Jonesin' For Jean Paul Gaultier's Torso

Blazing my way thru Bloomingdale's (to get to the Westfield mall) the other day and was side swiped by the perfume display out of the corner of my eye. Usually I book it thru fast because I have a very sensitive sense of smell and most the garbage they sell for perfume is just that. Stench of moldy patchouli mixed with bathroom deodorizer.

Yet, here were the most awesome little torso bottles, just sittting there all pretty. So Madonna inspired, headless and wonderful to just look at. Already my brain was racing as to how great they would look in a window all lined up in their various colors, designs and editions. Too bad the smell was not something I liked. If they had been lemon, jasmine or authentic plumeria, then maybe...

Of course when I looked at the bottle's label, it was the grand master of fashion himself, Jean Paul Gaultier. He is one of my fave fashion designers of all time. Just chock full of outlandish artsy designs and cool looks, full of originality and extremes. So easy to appreciate on just a visual level, even if you aren't dying to trip around in those 15 inch heels. Or bare your bum to the world at large. Can't miss the opportunity to revisit some old Gautier and share some new (Lady Gaga following in Madonna's footsteps).

Artist Interview With Master Glass Mistress, Judith Schaechter

Just posted a new Eclectix interview with the ever so profound and edgy Judith. So glad to have her fantastic art and commentary in the soup.

"What IS inspiration anyway?  A lightning bolt?  A “vision”? Does it exist in time or space?  Is it in my head?  Is it a force of energy, is it a reason? Is it a synonym for “desire” or “will”?  Is it even important?  

Sometimes I think the asker wants to know “What is the process of manifesting a physical reality in the material world, when previously it was imprisoned in your head?”  Or “how does something go from a formless state into reality?....”  

For the entire interview, click here. 

Previous post, exhibit review here.

How Do You Take Your Coffee? Black, Sugar or With A Little Vladimir Tretchikoff Thrown In?

On our way to dinner in London, we passed thru what must have been boy's town in Soho. A colorful area with studs lingering on display outside the bars and shopping to die for. Spotted these fantastic coffee mugs in the window of a shop but alas, they were closed! The retro images were familiar in a vague way and after much hunting I found the artist's name - Vladimir Tretchikoff. He has a bunch of wonderful exotic works, he was a very successful painter in the 1950's and 60's earning the nickname the "King of Kitsch".
From Wikipedia-
"His fame spread to the United States, where the Rosicrucians of San Jose invited him to launch an American tour. Around 19,000 people saw his show in Los Angeles and 51,000 in San Francisco. In Seattle, a rival show which included Picasso and Rothko sold fewer tickets, to Tretchikoff’s satisfaction. A million Americans finally saw his paintings, which then went on to Canada with equal success. This was followed by a large exhibition in 1961 at Harrods in London where he decided that the Harrod's art gallery was too small. He requested and was granted the privilege of having his exhibition in the ground-floor exhibition space. About 205,000 people attended the exhibition and one of his British admirers, Leslie Rigall, bought ten paintings and designed his new house in Windsor Great Park around them."

You may remember this painting - the famous Chinese Girl, a 1950 painting featuring an Eastern model with blue-green skin, it is one of the best selling prints of all time. The colors are quite different on the mug but I kinda' like it. Is it too early to put the word out for Xmas suggestions?


At a shoe store down the street from the coveted mugs, were a drooling array of cowboy boots. The cowgurl in me went crazy with lust over these as well, however the dollar vs. Euro equation meant a no-go. But Xmas is just around the corner, size 10 please! :)

Had To Share - Wonderful Rant on Beauty and the Art Beast, by Judith Schaechter

This door ornament can be called "pretty"- but to me it is really "beautiful".

Just finished this essay by Judith. A must-read for all those who have ever been perplexed by the art world's compulsive need for "pretty" art. What we think or feel "pretty" vs. "beautiful" might be... and why does it matter so much?  Read it here. 

"Weirdo Noir", An Art Book Worth Having

“Weirdo Noir” by Matt Dukes Jordan, Chronicle Books

I just picked up a copy of this book and that means an awful lot; there is only so much room in my house! Great selections, solid curating, nice spread of styles and interesting interviews with each artist. This is a perfect compilation of many newbrow artists, whose work you may like to have on your shelves, if not on your walls. On the cover - the fantastic Ray Caesar and his “Sleeping By Day”.

Eclectix Artist Interview With Mark Bryan

"I heard a quote a few days ago which I liked very much. It was something like “ An artist’s job is to be a witness to the times he lives in”  I agree with that sentiment. There is nothing really new in human experience other than the times we live in. For me, art is about sharing our..."

For the entire interview click here.

The Lowbrow Tarot Show Is Coming Up! Halloween in the City of the Fallen Angels...

Curated by Aunia Kahn and a long time coming - this show will be well worth a trek for. You may remember some of the artists from past Eclectix shows - Cate Rangel, Patrick “Star 27” Deignan, Edith Lebeau, Jennybird Alcantara and lastly Aunia's work, from many exhibits and her beautiful solo show "Our Quiet Earthquake".

I so wanted to host this show, at Eclectix here in the East Bay, but alas it was not to be - the economy just had no mercy. Even Duffy's belting soul tune couldn't turn it around. :) Most the other artists included are long time favorites as well, notable newbrow artists of impeccable technique and imagination. Picking the pieces for this show must have been heartbreaking. Just choosing the ones to post here was hard enough. For a look at all the pieces and their creators go here.

