Award-winning illustrator, prolific and very talented painter, web designer, teacher, and all around Make Shit Happen guy Shawn Barber moved to San Francisco last summer with his wife Yukiko, and their cat Miles to enjoy the hills, the food, the fog and the fabulous art scene we have here. I don't know if that's really why they moved here, but they've been doing a lot of that. He's in 14 art shows this year alone. Jeez man! Shawn took time out of his busy schedule to have a little dinner with me and talk about what artists and those who love art talk about:

1. You recently went on a little road trip to LA for about a week, what was that trip about, and what are some highlights of your adventures there?

Had a couple of meals with Kent Williams- this guy's work is fucking amazing- one of my favorite artists- and went to a couple of art shows with Kevin, Kent and Kent's girlfriend, Mari. A show of Joel Peter Witkin's new photographs was great to see, as well.
The highlight of the trip for me was going to Gottfried Helnwein's studio- Kevin has been drawing Gottfried's daughter, Mercedes Helnwein (her art is great, as well)- and she invited us to her dad's studio event. Mr. Helnwein had just designed the set and costumes for a big opera in Los Angeles, and the Opera put on this event at his studio- it was pretty crazy. The artist's wet dream- THE studio visit, for sure. We walked into the space- there were opera singers performing, pretty rich people abound and Helwein's enormous paintings EVERYWHERE!!! There was his 'Gallery', which was appx 2000 square feet with his art on the walls, and he had TWO working studios that were also about 2000 sq ft each- with works in progress, his supplies out on tables- pretty crazy shit- It was so worth the trip...

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http://www.fecalface.com/blogs/art_show_demimonde/