Susan R. Kirshenbaum

art and life - both the cherries and the pits

ARTIST’S STATEMENT

Susan R. Kirshenbaum’s drawings, paintings, collages, and installations express a fresh, contemporary perspective on the figure, capturing a moment and reflecting an intimacy with her subjects. Always drawn from a live nude model, her style is graphic, sensual, and fluid. She combines luscious color, sensitive line work, and frequently incorporates her own intriguing travel and nature photographs. These narrative works convey emotional, psychological, and occasionally – harsh stories. They are often abstracted, political statements, with either a tongue-in-cheek or whimsical thread – or any combination of these moods and messages. People are portrayed equally as strong, decisive, confident, and unique individuals – this is her underlying narrative. She identifies as a feminist.

“Working digitally allows for a wide range of results and versions. Like a printmaker I can make and remake a finished piece from my initial drawings and photos until I am satisfied that it’s what I want. I like to be able to present multiple versions from an original. I can also work very fast in the multiple digital mediums.” But I am not stuck in a digital world – I simply use these tools to expand my realm of possibilities.

BIOGRAPHY

Kirshenbaum was lucky to be encouraged early in life to pursue art. She grew up in a family of visual artists who started an art school, the Ivy School of Professional Art, in Pittsburgh, PA, where she studied and worked until her 20s. Since then she’s been making art and taking courses at SFAI, CCA, UC Berkeley Extension, Kala, City College, and Girona, Spain.

Kirshenbaum returned to full-time art making in 2016, after a long hiatus, but she never lost sight of art as her center. Her long-time career as a creative director for marketing and branding was always closely connected. Over the years, Kirshenbaum has exhibited in multiple group and solo shows in the SF Bay Area. Her work is in collections nationally and internationally. Living and working in San Francisco, California since 1980, she’s taken time away to live in Hawaii, NYC, and Spain. She can be found making art in her SOMA studio or her hilltop home with her cats, Nigel and Reginald, and her husband, Jack.

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

·       Introspective: An On-Going Retrospective, Figurative work from 2016-2022, Misho Gallery, San Francisco, CA, Oct 2020-22

·       Barbie on the Cusp series, Pacific Felt Factory, Open Studios, San Francisco, CA:

Phase 2 - Pacific Felt Factory, Open Studios, October 2019

Phase 1 - Pacific Felt Factory, Art Residency with Black & White Projects, April 2019

·       Women in Silk: Not What you Think, SFWA, 2019

·       Life Squared, SFWA, 2019

·       Drawing from Life, Abrams Claghorn Gallery, Albany, CA, July-Sept 2018

·       Reveals, Secret Agent Art & Salon, San Francisco, CA, March-June 2018

·       Figuratively Speaking, The Troll House, San Francisco, CA, Aug 2017

·       Exposed, Bayview Boat Club, San Francisco, CA, Aug 2017

·       Figuratively Speaking, The Troll House, San Francisco, CA, June-July 2017

·       Solo, The Laundry, San Francisco, CA, Nov 2016

·       Cherry Pits Art Pop-Up, Maker & Moss, San Francisco, CA, Oct 2016

·       (Breakdown) After Five, Mendelson Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA, 1980  

GROUP EXHIBITIONS – ONLINE, 2020-22

GROUP EXHIBITIONS ONSITE 2020-22

2022

City Art Coop Gallery - Multiple Shows

SFWA Gallery - Multiple Juried Shows

4th Street Gallery - “Embrace” Juried Show

2021

  • SF City Art Coop Gallery | Group Member’s Shows: Feb, Mar, Apr, Aug, Sept 2021

  • SFWA’s Artists’s Salon Gallery | Assemblage Show, Curated by Irene Bee Kain | Online/In-Person | June -July, 2021

  • SFWA Gallery | Verdant - Juried by Andra Norris, Andra Norris Gallery  | Online/In-Person | June -July, 2021

  • SFWA Gallery | Abstract World- Juried by Philip Bewley | Online and In-Person | Sept 2021

  • SFWA Gallery | Bold! Color. - Juried by Christine Koppes, Curator/Director of Public Programs, San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art | Online and In-Person | Aug 2021

