Friday, November 1, 2024
South FIRST FRIDAYS Art Walk November 2024
Tuesday, October 29, 2024
San Jose's Little Italy gets updated benches
Source: The Downtowner
Thursday, October 3, 2024
South FIRST FRIDAYS Art Walk October 2024 + STREET MRKT
LAST STREET MRKT of 2024!
Join us out on So. 1st St. as 50 artists transform the SoFA District into a unique and bustling outdoor gallery with their creative energy! Imaginative paintings & sculptures, glass art demos, classic tattoo art, counterculture zines, chic fashion and an AR community gallery hosted by Membit are just some of the rare experiences you’ll find when you come out and support our amazing arts community.
We’ll also have a great variety of delicious food trucks and a lively beer garden sponsored by & featuring: Clandestine Brewing Co., Fox Tale Fermentation, & Strike Brewing Co.
FEATURED ARTISTS:
Anthony Alva
Rebecca Anguiano
Delilah Bender
The Blunt Letters
Julianne Bonnet
Emmanuel Cervantes Mejia
Crossroads Trading Co.
Dario Cruz
Current Tattooing
Christina Del Alto
Jennifer DeChenne
Deep Legends Bus
Joseph Demaree
Mario Dimas
Lorenz Dumuk
Mahsa Emoventur
Force129
Cynthia Gonzalez
Hand in Hand Henna
Higher Fire Clayspace
Maureen Holcomb
Jodi408
Look into the Future, with AI (James Morgan, Thomas Asmuth and Kathryn Funk at KALEID Gallery)
Sarah Loyola
Valentino Loyola
Joe Mandrick
Martha Gardens Arts
David Mejia
MEMBIT Inc.
Gianfranco Paolozzi
Leslie Perez
Betty Proper
Francisco Ramirez
Steven Reece
Steven Regalado
Marilyn Roaf aka Purl Bailey
Jacob Sandoval
Ricardo Sandoval
SJSU Reed Magazine
South Bay Ceramics
Suha Suha
Sundry 3D Treasures
Nikkea Takagi
Heylu Wheat
plus great music provided by
Deep Legends Bus out on S 1st Street
–> BEER GARDEN
5:00 – 10:00pm Great music provided by DJ No Way José!
Beer Garden sponsored by & featuring local & regional breweries: Clandestine Brewing Co., Fox Tale Fermentation, and Strike Brewing Co.
All ages welcome, must be 21+ w/ valid ID to drink beer.
Saturday, September 14, 2024
San Jose Downtown Association TownHall at the SAP Center
- There is interest in doing another "fiberglass shark" artist collaboration. This was a very successful program years ago where 100 shark statues were decorated by local artists and then auctioned for charity. Many you can still find throughout San Jose today.
- There was a push to have a restaurant week coincide with the Super Bowl. Thousands of people will be staying in the South Bay, not SF during that week. We need to make sure they patronize local restaurants and this would be great timing for a foodie event.
- Postgame concerts after the World Cup. There will be six World Cup games at Levi's and plans are forming to have a major concert/party after each one in Downtown San Jose.
Friday, September 6, 2024
South FIRST FRIDAYS Art Walk + STREET MRKT - September 2024
South FIRST FRIDAYS presents: STREET MRKT indie urban art faire
FIRST FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 6th 5pm–10pm
Free admission (spend it with the Artists!).
Out on S. 1st St. (between San Carlos & William streets) in SoFA District
Join us out on So. 1st St. as artists transform the SoFA District into a unique and bustling outdoor gallery with their creative energy! Imaginative paintings & sculptures, glass art demos, fascinating bone jewelry, classic tattoo art, counterculture zines, and chic fashion are just some of the rare works you’ll find when you come out and support our amazing arts community.
We’ll also have a great variety of delicious food trucks and a lively beer garden sponsored by & featuring: Clandestine Brewing Co., Fox Tale Fermentation, and Strike Brewing Co.
FEATURED ARTISTS:
Anthony Alva
Rebecca Anguiano
BAGI / Bay Area Glass Institute
Delilah Bender
The Blunt Letters
Julianne Bonnet
Emmanuel Cervantes Mejia
Crossroads Trading Co.
Dario Cruz
Current Tattooing
Christina Del Alto
Jennifer DeChenne
Joseph Demaree
Mario Dimas
Lorenz Dumuk
Mahsa Emoventur
Force129
Cynthia Gonzalez
Jared Gochuico
Hand in Hand Henna
Higher Fire Clayspace
Maureen Holcomb
Jodi408
Sarah Loyola
Valentino Loyola
Joe Mandrick
Martha Gardens Arts
David Mejia
MEMBIT Inc.
