The beach sustains me. I grew up near the beach and wherever I go in life I can still call her home.

I am always humbled by the simple offerings of the beach and how these gifts can make me so happy.

A photo walk down the beach, my camera and me: discovering … a cave full of secret rituals that delight the imagination, a boy and his green pail, the patterns and textures made when earth.air.water.fire. collide and awaken my senses.

The world changes. Things get faster. Things fall apart. Things get old.  New things begin. People change. People get faster. People fall apart. People get old. New people are born.

The beach never seems to get faster, to fall apart or get old … yet she is always changing and in that sense is always being reborn.

Now that is something to feel joyful about.

The 50-50 Show III Grand Closing* is tomorrow, Sunday, October 2nd from 1-5 pm. The Sanchez Art Center is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 1-5 pm. My series, Senseless Acts of Beauty is in the West Gallery. I will be posting this series soon on my website – details to come! This weekend is your last chance to check out this eclectic assortment of themed small works from over 68 artists, representing a range of media.  This is a great place to find a small gift for the home, office or the art lover in your life.

Check out some press on the show by the juror, DeWitt Cheng. You can see a sneak preview of my series, #16 on this post, as well as get a taste of the great work by many of the other 50-50 artists.

Come kick off Fall Open Studio season @ Art Explosion next weekend.  Stop by to say hi and check out my 3-month new studio space: #113, that’s on the first floor of the Alabama Street Studios @ 744 Alabama St, SF, CA. Stay to enjoy an eclectic mix of art and designs!

Opening Reception: Friday Sept 16th 7pm – 11pm
Open Studios: Sat & Sun Sept 17th-18th 12-5pm

Art Explosion Studios, the Mission’s largest Artist’s collective is holding its annual Fall Open Studios on September 16th thru 18th. Come see over 120 artists as they open their studios to exhibit their work. Painters, sculptures, photographers, fashion designers, jewelers and textile artists will be showing so there is something for every type of art connoisseur. The free opening reception gala will be on Friday, September 16th from 7-11pm. Don’t miss this opportunity to get a first look at all the incredible work that will be on display and enjoy a spectacular night of viewing art. In addition to artists opening their studios, our galleries will be filled with art, hors d’oeuvres and wine will be served. On Sat & Sun we will have open studios from 12 – 5pm. Come meet the artists in their studios and get a personal showing of their art. As always Free Admission and Free Refreshments with plentiful street parking.

Two Locations:

744 Alabama Street, SF, CA

2425 17th St, SF, CA

200 Yards @ Cafe Royale

Show extended through September 1st, 3pm – closing
Cafe Royale: 800 Post St. @ Leavenworth

“Booked,” by Jana Carrey. (c) Jana Carrey Photography 2011.

http://200yards.com/

The show is open from August 26th – October 2nd. For all of you who can’t make the opening nights, the gallery is open from 1-5pm, Fri, Sat and Sunday including the Grand Closing on October 2nd.  Admission is free! The Sanchez Art Center is located at 1220-B Linda Mar Blvd., Pacifica, CA, 94044. For directions click here.

My series, Senseless Acts of Beauty, will be hung in the West Gallery. A small preview of all of my images (in the order in which they are hung) and the artist statement are displayed below:

50-50 Show III

Artist Statement| Senseless Acts of Beauty
Jana Carrey, 2011

What I’ve discovered in 50 days: Beauty is everywhere. Beauty is not senseless; it comes in many forms and delights all the senses. In its purest form, beauty is simple. My conception of beauty may not be yours.

This series grew from a documentary project that I dreamt up over the years. Weary of media channels that feed us sensationalist images of destruction and hopelessness, I’ve often wondered how our world might be different if the media incorporated more kindness, beauty and hope. What if images and videos delighted and encouraged the collective imagination rather than intimidated and subdued it. Thus the idea for the “Not-so-Random Acts of Kindness and Senseless Acts of Beauty” project was born.

I decided to begin my experimentation with this idea during the 50-50 Show III and narrowed my focus to simple, senseless acts of beauty in the world around me. With my camera at my side, I spent 50 days looking for beautiful images in California and Costa Rica. I let chance guide me on many mini-adventures. Looking for beauty, my perspective shifted. Every day was an opportunity to something new and wonderful. I woke up a bit lighter with this simple mission in my heart.

To add another level of senselessness to the series, I narrowed my edits down to 100 images and from those choose the 50 final images, as well as their placement in the 7 x 7 grid, at random.

Eventually, I’d like to take this project further, broaden the scope and audience, and make it collaborative to incorporate multiple viewpoints.

If the original print has sold, re-prints are available up in the following sizes:

6 x 6
11 x 14
16 x 20

Please contact the artist, Jana Carrey, for more information.

* I created the first 50-50 series Childhood II, in Summer 2010 for the 50-50 Show II.

200 Yards @ Cafe Royale

Opening Reception August 4th: 8 pm – Midnight
Showing through August 27th
Cafe Royale: 800 Post St. @ Leavenworth

The opening reception will also be a TenderNights party hosted by The Tender in celebration of the neighborhood. Residents, merchants and enthusiasts are encouraged to come out to meet their neighbors and have a drink.

The dust is still settling, but things are moving fast as I prepare for my upcoming summer group shows, 50-50 Show III and 200 Yards @ Cafe Royale.

I’m excited to have a space at Art Explosion and to be a part of this local, vibrant and supportive arts community.

Please send me a text or an e-mail and come by to say hi!

I’m excited to see how the Senseless Acts of Beauty series will evolve over the next 50 days, in my quotidian rituals within San Francisco, as well as during trips throughout the greater bay area and in Costa Rica! My first day was magical in that I spent my spare moments looking for unexpected beauty in obvious and not-so-obvious places. What a grand adventure these next 50 days will be.

The 50/50 Show III will be on display from the grand opening on August 26th thru the grand closing on October 2nd.  There will be a ticketed preview on August 25th. For details about last year’s show, the 50-50 Show II, please check my archives.

I will do my best to blog about my progress throughout the next 50 days. If all goes well this project will unfold into the “Not-so-Random Acts of Kindness, Senseless Acts of Beauty,” project.  I’m thinking of these first 50 days as the pilot phase. If you would like more information about the show or the process, please contact me and stay tuned for more updates soon!