2010 Looks Like a Good Year for Art Lovers

This year is shaping up as a good year for viewing interesting exhibits at San Francisco's major museums.  On February 12, the Asian Art Museum opens "Shanghai," an exhibit focusing on the art of this great city over the past century.  Running through September 5, this exhibition is part of San Francisco's effort this year to celebrate our sister city, which will host a World Expo this year.  "Shanghai" features paintings, furniture, revolutionary posters, movie clips, and other works of art.

The de Young Museum is hosting three major exhibitions this year.  The Tutankhamun exhibition, which opened last summer and which I wrote about at the time, runs through March 28.  The Musée d'Orsay in Paris will be undergoing major renovations.  As a result, some of its major works will be on tour.  The de Young will be hosting two exhibitions featuring works from the d'Orsay.  The first, "Birth of Impressionism, Masterpieces from the Musée d’Orsay," runs from May 22 through September 6.  This show will feature over 100 pre and early Impressionistic works from the mid-19th century.  

Then, from September 25 through January 18, the de Young will host "Van Gogh, Gauguin, Cézanne and Beyond: Post-Impressionist Masterpieces from the Musée d’Orsay."  This exhibit will display over 120 of the museum's late Impressionist paintings.

Concurrently with "Birth of Impressionism," the Legion of Honor will show "Paris: City of Light," which will feature 150 Impressionistic works from the Fine Arts Museums' collection as well as from some private collections.

Lastly, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is celebrating its 75th anniversary and will show six exhibitions featuring works from its collection.

If you're an art lover, you'll have much to choose from this year.  And don't forget some of our smaller museums and galleries.

The Inner Mission - Sights

The Inner Mission is one of my favorite neighborhoods in San Francisco but is frequently overlooked by visitors. Perhaps the urban grit is a bit too much for some folks. I think a walk through the neighborhood gives you a good feel for daily life for many city residents. Plus there are interesting sights, fun shops, and excellent restaurants.

Where is the Inner Mission? San Franciscans frequently argue over neighborhood boundaries and, more recently, their names. For the purpose of this series of postings, I'll consider the Inner Mission to be the area bounded by Market Street on the north, Church Street on the west, 24th Street on the south, and South Van Ness on the east.

The principal sight in the area is Mission Dolores (aka Mission San Francisco de Asis). This is one of the 21 missions established by the Spanish in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The mission was constructed in 1791 and is the oldest building in San Francisco. You can take a self-guided tour through the old mission. Mission Dolores charges $5/adult and $3/child and senior to enter. Visitors are welcome from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from May 1 to October 31 and to 4:00 p.m. during the balance of the year.

The original mission was built on the shore of Lago de los Dolores. Both the building and the lake are long gone, but a plaque marks the spot on Albion Street, near the intersection with Camp Street, about 1 1/2 blocks from the current mission.

The Mission District is home to hundreds of murals. The most famous may be MaestraPeace on the Women's Building at 3543 18th Street. The mural was painted in 1994 by a group of women and covers two sides of the building. A number of famous and not-so-famous women are depicted. A guide to the mural is available inside the Women's Building.

If you would like to take a private San Francisco tour that includes a visit to the Inner Mission, contact Blue Heron Custom Tours and Travel at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or Rick@BlueHeronTours.com.

Another Summer of Art in San Francisco

This summer two major art exhibitions will arrive in San Francisco. The first to open is "Georgia O'Keefe and Ansel Adams: Natural Affinities" at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Adams, a San Francisco native, befriended O'Keefe in 1929 and became lifelong friends. This show includes over 100 of their works depicting the natural world. The show opens on May 30 and closes September 7. Past shows by these two icons of American art have been very popular, so I suggest purchasing tickets in advance. SFMOMA is open Friday - Tuesday from 11:00 a.m. - 5:45 p..m. The museum is open from 11:00 a.m. - 8:45 p.m on Thursday and closed on Wednesday.

