Package Design China + Survey Select Revise

“Survey Select” was an eight-week art happening and cultural event that took place last year from July 15 through September 5, 2010. Art and culture in San Diego would never be the same as “Survey Select” featured 68 world-renown artists, 8 acclaimed writers and 32 live events including: films, workshops, lectures and musical performances.

As you can imagine, “Survey Select” was a labor of love and personal vestment of blood, sweat and tears, but totally worth it in every way. One of the highlights, and there were many, happened on Wednesday, August 18 when 31 leading luminaries, designers and educators from China snapped their way through the “Survey Select” space. My close friend, Bennett Peji, City of San Diego Commissioner of Arts & Culture, was returning the favor to the Chinese contingent, as one year before was visiting China’s design scene in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Hong Kong.

As luck would have it, the publisher and chief editor of Package Design China, Huang Li was in attendance to record the entire happening. It was a great day, we spoke design, presented our works and socialized, trading business cards, samples of our work and promising to keep in touch.

Package Design China recently featured some of the San Diego design community in their most recent edition. I am honored to report that Murphy Design was featured over 6 glossy pages, along with Bennett Peji Design, Studio Conover and Visual Asylum. Thanks to Package Design China for celebrating innovative work for Ray Caesar, Hanna-Barbera, Brandon Boyd, Green Day and over 1000 artists represented on the pages of over 21 books represented in the magazine.

And this provides another perfect opportunity to give a shout outs to the entire “Survey Select” community who made it all possible—ALL featured artists 1-2-3, Jillian Seaman, Ninthlink, Clients & Profits/Mark Robillard, Marque Arts/Kelley Padrick, John Purlia, Communication Arts/Patrick Coyne, Art House Films, MANUOK, Glaceau, Trumer Pils, SDVAN, City Beat/Kinsee Morlan, USAToday/John Geddes, KPBS, Bennett Peji, John Goff, Gilad Segal, RedBull, Marti Kranzberg, Nancy Lutz, Michael Carbone, Hanna Chang, Pizza Rider/Hilary Rossi, Manuel Bello/Fecal Face, Lauren Saunders, Jolie Cash, Cindy Westen, Neysa Ramirez, Jeff Teitelman, Shae Stromme, Mariko Annu, Angela Costello, Jim Murphy, James and Ardelle Murphy, Art SD10/Ann Berchtold, Artist as Brand/Greg Spalenka, Illuminated Perfume/Roxana Villa, Bells&Whistles, Tasha Rae Jewelry/Tasha Rae Tatro, Chris Heimbuch, Oo Gallery/Kevin Paulsen, Barbara Nessim, Leila Tavakolizadeh, SSI, DJ G Roy, Thesis, Drew Andrews and all of you who traveled near and far.

Look out for more soon and “Lucid Dreams” featuring 30 fine artists (and more) from around the world July 08 through August 09, 2011 at the Noel-Baza Fine Art Gallery, and curated by Mark Murphy. Special events announced soon, including Comic-Con Booth No. 4833. Sweet. (Gary Taxali pictured above).

Martin Wittfooth “Gardens” Dec 10 - Jan 9

Sanctuary

Martin Wittfooth is taking large steps with each thematic fine art installation of paintings and three-dimensional works. Back in February, I had the pleasure of witnessing the installation of “Tempest” at the Copro Gallery in Santa Monica featuring a large wind blown shack.

Martin Wittfooth at Laguna Museum and Paul Frank too

Martin was filmed installing his storm twisted shack for the next installment of the documentary “Scribble” and wouldn’t you know his dwelling ended up in Laguna Museum’s Art Shack exhibition back in July. (You can still check this out until October 3). On to July 22, Martin traveled in to San Diego to introduce his painting, “Sanctuary” featured in “Survey Select” curated by me (Mark Murphy).

Martin Wittfooth and Jon Todd installing at Copro

And now? Martin Wittfooth is a tireless advocate of conceptualization development in the tradition of painted narrative. Martin mangles the beauty of nature with the abandoned cityscape left behind by humankind. Nature is at odds within its unspoken political system and a realignment of species struggling for survival is afoot in Martin’s visual display of oil on canvas. Martin continues his exploration of these themes in a new collection of paintings and dimensional works entitled, “Gardens,” December 10 through January 7 at Roq La Rue Gallery in Seattle, Washington.

