jo russ arts journal

Call of the Wild at Beauty Bar

2012-01-31T21:31:00.002-08:00

"Call of the Wild" was an Industry Supporting Industry event at the downtown Beauty Bar. More than thirty local tattoo artists submitted animal-themed art works, and demonstrated the range of styles that exist under the broad description of 'tattoo-style' art.
Raymond Jimenez from Bad Apple Tattoo had contributed a graphite on paper work and was also represented by a commissioned tornado tattoo, executed that same day. Juan Muniz, who has developed a very recognizable style and a national reputation, was one of three artists who created paintings for a raffle on the night.

Chinese New Year on Fremont St

2012-01-26T22:03:00.004-08:00

The Fremont St Experience was a great place to celebrate Chinese New Year - the crowd often rivals the performers for entertainment value. Dragons of course, were everywhere, including a giant snaking version on the overhead VivaVision screen.

from the streets of LA...

2012-01-22T21:13:00.006-08:00

The Getty sculpture gardens

2012-01-20T08:03:00.004-08:00

The weather was very different from our last visit to The Getty a year ago. This time I noticed how painted-over tags on the the freeway wall mirror the Getty Center Tram which transports visitors up the hill.
This time I discovered the 'Spiny Top, Curly Bottom' sculpture by Alexander Calder (top right) and 'Walking Flower' by Fernand Leger (bottom center). On the patio overlooking the city is Marino Marini's 'Angel of the Citadel'. The other Marini angel we had seen in Venice was enjoying an equally beautiful view.
Photography was not permitted in the exhibition Pacific Standard Time: Crosscurrents in L.A. Painting and Sculpture, 1950-1970, but it is a stunning show and runs through to February 5th.

Martin Luther King Day at LACMA

2012-01-17T18:39:00.005-08:00

In honor of Martin Luther King Day, LACMA waived admission fees. It was also a fitting day to visit the Glenn Ligon retrospective exhibition simply titled 'America'. He has explored both race and sexuality and the top images here show a work he created as a somewhat conflicted response to Mapplethorpe's Black Book photographs. Below are a series of silkscreen, oil and gesso works, with 'Malcolm X (Version 1) #1', 2000 at right.

Go-Go Gallery

2012-01-13T23:34:00.005-08:00

The description on the invite intrigued me: "The Go-Go Gallery is open to the art lover up for appreciating the slow groove, with 12 amazing go-go performers who act as the art installation for this event." So I went along to check it out and found that yes, there was an adjoining gallery, and yes there were go-go dancers, but they weren't dancing IN the gallery itself.
I guess you could describe Las Vegas as one giant art installation. So, if you enjoy mingling with attractive go-go dancers, you'll want to RSVP to special events at The Lady Silvia's in the downtown Soho Lofts. And you can probably check out the gallery at the same time.

the evolving Emergency Arts center...

2012-01-11T19:32:00.003-08:00

Since being reinvented as a creative hub and opening in early 2010, the medical center now known as Emergency Arts has gone through some changes. The Beat Coffeehouse remains as an anchoring meeting spot, but many of the artist's studios on the first and second floors have been replaced by offices for non-profits and creative businesses.
Many of the gallery spaces have also changed, with 5th Wall Gallery, an artist-owned space, being one of the most recent arrivals. Currently showing is an installation by Luis Brennan 'Tell the other side how you feel' where viewers are invited to post personal messages into the work itself.
Kleven Contemporary is one of the more established galleries in the building and is showing "Bitch Betta Have My Money" - lithographs by UNLV graduate Bekah Just which are a contemporary remix of rap and vintage pulp fiction.
Counterspace is dedicated to photography, but is not afraid to explore the boundaries of the medium. The show 'Same River Twice' curated by Tony Flanagan and Michael Monson, features QR codes which have a strong graphic presence and also operate as conduits to selected websites and online galleries.
One of the new creative businesses which have taken up residence is peanutbutterfish who offer web and logo design, and more. Photographed at work in what was once an x-ray room is designer Bijan Damavandi.

First Friday Fremont East

2012-01-07T14:08:00.005-08:00

There was a somewhat spooky ambience in 'Getback Alley' - the new venue for First Friday Fremont Eas t. It felt like we were walking into a film set with the giant figures at the entrance and clouds of colored vapor wafting across desolate canvas scenery ... a gritty, urban film with a loose storyline, allowing plenty of room for improvisation.
We discovered skateboarders, live painting, arts vendors, a fire spinner, and at the very far end a stage, where local band Von Kin were creating the perfect moody, dark soundtrack.
Image top left courtesy Matthew Couper.

Happy New Year 2012, 2013, whatever...

2012-01-01T16:43:00.004-08:00

The Three Wise Guys visit P3 Studio

2011-12-29T09:53:00.003-08:00

The lounge area in front of the P3 Studio at The Cosmopolitan was a very comfortable venue to listen to readings by The Three Wise Guys - Dayvid Figler from Las Vegas, Gregory Crosby from New York and Geoff Carter from Seattle. Current P3 Studio artist-in-residence Jerry Misko invited the trio to perform and created a signature print to commemorate the occasion.

Christmas adornments...

2011-12-25T21:40:00.009-08:00

Getting into the Christmas spirit ... private homes in the historic Houston Heights community of Houston, Texas (top), Thistle Hill and Sundance Square in Fort Worth, Texas (center). And back in Las Vegas, Nevada, some mid-century-modern homes in the Huntridge neighborhood.

from the streets of Fort Worth...

2011-12-24T19:55:00.006-08:00

There are a lot of beautiful historic buildings in Fort Worth - and some which are just designed to look old, like the Bass Performance Hall with the 48-ft tall angels sculpted by Marton Varo. The top four buildings are downtown, and the bottom four are in the historic Stockyards district.

just two of Fort Worth's many museums...

2011-12-23T19:09:00.006-08:00

Fort Worth, Texas is described as the 'City of Cowboys and Culture' and considering that the population is around 730,000, there is a surprising number of art museums. One of the largest is The Modern which was designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando, has a towering sculpture by Richard Serra on one side, and a reflecting pool and Roxy Paine tree sculpture on the other. At the top of the stairs is a 1986 self portrait by Andy Warhol, part of the permanent collection.
We also visited the Kimbell Art Museum which is having a new building added, designed by Renzo Piano. The big attraction for us was the Caravaggio and his followers in Rome exhibition which couldn't be photographed. But from the permanent collection shown here - a rear view of a sculpture by Antonio Canova, and a triton depicted in terracotta by Gianlorenzo Bernini in 1653.

live music at the Thirsty Armadillo

2011-12-22T11:00:00.004-08:00

We did get to enjoy some live music in the historic Stockyards district of Fort Worth, Texas. It was a cold night, but cosy and relaxed inside the Thirsty Armadillo. The sound of music from outdoor speakers drew us in and we discovered two local musicians Thomas Flynn and Heath Webb playing original original numbers - a compelling mix of folk, alt country and blues. These guys are definitely worth following...

'The Live Music Capital of the World'

2011-12-21T07:42:00.008-08:00

I definitely need to spend more time in Austin, Texas, with its reputation as 'The Live Music Capital of the World'. I did manage to have a wander around the historic Red River St area, home to many popular music venues, and across to Central East Austin where, from the late 1920s, jazz and blues clubs formed the core of the burgeoning music scene.
Austin has some great street art and not surprisingly, a lot of it relates to music. One of the most famous pieces is the 1993 commissioned work by musician/artist Daniel Johnston - a large-scale version of his 1983 'Hi, How Are You?' album cover (photo thanks to Matthew Couper).

pills, bullet holes and glass fragments...

