Tag: Thinkspace

Recommended openings to catch this weekend…

Travis Louie
“The Most Dangerous Comb Over” 11×14″ / acrylic on board
Showcasing as part of Travis’ solo this Saturday at Copro Gallery

Fri, May 8th 6-9PM
La Luz De Jesus Gallery
4633 Hollywood Blvd. in Los Angeles / 323.666.7667
“Miss Mindy’s Sassy Paper Doll Bonanza” book release party & signing
(one-night only special event)
http://www.laluzdejesus.com/

Fri, May 8th 7-11PM
thinkspace
4210 Santa Monica Blvd in Los Angeles / 323.913.3375
“…Away From the Things of Man” with Kathleen Lolley + “A Brief History” from Allison Sommers in the project room alongside “Inner Myth Pt. 1” from Joao Ruas as part of the “Fresh Faces” series
(On view through June 5th)
http://www.thinkspacegallery.com/

Sat, May 9th 7-10:30PM
Black Maria Gallery
3137 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles / 818.613.9090
“These Are Strange Times My Dear” featuring works from CJ Metzger, Catia Chien, and Danny Paragouteva
(On view through June 6th)
http://www.blackmariagallery.com/

Sat, May 9th 3-7PM
Carmichael Gallery of Contemporary Art
1257 N. La Brea Ave in West Hollywood / 323.969.0600
“Total Sao Paulo: A Guide To The Unexpected” special book signing event with complimentary Brazilian cocktails courtesy of Leblon Cachaca – plus you can take in Thais Beltrame’s debut LA solo and the ‘Get Rich Quick’ group show that both just opened on Thursday evening
http://www.carmichaelgallery.com/

Sat, May 9th 8-11:30PM
Copro Gallery
2525 Michigan Ave, Space T-5 at Bergamot Station in Santa Monica / 310.398.2643
“Strange Grooming Habits” from Travis Louie + “Sentimental” from Kathie Olivas
(On view through May 30th)
http://www.copronason.com/

Sat, May 9th 7-11PM
Exhibit A Gallery
1086 S. Fairfax in Los Angeles / 323.954.7295
“Die Posers, Die!” featuring works from Steve Caballero, Tony Alva, Chris Pastras, Steve Olson, Lance Mountain and many more – limited prints and gift bags for those that get there early
http://www.exhibitagalllery.com/

Sat, May 9th 6:30-10PM (dog adoptions 4:30-8:30)
GR2
2062 Sawtelle Blvd in Los Angeles / 310.445.9276
“Free To A Good Home: Art Exhibition and Dog Adoption” featuring works from Apak!, Robert Bellm, Evah Fan, Susie Ghahremani, David Horvath, Michael Hsiung, Little Friends of Printmaking, Justin “Scrappers” Morrison, Tom Neely, Tru Nguyen, Martin Ontiveros, Albert Reyes, Martha Rich, Rob Sato, Edwin Ushiro, and many more + dog adoptions on site too day of event from Los Angeles Animal Services
(On view through June 10th)
http://www.gr2.net/

Sat, May 9th 7-10PM
LeBasse Projects
6023 Washington Blvd in Culver City / 310.558.0200
“Hello and Goodbye” featuring new works from Yoskay Yamamoto + new works from Melissa Haslam in the project room
(On view through May 28th)
http://www.lebasseprojects.com/

Sat, May 9th 7-11PM ($100 at the door)
MOCA Fresh Silent Auction
At the Geffen Contemporary / 152 North Central Ave in Los Angeles / 213.633.5381
Annual benefit auction to raise funds for the MOCA – food, drinks, and music courtesy of DJ Rashida
www.moca.org/auction

Sat, May 9th 7-10PM
Billy Shire Fine Arts
5790 Washington Blvd. in Los Angeles / 323.297.0600
New works from Mars-1, Damara Kaminecki, Chris Roberts-Antieau and Ray Abeyta
(On view through June 6th)
http://www.billyshirefinearts.com/

