Paintings by Nikolai Atanassov

Nikolai Atanassov, “Waterfalls of Compassion”, mixed media on canvas, 24”x24”, 2010



Nikolai Atanassov, “Starry Nebula”, mixed media on canvas, 24”x24”, 2010


Engaging an innovative balance between traditional European painting techniques and elegant modernist forms, Bulgarian painter, Nikolai Atanassov thematically explores a rich visual realm residing at the intersection of numerous visible and invisible worlds. Interplay of imaginary dreams and the real is represented by complex fields of color encapsulating figures, elements, objects and entire landscapes to suggest a dialog between classical and modern sensibilities.

His paintings aim to reveal the edge between visible and invisible worlds, the reality and the fantasy, the magic and the routine. He says "only our fantasy and audacity to find the fairylands in our daily life can open the doors to journeys in space, thoughts and ideas."

The different layers that exist in his paintings depict movement and dynamics; from a distance they become a whirl of colors. However, closer scrutiny reveals real-life figures, people and animals, elements and landscapes, objects and plots. Each of Nikolai's paintings unveils a fairy-tale where the intent observer is also a participant with his imagination, emotions and dreams.


For more information, please contact:
Paul Mahder, Director
(415) 474-7707
paul@paulmahdergallery.com.
www.paulmahdergallery.com <http://www.paulmahdergallery.com>

I hope to see you 01/23/10 at the Paul Mahder Gallery for our opening of photographs by Migdalia Valdes:

Bad Days Made Beautiful

Artist's Opening Reception
Saturday, January 23rd, 2010
6:00pm to 9:00pm

at the

Paul Mahder Gallery
3378 Sacramento Street @ Walnut
San Francisco, CA 94...118

These sublime and unusual photographs are made without the use of a camera. Please join us for hors d’oeuvres, wine, good conversation and great art!

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“Bad Days Made Beautiful is a body of work that comes from within the larger framework of my lifelong project titled Every Day in Black and White. With Every Day, I have made a commitment to photograph every day using my old Rolleiflex and film. This project has become a photographic essay of what we see and think about, remember and forget, laugh at and sometimes walk by, a story of time, shifting culture, social change and memory; a poetic documentary of contemporary urban life.

Bad Days Made Beautiful are those occasional days that I just cannot muster the sincerity or energy to photograph. Over the years, as few of those "bad days" as there have been, I have maintained my commitment to the Every Day project by simply exposing film to light. What has transpired are remarkable displays of light on film, captured in an endless variety of abstract compositions. Displayed as real images, these Bad Days Made Beautiful have a language not just of their own, but have come to be read as abstractions that represent the feelings, moods, of their audiences.” Migdalia Valdes
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Migdalia Valdes has been living and working as a photographer in San Francisco since 1998.

Grand Re-Opening of the Paul Mahder Gallery

It has been a month to remember, with renovations and repairs - but now the gallery is ready to open up its doors, have openings and events - and I could not be happier.

Drop in this weekend and help me celebrate our 2nd anniversary with champagne and chocolates and view the current exhibit of paintings by renowned Brazilian artist Antonio Veronese.

Mark you calenders for these not to be missed events below:

Thursday, November 12, 6-8pm - High Tea, Scones & Preserves with Pure Puer Tea, preserves by Blue Chair Fruit Company and scones by chef Afreen Wahab

Thursday, November 19, 7-9pm – Specialty exotic Mushrooms as Aphrodisiacs by Farwestfunghi with food tastings by chef Afreen Wahab

Saturday, November 21, 6-9PM . Opening Reception for new paintings by Nicaraguan artists Omar d'Leon and Otto Aguilar.

One of my Favorite Artists - George Tooker

The gallery is still being "renovated" - so hopefully we will be open by the beginning of next week, it's been a real mess - but thankfully all of the artwork escaped harm. Presently the gallery is being repainted.

I always like writing about my favorite artists.

