an artist you should know

05 Jan 2024

Crafting Narratives: Mokhtar Paki’s Artistic Odyssey in the Bay Area

The gallery at STRUT (San Francisco AIDS Foundation) begins 2024 with the inspired works of Mokhtar Paki. The show, “Shy Boy and Other Nudes” depicts many aspects of queer love rather than focusing on sexual acts. Figures on the canvasses embrace tenderly or stare out thoughtfully from relaxed positions. They

Vita Hewitt 0
28 Jul 2023

Boats, Beavers & Performance Art: The Diverse World of Artist Alita Edgar

Imagine this: a boat outfitted to celebrate… the Beaver. Artist Alita Edgar is currently crafting a performance site and installation art piece inside a historic Squarehead boat, paying tribute to her favorite quadrupeds, the beaver. Edgar’s art and installation projects are incredibly diverse, and that’s what makes her so captivating

Katy Atchison 0
08 Oct 2024

The November 2024 BAS Voter Guide

A Big Change to This Year’s Voter Guide We’ve been doing voter guides for a really long time. I’m pretty sure we put our first one out in like 2010 or something. And I know that thousands of you rely on our voter guides to help you make decision. But

BAS Editorial Team 0
A verb for keeping warm owners in their home garden
08 Jul 2022

Oakland’s Most Inspiring Natural Dye Duo

Sandwiched between a cafe and a cupcake shop on San Pablo is an unassuming shop called A Verb For Keeping Warm (“A Verb” or AVFKW for short). From the outside, it looks like your typical yarn and fabric shop but behind the doors resides two of the Bay Area’s most

Katy Atchison 0
portrait of Bright Enright with his work
05 Jul 2022

Artist You Should Know: Brian Enright, Industrial Reuse Sculptor

Brian Enright is a working artist and sculptor who creates artwork out of unconventional recycled materials. He designs work that helps you see the connection between yourself and the natural world; objects that start a conversation. Through my interview with him, you’ll learn where he gets his materials (via an

Katy Atchison 0
15 Apr 2022

How More Diversity in Variety Shows Can Build a Stronger Art Community

What do you think of when you think of a “variety show”? Various performers set the stage ranging from singers, dancers, and other types of performance art. But to create the ultimate variety show, there’s more to it than a variety of performers. The perfect variety show has a magic

Katy Atchison 0
large dragon art car breaths fire wile illuminated
01 Apr 2022

A Permanent Home For Artists: Seaport Studios

This goes out to all the dreamers who have dreamt of permanent creative maker spaces in the Bay Area. While the fabric of The Bay Area’s artistic communities has repeatedly been at risk of being pushed out, a newly formed space called Seaport Studios in Richmond is here to stay.

Katy Atchison 0
27 Mar 2022

The Gallerinas: Meet San Francisco’s New It Girls

“What if we lived in a world where we were celebrated instead of seperated? What if instead of being made to feel less than, we were raised up? What if we felt worthy? What kind of new horizons would we imagine then? These are the questions that burn in my

Rose Eden 0
21 Mar 2022

Ursula X. Young is Uplifting Other Women Artists in the Bay Area and Beyond

Historically, the art industry has valued the work of women artists less than that of male artists, despite being the subject matter of most work. Today, women artists are working to lift each other up. In an effort to inspire younger aspiring artists during Women’s History Month, I wanted to

Katy Atchison 0