El Cerrito Art, 34th Annual Show and Sale

Floral Mandala by Barbara Rockhold

Previewed the local El Cerrito Art Association’s 34th Show before the opening reception tonight. A large show full of all different media, styles and eclectic emotions. Lots of traditional realist imagery, some very masterful, a sprinkling of satisfying non-traditional with a few Eclectix artists in the mix as well. Definitely worth a long walk thru and some are worthy of extended ponders. Favorite picks from the exhibit preview are below, just a few, there were so many. With the photography and the watercolors, getting pictures was mostly impossible due to the framed glass reflections, hence my picks are unfortunately edited… 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

If you live locally try to make it out, the exhibit is only 3 days long, ending October 3rd. Help support your local artists, most the art is for sale at really great  prices.

For more infoclick here.

LINK to the current Eclectix website – art news & exhibit listings

(This entry was  originally posted on 10/1/10 and transferred here –  as we are discontinuing our other blog site)

Ten Women Gallery in Venice, California

Patricia Anders

Last summer I had the chance while in LA to visit the Ten Women Gallery in Venice. Wonderful newbrow artist Patricia Anders, turned me onto it. She has been kind enough to contribute her beautiful paintings and art dolls to many Eclectix exhibits over the years and is a member of this artist co-op, along with many other very talented women. This venue is overflowing with eclectic arts and crafts, many different mediums and styles are jam packed into numerous little meandering rooms.

At the time, they had an altered Barbie exhibit up, aptly titled “Barbie Redux” . There have been a number of altered Barbie exhibits over the years, but I have to say this was one of the best I have seen, more professionally executed than others. There were Day of the Dead Barbies, goth Barbies, princess Barbies, mutated and depressed Barbies, goddess Barbies, vampire Barbies and even a bat girl Barbie. The whole idea is great – what else to do with all those cast off Barbies that have inspired such love/hate relationships over time? And Halloween being in the mix made it even better.

Patricia Anders

The gallery has the feel of a treasure hunt, around every corner is another wall or niche filled with wondrous goodies. Some folk art, doll art, fabric arts, fine art paintings, mounted prints, photography, glassworks, sculptures of every imaginable shape, jewelry, functional art and more adorn the walls. Even the bathroom had a huge altered mannequin sculpture watching you do your deed!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

If you are in the LA area, try to make a stop here, it is a fun and stimulating visit. Ten Women Venice, 1237 Abbot Kinney , Venice, CA 90291, 310-452-2256

Click here for a complete list of artists and events, and more pix.

Or their blog here.

 

LINK – For more of Patricia Anders’ lovely work.

 

(This entry was  originally posted on 12/16/09 and transferred here –  as we are discontinuing our other blog site)

A Berlin Wall Art Gallery

After stumbling on some dynamic art from the Berlin Wall randomly one day, I spent a whole day browsing the internet for these images of art. Okay, there may be a few in here that aren’t from the wall, but that’s how they “googled”.

I picked only the best photos and edited a little. There are so many great pieces, they deserve to be in some cohesive format all together. It would have taken months to try and research each artist and photographer, so please excuse the fact there are no credits here. Whenever possible, I left the occasional signature on the images. Some seem to be actual pieces removed from the wall but most are still on the actual wall itself. There are before and afters – ( freshly painted, then the same art after graffiti and weather had taken it’s toll ). Both are very cool. The crumbling plaster cracks and irregularities of the wall, lend great texture and dimension, with a collage-feel resulting. The paintings near windows and cracks have a surreal Magritte look, with an arm sticking thru or other worlds beckoning inside windows. Some of the photos are tourist snapshots so there may be a human in there and some have the actual artists in front of them. (I think.)

All kinds of great eclectic styles – Russian/Chinese propaganda, German expressionist, Mexican mural, urban street punk, comic, representational, graphic and expressionist. For all you Cure fans, there is even a little Warhol – like stencil of Robert Smith!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Credit goes out to all the fantastic artists and photographers, whoever you are, for creating such a great collection of street art! Enjoy. 

(This entry was  originally posted on 10/19/09 and transferred here –  as we are discontinuing our other blog site)

San Francisco Art Institute’s Spring Show 2009

 

Took the chance to see some fledgling, fresh talent at local art school’s spring exhibits. Some of it didn’t translate well into the blog format, the installations and pieces where sound were a key factor. Nonetheless, there were a slew of creative works and it was hard to choose which ones to feature here. Didn’t have time to list artist’s names and titles, but wanted to share the eye candy with you all… Shown here are some wonderful selections from the SFAI Spring Show, May 21-28th 2009, Herbst Pavilion, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco.

(This entry was  originally posted on 5/27/09 and transferred here-  as we are discontinuing our other blog site)