2011-12-19T08:15:00.010-08:00

Houston, Texas has a vibrant and varied art scene with clusters of large high-end dealer galleries in an imposing building at 4411 Montrose and along 'Gallery Row' on Colquitt. Featured here are three smaller galleries which represent artists whose work examines cultural, political and environmental issues.
Marzia Faggin was exhibiting at DM Allison Art in the Christmas "Objectivity" show. Her works look good enough to eat with their bright candy colors and realistic renditions of tasty snacks. Each component however is constructed from hand-cast and painted plaster, and a closer viewing reveals the less palatable issue of contemporary society's obsession with the the 'quick fix' of junk food, pills, caffeine and nicotine.
The tall sculptures suggesting desert forms can also provide night lighting in gardens. The artist, James Ciosek, has created a 'Constructed Chaos' series, pitting his works with bullet holes and making use of other 'randomness generators'. The works shown here are in the sculpture garden at Redbud Gallery in the Historic Heights area.
PG Contemporary was showing 'Nuevo Fuego' by Susan Plum, an artist well known for her delicate glass constructions and interest in environmental issues. Her work was included in a major exhibition in 2008 at Te Papa museum in New Zealand Moving Towards a Balanced Earth: Kick the Carbon Habit.

Philanthropy in Houston, Texas

2011-12-17T10:31:00.005-08:00

Houston is another city which has benefitted greatly from the philanthropy of private art collectors. John and Dominique de Menil began collecting in the 1940s. They have many great works by well-known surrealists, cubists, minimalists, abstract expressionists and pop artists. They also recognized the influence of the arts of ancient and indigenous cultures on contemporary artists, so also have works from early Mediterranean civilizations, Africa, Oceania and the Pacific Northwest. The museums housing their collection offer free entry to the public, however no photography is allowed. So seen here is the landscape work by Michael Heizer in front of the main museum building (bottom right). The green neon exterior installation on the historic Richmond Hall building is by Dan Flavin. The de Menils have also installed two large Flavin neon works inside.
The Rothko Chapel (top left) was conceived by the de Menils as a sacred place open to people of every belief. Mark Rothko created the mural canvases for the interior, designed to encourage quiet contemplation. Outside is a a sculpture by Barnett Newman, standing in memory of Dr Martin Luther King, Jr.

Rubell Family Collection

2011-12-14T22:40:00.004-08:00

For contemporary art lovers, the Rubell Family Collection, now based in Miami, is not to be missed. The large two-level building which used to be a Drug Enforcement Agency warehouse has plenty of space indoors for large installations and has an outdoor sculpture patio.
A member of the Rubell family owned the now-famous Studio 54 club in New York, a favorite of Andy Warhol and artist friends. Don and Mera Rubell began collecting art in the '60s and they haven't shied away from provocative work. Many works from their extensive collection are loaned out to institutions, and curated exhibitions ensure that the works on view change regularly - and access is free to the public.
Currently showing is American Exuberance featuring 64 artists sharing their observations of American culture, economy and politics. From top left, visitors explore an installation "Not a Surface Shared With Painting" by John Miller, a painting by Lisa Yuskavage,"Northview, Two Girls", Nathan Marby's bronze sculpture "A Very Touching Moment (Cunning Linguist)", Charles Ray's fiberglass mannequins titled "Oh! Charley, Charley, Charley", a still from Ryan Trecartin's "Trill-ogy Comp" video works, and Rob Pruitt's installation "Sick Obsession With Glitter".

Scope and Art Asia

2011-12-10T17:00:00.005-08:00

As well as the two large fairs, Art Basel Miami Beach and Art Miami, there are a number of smaller fairs and related events. Scope and Art Asia which share a venue, may have less fancy furniture and plush carpeting, but they do have more grass-roots in-your-face art which has particular appeal for the younger generation of art buyers.
I spent quite a bit of time with the work of one of Miami gallery Spinello's featured artists, Sinisa Kukec, who is known for 'transforming trash into treasure'. And I was pleased to find that 'downunder' was represented by Chalk Horse gallery from Sydney, Australia, with a very up-beat and inviting show.
In the 'Special Projects' area was Brooklyn-based 'dirty knitter' Stephanie Hague from Pretty Offensive, creating cheeky new works to add to her clothes lines. The winner of a global artist call by Artists Wanted, another Brooklyn-based artist, Yuhi Hasegawa, was exhibiting his compelling paintings of 'sophisticated barbarians'. And the equally captivating, mischievous red figure is by artist Chen Wenling, showing with Hong Kong gallery Contemporary by Angela Li.
And there was heaps more cool stuff I could post, but sorry, I've run out of energy! If you have any specific questions though, feel free to comment or email me as listed in my profile.

taking it to the streets...

2011-12-09T13:37:00.006-08:00

Time for a change of scene and some art from the streets. Top two rows are in the Design District and Wynward Arts District of Miami. Bottom two rows are up the coast at Fort Lauderdale, including two of the new wall paintings commissioned by the Museum of Art.

people at Art Basel Miami Beach

2011-12-07T14:49:00.008-08:00

Looking at people looking at artworks ... with more than 260 high-end international galleries packed into the Miami Beach Convention Center, Art Basel truly was a visual feast. From top left - the fabulous 'hermaphrodite twins from the future' Eva and Adele peruse the exhibits in their usual matching outfits, a viewer is swallowed up by a Jeppe Hein artwork in Galleri Nicolai Wallner and a sartorial gentleman patiently waits in line to enter the fair. Second row are photomontage works by Martha Rosler at Mitchell Innes & Nache, and a Yasumasa Morimura work at Luhring Augustine. Third row are Nick Cave sculptures at Jack Shainman Gallery and a George Condo figure contemplating Matt contemplating something else at Tony Shafrazi Gallery. Bottom row - a visitor can't resist touching Duane Hanson's Security Guard at Van de Weghe Fine Art, two women peruse Helmet Newton's portrait of Kristen McMenamy at Kicken Berlin, and it's banana overload with the Brazilian artist Paulo Nazareth as 'Exotic Man' at Art Positions.

Art Miami

2011-12-04T05:22:00.012-08:00

I was lucky to be able to attend the 'Blogger's Guide to Art Miami' hosted by art bloggers Joanne Mattera and Franklin Einspruch (top left, discussing a colorful woodblock print by Charlie Hewitt). They toured a group of us around a number of the exhibiting galleries and interviewed the gallerists who shared insights into the development of their exhibitions. Leslie Ferrin of Ferrin Gallery introduced the work of Chris Antemann who creates and then photographs 18th century European-style ceramics where the traditional gender roles are reversed - here the females are clothed and the beautiful young males are naked. The other three exhibiting artists, Kendrick Moholt, Molly Hatch and Sergei Isupov were invited to interpret the concept.
We also visited the Bridgette Mayer Gallery where Bridgette described how she constructed her exhibition around the circular painting by Kenneth Noland. From this central focus, she created cohesion by exhibiting works from other artists which featured linework, grids and pattern.
I then wandered around more than 100 other exhibiting galleries and have included some images here to give an idea of the wide variety of art on show: Waiting on Table by Allen Jones, an untitled hand-colored print by Marc Quinn, painted glass pitchers by Fredrik Nielsen and a work from the Sotheby's assemblage series by Nelson Leimer. Also shown here is the red Peter Fetterman photography booth.
Photo top left courtesy Matthew Couper. Next post - the huge Miami Beach Art Basel...

have made it to Art Miami...

