Two of San Jose's non-profit art organizations are having fund raising auctions this month. Both MACLA and WORKS will have previews of their auction offerings at this May 7th First Friday art walk.

Image credit: Elizabeth Gomez, Titmouse with Pom-Poms,
Mixed media, acrylic and glitter, 2010. Photo: Robertino Ragazza

MACLA's 12th Annual Latino Art Auction Reception- View the very best of contemporary Latino art from the Bay Area and beyond. Over 60 artists have generously donated a vast array of paintings, prints, photographs and sculpture available for purchase. Auction proceeds support MACLA's programs in the visual arts, performing & literary arts, youth arts education; and community development through the arts, which reach over 30,000 people annually.

Live Auction: Saturday, May 15, @ 7:00pm

MACLA
510 South First Street
San Jose, CA

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art by Lacey Bryant, Minutes Disappear When You're Not Looking, oil pastel, 2010

Works' Benefit Auction Preview Reception- The South Bay's most accessible art auction moves to Spring! The work of almost 100 regional artists including Lacey Bryant, Tony Castro, Christopher Elliman, Diane Levinson, Francesca Lovecchio, Ken Matsumoto, Tony May, Therese May, Angelica Muro, Carlos Perez, Valerie Raps, Fanny Retsek, and Joe Saxe, to name just a few of the array of outstanding donating artists, will be on view to preview the May 22 auction. Support your community art and performance center and experience the wide range of art from our region.

Works San Jose
451 South First Street
San Jose, CA

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There's also the Anne & Mark Art Party 2010 fundraiser which showcases over 100 local artists and musicians in a fundraiser for the Arts Council Silicon Valley. There's also an opportunity to purchase art directly from participating artists at this show.

May 8, 2010
215 East Alma Avenue, San Jose
(behind Smurfit Stone Recycling)

Patrons Suggested Donation: $50 from 6:30pm on
General Admission Suggested Donation: $25 from 8pm on

Visit their website for more information and to RSVP: http://www.artparty2010.com

KALEID Gallery presents two new featured exhibitions with opening receptions on First Friday May 7th from 7-9pm. These exhibitions by Shannon Amidon and Centa Schumacher are photography based although both artists approach the medium entirely differently for a unique experience when viewed.

art by Centa Schumacher

Preconscious a photographic exhibition by Centa Schumacher. This work explores what is just beneath our awareness using the body as an intermediary between the conscious mind and the subconscious. By turning the camera onto herself, Centa Schumacher shows that the separation between the physical self and the mind is nearly non-existent.

art by Shannon Amidon

Efflorescence is a series of lumen prints by Shannon Amidon inspired by her interest in blending artistic renderings of nature and old world photographic techniques. Camera-less images are created by exposing botanical specimens and photographic paper to varying levels of sunlight, time, and temperature, creating unique and ethereal images that transcend the specimens' natural color, shape, and form.

A companion ambient sound installation by Compartment organically interprets pieces of Shannon Amidon's Efflorescence series resulting in musical vignettes that are sometimes alarming, sometimes whimsical. Compartment will be present opening night performing a live musical installation.

Artists' Reception: Friday May 7th, 7pm - 9pm
part of the South FIRST FRIDAYS monthly art walk. (Click here for full lineup.)

Exhibition on view through May 28, 2010

Gallery Hours:
Tuesday - Friday, Noon - 7pm
Saturday, Noon - 5pm
First Fridays 'til 9pm

KALEID Gallery
88 S. 4th St.
Downtown San Jose, CA 95112
http://www.KALEIDgallery.com

If you're out and about for the First Fridays art walk, keep your mom in mind when you stop by KALEID Gallery. There's some amazing affordable gifts for Mother's Day (this Sunday, May 9th)! Choose something as beautiful and unique as your MOM!

Mum Cards by Cecilia Deck ($4.)

Glowing Heart by Victoria Vaz ($40.)

The Reluctant Monarch by Michelle Waters ($100.)
Michelle is donating all proceeds from her art sales during the months of May & June, 2010 to wildlife rescue efforts in the Gulf through the International Bird Rescue Research Center (http://ibrrc.org). You can purchase her work at KALEID Gallery or by visiting her website at http://www.michellewatersart.com.

Origami Earrings by Cecilia Deck ($10.)

Woodpecker by Nora Schwaller ($90.)

Button Rings by Tessa Cavazos ($8.)

Gallery Hours:
Tuesday - Friday, Noon - 7pm
Saturday, Noon - 5pm
First Fridays 'til 9pm

KALEID Gallery
88 S. 4th St.
Downtown San Jose, CA 95112
http://www.KALEIDgallery.com

Iconic Urbanity-symbols of a concrete culture paintings by Blaise Rosenthal

Blaise Rosenthal's heavily textured paintings aesthetically evoke and capture the emotion and vibrancy of metropolitan existence from the perspective of his New York origins and skateboarding cultural roots.

Artist's Reception First Friday May 7th, 8pm 'til late
(Part of the South First Fridays monthly art walk.)

Exhibition on view through May 29, 2010.