Martin’s new collection is rich in color, texture and delivers profound intensity. Thankfully, Martin took a moment to share some of his thoughts…

Sanctuary in progress

mm : Survey Select featured your oil painting “Sanctuary” and when analyzing the piece up close it seems that there is a duality between safe and harm. Please describe your thoughts, as you created this piece.

MW : I wanted this painting to play on the concept of adaptation—nature carrying on with business as usual in an entirely foreign and inorganic, manmade setting. I laid out the piece with the idea of making the manmade environment highly symmetrical, while the living elements in the piece follow natural forms. I’ve inserted little stories or narratives inside this larger composition, most of them dealing with some element of dependency: one life is reliant on that of another, and so forth. As some of these scenes play out—or are just about to play out —violently, the title of the piece deliberately oxymoronic.

Red Soil

mm : You have a new body of work currently underway for your December Roq La Rue Gallery show. What is the title and theme of the work you are creating?

MW : The title of the upcoming show is “Gardens.” The series explores themes that I’ve occasionally touched on in my work but until now haven't made an overarching focus for a whole body of work. What appears consistently in these paintings are organic plant elements that parasitically make hosts of both the manufactured (manmade) and the flesh, fur and feathers of animals. My reasoning for taking this direction with this series stems from a wish to respond on an allegorical level to an increasingly haywire relationship and confusion contemporary human society has with the natural world and the forced assimilations that take place when the two inevitably meet. Much of the work deals with death, but also the hope of renewal. I’m intrigued by tension and aspire to insert this element into each piece on some level.

Devil’s Playground

mm : It seems that many artists are taking on environmental and cataclysmic themes. Do you think this is a new art movement in painting? Do you think it is a response to the Mayan calendar theory of no more time? And/or do you think artists are trying to take a more active role in environmental awareness and response? Feel free to expand on one or more points.

MW : Artists are visual communicators. We generally aspire to channel our thoughts and reflections about our world through our creations, so it stands to reason that much artwork from this time touches on these issues, which are so extensively addressed with alarm in other fields and we are all exposed to. Some may take a more cataclysmic viewpoint and their artwork in turn will likely reflect that. To be honest, I’m somewhat surprised (and simultaneously, not) at the still widely prevailing appetite—harbored by both artists and their followers—for artwork that doesn't take any stance or stab at the wealth of issues that concern us collectively. Maybe it’s a desire to maintain an illusion of the status quo, I’m not sure. I would like to say though that I’m not of the opinion that an artist has any inherent responsibility to translate their opinion into their medium of expression, we should and are free to talk about anything we choose to in our works. My hope with my own work is to on some level contribute to the dialogue of awareness.

On the set for an upcoming documentary

mm : What is next in the world of Martin Wittfooth? I hear you are moving south for a bit. What are painting themes you would like to further explore?

MW : My fiancé Elizabeth is doing her MFA at Savannah College of Art and Design, so I'll be joining her down there for a year or two in December. I’m full up with work over the next couple of years anyway, so even though the location changes significantly, it’ll be just as hectic down there. Just as hectic but minus winters and close to the beach, so I forecast that I'll have as many distractions down there as I do now, but just different ones. Savannah is pretty sweet: small town but beautiful and bike-friendly. I’ll be curating a show in Santa Monica next year and involved in some stellar group shows throughout 2011. After that, I’m getting down to work on a solo show in Los Angeles taking place in the Fall of 2012.

Visiting the studio and Sanctuary sketch on the board

Thanks to Martin Wittfooth for taking time out. We all look forward to checking out “Gardens” at Roq La Rue Gallery in Seattle December 10. Also, “Sanctuary” is available for acquisition, please contact me for more information.

Murphy Booth No. B10 at SD Contemp Art Fair

September second through the fifth visit Murphy Fine Arts, Booth B10, at the Hilton Bayfront—Art San Diego Contemporary Art Fair. The Murphy Fine Art Booth will feature fine artists Cathie Bleck (Cleveland/OH) and Mark Todd (Pasadena/CA) and their original art work created specifically for this fair.