2011-12-02T20:13:00.003-08:00

Today was somewhat overwhelming - art overload - and I've only been to ONE of the numerous Miami art fairs so far - today was Art Miami and I will add a more comprehensive post when I get a chance. Meanwhile here is an image taken from inside an Hans Kotter artwork Tunnel View featured by gallery Privee Kollektie.

Art Fair here we come...

2011-11-30T07:04:00.002-08:00

Flying out to Fort Lauderdale, Florida - next post - Art Miami!

and now for some Australian art news...

2011-11-27T10:35:00.006-08:00

We may be in the grip of a global recession, but Brisbane, Australia is showing signs of strong economic growth which is reflected in the growing arts scene. A new gallery, SmallWorks, has just opened in Kangaroo Point with the inaugural show featuring nine New Zealand artists and includes three of my mixed media works on found album covers.

Walt Hall at Perk Up

2011-11-23T11:28:00.008-08:00

The new Perk Up Coffee Shop in the Southern Highlands area of Las Vegas is committed to bringing together a fine mix of art, coffee, music, books, and complimentary WiFi.
Ocular Confections organizes the changing exhibitions and are currently showing paintings and mixed media works by San Fernando Valley artist Walt Hall who attended the opening. Well-known in the Lowbrow movement of the West Coast, Hall creates eerie environments where small children, birds and other hybrid creatures interact and manifest a variety of emotions. The works are available for purchase and will be exhibited through December.

artist studios opening up...

2011-11-21T09:51:00.004-08:00

With so many buildings sitting vacant around Charleston Boulevard in the Arts District, it is great to see a property owner supporting local artists by leasing out studio spaces. This new studio and exhibition space is just one block north of the Arts Factory on Casino Center - worth visiting this next First Friday...

Shark Toof in Las Vegas

2011-11-17T13:00:00.005-08:00

Until the end of the month, the Joseph Watson Gallery in the Arts Factory is featuring work by respected LA artist Shark Toof. Titled "Oh ... Nature", the works explore evolution and our connection to all living creatures. The artist's vibrant style is developing a wide following, with major recent shows at LeBasse Projects in LA and the Portsmouth Museum of Art.

Go Go Greta!

2011-11-17T09:43:00.007-08:00

Also showing in the Joseph Watson Gallery is original art from the children's book Go Go Greta! written by Dana Satterwhite and illustrated by Joseph Watson. Books, prints and merchandise have a permanent home in the gallery, and as the first publication has been so well received, further books in the series are being developed.

Hands On Art Gallery

2011-11-14T18:17:00.007-08:00

A firm supporter of local artists, Dr Bonnie Fraser has collaborated with the Contemporary Arts Center to create gallery space in the Fraser Hand Surgery office in Durango Medical Plaza. Artists featured in the opening exhibition are Crystal Solis, Ryan Reason, Matthew Couper, Christian Ruiz, Joseph Watson, Brian Swanson, Troy Gillett, Philip Denker and Joshua Levin.
The opening function was well-attended, with catering by Mundo Restaurant and coverage from Fox Television.
Dr Fraser aims to brighten the experience of visitors to her offices and encourage financial support of the arts, with all works being available for purchase.

studio visit with Anthony Bondi

2011-11-11T08:44:00.004-08:00

Entering Anthony Bondi's back yard is like finding yourself in an art installation playground designed to appeal to adults as much as children. In recent years Bondi has developed a reputation for installing large interactive works at the Burning Man festival, including Merry-go-down and Jigglator in 2009, Iron Curtain in 2005 and Deus Ex Machina in 2004.
After these works have been enjoyed by the huge festival crowd, Bondi looks for ways to give them a longer lifespan. Deus Ex Machina aka Homey Paradise (top left) has spent time at the Lied Discovery Children's Museum and some of the larger pieces now decorate Bondi's back yard patio. Always considering the visual potential of objects, Bondi has reinvented these installations as photo-shoot environments. His 2010 series of photographs feature seductive women frolicking within these tactile installations - the kind of behavior not usually condoned in art museums.
Bondi, however, has a vision of freeing up the entrenched ways we view and participate in our environments. Having witnessed many viewers either refraining uncertainly from touching the artworks, or sometimes being too enthusiastic in their play and over-stressing components, Bondi is always considering ways to make the artworks robust enough to allow interaction, while maintaining their delicate, mobile aesthetic.
Earlier collage works also evidence this interest in interactions within environments. Influenced by the themed Strip hotels, Bondi has created a collage featuring Lady Liberty reaching out to an MGM lion, while an Excalibur knight charges in to effect a rather unnecessary rescue. Bondi succinctly sums up the development of Las Vegas "We will take disparate objects and find an order amongst them and define a culture".
The image bottom right is courtesy Anthony Bondi's website.

The Visionary

2011-11-07T17:52:00.005-08:00

The Las Vegas Academy is a high school with a strong reputation in performing and visual arts and their current exhibition 'The Visionary' is a tribute to both the students and the teachers. Inspired by the culture of Steampunk, the students have created sculptural objects and photographic self-portraits based on the theme, along with contextual narratives.
Seen here are 'Exterminate' (with live mouse) by Morgan Dillon, 'Radiohead' by Amanda Acker (bottom left) and 'The Gravity in our Galaxy' by Aja Sheffer (bottom left).

Life in Death festival

2011-11-04T10:24:00.005-07:00

The Winchester Cultural Center hosted the annual 'Life in Death' festival celebrating Dia de los Muertos. There were art and craft stalls, a variety of Mexican food, and performances. There were awards given for the best Calavera satirical poems, and also for the best Ofrenda installations. These altars are designed to honor the memory of the dead, and to please the returning souls. Many of the ofrendas addressed current social and political issues such as high school bullying and the high human cost of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, with 55 pairs of shoes representing the number of fallen service men and women from Nevada state.
There is also a Day of the Dead juried exhibiton which runs through to 12 November. The juror this year was Marty Walsh from Trifecta Gallery and the winner was Matthew Couper, seen here with Marty and his winning work 'Syncretism of the Halves'. The show is diverse and lively, including ceramic works by C.A. Traen ('Amy' top right) and my 'Amor Eterno' (top center).

Las Vegas Halloween Parade

2011-11-02T16:38:00.007-07:00

The Halloween Parade Las Vegas-style featured a walking Fremont St sign flanked by showgirls, an ingenious Superman flying high above the pavement, party floats, skeletons promoting pedal-power and a great variety of creatively-costumed creatures.
Judges awarded prizes in a number of categories including 'Wildest' which went to the 'Girgoyle' (bottom center). For a full list of category winners, see link. And making the most of all the spooky action - what appeared to be a Bollywood film crew...

alongside the Halloween Parade

2011-11-01T12:00:00.006-07:00

As seen on the sidewalks of downtown Las Vegas ... these folks are either Halloween Parade participants getting ready to set off, or spectators, but often it's hard to tell the difference. The Halloween Parade involves a lot of people getting creative with costume ideas and going all out to have a great time... And yes, that is a baby Elvis with his police officer buddy.
Next post - the parade itself...

