ORIGINS // Miguel Farias

Our current photography exhibit at Crown Nine is body of work,'Ode to My Father' by Bay Area artist Miguel Farias.  Each small photograph shot in a color film that is no longer produced, the textures are vivid and eerie, the landscapes and small worlds photographed in California and Nevada over the course of two years.  Each image is perfectly hand framed by Miguel himself.

Miguel The Master Framer.  Photo by Paul Mueller

I sat down with Miguel to talk to him about being an artist, his process and work.  Enjoy.

KE: Why do you make art?

MF:  I've loved making stuff my whole life.  I think making art is hard, so am constantly challenging myself to make stuff that interesting and perhaps if produced well, it becomes art. I may set out to make stuff with the intention that it will elevate itself to art, but that's not always the case.  I love the feeling I get when i make something good and someone is moved by it and then shares that with me, gives me chills when that happens.

KE:  What themes are in your current work?

MF:  I've been making more portraits again.  I have a few ideas going at once, hoping one will get a little traction and I'll work those images through to hopefully produce an interesting and beautiful body of work.

Pyramid Lake 1995

Botanicals 1996

Old Car 2 1995

KE:  How has your work changed over time?

MF:  Well, I think it's gotten better, thank god! I can finish pieces better, faster, stronger, kinda like the six million dollar man...

KE:  Best piece of advice you have gotten?

MF:  Do a good job, ok.  Don't fuck it up, ok.

KE:  What artwork or artists influence your work?

MF:  All of my teachers from art school had a huge influence on me.  Folks like Jack Fulton, Linda Connor, Reagan Louie, and Hank Wessel.  I also really like photographers that work in color, like Richard Misarach, Edward Burtynsky, Len Jenshel, Pete Turner and John Pfahl.  But I guess the biggest influence on me has been cinema.  I love movies and watch a ton on a weekly basis.

KE:  How do you want someone to feel while looking at your work?

MF: I don't really care how they feel, so long as they feel something.  Photographs carry so much representational weight that its tough to control how someone will feel about a piece but I guess that's what makes a piece of art or a maybe even a good piece of art.

KE:  How do you know when a piece is finished?

MF:  It's usually pretty clear to me.  With modern tools, it's pretty easy to overwork a piece, so I usually do, then back it off until it feels right again.  I'm a feel player.

KE:  What do you admire in other people?

MF:  Elegance, beauty, kindness and a good sense of humor

KE:  What special talent would you choose if you could magically gain one?

MF:  I think I'd like to fly, I have flying dreams all the time.

KE:  How does destruction play a role in your work?

MF:  It really doesn't.  I like being a creator, but am not opposed to burning all down and starting over, I just don't practice that in my work.

KE: What design are you most proud of/ sentimental/ moved by? 

MF:  I guess I'm most proud of my last body of work, 'Gh0st L1fe', I produced it in 2010 with my dear friend, Allison Reilly, who was 18 at the time.  It got the most exposure of anything I've ever made and it was really well received.  It was shown in three venues over the course of two years, and it was very exciting to get so much attention for it.  Collaborating with Allison meant a lot to me.

Gh0st L1fe explores the nature of our relationships with technology, consumption, loneliness and solitude.

I love how these images capture a sort of passive attention that is very directional, it's almost as if the computer is in charge and the subject is just absorbing.

KE:  Current obsessions?

MF:  Pliny the Elder, David Bowie, La Luz, starting a band

Miguel's show runs through the second week of August.  You can see his exhibition during our regular business hours, Weekdays 12-6 and Saturday 12-5.  Every image in the series in a limited edition pigment ink print in archival hand frame.  $180.

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Loren Crosier // Reception

Thanks to all who came out last night to support the beautiful work of Loren Crosier.  Her work looks so at home in the shop, and I think it will feel good at home too (I'm definitely snagging one).  Her source material collecting began when she was just 14 years old-- each composition is like a little story of who she has become in the ten years of building her archive.  Imagine where you were at 14, and what you were visually draw to.  I find it fascinating that her eye was developing at such an early age.  More incredible things to come from this young artist.

You can see her work now through the end of April.  We are going to sell this show out so I would recommend getting your behind down here to pick out your favorite, the show runs $150-$350 for original editions and we also have some prints on hand.  

L O V E + M E T A L

S P R E A D T H E L O V E

FIRST FRIDAY // Loren Crosier

Vintage Working Women magazines are among the artist's favorite sources.

This year we are focusing our curating down to quarterly exhibits.  I decided to focus on a few artists each year so that we can really be selective about each show, work collaboratively to bring the best work out of each artist, and to really focus on works that will be beautiful additions to the home.  I have my own personal collection of original artwork, each piece really adds true happiness and meaning to my life.  I want my clients to have that same feeling while enjoying time at home.

Our first artist this year, Loren Crosier, is a young graphic designer/ fine artist/ photographer.  Her show is a collection of collages that draw upon her own personal archive of printed source materials, 10 years in the making.  Each composition is then a bit of an aesthetic autobiography, and their dreamy, light lush, and ethereal moods resonate like a Uta Barth photograph.

ARCHIVAL LAYERS

Opening Reception

March 7th | First Friday

6-9

Show runs through end of April, open for viewing 

Monday-Friday 12- | Saturday 12-5.

Enjoy a few outtakes from Loren's other work

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ART ART ART

Now that the shop is moved and all settled into it's new home on 9th st, we're ready to dig back in and bring you some fine art on our gallery walls.  Our latest show, LOCATING SELF, is in collaboration with Block Gallery, curated by John Lopez.  

Mercedes Dorame: "Earth as Earth"

Join us for the reception on this upcoming First Friday | 6-9

 

// AND, I am really excited to announce an incredible art installation that will be bringing an alternative holiday light festival to the 9th st each weekend night in December-- it's a multi-artist video installation that will be shining in the beautiful historic windows of the buildings on 9th st, with a audio tour you can listen to on your phone.