Survey Select details:

Shawn Barber, Irene Hardwicke Olivieri, James Marshall, Anthony Pontius

Booth No. B10 will also be your guide to take a last look at “Survey Select” featuring 55 contemporaries from 11 countries displaying over 100 art works (See Artists A—G, H—N, O—Z) in a transformed warehouse space located at 1400 Imperial Avenue in the heart of downtown San Diego, adjacent to Petco Park. And “Survey Select” is a featured part of this year’s fair as a preferred San Diego City-Wide Event and spotlighted as a offsite Art Lab.

Cathie Bleck features 3 new panels : Heaven : Limbo : Hell (10" x 10 x 2) : in progress :

Cathie Bleck creates magical worlds with flowing textures and mystical characters that represent memories of her personal travels, life’s circumstances and her childhood years growing up on a tree nursery just outside of Chicago. Black line protects the essence of her compositions, layered in Kaolin Clay, colored inks and paint. The scratch of her knife on the surface of her creations exposes you to a world that lies beneath, a dimensional look into more than 30 years of artistic impression. Cathie has exhibited for the Butler Museum, New Britain Museum of Art and permanent installations at the US Postal Service, US State Department and University Hospitals. Cathie has also been showcased in Miami, during Miami Art Basel Week.

Mark Todd features new paintings on wood panel

Invaders (24"x36/inprogress) : Demon : Man Monster

Mark Todd continues his comic assemblages, mirroring the Pop-Art revolution of Roy Lichtenstein and the Proto-Pop artistry of Charles Demuth, Stuart Davis and Gerald Murphy. Mark pays homage to his boyhood hero, Jack Kirby in his work that actively celebrates a montage salute to the Hulk, Captain America, the Fantastic Four, Spiderman and more. . . Mark is active in publishing “zines” and books that capture his love of storytelling and life’s awkward experiences—cleverly packaged and shared for a new generation of graphic hungry kids. Mark has shown with the Billy Shire Gallery and has been featured in Miami, during Miami Art Basel Week. Mark Todd will be featured in the upcoming art documentary and follow up to the successful, Scribble.08 film series.

100 original works and limited editions bookstore

Celebrate a historic gathering of fine artists, original artwork and fine art publishing at the Murphy Fine Arts Booth B10 during the San Diego Contemporary Art Fair at the Hilton Bayfront. Visit “Survey Select” a diverse collection of high quality masterpieces by artists dedicated to their craft from around the world located at 1400 Imperial Avenue, San Diego, CA, 92101. For complete schedule on Facebook, please click here. Mark Todd paintings. Cathie Bleck Paintings.

Survey Select Exchanges Design with China

Wednesday afternoon was the first hot day in San Diego, fitting, as 31 leading designers, luminaries, educators and diplomats traveled in from China to visit “Survey Select.” One year before, San Diego AIGA had sent a caravan of representatives to visit the design scene throughout China — Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Hong Kong. My good friend and important ambassador to the San Diego community, Bennett Peji played considerate host and moderator.

The 31 designers moved through “Survey Select” with their cameras and business cards kindly introducing themselves and exchanging printed materials. I gave everyone a “Ultra” zine featuring the villains and superhero robots of Ultra Man. To me this was a symbol of the rapid economic development of China, much like the robots photographed by Tim Mantoani and illustrated by Joel Nakamura amongst the brightly colored pages of my designed creation.

And to let you know how small the world truly is, Bi Xue-feng is one of my favorite designers from China, who ended up visiting today. I have been familiar with his work from the long commute to print my books in Shenzhen and Hong Kong, as his design style is very tactile, utilizing texture and well-placed fonts in his works. Thankfully, Bi Xue-feng and I traded our designed creations, and “Yes!” this will be placed in the Murphy archives.

“Survey Select” has serviced as a community space to many kind people over the past few weeks. It has been an honor to educate, share and inspire over 2400 visiting guests from all over the world. It is a historic gathering as artisans from all genres have participated in workshops, shared their ideas and presented their films. Today was a fun day and another example of the important nature of “Survey Select” and its community spirit within the creative minds from China.

