The OC Art Blog was created in 2004 as a way to build community and promote the marginalized but dynamic Orange County art scene.

OC Art Event coming Wednesday night: The first Wednesday of every month .ISM IS AT THE LAB from 7:00 p.m. To 10:00 p.m. featuring art, photography, music, poetry, and film. .ISM quarterly is the only periodical of its kind whose entire content is driven by the submissions of its readership. This unique publication offers the opportunity for creative individuals to share their poetry, short stories, photography, paintings, drawings, songs, films – anything they feel is beautiful. Since its inception, .ISM quarterly has consistently drawn the...

03 January, 2005 /

I ran over to the Santa Ana Artists Village tonight to drop off some artLA post cards, catch the show "post" at OCCCA and make the final opening at Bob Pece's gallery in the Santora building. After 10 years of showing many notable OC artists Pece will be closing his space (pictured) at the end of the month. It seems the inevitable is happening in Santa Ana. It's the same old story, the artists move in for the cheap rents and then the shops...

01 January, 2005 /

If you haven't noticed already I tend to be partial to Photography when collecting. So I was happy to discover Zoe Strauss via Roberta Fallon and Libby Rosof's Philly based Blog. I was also especially happy to receive four of her photograph's this week. Zoe Strauss is based in Philadelphia and has a very unique way of selling her art. Anything goes for $5 bucks. Sure it's a great deal but the real treat is that she takes great photograph's. If you are a...

30 December, 2004 /

There are a couple of lectures/events coming up quickly as part of the current OsCene show still up at The Laguna Art Museum. Mark you calendars as follows: Sunday, January 9, 1:00 p.m.Jody ZellenThe artist will discuss her site-specific installation at the Museum, Other Places, and past work Wednesday, January 12, 7:00 p.m.Feature FilmFarther Than The Eye Can See, an award-winning feature documentary by Michael Brown, about a blind hiker’s quest to climb Mount Everest. Guest film curator. I just rented the IMAX film Everest again and...

30 December, 2004 /

(I found this under my tree this morning) Dear Christopher, I'm leaving you this note to let you know, for the most part this year you have been a good boy. However there are a few items I would like you to tend to in the coming year. They Include: 1. You are not a writer. I know you feel inadequate in comparison to Tyler at MAN and Franklin at Artblog.net. I know you wish you could write as intelligently and biting as Sarah at Forward Retreat and...

25 December, 2004 /

I received an early present today when I discovered in the mail my "Contemporary Art According to Jen" power point presentation on CD that I purchased from Andrea at Curator's Office in Washington D.C. Jennifer Dalton is represented by Plus Ultra in Brooklyn and had a recent showing of this piece at Andrea's space in DC. I forgot were I heard about the CD but it sounded very interesting to me because we in the art world often take ourselves a little too seriously and...

24 December, 2004 /

For those of you interested in the current art market. Richard Polsky, author of the great book "I bought Andy Warhol" does his auction market update over at Artnet. I think he makes a solid call on the work of Francis Bacon. I'm of the feeling that Bacon's time is due in the auction market. It's just a matter of timing and available work. ...

23 December, 2004 /

Photo LA is just around the corner and it is always quite an event with quite a crowd. Last Jan. I purchased a triptych by young German artist Loretta Lux from Yossi Milo Gallery. She does creepy/charming portraits of children. During my most recent trip to Europe her work seemed to be in all the Euro art mag's. It also looks like if you are into art as an investment it was a good buy, judging by her work's reception at the recent...

19 December, 2004 /

Because The Office will be participating in artLA in January 2005 I have been allotted a few VIP passes to the big event. In thanks to my loyal blog readers I would like to give one away. Here's the catch; The first loyal reader who lives in Orange County (it's an OC based blog...

17 December, 2004 /

Jessica over at Insurgent Muse was kind enough to forward me her Top Ten list so here it is. Be sure to check out her blog as there is always some interesting art related topics to be found there. 1. Tracy + the Plastics     There is this new movement out there that I like to call “post-punk electro feminist performance art.” Examples include Le Tigre, Chicks on Speed and Peaches. Blurring the lines between visual art and music, these women carry on the tradition...

16 December, 2004 /

While I'm thinking about about my next post go check out Tyler Green's Top Ten for 2004 here. ...

16 December, 2004 /

Well here's my Top Ten for 2004 in no particular order. As you can see I did a little traveling this year. These aren't easy to put together: 1. Orange County Museum of Art. We snatched Dennis Szakacs from the New Museum and it's been all uphill from there. They finished the remodel of the main building and opened the new media satellite the Orange Lounge in South Coast plaza and have a great line up of shows planned. National/International recognition is not far behind. 2. Francis...

14 December, 2004 /

This weekend The Office was visited by the Laguna Art Museum's Contemporary Collectors Council. I was able to give them a little background on how The Office came about and Adam Bryam one of the artists in the current show was there to answer any questions they had about the work. If you are interested in collecting art or just in the artistic process, collectors councils/organizations that are attached to institutions are a great way to get access that you may not be able to...

13 December, 2004 /

Rebecca Schoenkopf's review of Ulteriora at The Office can be found here. The Ulteriora boys were interviewed by NPR last weekend and will be featured on a new show on NPR highlighting arts and culture in Southern California. I'll keep you posted. It should air early Jan. 05. ...

09 December, 2004 /