Sadly, Art Waves Gallery is Closing
In the 2008 archived pages of artwavesgallerysf.com there was a notice stating:
Art Waves, a neighborhood favorite for nearly three years, closed its doors the end of 2007. Art Waves owner, Kathy Dybeck, will continue to run FOGBELT STUDIO : www.fogbeltstudio.com/
However, although the actual Art Waves Gallery closed its doors in 2007, I bought its domain with the goal of resurrecting as much of it's content from its 2007 archived pages. This is really a nostalgic stroll back to December 2007, when Kathy Dybeck announced on the website that it was to be the last show to be presented before closing down.
This is a celebration of a delightful neighborhood gallery that introduced us to many fine artits' works. We thank you, Kathy, for enlightening and expanding our appreciation of all things ART.
I remember the first time I wandered into the gallery. I was showing a friend who was in San Francisco for a conference on custom application development for large and small companies around the city. We had just visited the Golden Gate Park. My friend was regaling me with horror stories of companies who had security breaches that happened when hackers took advantage of known weaknesses in their off-the-shelf software. She told me that many companies stick with the status quo for so long before finally creating custom applications. And once they have a team come in, such as herself and fellow tech members who create custom software development that it can be scaled up or down as needed, the inefficiency of what they had been using become glaringly clear. We had just crossed Judah Street, at 44th Avenue, and there was Art Waves.
The gallery was located at 3848 Judah Street, at 44th Avenue, just a few blocks from Ocean Beach and Golden Gate Park, on the N Judah line, and car parking was fairly easy.
Their philosophy was to provide the neighborhood a setting where affordable art may be viewed, enjoyed and purchased, while providing the artists space to rent to show and sell their fine work without paying any commission fees.
They showed and sold the fine arts and fine crafts of between 18 to 22 local artists, mostly Sunset residents. One whole wall was dedicated to their Featured Wall Artists, and changed every three weeks, as solo / group shows - receptions happen
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A neighborhood favorite for nearly three years (2005 - 2008), the gallery will be full of the wonderful artwork and holiday gifts created by the current eighteen artists
Open from December 9 through December 30 - our final da
Open House Reception & Sale
Sunday, December 9th
10am to 6pm
Open Thursdays through Sundays from 12 noon to 6pm
and by appointment for your convenience, please call:
415-244-8402
Gift Certificates
Art Waves Gallery gift certificates may be purchased in amounts of $20 or more. These nicely designed certificates on fine quality paper with envelope, may be used towards purchase of any items in the gallery costing as much or more than the value of the gift certificate.
Installment Plans
Art work of $100 and over may be purchased on our installment plan, over a 3 month / 3 payment arrangement. Art work remains in place in the gallery during this time. Payments may be made by cash, check or credit card, and tax will be divided out over the three payments.
Art Rentals
Some of the artists at Art Waves Gallery will be renting their art work by the month or three months.....a good way for customers to decide if a piece fits their needs. This will be done through the individual artists, on a percentage of cost basis.
For example: renting a $300 monotype for 3 months for 15% of cost ($45) up front, gives you the option of enjoying the art for 90 days and then either returning the work back to the artist (at the gallery or his/her studio by arrangement) or keeping the artwork at the end of the contract, and paying the remaining $255 + tax.
Artists Info:
Susan Black Watercolor Paintings
Watercolor Painting
I moved to San Francisco in 1996 with my husband and my son. Born in New York City and living in suburban Connecticut, I had a 20-year New York-based career in public relations and corporate communications after I graduated from Connecticut College in New London with a BA in Literature.
After having made my living for so long using words, I found that California's light, scenery, attitude and whole way of life awakened in me a desire to communicate in visual terms. This eventually led me to enroll at City College of San Francisco in early 2003, and I have been a student of drawing and painting continually since then.
My focus is watercolor, both alone or in combination with pastel. I describe my style as "recognizable abstraction". I seek simplification -- distilling my chosen subject, emotion or thought to what I feel is its basic sense -- preferably in a way that would not occur to anyone else. For that reason, I most admire artists and poets whose work expresses their independence, especially Winslow Homer and Emily Dickinson.
I belong to several Bay Area art groups, and my work has appeared in local, regional and national juried shows since 2005; I also exhibit through City College. Among my non-painting creative pursuits, I row a single scull in Richardson Bay, play the piano, write haiku and knit.
