I have been incredibly busy this summer, I can't even begin to explain, but I was hired to do a mural with at risk youth in Amado, a small town 40 miles south of Tucson, I took the job, which lead to another job, working at the Youth Center itself and a slew of other fun things. Here is a blurb on the mural I wrote recently for a local newspaper:

" Kids from Amado of all ages have been participating in a project that boosts confidence and builds team working skills while keeping them off the streets and is also a lot of fun! I, Leanne C. Miller, along with Compass behavioral Health care, worked with the community in Amado and Green Valley and the other surrounding areas to select some visuals that represented the spirit of the area and it's people. After many meetings and working with the kids at the youth center, I came up with a final drawing which consisted of Elephant Head rock and surrounding landscapes, the Longhorn grill, the Amado Territory, the youth center along with native flora and fauna. Bob and Amy at the De Anza RV park in Amado donated space for us to paint in, and the painting begun after I drew on the images onto the wood panels. The mural, when finished will span 32 feet, and will be 6ft tall! We should be done mid August, just in time for school! When it's done it will sit at the La Sombrilla next to Kristofer's restaurant in Amado, Az. The mural will also travel locally, an exciting aspect that most murals don't have, it will go to local festivals and fairs all over southern Arizona. Keep an eye out mid August for an opening party for the mural we hope to have.

    For more information on Leanne C. Miller, a Graduate student in Fine Art at U of A, see her work atwww.fanciemammal.blogspot.com , for commissions and murals, contact her at oilpaint27@gmail.com.  Also see compasshealthcare.org , befreepima.org , abass@compasshc.org."

Here are the finished original sketches!

 "Elephant Head Rock" over the Amado Territory and the "Long Horn Grill" : above

                                          The Youth Center and the YOUTH! of course!

And,...some fun pics!!

Indiana, her bother Choco and Johnny paintning away!!!

                                           Ok, a selfie.....and the kiddos, working away on 32 feet of mural!

We had a full house this day! Indiana, Johnny, Nettie from Sahaurita High school,  sistersTamika, Kalika and their little brother Mario!

Me, Indiana, Mario, back ground, Nettie(blue hair) Johnny and Kalika and Tamika waaay in the back, 32 feet away!

After a long day of hard work!

Funny face shots....

me n the kids, I'm one of the short ones....

"Free to Fail" new Drawings by Dan Stromberg at Pure Beauty

Proud to announce Dan Stromberg will be having all new work up at the Salon at Pure Beauty. 1560 haight street, haight at clayton, upstairs!

curated by me,

Leanne C. Miller da Fancie Mammal

Dan Stromberg's (AKA Chili Bean Paste Bucket) Statement about what this work represents to him.

" This work is not about reinventing the wheel.

I just wanted to draw from a gut level. A good dosage of failure will help acknowledge the merits of a success. Jump off a cliff. Seduced by an evil nectar into a bloody pulp. If you have ever felt the cathardic relief of just sayiny "Fuck it", then you are free. You are free to fail."

-Dan "Chili Bean" Stromberg

New Incline Gallery opening, and announcing Yuka Ezoe opening at Pure Beauty friday Dec.10th

I will start with the announcement of the great artist, Yukako Ezoe's opening 6-8pm at Pure Beauty Salon on Haight street. We are a week late this time, so it will not coincide with the haight st art walk, but that matters not. Yuka went to San Francisco Art Institute, and currently teaches mural classes and works with the Precita Eyes mualists while showing at bay area galleries, she recently had a show at N.O. on Valencia Street in San Francisco. Yukako makes collage/mixed media work, using brightly colored whimsical characters, often including animals from Octopi to lions, to express her ideas of cultural awareness to improve social conditions and promote the idea of beauty in diversity. The show is as usual, 6-8pm at 1650 haight st San Francisco, at Clayton street. Please come upstairs in our salon/gallery, and behold Yuka's work, she will also have her jewelry for sale that night, great for gifts this holiday season, No?? ( She sells this jewelry all over the bay area, Portland and New York, hot stuff huh?) There will be wine and treats to enjoy, so please come out and support!!! For more information see Bahamakangaroo.etsy.com for her jewelry, and Yukakoezoe.com for her artwork.

Next is the very exciting news of my art collectives opening of the Incline Gallery. San Pancho art collective started a few years ago by my good friend Christo Oropeza. I immediately jumped on board knowing it was a great opportunity and that Chris was a dreamer with the drive to make it happen. Since then we have had two successful and fun fundraisers both at El Rio in the mission, and participated in many art walks, including our first group show at Pure Beauty Salon about a year ago. Chris has wokred hard for us to get a great website, http://www.sanpanchoartcollective.com/, and had presences at festivals and art conventions. The Inclines Grand Opening "Something from Nothing" was a smash hit! Huge turn out, and we even sold a few pieces of work, incredible for a first time homespun group of 20-early 30 somethings!! Respected people such as Alam Bamberger of Artbuisness.com and SanFranciscoartbeat.com came thru. Sf art beat.com gave a rave review as the number one "Cool art collectives" in the Bay Area! See: http://http//sanfranciscoartbeat.com/2010/09/28/some-cool-art-collectives-in-the-bay-area/. Our gallery hrs this week, dec 13th-19th are: Wed. 12-6, fri 2-8, sat 12-5, and sunday 2-8pm. O.k., enouph, here are some photo's!

