General comment: BRAD K. ALDER (BKA) - So ol' Al decides he has to go do some lecture called "How Not To Buy Art" on the BIG First Thursday night, so he puts up a Help Wanted sign for the night. Hey, money talks. My pal Rene says we should stand in and be ArtBusiness... I'm on the fence about it... Then I'm on the phone with Al and he sez "Just do it and have fun!" So I got into the whole idea- God knows I read everything else on this site anyway- so what the hell?

Next thing you know we're running around like chickens trying to cover every show. And like I've been telling people since we did it - this shit ain't easy folks. It's a lot of work. Yeah, it's fun. Yeah, it benefits him. Yeah, there's perks out there for doing it. But after going out one time to do this, I'm never doing it again. That's why we have Al.

You like seeing/reading about our WONDERFUL SAN FRANCISCO EFFING IN ARTSCENE?? I do. Why? BECAUSE IT'S TOTALLY EFFING AMAZING. There are so many fantastic shows to see and ol' Al covers em' all, just for you. So, my point is...buy him a taco next time you see him out there.

With that said, Rene and I needed a plan just like the A-Team so we hit Arrow Bar Wednesday night to figure it out. Some guy took his shirt off and tried to fight everyone in the bar. Sorry, no photo. With the galleries staked out on Thursday, we grabbed our lovely art secretary Mary (real name), who had a vintage dress on that got many complements. She would be in charge of holding materials and flyers in her purse, as we do not have man-purses, and it was good to have a pretty lady with us cause we kind of look like scary lurkers a bit. So thanks Mary, but don't give me this shit about "It's not hard work". Off we go...

RENE FRESSOLA (RA) - Well it was another crammed packed night of openings, some highlights to follow. This city more than any other city tends to bring out a lot more artists looking at other artist's work, than it does buyers. I'm not sure why that is, but Brad & I, as well as the crowd were very pleased with what we saw. Pick for first Thursday goes to William T. Wiley at John Berggruen Gallery.

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Caldwell Snyder Gallery : Josep Cisquella - Touching Reality.

Comment: BKA - The painting looks like a photo trick, but I read the labels and it's all acrylic on canvas. But it's heavily built up and thick so I'm thinking this might get Al's "How Do Dey Do Dat" award, but Rene just says it's no big deal - he just puts on lots of layers. Pretty. Also some totem pole heads in there, which reminds me that I keep telling artists that sculpture is where it's at, not painting. Too many damn painters in this town. Nice folks in Caldwell Snyder, by the way.

RA - Just a place, that if you get to that point in your career, this is a place to show in this city if you want to take it to this level, but I'm with brad... way too many Painter's. I really like this guy's Sculpture.

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Hackett Freedman Gallery : Milton Avery - Paintings; Brian Wall - Sculpture.

Comment: BKA - Quite possibly the fanciest gallery in town; they got a flat screen monitor showing a slideshow of how fancy they are and it smells of fresh orchids in there. We go see the Milton Avery show... I know the name and it smells old school greats. Great. I see the Brian Wall sculptures, then look at a hardcover book (for sale); major big commisions. Hackett Freedman reminds me of all the galleries I saw in Chelsea over the summer... big business.

RA - Well, what can I say... this place show's the best of the best that have done it long before most of you (or I) even thought about art school. So with that said, give this place a look....

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Jenkins Johnson Gallery : Constructed Illusions.

Artists: Julie Blackmon, Lori Nix, Francesca Sundsten.

Comment: BKA - OK so Julie Blackmon gets the official ArtBiz "How Do Dey Do Dat?" award with the ol' lots of the same person in one room photo trick done so beautifully.

RA - So technically Amazing, Photo Realism with a twist...

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John Berggruen Gallery : William T. Wiley - Caught in the Rap Sure.

Comment: BKA - The Coveted ArtBiz Pick of First Thurday goes to William T. Wiley. After many drinks at our designated afterparty spot (111 Minna), Rene, Mary, and I decided we should all agree on one show for The Pick and this was it. For me what really gave it The Pick as a wholly satisfying gallery experience was the upstairs 'Selected Works' collection that Berggruen has. See that for yourself- Hirst, Close, Motherwell, Otterness, etc. All with a price list which is kinda rare (I think) for artists of that stature.

Anyway... I'm looking at a list of Wiley's public collections... it's long. You really can't front when the guy has his work in the Smithsonian and his next show after SF is Honolulu. It's pretty easy to use the ol' Al saying "Good show. Go see." Oh wait, forgot to mention the price list... um, let's not.

RA - Brad & I agree on most things.... and for sure this guy with all his years under his belt & just mostly the shear impact of walking into a gallery and BAM there is this work that could be today or tommorrow. I can only hope that someday I can make someone feel the way this guy makes me feel. Enough said... this is why you create art! Leave something behind for people to really get. This guy definitely get's The Pick!