  • ARTSPAN Open Studios: SFWA Artist Salon Gallery Sept-Oct 2020, 21, 22

  • Artspan Open Studios Exhibition Group Show and Juried Art Auction 2020, 21, 22

    2020

  • Radian Gallery | The Invisibility Collective, “Seen x Unseen” | Dec-Jan 2020-21

  • City Art Coop Gallery – Member’s Group Show, (SF) | June & Sept

  • SFWA @ Ameriprise – Members Group Show - Curated and participated (San Jose, CA) | Jan-June

·       SFWA @ Infinity Condo Lobbies – Juried Show (SF, CA) | Dec-Present

·       The Rite Spot Café - Juried Show (AIN-Artspan Art in Neighborhoods) (SF)| Sept 2019-Aug 2020

·       Radian Gallery - On-going | Jan-Present

·       The Mosser Hotel (AIN-Artspan Art in Neighborhoods) - Juried Show, (SF) | Sept-Feb

·       Arc Studios & Gallery – Juried Group Show & Event, Snap! (SF) | Jan

·       City Art Co-op Gallery – Member’s Group Show, Small Squares (SF)| Dec-Jan 2019

·       SFWA, Juried Show, Favorites, (SF) | Oct

·       SFWA, Juried Show, Language & Letters, (SF) | Sept

·       SFWA, Juried Show, Hot Colors, (SF) | Sept

·       SFWA, Juried Show, Memories, (SF) | July

·       SFWA, Juried Show, Celebrating the Bay Area, (SF) | June

·       SFWA @ Infinity (Condo Lobbies), Juried Show, (SF) | May-July

·       Senator Scott Weiner’s Office, Advanced, (SF) | Dec 2018-Jan 2020  2018

·       SFWA, Juried Show, Small Presents, (SF) | Dec

·       ArtSpan SF Open Studios Group Show @ SFWA, Peeling Back the Layers, (SF) | Oct-Nov

·       ArtSpan SF Open Studios Group Show @ Spark Arts, San Francisco, CA | Nov

·       City Art Co-op Gallery Members Group Show, Figuring it Out, San Francisco, CA | Nov

·       Spark Arts, Parallel Universes – Two-person show with Usha Shukla, Honoring Breast Cancer Awareness Month, (SF) | Oct

·       SFWA, Juried Regional Show, Vibrant Vision, (SF) | Oct

·       Daylighted Digital Gallery, Juried Show, Represented by ArtSpan, (SF) | Oct

·       Radian Gallery Invitational Group Show, Friendly Fire, (SF) | Sept

·       SFWA, Juried Regional Show, Gaia: Age of Climate Change, (SF) | Sept

·       SFWA, Juried Regional Show, What Brings Us Joy, (SF) | Aug

·       City Art Co-op Gallery Members Group Show, Figures & Facts, (SF) | July

·       SFWA, Juried Regional Show, Patterns, San Francisco, CA, (SF) | June

·       SFWA, Juried Member Show, Intrigue, San Francisco, CA, (SF) | May

·       City Art Co-op Gallery Members Group Show, San Francisco, CA | April

·       Art Attack, A Fundraiser for Kids and Art, Art Attacks Cancer, (SF) | April 

·       SFWA, Juried Group Show, Homage, San Francisco, CA, (SF) | March

·       Arc Studios & Gallery, Invitational Figurative Group Show & Event, Life/Live, (SF) | Feb-April

·       SFWA, Juried Group Show, Eye of the Beholder, (SF) | February

·       Back to the Picture, Invitational Figurative Group Show, Paradise Lost, (SF) | Jan-Feb

·       Arc Studios & Gallery, Juried Group Show & Event, Snap!, (SF) | Jan

·       SFWA, Juried Group Show, Discover, (SF) | Jan 2017

·       ArtSpanSF Open Studios, John Goodman Drawing Group Exhibition, Allied Box Factory, (SF) | Nov

·       ArtSpanSF Open Studios Gallery Group Exhibition, SOMARTS, (SF) | Oct

·       SFWA Juried Group Show, Reflection, (SF) | Nov

·       Art Guild of Pacifica Members Show and Merit Award Winner, Pacifica, CA | Oct-Nov

