Launched
Hello Friends,
Steven Miller and me on opening night for Shift at The NWBLK, October 2, 2014
It has been a whirlwind since launching HMxAA in October, and I have been remiss in staying in touch. After operating my contemporary gallery Marx & Zavattero in San Francisco for over 12 years, I was hell bent on announcing my new venture with a multifaceted platform that would honor my past as well as set the tone for what I hope will be an exciting new art chapter. Enter Steven Miller, the Creative Director of The NWBLK in San Francisco. Steven is a longtime friend and client of the gallery. After seeing him in his fabulous booth at the FOG Art & Design Fair in San Francisco last January, he invited me to consider curating an exhibition in their gorgeously stark 9,000 square foot space. This presented a welcome challenge for me in terms of the scale of the space as well as having to educate myself in design and applied arts. The show also offered each of us a chance to create a dialogue between our two fields of expertise. I could not have thought of a better way to launch HMxAA than with an exhibition of great contemporary artists within the context of some of the world's leading design makers.
Shift installation view featuring works by Kimberly Rowe, Matt Gil, Andrew Schoultz, and William Swanson.
After months of preparation, studio visits, lively discussions, hair pulling, and vetting, Shift was born and was the perfect launchpad to announce my art advisory business. It was a real joy to work with some of the artists I represented at the gallery such as Matt Gil, Michael Arcega, and William Swanson. Without the time constraints of a regular brick & mortar space I have more time to discover new artists. Regular studio, gallery, and museum visits have been a welcome gift, and some recent discoveries include Oakland based abstract painter Kimberly Rowe and San Francisco paper sculptor Mary Button Durell; both were featured in Shift and were extremely well received. I was thrilled that Mary received a solo review for her breathtaking installation in the Sculpture Magazine online blog.
Opening reception for Shift at The NWBLK
The opening reception was a huge success and I happily reconnected with many of my clients from M & Z, partied with guests and artists from far and wide, and forged new relationships. I was also grateful for Mark Taylor's thoughtful article on my new venture, which he published on KQED Arts the day of the opening and cheekily titled, Shift is The New Black for Heather Marx.
I dream of an art advisory that can encompass my passion for connecting collectors with artists, produce thoughtful exhibitions featuring work I feel very strongly about, and create an online marketplace that will serve a larger audience via a selection of objects, books, jewelry, prints, and photographs that are made by leading contemporary artists.
This "found stick," collected by my 4-year old son at Sea Ranch, CA early this year, is the perfect image for the home page of the HMxAA Shop.
With my first show complete, other exhibition opportunities on the horizon in the Bay Area, and the official launch of the HMxAA Shop, I am off to a good start and look forward to fostering new connections with all of you in a more fluid way. I have much work to do in the coming months, and am lucky to have the generous support of clients, colleagues, artists, and great friends. Next up Miami. Stay tuned for a roundup coming soon!
Till later...be sure you love what you look at.