(featured image) Sarah K. Horowitz, 85 Percent of a View from McCormick Street, 2025. Acrylic on Linen, 12 x 12 in. *Courtesy of Ingleside Gallery
San Francisco is serving major creative energy this week, and we’re here for every brushstroke, beat drop, and bold idea. Whether you’re vibing with decked-out skateboards at 111 Minna, indulging your inner art historian at Incline Gallery, or dancing between live poetry and street photography, there’s something for every flavor of art enthusiast. And let’s not forget Fort Mason’s Friday Night Market—a feast of craft, culture, and culinary delights that’ll have your senses doing a happy dance.
But wait, the weekend doesn’t stop there! From surreal oil paintings and punk-inspired fashion to kid-powered masterpieces and tactile installations, the city’s artscape is exploding with shows that challenge, celebrate, and spark joy. With events popping off from Bar Crudo to SF Camerawork, you’ll want to grab your calendar (and your crew) to curate your own art adventure. Ready to gallery-hop your heart out? Let’s get into it…
Thursday, Aug. 14th
*Banner courtesy of KALW Public Media x 111 Minna Gallery
KALW Public Media x 111 Minna Gallery
Thu, Aug. 14th 5-9PM
KALW Public Media and 111 Minna Gallery present “Open Decks: Community Art in Motion,” a vibrant exhibition featuring original skateboard deck art by 100 Bay Area artists. Curated by Irene Hernandez-Feiks, the show celebrates the spirit of Downtown SF with live journalism, music, and cultural events at KALW’s 220 Montgomery Street studio. (Jul. 24th – Sept. 19th)
Friday, Aug. 15th
*Poster courtesy of Incline Gallery
Incline Gallery
Fri, Aug. 15th 5-8PM
Incline Gallery presents an exhibition by Harry Bowden featuring paintings, works on paper and photographs from the Campbell/Putt Estate. (Aug. 15th – 24th)
Photo: Orkid Sassouri, Bird on Lifeguard Tower, 2023. *Poster courtesy of Ruth’s Table
Ruth’s Table
Fri, Aug. 15th 5-8PM
Ruth’s Table presents “Radical Resilience: Holding the Line,” a powerful exhibition curated by M Eilo that centers disabled artists creating in times of crisis through mediums like ceramics, puppetry, and tactile installations. This bold and sensory-rich show celebrates interdependence, visibility, and creative resistance as acts of collective strength and joy. (Aug. 15th – Sept. 26th)
*Poster courtesy of Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture
Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture x West Coast Craft x Off the Grid
Fri, Aug. 15th 5-10PM
Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture’s Friday Night Market transforms the waterfront campus into a vibrant showcase of 100+ craft vendors, 25+ food purveyors, live music, art installations, and creative workshops. Presented with West Coast Craft and Off the Grid, this free, family-friendly event celebrates local creativity, cuisine, and community. (Aug. 15th – Dec. 12th)
Photo: Jeff Kell. *Courtesy of SF Center for the Book
SF Center for the Book
Fri, Aug. 15th 6-8PM
The SF Center for the Book presents “Mystery Poems,” an interactive, multi-sensory event by Strangers’ Poems celebrating the release of their Mystery Poems Series 1. For one night only, guests are invited to the letterpress studio where these works were created to experience poetic activations by founders Ben Bernthal and Holly Zimbert. *Suggested Donation $10
Artwork: Alexander Wolff, Non Commodity, 2008. Fabric Dye and Acrylic on Canvas, Velcro, 9 pieces, 120 x 120 cm. *Courtesy of 1599fdT
1599fdT
Fri, Aug. 15th 6-9PM
1599fdT presents “Dimensions Variable,” the Bay Area debut solo exhibition of Berlin-based artist Alexander Wolff. The show features modular textile paintings from 2007–2009, displayed together for the first time
*Banner courtesy of KALW Public Media
KALW Public Media x Frida People Collective
Fri, Aug. 15th 7-9PM
KALW Public Media and Frida People Collective present “Polarities: Rooted & Rising,” a night of music, art, and intentional community exploring themes of duality, healing, and transformation. This vibrant gathering celebrates creatives, healers, and dreamers through cultural connection and collective expression.
