EXHIBITIONS   Crucible Steel Gallery introduces the work of four emerging Bay area artists in a group show exploring community, through painting, photography, collage, mixed media and installation, entitled "Common - Unity". The artists include Dan Pillers, Jesùs, Laena Wilder and Todd Berman. The idea of community means multiple things to different people, but all share the thought that there is and underlying common unity that draws people together. These four explore this idea of community through their art.   Dan Pillers Incorporating childhood myths and rhythms into metaphors for adult experiences Dan works to address the reality of being a forty-three year old gay man living at the beginning of a new millennium. Combining image and artifact with text he uses a cynical wit in an effort to illustrate the human experience. He addresses specific topics such as AIDS, Drug Addiction, and Child Abuse but also attempts to convey the more universal “core” emotions around what it takes to overcome fear and feelings of being “less than” or “different from”.   Jesùs Skaters, drag-queen prostitutes, hood-rats and meth-heads all find a haven in Jesus' multiverse. His new piece, Nosotros, visually discusses the overlap of communities within communities thru mixed media photo-collage they all find their point of intersection: in his lens.   Laena Wilder For Laena Wilder, photography not only opens dialog, but it also create a thought-provoking record. With ten years experience in the field as a documentary photographer, the San Francisco native uses the camera as a tool for connecting with people and gathering cultural information. Most recently, Wilder created and facilitated a project to encourage immigrant teenagers to explore their social identities. The Identity Project, which took place at the Thurgood Marshall High School in San Francisco, prompted students to write about their family histories, role models, and personal aspirations. Collaborating with Wilder, the teens then created self-portraits and autobiographical still-lifes. The final result is a brilliant collage of images born from personal reflection and self-statement.   Todd Berman Todd Berman paints "what democracy looks like." He uses bright colors, mixed media, and layered images to capture the dynamism and complexity of people acting together for social change. Todd always joins the scenes he documents and always brings his sketchbook to capture images directly, so that the energy and immediacy of the moment is retained, then these sketches surface as his works on canvas. His subjects include the protests at the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles, a Galileo High School rooftop garden project, Spearhead's September 15 concert for peace and healing, and the CELLspace youth sk8 dojo. Todd has also invited the youth from Galileo and the sk8 dojo to create collaborative murals to accompany his own work in the exhibition.  Crucible Steel Gallery is located in CELLspace at 2050 Bryant St. @ 18th (415) 648-7562. Gallery hours are 10am - 10pm daily.   For Further Information Please Contact  Jessica Hobbs at jezebel001@yahoo.com Kristine Bauer at bauerk@gene.com