Run Aground San Francisco artist Leigh McCarthy is drawn to shipwrecks.

'Little Pools Of Energy'
Michael Jang's family photos go the way of fine art in an exhibit at San Francisco's University High School.

Another Angle "Chop Suey" (1929) is among the Edward Hopper works being shown at the Seattle Art Museum.

Liberty And Consumers
Artist Paul Insect's first stateside show, "Idea of Freedom," is at the Fifty24SF gallery.

Art And Craft Japanese bamboo artisans break free of baskets, heading into the realm of sculpture.

Counter To The Current
Art Spiegelman's early works are now in the book "Breakdowns: Portrait of the Artist as a Young %@&*!".

Collage To Portraiture Photographer Ian van Coller sheds light on South African workers' lives in "Interior Relations."

Art Hourse Jitters
Auction houses are anxious over economic woes.

Goofy Heads A new plaza is premiering in downtown S.F. with artwork that is anything but corporate and slick.

Hands-On Exhibit
SFMOMA's "The Art of Participation" is a 50-year survey of art that depends on viewer interaction.

An Admired Artist Sculptor Martin Puryear, who is the subject of an SFMOMA retrospective, talks about not discussing his work.

Such Great Heights
Andy Goldsworthy's 100-foot-tall sculpture "Spire" rises high above the Presidio.

Punk's Poster Child Punk rock is on the block - make that the auction block.

Patched Work
Raphael's restored "Madonna of the Goldfinch" is ready for its comeback.

A Sustainable Focus "The Gatherers: Greening Our Urban Spheres" looks at how we can live ecologically sound lives in the city.

Saved By Selfless Acts
"Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures From the National Museum, Kabul" is a tribute to a country whose culture has withstood a 30-year onslaught.

Minimalist And Reverent Maya Lin looks at nature, from the inside, in "Systematic Landscapes," at the de Young.

A Timely Look
Art show "Chance Operations" reflects these uncertain times.

Inviting Mockery As sculpture, Scott Donahue's "Berkeley Big People" fails every test.

Slow Sales
The financial crisis has reached the world of high-end art.

Critical Inspiration The Chronicle's Kenneth Baker talks about the artistic experiences that formed his sensibilities.

Portrait Of Humor
Mad magazine to auction off original drawings of Alfred E. Neuman.

Painting From Tragedy Saddam's physician Dr. Ala Bashir painted to sort out the horrors he witnessed.

There's Picasso In There
The Harvard Art Museum receives a gift of $45 million and 31 major artworks.

A Family Affair One man has brought his family's art treasures from Berlin museums to the Legion of Honor.

Keeping It Close To Home
The Tate Britain museum has purchased a rare sketch by Peter Paul Rubens.

Night Bright
New York exhibition illuminates how Van Gogh painted in dark.

Marvels And Mysteries Martin Puryear's scupltures situate themselves like no other contemporary art.

Inviting 'Participation' "The Art of Participation," at the SFMOMA, feels like an exercise in cultural archaeology. Plus: Artist Jochen Gerz.

Cinematic Quality Bay Area photographer Todd Hido series "A Road Divided" blurs mournful images.

A Fine Debut Dustin Fosnot's cyanotype mattress at Steven Wolf Fine Arts.

Deep Cuts
British sculptor David Nash advances Zen with a chain saw.

A Natural Feel Artist Judith Belzer captures the mood, texture of trees in her latest gallery exhibition.

Detached Icons "Warhol's Jews," at the Contemporary Jewish Museum, details Warhol's working process.

Building Blocks Color photo pioneer Joel Meyerowitz explores the elements in "The Elements: Air/Water, Part 1."

Taking Big Risks Kenneth Baker looks back at Frank Lobdell's "Dance" series.