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Dolby Chadwick Gallery : Jim Phalen.

Comment: BKA - Very nice folks at Dolby Chadwick. The gallery gal, Kate, served us up very nice whites and she was so pretty and nice. Then the artist was giving an artist talk and we were talking louder than he was and I think it might have been kind of rude of us but then I though eff it... they can blame Bamberger cause it's time to get hammered on his dime!

RA - The artist was nice enough to enlighten people about his new work, and why thing's were placed where they were. He actually used stuff from his kids. Cool. Oh yeah Kate rules.

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Takada Gallery : Joseph Hughes - New Paintings.

Comment: BKA - It was very nice to be greeted with open arms when we told gallery owners that we were filling in for Art Business. They all love what that Corporation is up to, no joke. We could feel the love even though like I said... we look kinda scary. So that was really nice. Anyway, here's a guy with a great head of hair, Joseph Hughes. Oh by the way, for you artsters who are intimidated by the big time fancy gallery scene, come to Takada Gallery where they have a full selection of vodka, rum, gin, and wine for free to make you loosen up and enjoy their beautiful little gallery.

RA - This gallery has always been great with their attitude towards vistors in general. Always a good show & always artists in attendance to answer questions.

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Hespe Gallery : Mitch Temple - Animal.

Comment: BKA - Thus far, our US has spent $480 Billion on the wars in Afganistan & Iraq. Read that yesterday. That has nothing to do with art but I really don't care at this point.

RA - Not too familar with this gallery. I know the name but can't really say. Good work tonight.

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Newmark Gallery : Larry Morace - Public Space; Private Space.

Comment: BKA - I used to sell prints by another artist who's work is similar to this guy's, and that other artist is Veerakeat Tongpaiboon who's really good and I keep seeing the whole 'wobbly' city landscape deal from different artists. Which I like. I mean... it's like being on drugs walking around the finacial district. Which sometimes you might just want to do that-- 'cause hell, there could be an EARTHQUAKE LIKE ANY DAY NOW AND you know death and all that. Sorry.

RA - Nice guy. Very happy to see us. Never heard of us. If you tell em' they will know.

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Frey Norris Gallery : David Linn - Gathering Light.

Comment: BKA - We spent way too much time up here at FNG cause the folks were nice there. One of those folks said, "Alan, please redesign your website, it's boring." And I said, "I'll tell him that 'cause you're right". So no hard feelings and we're not shit-talking but maybe you could add some dancing gooses and pink backgrounds to ArtBiz.... I don't know. Hire some turkey for a redesign. Anyway my friend Susannah Bettag will be showing here in February and she's doing a 30 foot tall sculpture made out of her limited edition "art toys" which should rock my.... go see.

Brief aside from Alan: You think my site is boring? Fine. So how 'bout one of you talk-is-cheap types put your web skills where your mouth is and do something about it? And no-- I don't pay. But you get a big fat link to your website, and plenty of people to see how good you are. Any takers?

RA - I remember when this gallery first opened. Great space, nice people & competent art. Go look. My main concern these days as an artist and a veiwer of art is the lack of emotion I SEE & FEEL when in front of most art.

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Heather Marx Gallery : David Hevel - Fierce.

Comment: BKA - I was all set to give this The Pick cause I'm a sucker for the Hirst/Koons big extravagant art deal and I walked in here and just said "wow". These pieces were incredible. It felt like yer at a zoo on a date with Prince. I had a great time taking B-Boy shots next to these. Unfortuneatly our camera sucked which is why you'll see all these blurry shots and we apologize for that. But hey, it's not like we got paid for this. Alan dosen't either which is why you should buy him a taco. Anyway yeah, David Hevel, never heard of him-- but people were flocking to this show more than any at 49 Geary, except for the Hamburglers show which we'll see here. Hey... great work David. Can you be our president next?

RA - I'd like to do sculpture someday and it's good to see the limitlessness of this medium.

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Rena Bransten Gallery : Visionary Output.

Comment: BKA - I assume the deal on Creativity Explored is like Creative Growth (a different deal). But the same deal. So I'll just say that this was the third or fourth most-packed show of the night and the work drops off the hinges of beauty. We got William Scott to pose, it was so great. I know I sound like a teenager here, but that's kind of how it is in our little town here. It's like high school sometimes-- money, art, fashion, photo ops, sex. And in all that madness... Creativity Explored and this Creative Growth deal have fully made their way into the art world which is so great. To me, do yourself a favor and go into Creativity Explored 3245 16th Street SF. Sorry this is all so vague, Al.