Please contact me at susanb224(at)aol.com
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Kathy Dybeck Monotype Prints, Collage, Fiberarts
Printmaker, Collage, Fiberarts
Website: www.fogbeltstudio.com
Printmaking, which is one of four emphasis areas of my art degree, is usually what I list as my medium. I have an old manual Griffin etching press (32 x 48 inch bed) for primarily doing monotype and collagraphic printmaking. But I often incorporate my own handmade paper, cyanotypes, and transparencies of my photography (along with textiles, wire, thread) as collage elements; doing more a mixed media approach to art.
I have no agendas in my artwork. I work best when I'm happy, and while I do a lot of black and white work, I love bright colors, plants, and houses, which figure in much of my work. I work both 2D and 3D. I thoroughly enjoy teaching, and have taught these techniques at my FOGBELT STUDIO and in Bay Area schools and art centers since 1996.
Bringing art and creativity into the community is something I feel strongly about, and having opened Art Waves Gallery in the outer Sunset of San Francisco in 2005, I am able to provide people and the neighborhood with a place to view, enjoy, and purchase good art, affordable art. Art Waves Gallery is a place where local artists can show a body of their work, host their receptions, and not pay a commission fee to the gallery. This was truly a dream of mine that is now a reality.
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Richard Herring Acrylic Paintings
Painter
I started painting a long time ago – science fiction landscapes in junior high/high school; got a BA in Fine Arts at UC Berkeley and spent some post college years exploring spray paint and collage as a punk rocker in the flatlands of Berkeley circa 1980-85. Eventually developed a painting style influenced by classic animation and cartoons (Krazy Kat and 1930’s-40’s Warner Brothers) and by the minimalist styles of late 70’s-80’s underground comix; expressionism, surrealism and its predecessor, dada, also played a part. All poured into a blender and whipped into frothy brightly colored existential cartoons – simple forms and simple compositions in out-of-the-tube colors.
As one observer commented during an Open Studio event some years ago, “I think you have a problem with color;” an assessment I have been pleased to live up to ever since.
Over a lifetime of painting I have developed a style of distorted reality, a bright coloring of the everyday. I wish I could paint a ‘serious picture’, vast somber canvas of dark color fields brooding on the wall, but invariably I would be impelled to place a small, vividly blazoned four-wheeled pull toy in the corner.
The world itself can be a vast, somber, brooding place, but even (especially) then it’s usually pretty funny if you look hard enough.
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Nikki King Collage and Vintage Pins
Collage and Vintage pins
Nikki King is a San Francisco artist who has won awards in the California State Fair three years running for her collage work. Nikki was born in Fargo, North Dakota in 1934. She received a B.A. from Mills College and a M.S. degree from San Francisco State University.
Nikki is drawn to mysterious, somewhat disquieting images as well as those that are humorous, colorful and joyful. Although she works from a selection of random images, her finished pieces are carefully assembled using formal compositional elements.
Now Nikki has embarked on a new artistic venture designing wearable art made from vintage buttons, beads, and precious and semi-precious stones. These small artworks are individually created three-dimensional collage brooches/pendants that reveal a harmonious fusion of form, color and texture.
Her collages and brooches are available in unique shops and galleries and by special order.
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Jean Lannen Photographs and Mixed Media
Jean took her first photography class back in high school, and continued on with her education by receiving a BFA from The Center For Creative Studies, in Detroit. She enjoys creating work for both commercial and fine art clients, along with private commissions.
Jean’s current body of art work is about recreating her childhood memories. She gives new life to the old, lost and forgotten dolls and artifacts that she has been collecting over the years. She first photographs the objects and then alters the images digitally before applying paints and collage to the surface of each final print. Her use of “spot varnishing” on the surface of each print, is a metaphor for the reclaimed power, confidence and love that she rekindles in each doll and object. The shiny surface is a sort of “power shield” with special powers that hold universal knowledge and deflect negative energy, a sort of homage to the Star Wars “force” and Harry Potter’s magical spells.
She currently lives and works in Pacifica, find out more about Jean and her work at: www.TheOtherJean.com.
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Monte Leach Monotype Prints
Monotype Printmaking
An art appreciation class taught by Wayne Thiebaud at UC Davis opened the world of art to me, and helped me to see the physical world in a new way.
A drawing class in college proved to me that I enjoyed creating art.
The extraordinary spiritual paintings of British artist Benjamin Creme showed me that art could enlighten as well as inspire.
Seeing in person the work of the great Renaissance Masters Veronese, El Greco, Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Rembrandt, and their modern-day disciples such as Turner, Van Gogh, and Matisse has inspired me greatly.
Years of graphic design work in the corporate world sharpened my visual skills.