Block Gallery hired Anuradha Vikram to curate some incredible mid-career artists who have shown at some of the best galleries and museums in the country and bring their multi-media and video installations to Old Oakland. The streets will light up with their thought-provoking, interesting and beautiful works each Friday and Saturday night until January 4th.

All the neighbors in Old Oakland are pitching in to bring you this super special installation, you must come see it.  Usually I don't try to provoke FOMO in people, but really, you will be missing out if you don't see this one... it'll be a great way to get the visiting family out of the house around the holidays too.

RANU MUKHERJEE

JEROME REYES

SHOW DETAILS

Occupations: Art Takes Up Space

A FREE, PUBLIC SITE-SPECIFIC VIDEO INSTALLATION

Curated by Anuradha Vikram

Ninth Street between Broadway and Washington Street, Old Oakland

Friday and Saturday nights from December 6, 2013-January 4, 2014    5:30 – 8:30 pm

Participating artists:

Freddy Chandra

Allan de Souza

Desirée Holman

Ranu Mukherjee

Jerome Reyes

José Carlos Teixeira

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THIS IS OAKLAND // First Friday

Since opening Crown Nine two years ago, I've put on a new art opening every month for First Friday-- this year with the downright magical help of Barie Wolf-Bowen, our lead curator, and Britt Goh, our blogger/photographer/interviewer.  Now that we are moving down the street, I decided to push our October show to November and open Janis Anton's new works in the new space.  Which meant I had the night off, first time in two years!

I decided to go out and get a taste of what Oakland's First Friday/ Art Murmur has become in the last two years.  Here is a little recap of what I got up to:

Stopped by Oakland Surf Club to see the new show "Mwuah" by Lauren Crew

Just loved this small detail in their stairwell

Surf Club owners Ari, Max and baby Coco

Made a little addition to my Little Black Truck

Cannon Dill across from LeQuiVive Gallery

Met artist Katherine Rutter at the shop earlier in the day-- we are Instagram buddies so meeting in person was so awesome!  I felt like I was meeting a friend/celebrity at the same time.  Her work is amazing and opening tonight with a bunch of heavy hitters like John Casey, Max Kauffman, and Cannondill at LeQuiVive.

Stopped by Creative Growth to see what they were up to.   I probably spent the most time here really looking at the art and reading all the gorgeous books about the artists who work out of the studio.  

John Hiltunen at Creative Growth

The streets of what used to be a 'Mumur'... it was so packed that I just ducked in and out, trying to hit stuff on the side streets.

Live music at... well damn, I lost track of where I was!  It was so overwhelming I stopped taking pictures, but I stopped by Zerofriends, Oaktropolis, and a few other spots...

Next stop: Temescal Alley.  Here is Homestead Apothecary

Didn't snap a pic at Esqueleto, Lauren Wolf's jewelry boutique-- but I did stop by to see the new works by Adeline Jewelry, made by Lindsay Olsen.  Bomb.  

Marissa Haskell and Obi Kaufmann... like a boss x 2.  Marissa was hosting Obi, who you might recognize from Juniper Ridge, the wildcrafting fragrance company.  I met him as a fellow Hive studio-mate,  his artwork is phenomenal and always moves me... or should I stay stops me?  I always end up staring at the work he posts outside his studio door.  He had new works from the trail, and Marissa's store was stunning-- I was especially digging her new collection that features her own wax carved components.  Badass.

My spoils: Denim pencil skirt by Loup {Made in NY} from Oakland Surf Club, zine from LeQuiVive, and original drawing by Obi Kaufmann entitled "Turquoise Woman | Made of Water".

All these spots are open today, and you can beat the crowd of First Friday. So much good works to see. Lequivive's opening is tonight, and Femme Cartel is having an event at Classic Cars West that should be hyphy.

L O V E + M E T A L
Kate Ellen

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Crown Nine is Moving!

Ever have one of those months where nothing went your way, there just seemed to be setback after setback?  Well, this is NOT one of those months!  It's been more like a wish-it-and-it-comes-true sort of month with finding bonus cash in the pocket of your jeans on laundry day kinda vibes.  What kind of wishes are coming true, you ask?  Well, only that we scored our dream location!

515 9th St

The new location is one block west, directly behind District Wine Bar on the corner of 9th and Washington in the Carriage House historical building.  Built in the 1870's, it apparently used to be speakeasy.  It's a gorgeous space with sliding barn doors, brick, and lovely light.

You will still be able to check out Kate Ellen Metals alongside over 15 independent jewelry designers, art, leather, fragrance, and small luxuries-- and now my studio will be in the building, right upstairs, so I will be spending more of my time creating... my most favorite thing in the world to do.

Top 5 Things to Know:

1 //  We'll be just one block west, next to District and across from Cosecha and Ms. Ollie's on 9th St.

2 //  We will NOT have a First Friday opening in October, but join us Nov 1st for a soft opening in the new space and debut of new works by Janis Anton

3 //  Our MASSIVE Grand Re-Opening party is Thursday Nov 7th.  It's going to be ridiculous and way fun, the gals from Floss Gloss are coming by and they are bringing a mani-cam.  What is a mani-cam? Think of it as the red carpet for your bejeweled hands.

4 // We will be closed from Oct 19th- Oct 31st for moving, but still feel free to reach out if you need anything.

5 // The holidays are going to be insane this year, we have a lot of fun stuff planned... a new collection launch, 2nd birthday party, sample sale, trunk shows, neighborhood wide art installation, extended hours, and a whole lotta love.

Thanks for two incredible years; here's to continued success, love, community, and creativity.

L O V E + M E T A L 

Kate Ellen

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