"Cinema of Time" Featuring Gregg Chadwick Opens July 12th at Upper West Restaurant!

Upper West Restaurant Showcases the Work of Gregg Chadwick Sunday, July 12th!

Scarlet Shadow 80"x80" oil on linen, 2011



The art of Gregg Chadwick will be showcased in a solo exhibition on at Upper West Restaurant in Santa Monica. The popular restaurant hosts eclectic art receptions on a consistent basis.

A dedicated painter, this past May 2015 marked the eleven-year anniversary at the Santa Monica Art Studios at the Santa Monica Airport. "I have put roots down here and find constant inspiration in the life and light of Venice, Santa Monica, and Los Angeles," said Chadwick. "The mixing of cultures and ideas in this city lifts my spirit in profound ways."

He will be showing an eclectic group of paintings on linen…artworks from several series. One such painting is entitled Empire State.

Here’s what inspired the Empire State painting...as told by Gregg Chadwick.



“’Empire State’ is set in Grand Central Station in New York City. By layering paint upon paint, I build an artwork through a succession of present moments in time that often combine in unforeseen patterns. A viewer recently remarked that my paintings resemble 'time travel where the molecules are not quite sure where they belong.' This visual conundrum plays with the proposition of many quantum physicists that time may not exist at the most fundamental level of physical reality. My grandfather was a train engineer in the Northeast and for years worked for the Jersey Central Line. Rail travel for me carries a deeply personal family connection that seems to merge into the paint layers.”

Empire State 72"x36" oil on linen, 2013

For the past few years, Chadwick has been invited to speak at UCLA, Monterey Peninsula College, the Esalen Institute, the World Views forum in Amsterdam, The Netherlands and Categorically Not, (a monthly forum that considers the arts and science). He will also be speaking about Art and Social Justice at The Representational Art Conference in Ventura, California in November 2015.



Check out Gregg Chadwick’s website at http://www.greggchadwick.com/

The opening reception will be held on Sunday, July 12th, from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Upper West located at 3321 Pico Blvd. in Santa Monica. The art will remain on view through September. http://www.theupperwest.com/


Santa Monica Art Studios Will be Bustling with New Art Shows on Saturday, June 13th!

Santa Monica Art Studios hosts another eclectic happening on Saturday, June 13th. In Arena 1, “KachoFugetsu: Flower Bird Wind Moon” will debut.



Image by Shisei Hashimura “Melancholy of Supermarket”



Curator Kio Griffith organized the international exhibition. He explains his concept for the exhibit, “The title of the show is an idiomatic expression derived from Buddhist literature, reverberations of beauty and aesthetics in both historical and contemporary contexts of the Japanese social experience. What transpires is the intuitive sense that observes art’s place in nature: its appearance, meaning and value set in contemporary world affairs in which the un-seeable is viewed from a third eye, the inaudible is imagined through living colors, and the unspeakable can be understood through telepathic means.”

Throughout Santa Monica Art Studios, new art and artist will also on display. Stephanie Visser says she has always wanted to show at SMAS and is looking forward to the opening. The artist paints consistently and has been working on a new series featuring black and white paintings. She will be showing work from three different series.

Image by Stefanie Visser  New Work Untitled 14, Acrylic on Canvas 40 x 30



She talks about her inspiration for “New Work Untitled 14” (pictured here).  “This painting was done on location in Michigan where I spent several weeks recently. In that location, it was impossible not to be inspired by the intense blue water, green trees and the rural environment. Besides, it is my home state so the connection wasn't hard to access. In particular, this piece was taken from memory of the local river that flows into the Great Lakes.”

Visser's paintings have been exhibited at FABstudio Gallery, bG Gallery at Bergamot Station, Wallspace, etc. To find out more about artist Stephanie Visser, visit her website at http://stephanievisser.com/


“I was encouraged to make art at an early age,” explained artist Ty Cummings. Both his parents were supportive of the craft and encouraged him.  He continued painting into his teens and later attended the School of Visual Arts in New York as well as CalArts in Los Angeles. “I continued down this path because I felt it was important for me to communicate like this and that I had a way of seeing things I wanted to share. My family continues to believe in me.”

Image by Ty Cummings, Somewhere, mixed media on wood, 36" x 36," 2015



Cummings works in several mediums. In addition to being a painter and working with oils, he also works in mixed media and he is also a  sculptor. “The mediums I choose to work in go back around,” said Cummings. “For example, I've used drawing, painting, photography, video, installation, sound and performance for various ideas; sometimes the mediums inform each other, or are referenced directly, document one another or stand alone.” Check out the art of Ty Cummings at http://www.tycummings.com/

The art of Scott Horton will also be on view. Known as a pop/street art, he works in various styles. “I'm not one to settle in any one medium, says Horton. “I'll be doing something like street art (collage, acrylic, spray-paint), thinking of when I can get back to palette knife acrylic, while creating digital surrealism.



