OC Art Blog

"Iron John" transforms Fullerton

Fullerton, CA    Last night, on Saturday evening I found myself walking into some sort of Wonderland that seemed as if it were on the other side of the looking glass...

A living room fit for a wizard... a giant chandelier with flickering candle-light hung in the center of this small alternate universe I had stumbled upon... Plush and ornate couches invited me to sit in front of a large fireplace with fluttering flames, falsely warming the room while I take a gander at beautifully rendered and creatively re-imagined illustrations and read the classic fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm... 

Portraits of creatures covered the walls with decorative ornament enhancing my intrigue... I felt like I was 11 years old again, standing in the fairy tale world that I so desperately wanted to escape to.

...This transformed space was the East Gallery at CalState Fullerton's campus. The imaginative master of this unique experience was Jacob Romeo Lecuyer. With the help of his partner and wife, Renee Rose-Perry, Romeo turned an M.A. exhibition and a book preview into an imaginative realm for people to escape to in an originally white cube gallery space. The contemporary art world rarely allows such classic creativity and artistry to take such power over a space, but the new interpretations of the classic fairy tales from the Brothers Grimm by Romeo lend for nostalgia and passionate thought as the viewer moves through this transformed space. 

Romeo is a witty and fascinating character on his own, so it is no surprise to me that he is able to be so clever and creative with this small space. Examining this artist I noticed a collection of accessories that re-appropriate already existing gadgets into personally helpful devices. His cell phone sits attached to his belt with the help of a crafted velcro device that also houses his blue tooth ear piece. This strange inventiveness and craft completely parallel his art. His art re-appropriates characters and concepts that we can already recognize and turns them into something new, interesting, and provocative.

An M.F.A. student in CalState Fullerton's Illustration program, you can peer into his glass-walled studio space at Grand Central Art Center, and see what other crafty devices and artworks he is dreaming up next.

*Iron John is up til March 25th, 2011. More info at www.jacobromeo.com

Evan A. Senn, contributing writer for OCArtBlog, founder of RARW and www.rarwart.com

Stitch n' B****

There seem to be so few opportunities to study with an artist whose work you admire and have them teach you their craft. Well, the invitation is extended for Thursday, March 24, to take part in Stitch-n-Bitch with pseudo-sod guru, and local ray of sunshine Amy Caterina. 

Caterina will be hosting a knitting workshop at the Huntington Beach Art Center, Thursday, March 24, from 5:00-8:00 pm.  First-timers and pros are welcome to partake in knitting, crocheting, fiber arts, venting, conversations, and even a little installation art.  Participants will be shown how to make ivy, and critters which will no doubt make wonderful inhabitants to the forest Caterina and The Arroyo Arts Collective will be growing this Fall at The Annex at Avenue 50 Studio.  All artists are welcome to the Stitch-n-Bitch, and to participate in this site-specific, fiber-based installation.

See you there.
Krystal

Stitch-n-Bitch
Huntington Beach Art Center
538 Main Street
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
http://www.huntingtonbeachartcenter.org

The Arroyo Arts Collective Presents
Forest, For the Trees
A Fiber Environment
Call For Artists
LOCATION:
The Annex at Avenue 50 Studio
131 North Avenue 50
Highland Park, CA, 90042
SUBMISSIONS MAIL TO:
Forest, For the Trees
Amy Caterina
c/o Grand Central Art Center
125 N Broadway
Santa Ana CA 92706
DATE:
November 12 – December 4, 2011

Measure for Measure Exhibition

 

Measure to Measure Exibition, curated by Lisa Randall and Lia Halloran

Closing Reception: Thursday, March 17th, 2011 @7pm

Location: Chapman University - Guggenheim Gallery

Address: One University Drive, Orange, CA 9286

 

Santa Ana Art Walk

Santa Ana Art Walk. First Saturday of every month @7-10pm. Pictures from March 5th.

Danielle, Krystof Andres (photographer), and Joe at Raven Studios

Andrea Harris at her printmaking studio next to Grand Central Art Center. You can come in her studio during the art walk and learn how to make prints!

Liz, April, and Randi

 

Evan Senn, an artist in her studio inside the Grand Central Art Center.

Russell and Jeff

Tweena Tran, Piano Instructor, in her studio Ste D: Tweena's Tunes

Nicole Steiman, owner of the ARTbar.

