Lights Out Beach City: Art anthem of summer 2012

Introducing 14 years of works by the artist Ben Brough
Opening Night on Cinco de Mayo
Saturday, May 5, 2012, 6-9pm
Musical guest Dano Forte

About the art: Ben Brough’s new solo show features works from six feet in size to 2.5×2.5-inches. Presented as loud thoughts and after thoughts derived from nomadic journals kept from 1998-2012, Lights Out Beach City expands on the highly vagrant work over fourteen years using space, color, cartooning, collage, and painting techniques. Screeching imagery of food, music, coastal living, cinema, sex and landscapes in styles and mediums selected to clash by intention. Using mediums “found within arm’s reach” and presenting the show in a space as imagined, designed and installed by Brough, the viewer will be presented with a raucous landscape that brings to mind the fast and hard-edged DIY ethic only ever found lurking in the deepest subcultures of youth and punk rock.

Says the artist:  “I wanted to put everything out there. Moving around has always been a way of life, and 1998 is the year I started really spending a lot of time abroad and recording images and enjoying it. I have always worked in different styles and I wanted to see them together in one room at one time. The fast-paced consumerist lifestyle mixed with the richness of the laid-back surf history here, I’ve grown to see the great qualities of California.”

Show runs May 3-26, 2012. Come check it out.

“Tax Included” opened last night to one of the biggest crowds at AR4T Gallery yet. Fans of Russ Pope came from far and near to see his latest work and to get a rare performance from Indian Wig. Here are a few snapshots to start… more at: https://www.facebook.com/Artists.Republic, and more at Vans Art Tumblr: http://vansart.tumblr.com/post/20576720503/opening-photos-from-russ-popes-tax-included-at-ar4t

Dennis McNett and the Wolfbat Shamans have arrived in Laguna Beach – bringing with them spirits not seen in these parts for decades… spirits from a time when mystical creatures walked the earth among their human counterparts, and their stories followed them through the ages to become legend. Right now as we read this, thanks to the art of Dennis McNett, creatures are stirring once again – laying the path for stories yet to be written.

Everyone who entered AR4T Gallery last Saturday was initiated as Wolfbat Tribesman on the opening night of Wolfbat Shamans and the Whale of Gratitude. McNett’s masked shamans, portholes and shields were regarded by old and young. Each tribesman brought their gifts of gratitude to the whale, as did the haunting vocal serenade of El Mysterioso. The combination made for one of the most captivating pictures to come out of our gallery.

McNett and his girlfriend Miryam had traveled from Brooklyn on what was M’s first trip to California. She noticed that everyone smiles here. So… it’s not a myth that happiness prevails; the Whale of Gratitude succeeded in its intention. What happens to the whale after? The story continues… Come see the installation, which took McNett four days to build from the ground up, for the full explanation.

On Saturday people were able to snag their first choice McNett print (priced from $20 to $350) discounted a little something extra on opening night. If you missed the opening,  prints and artwork will be on view and for purchase through March 24, 2012 (regular gallery hours Weds.-Sat. 3-8pm).

Photos: From the Instagram feeds of Dennis McNett (top) and Jesse Fulton (here). Photos below by Pete Stow. See more at Spire1.com.

Big thank you to Vans.

Thank you Michael Hsiung for an amazing collection of photos taken at the show! View a bunch more photos here >>  Vansart.tumblr

A few days before the official opening of Dennis McNett’s Wolfbat Shamans and The Whale of Gratitiude, a special group got together to celebrate. Wanted to share a couple of photos from that evening. Thank you to Doug Palladini from Vans for bringing Dennis out to LB from Brooklyn, and thank you to Thierry at Brussels Bistro for once again hosting a lovely dinner party.

Anika & Jon Warren with Dennis

Doug Palladini, Torrey Cook, Dennis & Greg Escalante

Annie Adchavanich and Chris O.

Ben and Marty

Mark Weiner, Russ & Jennifer Pope

Carl E Smith & the infamous Brian Cook

Jon & Bethany

From The Editors at Boardistan: “On Saturday, January 7, 2012 Laguna Beach, California’s AR4T Gallery will host the opening party of a photography exhibit titled Still Life With Wood. The exhibit features a collection of work from some of the best men to ever point highly polished glass at a rolling slab of maple:”

The artists reception to welcome in STILL LIFE with wood and the new year at AR4T Gallery did not disappoint. Grant Brittain, Miki Vuckovich and their families were some of the first people to walk through the door, and Grant and Laura Brittain were the last to leave – the party was just that good.

Artist Jay Croft flew in for the evening, and it was awesome to get to hang with Dave Swift and James & Tracy Cassimus. A sea of smiling faces that have been part of skateboarding for decades came out to celebrate: Ben Schroeder, Jeff Grosso, Jim Gray, Lee Crane, Paul Schmitt, Ryan Kingman, Jon Foster, Ewan Morrison, Don Brown, Chris & Pam Zam, Lee Crane, Danny Zapalac, Brian Ridgeway… the list goes on and on. A few artists with upcoming shows in 2012 helped kick off the new year as well….Russ Pope & his wife Jennifer, Sticky Shaw, & Brennan Coyle. As requested by Grant and Swift, IPA from O’Shea Brewing Co. was served, and for the occasion of the music of el mysterioso – so was a little Tecate. Thanks to Pete Stow for taking photos of the evening. You can see more of Pete’s photos at Spire1.com, and photos from Lee Crane on Boardistan.

