July News
Summer Highlights opens tomorrow in San Francisco
Summer Highlights
Please join me tomorrow, Thursday July 9th, from 5 to 7pm for the opening of Summer Highlights at Berggruen Gallery in San Francisco. I’ll be showing this brand new piece for the first time, Cosmic Structure #2.
This group exhibition features paintings, sculptures, and works on paper by prominent historical and contemporary artists. Participating artists include Diana Al-Hadid, John Alexander, Richard Avedon, Val Britton, Claes Oldenburg & Coosje van Bruggen, Dean Byington, Bruce Cohen, Heather Day, Liam Everett, Isca Greenfield-Sanders, Michael Gregory, Jane Hammond, Jacob Hashimoto, Matt Kleberg, Paul Kremer, Anna Kunz, Rachel Simon Marino, Barry McGee, Tom McKinley, Pedro S. de Movellán, Ed Ruscha, Joel Shapiro, Stephanie H. Shih, Darren Waterston, Lucy Williams and Donald Roller Wilson.
On view from July 9 through August 27, 2026.
Looking at, listening to, and reading
Spending time looking out the van window on our June road trip, looking at mountains, hills, roads, and lakes had me thinking about geologic time.
Getting out the pencils and watercolors to paint from nature with my kid was one of my favorite activities of the trip. I don’t usually exercise this observational painting muscle, but I enjoyed it nonetheless for reminding me that painting is really looking. And time spent looking closely and paying attention is an act of love.
The new Kevin Morby album is dreamy. In May at Revolution Hall, Kevin had the honor of being Drew’s first concert. I zone out to this song in the morning while doing yoga.
I’ve had the pleasure of reading more than usual this spring and start of summer thanks to a May residency at Willapa Bay AiR and a couple weeks on the family road trip. Some of my favorites:
Finally reading Toni Morrison. I do love her, but Sula is kind of a bad friend, you were right, Diana ;) This story was so propulsive, now I need all the Toni Morrison.
Inspired by new music friend Stephen, this was wonderful:
I just finished Ben Lerner’s latest novel, yet would this be considered a novella? NYT seems to think so… the Powell’s summer reading bingo needs to know. Either way I loved seeing the world through his eyes and enjoyed the Providence memories.
I finally read On the Calculation of Volume I. I’m waiting for book 2 on hold at the library and am curious as to how this tale of a time loop day can sustain momentum over seven planned books?? Book 1 was beautiful.
Some new things happening in the studio:
Thank you for reading, and wishing you a happy summer.
With gratitude—
Val
⋰ Website
⋰ Email : val@valbritton.com (or respond to this email, I get all the messages and I love them!)
Val, your new work is striking. And I appreciate the pic of the old-school watercolor and sketching. Of the 500+ artists I had the pleasure of getting to know on the mountain, you and your story and your work are among the uppermost is my memory. (Margot)