Gianfranco Paolozzi
Leslie Perez
Betty Proper
Ragavon
Francisco Ramirez
Steven Regalado
Marilyn Roaf aka Purl Bailey
Jacob Sandoval
Ricardo Sandoval
Rene Schilling-Sears
South Bay Ceramics
Suha Suha
Sundry 3D Treasures
Nikkea Takagi
Heylu Wheat
plus great music provided by
UNGRAMR SND SYSTEM out on S 1st Street
–> BEER GARDEN
5:00 – 10:00pm Great music provided by BIG LEE & Guiña
from On the Corner Music
Beer Garden sponsored by & featuring local & regional breweries: Clandestine Brewing Co., Fox Tale Fermentation, and Strike Brewing Co.
All ages welcome, must be 21+ w/ valid ID to drink beer.
STREET MRKT is supported in part by a Cultural Affairs grant from the City of San Jose.
Friday, August 2, 2024
South FIRST FRIDAYS Art Walk + STREET MRKT - August 2024
South FIRST FRIDAYS is back with exhibits across multiple galleries in three different districts. Everything is open from at least 5-9pm. Participating venues include ANNO DOMINI, the Institute of Contemporary Art, KALEID Gallery, Works San Jose, the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, the SoFA Market, MACLA, Art Ark Gallery, MACHU PICCHU, San Jose Jazz, and Chopsticks Alley Gallery.
STREET MRKT FEATURED ARTISTS:
Anthony Alva
Rebecca Anguiano
BAGI / Bay Area Glass Institute
Delilah Bender
The Blunt Letters
Julianne Bonnet
Emmanuel Cervantes Mejia
Crossroads Trading Co.
Dario Cruz
Current Tattooing
Christina Del Alto
Jennifer DeChenne
Joseph Demaree
Mario Dimas
Lorenz Dumuk
Mahsa Emoventur
Flipside DJ Crew
Force129
Cynthia Gonzalez
Hand in Hand Henna
Higher Fire Clayspace
Maureen Holcomb
Jodi408
Katherine Lee
Sarah Loyola
Valentino Loyola
Joe Mandrick
Martha Gardens Arts
Mersay Mattos
David Mejia
Karen Oeh
Leslie Perez
Betty Proper
Ragavon
Francisco Ramirez
Steven Regalado
Marilyn Roaf aka Purl Bailey
Mike Rogan
Ricardo Sandoval
Rene Schilling-Sears
South Bay Ceramics
Suha Suha
–> BEER GARDEN
5:00 – 10:00pm Great music provided by Flipside Crew
featuring Dougie, Jswizza & Notorious P.I.G.
Beer Garden sponsored by & featuring local & regional breweries: Clandestine Brewing Co., Fox Tale Fermentation, and Strike Brewing Co.
Thursday, June 27, 2024
New mural by the Children's Discovery Museum in Downtown San Jose painted by acclaimed local tattoo artist
This year’s Artist-in-Residence is Taki "Ryudaibori" Kitamura, an acclaimed Japanese-American Tattoo artist, who in 2002 founded the shop, State of Grace Tattoo, currently located in Japantown. Kitamura’s shop serves as a regional home for traditional Japanese tattooing, connecting resident artists trained in Japan and those from the Bay Area to deepen the art of tattooing through exchange, apprenticeship, and collaboration.
“To celebrate this lunar year of the dragon and the multiculturalism of San José, Serpentine Fire represents dragon mythology around the world,” says Kitamura. “With this mural, I am expressing the diversity of serpent divinity and sacred spaces - the dragon and serpent have been symbolic in cultures all over the world and in this, I see our common humanity.” The mural depicts various scenes where the public may interact with the artwork.
The new artwork and public engagement is supported by the City of San José to increase park visitation and usage in the Guadalupe River Park. The mural was curated in response to feedback from the Guadalupe Washington and Gardner neighborhoods just south of San José’s downtown core, favoring themes around community and diversity.
“Art has the ability to welcome people to a space. Growing up in San José, I believed there was a missed opportunity for public art to highlight our rich diversity,” says Natasha Lamperti, GRPC’s Project Manager. “I am so excited to see how future visitors will react to the mural.”
“The goal of the Guadalupe River Art Walk is to envision the Guadalupe River Park as a natural public art gallery and community gathering space” says Stacey Kellogg, San Jose Walls Director. “It has been five years and over a dozen installations since we started and the changes to the trail and park are really rewarding to see.”
