Arts Listings

"SUN SPHERES," -- "Sun Spheres'' is a trio of mosaic sculptures by artist Laurel True at the intersection of Ocean and Granada Avenues in the OMI District of San Francisco. 

(415) 252-2551, www.sfartscommission.org/pubart.< 

CALIFORNIA COLLEGE OF THE ARTS WATTIS INSTITUTE FOR CONTEMPORARY ARTS  

"We Have As Much Time As it Takes," through July 31. Works by Nina Beier and Marie Lund, David Horvitz, Jason Mena, Sandra Nakamura, Roman Ondak, Red76, Zachary Royer Scholz, Tercerunquinto, Lawrence Weiner and Christine Wong Yap.  

Free. Tuesday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. 1111 Eighth St., San Francisco. (415) 551-9210, www.wattis.org.< 

CONSERVATORY OF FLOWERS The Victorian landmark has 1,500 species including rare and beautiful tropical plants from 50 countries. Exhibits include Highland Tropics, the Aquatic Plants, Lowland Tropics, Potted Plants and the new Special Exhibits gallery. Opened in 1879, the wood and glass greenhouse is the oldest existing conservatory in the Western Hemisphere. 

"Chomp 2! Return of the Carnivorous Plants," through Oct. 31. Special exhibition of carnivorous plants features living plants and activities for families.  

$5 general; $3 seniors, students and youth ages 12-17; $1.50 children ages 5-11; free for ages 4 and under; free first Tuesdays. Tuesday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. John F. Kennedy Drive, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. (415) 666-7001, www.conservatoryofflowers.org.< 

EVENING GALLERY WALKS These monthly evening gallery walks or "crawls'' are a way to learn about art for the casual viewer without the intimidation of visiting a gallery with no one else around. Generally the galleries are filled on the "walk'' evenings with people drinking wine and talking. Gallery owners are happy to answer questions about the art on view. The important thing to remember is that it is free to gaze and drink. 

"First Thursday," 5:30-8 p.m. Generally some 20 galleries participate in this monthly evening of open galleries. Many are located around Union Square. Some of the galleries that participate on a regular basis are Pasquale Iannetti Gallery, Caldwell Snyder Gallery, and Hackett-Freedman Gallery, all on Sutter Street; Meyerovich Gallery and Dolby Chadwick Gallery on Post Street; and Rena Bransten Gallery and Stephen Wirtz Gallery on Geary Street. Sponsored by the San Francisco Art Dealers Association. First Thursday of the month. Free.  

San Francisco. < 

FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH  

"Paintings of Albania, Serbia and Moldava," through July 29. Works by Joan Colllet Brown.  

1187 Franklin St., San Francisco. (415) 771-3352.< 

FLAX ART AND DESIGN  

"STILLmatic: Documenting the StreetSmARTS Urban Murals," through July 31. Exhibition addresses graffiti vandalism in San Francisco.  

1699 Market St., San Francisco. (415) 552-2355, www.flaxart.com.< 

HOTEL DES ARTS The boutique 51-room art hotel in Union Square features an art gallery by Start SOMA. 

"Painted Rooms," An exhibit of painted rooms in the hotel by emerging artists.  

Free. Daily, 8 a.m.-11 p.m. 447 Bush St., San Francisco. (415) 956-4322, www.sfhoteldesarts.com.< 

JAZZ HERITAGE CENTER  

"The Art of Michael Rios," through Aug. 22. Features a Rios retrospective and a tribute to Miles Davis and Carlos Santana.  

1320 Fillmore Street, San Francisco. < 

JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF SAN FRANCISCO  

"The Digital Liberation of G-d," A permanent interactive media installation created by New York-based artist Helene Aylon, which examines the influences of patriarchal attitudes upon Jewish traditions and sacred texts.  

Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday, 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. 3200 California St., San Francisco. (415) 292-1200, Box Office: (415) 292-1233, www.jccsf.org.< 

JEWISH COMMUNITY LIBRARY  

"The Jew and the Mask," through July 31. More than 25 Bay Area artists provide a contemporary perspective on Jewish identity.  

