Traywick Contemporary's 15th Anniversary

When I started Traywick Contemporary (née Gallery) in 1997 I could barely think ahead to the next 15 minutes, let alone the next 15 years. It was an exciting and busy time; then I blinked and it became 2012. Everything has changed, both in and out of the art world.

Thinking about the past 15 years, I keep coming back to all of the people who have been important to the gallery's success and sustainability over that time. Some of them are well-known, others should be. So to mark the occasion, I have invited a special group to talk with me about the changes they've seen over the last 15 years in the Bay Area and beyond, to comment on important events from their unique perspectives, and to have a look at what lies ahead for us all in the next 15 years.

We'll be publishing the interviews online over the course of the year here at traywick.com. To keep in touch and learn when new conversations are posted, you can subscribe to our email list, follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook.

My first job in the San Francisco art world was at Crown Point Press from 1990-1993. My time there has had lasting importance for me and significantly influenced how I work with my artists and run my business. This year marks the 50th anniversary of Crown Point Press. Kathan Brown's intrepid leadership and vision have guided the Press though all five decades. Valerie Wade has been at her side for the past 25 years. Together they have seen a lot of changes during this remarkable span of time, not only in the print world, but also in the larger art community. I had the great pleasure of sitting down with both Kathan and Valerie in December of 2011.

For the second installment of our 15th Anniversary Project, we are proud to present Five Questions for Chuck Mobley, the newly-named Director of SF Camerawork. The non-profit gallery has been presenting innovative photography exhibitions and providing broad-based support and exposure to emerging photographers in the Bay Area since 1974. Chuck discusses his organization's move to a new space this January, and some of his observations about photography in the Bay Area over the last 15 years.