 The Lowbrow Tarot Project will showcase 23 new works of art from the lowbrow art movement in an exhibition at La Luz de Jesus in Los Angeles on October 1, 2010. It will be up thru Halloween, October 31st, our favorite day! To accompany the exhibit, a hard cover tabletop book and full color tarot card deck are in the works. Hopefully this show will travel so that we all might get a chance to see it.

Featuring artists: Carrie Ann Baade, Christopher Ulrich, Edith Lebeau, Cate Rangel, Kris Kuksi, Chris Mars, Christopher Umana, Chris Conn, Brian M. Viveros, Claudia Drake, Heather Watts, Molly Crabapple, David Stoupakis, Laurie Lipton, Patrick “Star 27” Deignan, Chet Zar, Jessica Joslin, Danni Shinya Luo, Jennybird Alcantara, Angie Mason, Scott G. Brooks, Aunia Kahn and Daniel Martin Diaz.

"There are 22 cards in the Major Arcana, each showing some aspect of the human experience. The cards of the Major Arcana are focused on three themes: the realm of the material world, the realm of the intuitive mind, and the realm of change." - Aunia Kahn

Related posts: Jennybird, Chris Conn, Carrie Ann Baade, Aunia Kahn, Fierce Fashion exhibit, Cate Rangel Interview

Visiting "Art From The New World" in The Old World of Bristol

Personal favorite in the show is this stunner by Ray Caesar

A stroke of good luck came my way when I was able to see the "Art From The New World" show in Bristol, while visiting family in England. The exhibit's date had been extended due to it's popularity, bringing in lots of new visitors to the Bristol Museum. 

The museum is an incredible art piece on it's own- detailed Roman castle architecture, as many of the university buildings nearby are. Easy to spend the day just checking out the scenery- arched gothic churches and medieval looking spires abound. It's a nice college town and makes a pleasant day trip by train if you happen to be in London.

Walking thru the doors, the first art attack is a huge stack of books painted on their sides- a dark bride and groom appraises you.... by Mike Stilkey.

 

Loved this piece, a different and original approach.

Once inside the main lobby, a wonderful angel greets you with a paint can dumped on her head, gotta love it! 

This is an excellent show with an all-star line up, most with new pieces created for the show. The press for the exhibit described it as - "a big brash exhibition of the new American art scene". Many thanks and kudos to the Bristol Museum for having the balls to show this work in an environment worthy of it's vision. They gave Banksy a show a few years ago; that would have been fun to see. Only a very few American museums have stepped up and shown these artist's, the Laguna Museum of Art and the San Jose Museum of Art; maybe now some more will. Also a thanks to the Corey Helford Gallery for arranging it all.

Octopus chandaliers hover overhead, by Adam Wallacavage 

Camille Rose Garcia's "Sneewitchen" 

Pictured here are just a few of the best from the show. I have omitted some pieces that have been very publicized already (for example: Mark Ryden's "Snow Yak"), hoping to concentrate here on the less exposed ones and of course, some faves.

Marion Peck

Chris Anthony

Detail from Ray Caesar's "Love Letters"

Mia

Johnny Rodriguez (kmndz)

Melissa Forman

As wonderful as this show is, I can't help but dream of a "bigger and brasher" show of just the cream of the pop. An exhibit of the surreal masterpieces of the newbrow scene, the original best pieces by the best artists. Even if they have been sold, to get them all together on loan, for a  show to travel thru-out the States. It could start at LACMA and then to SF MOMA and then to MOMA in New York and onward to European museums. Perhaps the art list might read- Ryden's "The Creatrix", Ron English's "Abraham-Obama", Camille Rose Garcia's "The Night Greed", Shawn Barber's  "The Unsaid", Sylvia Ji's "Dona Dolorosa", Todd Schorr's "Wish Fulfillment From Another World", Isabel Samaras' "Gone Native", Brian Vivero's "EvilLast", Chet Zar's "Sallgood", Jennybird Alcantara's "Treacherous Gardens", Chris Mars's "Dichotomy", Ray Caesar's "Descent", Marion Peck's "Bouquet" or Colette Calascione's "Anarchist In Love"... I have to stop myself here, it could and should go on and on, but you get the fantasy... A show of shows so to speak, to blow that boring art world away. 

Participating artists include:

JOSH AGLE (SHAG)

JASON SHAWN ALEXANDER

CHRIS ANTHONY

VAN ARNO

GARY BASEMAN

RAY CAESAR

COLIN CHRISTIAN

SAS CHRISTIAN

LUKE CHUEH

COOP

DAVE COOPER

RON ENGLISH

NATALIA FABIA

KORIN FAUGHT

SARAH FOLKMAN

MELISSA FORMAN

AJ FOSIK

CAMILLE ROSE GARCIA

MERCEDES HELNWEIN

DAVID HOCHBAUM

SYLVIA JI

ERIC JOYNER

DAVE KINSEY

KUKULA

JOE LEDBETTER

HENRY LEWIS

LOLA

TRAVIS LOUIE

MICHAEL MARARIAN

ELIZABETH MCGRATH

MIA

BRANDI MILNE

BUFF MONSTER

MICHAEL PAGE

MARION PECK

JOSHUA PETKER

CARLOS RAMOS

JOHNNY RODRIGUEZ (KMNDZ)

GRETCHEN RYAN

MARK RYDEN

TODD SCHORR

KATHY STAICO SCHORR

MIKE STILKEY

GREG SIMKINS (CRAOLA)

JOE SORREN

DAVID STOUPAKIS

ADAM WALLACAVAGE

MARTIN WITTFOOTH

KENT WILLIAMS