San Francisco Artist: Works by Dahl-Araiza second edition

By Carlos Dahl-Araiza

San Francisco Artist is an art book with more than 70 works or art accompanied by written details of each piece explaining the artistic process and related short stories.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Oct 10, 2014
• ISBN: 9781483540924

Book preview

ARTIST FROM SAN FRANCISCO

(WORKS BY DAHL-ARAIZA second edition)

By Carlos Dahl-Araiza

Copyright 2014

INTRODUCTION:

Dear Art Lover,

This book is dedicated to all the artists, musicians, and writers who work every day in the struggle to find perfection in creative works, or at least to find acceptance in the final work. My opinion of the work here is not the final word, as it is important for each viewer to create their own understanding and interpretation of art. This is not a how to book but more a documentation about how it was done, some related storytelling, and commentary of each piece.

I decided I was an artist at age 7 after joining the art studio at Columbia Park Boys Club in San Francisco, at Guerrero and 17th street. It was the only place to go in the 1970s besides just running the streets as we kids did in the Mission District ghetto (the projects), before video games and cable TV came around and got everyone off the streets. It was a very influential moment in my life when I sat down in front of that big art easel in the club’s art room. I grabbed a half-inch wide brush, dipped it in black tempura paint and proceeded to draw the profile of a man’s head, about 2 feet high, that looked like a cross between Elvis Presley and a large stone Olmec head, the type you find scattered throughout Mexico. What happened next was great. The art teacher got all excited and said I was a talented painter, that I had some gift. So I just agreed and figured he knew what he was talking about, even though he probably said the same thing to kids who drew stick figures. (So don’t put down your students if you’re an art teacher okay). You might be smashing the next Marc Chagall.

At age 10 I began formal music instruction and eventually became a professional musician having to share my time between writing music and painting. I do both.

I received my Master’s Degree in Creative Arts Education from San Francisco State University in 1999. I treasure what I learned there, but also treasure the works I did the 36 years before graduating from State. I encourage all artists to never lose the fire of inspiration and work every day, with or without the piece of paper from an art school. I read almost every day books about established artists, to understand their struggles, technique and what was goes on in their lives while they work. For all you parents, take a tip from my Dad; keep fiction and nonfiction books everywhere in the house. Have an encyclopedia on the arts so your children can look at the pictures and wonder about fine art. I had my head in these types of books since about the time I learned to speak, walk, and pour my own juice. Back in those days we lived in a grand house in Oakland on 23rd Street and Telegraph. Dr. Seuss books were a big inspiration. I was 5 when we moved to North Beach in San Francisco. Around my 7th birthday we moved to 15th Street in the Mission District, a place called Valencia Gardens. There were trees and some grass, but no garden, just 11 three story buildings of housing projects brimming with ghetto kids. Over the years moved around San Francisco to reside in many neighborhoods throughout the city. I remember Van Gogh, De Vinci, and Michelangelo were my