Image by Scott Horton, Color Me Red, 48 x36

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Color Me Red" is the name of one of Horton’s works to grace the walls of SMAS. He explains what inspired him to create the piece. “The color red is a color of emotion. I look at this "street art" piece as a statement about the changing roles over time of women in society. The red elements signal both sexuality and defiance. Rosie the Riveter can be seen in the piece, showing the strength of women in hard times. It's been remarked that the woman in business clothes staring back, is spray-painted on a surface that looks like kitchen tile; a transition from the domestic life to the working world. Also, the woman stating, ‘They'll never say that about me again,’ is showing resolve to no longer be pegged into predefined roles. Visit Scott Horton’s website at http://dreamscolor.com/ 



Don’t miss the big event on Saturday, June 13th, Santa Monica Art Studios hosts an artist reception from 6-9pm. SMAS is located at 3026 Airport Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90405) http://www.santamonicaartstudios.com/

The Porch Gallery Ojai & VICA Present “Water Works II” May 9th!

 “Water Works II” opens at the Porch Gallery Ojai on Saturday, May 9^th. "Water Works II" is co-presented by VICA (Venice Institute of Contemporary Art) and will further spotlight the issues of water - from its beauty, to its scarcity, to its importance to human life, the politics of water, to environmental issues and beyond.

“Water Works II” was jured by Juri Koll (VICA – Venice Institute of Art), Peter Frank (Huffington Post/Fabrik Magazine) as well as co-directors of Porch Gallery Ojai, Heather Stobo and Lisa Casoni. 

Co-directors Stobo and Casoni worked with Koll on his first Water Works I exhibition. “It was great, said Stobo. “That’s why we decided to work with him again for Water Works II.” Stobo explained that although their curating styles had similarities, they also work differently. “Without speaking for Juri, it seems that his style is to curate the show without a specific space in mind.  Where I like to gather the work and then do a final edit as I’m installing the show based on  how the pieces look and fit in our gallery. For me, moving the work outside of the artists’ studio, and away from other bodies of work not included in the show, sometimes changes the viewing experience and I like to adapt to that as I’m installing.”
 

When asked about working with Stobo and Casoni, Koll replied, “They are the best in the business.” 

The group show will feature an eclectic mix of artists including established Los Angeles artist J.J. L’Heureux.

L’Heureux’s work has been exhibited all over the world. She said she was proud to be a part of the important group show entitled “Water Works II.” The concept of the first “Waterworks'” artist’s incorporating water-based medium in their work, to “Waterworks II” feels like a logical progression, explained L’Heureux. “Water is a current topic of conversation and addressing all sides of water with the public I feel is positive.”

Known best for her photography, the accomplished artist has taken over thirteen trips to Antarctica. L’Heureux is an exquisite and talented painter in her own right. Pretty soon after her very first trip to the Southern Sea, the artist was inspired to create her Bergy Bit series. L’Heureux explains, “By definition ‘Bergy Bits’ are large chunks of glacier ice or a very small iceberg floating in the sea. They are generally spawned from disintegrating icebergs and glaciers.”

In addition to her photography and her paintings, the artist also works in collage/mixed media. To find out more about J.J. L’Heureux and her many mediums of art, visit both her websites at http://www.jjlheureux.com/   http://www.penguinspirit.com

Another artist to be featured is MB Boissonnault. “I did their first official show ("Future Perfect" - solo exhibition) when  Heather & Lisa opened,” explained Boissonnault. "I love them and whole vibe up there--my heart truly beats a little faster for Ojai. It's like Vermont (where I grew up) meets California with a dash of Sedona. It's hard to leave sometimes.”

MB Boissonnault BOMBIGENESIS 60" x 36"  oil on synthetic canvas

When asked what inspired her to to create, she replied…”That's a question I never know how to answer. I am not inspired to create--it is as normal to me as breathing or walking. There is no other way of life.” http://www.mbboissonnault.com/ 

The jurors have selected several sculptural pieces (indoor and outdoor), 2D pieces and video. At 4pm, prior to the opening reception, (next door to the gallery), there will be an art panel moderated by Koll. A local student from the Thacher School will read a poem that he wrote about water.

 Artists to be featured: Richard Amend, Susan Amorde, Nurit Avesar, Vince Baworouski, Bobbi Bennett, MB Boissonnault, Bill Leigh Brewer, Gary Brewer, Patricia Chidlaw, Diane Cockerill, Duane Dammeyer, Bibi Davidson, Lynne Deutch, Bill Dewey, L. Aviva Diamond, Elizabeth Garat, Jack Halbert, Sharon Hardy, Mark Indig, Cynthia James, Amy Kaczur, Colleen M Kelly, J. J. L’heureux, Terri Laine, Campbell Laird, Feng Ling, Daniel Leighton, Daniel Lyons, Aline Mare, Bruce Mcallister, Jim Mcaninch, Mary Mcgill, Wendy Osher, Ann Phong, Osceola Refetoff, Kate Register, Gay Summer Rick, Shawn K. Riley, Lisa Rosel, Karrie Ross, Catherine Ruane, Seda Saar, Jill Shanbrom, Yin Sheng, Joan Scheibel, Wendy Smith, Shyun Song, Caryl St. Ama, Jill Sykes, Mark Tovar, Katie Van Horne, Christine Weir, Tracey Weiss, Gina Yu.

Be sure to pop by the Porch Gallery Ojai on May 9^th for the art panel at 4pm and the opening reception from 5-7pm. The exhibition runs May 9 through June 8, 2015.

Porch Gallery Ojai is located at 310 E. Matilija Avenue, Ojai, CA. For more information please go to http://www.porchgalleryojai.com or call 805.620.7589.