Braunstein/Quay Gallery : Paul Pratchenko - New Paintings.

Comment by AB: Paul Pratchenko's paintings are kinda like Zap Comix meets Salvador Dali, though you don't think so at first 'cuz they look like your basic typical normal ordinary everyday compositions. But as you venture closer, you realize that the word "normal" no longer applies. Words like unexpected, amusing, curious, mildly frazzled, peculiar, and idiosyncratic come to mind as you experience Pratchenko's subtle brand of surrealism. Plus special added bonus-- the dude can paint.

***

Catharine Clark Gallery : Christoph Draeger - Music is the Healing Force of the Universe; Reuben Lorch-Miller - Memory Eternal.

Comment by AB: Christoph Draeger takes a look back at the era of the sixties, primarily through its music, and then forward to its aftermath and continuing impact on social, political, and cultural mores. Highlights of his journey include an 8000 piece jigsaw puzzle reenactment of Led Zepplin's first album cover, a wall of live performance LP record albums by artists who are no longer alive, and a free spirit hippie frolic video complete with an oversized rainbow beanbag cushion for you lie on while you watch it.

After tripping out on that, stroll to the rear of the gallery to cogitate on Reuben Lorch-Miller's conceptual concatenations rooted in metaphysics, science fiction, psychedelicism, and so on and so forth ad infinitum. The show's title, "Memory Eternal," is done up as a notably adept hexagonal wood-frame construction-- certainly a meditation on the art of carpentry. According to the fact sheet, Lorch-Miller believes that "art making itself is a form of self-discovery and that the viewer may yield the similar benefits through a thoughtful experience of the work." Hmmm. Does it still count if you "thoughtfully experience" a ton of art everywhere all the time, the overwhelming majority of it for only brief moments? I'll chew on that cud and get back to you...

***

The Shooting Gallery : Shawn Barber Book Signing.

Comment by AB: Shawn Barber signs copies of his new book, "Forever and Ever," a major monograph featuring over 250 illustrations of his acclaimed "Tattooed Portraits." The book also includes hundreds of photographs and information about today's foremost tattoo practitioners.

***

Southern Exposure : OPTIC ILLUSION - Southern Exposure's Annual Spring Fundraiser and Art Auction.

Artists: G. Cole Allee, Lauren Anderson, Marisa Aragona, Ellen Babcock, Michael Bartalos, Chris Bell, Andrew Benson, Amy Berk, Leo Bersamina, Michelle Blade, Jaren Bonillo, Val Britton, Heather Brubaker, Timothy Buckwalter, Jason Byers, Deric Carner, John Casey, Julie Chang, Ajit Chauhan, Kevin Chen, Youmna Chlala, Ishan Clemenco, Adriane Colburn, Serena Cole, Rand Colosky, Lisa Congdon, Alika Cooper, Christopher Culver, Lauren Davies, Veronica De Jesus, Claire Droney, Chris Duncan, Ala Ebtekar, Amanda Eicher, Kota Ezawa, Tia Factor, Harrell Fletcher, Tara Foley, Rhea Fontaine, Maria Forde, Dustin Fosnot, Emily Alden Foster, David Fought, Amy Franceschini, Benicia Gantner, Linda Geary, Ren?e Gertler, Maizie Gilbert, Jim Goldberg, Rebecca Goldfarb, Catherine Haley Epstein, Doug Hall, Michael Hall, Oliver Halsman Rosenberg, Nicole Hayden, Stephen Galloway, Tanya Gill, Cliff Hengst, Jonn Herschend, Scott Hewicker, Todd Hido, Elyse Hochstadt, Terry Hoff, Amanda Hughen, Suzanne Husky, Misa Inaoka, David Ireland, Jason Jagel, Packard Jennings, Chris Johanson, Kerri Johnson, Kathyrn Kenworth, Forest Kelley, David King, Ruth Kneass, Noah Lang, Yoon Lee, Katie Lewis, Michael Light, Frederick Loomis, Mark Luthringer, Nathan Lynch, Martin Machado, Michelle Mansour, Laura Mappin, Kara Maria, Vanessa Marsh, Christian Maychack, Christina Mazza, Chris McCaw, Sean McFarland, Dennis McNulty, Cheryl Meeker, Rebecca Miller, Kyle Mock, Mike Monteiro, Julio Morales, Apollonia Morrill, Jeff Morris, Paul Mullins, Kelsey Nicholson, Abner Nolan, Brion Nuda Rosch, Billy O'Callaghan, Kelly Ording, Kari Orvik, Allison Pebworth Hilary Pecis, Stephanie Peek, Sasha Petrenko, Josh Pieper, James Pitt, Job Piston, Suzy Poling, Mel Prest, Basil Racuk, Albert Reyes, Lisa Ricci, Rigo 23, Lacey Jane Roberts, Thorina Rose, KC Rosenberg, Michael Rosenthal, Ari Salomon, James Sansing, Andrew Schoultz, Emily Sevier, Leslie Shows, Margaret Silverman, Jennie Smith, Casey Jex Smith, Sarah Smith, Tracy Snelling, Jessica Snow, Chris Sollars, Lisa Solomon, Tabitha Soren, Jennifer Starkweather, Estee Stevens, Michael Swaine, William Swanson, Stephanie Syjuco, Owen Takabayashi, Charlene Tan, Margaret Tedesco, Weston Teruya, The Thing Quarterly, Hank Thomas, Zefrey Throwell, Tracy Timmons, Bruce Tomb, David Tomb, Paul Urich, Andy Vogt, Catherine Wagner, Victoria Wagner, Carrie Mae Weems, Leigh Wells, Gail Wight, Megan Wilson, Jenifer Wofford, Lena Wolff, Sandra Wong, Kelli Yon.

Comment by AB: And now to SomArts main gallery for Southern Exposure's annual fundraiser auction, one of the premier affairs of its ilk in Ess Eff. You've got art on the block by container loads of Bay Area art stars (a testament to the depth of reverance for venerable So-Ex), and a live auction orchestrated by none other than the maestro himself, Durwood Zedd, a master at extracting cash from recalcitrant bidders.

***