Turner has focused his career on the human face with the objective of creating a narrative between the viewer and the subject. Turner paints his subjects after carefully
studying the multiple photographs he has taken with a concentration on their essence as opposed to their features. Rather than a photographic survey of Long Beach, Turner’s expressionistic portraits reveal the psychological drama and emotional fabric, intrinsic and specific to Long Beach.

The artist paints each portrait directly on glass with thick impasto brushstrokes that can only come from a trained eye and deft, experienced hands. The transparency of the glass creates a surface which reflects the viewer and the environment, while its materiality speaks to the inner fragility. Additionally, the shade of paint underneath each work becomes a defining characteristic of the work. The infinite combinations of location, population, and color add to the dynamics of the exhibition.

Flux plays an integral role in the conceptual underpinnings of Ray Turner’s work. As these works travel and are exhibited to nationwide audiences and locations, local
residents are integrated into the body of work adding new layers to the growing “Population”. This exhibition will be accompanied by a full-color catalogue, which will
include Turner’s latest portraits of Long Beach’s “Population”, as well as an essay about the artist’s work by art historian and exhibition co-curator Peter Frank.

The Museum will also be showcasing works from its permanent collection in the second floor galleries this summer with selections from The Wilma and Roland Duquette
Collection and The Jason Wong Estate. All of the Museum’s summer exhibitions will be celebrated at LBMA After Dark on Thursday, July 7, 2011 from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. For more information about the Museum’s exhibitions, events and programs, visit our website at www.lbma.org.

About the Long Beach Museum of Art Located on a magnificent bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the Long Beach Museum of Art features a historic mansion and carriage house, expansive galleries and gardens, oceanfront dining at Claire’s at the Museum and a unique Museum Store. The galleries and store are open Thursday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday – Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $7 for adults, $6 for students and seniors age 62 and older, free for Members and children under 12, and free for everyone on Thursday evening from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and all day on Friday. Claire’s is open Thursday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Saturday and and Sunday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, call (562) 439-2119 or visit www.lbma.org.

“This is How We Roll: Art from the Female Skater Community”

These women are skaters, but their scope lies beyond wheels, trucks and bearings. Roller skating and skateboarding is a common thread and significant part of their lives, BUT it is not all they can do. They are not “one trick ponies.” They are artists representing diverse themes, media, and styles.

Come see the work of these talented women and support the Long Beach arts at this entirely FREE event.

Saturday 7-10 p.m.
May 7th, 2011
Complimentary hors d’oeuvre and cocktail reception

COMPLIMENTARY PARKING at 1001 E. 3rd St. LB 90802 at the Seventh-Day Adventist Church. Access lot from 3rd St. and walk 2 blocks south on Bonito Ave. to Studio 1021 on Broadway.

This month, the Portfolio barista steps out from behind the coffee bar to showcase a series of new pieces. When it comes to her art, LaRose (formerly Kaplowsky) is kinda old-school, opting for pencils, pen and paper rather than a computer, keyboard and a mouse. Her photo-realistic pieces—created with Prismacolor pencil and Sharpie markers—have garnered rave reviews and rewards in the past few years. Not only was she featured among a handful of ‘must-see’ local artists in the January issue of Long Beach Live magazine, but also was awarded the grand prize in Sharpie’s national 2009 “Write Out Loud” competition.

LaRose has followed her creative muse from a very young age and studied formally at both UCLA and CSULB. “I have been drawing since I was able to hold a pencil,” she recalls. “It seems that even when you’re in the worst of places with nothing at all, there are always pencils and paper. I started drawing with whatever pencils I could get my hands on, whether it was just a yellow #2 pencil or a $2 set of Crayola colored pencils from the grocery store. When I went off to high school, I discovered a whole new world of art. I put my pencils away for a while and found solace in ceramic sculpture. It wasn’t until after taking a life drawing class at Cal State Long Beach that I realized I could create the 3-dimensional feel of a sculpture with my old pencils and paper. My goal now is to create the most realistic drawings that I can. Years of technical training and life experience have brought my art to a whole new level. At one point I used my ability to draw as an escape, now it is my passion.”

Objects and scenes of everyday life are cause for inspiration for LaRose. “Everything inspires me. Every color, texture, feeling, and person that I come across brings something new to the table. The specific drawings are not meant to be taken literally, but to bring a different emotion to every person that sees them. The feelings that they bring to me are not always going to be the same as everyone else, but the important part is that they create an emotion. My goal is not to tell my story, but to create a new one.”