Sun, May 10th 6-9PM
Billy Shire Fine Arts
5790 Washington Blvd. in Los Angeles / 323.297.0600
Dr. Sketchy Los Angeles Session #000 with Shag and Tim Biskup + a few surprise guests – join Baby Tattoo and the gang at BSFA for what promises to be a very fun evening
http://www.billyshirefinearts.com/
http://www.drsketchyla.com/

Kathleen Lolley starts work on her installation at Thinkspace…

Kathleen Lolley arrived into the gallery yesterday afternoon to start work on her mural/installation for her debut LA solo show, …Away From The Things Of Man, opening this Friday at Thinkspace. Please read on for some behind the scenes action…

Laying down the base coat…

Working away on the foundation of trees for her mural…

Kathleen Lolley‘s sketch for the front entry area… complete with about a dozen hand carved wooden birds that will be hanging from the ceiling, flying amongst the clouds…

Kathleen’s massive owl sculpture keeps a close eye on things as we start to lay things out in the main gallery for this Friday’s opening…

Things are starting to come together in the main gallery for this Fri…

Two of Kathleen’s amazing lil’ creations… just awaiting their homes to be unpacked.
Shot of the main gallery coming together for this Fri…

Shot of the main gallery coming together for this Friday…
Allison Sommers‘ “Ligatures” about to be unwrapped and ‘hung’ on the wall… wait till you see these!!! So much attention to detail in all her work, it’s really astounding.
The bizarre and wonderful world of Allison Sommers is starting to come to life in our project room… don’t miss this one. She’s gone above and beyond – just a magical experience.

Joao Ruas – fresh back from Sherman framers…
Kathleen Lolley …Away From The Things Of Man
Allison Sommers A Brief History
Joao Ruas Inner Myth Pt. 1
Opening Reception: Fri, May 8th 7-11PM
All three artists are in town for the opening, so please be sure to swing on through and say hi.
Thinkspace
4210 Santa Monica Blvd (near Sunset Junction)
Los Angeles, CA 90029

An interview with João Ruas…

“Elephantman”
Pencil, watercolor, gouache and collage on 300gms Fabriano

An interview with João Ruas

Born in Brazil, 28-year old artist João Paulo Alvares Ruas was still a young child when his interest for visual art started to grow. Comic books were his first bridge to lines and colors, during high school much of his time was devoted to creative thinking due to the almost alternative education institution he studied under. Later, he took Design as his choice in University. After a three year stint in London, João went back to his home town, São Paulo, where he works and lives.
Mythology has always been a subject for arts due to the fantastic yet real features they capture of the human psyche. With this series of works, I will explore the subject once more, trying to establish connections between actions or situations and mythological characters that represent the many faces necessary to construct one personality.
Portrait of the artist

Please talk a lil’ bit about the general idea/vibe behind your new series of works for “Inner Myth Pt. 1”.
Basically, if you look back into pretty much all the periods of Art, there is a connection between artistic production and mythology at some point or aspect. With series of works, I want to create my own point of view about some of these myths and create bridges that connect us and our time with those multi-faceted stories and characters.
Since the show’s title is “Inner Myth Pt. 1”, do you plan to continue on with the “Inner Myth” series? Is so, in what way?
Yes, of course. I want to go back to this again in the future. The theme is so rich and complex that I can see myself painting mythology in 10-20 years without being bored or out of ideas. It isn’t like I will paint only about this, but I will surely do other chapters.

“Gorgon” process shot

What’s your earliest memory involving art or creating art?
The first thing I remember drawing were Peanuts characters.

When are you most productive / when do you normally work on art?
Afternoons and early nights. I am not a morning person and definitely I am not a fan about working late at night either, I only do it when it’s extremelly necessary.