Cirque du so DEAD

2011-10-29T18:57:00.002-07:00

It's all about Halloween right now and all the local magazines are featuring freaky imagery. My favorite is the Seven issue with 'Cirque du so DEAD' makeup art by Nick Lujan. The hair is by Marshall Vanierland and the model is Kimberley Yori. Photography by Jana Cruder and Retouching by Haoyuan Ren.

Post-Op Lollipop Remix EP Release Party

2011-10-27T17:12:00.005-07:00

Candy Warpop have just released a remix EP 'Post-Op Lollipop' featuring some great local electronic music producers and deejays. The collage artwork for the cover is by yours truly with design by Corlene Byrd. Artifice hosted the release party with a performance by the band as they've never been seen before...

Zap! 4

2011-10-23T21:51:00.006-07:00

The 4th Zap! project centers on the Cambridge neighborhood. Eight artists were chosen by Metro Arts to transform the bland utility boxes in the area. The boxes shown here are by (left to right) Zak Ostrowski, Peter Mengert and Shan Michael Evans. Channel 8 documented the project, interviewing the artists working in the streets - seen here is Jevijoe Vitug in action.
Patrick Gaffey from Clark County Parks and Recreation, implemented the first Zap! project in 2005 as a way to financially support local artists, cut back on tagging, and encourage community pride. The idea seems to be working well, with the artists enjoying lots of support from locals while they worked.

Winchester Cultural Center

2011-10-20T22:05:00.003-07:00

Delivering artwork to the Winchester Cultural Center on McLeod Drive.

Currently showing at the Barrick Museum...

2011-10-17T20:09:00.004-07:00

UNLV's Marjorie Barrick Museum is currently hosting a benefit show and auction to assist with their financial survival in the face of recent budget cuts. The artworks have been donated by well-known Las Vegas artists and can be purchased via a silent auction at the closing reception on November 9th.
Also showing is 'Let Them Eat Cake', a group exhibition on a popular theme, which opened with cupcakes provided by the Retro Bakery, Mad Hatter Cupcakes and Caked Las Vegas. Comic book lovers will enjoy 'Seduction of the Innocent: A visual exploration of comic book censorship through the decades' which is linked to the Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival, and the permanent exhibits of Mesoamerican ceramics and Mexican dance masks shouldn't be missed.

"about the thing and the thing itself" at Pop Up Art House

2011-10-14T21:01:00.007-07:00

The Pop Up Art House is a pristine new gallery space in Henderson which has a spacious light interior ideal for showcasing sculptural works and installations.
The current show About the thing and the thing itself curated by Matthew Marchand, is an installation by Californian artists Cathy Fairbanks and Laura Bowles Faw, who collaborate under the name ap-art-ment. The collection of curious objects, video, photography and drawings are designed to encourage viewers to question every-day presumptions of the familiar.
Visitors are invited to a picnic at the gallery on Saturday October 22 at 1pm (just look for the boat parked out front) and the ap-art-ment show can be viewed through to November 12.

Age of Chivalry festival

2011-10-12T21:29:00.007-07:00

This year the Age of Chivalry Renaissance Fair was held at Silver Bowl Park in perfect fall weather. The sports fields were transformed with colorful tents, castles, and jousting arenas. Most attendees had made the effort to dress in Renaissance-style costumes and there was plenty of entertainment available, including camel and horse riding, archery and snake handling. There were also plenty of opportunities for drinking and feasting....

a freaky First Friday...

2011-10-08T20:50:00.012-07:00

With Halloween and Dia de los Muertos looming, October's First Friday event was suitably gothic. There were cupcake-eating zombies and snake-draped fortune tellers outside Theatre 7 where the PollyGrind underground film festival is underway this weekend. The upcoming Life in Death festival was also represented and local creative venues displayed their decorated Halloween pumpkins.
Blackbird Studios featured a zombie exhibition, and 222 Imperial put on '10,000 Skeletons'. Joel from 222 worked with photo bang bang to create a horror set where visitors could be photographed enacting their own scarey scenarios and around the corner on Main St, the Las Vegas Suspension Syndicate demonstrated the art of body suspension.
With First Friday hours now extended to midnight and the street festival around Casino Center again underway, the crowds were out in force enjoying the stands of art and crafts, food, and live performance such as local pop-punk band Air Drifter.

Meeting artists at Preview Thursday...

2011-10-07T08:47:00.004-07:00

The first thursday of each month, aka Preview Thursday, is definitely the best opportunity to meet the artists exhibiting in Arts District galleries.
The Enchanted Florist has created an autumnal installation in the Attachment Room at Trifecta Gallery where viewers are invited to enjoy a multi-sensory experience.
Heather Hermann, aka Calliopie is showing 'Luminous Body' at Sin City Gallery, featuring works in a variety of mediums which hark back to a more romantic era. Calliopie, along with Domsky Glass will be hosting 'Steampunk Your Junk' at the gallery each Thursday evening in October where everyone is invited to bring along industrial-style junk and incorporate it into artworks.
Photographer Jana Cruder is exhibiting poster images from her 'Faces' project at Space Gallery, across from the Arts Factory. After three years in the Arts District, this will be Space Gallery's last show, so it's fitting that it is dedicated to the great diversity of people who have visited over that time.
The Contemporary Arts Center has invited Chicago-based artist Scott Carter (photographed here with Matt) to deconstruct the gallery space. Carving shapes from the walls, Carter has created an installation of sculptural objects alongside wall-mounted strata built up over time by plaster and paint.

a mecca for tribute bands...

2011-10-04T21:41:00.005-07:00

The Fremont St Experience is a great place for some free entertainment, especially people-watching. The very diverse crowd can be just as entertaining as the paid performers, particularly when they're dancing in front of the three permanent stages.
There are live bands performing every evening, and tribute bands reign supreme. Seen here are two of the best, recreating AC/DC and Black Sabbath.
On the same night we also saw Marilyn, Elvis, Snoop Dog, a gold-painted military guy and a colorful flock of feather-plumed showgirls.

Carlo Roncancio explores sexuality and gender roles...

2011-09-30T10:49:00.010-07:00

The closing party for Carlo Roncancio's show Macho Ma'am at Sin City gallery featured music, fashion and a talk by the artist.
Having developed an interest in fashion photography while studying at the College of Design in Pasadena, Roncancio has worked with Herb Ritts and Bruce Weber and cites Steven Meisel as an important influence. The crossover of fashion and sexuality is the area which most interests Roncancio, who describes the sexually-charged photography campaigns of North Beach Leather and Calvin Klein underwear as being revolutionary in breaking down boundaries.
Working on the Macho Ma'am series has allowed Roncancio to create images based on a long-standing desire to see men evolve into who they really are. Having made many portraits of men in his career, Roncancio says they often open up to him about the pressure they feel to always appear strong and macho, and express a desire to be more relaxed about their sexuality. The male models for this current series are not necessarily lingerie wearers themselves, but Roncancio describes how as he photographed them, they allowed themselves to relax into the moment.
With a vision of a perfect utopia in his head, Roncancio aims to share his vision of a less hostile and judgemental world through his work. "Visually I see things beautifully, I see the best part of a person.... We are all spiritual and sexual creatures of the planet".