The second, and even bigger, show will be "Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs" at the de Young Museum. When Tutankhamun works were last shown 30 years ago, the exhibition was an overwhelming success. Again, buy your tickets in advance to ensure that you'll be able to visit. The show opens on June 27. The exhibition will be open daily from 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. through September 30. From October 1, 2009 through March 28, 2010, the De Young will revert to its usual hours of 9:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays through Sundays. On Fridays, the museum will close later at 8:45 p.m.

If you're visiting San Francisco this summer, days can be chilly so enjoy the indoors by visiting one or both of these blockbuster exhibits.

Cantor Arts Center

I've always enjoyed the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University. This small museum has art from around the world and various periods of time. This weekend I was drawn to see two new exhibits: Rodin! The Complete Collection and Timbuktu to Cape Town.

Last month, the museum reopened its remodeled Rodin galleries and is now displaying its entire collection of sculptures in bronze, plaster, ceramic, tile, and wax - about 200 works. The outdoor sculpture garden is home to an additional 20 works, plus the Burghers of Calais are on the Main Quad. The Cantor Arts Center has the largest collection outside of Paris of works in bronze by Rodin. Most of the pieces were given to the museum by Iris and Gerald Cantor, who were great collectors of Rodin and commissioned castings of some of Rodin's works. For me, this exhibition alone makes a visit to the Cantor Arts Center worthwhile. Rodin! The Complete Collection is ongoing, with no planned end date.

To commemorate the tenth anniversary of the museum's reopening after repairing the damage done by the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, the Cantor Center is highlighting works acquired since 1999. Timbuktu to Cape Town collects the African art obtained during the past decade. While the small exhibit has some interesting works, it is not worth visiting the Cantor solely to see these works. However, combined with the Cantor's regular gallery of African art, you can see a pretty good small collection. Timbuktu to Cape Town runs through March 22.

The Cantor Center is also home to a nice place for lunch: Cool Cafe. You can get tasty sandwiches and salads and dine inside or on the outdoor terrace. Prices are a little high but, since the the museum is free, it's worth paying a little extra for lunch.

The Cantor Arts Center is open Wednesday and Friday through Sunday from 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. On Thursday, the museum is open from 11:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. Cool Cafe has the same hours.

If you would like to take a private tour that includes a visit to the Cantor Arts Center and the Stanford campus, please contact Blue Heron Custom Tours and Travel at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or by clicking here.

Andy Goldsworthy in San Francisco

Environmental artist Andy Goldsworthy frequently makes works that are ephemoral; that disappear with time. However, San Francisco is home to two permanent installations.

The first work, Drawn Stone, was commissioned by the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco in 2003 for the entry to the new de Young Museum. Installed in 2005, the work features a continuous crack that represents the meeting of the North American and Pacific Plates near San Francisco. This faultline is what ruptured in 1906 resulting in the Great Earthquake and Fire. Nearby are large stone slabs where visitors can sit to contemplate the installation.

The second work, Spire, was installed in the Presidio last year. The work is a tower comprised of 35 cypress trees that were removed as part of the replanting of the Presidio's historic forest. Spire is located near the Arguello Gate and the Inspiration Point Overlook. A special exhibit on Goldsworthy's work at the Presidio is located at 49 Moraga Avenue (next to the Officers' Club). Goldsworthy at the Presidio is open Wednesday to Sunday, from 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. through May 3.

There is yet another Goldsworthy piece on the campus of Stanford University in Palo Alto. Stone River was completed in 2001 and is located southeast of the Cantor Art Center, near the corner of Museum Way and Lomita Drive. The flowing wall is made with stones from buildings that were destroyed in the 1906 and 1989 earthquakes and is the largest sculpture on the campus.

If you would like to take a private tour of San Francisco and/or Palo Alto that includes these works by Andy Goldsworthy, please phone me at (866) 326-8237 (toll free) or e-mail me by clicking here.