Discovery of the “painterly print”, the monotype, with its spontaneous, surprising results, has opened doors to a new world of artistic discovery that I’m only beginning to explore. I hope that my own joy in creating these works comes through when you view them.
Contact Monte at monteleach(at)hotmail.com.
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Tim Leary Acrylic Paintings
Acrylic Paintings on Fabric
The perception of color is a gift humans possess. The way light hits a color, the type of light used, and angles of refraction created by texture, all contribute to our perception of colors and shades. They may appear to be accidents, but are really gifts of art. I engage the creative spirit by allowing it to emerge in the studio and in the work. Before beginning I plan a direction, then go to the studio knowing mostly that I want to watch colors and textures emerge on my canvases.
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Elizabeth McClellan Illustrations, Drawings, Paintings
Illustrations, Drawings, Paintings
Elizabeth is in her 16th year of teaching art to children in San Francisco. During this time, she pursued her art interests in a variety of ways.
Her mixed media work was used in television advertisement and for the Canadian Cirque du Soleil promotions.
Elizabeth's love of drawing went in new directions on the Etch-a-Sketch medium. Her work hangs in private collections in California, Oregon and Colorado as well as in the Etch-a-Sketch offices in Bryan, Ohio and New York.
In 2005, her illustrations were published by Chronicle Books. This collection of watercolors illustrates a 'postmodern' fairy tale entitled, "Stop This Birthday".
Elizabeth continues with illustration projects and portrait commissions - people, pets and plants are her favorite subjects.
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Denise Stukas Ceramics
Ceramics
Working in clay for over 20 years, my main focus has been wheel - thrown raku fired vessels. Raku firing is an ancient Japanese firing method where the glazed pieces are fired to 1900 degrees F, then removed very quickly from the kiln to a covered container with straw and newspaper. This post - firing reduction creates unusual one of a kind effects.
My work in clay is a reflection of the harmony and balance I strive to achieve amidst living in a very chaotic world.
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Sandra Vrooman Photography and Ceramics
Sandra Vrooman is a woman of undetermined age with a deceptively normal appearance who has lived in the San Francisco South Bay for the last 35 years. She dabbles in many art forms but doesn't sit still long enough to master any of them. Now retired, she hopes to master something.
She writes under the pen name of Kitsune Miko, a medieval Japanese courtesan. The name was created as an internet persona and can loosely be translated as trickster/visionary. Her interest in things Japanese began with the study of Bonsai and branched out into reading Japanese mythology, and the works of Lady Murasaki, a poet from the Heian era in Japan.
Her artistic interests include photography, ceramics and painting. Currently she is combining photography and poetry is a style referred to as Haiga, the combination of art and poetry (in the traditional sense hai is poem and ga is painting).. Although there is no official name for this combination of photo and poem there is a movement to call it shai (photo) hai (poem).
Born in Chicago, Sandra has written poetry most of her life. Her first published work was in her freshman year of High School where one of her poems appeared in the National Anthology of High School Poetry. She also won a hair drier in the late 70's from the Woman's Day Beautiful Idea Contest for one of two poems submitted. Since then her works have appeared on line in several Iceflow publications, "Juice" an online poetry journal, and "40 Plus". Her Shai hai have been published in "Canadian Zen Haiku".
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Roxanne Worthington Photography
Photography
I love that I can express myself with photography in creative ways, ways that go beyond what I have been able to do in other art forms. Photography is rich and has so many possibilities. I'm attracted to making both black & white and color images, to using traditional, alternative and digital processes. What matters most to me is the image, not the process. My most recent body of work is color digital. It falls in the genre of staged or constructed photography. I have exhibited in group and solo shows and sell my work in galleries and shops in the Bay Area. I am a member of BAPC, often show with The Nocturnes, and teach classes at Fogbelt Studio.
More of my work can be seen at www.roxanneworthington.com
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Small Works - 3 D
A new addition to our gallery
The work of local artists who specialize in miniatures and small pieces artistically crafted in porcelain, wire, paper, fabric - fiber and more, we welcome:
Robin Alpert
Toni Belonogoff
Anna Chan
Jan Cochrane
Margaret Crossland
JJ Hollingsworth
Linda Wong-Norris
More Background on Art Waves Gallery
In the vibrant fabric of San Francisco’s ever-evolving art landscape, Art Waves Gallery stands out as a beloved but brief community-driven space. Nestled in the Outer Sunset at 3848 Judah Street at 44th Avenue—just a stone’s throw from Ocean Beach and the western edge of Golden Gate Park—Art Waves Gallery operated from 2005 until the end of 2007. Though its physical presence was short-lived, the gallery continues to live on in the memories of artists, locals, and visitors who experienced its uniquely welcoming approach to art.