Anneliese, Marta, and friends 

Mr Tough Guy, and Alli

 

Have you been to Santa Ana Art Walk? Share with us your experience!

 

Photos by OC Art Blog

Bringing art to life // Inspired by Disney film "Up"

Disney's "Up" house created in real life and flown for National Geographic Show

 

Click here for behind-the-scenes footage from National Geographic Channel (launched 03/05/2011)

This new series, "How Hard Can It Be?" premier in Fall 2011 on National Geographic Channel.

 

Photo credit: Juxtapoz Magazine, National Geographic's "How Hard Can It Be?" series + article

--Jennifer Cheng

Mat Gleason Talks to You

A "Before and After" picture of Mat Gleason's hair cut. Say hello to reality tv show!

Mat Gleason arrived at Cal State Fullerton for a guest talk Thursday, March 3. He founded Coagula Art Journal (Coagula.com) in 1992, and since then has written for other journals, including breaking the record for traffic in the art section of the Huffington Post (just check the amount of angry comments in articles). Cougular Art Journal, issues available online as well as in print, is the self proclaimed “the low down on high art online.”

 

A photo of Mat Gleason at the guest talk in CSUF

Known for his cutting edge opinion on what is and isn't art and his un-censorship to ambiguous topics in the art world: Stephen Kinzer of the New York Times named him “a famously provocative local art critic.” So I expected the guest talk to be a ride-- and he delivered. If you are an art student and bring a painting to Mat Gleason for a critique, do not be surprised if he says your work is not art, does not raise consciousness or deeper discussion, and is shit.  Mat has even advised art students in private school, who are paying $34,000 a year, to use their tuition to throw parties. The networking they would do for their future career would have the highest potential by throwing 40 parties a year. They will meet more people in four years of parties than school, and the relationships will be more intimate.

Despite his often-negative comments about the art establishment, Mat claims he is quite positive. I think he is a philosophical, impulsive and brutally honest thinker. Guilty of not knowing Mat Gleason prior to this event, I spent some time in Youtube (watch this) and was amused by his responses. Like watching a reality TV show, he is one of those characters you are meant to hate and love at the same time. In fact he dyed his hair red for a work-in-progress reality TV show deal.  I like his commentaries because he is bringing art to a bigger audience, and people who do not live inside the art world can understand him and understand art. Ultimately, should not every artist thrive to use visual imagery to communicate beyond language barriers?

 

If you have met Mat Gleason in person, what do you think about his reputation compares to meeting him in real life? If you have never met him, would you want to?

What do you think about Mat Gleason's hair cut?

 

Photo credit: A picture screen cap from Ovation TV | Art or Not? and a photo of Mat Gleason and I; A photo of Mat Gleason at the guest talk in CSUF.

Photos by OC Art Blog

-- Jennifer Cheng

LBCC Art Gallery: Annie Buckley and Dane Picard

Long Beach City College Art Gallery is pleased to host two one-person exhibitions by artists Annie Buckley and Dane Picard with an opening reception on Tuesday, March 8, 7 – 8:30 PM.

 

Dates: March 8 – April 7, 2011

Reception: Tuesday, March 8, 7 – 8:30 PM

Hours: M-Th, 10:00 – 4, T & W, 5:00 – 7:30 PM

 

LBCC Art Gallery

Long Beach City College

4901 E. Carson Street

Long Beach, CA 90808

 

 

 

Exhibitions:      Annie Buckley

             Hybrids & Landscapes

 

 

 

"'Hybrids' is a series of large-scale photographs of women and trees. This project grew out of a previous series of digital collages in which I used images of the body to explore the overlap between the symmetrical designs of yantras, the organic shapes of shells and flowers, and microscopic images of cells." - Annie Buckley

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibitions:      Dane Picard

                        Littlewood’s Circus

 

 

“English mathematician John Littlewood's law of miracles states that a person should expect a miracle once per month. Littlewood bases this calculation on the definition of a miracle as a one in a million event. I have long been enamored by the ghost in technology and the presence of the human touch in art; through this mathematical axiom, I attempted to put the pedal to the metal." - Dane Pichard 

 

 

Last days to see Clay & Glass National Juried Exhibition!!!!

