Postcards from the Left Coast
A Community Exhibition and Benefit Supporting Artists, Memory, and Healing in the Ongoing Fight Against HIV/AIDS
Art has long played a vital role in healing—holding space for remembrance, resilience, visibility, and connection. This January, San Diego’s creative community is invited to come together around that shared purpose through Postcards from the Left Coast, a group exhibition and benefit at The Studio Door supporting Visual AIDS and POZabilities (San Diego).
Because AIDS is still with us.
A Collective Act of Care Through Art
Offered in collaboration with FOG (Fellowship of Older Gays), Postcards from the Left Coast invites local artists to create original postcard-size artworks (4 x 6 inches) for an anonymous exhibition and charity sale. Each piece is displayed without the artist’s name, and all postcards are sold for $25, with artist identities revealed only after purchase.
This approach intentionally levels the playing field—allowing collectors to connect first with the work itself, whether created by a well-known artist or someone making their debut. The result is an accessible, joyful, and deeply human exchange between artists, audiences, and community.
Save the Date
Opening Reception:
🗓 Saturday, January 17, 2026
🕐 1:00 – 4:00 PM
📍 The Studio Door, San Diego
Exhibition Dates: January 17–31, 2026
Gallery Hours: Tuesday–Saturday, 11 AM–6 PM
Artwork will remain on view throughout the month, with postcards available for pickup in early February.
Why This Benefit Matters
More than 40 years into the AIDS epidemic, there is still no cure or vaccine. An estimated 38 million people worldwide are living with HIV and AIDS, and more than one quarter still lack access to effective medication.
Since 1988, Visual AIDS has nurtured a global community of nearly 1,000 artists living with HIV, while preserving the legacies of countless artists lost to AIDS. Their wo-rk includes:
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Over $670,000 in direct grants to artists with HIV
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The Red Ribbon Project, offering critical financial support
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Publications, exhibitions, and online archives
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63 commissioned short films screened nationwide for World AIDS Day
San Diego artists—including Patrick N. Brown, John Keasler, and Patric Stillman—are part of this larger Visual AIDS community.
Locally, POZabilities has served San Diego since 2000, working to reduce isolation, depression, and stigma among people living with HIV and their supporters through education, outreach, and community-building. Several years ago, The Studio Door and POZabilities collaborated to bring Visual AIDS film screenings to Digital Gym (Media Arts Center San Diego), strengthening these local-national connections.
All proceeds from Postcards from the Left Coast will directly support the ongoing programs of Visual AIDS and POZabilities.
A Call to Artists
The deadline for artists to participate has been extended to January 3, 2026.
Artists of all backgrounds are invited to submit original postcard-size artworks in a wide range of media, including drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, and mixed media. Up to 10 entries per artist are accepted.
Key participation details:
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Original works only; no mass-produced editions
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Artwork must remain unsigned on the front
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Artists are asked not to share images publicly until after the sale
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Artist information is shared with buyers after purchase
The Studio Door has generously donated 100 frames for flat works, with dimensional pieces installed directly on the walls.
Artwork drop-off dates:
🗓 January 2–3, 2026
🕚 11 AM – 6 PM
Art as Healing, Art as Action
Postcards from the Left Coast is more than an exhibition—it’s a reminder that art can be an act of care, solidarity, and collective healing. It brings together artists, collectors, and community members to honor those lost, support those living with HIV today, and ensure that creative voices continue to be seen, heard, and supported.
We invite you to save the date, donate an artwork, or join us in January to experience how small works can carry enormous meaning.
For questions, please contact:
📩 Patric Stillman — patric@thestudiodoor.com
(No drop-ins or phone calls, please.)
Learn more about the national Postcards from the Edge program hosted by Visual AIDS in New York:
👉 https://postcards.visualaids.org/
(Participation details differ from the San Diego edition.)
