For Immediate Release

 

Contact: Todd Berman,

1085 Capp St. #2; SF, CA 94110

Todd@TheArtDontStop.org, 415 595-0337

 

 

Substitute Teacher Artist Brings the Classroom to the Cantina

 

Announcing an exhibit at 3rd Street Grill:

 

Where We Learn  
paintings by a substitute teacher artist
and Paintings with SOMA Neighbors

By Todd Berman

 

And

An Attempt to Hold the World

photography by Matt Roe

 

3rd Street Grill hosts
reception with the artists

Thursday, May 17th 5:30-8:30pm

695 Third Street at Townsend

 

April 26, 2007, San Francisco

Todd Berman’s business card reads “Substitute Teacher Artist”.  There’s no comma, hyphen or slash, it’s just one term. 

 

“One job of an artist is to give a fresh perspective on the world that gets the viewer to rethink their outlook.  When I take over a classroom for a day, the students in that class get a break from their routine and I have the opportunity to give them a fresh perspective,” says Berman about why he blurs the line between his day job and his passion.  His teaching gigs become the subject matter for his art, and his art becomes part of the experience for his students. 

 

Now, Berman is bringing his “Substitute Teacher Art” out of the schools and into a restaurant in SOMA.

 

On Thursday, May 17th, the 3rd Street Grill will be hosting a reception with the artist for his exhibit, “Where We Learn: Paintings by a Substitute Teacher Artist.” 

 

About the “Where We Learn” series:

The eight canvases in this series include paintings from 2001 through 2007.  They are each either a vibrant, somewhat expressionist, take on the classrooms Berman has experienced in his 6 years as a substitute teacher in San Francisco public schools or a rumination on the concept of the classroom.

 

Hung together on one expansive wall, this series is a well-rounded essay about how our society approaches the issue of education, which will confront the customers who fill up the 3rd Street Grill every weekday at lunch time and before every Giant’s home game. “I’m pleased that so many people will be seeing this work,” Berman says, “I hope that it gets them imagining other ways of running our schools.” 

 

In creating the painting, “The Ultimate Effective Classroom,” the artist took a more direct approach; he asked attendees at a fund-raiser for the non-profit organization, RISE, to draw or write about something that would be in their fantasy classroom.  Berman incorporated all of these ideas in what he calls a “collective vision” painting.

 

About “Paintings with SOMA Neighbors:”

You can also see, and experience, this collaborative approach in a trio of “Paintings with SOMA Neighbors” that will be on display as well.  Two of these paintings, “Apartments – (Self-Portrait of 6th Street)” and “A Fantasy Future 6th Street” were created during his show last July at D.A. Arts Gallery that was featured on the cover of the San Francisco Chronicle’s “96 Hours” section.  The third of these paintings will feature the neighborhood immediately surrounding the 3rd Street Grill.  Berman will work on this painting on May 3rd in the restaurant so that he can invite patrons to draw their own self-portraits.  He will then collage these drawings into an urban landscape painting, which will be unveiled at the May 17th reception.

 

About the reception:

The reception on May 17th will feature refreshments and “California Homestyle” hors d’oeuvres by 3rd Street Grill, live instrumental music, and, at 7:30, a demonstration by Berman of what he means by “Substitute Teacher Artist.”  “The bad news is you’re back in high school,” Berman hints, “the good news is, you’ve got a sub today.”

 

In honor of Bike-to-Work day, Berman (the 2006 San Francisco Bike Commuter of the Year) will be giving gifts to anyone who pedals to the reception.  Bicyclists will have their choice of a T-shirt, a signed print, or an original drawing.

 

 

About “An Attempt to Hold the World””

Also showing will be “An Attempt to Hold the World,” photography by Matt Roe. Like Berman, Roe also spends much of his time in a high school; Roe is a sophomore at Miramonte High School in Orinda who nevertheless has the eye of a professional.

 

In this exhibit, Roe juxtaposes views looking up at San Francisco architecture with views down at the architecture of flowers.

 

Constantly, there are so many objects in life that are detailed and intricate, however one simply disregards it, taking it for granted. Everyday, we walk by everything, but we do not take the time to actually look. People are in a constant rush, unable to stop and experience what a beautiful place they truly live in.

 

 

Todd Berman is a San Francisco-based artist who travels the world and his local community, sketchbook in hand. Todd’s art shows the colorful eccentricity bound within moments and individuals, depicting scenes of people coming together to improve the world.


By day, Todd is a public school substitute teacher. Recently named San Francisco County 2006 Bike Commuter of the Year, Todd also uses his two wheels to bring his art to events, parks, schools, watering holes, and protests, where he encourages people to create small, personalized drawings which he then collages into larger collaborative works.

 
Given some down time, you'll find Todd at home in San Francisco’s eclectic Mission District neighborhood, painting scenes that capture a chaotic sense of community and collaboration in bright, expressionistic drawing, painting and collage.


Todd was born in the hills of West Virginia, grew up on Long Island, NY, and moved to San Francisco in 1998. He has a BA in Public Policy from Brown University and continues his arts education through programs at U.C. Berkeley Extension and the San Francisco Art Institute. His art often hangs on the walls of local community spaces in San Francisco and his virtual gallery is always open at TheArtDontStop.org.

 

TheArtDontStop.org contains over 1,000 images (and counting) of artwork by Todd Berman of communities in San Francisco.  This is a visual history of San Francisco art and politics as captured firsthand in sketches and on canvas.

 

For more information, contact:

Todd Berman via TheArtDontStop.org, or at 415-595-0337

Matt Roe via his Flickr website,

Or Vickie Gordon of the 3rd Street Grill (http://www.3rdstreetgrill.net/), 415 538-0804