!Fiesta Las Vegas!

2011-09-28T08:51:00.005-07:00

!Fiesta Las Vegas! Latino Parade and Festival celebrates the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month. The parade headed north on downtown's 4th St and ended at Fremont St for an afternoon of music, dance, arts and crafts and food featuring the diversity of Latin American culture. I missed this parade, so these photographs are courtesy of Matt Couper.

Arctic Monkeys and TV on the Radio

2011-09-26T22:31:00.007-07:00

This was the first time I've been to a gig held outside in a hotel pool area. The Cosmopolitan was the venue for a double billing - first up was English band Arctic Monkeys followed by TV on the Radio. Apparently some water is drained from the gently sloping large pool, and a barrier is then put along the water line. As the night wore on, many female patrons discarded their fashionably high shoes and sat cooling their feet in the water. The lighting and sound system were excellent and the large video screen gave great close-ups of the musicians.
The Arctic Monkeys put on a tight, high-energy performance and lead singer Alex Turner had a very charismatic stage presence. They played a number of tracks which had received a lot of air play and the crowd responded enthusiastically.
Brooklyn-based TV on the Radio had quite a different sound, blending a fusion of jazz, soul, and electronica. Lead singer Tunde Adebimpe was also captivating as he never stopped moving and demonstrated a broad range of vocal gymnastics. My only regret was that I wasn't lounging in the pool while listening...

Steampunk Cause-Play Couture

2011-09-24T14:28:00.007-07:00

Steampunk Cause-Play Couture was both a fashion show and a fundraiser for two local causes - the LGBT Community Resource Center and Spread the Word: Nevada Children's Literacy. There was a big turn-out for this event at the recently opened Artifice bar, with many of the audience members dressing in character.
The 11 designers created outfits with either steampunk or cosplay themes, and once the models had paraded the designs, the audience was asked to vote on their favorite outfit by giving donations to the models. The design which raised the most money was 'Lady Mad Hatter' by Wendy Eberhardt-Patrick, modelled by Sherise Marie.
The femcee for the night was Jenn O. Cide as 'Tank Girl' in a costume designed by Crystal Gutierrez. The hosts and organizers of the event were MzMina Kahn, Amber Foley and Brieanna Brock, with support from body painters and a team of stylists. The show was so successful that the organizers plan to make it an annual event.

Las Vegas Pride Parade

2011-09-22T09:30:00.007-07:00

The roar of motorcycles heralded the beginning of the 2011 Pride Parade along downtown 4th St. Many floats featured the rainbow colors which have come to represent the colorful diversity of people under the banner of Pride. There was a mixture of community groups, supportive businesses and politicians, and church groups with signs such as "Hate is not a family value" alongside drag queen divas, scantily-clad angels and costumed cart ponies.

Before and After the Pride Parade...

2011-09-20T21:28:00.005-07:00

One of the great things about living downtown, is that the parades come to us. Friday night was the annual Pride Parade so I went for a stroll around the block and met some parade participants waiting to hit the streets, and some bystanders enjoying the ambience. My next post will be the parade itself...

Atari Teenage Riot headline at the Royal Resort

2011-09-17T00:01:00.006-07:00

The annual Neon Reverb festival spanned five days and a multitude of venues - this post is from the Saturday night shows at the Royal Resort. There was alt country music inside (not listed on the program) plus a stage set up behind the hotel where breakcore artist Otto Von Schirach (aka King of the Bermuda Triangle) kept the crowd intrigued with some speaker humping and electronic sampling.
German digital hardcore band Atari Teenage Riot were the main drawcard of the evening and from the moment they came onstage they didn't let up on the intensity. Their strong stage presence and political message captivated the audience. The only remaining original member of the group, Alec Empire ended the performance by climbing over the security barrier and mixing with the crowd.

Sean StarWars discusses viking ships and chimp attacks

2011-09-13T10:17:00.011-07:00

Strange sights in Vegas are not uncommon, so the colorful characters created by Mississippi-based artist Sean StarWars fit right in. His woodcut prints, currently on show at Blackbird Studios, feature sailor chimps, guitar-playing goats, girls in bondage and many references to popular culture.
StarWars gave a talk at the gallery where he described his approach to making work. "You get better every day that you draw. You become more capable. As soon as you stop doing it, you become worse". In line with this attitude, and in addition to teaching, he is on target with a current project of producing one woodcut per week for an entire year, then the following year intends to motivate himself further to produce one smaller-scale woodcut per day.
StarWars believes in the importance of first learning the techniques and traditions of printmaking, then discarding those which could restrict the development of a fresh, experimental process. With a longtime association with The Outlaw Printmakers, StarWars enjoys working on projects which push contemporary printmaking into new territory. One such project spearheaded by artist Dennis McNett at the Southern Graphics Council Conference in Philadelphia, 2010, involved the construction of a viking ship which was pasted with prints by StarWars and others, then pushed through the streets with a heavy metal drummer inside, and finally demolished by the crowd who walked off with the prints as trophies.
The graphic nature of woodcuts allows a strong narrative to come through in the work, and StarWars has developed this in his larger-scale multi-color prints. Magazine advertising has been a source of inspiration in the past, but like many other artists, StarWars now makes use of the wealth of material available on the internet. His current fascination is with former NASCAR driver St James Davis who was mauled by escaped chimps in an animal sanctuary. We can look forward to a new chimp series by StarWars.
"If I live till I'm 60, I'm going to be making prints till I'm 60, unless a chimp bites my hands off".

Sculptural 9/11 tribute

2011-09-11T16:12:00.005-07:00

The UNLV Library has unveiled a sculptural tribute on the 10-year anniversary of 9/11. Artist and UNLV alumnus Troy Gillett constructed two intertwining towers suggestive of the helix form of DNA. Titled A Common Thread, the sculpture is constructed from t-shirts which reference a specific human tragedy.
In the aftermath of 9/11, these t-shirts were contributed to an impromptu shrine in front of the New York New York Hotel Casino on the Strip by people from all over the country, and from overseas. The Hotel recognized the importance of conserving these t-shirts and other mementos, and eventually entrusted this collection to the UNLV Library for catalogueing and permanent conservation.

Maryland Parkway music festival

2011-09-08T09:18:00.005-07:00

The historic Maryland Parkway neighborhood was the setting for a 3-day music festival at Labor Weekend. I visited in the afternoon when the temperature was high, but people had still come out to support the street vendors, refreshment stands and live performers. Seen in action here are local band The Thunder Nuggets.

expect the unexpected...

2011-09-05T09:54:00.008-07:00

You never know what you will come across at events in the Arts District. The first Thursday of the month is when most gallery exhibitions open and art aficionados have the opportunity to meet the artists. Photographer Christian interacts with visitors to his show at Blackbird Studios (center middle), and artist James Henninger accompanies Mayor Carolyn Goodman at the unveiling of her official portrait in the Bar+Bistro (bottom left). At center right, Carlo Roncancio art directs a model and gallery visitor at the opening of his show Macho Ma'am at Sin City Gallery.
At the September first Friday event I came across some rather unusual vehicles at First Friday South, some young visitors enjoying the child-friendly Geek: A Tribute exhibition at 222 Imperial (center left) and a matching trio at the Arts Factory (bottom right).