San Francisco to Hearst Castle

Hearst Castle in San Simeon is definitely worth a visit. William Randolph Hearst's unfinished home is an architectural wonder and houses many priceless pieces of art. Five tours are offered of the estate. Tour 1 is suggested for first time visitors as it provides an overview of the castle and grounds. Tours 2 and 3 focus on different parts of the castle. Tour 4 takes you through the gardens and Tour 5 lets you experience the castle at night. I highly recommend purchasing your tickets in advance as tours frequently sell out.

Each year I get asked if I can do a day trip to Hearst Castle. The short answer is, "no"! San Simeon is halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles. The drive via the inland route from San Francisco takes about 5 hours. The scenic route through Big Sur along CA Route 1 takes about 6 hours. If you want to visit San Simeon from Los Angeles, the trip takes about 4.5 hours.

While a one-day tour from San Francisco is not really feasible. A round-trip, overnight tour via Big Sur would be a great way to spend two days. Or, if you are traveling to L.A. from San Francisco, take the scenic coastal route and overnight in San Simeon or nearby Cambria. Then take an early morning tour of Hearst Castle and continue on to Los Angeles. Alternatively, you could include a visit to Hearst Castle on a longer visit to California's Central Coast. In addition to Hearst Castle, you could visit Monterey and Carmel; Big Sur; wine country around Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, or Santa Barbara; the city of Santa Barbara, and other coastal communities.

If you would like to take a private tour that includes visits to Big Sur and Hearst Castle, please phone me at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mail me by clicking here.

Mosaics and a View

Standing at the top of Grandview Park I had a 360-degree view of the Pacific Ocean, the Golden Gate, San Francisco Bay, Golden Gate Park, the Sunset District, and downtown San Francisco. I climbed quite a bit to get here as the park sits on the top of a hill that rises to 820 feet above sea level, but the view was worth it.

Grandview Park is not convenient for most visitors as it is located in the Golden Gate Heights neighborhood on the west side of San Francisco. However, if you are staying near Union Square, take the N Judah streetcar at one of the MUNI Metro stations on Market Street. Make sure you get a transfer and exit the train at 9th and Judah. Transfer to the 66 Quintara bus and travel to 16th and Moraga. You can also continue on the N Judah to 16th Ave. and walk three blocks south to Moraga.

When you get off the bus, look east and you will see a long stairway covered with mosaics climbing the hill. More than 220 local residents donated funds that resulted in the mosaic of the ocean, moon, and sun. As you climb the steps, look closely and you'll find the names of the contributors who made the steps possible. Be sure to turn around and admire the ocean view.

When you get to the top of the steps, you'll be at 15th Avenue. Look to the right and you'll see a small set of steps that connect lower and upper 15th. When you get to the top of this stairway, you'll see a long flight of wooden steps that will take you to the top of the hill. Enjoy the view as you wander through the small park.

If you want to grab a bite to eat during your outing, there are many small, inexpensive restaurants along Irving Street and on 9th Avenue between Lincoln and Judah. You'll find Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Mexican, American, Ethiopian, seafood, Greek, and other restaurants.

If you would like to take a private San Francisco tour that includes a visit to Grandview Park and the mosaic-covered stairway, please call me at (866) 326-4237 or e-mail me by clicking here.

Frank Lloyd Wright on Maiden Lane

Maiden Lane is an alley running between Kearny and Stockton Streets, just east of Union Square. Prior to the 1906 earthquake and fire, the alley was known as Morton Street and was one of the city's red light districts. Men would stroll the alley and select a companion from among the women sitting in their windows.

After the fire, the red light district moved to other parts of town and Morton Street became Maiden Lane. Today it is home to a number of fashionable stores, including Xanadu Gallery at 140 Maiden Lane. Take a good look at the front of the store and you will notice the absence of one feature that most shops have -- a picture window. Only Frank Lloyd Wright would design a street-level store without a window for the store to showcase its wares.