“Gorgon”
Watercolor, Gouache, Acrylic on Heavyweight Fabriano

You currently reside in São Paulo, Brazil – being so disconnected from the art world at large – do you feel this helps in any way to influence your work?
Well, I guess I am disconnected from the art market, but not from art itself. There’s a lot of visual production going on in São Paulo, in many fields. Of course, it’s a smaller scale, but I don’t feel I am in a desert by no means

You spent three years abroad in the United Kingdom. Did this time away from home influence the current direction you’ve taken with your work in any way?
Yes, definitely. It really opened my eyes. I started to see the world in a different and more open (and yet simple) way. I discovered that people are the same no matter what language they speak, what food they eat or what customs they have, these are all details. We all have weaknesses and desires that obey no frontier. Before living there I used to see the big world outside my little world as a monster ready to bite my head off.
“MRCR” process shot

For those new to your work, can you give us a lil’ background on where you are aiming to take your work and what you hope viewers gain from it?
Basically, I want to constantly experiment visually and yet keep a nostalgic feeling to my work. It’s a contrast, and my idea of creation is based on that purely, contrast and equilibrium. I don’t know if viewers can gain anything looking my paintings, but I want them to discover their own ways through the layers and maybe find something really meaningful to them.

You just took over the illustration gig for the creation of each new Fables cover. Following in the footsteps of the one and only James Jean, has to be a daunting task. From what we’ve seen thus far, Fables’ fans have really embraced your work. How did it feel when you got the call that the gig was yours?
At first I gotta say I sincerely didn’t want to do it because I knew my work would be instantly compared to James’, I was afraid to get a stamp on my forehead and pretty much destroy my almost unborn career. After a while though, I thought I needed to do it for myself really, to prove for me that I could handle that pressure otherwise in the future it could turn into something that I would regret forever. So I accepted it and I am simply treating it as a job, a very important one, yes, but I try to ignore that pressure.

“MRCR”

Watercolor, Gouache, Acrylic on Heavyweight Fabriano

Tell us something about yourself that someone would never guess in their wildest dreams.
I seriously considered studying Geography in college.

Are you reading anything right now?
I bought this old used book called “Marvels of the Russian Novels” and it has short unknown (for me) stories from all the good ones, Gogol, Dostoiewski, Tolstoi, Gorki, etc.

Do you listen to music while painting/drawing? If so, do you have a current favorite that inspires?
For me that’s essential. My favorite bands are all from the 90’s, but I am really into the last Bat for Lashes album.

“Tengu” process shot
If you had to explain your work to a stranger, how would you do so?
I would say it apparently has surrealistic elements, but nothing is random. It is like a scripted dream.

Favorite artist (living or dead) and what makes them special to you?
My all time favorites are Degas and Klimt. Degas for his deep opinions about painting and obviously his masterful work, and Klimt for his constant explorations without any prejudice.

“Tengu”
Watercolor, Gouache, Acrylic on Heavyweight Fabriano
We are very much looking forward to having you back next spring for a proper full show in our project room. What have you got coming up in the meantime in terms of shows after “Inner Myth Pt. 1”?
Well, I may show a couple of pieces in Europe later this year and another couple in december at the Art Basel with you and a full series next year again with you guys.

What are you doing right after this interview?

I wish I could say something cool but I will only go to bed get some sleep.

For a great read on João’s background, check out Erratic Phenomena‘s write up here.

We posted this earlier in the month, but just in case you missed it, Sidebar Nation posted a great podcast with João recently, check it out here.

View shots of the piece “Enkindu & Gilgamesh” coming together for this May here.

Additional behind the scenes shots of João’s work can be viewed here.

And also via his personal Flickr account here.

Last but not least, keep up with João via his site here.

João Ruas
‘Inner Myth Pt.1’

Fri, May 8th 7-11PM in our project room (alongside Allison Sommers)
Thinkspace
4210 Santa Monica Blvd (near Sunset Junction)
Los Angeles 90029

In the studio with Andy Kehoe…

‘Living In Twilight’, a solo exhibition of new works by Andy Kehoe, opens at Jonathan LeVine Gallery on Sat, May 16th. Kehoe has created a new series of oil and acrylic paintings on wood panel, including some of his largest-scale pieces to date, for his debut New York City solo show.