·       SFWA Open Studios Group Exhibition, (SF) | Oct

·       SFWA Juried Group Show, Loving Golden Gate Park, (SF) | Oct 

·       SFWA Juried Group Show, New Works, San Francisco, CA | Sept 

·       mDAC Summit Juried Group Show (Mobile Art), Pacific Art League (PAL), Palo Alto, CA | Aug

·       PAL Juried Group Show, Science, Tech and Art, Pacific Art League, Palo Alto, CA | Aug

·       SFWA Juried Group Show Juried Group Show, City, Sea, Landscape, (SF) | Aug

·       SFWA Juried Group Show, All Botanical, (SF) | June 

·       PAL Juried Group Show, Summer Exposure, Palo Alto, CA | June 

·       stARTup Art Fair, ArtSpan Juried Group Show, (SF) | May 

·       Art Attacks Cancer, Fundraiser for Kids and Art, Art Attack, (SF) | April 

·       The Blueberry Farm Annual Group Show, Sebastopol, CA | Dec   EXHIBITIONS - Prior to 2017

·       Ivy School Alumni Show, Spinning Plate Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA, 2015

·       International Group Invitational Show, Essence Gallery, Freestone, CA, 2006

·       Business of Art, Fort Mason, San Francisco, CA, 1990

·       Women of the Women’s Building, Group Show, San Francisco, CA, 1980

·       Graduate Show, Ivy School, Pittsburgh, PA, 1976

CURATORIAL

SFWA @ Serenity, An Exhibition Series at UCSF, Co-Chair: Three times/year group shows by SFWA Members, National Center for Women’s Health, 2022

The Invisibility Collective, Co-Curator First Group Exhibition, Radian Gallery, SF, CA, Dec-Jan 2020-21

SFWA @ Ameriprise, Art on the Alameda, Invitational show, 41 works by eight SFWA member artists, San Jose, CA | Jan-June 2020

SFWA @ Infinity, Invitational show, works by SFWA member artists, SF, CA | 2019-20

ART RESIDENCIES

·       Black & White Projects, Pacific Felt Factory Art Studios (SF), April 2019

·       Troll House, Co-work space, Pier 26 (SF), Summer 2017

·       The Laundry, Co-work space, Mission District (SF), Fall 2016

PUBLICATIONS

BARBIE ON THE CUSP SERIES

·       Barbie on the Cusp, Zine #4 - Japan by Susan R. Kirshenbaum, Spring 2020

·       Barbie on the Cusp, Zine #3 - Spain, France, and California by Susan R. Kirshenbaum, Fall 2019

·       Barbie on the Cusp, Zine #2 - Reprint with updates by Susan R. Kirshenbaum, Fall 2019

·       Barbie on the Cusp, Zine #1 by Susan R. Kirshenbaum, Art Residency Project, Spring 2019

OTHER WORKS

  • Black and White World, Fine art photography, hard back, by Susan R. Kirshenbaum, 2020

  • 33 New Works, Digital original art, 2 editions- soft cover and hard back, by Susan R. Kirshenbaum, Fall 2018

  • Arc Gallery Catalog, Life/Live Show (participant): https://issuu.com/arcgallery/docs/lifelive_2018, SF, Spring 2018   

PUBLICITY

YOUTUBE interview from live TV (Aug 17, 2022), by Olivia Horton on KRON4 TV’s LIVE! in the Bay on behalf of SFWA.

BENEFIT/FUNDRAISERS

Root Division | Artspan | SFWA 2018-present

TEACHING/WORKSHOPS

  • Zoom Moderator: SFWA & The Invisibility Collective | ArtspanSF - Marketing for Open Studios, Fall 2019 | SFWA - Branding for Artists, 2018 | Ivy School of Professional Art: Marks on Paper, 1976 | Life Drawing, 1978-1979