Mural painting will continue through Friday, June 21st and is accessible now to the public.
Additional support for this year’s artist residency is provided by Applied Materials Foundation and World Wide Walls. For more information and ways to support, please visit https://sjwalls.com/donate.
###
About Artist-in-Residence Taki "Ryudaibori" Kitamura:
Taki “Ryudaibori”Kitamura is an acclaimed Japanese-American tattoo artist local to San Jose.
State of Grace Tattoo was founded by Taki “Ryudaibori” Kitamura in September of 2002. Originally located on Berryessa Road, Taki moved the shop to the San José Japantown neighborhood in 2009. With the support of the Dobashi Family, State of Grace reopened the second floor of the historic Shanghai Building. While definitely seen as a home of traditional Japanese tattooing, including two resident artists straight from Japan, the diverse staff strives to offer an authentic experience for the discerning collector. In addition to a full time tattoo schedule, the shop has been involved in publishing, museum exhibitions, lectures, art shows, murals and Horitomo’s lifestyle brand: Monmon Cats.
For more information about State of Grace Tattoo visit stateofgracetattoo.com. You can find Taki on instagram at @stateofgracetaki.
About San Jose Walls:
San Jose Walls (formally POW! WOW! San Jose), established in 2017, is Northern California’s regional branch of the Worldwide Walls network of festivals happening in over 20 cities around the world. Led locally by Empire Seven Studios —a contemporary urban art gallery and cultural institution in Japantown, San José, California.
Over the past six years, San Jose Walls has grown into the Bay Area’s premiere art festival with a line up and experience that provides some of the best in the world. Much more than a multi-day festival, San Jose Walls is an amenity with substantial economic and community impact. It is also a vehicle to celebrate our city’s past, present, and future creative culture.
To date, San Jose Walls has produced over 80 murals and art installations throughout the City with a focus on underserved neighborhoods and most recently, the Guadalupe River Park and Trails. The goal is to strengthen community ties by bringing local and worldwide contemporary art to our City as a way to highlight its rich diversity.
For more information on SJ Walls contact info@sjwalls.com or visit www.sjwalls.com.
About GRPC:
The Guadalupe River Park Conservancy (GRPC) provides community leadership for the development and active use of the Guadalupe River Park & Gardens through education, advocacy, and stewardship.
Founded in 1996, GRPC is the City of San José’s nonprofit partner leading park programming and management. They envision the Guadalupe River Park & Gardens as a civic greenway that connects people to nature and each other, and uplifts neighborhoods through San José’s front yard.
This two-and-a-half mile ribbon of parkland runs along the banks of the Guadalupe River in the heart of downtown San José. The River Park & Gardens serve as a north/south connector and contain beloved features such as the Guadalupe River Trail, the Rotary PlayGarden, the San José Heritage Rose Garden, and various public art including the Guadalupe River Art Walk.
Programming within the park includes educational opportunities, volunteerism, and a variety of year-round events for the public to enjoy. For more information visit www.grpg.org.Sunday, June 23, 2024
Downtown San Jose neighborhood gets a new name: East Village
Thursday, June 6, 2024
South FIRST FRIDAYS Art Walk + SubZERO - June 2024
South FIRST FRIDAYS is back with exhibits across multiple galleries in three different districts. Everything is open from at least 5-9pm. Participating venues include ANNO DOMINI, the Institute of Contemporary Art, KALEID Gallery, Works San Jose, the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, the SoFA Market, MACLA, Art Ark Gallery, MACHU PICCHU, San Jose Jazz, and Chopsticks Alley Gallery.
Monday, May 13, 2024
Stunning street mural headed to San Pedro Square
Source: SVBJ
Friday, May 3, 2024
South FIRST FRIDAYS Art Walk - May 2024
South FIRST FRIDAYS is back with exhibits across multiple galleries in three different districts. Everything is open from at least 5-9pm. Participating venues include ANNO DOMINI, the Institute of Contemporary Art, KALEID Gallery, Works San Jose, the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, the SoFA Market, MACLA, Art Ark Gallery, MACHU PICCHU, San Jose Jazz, and Chopsticks Alley Gallery.
Thursday, April 4, 2024
South FIRST FRIDAYS Art Walk - April 2024
South FIRST FRIDAYS is back for April with exhibits across multiple galleries in three different districts. Everything is open from at least 5-9pm. Participating venues include ANNO DOMINI, the Institute of Contemporary Art, KALEID Gallery, Works San Jose, the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, the SoFA Market, MACLA, Art Ark Gallery, MACHU PICCHU, San Jose Jazz, and Chopsticks Alley Gallery.
