Mark Todd “Force Field”

July 1 – 31
Opening Reception: Friday, July 1st, 8-11 pm

La Luz de Jesus Gallery
4633 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles CA 90027
323-666-7667
www.laluzdejesus.com
info@laluzdejesus.com

Also showing:  Van Saro, Simon Sotelo, Andy Steele, Hui Tan

Click here to preview “Force Field”

Mark Todd continues his process of reinterpreting, deconstructing and adopting classic iconic comic imagery in his July 2011 La Luz de Jesus Gallery show, “Force Field”. The works reference snippets of abstracted comics and combine many covers and characters, melding them together in mixed media paintings and layered collage works, producing rich layers of oozing, fragmented and multiple plains. Anchoring the show will be a large dimensional centerpiece installation – a ¾ scale comics inspired fireworks stand composed of wood, chicken wire, lights and flags with painted surfaces.

Todd took his first creative cues from comic books, role playing games and Star Wars: worlds of inventive fantasy that still inform his work today. For the last six years he has categorically documented the world of his teenage obsession, intense scrutiny and alteration of classic comic covers from “Fantastic Four,” “X-Men,” “Iron Man,” “Spiderman” and other series, including the work of legendary illustrators like Jack Kirby. “I love the type, the heavy shadows, the colors and the way they seemed to use very inch of the page,” says Todd. “I sit and study them, and my brush reconstructs them.” Todd is referencing the past, waxing nostalgic about it and simultaneously lending his own post-modern sensibility to it, employing a limited palette, repetition, distortion and mixed media materials including spray paint, cel-vinyl, glossy varnishes, silkscreen and dusty stains. The pieces appear as prized objects; tablets encoded with civilization’s most iconic collective wisdom. Todd recently put up PowerFury.com, a new website and blog dedicated to his artwork www.powerfury.com

This piece celebrating the 40th anniversary of Soap Plant aired as part of the California Report on KQED Public Radio – and features an interview with Billy Shire

The new issue of Pop Surrealism Magazine is out and features an interview with La Luz de Jesus Gallery Director Matt Kennedy , artist Sarah Joncas, Gary Baseman and others – click the image to read the issue on the web or download to your iPod or iPhone! Join Pop Surrealism’s Facebook page here

Our friend Skylaire Alfvegren has written a fabulous piece about the Vincent Price art Museum on the LA Weekly website – click here to read and if you enjoyed the piece – leave a comment!

The Love Me Nots return to Los Angeles with guests Kiss Kiss Bang Bang plus Bullet DJs Rich Soulshaker, Jason Pandora, Alberto Sol, Lee Joseph, Rick Barzell, DJ Lady Bug and Dr Ray spinning full tilt mod sounds in two rooms for DANCING ALLNIGHTER style!! FREE Bullet mix CD for all online presale ticket purchases!

THE LOVE ME NOTS

A quartet from Phoenix Arizona, play fuzzy, farfisa-drenched rock and roll, full of howls and heartache. All albums recorded by legendary Detroit producer Jim Diamond (White Stripes, Romantics, Dirtbombs) and released on the band’s own label, Atomic A Go Go Records.
“One of the most exciting acts of the moment; Disc of the month. Stunningly Feverish.” – Rolling Stone “One of the few modern garage revivalists that ranks with its storied influences.” – LA Weekly

KISS KISS BANG BANG (USA)
A band from The Northeast Los Angeles Garage Rock scene. With a fashion model lead singer (Devon) & the popular owner/head stylist of The Manic Panic Salon Of Highland Park (Laura) on Combo Organ, this band looks as good as it sounds. Rounding out the band are Kenny (Formerly with The Beat Killers) on guitar, John (Formerly with The Fuzztones/Speedies) on bass, and Tony from The Vaquetones on drums. They are currently in the studio recording their First CD with producer, Dave Klein (Agent Orange/Ghastly Ones/ Bomboras)

FREE BULLET MIX CD FOR EVERY TICKET PURCHASED ONLINE!

FACEBOOK EVENT/RSVP PAGE

CLICK HERE TO “LIKE”
THE BULLET ON FACEBOOK!

** NEW ONE TIME ONLY LOCATION FOR THIS EVENT**

1235 Vine St. (The Saint) + a private afterhours loft above The Saint

Los Angeles CA 90028

Doors open 9pm til ??  /  21+   /  $10 cover

For a recap of The Creepy Creeps two-day stint opening for and hanging out with Robert Plant and The Band of Joy, click this link to read the blog post on  “Urban Taxidermy,” the tattoo and art blog of Creepy Creeps’ guitarist, Dave Warshaw

The Zombie is the benchmark for the classic exotic cocktail, and the drink that lit the fuse of the mid-century Polynesian craze in America when it debuted in 1934.  This complex and powerful drink is a medley of bold flavors that takes the drinker on a trip to the islands.  You just can’t call you bar a tiki bar without serving up a great Zombie.  At Smuggler’s Cove in San Francisco, where they take pride in offering 75 historic exotic libations, owner Martin Cate serves this drink made right with all fresh squeezed fruit juices, the correct & historically accurate rums, and housemade ingredients.  Martin Cate gives a cocktail seminar each year at the West Coast’s largest gathering of tiki enthusiasts, Tiki Oasis in San Diego, CA. He’ll be back this year with another interactive & informative seminar for hundreds of guests at this premier tiki event August 18-21.

Classic Zombie 1934 by Don the Beachcomber

.75 oz fresh lime juice
.5 oz fresh grapefruit juice (white or pink)
.25 oz cinnamon syrup
.5 oz falernum
1.5 oz gold Puerto Rican rum
1.5 oz aged Jamaican rum
1 oz Lemon Hart 151 Demerara rum
1 tsp grenadine
Dash angostura bitters
6 drops pernod or herbsaint

Pulse blend all ingredients with  6 oz crushed ice for 2-3 seconds, and pour contents into zombie glass and add ice to fill. Garnish with mint sprig.

Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery at Barnsdall Art Park

LAMAG Benefit Auction – Sunday, May 1st · 3-6 PM

Final plans are in motion for the Auction and Party featuring more than 100 artists’ work to benefit the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery. Don’t miss this evening of creativity and fun with a mix of artists and creators, business, cultural, and civic leaders – all celebrating LAMAG’s legacy and its bright future.

LAMAG is L.A.’s gallery and they need your support! To purchase tickets: Click here. To Preview the art works: Click here.

All proceeds from the benefit and auction will go to support the gallery’s innovative exhibitions, stimulating special programs, provocative lecture and educational events, cutting-edge curatorial initiatives, and insightful catalogues and publications.

Hors d’œuvres and wine are included in the price of admission. Music will be provided by DJ Colin Kim plus be on the look out for the Untitled Collective’s interventions that reveal (or conceal) layers of meaning and mystery.

Hot, established and emerging artists in the auction include:
Kim Abeles | Edith Abeyta | Suzanne Adelman | Lita Albuquerque | Juna Amano | Michael Arata | Edgar Arceneaux | John Baldessari | Judie Bamber | Kireilyn Barber | Christopher Barbour | Lou Beach | Barbara Berk | Richard Bilow | Sandow Birk | Caroline Blackburn | Richard Bilow | Jodi Bonassi | Amy Bouse | Angie Bray | Tony Brown | Nancy Buchanan | Anita Bunn | Rude Calderon | Jo Ann Callis | Max King Cap | Castillo | Ching Ching Cheng | Anthony Clarkson | Joe Davidson | Roberto Delgado | Raoul de la Sota | David DiMichele | Renee Dominique | Dana Duff | Sam Durant | Val Echavarria | Edem Elesh | Shepard Fairey | Nicholas Fedak II | Alice Fellows | Judy Fiskin | Kathi Flood | Martin Gantman | Carol Goldmark | Orestes Gonzalez | Phyllis Green | Todd Gray | Mark Steven Greenfield | Iva Gueorguieva | Mary Addison Hackett | Doug Harvey | Charles Hachadourian | Marybeth Heffernan | Bonita Helmer | Juan Carlos Muñoz Hernandez | Anne Hieronymus | Linda Jacobson | Gegam Kacherian | Mike Kelley & Michael Smith | Siri Kaur | Yoichi Kawamura | Soo Kim | Nicholette Kominos | Maddy LeMel | Christophe Leroux | J.J. L’Heureux | Peter Liashkov | Ronald J. Llanos | Nuttaphol Ma | Daniel Joseph Martinez | Meg Madison | Barry Markowitz | David MacDowell | Charlene Matthews | Mineo Mizuno | John Mooney | Aaron Morse | Manfred Müller | Rosalyn Myles | Kristen Neveu | John David O’Brien | Chris Oatey | Stas Orlovski | Ara Oshagan | Sheila Pinkel | Mei Xian Qiu | Megan Quinn | Stuart Rapeport | Tony de los Reyes | Rebecca Ripple | Frank Romero | Charlene Roth | Joy J. Rotblatt | Scarlett Rouge | Ross Rudel | Alison Saar | Betye Saar | Lezley Saar | Connie Samaras | Gwen Samuels | Richard Serra | Michael Sheehan | Kyungmi Shin | Peter Shire | Karen Sikie | Nathan Singer | Anna E. Siqueiros | May Sun | Kent Twitchell | Yosuke Ueno | Mauricio Vallejo | Margo Victor | Margaret von Biesen | Pat Warner | Marnie Weber | Weegee | Wayne White | Alexandra Wiesenfeld | Norton Wisdom | Karen Frimkess Wolff | Nan Wollman | Augusta Wood | Michiko Yao | Liat Yossifor | Mary Younakof | Liz Young | Carrie Yury

Guest Auctioneer: Alex Slato, Associate Director, LA Artcore

BENEFIT COMMITTEE:
George Billis Gallery LA
Edward Cella, Edward Cella Art + Architecture
Mary Leigh Cherry, Cherry and Martin
Stephen Cohen, Photo LA/Art LA Projects
A. McLean Emenegger, Milo + Mclean/Mclean Fine Art
Kristi Engle, Kristi Engle Gallery
Sidney Felsen & Joni Moisant Weyl, Gemini G.E.L.
Lauri Firstenberg, LAXArt
Emi Fontana, West of Rome Public Art
Peter Frank, Huffington Post/Fabrik Magazine
Kathy Gallegos, Avenue 50 Studio
Eric Garcetti , LA City Council
Edward Goldman, Art Talk KCRW
Andrew Hosner, Thinkspace
Merry Karnowsky, Merry Karnowsky Gallery
Nowell J. Karten
Tom La Bonge, LA City Council
Steven Lavine, CalArts
Hillary Metz
Merry Norris, Merry Norris Contemporary Art
Jack Rutberg, Jack Rutberg Gallery
Billy Shire, La Luz de Jesus Gallery
Franklin Sirmans, Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Rose Soshana, Rose Gallery
Louis Stern, Louis Stern Fine Arts

SPONSORS:
Artillery Magazine, Barnsdall Art Park Foundation, Fine Art Solutions, Finishing Concepts, Jeff Kies Custom Picture Framing, and New Alchemy Framing

For donations and information contact:
Meg Madison, Program Committee Chair
Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery Associates
meg@megmadison.com / 213.393.9333