This weekend marks the final days of ArtSpan's citywide SF Open Studios, and local painter Monique Passicot will be opening up her 16 Temple St. home to show her work on November 7th and 8th.
Originally from Argentina, Passicot has lived in the Castro/Corona Heights neighborhood for three decades. The weekend's open studio will showcase the sun-drenched room in the back of her home where she paints—mostly with oils. It'll also feature the works of two other women: photographer Claude Imaz, and painter Lucile Culver.
We caught up with Passicot to learn a little more about her showing, her works, and her life in the neighborhood.
Passicot in her studio.
Tell us more about your Open Studio this weekend.
"This weekend, I will have the whole house open. The studio is located in the back of the house by the garden. That's where I paint. I am going to have some works in progress there. The dining room is where I am going to have some of my pieces, and then the living room is going to be for the young painter. The other room is going to be for the photographer."
How would you describe your art?
"I'm not sure exactly what the definition is of what I do. Some people would call it 'Magical Realism.' Some people would call it surrealism. I think it's very much the type of painting that comes from South America—it has something strange going on, maybe something that you don't see, but my observations are very South American."
How do you feel about the neighborhood?
"I moved to San Francisco in 1983, and moved into this house two years ago, three doors down from the other house, which I own. I love the neighborhood. I love the people, the neighbors. Everybody likes each other. If anyone has a problem, the whole neighborhood comes to your aid."
Has the neighborhood changed at all over the years?
"It has changed tremendously. All the older people who used to live around here have died. Lately, you see a lot of young couples with children. When I first came to live in this new house, a few of us were gathering and we heard a baby cry and were so surprised, because we were all non-married couples or gay couples, and we had never seen children in this area. Of course, there's nothing wrong with babies, but it's not something people are used to around here."
How do you survive in the city as an artist? Do you have a side job?
"You don't survive with your paintings alone. You have to have something else on the side; otherwise, you cannot make it. I rent out my old house down the street, my income comes from that. I used to do illustration, such as children's books. That is a good way for artists to make money. It was fun and it paid well. I just stopped doing that a few years ago."
What do you indulge in?
"Music. Every time I start a new painting or a new book, I buy a bunch of CDs. I have a huge library of music. I listen to music all day—I couldn't live without it."
What inspires you the most?
"Everything—people, my dog Booda, walks in the park—everything that brings sparks of ideas. And you never know, the end result might come out different than you anticipated, but that's all part of it."
View Passicot's work and learn more about her weekend showing on the Artspan website. Her studio will be open from 11am to 6pm, Saturday and Sunday.
