Arthur Bell painted in San Francisco in the 1970’s and 1980’s until an unfortunate series of strokes left him temporarily unable to paint. His work was virtually unseen until well known Bay Area art critic DeWitt Cheng made it his personal charge to bring Bell’s work back into the public eye. Mr. Cheng describes Bell’s paintings as “involving strange characters in mysterious, amusing events; blending pop culture references such as Gershwin, Zappa, and Costello with Poe’s fantastic literature and northern California lore without a trace of self-consciousness. His paintings can include feathered-hat-sporting llamas, narwal-shaped paddlewheel steamboats, pterodactyl hunters, a canine Wyeth heroine, a harp-playing robot, a quadrapus (half an octopus), a dolphinette, or even a handstanding pink elephant. In Arthur Bell’s hilarious, absurd, and sometimes mordant dream world, all this makes perfect sense; he is a bona fide original – an American Ensor.” This is your opportunity to glimpse rarely seen and truly unique works.

DeWitt Cheng is a San Francisco Bay Area art writer, curator, and collector who writes for a variety of print and web publications including Art Ltd, Artillery, Huffington Post, Sculpture, and Art Voices.

To find out more about Arthur Bell, click here.

The public is invited to come hear DeWitt Cheng talk about his experience working with the artist and curating this show. on Sunday, February 10, at 4 pm.

All exhibits open Friday, January 11, with a reception for the artists from 7 to 9 pm. Thereafter the galleries are open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 1 to 5 pm, through the exhibit’s close on February 10. Sanchez Art Center is located at 1220 Linda Mar Blvd., Pacifica, California, about 1.5 miles east of Highway 1 and the Pacific Ocean.