1835 Ellis Street, San Francisco. (415) 567-3327.< 

SAN FRANCISCO ART INSTITUTE  

"We Remember the Sun," Artwork by 15 Bay Area artists.  

"Pure Consciousness at 19 Kindergartens," through Sept. 18. Works by On Kawara.  

Free unless noted otherwise. Lecture Hall, 800 Chestnut St., San Francisco. (415) 771-7020, www.sfai.edu/.< 

SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY, BAYVIEW-ANNA E. WADEN BRANCH  

"Bayview's Historical Footprints," A permanent photographic exhibition celebrating the diverse history of Bayview Hunters Point featuring multimedia oral histories from community elders.  

Free. Monday, Tuesday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Wednesday, 1 p.m.-8 p.m.; Thursday, 1 p.m.-7 p.m.; Friday, 1 p.m.-6 p.m. 5075 Third St., San Francisco. (415) 355-5757, www.sfpl.org.< 

SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY, MAIN BRANCH  

"Digging Deep: Underneath San Francisco Public Library," Exhibition collects archaeological remains from the Gold Rush-era cemetery and the ruins of old City Hall destroyed in the 1906 earthquake.  

"Hand Bookbinders of California 38th Anniversary Exhibition," through Aug. 15. Exhibition features work of professional bookbinders, as well as amateurs and students of the art and craft of hand bookbinding.  

"Empire of Thirst," through Aug. 1. Photographs by Robert Dawson.  

Free. Monday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Tuesday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; Friday, noon-6 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m. 100 Larkin St., San Francisco. (415) 557-4400, www.sfpl.org.< 

SF CAMERAWORK  

"Soldiers' Stories from Iraq and Afghanistan," through Aug. 7. Works by Jennifer Karady.  

"Theater of War: Pretend Villages of Iraq and Afghanistan," through Aug. 7. Works by Christopher Sims.  

$2-$5. Tuesday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. 657 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 863-1001, www.sfcamerawork.org.< 

SOMARTS CULTURAL CENTER  

"Totally Unrealistic: The Art of Abstraction," through July 30. Works by Cecil C. Childress, Ralph Joachim, and Marilyn Kuksht.  

Free unless otherwise noted. Tuesday-Saturday, 1-7 p.m. 934 Brannan St., San Francisco. (415) 552-2131, www.somarts.org.< 

THEATER ARTAUD  

CLOSING -- "The Dresses/Objects Project," through July 18, Tuesday-Saturday, 1-5 p.m. Katrina Rodabaugh and over 30 women artists present works inspired by Gertrude Stein's poems. Free.  

450 Florida St., San Francisco. (415) 621-7797, www.theaterartaud.org.< 

YERBA BUENA CENTER FOR THE ARTS The center's visual arts exhibitions feature contemporary art and popular culture by local, national and international artists. There are four rounds of exhibitions in the galleries each year. 

"The Bowls Project: Secrets of the Apocalyptic Intimate," through Aug. 22. An interactive sound sculpture/immersive performance installation by Jewlia Eisenberg and Charming Hostess.  

"PlayCRAFT: A Game of Your Design," through Oct. 3. Create your own design object as you explore the "TechnoCRAFT'' exhibition.  

"Something from Nothing: Films on Design and Architecture," through Sept. 5. Jul. 18, 2 p.m.: "Citizen Architect: Samuel Mockbee and the Spirit of the Rural Studio.''  

Jul. 25, 2 p.m.: "Wow and Flutter.''  

"TechnoCRAFT: Hackers, Modders, Fabbers, Tweakers and Design in the Age of Individuality," through Oct. 3. Exhibit explores disappearing boundary between designer and consumer.  

$3-$6; free the first Tuesday of every month. Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday, noon-5 p.m.; Thursday-Saturday, noon-8 p.m. 701 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 978-2787, www.ybca.org.<