Big Top Tease and Rockabilly Couture at Mr D's

2011-09-02T10:39:00.009-07:00

The last Tuesday of the month event at Mr D's was pumping in August. Amongst the stunning array of classic cars courtesy Mutt 'n' Jeff's Classics, Rockabilly Couture models strolled a light-edged carpark runway in designs by MzMina Kahn, Amber F Ex-Photo, Scarlett Ginger, Lizeth Mejorado, Birds of a Feather Boutique, Greaser's Social Club, Vampriana Styles, La Chutita, Danni Marie, Mindy Jay and Marisol Gomez.
Event organizer and performer Goldie DeBloomers hosted a raffle along with RingMistress for the night, Cha Cha Velour. And as a final crowd pleaser, there were burlesque performances by Mimi Nouvelle, Su Nami Saki, Dani D'lish, Goldie, and Yinzie Steel.

from the streets of downtown...

2011-08-29T09:07:00.004-07:00

Mixing it up - as seen on the eclectic streets of downtown Las Vegas - a poster in an abandoned house, Mona Lisa gazes out enigmatically over the city, and window images from The Ogden apartment tower. Situated in the heart of the original casino district, the street level windows of The Ogden reflect the retro glamour of its surroundings.

an intense night at Artifice...

2011-08-26T09:02:00.006-07:00

LA band Fish Circus featuring Absinthe performer Penny Pibbets recently played two nights in Las Vegas to release their new album 'Dinner with the Commodore'. Seen here is their Monday night performance at Artifice, alongside local bands The Akashic Record (top) and Candy Warpop (bottom). It was a very interesting night - the crowd enjoyed very tight, intense performances by all the bands and some wild audience interaction courtesy Fish Circus. The guy who got the lap dance will have a good story to share with his grandchildren one day...

All that Glitters at the Bunkhouse

2011-08-22T12:55:00.005-07:00

I can't resist using a few cliches - hotdogs, hot cars, hot women - as seen Friday night at 'All That Glitters' at the Bunkhouse Saloon. There were some beautiful classic cars on display, and saucy performances from Miss Charlamay, Goldie de Bloomers, Brianna Belladonna and Miss Karla Joy, with Blanche Debris as the charming femcee.
This is just a little taste of what could be seen, but if you are in Las Vegas and regret missing this event, you might want to check out Big Top Tease at Mr D's, August 30, featuring classic cars, burlesque and Rockabilly Couture.

Cirque du Soleil's Mystere

2011-08-18T22:42:00.002-07:00

Las Vegas has always been known for offering high quality shows, with amazingly SEVEN current Cirque du Soleil shows. Mystere is one of the earliest, opening in 1993, and with two shows each night, is still filling the theatre.
There was some very entertaining audience interaction - much of it involving popcorn - and many humorous characters in the show. The combination of humor, color and constant action would appeal to children as well as adults. I've seen quite a few great circus shows, but there were feats of strength and dexterity in Mystere which seemed beyond human capabilities.
I came away feeling great respect for the talented hard-working performers and the crew behind the scenes who keep such a complex mechanism running smoothly.

I.M. Caravaggio at Theatre 7

2011-08-16T11:22:00.006-07:00

This was my first visit to the newly opened Theatre 7 in the Arts District which will be showing independent films, live performance and art. The atmosphere is intimate and friendly and often the film directors and actors are present for informal Q&A sessions after the screenings.
The independent movie I.M.Caravaggio directed by Derek Stonebarger features Ryan Eicher in the lead role - pictured above describing his preparation for the part. He plays a contemporary Las Vegas art student who is obsessed with the infamous Italian artist Caravaggio who died in 1610 after committing a murder.
I.M. Caravaggio is neither an exploration of painting nor a tourist advertisement for Las Vegas. It is a dark film about obsession and emotional damage grounded in the gritty beauty of the back streets, seedy casinos and strip joints which can be found beyond the bright lights of the Strip.

Dr Sketchy's - August

2011-08-13T08:40:00.003-07:00

Photographer Michele Hengeveld is the new principle of Dr Sketchy's Las Vegas - a monthly event held at Dino's Lounge. A combination of 'drawing, drinking, prizes and debauchery', Dr Sketchy's this month featured the talented Carolin Feigs and Erin Marie Sullivan as models.
The concept originated in New York in 2005 when artist and burlesque performer Molly Crabapple began hosting life drawing sessions in bars, featuring burlesque dancers and performance artists.
Now an international phenomenon, Dr Sketchy's premiered in Las Vegas in June 2008, with burlesque performer Cha Cha Velour as principle. As I was visiting Las Vegas at the time, I was able to attend the inaugural event held at The Palms.

more first friday exhibitions...

2011-08-09T09:08:00.013-07:00

The downtown artists and gallerists have clearly demonstrated that first friday in Las Vegas is a thriving event, with or without the festival area on Casino Center. Again, this is only a little taste of what was showing ... Trifecta Gallery (top left) hosted the Safewalls exhibition featuring sixteen popular local and international artists inspired by Cirque du Soleil.
Across the road at Space Gallery was 'Polaroid Minutes' by 18-year old Las Vegas photographer Nick Leonard who has an ongoing love affair with retro - in this case accommodation signage in Reno and Las Vegas.
At Kleven Contemporary (center left) Justin Favela (see recent post) has created another show which highlights his interest in relationships and reinvention. This "New Paintings" show is the first stage of another reinvention, coming soon....
Bobby Logic's exhibition 'Sexy Bubbles' featuring a heady mixture of girls, guns and bubbles is currently showing at Sin City Gallery (center right). At bottom, 'Freedom>Force' at the Aios gallery on Main St. Thirty-eight artists contributed works for a send-off show farewelling Stephen Hendee and Catherine Borg who both made major contributions to the local art scene (see article in the Las Vegas Weekly by Kristen Peterson).

first friday in August...

2011-08-07T10:26:00.006-07:00

The first friday of the month - Vegas style! Burlesque, showgirls, painted murals and painted people, ice cream (of course) and even a pirate or two. Top left is Yinzie Steel at the Burlesque Hall of Fame which currently has lots of photographs and information on the history of burlesque in Las Vegas. Top right are showgirl works by Karen Jaikowski, a new artist at The Arts Factory. Center are wall works underway by Damien Drake (left) on the Sin City Gallery wall and Juan Muniz in the CAC window, both which were completed for first friday.
Adding to the diversity of studios and galleries in the 18b Arts District is Skin City Body Painting which opened this month at 1209 S Main St. The ice cream truck (bottom right) is parked up at the new street closure area - First Friday South.

Preview Thursday - August

2011-08-05T10:04:00.009-07:00

Last night was 'Preview Thursday' in the Las Vegas Arts District - a chance for art appreciators to tour the galleries, meet the artists and have first option on purchasing works without contending with first friday crowds. Two exhibition spaces on the fringes of the Arts District which are well worth visiting are the award winning Blackbird Studios at 1551 S Commerce St and the recently expanded 222 at 222 E Imperial St.
On show at Blackbird Studios are seductively disturbing paintings and motivational posters by Brent Holmes (top left and center) accompanied by works by F. Andrew Taylor in the central space (top right). 222 is hosting the ideal summer group show 'Ice Cream Pop' (bottom three images) where visitors can cool off with ice creams while enjoying the refreshing works.
Both these exhibition spaces are surrounded by other creative studios and galleries. Due to organisers taking a break to restructure, the first friday in August and September won't have stages, street security and closures on Casino Center, but the Gypsy Den at 213 E Colorado is open with a great line-up of bands and the newly formed First Friday South has organised a street closure and classic car show outside Theatre 7 at 1406 S 3rd St. All the usual galleries and studios will be open, plus a few new ones in the mix. I'll do another post on these soon...