“Beacon For Wayward Souls”

Kehoe’s allegorical compositions are painted in a low-key palette of rich autumn and earth tones beneath a fine layer of crisp black accents. Many of his characters of the part-man-part-beast variety are portrayed with a strong sense of alienation, finding peace and beauty in solitude to overcome feeling alone. Elemental details like skylight and foliage (or lack thereof, on bare tree branches) represent the passing of time and seasons of change.

Studio shot of things coming together for this May at LeVine…

“Humanity Returns”

Kehoe’s isolated figures are often surrounded by the majestic grandeur of nature (a character in and of itself), which has a powerful influence on the artist and is present throughout his work. The nature theme illustrates perspective on how small and insignificant our problems are in the larger scheme of things, although the artist says that he “completely sympathizes and relates to the heavy toll these problems have on the mind and heart.”

Living In Twilight features Kehoe’s trademark style of imagery inspired by traditional folktales and mythological art with narratives of the fantastic and grotesque. Nostalgic for a time before society’s age of science (or before an individual’s developmental age of reason), Kehoe rekindles a childlike sense of wonder in his work, recalling an era when fables and legends were believed as truths to explain all the mysteries of the unknown.

Even though Kehoe’s world is a magical imaginary one, it is not a perfect fairytale—contrasting forces of nature and human emotions surround primordial themes of life and death—and the fundamental plight of mankind still exists through greed, betrayal, deceit, violence, and self-destruction.

On the title chosen for his show, in the artist’s own words: “Twilight can be seen as the waning moments of decline preceding an eventual end. The sun disappears over the horizon, as the onset of darkness is assured and approaching. The actual moment spent in twilight is an instant when two strong forces hang in the balance and quietly coexist. I wanted to make a world that lives in this delicate harmony, even with the promise of change and resolution lying impatiently on a cusp, ready to break…I continue to build this world piece by piece, creature by creature and story by story.”

“Decay Nurtures Life Anew”
“The Wandering Of The Wicked” on the easel of Andy Kehoe…

“The Wandering Of The Wicked” process shot 1

“The Wandering Of The Wicked” process shot 2

“The Wandering Of The Wicked” process shot 3

“The Wandering Of The Wicked” process shot 4

“The Wandering Of The Wicked” finished piece

“March Of The Exiled”

Andy Kehoe was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA and now spends his days painting in his attic in Portland, OR. He grew up reading comics, enjoying the cool costumes and the ridiculous, stylized violence. Now relishing the nostalgia of childhood, he remembers the days of his youth spent watching cartoons, reading storybooks and doodling all day. This childlike sense of wonder is something Andy tries to portray in his work, reflecting a time when magic and monsters existed and all the mysteries of the world were possible. After high school, Andy took a long and expensive tour of art schools and finally ended up at Parsons School of Design in NY, where he studied illustration. After a few illustration stints, Andy began to focus on his personal work—and in the years that followed, his paintings have been shown in galleries across the country.
‘Living In Twilight’ opens Sat, May 16th and will remain on view through June 13th at Jonathan LeVine Gallery in New York City.
For more on Kehoe, watch his site at http://www.andykehoe.net/ and be sure to check out the short ’20 Questions’ feature Juxtapoz just did with him here.
Mark your calendars now for Kehoe’s LA solo show this December with Thinkspace… more on that soon.

Last week to view our current April exhibitions…

Brandi Milne ‘Run Rabbit, Run’
Cherri Wood ‘trouble, clearly’

Alex Garcia ‘Blood & Steel’
We’ll be open this Thursday and Friday from 1-6PM. Don’t miss the final two days to view these great exhibitions.

Mention this post when you swing through, and we’ll give you a limited edition decal from Brandi Milne courtesy of the good folks at Gelaskins.
4210 Santa Monica Blvd (near Sunset Junction)
Los Angeles 90029