In
February 2003, Alexander Allende and Todd Brown signed a lease
on a big empty room that had one closet and a bathroom, along
with two layers of decades-old linoleum flooring, wall-to-wall.
The location was on the corner of Folsom and 23rd streets in
San Francisco. It was there that Todd and Alex co-founded an
interdisciplinary artist space named "Porfilio Is - Mission
Art House". Armed with a couple of credit cards and basic
carpentry skills, the two set to work, tearing up linoleum, power
sanding the floor, and building interior structures. After two
month’s solid work (with much help from friends), they
had a basic artist workspace and dance studio. The survival of
the Art House was based on the sale of artwork, along with money raised from Argentine
tango classes that both Alex and Todd began teaching on a weekly
basis to make the difference for the rent. Painting classes started
shortly after. By the end of the year, Todd was engaged with
other local artists in formulating the first Mission Arts & Performance
Project (MAPP) event. The following year Todd and Alex dissolved
the partnership and Todd formed a new partnership with Mark Eisner
who was then involved in producing a major film on the life and
work of Chilean poet Pablo Neruda. Mark had founded a non-profit
organization titled "Red Poppy". Coming under the umbrella
of Mark’s organization, “Porfilio Is” became
the "Red Poppy Art House". Since that time the Art
House has evolved to incorporate weekend concert/performance
series and a monthly film night, and has broadened it's educational
base to include workshops in painting, drawing, and monotype
printing. In 2005 the Art House became independent from the support
of Red Poppy 501c3 (though it still carries the name), and has
continued to ever widen its creative circle. Today the Art House
is the main hub for the MAPP: Mission Arts & Performance
Project.
In
February 2003, Alexander Allende and Todd Brown signed a lease
on a big empty room that had one closet and a bathroom, along
with two layers of decades-old linoleum flooring, wall-to-wall.
The location was on the corner of Folsom and 23rd streets in
San Francisco. It was there that Todd and Alex co-founded an
interdisciplinary artist space named "Porfilio Is - Mission
Art House". Armed with a couple of credit cards and basic
carpentry skills, the two set to work, tearing up linoleum, power
sanding the floor, and building interior structures. After two
month’s solid work (with much help from friends), they
had a basic artist workspace and dance studio. The survival of
the Art House was based on the sale of artwork, along with money raised from Argentine
tango classes that both Alex and Todd began teaching on a weekly
basis to make the difference for the rent. Painting classes started
shortly after. By the end of the year, Todd was engaged with
other local artists in formulating the first Mission Arts & Performance
Project (MAPP) event. The following year Todd and Alex dissolved
the partnership and Todd formed a new partnership with Mark Eisner
who was then involved in producing a major film on the life and
work of Chilean poet Pablo Neruda. Mark had founded a non-profit
organization titled "