This building was constructed in 1948 and housed the V.C. Morris Gift Shop. Inside, you will see a spiral walkway up to the second floor. Wright was designing the Guggenheim Museum in New York at the same time and he is thought to have used the Morris Gift Shop as a test for the ramp he included in the Guggenheim. You can see the outside of the Xanadu Gallery at any time. To see the inside, visit the gallery Tuesday through Saturday between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. You will also get to see an excellent collection of folk art.

If you would like to take a private San Francisco tour that focuses on some of San Francisco's unique architecture, please call me at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mail me by clicking here.

Dim Sum and Murals

One of my favorite places for dim sum is Yank Sing. If you are not familiar with these delicious dumplings, include a dim sum lunch in your next visit to San Francisco. Dim Sim were originally served only to Chinese royalty. When the emperor moved south to Canton (Guandong) in the 13th century, dim sum went with him. Eventually, Canton became famous as the best place in China for dim sum.

Yang Sing is consistently rated as one of the best dim sum places in San Francisco. There are two locations, but I prefer the restaurant in Rincon Center at 101 Spear Street. This shopping arcade and office was built in 1939 in classic art deco style and served as the Rincon Annex Post Office. Today the building has been expanded and modernized. However, the beautiful murals depicting California's history remain. Russian immigrant artist, Anton Refregier, started painting in 1941 but suspended work during World War II. In 1946, Refregier began painting again and completed the murals in 1948.

Another unique feature is the "Rain Column" in the central atrium, just outside Yank Sing's entrance. This floor-to-ceiling water sculpture features 55 gallons of water falling 85 feet every minute.

Stop by Rincon Center on your next visit to see the murals and to east some of the best dim sum outside of China. If you would like to visit Rincon Center as part of a private tour of San Francisco, call me at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mail me by clicking here.

Visit the Newly Restored Grounds Surrounding the Palace of Fine Arts

The Palace of Fine Arts was the art museum in the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition. This world's fair commemorated the opening of the Panama Canal, but also showed the world that San Francisco had recovered from the 1906 Earthquake and Fire.

The Palace was the only building from the Fair that was allowed to stay in its original location after the fair closed. However, like all the buildings, the Palace was built with little more than chicken wire and plaster. So by the 1950s the Palace was in need of a major restoration. To save the Palace, the original was torn down and a replica was built of concrete. The replica opened in 1967.

Now the replica is in need of restoration. Recently the exterior of the dome was fixed. For the past year, extensive renovation of the lagoon and surrounding grounds was undertaken.

A few days ago, the chain link fence around the grounds came down. The end result is beautiful. No longer do you risk having the walkway crumble beneath your feet as you stroll around the lagoon, which looks great. Instead of green scum on the surface, their are birds swimming in clear water. Recently I saw migrating ducks taking a break in the lagoon.

Now is the perfect time to visit the Palace. Take a relaxing stroll around the colonnade and lagoon. Enjoy a picnic lunch on the lawn. The Palace sits along Lyon Street between Francisco Street and Marina Boulevard in the Marina District.

If you want to include a visit to the Palace of Fine Arts in a San Francisco private tour, please call me at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mail me by clicking here.

Diego Rivera Murals in San Francisco

The great Mexican muralist, Diego Rivera, painted his first commissioned mural outside of Mexico in San Francisco starting in 1930. "Allegory of California" was completed in 1931 and is located in The City Club of San Francisco, 155 Sansome Street, 10th Floor. The mural is usually open to the public from 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. on weekdays, if there are no events scheduled. The Mexican Museum offers excellent docent-led tours of the mural from 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month.

Shortly after completing "Allegory of California," Rivera began work on "The Making of a Fresco Showing the Building of A City." This mural is located in the Diego Rivera Gallery of the San Francisco Art Institute, 800 Chestnut Street (between Leavenworth and Jones). The most accessible of the three Rivera murals in San Francisco; the gallery is open daily from 8:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. and is located just two blocks from the bottom of the "Crookedest Street in the World" (Lombard Street).

