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

Earlier this year Laguna Art Museum presented a third installment of the OsCene, featuring a fresh collective of artists representing the arts in Orange County.  This summer Grand Central Art Center, in Santa Ana, is revisiting a past exhibition and asked 100 artists, once again, to see Satan.  More than a tribute to the ultimate villain, this time around, 100 Artists See Satan is organized as a fundraiser to raise money for the art center.  Over 100 artists contributed artwork-all for sale-to the exhibition.  Artists...

28 June, 2010 /

OC's finest turned out for 'Art Shack' at the Laguna Art Museum (LAM), guest curated by Greg Escalante.   Mr. OC Art Blog himself was unable to make the event, so he asked me to take his place.  He handed me a box with a wooden arrow screen printed with an invite to Hurley's SHACK ATTACK! exclusive event.  Hurley & LAM hosted a 'meet and greet' for the artists and VIPs,  225 Forest Ave, Laguna Beach.         The first of the evening's festivities began around 4pm...

18 June, 2010 /

TOHUBOHU! Extreme (and I might add IMPROV) Theater Ensemble invites OC's very own George Herms to participate with their monthly performance, as the first of a series of invitations to artists. I was lucky enough to catch the show Friday night (no pics allowed) and it was amazing. I was however accompanied by Tony Kay from the Ca'Tony art space in Westwood and managed to whip out the camera at the reception. Here's the scoop: Herms brought artworks as props to be utilized during the performance. The...

13 June, 2010 /

Please join us for An Evening Showcasing Women and ArtThursday,  May 27, 2010  11 p.m.  OR  6 p.m.A talk and discussion by lecturer CeCe Sloan on the remarkable philanthropist and patron of the arts Peggy Guggenheim.On exhibit: notable works by painter/poet Michael (Corinne) West,whose paintings Guggenheim admired.Philanthropist/art collector Peggy Guggenheim and painter/poet Michael (Corinne) West were key figures in the Abstract Expressionist movement in New York City after World War II. Female artists frequently adopted male noms des brosses in order to be taken seriously in the male-dominated art world; only recently...

25 May, 2010 /

For the first time in recent memory, artists that have strong Orange County roots will be participating in the 2010 California Biennial at OCMA. Finishing School has a long Orange County history and Carlee Fernandez is an alum of CSU Fullerton. (and both are in the Hoff collection!)Congrats to both the FS crew and Carlee. You deserve it!The rest of the artists the will be participating in the show that will run from Oct. 24 to March 13 are:David Adey, Agitprop, b.a.n.g. lab, Gil...

22 May, 2010 /

Elizabeth Turk Studio - OC  While on the hunt for inspiring sculpture at the Armory Show in NYC, I stumbled across an elegantly carved piece of marble, so delicate that it resembled ribbon.   It belonged to artist Elizabeth Turk.  Instantly that name rang a bell, as she had done an artist residency in our very own Grand Central Art Center, Downtown Santa Ana. AND that happens to be where I called home while in grad school. Go GCAC. The piece was astonishing.  That was when I set out to find her...

18 May, 2010 /

 Last week I zipped over to Orange Coast College (OCC) to see what local artist and professor Laurie Hassold was preparing for the upcoming show at the Laguna Art Museum entitled Art Shak.  The exhibition will run from June 13th to October 3rd, 2010 - opening night festivities will be Saturday June 12th, see the website for tickets.the 'bone cave' in progress above:  Laurie Hassold and student, OCC sculpture Lab Laurie teaches Beginning and Advanced Sculpture at OCC.  Her students were preparing for a group show...

29 April, 2010 /

In the 1960’s a woman was stabbed to death in front of an apartment building in Queens.  The crime was witnessed by tenants of the building, none of whom helped the woman.  It is this story that inspired Laurie Lipton to draw her triptych Watching. Two days after hearing Laurie Lipton repeat this story in conjunction with her artwork, I read about a homeless man, in Queens, was stabbed to death trying to help a woman attacked by her male companion: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_dying_and_ignored . Surveillance cameras...

27 April, 2010 /

my bulb finally bloomed, spring has officially sprung! ...

21 April, 2010 /

 image from the OCRegister.com  http://www.ocregister.com/news/shirt-244809-shirts-sexual.html While I was reading this article from the OC Register I put my sandals on and made up my mind to walk to school to see this.  It was too late.  The 700 t-shirts, emblazoned with messages of horror, anger and hope from survivors of sexual violence had been taken down. This exhibit/installation called The Clothesline Project is organized by Community Service Programs Inc. Orange County to bring attention to victims of sexually violent crimes and coincides with Sexual Assault Awareness...

19 April, 2010 /

This is the first of a series of studio visits with OC artists, and occasionally non-OC artists. . .  but we won't hold it against them.In my constant quest to sniff-out art in the OC, I came across Mr. Dick Marconi.  Yup, that's right. . . the same guy from the Marconi Automotive Museum, which by the way has some amazing drool-worthy cars and if you have not gotten up to Tustin to check them out. . . put it on your calendar! (www.marconimuseum.org)   When I...

16 April, 2010 /

In grad school I curated an exhibition with a woman who got married three weeks before the opening.   I remember a conversation we had in her car, on our way to a studio visit, where she told me her father asked if she was taking her husband’s name.  He was versed enough in the art business to know keeping maiden names, or hyphenating surnames, was a common professional practice for women; this helps to establish and maintain continuity throughout one’s career, linking previous successes with...

12 April, 2010 /

Longtime OC local Jeff Gillette's (aka Laurie Hassold's other half) show 'Dismayland' will be opening this Saturday at the CoproGallery in Santa Monica.  If you're in LA-LA land this weekend go check it out. Congrats Jeff!  -Joanna ...

09 April, 2010 /

Last month I made the journey to NYC to check out the Armory Show and all of the concurrent art shows, in addition to the big museum shows.  While there I visited the Independent, the Korean Art Show, Volta, Scope, Verge, Dutch Art Now and Pulse.  My favorite South African artist William Kentridge was in town to kick off his retrospective at the MOMA - NYC and the opera "The Nose" at the Met Opera house.  Yes, I did score one ticket at the last...

08 April, 2010 /

Hi everyone,  I am back from my travels (it's great to be back in the OC) and have lots to share. Some of you probably know what a huge supporter I am of female artists, so in honor of supporting my peeps I suggest you put this one in your calendar. . .   see you there! Michael Corinne WestIguana, 1964 Painting, oil on canvas 50"x35" Michael Corinne West: More than Gorky's Muse Art Resource Group presents premiere exhibition of Michael (Corrine) West, Gorky's fellow artist and confidante, to coincide with 'Arshile Gorky:...

08 April, 2010 /