Foto Fix: Elise Boularan

Suzanne Vega

Paris based photographer Elise’s portraits intrigue me. Some are fuzzy-on-purpose and abruptly cropped - leaving one to question what the heck is going on. Some remind us of the old Polaroid Instamatic shots with their vintage coloration. And some hint of crime scene documentation, mysterious, as if there is more to the picture than we see. 

“This work intends to build an interpretation, where something deaf, undefinable is very present.”

She will be showing new works in September at The Cultural Institute Of Mexico, in San Antonio (USA) Her website is here.

Los Angeles Crimes Street Art

Happened upon this mural going up in LA, in the alley right across the street from Pink's Hot Dogs (Melrose and La Brea). The artists were busy working on it and what they had done was pretty cool. Not sure how the LA Times will feel about it, tho... Can't wait to see it finished.

Top Picks from "Everything But the Kitschen Sync" at La Luz in LA, Ends Today!

Every year La Luz de Jesus Gallery puts on this great group exhibit. One of my favorite shows to see each year and a great gallery. They have been exhibiting the "real" art in Los Angeles for years now, the great curator Billy Shire started it all,  more than 20 years ago. The gallery was originally on Melrose Ave. (where I became aware of it) and has since re-located to it's present location on Hollywood Blvd. Alongside Wacko this is the place to visit in LA for creative art, freaky & fun goodies and hip gifts. Not to mention there is a great Good Will is right next door! 
From their site: "This gigantic, no-theme show features works from some of the freshest and most relevant artists working today. Over 8,000 commercial illustrators, graphic designers, tattooists, scenics, students, animators and working gallery artists submitted their work for consideration, and after weeks of deliberation we narrowed it down to 123 artists showcasing just over 225 pieces."
Below are some of our faves from the show, although there were quite a few more that didn't photograph well for us. As usual, this is a jam-packed show full of fantastic and fresh new art. For all the works click on the gallery link above. Go see it today and snatch something up!

Loved both pieces by Matthew Couper

The sculptures by Greg Brotherton are wonderful!  He had another really clever race car piece here as well.

Matthew Couper

Sweet face by Antonio Roybal

Bryce Takara, elegant donkeys

Apricot Mantle, the vintage frame on this one is just outstanding. (The Formosa Cafe should be buying and hanging this one on their wall!)

Simon Sotelo, beautiful clayboard Katrina

Nicole Moan, sculpture extraordinaire

Dave Warshaw's lovely critter

One of the smallest (and best) pieces, by Miso

Apricot Mantle, great radio tube frame an added plus!

Gorgeous Marco Almera

Eclectix Picks: New Monograph From Marion Peck

From Porterhouse Fine Art Editions -
"Marion Peck: Animal Love Summer Special Edition Book"
This special edition of Marion Peck’s first full monograph features 118 of Marion’s finest paintings from 1993 to 2010. Each signed and numbered special edition book includes a signed and numbered print displayed in a beautifully embossed paper frame, different cover art and binding, and comes in a handmade, clothbound clamshell box.
You can flip thru all the pages here. Click on the pink button, "Detail Views"... beautiful classy design from Porterhouse, beautiful images from Marion...

Cartrippin' to Cactus Gallery and the "Dollmakers" Show

Dropping down into LA, we sidetracked to Eagle Rock to check out Cactus Gallery. This little gem is off the beaten LA track for galleries and it's brightly colored exterior only hints at the art inside. The owner, Sandra Mastroianni was a sweetie pie, showing us around with obvious enthusiasm for her space and artists. The inventory in the shop and gallery includes a plethora of hand made items, folk art & crazy local flavor, Day of the Dead objects, mosaic works and fine artisan crafts. Definitely a place to shop for gifts and yourself. The current exhibit - "Dollmakers" features art dolls by many artists, some which are very familiar to Eclectix visitors and readers - Christine Benjamin, Sheri DeBow, Kurtis Rykovich and Carisa Swenson and some wonderful new discoveries. All were fantastic, felted, sewn, carved and/or ceramic, each with their own individual style and footprint on doll making.
The place was packed wall to wall and floor to ceiling with eclectic art, every little nook and cranny. Even the tiny back rooms had killer pieces. A great place to explore and support. Below are just a few tasty nibbles - from the exhibit and the shop, enjoy!

Carisa Swenson

Sheri DeBow

Kurtis Rykovich

Christine Benjamin

Sheri DeBow

Christine Benjamin

Cactus' next upcoming exhibit looks promising as well, a tree themed show which opens April 9th.

Pix From The "Dystopia" Show - Super Surreal in Santa Monica

Visited the BeinArt Surreal Collective's show "Dystopia" at Copro Gallery in Santa Monica, along with a ton of other peeps. Great show, wonderful artists and incredible art. Way too many good ones to post them all, but here's a link to them. Met up with artists Pamela Wilson and Carrie Ann Baade, both looking happy and dapper. It was wonderful to finally meet people I have had an "online" relationship with for so long... Laurie Lipton, Sandra Yagi was there from SF and of course Jon Beinart.

Pamela and Carrie

Brian Viveros

Karl Persson

Sandra Yagi

Ray Donley

Matt R. Martin

Chris Mars

Rachel Bess

Brian Smith

Pamela Wilson

Carrie Ann Baade

Larkin, a cool marriage of painting and sculpt, (see the neck detail, below)

 This is a show really worth seeing, so many more stupendous pieces!


And last but not least, the award for best dressed couple goes to---

Pictures From "Terribly Happy", Annie Owens' Solo Show

Being able to be at the opening of Annie's show at Copro Gallery was a total treat for me. Her works were spaced well, allowing the sparse feeling in the imagery to breathe. Every single piece was gorgeous, impeccably executed and full of the emotive charms we expect from Annie. And almost all of them were sold already!  Most the works I had been keeping abreast of as she completed them but there was one big surprise for me - titled, "Backwater Peccadillos". A large, tree framed swamp image of two girls floating in a boat, it became my favorite of the show. Just stupendous, they all need to be seen in person! 

A link to Copro Gallery's nice online preview of the artworks is here.

Here's Annie, the star of the show and Daniel, her steadfast partner in crime.
Her eyes are saying "Don't take my picture!" - but hey- it's camera one, babee!

There are other shows going on at Copro right now which are really worth viewing as well. Especially the BeinArt Surreal Collective exhibit - "Dystopia". Another post is to come on it.

For the recent Eclectix interview with Annie Owens click here.