After his sketchbooks were ruined in the Laguna Beach floods of 2010, LCAD student Trace Mendoza created an homage to his lost pages with new characters. As part of the Laguna College of Art & Design Mentor Program, we’re thrilled to be showing this part of his senior portfolio project in The Storytellers this month.

This year is the 10th anniversary of the LCAD and First Thursdays Art Walk professional mentoring program, which pairs students with local galleries for the month of December.

Artists Reception Thurs., Dec. 1, 2011. Don’t miss!

December is rapidly approaching and so is our holiday show. We are excited to share our writer / artist partnerships and so are releasing a few sneek peeks. We asked San Francisco artist Chad Hasegawa to partner with Duango, CO writer Christine Rasmussen. Torrey & Brian recently had the pleasure of getting a tour of Chad’s studio in SF and got to see one of the murals he did in the Tenderloin National Forest on Ellis. He also has large piece available at The Luggage Store Gallery on market St.

To top it off, on a visit to 941 T&B got to see Chad putting his touch on a Blek le Rat piece that sold for upwards of $45K. Here are the snapshots… stay tuned for his partnership with Christine…

Last night friend and artist Schoph Schophield had an art show at RedBull studios in London to celebrate the Art of Flight movie going over there…

More pics from the opening to follow, and more about Schoph HERE

11.11.11. NOV 11TH IS OFFICIALLY A NEW HOLIDAY.

As I was driving past the gallery this afternoon of 11.11.11. something caught my eye in the doorway of the gallery. Went to park the car, rushed down to turn the corner and find a random gift of art deposited directly on our doorstep.

At first I thought that it was inspired by our epic solo show from Corey Smith and his “We’re brOKe” art in the window, but then my brian started calculating that it could be something more.

For months I have been racking my brain about corporate America’s ability to get products in a place where the products consumption is a TRADITION. Diamonds upon engagement, wedding AND anniversaries. Flowers and Candy on Valentines Day. Costumes on Halloween. etc etc etc etc etc…

Bing! November 11th should now be forever known as the give art day. If you are an artist, make something and randomly deliver it to someone’s doorstep that you love. If you’re not as crafty, go to your local gallery and buy art to give. It’s a simple as that. Show your love through the gift of art.

We love our gift. The original token of Give Art Day. It has a place of honor at AR4T.

Does this pic look weird? If you’re not even a little bit curious about the new Personal Pyramids trend, then maybe you’re the weird one… The creation of artist Corey Smith, pictured here in an actual live demonstration of the pyramids’ healing effects in… effect… at AR4T! The demonstration took place during the Artists Reception/Opening Party/ First Thursday Artwalk on Thurs., Nov. 3, 2011. Corey had others join him in attempting to relieve stress, make dreams come true and prevent lines and wrinkles in individual 22x22x22 “patented triangle healing energy vortexes” while his dog Marcel and about 50 others gathered to watch in an almost quiet hysteria. So this is how healing crazes are born. Then everyone got up, Corey put on his cool studded jacket and we all partied. I guess it worked – stress, gone!

AR4T gallery friend and Laguna Beach local Evan shared this pic of his new art in his home. Mick Jagger by David Blake titled “We’re Not Gonna Play Man” was part of last month’s Heaven’s on Fire show. We love! Thanks Evan!!