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

  This is Amanda McGinnis she is 22. She is trying to do something about the dearth of spaces in Orange County showing contemporary art so she took matters into her own hands and is having an opening this weekend in Seal Beach. I love the DIY attitude and so should you. She'll go far. This Saturday night starting at 5pm Life or Death a show by photographer Kaile Hart Crowell will open at Michiko Loft located at 228 Main Street in Seal Beach. For...

19 February, 2008 /

This Saturday night I attended the Laguna Art Museum's annual fundraising art auction. It was a good time as usual, lot's of friends out and about. The Peter Blake mafia was in full force in the room and on the walls. It seemed that the quality of work donated this year was really strong, the problem though is that we are in Orange County and when the quality is high so are the estimates which tend to scare off the more pedestrian art buyers here...

18 February, 2008 /

In this weeks episode of Artist Interviews I'm happy to introduce our friendly neighborhood instigators Finishing School. Enjoy: Tell us about your work? We are an artist collective based here in southern California. Our work investigates the many intersections between art and the critical, covert, and common everyday things. Our projects span many topics, styles, points of view, and audience groups. All of our projects attempt to demystify aspects of cultural production and engage viewers into various participatory models. We started in 2001. At the heart...

15 February, 2008 /

How are you inspired? What do you do outside of the visual art world to seek inspiration? I've always found that when things seem to be getting a little closed in and my muse is nowhere to be found the best cure is to step outside of my comfort zone a bit and seek inspiration from other creative endeavors. To take some action that gives me a break from whatever I'm working on and also allows me to see other creative people operating at...

11 February, 2008 /

Next Saturday night the 16th, The Laguna Art Museum will host it's annual art auction. Auction 100 will have 100 works of art by 100 artists and most of the works available are now online. The event will run from 6-10pm and tickets are $125. Get out there and support your local museum.   ...

08 February, 2008 /

It seems you will now be able to take care of your art jones every Saturday night. The Santora Arts Building will now be open every Saturday night from 7 to 10pm hosting Art Blast! and will hold different events and it looks like live music will be part of the equation. Nice to see a regular venue stepping up. More info can be found here. ...

08 February, 2008 /

Has OC become the art fraud capitol of the US? We've got stolen Picasso's and forged Damien Hirst's on eBay. Oh, and let's not forget the Bowers. Obviously this is another side effect of the HOT market that nobody's talking about. Where there's money...

07 February, 2008 /

Wanted to let everybody know the very popular CSULB Painting teacher and great artist Marie Thibeault has a show coming up in LA soon. Marie Thibeault: Keeping Things Whole opens at Jancar Gallery on Feb 16th. The opening will run from 5-7pm. ...

06 February, 2008 /

Marshall Astor has been posting a series of photos he's found on the Flicker group photosnormandie, here, here and here. They're powerful. Here's a photo of Michele and I in Normandy visiting my great uncle's grave. He was killed on day two of D-Day. It was a moving day touring Omaha Beach and then finding his grave among the many. Vote. ...

04 February, 2008 /

Next up on the artist interview series is Stephen Anderson. Stephen has been active in the local scene for several years now and is very involved in the programming and support of OCCCA. Time for Stephen: Tell us about your work? Some major series started with the 'Burned Fingers Series of 1,000'. Which took 5 years to complete, 1,000 small individual works that became a mosaic diary of my life and outlook upon the world. Each piece has a part of my hand or fingers, which...

04 February, 2008 /

One of the strongest supporters of our local scene (and one of the nicest guys you'll meet) Mike McGee needs your help. Please spread the word. From his wife Andrea Harris: If you know anyone who is and O blood type or A type 2 ( only 20% of A's are type 2) who would be interested in helping Mike please get in touch. We need to find a living donor for him in the next few months. He starts dialysis at Saint Josephs Hospital in...

01 February, 2008 /