Saturday, March 9, 2024
New public art added to the front of the Children's Discovery Museum
Source: The Mercury News
Friday, March 1, 2024
South FIRST FRIDAY March 1st, 2024 in #DTSJ
South FIRST FRIDAYS is back for their latest event in 2024 with exhibits across multiple galleries in three different districts. Everything is open from at least 5-9pm. Participating venues include ANNO DOMINI, the Institute of Contemporary Art, KALEID Gallery, Works San Jose, the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, the SoFA Market, MACLA, Art Ark Gallery, MACHU PICCHU, San Jose Jazz, and Chopsticks Alley Gallery.
Artwork: Michael “MWIN” Nguyen , “Leonardo The King of the Hoàn Kiếm Turtles” |
Friday, February 9, 2024
Illuminated performance art sculpture coming to Second St. in Downtown San Jose
Project to contribute to San Jose’s vibrancy and inspire onlookers
A large and never-occupied storefront space has morphed into the first of many art lighting installations intended to energize downtown San Jose’s urban cityscape.
Dream Club Lab, a collaboration by installation artists Elaine Buckholtz and Ian Winters, is commissioned by the San Jose Downtown Association (SJDA) and San Jose Downtown Property Owners to support their vision of a vibrant downtown for everyone. The artists turned the empty 9,000-square-foot space at 72 S. Second St. into a light and video installation with roving robots that roam the space with live video, feeds and kinetic sculptures.
Unveiled this evening, Dream Club Lab can be viewed 24 hours daily through June. Special video and performative robot activations will take place from 5 to 11 p.m. each Thursday through Sunday.
SJDA is heeding its long-term objective to improve the quality of life of residents and visitors. One strategy is to follow the guidelines of the property owners’ multi-year Comprehensive Downtown Lighting Plan, which calls for more activations that support downtown’s night-time economy.
“We believe that by increasing foot traffic in our district, we can create more opportunities for our members to connect with potential customers, clients and collaborators,” said Alex Stettinski, CEO of the Downtown Association. “One avenue to increase foot traffic is to improve the spaces between already lit businesses, which is the bread and butter of street life programming.”
The lighting projects are receiving additional funding from the Knight Foundation, Adobe, Pacific Gas & Electric Co. and the Office of San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan. “Turning the lights on” is one of Mahan’s mantras for the city.
“In true Silicon Valley spirit, this activation takes a vacant storefront and turns it into an innovative attraction,” Mahan said. “We need more projects like this one as we work to create a safer, cleaner, cooler San Jose.”
The Mayor also noted that the addition of electricity and internet to the space for the art installation enhances future leasability.
Buckholtz and Winters drew from their experience as lighting and video designers for the stage to create a cityscape fantasy space to inspire passersby to meet, discuss, invent, test ideas, and ponder downtown’s future and path to improvement.
“Everyone will react differently and take away something different,” Winters said.
Buckholtz and Winters, partnering as Nighthouse Studio, altered their Dream Club Lab concept to respond to the spatial considerations of the entire space. Some viewers said the art installation harkens back to the nightlife vibes of yesteryear, the artists added.
Though lights inside the space will stay on day and night, late afternoon sunlight results in a burst of motion and color reflecting off the curtains, the artists noted.
“I’ve really enjoyed getting to know San Jose,” Buckholtz said. “The city has an amazing warm spirit, and it is dynamic and down-to-earth.”
Dream Club Lab is wedged between The Improv comedy club and The Loft restaurant, across the street from San Jose Bar and Grill and Nova Nightclub. That part of South Second Street is most busy Thursday through Sunday nights.
Dream Club Lab kicks off a series of illuminated art pieces planned by SJDA. A second installation is scheduled for later this year. The works are meant to be portable so that they can be moved to other locations.
Source: Downtown DimensionThursday, February 1, 2024
South FIRST FRIDAY Feb 2nd, 2024 in #DTSJ #ArtwalkSJ
South FIRST FRIDAYS is back for their first event in 2024 with exhibits across multiple galleries in three different districts. Everything is open from at least 5-9pm. Participating venues include ANNO DOMINI, the Institute of Contemporary Art, KALEID Gallery, Works San Jose, the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, the SoFA Market, MACLA, Art Ark Gallery, MACHU PICCHU, San Jose Jazz, and Chopsticks Alley Gallery.
Saturday, January 13, 2024
Sonic Runway
Friday, January 12, 2024
Content 16.2
Here are some of the people featured in the upcoming issue: