Openings

A small plot of grass is a fairy ring, a window box becomes an enchanted forest and the tough brambles of the urban rose growing up through a chain link fence guard a sleeping beauty of the fierce canine variety. For anyone who has grown up in an architecturally dense environment, whether it be the concrete containers and electrical wires of the city or the low and sprawling manicured grid of suburbia, the magic of nature is everywhere no matter how unlikely. “I can never...

16 November, 2012 /

A compelling and vibrant art show is currently on display at the Orange County Center for Contemporary Art in Santa Ana. The show, entitled "Siempre es Hoy," runs until November 24, with a special closing reception from 6-11 pm. You must RSVP for the closing festivities (by emailing solartradio@gmail.com), and I highly recommend it based on how fun, lively and interesting the opening reception was. "Siempre es Hoy" vividly documents the Mexican music scene through a diverse group of intimate photographs of musicians and concert audiences....

14 November, 2012 /

The Fine Arts Buildings of Cal State Long Beach are located on the southernmost side of the sprawling 3 mile campus. These Mid-Century modern buildings, designed by architect Edward Killingsworth, are beautifully integrated with trees and the most incredible staghorn ferns hang from giant pots suspended from outdoor beams. Rectangular chunks of granite are tipped over in various places to form benches and the doors to the graduate student galleries are open wide revealing work that is interesting and well done. It is a beautiful...

06 November, 2012 /

Tracy C. Teran A recent exhibition at the Expo Arts Center by emerging artists in the South Bay questions our relationship with time and the slippery definition of the immediate present. Curator Hilary Norcliffe established four types of Now’s to organize the diverse works in a variety of media. However, the exhibition’s strength is the ability of the works to operate between these categories. The first category Norcliffe identified includes documentary-type work, evidence or records of a past event. Jocelyn Foye’s five painted, polyurethane resin molds poignantly...

22 October, 2012 /

The pertinent timing of AR4T Gallery’s current group show, “Futureland 2012 : The American Flag” is no coincidence. While the pieces are not without some criticism of social issues, the overall theme is one of constructive unity, a much needed reminder in these divisive times of the aspects of this country that render us grateful. An abundance of red, white and blue, as well as a tendency by the artists to use wood and other materials to build three-dimensional versions of the flag, recall simple foundational...

11 October, 2012 /

Tonight I attended my first First Friday in Long beach. What brought me out there was the show Now curated by Hilary Norcliffe at the Expo Arts Center. First Fridays in Long Beach features music, some art, food and lots people watching. Speaking of people watching, here's some pics.. [gallery link="file"]...

05 October, 2012 /

  After attending the openings for “Hell Hath No Fury” at Rothick Art Haus in Anaheim and “Heaven’s on Fire” at Artists Republic for Tomorrow in Laguna Beach, both this past Saturday night, I was like, “fuck, YEAH!!” Well, it was late and I was pretty exhausted from so much good art intake, so I didn’t yell it out loud or fist pump or anything, but the emotion was totally there. Aside from being inspired by the caliber of work generated and exhibited in this fair County, I...

21 September, 2012 /

 As the new art season is set to begin the OC Art Blog will be doing several Gallery Spotlight's introducing our readers to our many exciting local gallery's and their respective programs. First up is an interview with Brett Rubbico who opened Brett Rubbico Gallery in 2009. Brett Rubbico Gallery will be opening an exhibition of work by David Michael Lee on Saturday September 8th. The opening will run from 7 to 10pm. We hope to see you there. Now the interview: OCAB:  Why don’t we...

01 September, 2012 /

Santa Ana, CA  Grand Central Art Center is known by most Orange County residents as an artistic hub for contemporary art and culture. They have been turning out great contemporary exhibitions for years, but recently had a programming shift with new Director, John Spiak. Their once heavily pop-surrealist galleries now take the lead for OC in their new abstract and conceptual art obsessions. If you're not into conceptual art or abstract art, go ahead and click off, because this blogger friggin loves it. Grand Central Art...

31 August, 2012 /

"You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time." If you have had any contact with the Orange County art scene over the past decade then you know what ISM: a community project is, what they do, why they do it and who they are. Right? Well, partially. In the spirit of the above saying by Abraham Lincoln, ISM is as an organization as elusive and open-ended...

06 July, 2012 /

San Antonio, TX.  At the 2012 SSCA annual conference, this year held in The Alamo City, San Antonio, three Orange County writers were shocked and amazed by this fascinating and artistic city! Who would have thought that The Alamo City had good art! Ok, maybe Los Angeles and Orange County have warped my mind into forgetting about the other states outside of New York and California for art in America, but I stand corrected! Texas definitely has art. With a slew of public sculptures that brighten the...

