Mina Dresden Gallery : Bethany Kalk - Lingering Curses.

Comment by AB: Growth and decay, both natural and technological, are distinct themes in the art and installation work of Minnesota artist Bethany Kalk.

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Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts : Art of Democracy - Arte de la Democracia.

Artists: Osvaldo Budet, Jos? "Tony" Cruz, Elizam Escobar, Teo Freytes, Guerrilla, Papel Machete, Javier Maldonado, Javier Martinez, Gabriel Melendez, Rafael Miranda, Omar Obdulio Pe?a Forty, Raquel Quijano, Christopher Rivera, Beatriz Santiago, Garvin Sierra, Pedro V?lez, W&N, Alexandra Blum, Francisco Dominguez, Juan Fuentes, Mariana Garibay, Gato, Art Hazelwood, Veronica Orozco & John Harkins, Patrick Piazza, Calixto Robles, Jos Sances, Marsha Shaw, Eunice Soto-Ralat.

Comment by AB: Exchange of political posters between artists of San Francisco and artists of Puerto Rico.

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Eleanor Harwood Gallery : Johanna St. Clair, Sean McFarland & Paul Wackers - The Secret Life of Plants.

Comment by AB: Art about landscape curated by Dan Carlson of Wigglestem Gardens. Superior art on all counts, but I gotta go with Johanna St. Clair's intricate atmospheric renditions of Golden Gate Park foliage. Dan Carlson, in addition to curatorial duties, contributes two large sidewalk planters, brimming with plant life.

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Art 94124 Gallery : Strictly Bayview.

Artists: Kajahl Benes, Katherine Bellevin, Tad Bridenthal, Herb Dang, Juan Fuentes, Mauricia Gandara, Phillippa Kenny, Stephen Kladder, Samuel Lewis, Ray Lobato, Krista Lohr, Sara Morris, Kathy Perry, Pernilla Persson, Henry Riekena, Ron Moultrie Saunders, Adi Talby, Wanda Whitaker.

Comment by AB: Lively group affair of Bayview Artists. Art 94124 Gallery has burst onto the scene as a culture hub in the increasingly artistically significant Bayview District.

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Gallery Three : Dan Kennedy - Darwin's Ghosts.

Comment by AB: Curious surreal reveries courtesy of Ottawa, Canada artist Dan Kennedy have sort of a carnival atmosphere about them.

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Yerba Buena Center for the Arts : Artists Ball Seven - The New Party.

Comment by AB: Yerba Buena's Artists Ball happens only once every two years, and I'm here to testify that it's one of the best arts fundraiser wingdings (benefitting YBCA of course) Ess Eff has to offer. This year's extravaganza features Hip Hop superstar Mos Def and fantastic atmospherics courtesy of celebrity event designer Stanlee Gatti. And there's copious overflowing abundances of libational options, eminently adequate edibles, and all kinds of artists and art types and art lovers and so on and so forth running around. Do not... I repeat... do not miss the next Artists Ball.

There's no art to photograph, so instead I take "Victorian" portraits of people I see-- they have to hold totally still while I shoot in low light without a flash. And that's pretty much basically more or less the skinny on the deal.

Petra Bibeau of Maniac Gallery, Oakland - Barack Obama - not sure. (I ask Barack Obama about his eyeballs and he tells me he left 'em back at the hotel room by mistake.)

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Addendum:

Marcy Mendelson photographs at One Taste .

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