For more information, go to: http://kristinkaplowitz.com

Each week throughout the show, die-hard Lynch fans and curious newcomers alike can view one of Lynch’s seminal films presented by the Long Beach Cinamatheque. Each screening will be accompanied by the release of a limited edition, signed 18” x 24” print. Films will be screened at the Art Theatre of Long Beach on Friday nights at midnight (BLUE VELVET, March 4th; ERASERHEAD, March 12th; LOST HIGHWAY, March 18th; WILD AT HEART, March 25th), and FREE at Cherry Beach at 7pm (DUNE, March 4th). The Art Theatre of Long Beach is located at 2025 East 4th St., Long Beach, CA 90814. Details here: http://lbcinema.org

David Lynch’s filmic oeuvre manages to pull noir, camp and—sometimes—even brutal realism together into ominous narratives and this uniquely intermeshed sensibility has been inspiring artists of all mediums for decades now. Those included in this show work primarily in two-dimensions, a format well-suited to probing Lynch’s eccentric visual world. Some explicitly respond to or appropriate the director’s imagery, like UK artist Famous When Dead whose “Rabbit” is a refined portrait of the quietly patriarchal animal that appeared first in an online sitcom and later in “Inland Empire,” or Aurora Armijo’s distraught portrait of Lynch’s repeat leading lady, Laura Dern.

But others take a looser approach. Handiedan’s “Lost Highway” is, like all of her work, fragmented and darkly nostalgic—in other words, wholly resonate with a Lynchian aesthetic—and Bryan Schnelle’s slick explorations of the visually absurd have an unsettling glamour that would be at home in “Mulholland Drive,” or even parts of “Blue Velvet.” David Atkinson’s bloody “What About Bob” makes implicit, eerie Lynchian violence aggressively explicit, and John Ottinger’s “Dark Father” speculates on what would have happened if Lynch had directed “Return of the Jedi.”

It’s been forty years since David Lynch moved to Los Angeles, and thirty-five since “Eraserhead” debuted. In that time, he’s become embedded in the collective psyches of aesthetes and film buffs. This exhibition explores what his legacy might mean, though it makes no definitive interpretation, generously leaving the interpreting to its viewers.

About Phone Booth Gallery
Established in 2008, Phone Booth Gallery exhibits many talented contemporary artists from around the globe. Owned and operated out of Long Beach, CA. www.phoneboothgallery.com

About Long Beach Cinematheque
Long Beach Cinematheque is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization founded by Logan Crow and dedicated to the celebration and study of classic and independent cinema by providing opportunities for the Long Beach community to experience and share film classics throughout the city; by curating special events that incorporate film with live music and multimedia art; by collaborating with independent organizations and theatres in shared community events; by supporting with scholarships the efforts and dreams of student filmmakers; and by welcoming guest speakers such as filmmakers and film historians to speak to audiences as part of their cinematic experience.

For more information about the event, or to schedule an interview with any of the artists, please contact Garry Booth.

This fabulous opening gala will include an all store celebration where party guests will enjoy lavish hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, dinner and dessert buffets, live entertainment and the opportunity to do some sneak preview shopping in the new store. There will also be vignette modeling featuring new spring fashion throughout the store.

Honorary Chairs are Debbie Autrey from Long Beach Museum of Art and George and Beverle Ray from Community Family Guidance Center. Event chairs are Maggie Reep and Luis Morente from Long Beach Museum of Art and Briana Knabe and Kathy Lovell from Community Family Guidance Center.

When: Tuesday, May 4, 2010, 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Price: $75.00 per person

Please use our fax, email or mail form to make your reservation online now or call 562-439-2119 ext. 336

The value of the collection has not been released however a $1-million reward has been offered by an anonymous source for information leading to the recovery of the paintings.  Anyone with information should contact the Los Angeles Police department.

To read the full article visit the LA Times.

The green, Eco-friendly, recycling, artistic women of Mascara Obscura will be hosting another amazing art exhibit at Cafe Viento y Agua Coffee house and Gallery in Long Beach this Saturday eventing from 6pm to 10pm.  Meet the artists, have some great coffee, listen to some cool music from DJ Desiree and DJ Soozee and enjoy the event ‘USED”.  This exhibit will feature artwork created with materials already existing in the community.

Viento y Agua Coffee House is located at 4007 East 4th Street Long Beach, CA 90814.  For more information about this event go to http://vientoyaguacoffeehouse.com/  or http://www.facebook.com/people/Mascara-Obscura/1422428826#

I guess, technically, it really was an auction but that’s not descriptive enough.  Maybe a gala, an affair, a pageant, a real “to-do”, a moveable feast or, as my Dad might have called it,  a “heck of a shindig” ….had he been allowed in, which is doubtful.

When Christie’s held the soiree of soirees to unload  (pardon me “offer”) the effects of the life long partnership of Yves St. Laurent and Pierre Berge, at the Grand Palais exhibition space, it was a six day affair that was attended by more than 30,000 people. In addition there were over 10 auctioneers taking non-stop phone call bids for six days. St. Laurent, of course, died last year and my guess is that he and Pierre had pre-ordained the auction of what they had collected over their 50 years together. To have a successful gathering in Paris it was considered essential to have Yves St. Laurent in attendance.  Yves made this one through his and Pierre’s decades of collecting.

