San Franciscans became unwitting art patrons when the former Association of Bay Area Governments financier Clarke Howatt—who has been indicted for wire fraud after the disappearance of $1.3 million in bond money—commissioned a $24,000 lawn sculpture for his Oregon vacation home. Howatt had commissioned the work, which looks like a large cast-metal disk-thing, from a Santa Fe artist and put down a $10,800 deposit using a credit card. Now the gallery and artist are out the balance, and Howatt's home is on the market for $1.64 million. [SF Business Times; previously]
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