Saturday, Aug. 16th
*Photo courtesy of The Center for Creative Exploration
The Center for Creative Exploration
Sat, Aug. 16th 10AM-12:30PM
The Center for Creative Exploration presents “Tending the Creative Fire,” a community class introducing intuitive painting as a path to creative self-discovery. Offered both online and in-person, the session invites participants to explore art-making in a supportive, expressive environment. *Tickets $16 (Online); $25 (In-Person) when you sign up on Eventbrite. Limited spots – sales end Friday Aug. 15th, 5PM.
*Poster courtesy of Ingleside Gallery
Ingleside Gallery at Ballast Coffee
Sat, Aug. 16th 1-3PM
Ingleside Gallery at Ballast Coffee presents “Gaps & Glances,” a solo exhibition by Bay Area artist Sarah K. Horowitz featuring 20 paintings from two ongoing series—The Gender Wage Gap and Secret Views. The works explore themes of urban surveillance and gender-based economic inequality, using gaps in the canvas to emphasize absence and disparity. (Aug. 15th – Sept. 30th)
*Banner courtesy of Jettison Creative
Jettison Creative
Sat, Aug. 16th 1-4PM
Jettison Creative hosts “Oops! A Journey in Joyful Creation” with artist Nic Dalager—a playful, no-rules workshop where “bad” art is the best kind. Using everything from paint and crayons to googly eyes and old magazines, you’ll dive into joyful, messy creativity and leave with a masterpiece that’s perfectly imperfect.
*Photo courtesy of Miles Urban / SF Camerawork
SF Camerawork
Sat, Aug. 16th 6-8PM
Join SF Camerawork for a free guided walkthrough of FORECAST 2025, featuring finalists Lorena Molina and Jonah Reenders, who will discuss their vibrant, nature-inspired works and answer community questions. Molina’s maximalist photography explores the body’s role in shaping landscapes, while Reenders’ project delves into queer ecology through the study of the giant Armillaria fungus.
*Poster courtesy of Modern Eden Gallery
Modern Eden Gallery
Sat, Aug. 16th 6-9PM
Modern Eden Gallery presents “Flux,” Lacey Bryant’s fifth solo exhibition with the gallery, featuring hauntingly poetic oil paintings that explore identity, memory, and transformation through surreal, symbolic imagery. Blending rich color and layered storytelling, the works invite viewers to reflect on moments of transition and the beauty of uncertainty. (Aug. 16th – Sept. 21st)
*Banner courtesy of C. Kemp / Wave Collective
Wave Collective Space
Sat, Aug. 16th 6-9PM
Wave Collective Space presents “Welcome to the Future,” C Kemp’s first solo street photography exhibition capturing contemporary San Francisco life from 2023 to 2025. The opening reception not only marks the launch of this visual narrative but also celebrates the artist’s birthday, inviting attendees to experience the city’s current spirit through C Kemp’s lens. (Aug. 16th – Sept. 7th)
*Poster courtesy of Punk Majesty
Punk Majesty Showroom
Sat, Aug. 16th 6-9:30PM
Punk Majesty presents “Voices of the Underground: Punk Majesty Group Art Show #3,” featuring punk-inspired fashion, contemporary art, and rare rock ’n’ roll photography. This underground exhibit offers a unique fusion of cutting-edge artworks and music history.
Sunday, Aug. 17th
*Banner courtesy of International Art Museum of America (IAMA)
International Art Museum of America (IAMA)
Sun, Aug. 17th 2-4PM
The International Art Museum of America (IAMA) presents “Unframed Childhood,” an exhibition by Mindart Studio featuring imaginative works by young artists ages 9 to 16. Showcasing paintings, drawings, and mixed media, the show celebrates youthful creativity and the power of artistic expression. (Aug. 16th – 24th)
*Courtesy of René Espejo
Bar Crudo
Sun, Aug. 17th 2-8PM
Bar Crudo hosts “The Mirage Affair,” a celebration of Bay Area BIPOC LGBTQ+ creativity hosted by René Espejo, featuring local queer and trans artists of color. The vibrant day market includes artist vendors, food pop-ups by Mama Trinh’s, and community connections in San Francisco.
Artwork: Patrice Wachs, Pier at Crissy Field Presidio. Acrylic on Canvas, 40 x 16 in. *Courtesy of STUDIO Gallery
STUDIO Gallery
Sun, Aug. 17th 3-5PM
STUDIO Gallery presents “Everyday Beautiful Things,” a new collection of paintings by Patrice Wachs. The works capture scenes from palm trees and vintage signs to barns and vistas of San Francisco’s northern waterfront. (Aug. 14th – Sept. 1st)