SELECTED COLLECTIONS & COMMISSIONS

Claire Axelrad, SF, CA | Melissa & Chris Baker, Sebastopol, CA | Breast Health Center, Philadelphia, PA | Kasey Connors, Pittsburgh, PA | Nancy & Philip Crawford, SF, CA, Kim & Peter DeJong, Miami, FL | Joanne Dierbort, Sausalito, CA | Ava & Art Doppelt, Orlando, FL | Debbie Droskin, Leawood, Kansas | Laurette Foggini, SF, CA | Jeri Frizza, Pittsburgh, PA | Marie-Jeanne Juilland, Redwood City, CA | Barbara Lane, Mill Valley, CA | Lorraine Lerner, NYC, NY, Rhiannon MacFadyen, SF, CA | Patricia Meager & Kevin Stapleton, Boise, ID | Marc Prisant, Boulder, CO | Tina Scala, Boulder, CO | Katherine Shedrick & Jon Bonanno, Petaluma, CA | Vicki Simon, Portland, OR | Lyndee Sing & Andy Small, San Luis Obispo, CA | Eric Tam & Lucy Delgado, Oakland, CA | John Venuti & Regina Parsons, San Mateo, CA

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

  • San Francisco Women Artists Gallery (SFWA) - Exhibitions Director / Serenity Chair, BOD and Member (SF), 2018-Present

  • River of Words - BOD for an educational nonprofit developing children’s art & poetry with a focus on watersheds co-founded by Poet Laureate Robert Hass & Pam Michael, Berkeley, CA, 2007-2010

  • Pacific Chamber Symphony, BOD - Marketing/Branding, SF Bay Area, 1999-2003

PLANNING COMMITTEE/PARTICIPANT

  • City of Poets, Project by Annice Jacoby and Lisa Citron, Oakland, CA, 1993

  • The Roof is on Fire, Performance Project by Suzanne Lacy, Annice Jacoby, and Chris Johnson, SF, CA 1993-1994 

EDUCATION & ADDITIONAL STUDIES

·       Art coaching & collaborations with Rhiannon MacFadyen, 2016-Present

·       Ongoing studio classes: UC Extension, SF City College, KALA, Sharon Art Center, Randall Museum

·       Art workshops: Root Division, Artspan, Intersection for the Arts, and SF Artist Network

·       Painting: La Merce, Girona, Spain, 2004-2005

·       Silkscreen printing: Master Printer Antonio Gonzalez, El Lledoner, Spain, 2005

·       Etching: Master Printer, Sebi Subirós, Lupus Grafic, Girona, Spain, 2005

·       Painting (Plein Air and figure painting) workshops: Randall Sexton, San Francisco, CA, 2000-2003

·       Private painting classes with Kim Anno, Oakland, CA, 1995

·       Painting, California College of the Arts, Oakland, CA, 1990

·       Video/performance art: Howard Fried & Karen Finley, San Francisco Art Institute, SF, CA, 1980

·       University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, Liberal Arts, 1973-1974

·       Graduate of Ivy School of Professional Art: AA, Associates Degree Double Major: Drawing/Painting and Photography, 1976

BACKGROUND

LIVE/WORK: San Francisco, CA (1980-present); Girona & Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain (2004-2006); NYC, NY (1983-1988); Oahu, HI (1983); Albany, NY (1977); Silverton, CO (1974); Madison, WI (1973-74); Northern Israel (1973); Pittsburgh, PA;

TRAVEL: Asia, Middle East, England and the UK, Europe, Central & South America, Canada, & N. Africa, Myanmar (Burma), Greece, Turkey, Japan

INTERESTS: Pilates, walking, museums and art fairs, fiction reading groups, writing

ART AFFILIATIONS & MEMBERSHIPS

The Invisibility Collective, Founding Artist/Member 2020-Present | City Art Coop Gallery 2018-Present | Model Drawing Group, Hosted by John Goodman, 1995-present | Founding Member: Bay Area Made 2017-2021, San Francisco Women Artists SFWA Member & Board of Directors 2018-Present | ArtSpanSF 2016-Present | NCWCA Member 2020-Present

Museums: Asian Art Museum | Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco | SFMOMA | CJM | YBCA, Online Drawing Groups, Grace of No Age, Contributing Writer And Intermittent Memberships: Berkeley Art Center, PAL, Sanchez Art Center

SOCIAL LINKS

https://linktr.ee/SusanRKirshenbaum