'Art Series' video conference

2011-08-01T07:57:00.006-07:00

If you are wanting to expand your mind with some free art history education, the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas is the perfect place to do it. Designed as an event for caregivers, the Art Series from The Cleveland Museum of Art is open to the public.
The video conference format allows for interaction with the Cleveland Museum presenter. The session I attended recently covered the movements of Fauvism, Die Brucke and Dada & Surrealism. With that much ground to cover the session was not in-depth, but the presenter showed illustrative works from each movement, discussing various interpretations and encouraging questions from the audience.
Upcoming sessions are 'Italian Art - Etruscan through to Contemporary' on August 2nd, and 'Ancient American Art' on August 16th. For my earlier post relating to the design of the Center, click here.

ARTrageous Vegas!

2011-07-29T08:42:00.011-07:00

Conceived to raise awareness and funds for the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada, ARTrageous Vegas! brings together the wider Las Vegas arts community for a night of creative diversity. This year the event was held at the new Cosmospolitan with plenty of space for a fashion show, a juried art exhibition, a photography studio and several smaller salons featuring burlesque, body-painting and music.
There was so much to experience in the short space of an evening, that these photos give only a tiny taste. Many talented individuals and queer-friendly businesses provided donations and sponsorship to create what was widely considered a very enjoyable and successful event. Art exhibition judges awarded the top prize to the collective Three Bad Sheep and exhibiting artists donated half of all sales to the Center.

Lord Gargoyle at the Sci-Fi Center

2011-07-25T08:49:00.003-07:00

We've now been living in Las Vegas for a year, and are still discovering interesting little venues off the beaten track. The Sci-Fi Center is a little hard to find as it is NOT in the building with the glowing neon Sci-Fi signage, but follow the red line on their location map and you can't miss it.
Comic fans will enjoy the well-stocked comic store plus there is a small film theatre which regularly shows sci-fi and horror movies.
Las Vegas artist Rob Hester, aka 'Lord Gargoyle' was invited to exhibit his paintings and demonstrate his body-painting technique. The model for this event was the beautiful Brianna Belladonna, famous in her own right as an artist and a sword-swallower.
As she was already adorned with some large tattoo pieces, Gargoyle incorporated these into his final design. Tentacles wrapped around her body, emerging from a gaping fissure in her back, suggesting a large multi-eyed monster was taking her over. Gargoyle's creation was right at home in the Sci-Fi Center.

Queen Califia's Magic Circle

2011-07-19T15:59:00.010-07:00

Escondido in California is lucky to have the only sculpture garden in the United States designed by French artist Niki de Saint Phalle. The artist lived for many years in the States, and also in Spain where she was introduced to the work of Antonio Gaudi which inspired her to create her sculpture gardens. Her largest work is the Giardino dei Tarocchi in Tuscany, Italy, which took 20 years to complete, opening in 1998.
Queen Califia's Magical Circle opened in 2003, a year after the artist's death. It comprises a wall of snakes surrounding nine freestanding sculptures. The colorful figures with reflective mosaic surfaces demonstrate how her earlier very detailed collage works eventually developed into captivating three-dimensional creatures.

Art in the Streets at the Geffen Contemporary

2011-07-16T10:36:00.013-07:00

So what happens to street art when it is taken off the streets and 'institutionalized'? While in LA, we visited MOCA's Geffen Contemporary to find out. The end result is apparently a very popular exhibition with British artist Banksy sponsoring free admission on Mondays to make the show more accessible to a wider audience. He is quoted as saying “I don’t think you should have to pay to look at graffiti. You should only pay if you want to get rid of it." His comment appears to be a little dig at those people who view all street art as unsightly graffiti which needs to be eradicated.
'Art in the Streets' is a big show which aims for a broad overview incorporating illustrated timelines, documentary photography, skate boarding videos and unique car art alongside huge pieces painted directly on to the walls.
The artists shown here include top left Blade, top right Saber, cars by Kenny Scharf and Keith Haring, and bottom left Margaret Kilgallen, and photographs by Estevan Oriol.
Large as this exhibition is, there are of course, many influential street artists who are not included (Mat Gleason gives an interesting overview), and there was one piece controversially edited out - Italian artist Blu's anti-war mural depicting coffins covered by dollar bills. Hyperallergic shares the details.
Ironically, Blu's experience of having his completed work immediately whitewashed out, is typical of the reality for most street artists. Pieces are often subversive, political, or on private property. It is difficult to maintain this innate subversive quality when street art is transferred to a public museum environment, although the cheeky little characters in the bathroom stalls could almost pass as unauthorized interventions.
'Art in the Streets' is no longer street art, but it is a high energy show which will give a lot of artists a much wider profile, and bring a lot of new visitors to the MOCA Geffen.

street art - on the streets

2011-07-11T10:09:00.006-07:00

Street art in it's element - the street. Pieces engaging in dialogue with each other and with their environment. Sometimes slick, sometimes rough, sometimes commissioned, sometimes opportunist, always offering the buzz of discovery. These works are all in Los Angeles, except for the bottom two in San Diego.

Independence Day on Fremont Sreet...

2011-07-07T22:59:00.007-07:00

This fourth of July, instead of watching fireworks, we watched spinning stars and stripes on Fremont Street's overhead Viva Vision canopy, while people on Ziplines came flying past. It was all pretty crazy and very Vegas.

Artist's talk - Kevin Chupik

2011-07-05T08:01:00.011-07:00

Currently showing at the Brett Wesley gallery is Plumage by Kevin Chupik. The artist gave a well-attended slide presentation and overview of his painting career to date. He graduated from Texas Christian University in 1992 with a B.F.A in Painting and Drawing and received his M.F.A. from the University of Colorado. Chupik moved to Las Vegas in 1997 where he teaches at the College of Southern Nevada.
He describes the 1989 exhibition 10 + 10: Contemporary Soviet and American Painters at the Museum of Fort Worth as being very influential due to his previous interests in post-war Soviet Social Realism. Other artists pointed out as influential on his practice were David Salle, for his focus on poetic narrative, Belgian Surrealist Rene Magritte, for his deconstruction of the female figure, and James Rosenquist for his formal interest in divided or segmented picture planes.
Another formal influence on Chupik is French Pointillism from the late 19th century which he sees as offering the potential for great complexity of color via scientific theories of optical mixing.
His process involves sourcing images from the internet, then cropping and adding filters or color effects. He chooses to work freehand, rather than projecting or tracing images onto the canvas, which deviates from the classicist tradition of using the camera obscura or the cartoon process during the Renaissance period. Each painting first has tonal areas of color blocked in, then the slow process of adding color marks begins, concentrating on the relationship of complementary colors. A large painting can take up to 400 hours to complete.
With an interest in both classicism and modernity, Chupik aims to fuse and balance the two in his work. The female form has been a recurring theme and this current series of juxtaposed images features birds and women. Chupik says he has realized these works are really about male and female relationships.
Asked if he had any advice for upcoming artists, Chupik responded "Take your education seriously and quickly find out what you like to do and do it. Try it all as quick as possible, then focus in on one thing. I try to steer students away from the trite, the cliche. It doesn't mean you can't later revisit it".