This article serves as a detailed tribute and informative overview of Art Waves Gallery, delving into its origins, ownership, artist community, organizing philosophy, location benefits, cultural resonance, programs, featured artists, and its continuing legacy as a cherished chapter in San Francisco’s local culture.
History and Ownership
Art Waves Gallery was established and helmed by Kathy Dybeck, an accomplished Bay Area artist and veteran educator with decades of creative community involvement. Dybeck’s vision for Art Waves stemmed from a passionate desire to enrich her neighborhood by making quality art accessible—to both its creators and viewers.
Dybeck’s experience as a printmaker, collage, and fiber artist provided the foundation for the gallery’s welcoming ethos. Instead of the conventional commission-based sales model that dominates many galleries, she opted for a flat rental fee for wall space. This approach allowed local artists to retain all proceeds from art sales—a significant departure from industry norms, and a boon for creatives hesitant to risk costly consignment arrangements.
After nearly three years, Dybeck decided to close Art Waves Gallery at the end of 2007. The closure was not prompted by a lack of interest or patronage but rather marked a necessary transition in Dybeck’s own artistic and teaching journey. She continues to be deeply involved in Bay Area arts education and creative studio projects.
Following the adoption of the gallery’s website by a dedicated admirer, Art Waves Gallery’s digital presence became a nostalgic hub, archiving its history and sustaining community appreciation well beyond the life of its physical walls.
The Space: Location, Atmosphere, Neighborhood
Art Waves Gallery’s location was a prime asset: situated on Judah Street at 44th Avenue, within walking distance of Ocean Beach and the natural vistas of Golden Gate Park. The Outer Sunset, once seen as distant from downtown’s bustling cultural districts, has long been a tight-knit residential enclave blessed with scenic fogs, surf culture, and a mix of long-term locals and creative newcomers.
Accessibility played a key role in Art Waves’ popularity: the gallery was convenient by both public transit and car, thanks to the N Judah streetcar line and relatively easy parking—a rarity in San Francisco. The gallery’s unpretentious storefront and street-corner presence made it feel approachable to passersby and regulars alike, fostering a feeling of “art for all.”
Organizing Philosophy and Business Model
The guiding philosophy behind Art Waves Gallery was community inclusivity and artist empowerment. Its main tenets included:
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Affordable Viewing and Purchasing: The gallery offered neighborhood residents and visitors the chance to view and purchase fine art and fine craft at accessible prices.
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Artist-Centered Sales Model: By charging modest fees for wall space and declining commission on sales, all proceeds from sales went to the artists—a model that allowed both emerging and established artists to exhibit without financial submission to the gallery.
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Rotating Exhibits: Regularly changing exhibitions kept things fresh and engaged both the artists and the community. Special focus was placed on a “Featured Wall,” giving selected artists or groups a solo spotlight for three-week intervals.
The gallery typically presented the works of 18–22 artists at any one time, the majority of whom resided in the Sunset District or elsewhere in the Bay Area. The rotation of artists and accessible floor plan made repeat visits rewarding, with always something new to see or experience.
Featured Artists, Works, and Mediums
Art Waves Gallery showcased a broad range of artistic talents, mediums, and perspectives. Highlights from its roster included:
Susan Black – Watercolor Painting
A transplant from New York and Connecticut, Susan Black found her artistic muse in San Francisco’s light and landscape, turning from a career in communications to focus on “recognizable abstraction” in watercolor—often distilling images to their emotional or compositional essence.
Kathy Dybeck – Monotype Prints, Collage, and Fiber Arts
Owner and founder Dybeck specialized in monotype printmaking and mixed media collage, often blending her own handmade paper, photography, textiles, and bright colors inspired by houses and plants. Her approach was heavily rooted in experimental teaching and community engagement.
Richard Herring – Acrylic Paintings
Herring’s history spanned from science fiction landscapes to influences from punk, underground comix, and classic animation. His signature style involved brilliantly colored, existential cartoon worlds that often inserted humor into the sometimes somber landscape of contemporary art.
Nikki King – Collage and Vintage Pins
King, an award-winning artist originally from Fargo, North Dakota, crafted mysterious yet playful collage works, as well as unique, small wearable artworks composed of vintage materials and semi-precious stones.
Jean Lannen – Photography and Mixed Media
Lannen’s practice explored the reinvention of childhood memories by photographing, digitally altering, and painting on old dolls and objects—her work imbued with personal symbolism, themes of reclamation, and a whimsical nod to pop culture.