SDVAN Creative Panel Thursday @ 6PM

“Survey Select” has been a valuable resource for the fine art community in the Southern California region since July 15. With 3 more weeks to go, I am working hard to offer innovative programming that introduces you to film, workshops, lectures and inspired artists who have made this exhibition possible.

Thursday night is no exception, as SDVAN founder, Patricia Frischer, San Diego CityBeat writer, Kinsee Morlan, Local artist, collector and writer John Purlia and Dr. turned full-time artist, Mark Jesinoski present a spirited conversation about collecting, archiving, promoting, writing and participating in the art world.

Tonight’s SDVAN panel takes place at “Survey Select” at 6 PM located at 1400 Imperial Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101. To prepare for tonight’s grand occasion, please meet our distinguished panel presented by tonight’s moderator, Mark Murphy.

Patricia Frischer is a founder and the coordinator of the San Diego Visual Arts Network which funds the SD Art Prize, directory and events calendar and SmART Collector features. She has curated the Movers and Shakers: Who’s Who in SD Visual Arts and Little & Large promotions and is currently preparing Art Meets Fashion for 2011. Frischer has taken on the roles of gallerist, curator, writer, teacher, website coordinator and artist. Her many metamorphoses make her difficult to fit into any of the usual art world categories. She is author of The Artist and the Art of Marketing has lectured extensively on marketing for artists. Frischer is a trainer of artists’ agents, art dealers, consultant and collectors (details at ArtPro Her own artwork has been shown internationally.

Patricia writes, ”My vision for San Diego in the near future is to see projects where all the professional visual arts establishments can come together as a united front to demonstrates the strength of the visual arts in our region and state, country and world. It is only by encouraging the population at large to support culture and by obtaining art that we can all thrive.”

Meet, Kinsee Morlan, who loves San Diego artists, artwork and cool happenings. Kinsee is a writer for San Diego CityBeat who interviews, writes, photographs and promotes great artists from all genres. Here is a brief introduction:

“On and off for the last six years, Kinsee Morlan has been the arts and culture editor for San Diego CityBeat. In the recent past, she put on binational art shows with her arts collective, Adapta Project, opened an alternative gallery in Colorado called The Red House Gallery and the Red House Annex and is a local-art collector and enthusiast. ”

And when asked, “What inspires you?” Kinsee writes, “People inspire me. It's truly the people behind the paintings and projects that make me want to write, collect art and find out more about art.”

Another local artist and writer, who has recently left the corporate world to pursue his artwork full time is San Diego native, John Purlia.

“John Purlia is a writer and photographer living in La Jolla, California. His photographs are still-life narratives, staged and shot within the confines of a 30” light tent. Vintage record albums form the background context for each of his pieces, with vinyl 45's supporting the stage, and playful figures and other found objects providing the players. Vibrant, candy-like colors bring these dioramas to life and enhance the child-like quality he strives for in his photographs. His most recent solo show, Seven Signs of the Kewpie Apocalypse, was a tour de force of cuteness and curiosity, including large-scale photographs, installations, stop-motion animation, and video slideshows.”

Jonathan Viner/Jeff Soto/Ray Caesar

John’s writings on the arts have appeared in numerous publications, including award-winning monographs about the artwork of Jeff Soto, Jonathan Weiner and Ray Caesar published by Murphy Art Books. John will be presenting his love for fine art collecting and how he identifies with “the really good stuff.”

Next, meet Mark Jesinoski a part-time post-doctoral fellow in Clinical Psychology at San Diego State University and a full-time artist.

“Mark’s journey has taken him from his small-town Minnesota origins, to the coal mines of Wyoming, to graduate school in Northern Utah, to post-graduate work at the University of San Diego and San Diego State University. Laced throughout Mark's journey has been a constant process of observing himself and the world around him through the looking glass of the visual arts. Paralleling Mark's development as a clinician has been his development as a painter. For Mark painting began as unconscious expression and became deliberate practice; an exploration of process in the context of mind, body, spirit. Within this dynamic, content is what we see, feel, touch; it is the stuff we observe in an image, experience in the moment...perceive. Process transcends and underlies content; the musical intonation of our spiritual self.

Mark is inspired by the pursuit of process, life as practice, and therein, to smile, to love, to never take oneself too seriously. Mark will be chatting more about his transformation from Dr. to artist.

