Frank Shifreen

Frank Shifreen is one of the artists in the show at Freddy's, which will be up for another 3 weeks. I have gotten to know Frank since the show and I have to say he is a true artist who believes in collaboration and community in art. A rare bird these days. He has participated in hundreds of shows and curated many himself. Just google him, you'll see! (Hey, this a blog not Art News!)
Frank now lives in Manhattan but once upon a time he lived around the Gowanus and curated a show called "Monumental Redefined" in the 5 acre lot called "Public Place" on Smith & 5th Streets. Click here to read Katia Kelly's from Pardon Me For Asking's excellent story about that.

The painting he hung up is a dreamy yet vibrant abstract. You have to be a brave and confident man to use hot pink,magenta and turquoise! Here is what Frank has to say about the piece.

"I want my painting to be free of all constraints. I think about what painting can do now that we have had photography and now computer generated images. My piece is about the mystery of images as they appear on the canvas. I could follow them and make them recognizable or I could leave them in a mysterious state between the real and abstraction. I like the richness and multiplicity of images. It is just one of my recent painting experiments and the reason I put it in the show was because I liked it. It has references to Shamanism, which I practice."

Frank will be participating in the Pool Art Fair at the Chelsea Hotel this coming weekend. Please check it out. The Chelsea has a rich history in not only housing but suppporting artists. I had mentioned in a blog post many months ago when I was upset about the recent changes at the Chelsea, it's going corporate and many of the long time residents are being forced out.. This art show could be the last of it's kind there so make an effort to check IT and also the Chelsea Hotel out.

Also, another "Found in Brooklyn" artist, Gail Rothschild, the artist that did the "crack vial" piece will also be in an art fair this weekend, the Red Dot Art Fair in Manhattan with the Susan Eley Gallery from March 27-30th. Gail used to live in the Gowanus in the 3rd & 3rd building at the same time as Frank, a small world!

And last but not least:
The "Found in Brooklyn" Group Art Show will be hanging up at Freddy's for another couple of weeks. Do stop in between the hours of 11 am to 4 am, 7 days a week to see the whole thing.
Freddy's Bar & Backroom
located at:
485 Dean Street Brooklyn, NY 11215
phone: 718.622.7035
That's the corner of Dean Street and 6th Avenue in Brooklyn.