(click any image to enlarge)

(Government Offices - George Tooker)

When I was in my early teens I sauntered past an art gallery near Washington Square in NYC. I was so taken with the mysterious images, I walked in and studied each one. A gent I thought was the proprietor asked me if I liked the paintings and I said I certainly did. "I'm George Tooker, the artist" he said. I remembered the name and the images and now years later he is still a prominent artist.

(Lunch - George Tooker)

Here's some additional information:

Subway - George Tooker

George Tooker was born in 1920 in upstate New York and set aside his own wishes to be an artist to satisfy his parents and instead attended Harvard University, while still devoting much of his time to painting. In 1943 he began studying at the Art Students League of New York. Early in his career Tooker was often compared with other painters such as Jared French, Paul Cadmus and Pavel Tchelitchew. (Future blogs will examine these three artists soon)

Self Portrait - George Tooker

Working in egg tempera in a style called magic realism, Tooker addressed issues of modern-day alienation with subtly eerie and often visually literal depictions of social withdrawal and isolation. George Tooker received the National Medal of Arts in 2007.

Read my review of the new movie Birdwatchers for Movie Magazine International

More Soon.

San Francisco Open Studios

The gallery plans to be open by Thursday (our exterior signs say "Renovating"), it has been quite a mess.

Big doings this weekend and for the next three weekends Artspan presents San Francisco Open Studios. Each weekend artists from designated neighborhoods have an open house to view and purchase their art. This weekend, October 10 and 11, it's the Castro, Duboce, Eureka Valley, Glen Park, Mission, Noe Valley and Portola.

Next weekend, October 17 and 18, its Buena Vista, Diamond Heights, Fort Mason, Haight, Hayes Valley, Marina, Mount Davidson, Pacific Heights, Richmond, Sunset, Ocean Beach, Twin Peaks and West Portal.

Weekend 3 - Financial District, North Beach, Potrero Hill, Russian Hill, SOMA, Tenderloin, Bayview, and Excelsior and

Weekend 4 - Hunter Point Shipyard

Find out more about ArtSpan.

Gurpran Rau, an artist presently showing at the gallery has her open studio on Weekend 3:

(click image to expand)

Water-logged Gallery

Well, a resident in the condominiums above the gallery sprung a leak so we will have to close for a few days while workmen install interior drying equipment like humidifiers, heat fans, tubing, wires and all manner of things to trip over which will force us to shut our doors. Give Paul and call and cheer him up!

More soon -

Our Current Featured Artist - Antonio Veronese

Untitled Number 19

Internationally recognized Brazilian artist Antonio Veronese currently lives and works in France. Born in Brotas, at an early age he was obsessed with drawing faces, often faces of the poor and disenfranchised. Veronese has continued painting faces, exhibiting in many museums, appearing in multiple public and private collections.He paints faces otherwise unseen.

Untitled Number 3

The painter remarks: "The image of a hedonistic Rio de Janeiro, all samba and soccer, has become a cliche and our intellectuals have become our worst natural disaster. Armored cars have become a status symbol, but a society that suffers from fear every day is in defeat. But the face, the face is inexhaustible, it expresses such a variety of emotions. "

Threatened with death because his artwork exposed entrenched official violence, Veronese escaped to France where he has shown in more than 30 art exhibitions. He still keeps tabs on the the pulse of juvenile justice in his home country of Brazil, suggesting Rio de Janeiro look in the mirror, "because shame is a good start!"

As they currently appear at the gallery

(sculptures by Corinne Whitaker)

I framed Veronese's works in black/gold frames to bring out the rich oils used by the artist. The oil on paper portraits are matted with gold fillets and white linen mats. See more of Antonio Veronese's portraits here.

Veronese's comments about Rio de Janeiro ring true. When I visited during Carnivale, there was little hint of the grinding poverty, just fun and games. I hope that a rejuvenated effort with the 2016 Olympics is shared with the community.

More Soon