MERCHANTS OF REALITY

a year ago we found our space

and started building our reality… 

the same night that we signed the lease we tore up the carpet… then the linoleum … followed by the tar … and with a bit of sanding we had hard wood floors. 

the walls came next

we picked up sledge hammers and and commenced the demolition

the plaster came down easy

and we rebuilt

the first months were cold, but bursting with enthusiasm (and then there was isis). friends and family would stop by, pick up a tool and get to work. we cleaned, painted, scraped, sanded, hauled, measured, cut, installed, and plotted…

we ran a gas line to the kitchen and got a stove so daisy could nourish people with her art.

it got warmer. we covered back up the lath anew, we divided rooms, erected walls, added doors, subtracted doors, refurbished stairs and exposed banisters.

we held interviews and invited new merchants to join our forces, torchia, maverick, and ilana, hell yeah team! now back to work

there was so much painting, 4000 square feet with a maze of walls.

we held a fundraiser and people came and they donated and the work continued.

the screen printing studio was set up, a textile table was established and the painters pulled out their easels.

more merchants joined the crew, bem brought designs with him and then we had a logo

and shortly there after a sign. hella profesh! 

we started work on the sound studio.

started hosting events … then our grand opening on July 1st,

complete with toasts of champagne (cause we’re classy like that)

Merchants of Reality was in full swing … we began using the space to work rather than working on the space … 

and my god the art, you gotta check out the art. there is so much music. there is so much beauty.

 

we established a monthly art show on the 8th at 8, we further embraced our venue, hosting more performance, music, filming.

and the artists began to get some shine, bem was featured in juxtapose, lars shipped some paintings off to a gallery in new york, king love ventures took on a large remodel and mural for paulo shoes.  

espey got work on a feature film, daisy organized some amazing food not bomb events, mumbles began directing his own music video, illana created a whole line of earrings,

maverick hosted his first concert, and torchia’s been attending awards ceremonies at the MOMA  with the sf elite.

then shane and karla arrived and our numbers grew 

we now have a smoking deck (with drawbridge) and have started construction on the darkroom.

sometimes we take ‘er to the streets with the MoR mobil store, cause art needs to breath fresh air. 

we are a fully fledged art factory.  

merchants of reality has had an amazing first year…

bring it 2012