Featured image in Survey Select by Barbara Nessim

You can participate in this event and more by visiting “Survey Select” at 1400 Imperial Avenue, SD, CA, 92101 Tuesday through Sunday 10 AM to 5 PM with nightly events. See you soon.

Designers from China Visit Survey Select 8_18_10

AIGA San Diego, in kind thanks to my dear friend and diplomatic art’s representative Bennett Peji, welcomes 30 graphic designers from China to San Diego as they visit the exhibition, “Survey Select.” AIGA SD asks, “How often do you get to dialogue face-to-face with fellow designers from China?” This is your chance to make some important connections and learn about the booming Chinese design scene.

30 leading graphic designers from China visit “Survey Select” on Wednesday, August 18th at 2:30 PM, the event is free and you and your pals are welcome to join in the fun on this momentous occasion. Stick around that night and enjoy double feature Wednesdays featuring “Visual Acoustics/The Modernism of Julius Schulman” and Marshall Arisman. On Thursday we will be show the requested screening of “Beautiful Losers.” Both films on Wed/Thurs begin at 7 PM and distributed by Art House Films.

Modernism’s finest photographer Julius Schulman

AIGA San Diego, Bennett Peji, Cristina Montoya, Stacey Szabo and Mark Murphy present a rare Cross-cultural Design Exchange with 30 graphic designers from China. Join us in meeting and sharing art and ideas with 30 designers featured in one of China's top design publications and enjoy over 100 original pieces of art in a warehouse art space. Sponsored by Clients & Profits.

Margaret Kilgallen (October 28, 1967 – June 26, 2001) featured in Beautiful Losers

Survey Select is located at 1400 Imperial Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101. Parking on street and paid parking lots.

Cool School, Ferus Gallery Documentary

“Survey Select” takes you on a journey down La Cienega Boulevard on Wednesday night introducing you to the famed Ferus Gallery, the first significant post-war collection of artists in Los Angeles (1957—1966). The Ferus Gallery began in late 1956 after founder, Walter Hopps met with fine artist Ed Kienholz for lunch at a hot dog stand on La Cienega and both signing a contract on a hot dog wrapper that stated, “We will be partners in art for five years.”

Wallace Berman // Ed Moses

Operating out of a small storefront, the gallery became a bridge between the Los Angeles and New York art scenes. In the west the Ferus Gallery launched the careers of Ed Kienholz, Ed Ruscha, Craig Kauffman, Wallace Berman, Ed Moses and Robert Irwin. And in the east the gallery played a major role in solidifying Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Donald Judd, Frank Stella, Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns.

Frank Stella // Donald Judd

On Wednesday night you will be introduced to the “Cool School” directed, written and produced by Morgan Neville who believes the art scene created by the Ferus Gallery, “is really just now fully maturing. L.A. has really come into its own as an art capital.”

Survey Select is located at 1400 Imperial Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101. Show times begin at 7 pm, $10 at the door for Art House Films, “The Cool School” and “Keith Haring” documentaries.

Survey Select Events Week No 5

Wednesday, August 11, 7:00 - 10:30 PM

Meet and greet and double feature Wednesdays, No. 3 featuring "The Cool School: Story of the Ferus Art Gallery” and “The Universe of Keith Haring” documentaries. Both films present historical accounts of Keith Haring and the Ferus Gallery which nurtured Los Angeles’ post-war contemporaries Ed Ruscha, Ed Moses, Robert Irwin and many others, including the first presentation the world had ever seen of Any Warhol and his beloved soup cans. $10 at the door.

RSVP here or just show up at the event.

Thursday, August 12, 5:30 - 8:30 PM

San Diego Visual Arts (SDVAN) presents a compelling workshop that offers artists, collectors and fans of artistic culture an opportunity to discuss the art world, art as business and art collecting. Please join Patricia Frischer (SDVAN), Mark Jesinoski (Mosaic Gallery), John Purlia (writer/collector) and Mark Murphy (curator of Survey Select and Moderator) as they present art inspired topics, visuals and genuine dialogue. All ages welcome, $15 at the door. RSVP here or just show up at the event.