Good Karma Vegan Cafe
37 South First Street
San Jose, CA

WHAT IS HAPPENING? We were growing fruits and nuts. Now the valley is growing something else. On the surface it seems to be tech: WWW, email, VoIP, Facebook, Twitter, iPad... But what is it really? If we are the neurons, then connections are being made at a furious rate. We've gone from nothing to what? Fast. Bad? Good? Does overhauling the entire eco system of the earth matter? Or should we bask in the glorious wonder of our part in creating and BEING part of a new biological entity?

These are the questions behind Matthew Seigel's current scroll paintings which are a reinvention of Japanese tatemono (standing scrolls) in modern materials. Introduced to Japan during the Heian Period (794 to 1185), hung scrolls were "primarily for displaying Buddhist images for religious veneration, or as a vehicle to display calligraphy or poetry." With Matthew's scrolls, they are more messages discerning inter-connectivity and interactivity.

Artist's Reception: First Friday May 7th, 8pm 'til late
(part of the South FIRST FRIDAYS monthly art walk)

Featuring: Opera Night! at Caffe Trieste, with some of the Bay Area's best opera singers performing your favorite arias and duets

Caffé Trieste
315 South First Street
San Jose, CA

TWO BUCK TUESDAY, May 18th 2010 6:30-9pm curated by Lacey Bryant.

$2 Art Sale and Quirky Speaker Series

KALEID Feature Artists Shannon Amidon & Centa Schumacher will talk and answer questions about their current solo shows, Efflorescence & Preconscious (respectively).

Amie Frisch, the director of Veggielution, a nonprofit Community Farm on the East Side of San Jose, will talk about the importance of growing our own food in the city, and the trials and tribulations that go along with it.

Profs. Burke and Saturday present A Night of Zoological Edification. Prof. Burke will expound upon strange and unusual animals whilst Prof. Saturday illustrates them before our very eyes!

Omar & Deb Barba of Canvas Ghost Productions present How to Throw your own Art Party! will amaze us with the ins and outs of organizing, publicizing and hosting an art event in your own home!

PLUS:
Pick the brains of Anno Domini's Cherri Lakey & Brian Elder.

Shannon Amidon will provide an interactive demonstration of her camera-less photographic process, giving us a chance to learn how her unique lumen prints develop. Participants will be able to take home a lumen print of their own creation!

The San Jose Yarnbombers will be hosting a stitching circle. All knitters/crocheters are welcome to show-off and work on their projects!

Music by Troy Curtis

Coffee by Red Berry Coffee Bar
Free Ice Cream & popsicles courtesy of the Two Buck Crew!

Live Art by:
Michael Foley
Michael Borja
Chris Kisler
Michelle Waters
Lara Sophia
Matthew Seigel

Limited space will be available if you would like to drop in with your art supplies and create along with them!

TWO BUCK Tuesdays is an all day $2 art sale and evening quirky speaker series that happens on the 3rd Tuesday of the month.

See past events- flickr.com/photos/phantomgalleries

KALEID Gallery
88 So. 4th St. (btwn Santa Clara & San Fernando)
Downtown San Jose, CA 95112?
www.KALEIDgallery.com? 408.947.1785

Facebook: www.facebook.com/kaleidgallery
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/KALEIDgallery

Parking: street metered parking (free after 6pm) or 4th St. Garage (@San Fernando) $3 after 6pm.

More than 100 regional artists have donated their work to support your community art and performance center--now it's time to bid!

Final preview hours:
Thursday, noon to 4pm
Friday, noon to 7pm
Saturday, noon to 4pm

Auction: Saturday, May 22
doors open 5pm for gala reception
bidding begins at 7pm
admission is free!
bidder registration just $15, $10 members of Works
enjoy entertainment and refreshments

Well known artists such as Binh Danh, Christopher Elliman, Bill Gould, Wayne Jiang, Diane Levinson, Therese May, Tony May, Ken Matsumoto, Angelica Muro, Carlos Perez, Valerie Raps, Fanny Retsek, Lisa Ramirez, Joe Saxe, and many more have donated their work. All manner of mediums represented: painting, sculpture, ceramics, textiles, photographs, monotypes, mixed media and more, with a wide range of retail values, from $50 to $1000. Most bidding starts at just 25% of retail! All payment methods accepted: cash, checks, and credit cards.

This is the South Bay's most accessible art auction! Support your community art and performance center and experience the wide range of art from our region!

Works
451 South First Street, downtown San José

see the full list of artists at: http://www.workssanjose.org

Do you like dinosaurs? Do you like to dance? Then dress up like a dinosaur and boogie down at the SubZERO Festival on June 4th in downtown San Jose's SoFA District. Polish up your claws and shake your proto-tailfeathers! Mammals are also welcome. Yes, this sounds too awesome to be true, and yet somehow it is true. Meet at So. 1st and San Salvador at 8pm.

But wait! The Dinosaur Dance Party needs your help! I'm still looking for people to run two giant puppets and help with the music. No experience is required, or even expected. Email kate@confoundedcontraption.com if you'd like to help, or if you'd like advice on how to make a simple dinosaur costume.