San Francisco, July 2012—The de Young Museum will host Israeli-native visual artist Tamar Assaf, August 1 through September 2, 2012, as part of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco’s Artist-in-Residence Program. Creating paintings that offer a subtle social and ecological commentary on the environment, Assaf raises awareness of human impacts on the earth’s fragile and ever-changing ecosystems. As an artist-in-residence, Assaf encourages visitors to engage and join in her creative process of researching, preparing, creating, and presenting works of art.

Observing changes in her hometown of Rehovot, Israel during her childhood compelled Assaf to observe the environment more closely throughout her worldwide travels. Assaf's art is a reflection of this heightened awareness, her education in the natural sciences and art, combined with her travel experience and her views on the environment, conservation, and society. Assaf uses palette knives to apply paint using the impasto technique, capturing cropped, close-up compositions from nature.

A resident of the Bay Area since 2000, Assaf will focus her August residency at the museum on the non-native aquatic species that are currently altering the San Francisco Bay ecosystem. “I deal with subjects that touch me," says Assaf. Visitors are welcome to contribute, converse, and create with Assaf in the Kimball Education Gallery at the de Young Museum.

The Kimball Education Gallery is free and open to the public during museum hours. Visitors can interact with Tamar Assaf Wednesday–Sunday, 1–5 pm and Friday 6–8:45 pm. Learn more about the artist at tamarassaf.com.

Visiting \ de Young
The de Young, designed by Herzog & de Meuron and located in Golden Gate Park, showcases American art from the 17th through the 21st centuries, international contemporary art, textiles, and costumes, and art from the Americas, the Pacific, and Africa.

Golden Gate Park, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, San Francisco, CA 94118

Hours:
Tuesday–Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday: 9:30 am–5:15 pm. Friday: 9:30 am–8:45 pm. Closed on Monday.

General Admission:
$10 Adults, $7 Seniors (age 65 and over), $6 Youths (age 13–17) and College Students with ID, FREE Members and children 12 and under, FREE general admission the first Tuesday of each month. Additional fees may apply for special exhibitions.

deyoungmuseum.org

The de Young Museum is accessible to wheelchair users. For information, contact the ADA Coordinator at 415.750.7645.