The fall season in San Francisco is packed with design and art-related events. One of my favorites is Open Studios, a month-long event where over 800 local artists open up their studios and showcase artwork in a variety of media including painting, textile design, print-making, photography, and sculpture. Here are a few highlights from studios I’ve visited in past years, pieces I’ve coveted, recommended to clients, or bought for myself!

The landscape paintings by Tjasa Owen are easy to love for both style and subject matter.  Tjasa draws inspiration from travel, the seaside, and nature, and her abstract brushstrokes and vibrant colors are uplifting and calming.  

Tjasa’s studio, tucked away down an alley off of Union Ave in the Marina District, feels like you’ve discovered a secret garden filled with beautiful artwork. 

Wood is one of the most beautiful and versatile materials and I enjoyed talking with sculptor Lutz Hornischer about how he uses salvaged fence planks to create dimensional works of art.  He recently collected the old fence planks from a client’s residence, and I look forward to seeing the transformation!

Photographer Taca Albarracin uses black and white photography in the creation of lightboxes that are part of her Functional Art Series.  This particular one is my favorite, as it happens to be the portrait of a good friend of my son, but check her Pop Phart Series for more, or go talk to her in person at Open Studios!

Artist Ealish Wilson mixes textile design, photography, and craft to create truly unique and dimensional pieces, ‘allowing the natural flow of creativity to stem from the material itself’ as she describes her process on her website.  Many of her pieces reminded me of origami, so it’s not surprising to learn that Ealish spent some time in an intensive program in Kyoto, Japan, which you can learn more about here.

This series of black and white photographs by Alison Heath is what I look at each day from the desk in my office.  The geometry and simplicity of the flowers are calming, and Alison’s choice of black and white photography, rather than color, enhances the contours and elevates the perception of light and shadows.  Originally I had a more eclectic mix of art in this location but found that I craved something more serene. Since they are perched up high, it’s one of the first things I see when I come into the office and helps create a sense of beauty and order. 

This abstract painting by Matthew Priest is another one from my personal collection.  I was immediately drawn to it when I first saw it at Open Studios a few years ago but didn’t buy it at the time.  About 6 months later I was still thinking about it, which tends to be a good indicator that a piece has staying power for me.  So I reached out, and lucky for me, it was still available! It now sits above a dresser I inherited from my grandmother, and I love how the lightness of the palette and the abstract style of the painting are set off by the traditional mahogany dresser. 

Open Studios lasts 4 weekends from October 12 through November 3, and each weekend is concentrated in a different neighborhood of San Francisco.  It’s worthwhile to visit the website and do a little planning ahead of time using the app or printed guide to determine which studios you want to visit.  Happy browsing!