Sunday, May 5th

Spring Art and Literature Gala:

“Reclaiming Cinco de Mayo”

2 to 6 p.m.

Redstone Labor Building, 2940 16th Street @ Mission, Room 302, San Francisco

Admission is $25

The theme of this event is to rescue Cinco de Mayo from its corporate commercialization as “Drinko de Mayo.” On May 5, 1862, a people’s militia fought invading French troops in the town of Puebla, Mexico, defeating an army twice its size. Napoleon was planning to intervene in the U.S. Civil War on the side of the slavocracy. The intervention of the French could have been a decisive factor leading to a Confederate victory in the Civil War. After the battle of Gettysburg, Union forces joined Mexicans in their efforts to drive out the French monarchy and reinstall the democratically elected President Benito Juarez.

This is an opportunity to see and purchase independent art while promoting a more just economy! Funds go to the San Francisco Living Wage Coalition and a sister organization in Ciudad Juarez, Las Hormigas, to advocate for social and economic justice programs. 

For more information, contact the San Francisco Living Wage Coalition at 415-863-1225 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , www.livingwage-sf.org

Our featured image above is "We are the 99%", by Carina Lomeli.

2013 Featured Artists

Carina Lomeli

"As a Political, Impressionist, Activist and a Xicana Artist, my life requires the direct engagement in community. I observe the world with concern for the future and express my anxiety in my paintings. Turning the lens on myself, I continually strive to do less harm in the world by changing my behavior and try to expose others to reality which they avoid through television and repetitive lifestyle. The process of my paintings consists of trying to be everywhere in San Francisco where cultural and social communities come together for one common purpose. Whenever I see a striking, thought provoking, and conceptual image before my eyes I grab a hold of my camera. The Image must contain a certain idea or question with just the right mood. If there is a story I will capture it; if the quality is just right, I will paint it. My art comes from real life in San Francisco"

Ronnie Goodman

“Art is my outlet.  It saved me when I was hungry and on the streets homeless.  It was the first time I realized I had something."   - Ronnie Goodman

Ronnie Goodman has created a large body of artwork while doing time at San Quentin and Folsom State Prisons. Goodman made his artword as part of the Arts in Corrections Program, which was defunded by the California State budget after more than 20 years of working with hundreds of men and women in prison.  Goodman studied printmaking in Katya McCulloch's linocut class at San Quentin.  He also studied painting while in prison.  He was released in November, 2010. For most artists in prison the tendency is to create work about like on the outside; but Ronnie Goodman is an exception to this.  His work is about life in prison: sometimes his work is about the beauty that an artistic eye can find in the day to day, sometimes his work is about the struggles of life in a cage.  Often there is a transcendent aspect to his prints: sometimes that transcendence comes in the form of music, sometimes as artistic vision, and sometimes simply as light.  Goodman continues to create linocuts and paintings since his release.  Recently he has completed linocuts inspired by the Occupy movement, one of which will be part of a portfolio of 30 prints put out by Occupy Wall Street.

"Goodman's prints are consistently compelling - artistically, technically, and in visual/narrative content" - Katherine Blood, curator of prints, Library of Congress.

Rodger Scott 

Rodger is a teacher at City College of San Francisco, a member of the Executive Board, a member of AFT Local 2121, and a delegate to the San Francisco Labor Council. His work consists of still photos of flowers, nature scenes and sociopolitical issues.

Nancy Reese

Nancy Reese has her  BFA (magna cum laude) from the University of Georgia, 1973, and her MFA from Indiana University (Bloomington), 1978.  She taught at San Franciso City College for 20 years, from 1985 to 2005 and has exhibited widely.  She has lived in SF since 1979, and is a self-taught painter.  She has studied ceramics, welding, stone carving, wood carving, jewelry, and assemblage. She was active in performance art before teaching. Nancy is a cancer survivor; her cancer was found in 2008. Her bibliography includes a front page article in the Noe Valley Voice from April 2009.

Left: "Friends"   Right: "Purple Head with Pyramid"

Other works in this year's collection include: