Art Explosion Studios

There are two locations; they’re only blocks away from one another and equally interesting. We went for the open studio event; there are three a year — one in spring, one in autumn and one before the winter holidays. There’s a wide spectrum of talent, mediums and personalities represented — perfect for an afternoon of visual enjoyment and entertaining chatter. I loved the opportunity to talk with the artists, see their spaces and get the stories that inspired their pieces. Keep this event in mind for gift-​buying and support your local artists!

Went there this past weekend for Open Studios 2013. What a neat idea and concept! To see artists’ studios while they are working, and see their work. I didn’t know this even existed. Very cool and really enjoyed my time here. Now I wish I had more money then I’d buy so much local art. I love to support!

I think the name ‘Art Explosion’ kind of says it all. It really was a disaster.

Several of us went to the Open Studio event this month, and had a good time. Folks who’d gone to an event several months earlier said that there were many more studios open this time.
It was about as one would expect. There were big studios, and small ones. Painting mostly, some photographs and a bit of mixed media. Most every studio had snacks and drinks, and some were even doing live presentations.
There were a lot of beautiful pieces on display. People were friendly and we all had a great time. I’d certainly recommend it to anyone who is interested in such events. One never knows when they’ll see something that catches their eye.

As a tenant at the art explosion for the past 7 years I feel in a unique position to give a balanced review. I rented a small open space for $ 138 in 2002. I am now a working artist which I credit to the opportunities to sell my work to the public aT OPEN STUDIOS. While other spaces might cost slightly less per square foot, the artists must also pay for internet and utilities, so I feel the Art Explosion is a good deal. Additionally, public exposure to an artists work through participation in AE’s widely attended open studios shows is a invaluable benefit.
Artists have started Figure drawing, Critique, & discussion groups. The Art explosion is a place where the more you put into it the more you get out of it. For an artist considering renting a space… this is what I believe makes Art Explosion a GREAT STUDIO: Art Explosion shows are extremely successful for artists who take advantage of the opportunity. As one of the first studios in SF proper the Art Explosion is well known, providing opportunities through their shows for an artist besides a place to create art:
* to get feedback on your work-​to sell your work
* Income. After every show credit card sales prove that hundreds of people have spent thousands of dollars buying art.
* for your growth as a professional artist– hone your skills discussing your work, your process, learn how to write an artist statement, present your work, make business cards and network with the public
* for unexpected opportunities – gallery owners, residencies have been awarded after open studios
* for ease of participation – they take no commission, offer artists use of their credit card machine, provide food, paint and supplies for the walls, print cards and posters, and only charge about $ 40 to participate.
* Other studios charge up to $ 160 to participate and require participation of every artist, a cost many find prohibitive. For these fees, other studios don’t provide a credit card machine, don’t buy food or paint for the walls, and the organization, publicity and promotion is left strictly to the artists to do (or not do as is often the case)
The Art Explosion has nearly doubled in size in the past few years. The directors have recently hired teams of artist managers to handle daily management issues caused by this growth.
Just recently, the building has been renovated with new windows and exterior walls; it looks great while still retaining the charm of a funky artist warehouse.
In my opinion, «there is always space» for rent because, in addition to large private enclosed studios suitable for fulltime artists – art explosion provides inexpensive open studios for about $ 148 a month. These spaces are the fertile ground for beginning artists to either become more professional, — or to discover they don’t use the studio often enough to make it worthwhile,
If you are an artist looking for a studio to both make and sell your art, the Art Explosion is affordable, and a place to start, where you can benefit from experience & years of promotion of other artists and management. They also have two other locations. And if you are an art lover, looking for a place to check out a variety of artists, visit Art Explosion during OPEN STUDIOS in October and Mission Open Studios in April.

As a former artist tenant at Art Explosion for two years, I would not recommend renting studio space there. Its incredibly expensive for what you get, and very poorly managed. I knew it at the time, and I especially realize it in hindsight after moving to a much more professionally run studio space. Also, nearly every single artist in there is looking to move, or wants to move, or is dissatisfied in some way which should have been a huge warning sign! I took a space there only because i was new to s.f. and they were the only available studios i could find at the time (which is always the case due to a high turn-​over of artists). I give them 2 stars though because they always have available spaces and its month to month, so in a pinch you can always find space there. Plus, its pet friendly and the crowd for open studios is pretty big, though more people go to look as opposed to buy art… Oh, and the park next door is really rough so its definitely not safe to walk in/​out of your studio at night!