Last Saturday, Isabel Samaras (HF Vol. 20) debuted her solo show, “Making a Better Yesterday Today” at San Francisco’s Varnish Fine Art. Brimming with pop culture references and a sneaky sense of humor, the works in the show were a delicately painted mash-up of hip-hop, the Renaissance, fairytales and more. Samaras’ raccoons with bejeweled pimp cups and Elizabethan ladies receiving special favors from gentlemen under their dresses surprised viewers who unexpectedly stumbled upon the paintings’ punchlines. A smartly dressed crowd packed into the small gallery, including some familiar faces from the Bay Area art scene. Take a look at our opening night photos below.
Isabel Samaras (right) and friends
Artists Mike Davis and JennyBird Alcantara