17 April, 2012 /

Joe Sorren's paintings remind me of the sweetness of the simple moments in life, like a flower covered in dew sparkling in the sun or a child quietly playing in a garden. We have to intentionally stop being mentally absorbed in the incessant activities of our lives, to mindfully notice these sweet and movingly beautiful moments happening before our eyes everyday. Going to see Sorren's paintings on display feels like this. Like a visit to a park just to lay down on the grass and...

16 April, 2012 /

  When real estate investor Davin Gumm set out to refurbish the Pacific Building in the heart of the Santa Ana Artist's Village, he hoped that the office spaces would attract tenants who would use the lofts for "creative uses." Gumm's Copper Door beer bar in the basement of the Pacific Building has become a notable music venue that showcases quality local music, so it's only fitting that the Pacific Building lofts would attract artists immersed in the local scene. So far, a fashion designer, musicians,...

03 April, 2012 /

Fullerton, CA    Sculptor, S.A. Hawkins had his MFA thesis exhibition open this past saturday at Cal State Fullerton and rocked it! Alongside the large and impressive Faculty exhibit, S.A. took both of the other galleries (The East Gallery and the West Gallery) on the CSUF campus and dominated the night. His abstract and hypnotic glass and metal artworks are surprising and comforting, compelling narratives involving abstract life forms made of glass, metal, rust, found objects, and brightly colored silicone creating interesting non-verbal conversations within...

30 January, 2012 /

This Saturday night is the opening of Visual Integrity at the Coastline Community College Art Gallery. A few of the artist featured in this mixed media exhibition include,Laurie Hassold, Thinh Nguyen, Jeff Gillette, and David Jang. The opening will run from 5 to 8pm. The Coastline gallery is located at 10156 Adams Avenue in Huntington Beach. Local artist/curator David Michael Lee is taking over the reigns at the CCC Gallery so expect many exciting things to come. The website can be found HERE and the...

07 September, 2011 /

Magu, in his natural state - a smile. Pomona, CA.   At the collector’s preview of the new exhibition at the dA Center for the Arts, Cruisin Magulandia, the all-around feeling of the event was that of reverence. The entire night was filled with shared stories, friendly faces, passionate music, home-made snacks, and dozens of people looking to open up and revel in the loving memories of artist, Gilbert Luján. Better known as Magu to most, he was a friend to so many people it was overwhelming...

18 August, 2011 /

  dA CENTER FOR THE ARTS Presents: Cruisin’ Magulandia [caption id="attachment_2564" align="aligncenter" width="545" caption="Cruisin Magulandia"][/caption] A Benefit for the Preservation of a Legacy August 13 –30, 2011        dA      252 South Main Street, Pomona, CA 91767 Opening Reception Saturday August 13, 2011 at 3:00–10:00 p.m. Closing Reception Saturday August 27, 2011 at 6:00–10:00 p.m. POMONA, CA.  The dA CENTER FOR THE ARTS is honored to host a benefit art exhibition for one of the most influential figures in the Chicano Art movement, Gilbert "Magu” Luján. The exhibition will open to the public during Pomona’s Second Saturday Art...

20 July, 2011 /

Pomona, CA Orange County artists, Preston Daniels and S.A. Hawkins made it out from behind the "orange curtain" last night for the new exhibition at the dA Center for The Arts entitled, A Sense of Place, a Sense of Space: Architecture and Landscape Inspired Art. These Cal State Fullerton artists are some of the most well known up-and-coming artists within our beloved orange bubble.   [caption id="attachment_2304" align="aligncenter" width="545" caption="A Sense of Place, A Sense of Space"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_2309" align="aligncenter" width="545" caption="Artists Daniels and Hawkins at dA Center...

12 June, 2011 /

  [caption id="attachment_2055" align="aligncenter" width="545" caption="Title wall"][/caption] In the art world's  recent obsession with Street Art, Pasadena Museum of California Art takes a closer look at the local level. This Street Art Exhibition is not MOCA's copy cat partner, though the buzz coming into the museum was all about that -- MOCA did it first, MOCA did it bigger, MOCA had the controversy, MOCA had the press. One thing that MOCA didn't have that PMCA did, was local flavor. In a place like Southern California, with perfect weather, beautiful...

15 May, 2011 /

Fullerton, CA. Fullerton College, the leading J.C. in for many OC natives holds their annual student exhibitions in their tiny gallery space, hidden from normal view. This hidden gem of a gallery is the home to some of our fave shows in the past year, including Paper Cuts. Lets see what else they've got for us! Fullerton College Art Gallery 1004 [caption id="attachment_1917" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Gallery Install at Fullerton College"][/caption]   gallery times are limited, but are listed here for this exhibition: Mon, May 9, 2011 from 10:00am to 2:00pm Tue,...

09 May, 2011 /