Monte Leach – Monotype Printmaking
Leach’s discovery of painterly monotype printmaking followed years spent in graphic design and art appreciation—a journey influenced by modern masters and a search for visual enlightenment and spontaneous expression.
Tim Leary – Acrylic Paintings on Fabric
Leary’s vibrant paintings explored the illusion and complexity of color as created by light, texture, and the play of artistic intention versus spontaneity.
Elizabeth McClellan – Illustration and Etch-a-Sketch
An art teacher turned mixed media artist, McClellan’s whimsical illustrations crossed into commercial work and children’s book illustration, while her unique Etch-a-Sketch art found homes in both private and corporate collections.
Denise Stukas – Ceramics
With over two decades of experience, Stukas focused on wheel-thrown, raku-fired vessels—a Japanese technique giving each ceramic piece a unique, unrepeatable finish, reflecting her pursuit of harmony amidst chaos.
Sandra Vrooman – Photography, Ceramics, Poetry
Retired and ever-experimental, Vrooman combined photography with haiga (art and poetry), expanding into small-format ceramics and drawing from a deeply poetic sensibility.
Roxanne Worthington – Photography
Known for rich experimentation across traditional, alternative, and digital photographic processes, Worthington focused on constructed and staged images. Her vibrant color photography became a hallmark, as did her engagement as a teacher in the Bay Area.
Additionally, Art Waves Gallery presented exhibits in “small works”—miniatures and 3D pieces in porcelain, wire, paper, and fiber by local artists including Robin Alpert, Toni Belonogoff, Anna Chan, among others.
Customer Experience and Community Programs
Art Waves Gallery was more than an exhibit space—it was a community hub. Services and amenities included:
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Gift Certificates: Attractive gift certificates made art purchases accessible as gifts.
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Installment Plans: For artwork priced over $100, an installment plan allowed customers to pay over three months, democratizing art ownership.
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Art Rentals: Selected artists offered their pieces for monthly or quarterly rental, giving customers a low-risk trial period before committing to a purchase.
Events were a key part of the gallery’s calendar—regular art receptions drew neighbors, friends, and the curious, turning the gallery into a lively gathering site for creative dialogue and neighborhood celebration.
Reputation, Press, and Review
Though perhaps more popular among locals than in the citywide press, Art Waves Gallery was frequently described as a “neighborhood favorite”—a testament to its resonance with Sunset residents and artists alike. The gallery’s absence is still lamented by those who remember its open-door policy, the rotating community of passionate artists, and the opportunity for both creators and collectors to connect without pretense.
Commentary and guestbook entries from the time routinely thanked Kathy Dybeck and her collaborators for expanding appreciation for the arts and bringing talented artists to the neighborhood’s doorstep. Many credit the gallery with sparking an ongoing dialogue about accessible art, nurturing the confidence of emerging artists, and helping to define the Outer Sunset’s growing cultural identity.
Cultural and Social Significance
Art Waves Gallery’s commission-free model, local focus, and informal atmosphere made it both pioneering and quintessentially “Outer Sunset.” At a time when many neighborhoods across San Francisco struggled to retain their creative and residential diversity amidst rising costs, the gallery provided a rare and tangible anchor for community engagement.
The gallery helped underwrite the value of everyday creativity—not just as a transaction, but as a shared neighborhood experience. By removing many of the hurdles that often inhibit artists from participating in gallery exhibits, Art Waves sowed seeds for future self-organized and pop-up art spaces throughout the city.
Equally significant, the gallery provided a counterweight to downtown’s high-profile/expensive blue-chip gallery scene, instead rooting itself in the daily lives and rhythms of its community.
Legacy
Although Art Waves Gallery formally closed at the end of 2007, the memories, relationships, and values it fostered continue to ripple outward. The digital preservation of its history ensures that new audiences—residents, artists, and historians alike—can rediscover its story, artists, and approach to creative inclusion.
Art Waves’ legacy is visible in the continued careers of its featured artists, the persistence of community-based art spaces across the Bay Area, and the nostalgia with which many still recall walking in from the foggy avenues to find warmth, conversation, and inspiration within its walls.
Art Waves Gallery stands as a model for what a community-minded art space can accomplish. Its brief chapter is a reminder that profound impact and cultural enrichment need not rest only with large institutions or long-established organizations. Sometimes, all that’s needed is an empty wall, a supportive founder, and the everyday commitment to making art a part of everyone’s neighborhood life.