The 10 page spread in the July edition of Architectural Digest is something to behold, especially if you are in-between jobs or on short rations, so-to-speak. I freely admit that my knowledge in the world of art is lacking. Without using a lot of cliché’s trying to support my ignorance (“I know what I like”, etc.) I confess that my admiration is usually limited to  say ….”that cost how much?”

Well this collection is something you have to see to believe. Over 6 world records were set for art works and there must have been 50 set for furniture. Those of you who are true aficionados will revel in it and those who don’t know anymore than I do will share my astonishment

The magazine spread displayed many of the items sold with a tag of what room they were in at Pierre and Yve’s digs. (Paris and New York) The first page displayed 12 items of furniture and some bric-a-brac that sold for a little over $53 million. I liked a wooden sculpture that resembled a large nut cracker but I thought that $37 million was too much.  I wouldn’t have paid a penny over $35 million. There also were some lack luster jugs that sold for about $130,000 but there was another pair of jugs that looked a lot nicer and went just under $3,000,000.  I think at that price they are called a “brace of vases”….with a long “Aaaaaa.”

The second and third pages were identified as “The Grand Salon 1976” but the total here was a   paltry  $32 million. Admittedly that didn’t include whatever was paid for some partially empty liquor bottles but it did include an old leather chair that went for $28 million! ( I’m almost sure I saw its twin  at a Belmont Shore garage sale just before Christmas.)  I did like the four nice wooden chairs that were a bargain, I guess, at $132,000?, and also a very nice piece of wooden statuary of a pregnant pelican….I know, I know,  pelicans don’t get pregnant .. but I don’t think the artist knew it.   Anyway it was only $774,000.

When I got to the fourth and fifth pages, “The Grand Salon 2008” I finally saw something I recognized….(see I’m not totally a tyro)  A Matisse that sold for $10 million and a de Chirico for $14,233,226.  Imagine adding twenty six dollars to a $14 million dollar bid to win?

I thought one of the highlights of the auction happened before it began. Mr. Berge, is not only an unique collector but a businessman with a wonderful knack for negotiation. Prior to the sale a dispute had unfolded over two Qing dynasty bronze animal heads, a rabbit and a rat, originally looted from an imperial palace in China but purchased legally. China had demanded their return, but a French court ruled the evening before the sale that the auction of the heads could proceed as scheduled.

The issue had become a heated one in China, stirring nationalist indignation. Mr. Berge countered that the heads belonged to him, saying, however, he would gladly give them to China if Beijing would “observe human rights and give liberty to the Tibetan people and welcome the Dalai Lama.”  The heads were sold.

I know Yves was a brilliant and creative man but some of these things must  have been purchased when he was in one of his drug induced hazes. But then that begs the question, what about the bidders this year who were willing to pay more than Berge and St. Laurent did when they bought these things.

Which begs the next question….what the heck do I know?

The grand total of the sale was almost one half a billion dollars!  Perhaps not enough to help GM or AIG but certainly a wonderful contribution for “”Research on AIDS” and other charities created by St. Laurent and Berge. 

A most noble gesture by two true “Renaissance Princes.”

This Saturday, June 13th from 4 to 10pm Downtown Long Beach will be host to  Tour Des Artistes annual live art and music festival.  If you’re looking for a taste of the Long Beach art scene or are merely looking for something different to do this weekend the Tour De Artistes is worth checking out.  Tour Des Artistes features over 30 live artists,  live bands, beer garden, VIP museum & gallery Big Red Bus tours and various after parties sponsored by downtown clubs.

For over ten years Tour Des Artistes has attracted thousands of people to the Downtown Long Beach area to showcase the dynamic cultural scene. The event began as a casual tour of empty buildings that local artists had taken over and turned into studio spaces. As the city evolved, so too did the Tour. 2009 will prove to be bigger and better than ever.

VIP BUS TOUR:  A sophisticated affair for those who enjoy the finer things. Long Beach’s very own Big Red Bus, a vintage double-decker London bus, will whisk VIPs off to a variety of local Museums and Exhibitions. Exclusive access and complimentary food and beverages at each stop are sure to satisfy the palette and spirit of any cultural enthusiast. To purchase tickets click here.

For more info on the Tour De Artistes event this weekend visit TourDArt.com.

It’s A Grind Coffee House, will be sponsoring an art exhibit, ”Reflective Haven” at Cecil & Reed in Signal Hill.  “Reflective Haven” will feature six artists and their works.  Featured artists will be Candy, Steve Garcia, Natasha Tikunoff, Vanessa Varquez,Lane Reed and Stephanie Bates.

Come out and enjoy an evening of great art, great coffee and the amazing musical talent of Amie Smith.

‘Reflective Haven’ art exhibit June 13th, 2009 from 6pm to 10pm at Cecil & Reed 2551 California Ave. , Signal Hill California.  Save the date!