 

The ACGA National Exhibit of clay and glass in Brea is closing March 4, and it is truly a must see. If you have any affection towards 3D art and craft-art, then this is a great show to experience. This juried exhibit had over 400 entries all across the U.S., and has picked 80 of the best national pieces to exhibit in this Orange County space.

Curator, Jo Lauria is an independent curator and art consultant, and is the former Decorative Arts curator at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. She has published and lectured extensively in contemporary and modern decorative arts.

PLUS, out of the many worthy artists on display in this exhibition is one of CSUF's own graduate students, artist Monica Chapon.

-Evan A. Senn,  contributing writer and founder of rarwart.com

This Week In The OC

Thursday, 03/03:

The Plains of Id: Mapping Urban Intervention In Los Angeles

On view: March 3 – April 17, 2011 

Opening Reception: March 3, 5-8 PM

 

WHERE: UNIVERSITY ART MUSEUM (UAM)
College of the Arts 
California State University, Long Beach
1250 Bellflower Boulevard
Long Beach, CA 90840-0004

 

//An exhibition that focuses on contemporary artists who intervene within a specific area of Los Angeles’ sprawling topography.

Artists include: Sandra de la Loza, Patrick “Pato” Hebert, Joel Tauber, and the artist collective Fallen Fruit (David Burns, Matias Viegener and Austin Young).//

[email protected] March 9, 12:15-1 PM, Sick Amour Tree Planting Ceremony

 

Friday, 03/04:

Downtown Fullerton Art Walk

Every First Friday, join the walking party Downtown, new art and artists every month, shop, dine and enjoy the art!

6pm-10pm

Links: Facebook, download downtown Fullerton map, website.

 

Saturday, 03/05:

Santa Ana Art Walk

JOIN THE GALLERY OWNERS OF THE ARTISTS VILLAGE IN DOWNTOWN SANTA ANA FOR AN EVENING OF DINING, SHOPPING FOR ORIGINAL ART AND VIEWING OPEN LOFTS.

 

Stroll down the four blocks of the 2nd Street Promenade from Broadway Avenue to Spurgeon Street on the First Saturday of EVERY month from 7:00pm - 10:00pm. Admission is FREE.

 

Links: Download map, website.

 

Sunday, 03/06:

Orange County Museum of Art's Sunday Salon - Biennial artist, Sherin Guirguis, talks about her teetering sculpture, Bein El-Quasrein, this Sunday March 6, 2pm

Sunrise to Sunset

A breathtaking masterpiece taken by George Kaczmarek came with a story of falling near a deep black hole in the canyons.

 

SUNRISE TO SUNSET INSPIRES ORANGE COUNTY ARTISTS

 

Award winning international photographer George Kaczmarek is the featured artist in the first  ‘Sunrise to Sunset’ exhibition at the non-profit OCFA’s Showcase Gallery at South Coast Plaza Village.  The free opening reception is from 4 PM – 7 PM on Saturday, 12^th March.

 

George Kaczmarek has gravitated to regions of the world that are legendary and sometimes hazardous in order to capture his remarkable images.  His style is to immerse himself in the environment and absorb the character of a landscape, animal or small detail that catches his eye.

 

George thinks nothing of taking risks to get the shot: ‘Twilight at Delicate Arch’, for example, is an image that nearly cost him his camera when he fell near a deep black hole in the canyons.  The resulting image however, is a masterpiece of photography that demonstrates George’s willingness to make the trek in cold and forbidding weather to capture an image to share with the world.

 

Says Showcase Gallery Director Margie Zuliani:  “George Kaczmarek's work in the Sunrise to Sunset Exhibition at Showcase Gallery is a breath taking presentation; over twenty powerful award winning images taken throughout North America, one of a kind images that rival many of the greatest pictures ever taken. Mr Kaczmarek's exhibition is a memorable example of the great achievement of

photography in the digital era.”

 

George Kaczmarek and juried members of the OCFA exhibiting in the ‘Sunrise to Sunset’ will meet guests at the reception to talk about their work.  Live music is provided by the Steve Harris Jazz Collective, and refreshments and appetizers will be served.

 

WHERE: South Coast Plaza Village
1631 W. Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, CA,92704
WHEN: Saturday, 12^th March, 4 PM – 7 PM

Art show// Meet the artist