Pics from Karen Thomas art show, "Lovely Ladies" aug. 2010

I want to thank Karen Thomas for having her funny, beautiful, curiouse work this month, the show is coming to and end soon. So if you haven't seen it yet, make it out to Pure Beauty Salon on Haight st. 1560 haight, at claytoon, they are open 7days a week. Here are a mix of pics from both the hanging of the work and the actual art show.
-Leanne

Garden/ mural opening and last stages of painting at Gough and Eddy

Here are the final pics of the mural being painted on the last day, and more pics of a fundraiser/ opening for the garden and mural. I gave a little talk, ate some amazing food, and listened to an amazing musical artist, Lia Rose play some awesome songs, which you can check out at http://kck./bgPVUa. Then Novella Carpenter, one of the successful urban farmers in Oakland, who recently wrote a book, gave an awesome speech. She has even grown and cooked food for the Black Panthers, or whats left of a commemorative activist group in their name. Please look her up, an amazing and funny as hell woman. The box above is a beehive, yes they keep bees, super cool!!! There is o much life in what used to be a dirty vacant lot full of trash, now it's a well organized dirt filled garden!!
I was also asked to work on another part of the garden and re-do some murals on the north side, which I agreed to. Why not?! and I can do whatever I want to the walls, animals will be there for sure, probably native SF animals n stuff. Thats about it. Thank you for your attention and interest! If you have not, please check out my show at Cafe Royale 800 post st. before the end of the month!!!


Branden and his friend chris k helped me on the last day, as well as Ray ortiz from the San Pancho Art collective!! sweet deal!!!

Haight St. Art Walk at Pure Beauty!!!! Katie Gray

Katie Gray is a painter, please see her web site, www.katiegray.info, and also a tattoo artist in the San Francisco Bay area. She is fantastic and I would love for everyone to come out and support her next month for the Haight Street Art walk! I haven't curated at Pure Beauty since Nov 09. This will be the first one in months. I am excited and look forward to seeing you all, light refreshments and wine will be served. Here is the Stats,
Pure Beauty Salon on Haight st, at haight and Clayton
1560 Haight st
up stairs in the salon.
Friday April 2nd
5-8pm
Artist: Katie Gray, curated by Leanne C. Miller

Pure Beauty's Haight St. Art walk nov 2009

Come one, come all, To another night of fun at Pure Beauty on haight st, haight at Clayton!! San Pancho's first Group show together in the salon!! Not every one in San pancho was able to participate, but many of us did. about 8-10 artists work is up on the wall, bring friends, enjoy some refreshments. To see some of the artists work, go to http://www.sanpanchoartcollective.com/. Featured artists include:
Gina Contreras, http://www.ginamcontreras.blogspot.com/
Leanne C. Miller http://www.fanciemammal.com/
Chris Oropeza
Jin Chon
Gibrahn Flanders
Paul Jimenez
Ray Ortiz
Max Allbee
Vanessa Varela
Homero Hidalgo
Brian Perrin

Last nights Mural launch, Oct 23rd 2009

Last night was a blast, thank you to everyone who could make it out! There was art, music, and dance, and I got a pic taken with the mayor! good times, good times!!! Our mural got a pic on the front of the "bay area" section of the Chronicle, check that out, you can also see it online at links.sfgate.com/ZILP. You can also find a little video about Art in store fronts and a one second glimpse of a piece of the mural at http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/san_francisco&id=7080751. So that all said, please enjoy some pics, but most important, go and see it in person, along w all the other fabulouse art installations along market and the TL. !!! Thank you again!

Almost finished Mural, Wed. Oct 21st...Super awesome

Yes, Super Awesome....super super awesome!!! So many peeps showing up and helping out, almost randomly! A few people were scheduled some were just drop in's, but either way, I am impressed!
Pear Art Store showed much love again. let us use their ladder, their drill, their epoxy...they just keep helpin on stop!!! I LOVE PEARL!! People walking by loved it, and most were very supportive. There are always the few grumps, or nay sayers, even the deer we put up just yesterday had damage to it this morning, but nothing some wood glue staples and nails can't fix. Graffiti is also inevitable...but it's o.k.,... it's all worth it, even if we gotta go back and fix it up from time to time! We more or less finished it today, but may add some clouds tomorrow, there is a lot of empty space. Thank you San Pancho Art Collective, Paul showed up and helped clean up some messy parts we had goin on, and helped hammer and screw in some parts, Brad K Alder from 111 Minna, and just a long time buddy,.. came out and brought a drill, helped secure the wood cut out animals to the wall and we all had a beer afterwards..good times!!! I and Helen will also be in Sketch tuesdays again at 111 minna tuesday, so please come out and support, and don't forget the mural/sfac art in storefronts opening friday night 5-7pm, central market, 6th and market!!!