Perhaps the most impressive of the three murals painted by Rivera is "Pan American Unity." This mural is "about the unity of the North and the South on this continent," according to Rivera. Originally painted in 1940 at the Golden Gate International Exposition, the mural is now housed in the Diego Rivera Theatre at San Francisco City College. Hours to visit the mural vary from sememster to semester. You can check the mural's website, www.riveramural.com, for current hours. A guided tour of the mural can be arranged by calling (415) 239-3127.

Admission to all three murals is free.

If you would like to take a private San Francisco tour that includes stops at one or more of these murals, please call me at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mail me by clicking here.

Murals of Balmy Alley

One of my favorite spots to take people when I am doing my More of San Francisco or A Day in the City Tour is Balmy Alley. This small street is the birthplace of San Francisco's contemporary mural movement.

Murals have been a part of Mexican culture since the early twentieth century. In 1971, local muralists began creating beautiful paintings on the fences and garages of Balmy Alley. Many of the murals have political themes. The styles range from very traditional to cartoonish. Today there are an estimated 600 murals throughout San Francisco with many located in the Mission District, home to many of San Francisco's Hispanics.

Balmy Alley runs parallel to Treat and Harrison Streets between 24th and 25th Streets. Precita Eyes Visitors Center at 2981 24th Street is near the alley and has information on San Francisco's murals. They also sponsor mural tours, some of which include walks through Balmy Alley. You may call the center at (415) 285-2287 for more information.

If you visit Balmy Alley, stop in at one of the nearby restaurants for lunch. Roosevelt Tamale Parlor, 2817 24th Street (at Bryant) and St. Francis Fountain, 2801 24th Street (at York) are good bets.

If you would like to take a San Francisco tour that includes visits to Balmy Alley and other mural sites, please call me at (866) 326-4237 or e-mail me by clicking here.

Friday Night at the De Young

Looking for something to do on a Friday night? Visit the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park. One of the two Fine Arts Museums, the de Young houses art from the United States, the Americas, Africa, and Oceania. (The other Fine Arts Museum, the Legion of Honor, is located in Lincoln Park and is home to collections of European Art.)

On Friday nights, the de Young stays open until 8:45 p.m. After 5:00 p.m., tickets cost just $5/person. While not all galleries are open, there are special music performances and docent-led talks. In addition, the cafe serves dinner until 8:00 p.m. and cocktails are served at a cash bar in the entry court. I was particularly impressed to see that supervised tables were available for young children to draw while their parents visited the museum.

This past Friday, the special exhibitions, "The Quilts of Gee's Bend" and "Chicano" were open. The latter consists of three related exhibitions: "Chicano Visions: American Painters on the Verge," "Chicano Now: American Expressions," and Chicano Now: Local Places and Global Encounters."

The de Young should be applauded for extending its hours so more visitors can enjoy some of the museum's works. The de Young is also open from Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Regular tickets cost $10, $7 for seniors, and $6 for youth (13-17) and college students with identification.

Telegraph Hill and Coit Tower

Continuing with the vista theme from the last posting, I want to encourage visitors and locals to head for the top of Telegraph Hill. Here you will get a great view of the northern edge of San Francisco as well as the Bay from the Golden Gate to the Bay Bridge. Telegraph Hill is one of the City's 43 hills and is named for the telegraph station that was on the top of the hill in the 19th century.

Atop the hill is Coit Tower, which is named after Lillie Hitchcock Coit. Many people say the tower is a memorial to San Francisco's firefighters, but this is not true. Lillie Coit was a great supporter of San Francisco's fire department. She bequeathed one third of her estate (approximately $100,000) to beautify the city. In response, the city decided to build a firefighter memorial in Washington Square and this observation tower in honor of Lillie.