Saturday, August 14, 4:00 - 6:30 PM

Build a 12 page mini "zine" (magazine) and promote your art, writing, film, music, company or all around feeling on an important topic. Making "zines" is fun, open to all ages, and an easy way to celebrate your inner creative genius. See what happens when you fold get great inspirational tips from new pals, good friends and creative pros. Bring your journals, writings, photographs, drawings, doodles and creative mind. 20 minute demo, 40 minute panel discussion, and hands on workshop and good times. All ages welcome, $15 at the door. RSVP here or just show up at the event.

Survey Select Location

All events held at “Survey Select” 1400 Imperial Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101. Museum hours are 10 am to 5 pm until Sept 5, 2010.

MANUOK + Drew Andrews @ Survey Select

Thursday, August 5 San Diego rock band MANUOK kicked off their west coast tour and new album, “The Old Horse” to the intimate crowd at “Survey Select.” Live music is one of the great dimensions of “Survey Select” and a great dimension of the eight week exhibition.

“Survey Select” and its converted space by Bells and Whistles, presented a wonderful space for the edgy acoustic set of Drew Andrews and his band. Wood beams, concrete walls mixed with the fine art and the local indie music community of Via Satellite, Black Heart Procession, Three Mile Pilot, the Album Leaf and many local musicians created a spirited mix of great music and great friends for a great night.

Drew Andrews kicked off his set with a quality introduction with himself and his acoustic guitar before being joined by his band mates on the second song. MANUOK premiered their new album, “The Old Horse” with a mix of melodic songs and inspired rock and roll. The entire evening surprised visiting guests with an excellent display of mezzo forte (mf = fairly loudly) tunes that promoted instantaneous fanfare.

“Survey Select” is a champion of San Diego/local talent collaborating with Bells and Whistles (interior design), Ninthlink (online marketing), Just Taste It (food design and catering), Florabella (floral design), La Jolla Beverage (community infusion), MANUOK (Scott Mercado = musician/writer/composer), Drew Andrews (musician/writer/composer), John Purlia (writer, art collector), Kelsey Brookes (featured artist), Hugo Crosthwaite (featured artist), Noel-Baza/Quint Gallery/Pierrette Van Cleve, Tim Mantoani (photographer), David Arabia (filmmaker), Kinsee Morlan (City Beat), Jim Chute (Union Tribune), Erin Chambers Smith (SD Magazine), Meredith Hattam (KPBS), Mark Robillard (Clients & Profits), Gilad Segal (writer), Jeffrey Teitelman (screen writer), Kelley Padrick (Marqué Arts) and you. (Kind thanks to all of the contributors from afar too, and all of those traveling to see art history in the making).

You are invited to join in the fun, ongoing weekly happenings at “Survey Select” Tuesday through Sunday 10 AM to 5 PM. Visit us at 1400 Imperial Avenue, San Diego, CA 92110. Take the train from Los Angeles and check out “Viva La Revolution” at the Modern Contemporary at the Santa Fe train station, and trolley it over to “Survey Select.” On display through September 5, 2010. See you soon.

MANUOK LIVE Aug 5 @ Survey Select

MANUOK rocks the house on Thursday, August at the “Survey Select” exhibition space. MANUOK is Scott Mercado who has tenure in the music industry, collaborating with such bands as the Black Heart Procession, the Album Leaf and Tristeza. Oh, and Scott worked on the Scribble.08 soundtrack, scoring “Montebello,” “The Old Horse” and “Carcerate” which now appear on the highly anticipated album, “The Old Horse.”

MANUOK’s new album, “The Old Horse” is a solid effort introducing fans of indie rock to a well-written and composed album. Take a listen and you will find an album that celebrates the narrative tradition from beginning (“Cold Winter”) through the closing track (“Untitled”). Smooth melodies, driving guitar and an interesting assortment of instruments—all composed, arranged and for the most part played by Scott Mercado. If I was a beat writer in the music scene authoring articles for “Rolling Stone,” “Alternative Press” or “Spin” (you get the idea. . .), I would place 5 stars on the cover of this record produced by Macaco Records and 500 Records. It is a complete effort.

“Survey Select” premiers MANUOK and their world debut of “The Old Horse” 7 pm to 12 Midnight at 1400 Imperial Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101. (featured artwork by Joseph Hart).