 5, 2009 from 7–9 P.M.
Address: 248 & 252 Fillmore Street, San Francisco, CA 94117

See you there!

Last month, Miss Van had a solo show, Still a Little Magic, at FIFTY24SF Gallery in San Francisco, that featured her poupees under the big top tents of the circus world.  She’s taken some of her characters from the show and created a wooden pin set.   The pins feature artwork by Miss Van printed onto wood and is a collaborative work of artistic jewelry exclusively hand crafted and produced by Princesas Market and the Limbo Family. Each of the two models is produced in a limited edition of 40 pieces, is signed and comes in a handmade and engraved leather purse with a numbered certificate of authenticity.  If you weren’t able to see the show (which was amazing) you can adorn yourself with a little piece of Miss Van love.  You can buy the pins here.  Read the full story to see the rest of the pictures.
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FIFTY24SF Gallery has 2 great shows opening TONIGHT featuring new drawings and paintings by Ron English and Alex Pardee. Ron English is a master at taking pop cultural icons and adding his social commentary.  His twisted personality comes through in all of his pieces and I can’t wait to see his work up close and personal.  He had a show a few months back at another SF gallery, but alas, it was raining that night and I was too lazy to go (boo!), but I’ll definitely be there tonight!  I’m also excited to see Alex Pardee’s work:  Inspired by horror movies, his work is always eerie, yet humourous.  This show is no different.  He’s portraying and showcasing “Letters From Digested Children” - kids kidnapped by monsters and their SOS letters.  He’s even got the missing person’s posters to go with it.  Stay tuned for pics from the show if you can’t make it.  Details about the shows, and artists, after the jump.

FIFTY24SF Gallery
248 & 252 Fillmore Street
San Francisco, CA 94117

Opening Reception: Tonight, 7 to 9 PM

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Painting by Miss Van

Tonight is an exciting night for art lovers in San Francisco because we have two great openings at FIFTY24SF Gallery - Miss Van and Jeremy Fish.  Many of you know Miss Van and her infamous globe-trotting “poupees” with their iconic doe eyes, pouty lips and taunting gazes.  With each show, Miss Van places her poupees in different settings and this show is no different.  “Still a Little Magic,” Miss Van’s newest undertaking, takes us under the bit top tents into the world of masks and charade.  Miss Van is showing at the downstairs gallery of FIFTY24SF.

Jeremy Fish’s show, “Ghosts of the Barbary Coast,” takes us on a visual history of San Francisco.  Using the adventurers who chased their dreams to San Francisco during the California Gold Rush as an inspiration, Jeremy Fish weaves a tale of mischief and mayhem through 35 new pieces including paintings, illustrations and woodworking projects from Indonesia.  Jeremy Fish is showing at the upstairs gallery of FIFTY24SF.  Also, check out these great video interviews Jeremy did:  A studio tour/interview with Fecal Face (view after the jump) and a cooking session with celebrity Chef Chris Cosentino.

Miss Van and Jeremy Fish are two of my favorite artists and I can’t wait to see these shows tonight!  See you there!

FIFTY24SF Gallery, a division of Upper Playground
248 & 252 Fillmore Street
San Francisco, CA 94117

Miss Van & Jeremy Fish - The artists taking a break.
Images
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Paul Insect’s IDEA OF FREEDOM opens tomorrow night at FIFTY24SF Gallery and it’s one of the biggest, most anticipated shows to date.  IDEA OF FREEDOM is a solo exhibition from London’s Paul Insect, one of cult arts most recognizable and renowned artists.  The opening reception is tomorrow night, Thursday, 11.6 from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. You won’t want to miss this, the show is amazing and Paul Insect is selling prints made exclusively for this show.

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Read more about Paul Insect and see more images of Paul signing prints and how he’s been making his mark in SF while he’s bee in town after the jump . . .

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The Upper Playground blog is informing us that this December, the one and only Miss Van—who has become synonymous with fine graffiti art—will be exhibiting at ground level space at the FIFTY24SF Gallery in San Francisco, coinciding yet separate from Jeremy Fish’s upstairs show at FIFTY24SF.

Um, Jeremy Fish and Miss Van on the same bill?! Bananas…Apples and Bananas…I cannot wait.

We’ll post more details on the opening and exhibition dates when they become available but I really  just wanted to put this out there now cause I know a lot of you will want to travel up to SF for this.

Need your Miss Van fix, like now?! Visit NOTCOT’s online gallery of Miss Van’s simply breathtaking Princesas at the Merry Karnowsky Gallery from March 2007.

This Sunday, authors Sacha Jenkins (of Ego Trip fame) and David Villorente (the Source) will be at Fifty24SF Gallery from 5pm to 8pm, discussing their newest project, Piecebook: The Secret Drawings of Graffiti Writers. Head out and hear the background of the book from the authors themselves!

Read more about this event, book and the authors on the Upper Playground blog.

Tonight at the FIFTY24SF Gallery in San Francisco, Koralie is opening up her new solo show, “Haiku,” in the downstairs gallery. Head on down to Lower Haight from 7-9:30PM for a little bit of art goodness.

Here’s a preview:

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“HAÃ?KU” is a solo exhibition featuring French artist Koralie, an internationally renowned fine and street artist.

The show will mirror the concept and form of a haiku, focusing on what Koralie explains as, “Little canvases, little frames, little supports, all recounting a little story.� Koralie has made a name for herself in the international fine art community with her unique street art and gallery work, capturing Geisha-inspired characters with beautiful textures, patterns, colors, and forms. Apart from exhibiting in galleries across the world, Koralie has contributed designs to Upper Playground’s apparel line.

Koralie is based in Montpellier, France. Her Geisha-inspired characters are some of the most unique pieces to pop-up in cities across the world. Her work has been recently seen at Galerie L.J. Beaubourg in Paris and Joshua Liner Gallery in New York City.

Koralie’s “HA�KU� solo exhibition will be on display at the lower level of the FIFTY24SF Gallery from October 2–30, 2008.