The tower is open daily from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. One can take an elevator to the top of Coit Tower for an even more spectacular view of the city and bay. On the first floor of the tower are murals painted in 1933 and 1934 that depict Californians at work. When completed the murals were not immediately opened to the public as the city fathers considered them too leftist. They were worried that San Franciscans' morals would be compromised by seeing depictions of known communist Charley Chaplin and communist newspapers. Cooler heads prevailed and, after a six-month delay, the murals were opened to visitors.

Descending the hill by either the Filbert or Greenwich Street steps provides a walk through beautiful gardens maintained by Telegraph Hill residents. Some of the houses you will walk by are only accessible by these steps. Perhaps you will also get a glimpse of the wild parrots of Telegraph Hill during your descent.

Avoid the parking hassles atop Telegraph Hill by letting me take you on a tour of San Francisco. I can drop you at the top of the hill, so you can enjoy the vista, and then meet you at the bottom while you take a walk down either the Filbert of Greenwich steps. If you want to take a private tour of San Francisco, call me at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mail me by clicking here.

Two Excellent Photography Galleries in Carmel

Earlier this week I had the opportunity to take to two guests to the Monterey Peninsula. As always, the ride along the coast was beautiful.

While in Carmel, I had time to visit two of my favorite photography galleries: Weston Gallery and Photography West. The Weston Gallery usually features photographs by Edward Weston (see my earlier post on the Weston Exhibit in Oakland), Ansel Adams, and other great twentieth century photographers. If I had had an extra $50,000 with me, I could have purchased an original print of Adams' "Moonrise Over Hernandez New Mexico." There are always special exhibits of work by contemporary photographers. The Gallery is located on Sixth Avenue, between Dolores and Lincoln Streets, in Carmel.

Two blocks away is Photography West. When I visited, the Gallery had an exhibit of contemporary women photographers, as well as photos by Brett Weston (Edward's son) and Ansel Adams, Christopher Burkett, and others. On the side of a back room, I noticed an unsigned print of one of Edward Weston's most famous nude photographs of his wife, Charis Wilson. I was told the print was made by Edward's son, Cole, and I could by it for $10,000. Photogray West is located on Dolores Street, between Ocean and Seventh Avenues.

Unfortunately, I left both galleries empty handed. However, I did see some lovely photographs.

If you would like to take a tour from San Francisco to Monterey and Carmel, please call me at (866) 326-4237 or e-mail me by clicking here.

New Museums Near Yerba Buena Gardens

Two museums have recently joined the Yerba Buena Gardens neighborhood. The Museum of Craft and Folk Art moved from its long-time space at Fort Mason to 51 Yerba Buena Lane, a walkway that runs from Market to Mission Streets behind the San Francisco Marriott. "Folk Art for the Soul," the opening exhibit at this new locale, features a fine array of items from private collections in the Bay Area. The museum store has been revamped to feature jewelry and other crafts from local artists. The Museum is open Tuesday - Friday from 11 am to 7 pm and Saturday and Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm. The Museum is closed on Mondays and major holidays.

The other newcomer to this district is the Museum of the African Diaspora. This new museum showcases art from throughout the African Diaspora. The inaugural exhibits include "Linkages and Themes from the African Diaspora," "Dispersed: African Legacy/New World Reality," and "Made in Africa." This Museum is a part of the new St. Regis Hotel building at 685 Market Street (at Third Street). Hours are Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm; Thursday from 10 am to 9 pm, and Sunday from noon to 5 pm. The Museum is closed on Tuesdays and major holidays.

These two museums join the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Cartoon Art Museum, and California Historical Society in this great arts community. The Mexican museum and Contemporary Jewish Museum are scheduled to move nearby within a few years to create an even more vibrant neighborhood.

Interested in taking a tour of public works of art in San Francisco? Blue Heron can take you on a private, custom tour to see San Francisco's contemporary murals in the Mission District, works by the famed Mexican muralist Diego Rivera, public buildings with Depression era murals, and sculpture by an array of artists. To arrange your custom public art tour, call me at (866) 326-4237 (toll free) or e-mail me by clicking here.