RA - Oh my God, you have to really love that there are people out there that help people acheive their goals. GO see this. I've always's felt that if you love art, support all that you love and sometimes that means you love the artist and maybe not the art. But the more you connect with the artist, the more you may like the art. I know it happens... if people talk to you about it, well that really gets you excited.

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Haines Gallery : Binh Danh - Ancestral Altars.

Comment: BKA - My friend Carol mentioned her friend was doing a show on Geary after I mentioned the whole ArtBiz deal. Turns out she's known this cat for a long time and now he's getting into the famous artist category. So I said, "Yeah I saw his solo show at Intersection a bit back and it blew my mind." He gets the photos on the leaves by doing a transfer with the sun, then coats 'em in resin. Nice fella too.

RA - Very Cool Stuff. I wish I would have stuck with photography.

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Gregory Lind Gallery : Sarah Bostwick - Grand Apartment, Inlaid Drawings.

Comment: BKA - My friend Sarah's second solo show here. She moved to NY which is why I hadn't seen 'er in a while. I'm not an art critic (obviously) so I'll just say that when you look in the dictionary under the term "artist" you'll see Sarah's picture.

RA - This artist's stuff was so clean & precise. I just was like wow. There is so much different stuff "WE" call "Art." Nice work Sarah.

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Brian Gross Fine Art : Patrick Wilson - The Chandler Paintings.

Comment: BKA - My cohort knew this dude through a friend of a friend. Then we see him here... then we see him there in "Lifescapes" art mag. Which by the way, is my new favorite art mag. They have a Dennis Hopper interview in the new one which you should read. Anyway... you notice how I get distracted while writing about art? Thats's why we leave it to Al.

RA - Patrick is a good freind of my best friend. He's the reason I'm alive & painting today. Anyway that's a whole 'nother chapter. This guy does great clean color feild painting. Awesome.

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Steven Wolf Fine Arts : Hamburger Eyes Collective.

Comment: BKA - Next year Powerhouse Books plans to release Burgerworld - Inside Hamburger Eyes, a supersize version of the magazine with some self-referential material, and a 2007 show has been plannned at SF Camerawork. This time around, my pals are showing on Geary, after doing the Yerba, and still documenting "the continuing story of life on earth;" if I sound like Sean Penn and say "these guys rule, man" then excuse me. But these guys rule. Remember here that I am not an art critic... oh wait, I forgot that I think I came up with the awesome hybrid term of 'BamBurglers' which is the combination of Bamberger (the brain at Art Business) and 'Hamburglers' which is the nickname for Hamburger Eyes. You guys can send me a check for that, thanks.

RA - OK, I can't top what's ever been said... Bottom line, if you like Photography... You'll like these guy's work! Best photographers around town. Enough said!

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Stephen Wirtz Gallery : Shawn Smith.

Comment: BKA - Right when I was getting bored and hungry we pop in here and see these sculptures made out of wood. We both freaked out. This is art that makes me feel like art can acutally save this world that we have driven to Hell. I'm sure Al would agree-- anyone, anyone, anyone can look at this work and feel inspired to live, love, create, love, not kill people, and spend money on art. That does all of this. Got the ill b-boy shot-yo thanks.

RA - YEAH, this got runner up for Pick of First Thursday. At this point we were starting to feel Al's pain.

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Urbis Artium Gallery : Zane Peach.

Comment: BKA - I... once again, almost gave Zane the ArtBiz Pick. See... I like alot of art. 90% of the shows I go to... I like. Most of my friends are so far jaded they only appreciate this or that. I enjoy most of what I see. Which is my life... surrounded by great art all the time in all of our galleries here in Ess Eff. It's not a bad life. I shouldn't complain. Life otherwise for us artists is hard. But we have each other; Al comes and takes photos of what we do. Some get famous (!), etc.

RA - If I knew then what I know now, I would have saved all my stuff from high school and not have been a punk ass that burnt everthing. It would be nice to show where I came from.

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111 Minna Gallery : Dandelionblack - Flesh.

Artists: Norma Cordova, Angela Decenzo, Michelle Gibson, Marianne Larochelle Amanda Lopez, Linda Nguyen, Tonya Silver.

Comment: BKA - "Flesh" is photography exhibit by the group of female photographers, Dandelionblack, who visually narrate the world and interpret people, places and things-- each with a distinct style and statement. Here's the group posing with Ru. Or, here's Ru with the gals. Sorry we didn't get more photos but at this point the camera ran outta memory; then the batteries died. Go to every reception at 111 Minna. My favorite gallery in town.

RA - 111 Mnna has been around long b4 I got here (July/99). They have done so much. Another great show. This city Rocks.

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Addendum:

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First Thursday; August 3, 2006

First Thursday; June 1, 2006