All photos of STILL LIFE with wood are available for purchase – please see the show page for pricing and info.

One big happy family! at THE STORYTELLERS Artists Reception and Hospitality Night Dec. 1-2:

Thursday night reception/ Laguna Beach Artwalk – LCAD student Trace Mendoza joined AR4T extended family with artists Sticky and the Sabori family, Taylor Reeve, Grace Lee, Veronica Lowe,  Jason Carrougher and Chantal de Felice who was showing her jewelry. Artwork by Brennan Coyle, Traci Hartless, Karlee Mackie, Chad Hasegawa and 2Jaws accompanied by PG stories of kings, moon travels, rainbows and Thrash-fish – for the kids and kid in all of us…

On Friday night the young Milk & Cookies artists made time in their busy Santa viewing schedule to make ornaments and generally go nuts. “Isn’t that what the holidays are for?” Torrey likes to remind us (is that whiskey in your apple cider?).

Thanks to Dano Forte’s Juke Joint Freak Show, LCAD and Mini & Maximus. Up next, MILK & COOKIES Laguna Beach Boys and Girls Club SATURDAY DEC. 10. Kids Yoga with Mindful Octopus SATURDAY DEC. 17.

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!

BECOME A BETTER YOU. Corey Smith Solo art show opens November 2nd. Mark your calendar. These 4Q’s with Corey were done September, keep an eye out for show updates SOON.

Out of many of the artists I’ve met over the past ten years, you seem to be showing your art quite regularly (and all over the world). Yeah I guess that’s true. Since much of my work is fairly simple and easy to make I’m able to make a lot of it. My work is more about sharing ideas rather than taking a year to finish a classical painting. I have a lot of ideas and I just need to manifest them as immediately as possible. I really enjoy showing my work. I really enjoy talking with people and sharing ideas.

What have been your favorite shows and where have you been showing in the past year? My favorite show was a solo show I had in 2010 at the Worksound Gallery in Portland Or. http://www.openwidepdx.com/?p=2798 It was my largest solo show. I haven’t really shown much in 2011 since I’ve was living in Tahoe and working on my Spring Break Snowboards project. Over the summer I’ve shown a collection of my existing work at the Blank Space pop up Gallery on La Brea. It was my most successful show to date, so I’m really happy about that.

You are making all new art for this show, what is your inspiration? Yes, I am attempting to make all new work. My inspiration for this show comes from get-rich-quick schemes, excersise equipment, extreme sports, weight-loss plans, and strategies for happiness.

Are you using any new techniques? any medium (or ideas) that you are experimenting with? I’m actually going back to mediums and techniques I developed years ago, very clean, minimalist line drawings, on wood panels, with high gloss finish. I guess that’s my style so I’m sticking to it.

More photos on OrangeCounty.com.

Amy Winehouse watched over us last night, her upper lip in a snarl and a faint image of the tattoo on her right arm peeking out from under her rolled-up sleeve. I think that she would agree that this was a decent-sized party… Then there was the iconic likeness of Keith Richards holding court in the gallery, bent over his guitar, wild hair. Oct. 6, 2011 was First Thursday Artwalk and the Artists Reception for Heaven’s on Fire, the music-themed art+photography show with inspiring interpretations of iconic musician rule breakers. It went off. The striking portrayal of Winehouse is the creation of Laguna Beach local Steve Whelan; the dramatic image of Richards is the mastery of renowned pop-artist Carson Grier. Grier also showcased his stainless steel art with a flashy Michael Jackson piece. Speaking of rule breakers, there were a handful who turned up last night (in addition to Grier and Whelan): live music duo Old Scratch — their sound broke rules of blues-rock. Photographers Lindsey Byrnes, Klee Van Hamersfeld, Jesse Fulton, rule breakers, Gary Copeland and Lisa Johnson — all photo rule breakers in enormously different ways. Artist David Blake’s screen print portraits on resin, with titles like “Well Hung: Jimi Hendrix” and “You are What you Eat: Kurt Cobain” — rule breaker. Sticky Shaw is a rule breaker, and his homage to Sid & Nancy and the Chelsea Hotel made a lot of people stop and stare. Daniel Edlen’s unreal vinyl paintings. Attendees packed the house, listened to Old Scratch play an hour, made away with some swigs of O’Shea Brewing Co. beer and perhaps broke a few more rules down the street at the Saloon… Come back and see Heaven’s on Fire 4 through the month of October. We’re open 4 days a week: Weds., Thurs., Fri. and Sat., 1-6pm, Oct. 6-30, 2011. Rock n’ roll angel faces by Josh Gunter.