From Abroad (Vent 10)

2011-07-03T12:35:00.007-07:00

The exhibition From Abroad has just opened at Thermostat Art Gallery in Palmerston North, NZ. All the artists in the show are scattered around the globe but have links to the gallery. I contributed the top two mixed media works, and Matt and I collaborated on the bottom two works - the first time we have worked together like this.
The other artists in the show are Shelley Malcolm from London, Barnard McIntyre and Clare Firth-Smith from Melbourne, Victor Berezovsky and Sandra Schmidt from Dresden, David Boyce from Hong Kong, Christian Hogue from Bangkok and Leahlani Johnson from Sydney. The exhibition runs through to 21 July.

Tease at Mr D's

2011-06-30T18:30:00.006-07:00

If you like classic cars, beautiful burlesque performers and exotic fashion, Mr D's is the place to be on the last Tuesday of every month. These events are organised by Mutt & Jeff's Classics and Goldie deBloomers, seen here performing bottom right, alongside Su Nami Sake. On the microphone is the very entertaining femcee, Miss Miranda Glamour, overseeing the raffle draw.

Karaoke Battle USA

2011-06-28T16:47:00.003-07:00

I now know that there are world championships for karaoke. There is currently a nationwide hunt underway to find America's 'King and Queen of Karaoke' who will go on to compete in the world championships in Ireland in September.
Matt and I signed up to be part of the studio audience at the regional competition hosted at the House of Blues in the Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas. The tv show is called Karaoke Battle USA and is hosted by former N-Sync member Joey Fatone.
We had great seats at the back where we could see the stage, but could also watch the camera operator and see Joey's pre- and post-performance interviews with the singers and their supporters. We got to see eight contestants and most of them were incredibly confident and very impressive singers.
Just when I was thinking it would be great to photograph the film camera's image of the stage with the actual stage behind it, the woman next to us got sprung for taking photographs. Apparently it is all top-secret until the show screens in a few weeks, so Security watched as she was made to delete her photographs. Consequently the only image I came away with shows Security guarding the entrance.

desert garden

2011-06-26T14:08:00.001-07:00

some street art and architecture downtown Las Vegas...

2011-06-22T10:13:00.004-07:00

Justin Favela at County Center

2011-06-19T09:16:00.006-07:00

The other day we walked to the County Center to see Justin Favela's work on display in the Rotunda. He has 'reimagined' artworks from the City Center collection, creating his versions from cardboard. Seen here top center is his reference to Jenny Holzer's scrolling digital phrases and sitting on the reception desk is a miniature work based on Frank Stella's “Damascus Gate Variation I”. Below are both the reimagined and the original versions of "Reclining Connected Forms" by Henry Moore.

Vegas StrEATs Festival

2011-06-16T09:35:00.007-07:00

The El Cortez Vegas StrEATs Festival which happens every Second Saturday wasn't just about eating, though the Slider food trucks were certainly a major attraction. There was also streetwear, skateboards, live music and art. I was there early and found a diverse, relaxed crowd with lots of children enjoying the shaved ice and other treats. Right next door is Emergency Arts with studios and galleries open for visitors.

car flipped on Las Vegas Boulevard

2011-06-15T08:29:00.004-07:00

Partying at the Arts Factory

2011-06-12T20:39:00.012-07:00

Friday night, there were a couple of parties going on at the Arts Factory - Wonderland by Nytronix Entertainment and the SINNER magazine relaunch. There was work by MzMina Kahn (top left) and Electric Fluffy Friends as well as deejaying and live drumming. The outdoor burlesque went down a treat - seen here are Lou Lou Roxy and Sarah Doll - and so did the Sin City Firedolls. Meanwhile Lord Gargoyle expertly weilded an airbrush to transform three models into original creations. We were greeted by a large snake and given phallic balloons when leaving - only in Las Vegas!

Stan and Ted

2011-06-10T09:33:00.002-07:00

Candy Warpop debut at the Bunkhouse

2011-06-07T08:48:00.007-07:00

Recently-formed band Candy Warpop debuted at the National Homeless Alliance Benefit Show at the Bunkhouse. This band is going places fast, and for those who haven't seen them yet, they're also playing at Beauty Bar tomorrow night. Their EP 'Pre-Op Lollipop' is out now - with cover art by none other than Matthew Couper.

June First Friday

2011-06-06T09:54:00.008-07:00

I got to First Friday late this month, but I did make it to a couple of shows. Here is "Don't Kill the TV" by Joel Spencer at 222 Imperial - creative uses for those old tv sets that many people just toss out ... and a slick show by students of the Las Vegas Academy at Blackbird Studios in Commerce St.

flying back to Las Vegas...

2011-06-04T13:40:00.004-07:00

probably my last road trip in the rain for a while...

2011-06-02T21:51:00.002-07:00

the new Quay Gallery...

2011-05-31T08:18:00.003-07:00

The newly renovated building on Taupo Quay in Whanganui which now houses the information centre, also has a cafe and an upstairs gallery. Shown here are glass works by Leanne Williams and Jim Dennison and ceramic works by Ross Mitchell-Anyon (left) and Paul Maseyk. There was also a great video playing which gives visitors an overview of what they can see in the Whanganui area.

and I've been working on this collage commission...

2011-05-28T12:17:00.002-07:00

making ceramics...

2011-05-26T17:42:00.004-07:00

Matt has been busy in Whanganui making some very cool ceramics.

buying milk direct from the farm...

2011-05-25T03:51:00.000-07:00

Waitaha Pa

2011-05-24T02:24:00.006-07:00

I enjoyed being shown Waitaha Pa, the site of a fortified pa with terraces and food storage pits still evident. From the top of the ridge there was a great view of the Whanganui River.

Artists' talks at the Sarjeant Gallery...

2011-05-22T15:37:00.006-07:00

Currently showing at the Sarjeant Gallery in Whanganui is Song of the Woods. Local artists Andrea Gardner (top left), Johanna Pegler (top right) and Andrea du Chatenier discussed their works in the show.

the welcome party...

2011-05-19T14:53:00.001-07:00

'Pop Gun' opens at the Rayner Brothers Gallery...

2011-05-15T19:45:00.008-07:00

Some of my mixed media LP works are currently on show in 'Pop Gun' at the Rayner Brothers Gallery in Whanganui, along with works by Matt, Andrew Ritson, and Mark and Paul Rayner. Photo of me with Gary Freemantle courtesy B.T. Ardell. The exhibition runs through to June 18th.

one of my favourite places - the Wellington coast...

2011-05-13T20:01:00.004-07:00

Paul Nache exhibition opens in Cuba St...

2011-05-11T16:49:00.001-07:00

The Paul Nache gallery has put together a group show on the top level of 147 Cuba St, Wellington, bringing a fresh breath of Gisborne air to the capital.

nothing compares with food made with love...

2011-05-10T13:28:00.001-07:00

sculpture

2011-05-09T14:51:00.003-07:00

Left to right: Hasting's Haukunui Fountain by Jacob Scott William Jameson and Ricks Terstappen, a utilitarian object in Hastings that fascinates me, and Palmerston North's newly installed kinetic sculpture United Divided by Phil Price.