RIP Al Ardelle circa 1934—2025

Early in his career, Al worked in graphic art and advertising and was a creative director in New York.

He later received a MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute in video art.     Al was a photographer, printmaker, painter and videographer. 

He participated in probably a few dozen art shows during my time as visual arts coordinator at the San Geronimo Valley Community Center.  Al was a good guy. 

Here's a sampling of his diverse endeavors.

"Aiko". Woodcut

"Walt Whitman", Woodcut

"Anonymous", Multi-media

A flyer for one of the many documentaries Al worked on

Al with his work at a Spring Art Show opening.

(Photo courtesy of Donn DeAngelo)

Pressing Matters VIII: Printmaker's Group Show

                               Katya McCulloch "Rim Fire Survey" Reduction woodcut

I put together about 10 to 12 art shows a year for the Maurice Del Mue Galleries at the San Geronimo valley Community Center.

Of those, my favorite is the Pressing Matters Printmakers Group Show.

When I first conceived of doing this show I hoped it would be a continuing exhibit, but nevertheless, I'm still a little taken aback to find myself celebrating the 8th annual.

This year’s show features etchings, woodcuts, linocuts, lithographs, letterpress, screen prints monoprints and monotypes. 

The lineup of participants includes Al Ardelle, Fred L. Berensmeier, Corina del Carmel, Martha Cederstrom, Danille Fogel, Dave Getz, Zachary Gilmour, Art Hazelwood, Janice Jahnke, Amos Klausner, Sophia Larsen, Katya McCulloch, Cindy Miracle, Barbara Morris, Elaine Nehm, Elaine Penwell, Larry Rippee, Gabriele Schwibach, Elly Simmons, Sonia Simmons, Rose Wulff Steiner, Xander Weaver Scull, Zoltron, me and Justus Evans, Samuel Marquez, Gary Harrell and Frederick Tinsley of the San Quentin Prison Arts Project.

Here are a few. (I hope to get more works up as I get reasonably good photos).

                             Daniell Fogel "Coyotes Challenge" Mixed media-block print 

   Cindy Miracle "Preguntas" Monoprint with 'image on' plate and Chine Colle

           Katya McCulloch "Acorn Woodpecker Sash" Reduction block woodcut

                               Marsha Cedestrom "Echo" Drypoint etching

                        Corina del Carmel "Puppeteer" Lithography

                                  Sophia Larsen "Counterpart" Lithograph

                               Corina del Carmel "Lonely Crowd"  Intaglio

                                         Zach Gilmour  Untitled  Monotype

      Gabriele Schwibach  "A Night Out"  Aquatint and watercolor

        Art Hazelwood "Pool" Relief print

                      Elly Simmons  "The Sounds of Night" Woodcut

                             Art Hazelwood "Soledad" Woodcut

Art Hazelwood "La Calavera Aurora: Un caso Doloroso" Linocut and Screenprint

                    Here's my "Banjo at Armageddon" Linocut with wash

                                    Elly Simmons  "Dragon Spiral"  Woodcut

                                    Amos Klausner "Listserv #4" Letterpress

Zoltron's  "A Little Golden Book: Queens of the Stone Age"  Silkscreen

Zoltron's  "A Little Golden Book: Primus"  Silkscreen

 Rose Wulff  Steiner "Mannequin in Athens" Photo-encaustic monoprint

And Rose's  "Billboard with Cherry" Photo-encaustic Monoprint

Cindy Miracle " San Michele" Monoprint with 'image on' plate and Chine Colle

Barbara Morris "Hummingbird Series #17" Monotype

Dave Getz "Dueling Daves" Monoprint-screenprint


These are just a few of the interesting and diverse pieces in the show.
My apologies to artists not represented. I may post more shots if I can get a few good ones.

Fred L. Berensmeier masterful printmaker

On September 11 the San Geronimo Valley Community Center celebrated the 2nd annual International Day of Peace Festival. It was a great event ( International Day of Peace is a U. N. initiated global event dedicated to strengthening the ideals of peace among nations).

We featured live music by jam band The Rock Collection (Melvin Seals, Greg Anton, Stu Allen, Dan Lebo Lebowitz and JP McLean) as well as Barry "The Fish" Melton Band (Banana, Roy Blumenfeld, Peter Albin and Dave Aguilar) along with other activities, guest speakers and workshops.

Running in tandem with the festival, we’re hosting a great body of work by printmaker Fred L. Berensmeier in the Maurice Del Mue Galleries at the Center (The exhibit will continue through the month of September).

                                                                                                                                                                          photo by Michel Kotski

The show is titled “Gifting My Legacy” and for good reason. Fred is donating all proceeds from the art sales to the San Geronimo Valley Community Center. (His wife Jean founded the Center in 1969).

                                                                                                                                     photo by Michel Kotski

Fred, is a master printmaker --studied at the School of Arts and Crafts in Oakland and received his Masters of Fine Arts from San Francisco State.  He was the head of the fine arts printmaking department of City College of San Francisco from 1968 until 1993.

Cloud Shaman Calling

His work has been exhibited in the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Brants Klaedefabrik Museum, Denmark, Yerba Buena Center,  the Audubon Artists 53rd Annual exhibition, National Arts Club of New York and Pacific Grove Art Center.  Fred’s work is in the collections of the Legion of Honor's Achenbach Collection and the Library of Congress.

Sea Shaman Dreams

Although his earlier work was influenced by Edvard Munch and later abstract expressionism his more recent works have focused on images from personal connection with the environment and his years of work with Native Americans and study of petroglyphs and pictographs.

Star Shaman and Raven

Medicine Bear Carrying Pure Water

Here are a few shots from Fred's printmaking demo:

Here's a detail of the lino block "Cloud Shaman Calling":

11th Annual Roadworks

Yesterday, Molly and I  attended the 11th annual Roadworks. It's a fundrasier for the San Francisco Center for the Book.  SFCB promotes and supports book arts--letterpress printing, book binding and the creation of artists' books.

The Roadworks event is always interesting. Aside from the opportunity to watch a huge and classic Buffalo Springfield steamroller 'press' a 3 foot square blockprint onto paper right in the middle of Rhode Island Street, the event offers a chance to meet printmakers and purchase prints.

Here are a few snaps from the day.

Inking a 3 foot square block

After the print was made, printing assistants hung the prints on nearby fencing. Here is a great Godzilla-destroys-San Francisco print by Eric Rewitzer.

A print by Richard Wagener

A beautifully abstracted piece by Luz Marina Ruiz.

Here are a couple more Godzilla pieces from Eric Rewitzer's booth.

Inside the Center for the Book you can check out the fine collection of operational presses.

This one, a Reliance Midget, used to belong to printer Arlin Philpott, our Fairfaxian neighbor.

There were few more large prints from past events on display inside.

Paul Madonna

Art Hazelwood

Rigel Stuhmiller

Kathy Aoki

Two prints by Daniel Gonzalez

All artworks copyright by respective artists