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SFMOMA Artists Gallery, Building A
For three decades, a beautiful gallery in Fort Mason Center has been home to inspiring contemporary art created by Northern California artists. Founded by visionary advocates for the arts, the SFMOMA Artists Gallery in historic Building A provides a rare opportunity for artists to show their work and for collectors to find wonderful pieces for homes, offices, and public spaces.
A Passion For Excellence In Art
 The SFMOMA Artists Gallery represents the shared vision of two remarkable women with strong ties to Fort Mason Center (FMC) and to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). In 1978, philanthropist and sculptor Sally Lilienthal and arts expert Marian Parmenter co-founded the SFMOMA Artists Gallery with the goal of providing the public and collectors with access to affordable fine art.
In addition to her SFMOMA Gallery work, Lilienthal served on the San Francisco Arts Commission and the main SFMOMA board. In 1982, Lilienthal also founded Ploughshares Fund, another FMC resident group, dedicated to promoting global peace and international cooperation.
Parmenter served as Director of the SFMOMA Gallery until quite recently. Late in 2007 she passed the torch to Maria Medua, who had been running the gallery’s corporate art program for two years. Prior to that, Medua operated a contemporary art gallery in Hawaii and worked as a public arts administrator on a variety of innovative projects.
“Our job is to work with living, breathing artists,” said Medua. “We recognize the artists of our time and of our region. There are plenty of wonderful artists here in Northern California.”
Inviting The World To Experience Art
 For the past 30 years, the SFMOMA Gallery has pursued its founders’ vision by showcasing California artists in acclaimed exhibits. Currently, the gallery presents eight shows each year and represents the work of more than 800 emerging and established artists. From photography and printmaking to painting and sculpture, SFMOMA Artists Gallery shows it all. In addition to the gallery space in FMC, the Artists Gallery also presents shows at the Caffé Museo at the main SFMOMA museum.
The end of April marks another milestone with the 15th Annual Artists Warehouse Sale, which takes place in the gallery and in FMC’s Building A Conference Center. Art lovers form long lines to get into this popular sale, which features work from at least 400 artists. Despite its comprehensive collection of artists and art, the Warehouse Sale only samples the wide range of work that has been on display at the Artists Gallery through the years.
Prices ranging from about $100 to between $5000 and $10,000 make the warehouse sale a prime opportunity to invest in high-quality art. The sheer quantity and variety of pieces for sale improve the chances of finding unique art to match any lifestyle and budget.
One of the gallery’s more innovative programs is the Art Rental service, which allows collectors or art novices to experience original artwork in their business, home, or studio environment at affordable monthly rates. Art rentals introduce patrons to the wider world of art with little financial risk on their part. The SFMOMA Artists Gallery program has served as a model for other art rental programs.
“It really does benefit our artists every time we rent a piece of their work,” Medua said. “It’s a good way to get started in collecting.”
The SFMOMA Artists Gallery staff also offers art consulting and off-site exhibition organizing services. The Artists Gallery assists in planning exhibitions and aids clients in selecting, transporting, and installing art with the help of art professionals in exhibition locales.
Exhibiting A Singular Artistic Vision
The fascinating exhibits at the SFMOMA Artists Gallery best illustrate what the gallery seeks to accomplish with its programs. The March 2008 shows represent an eclectic lineup of photographers and painters and invite viewers to contemplate the nature of art and reality, according to Medua.
 Quiet Spaces: Photography of Interiors runs through mid-March and features work by 13 artists who challenge perceptions and explore emotions as they document the interior world in images. Paintings by Willard Dixon, Rachel Kline, and Charles Valoroso follows the photography show and focuses on deeply personal interpretations of rural, suburban, and urban California landscapes.
The Artists Gallery’s two current shows only hint at the depth of artistic efforts the gallery has showcased in the past 30 years. For the 30th anniversary show in late 2008, the gallery plans to present as comprehensive a retrospective as possible, given the limitations of time and space. Close to 100 artists will be in the anniversary exhibit, according to Medua, and the celebration promises to be memorable.
The gallery also plans to roll out a new web site with online images of artwork to inspire potential collectors and art lovers to find a favorite artist. After browsing through remarkable images online, Medua hopes that people will come to the gallery to personally experience art, possibly finding a piece to take home by renting or purchasing it. The web site extends the original vision for SFMOMA Artists Gallery into a new realm of media and experience.
“Having the artists’ works online allows people to see a range of pieces and draws them in to the gallery to view the work,” said Medua.
— Claudia Willen
Images:
SFMOMA Artists Gallery
Maria Medua, Director
Photos: Bradford Gregory (top 3)
"Corner Chair (Waiting)" by Michelle Nye
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INFO BOX
SFMOMA Artists Gallery
Description
The SFMOMA Artists Gallery is a professional resource for renting, viewing, and buying affordable, original contemporary art. Located in Fort Mason Center’s historic Building A, the two-story gallery features a spacious, open exhibit area, large waterfront windows that fill the space with light, and a second-floor storage and viewing facility for original artwork.
The gallery offers art rental, art consulting, and off-site exhibition services for corporate, public, and private clients. The gallery represents more than 800 Northern California artists working in a wide range of styles and media. Many of these artists have national and international reputations for their work. SFMOMA Artists Gallery helps emerging and established artists and collectors through exhibitions, services, and sales.
Director
Maria Medua
Location
Building A
Contact Information
(415) 441-4777
www.sfmoma.org/museum
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