haleARTS S P A C E invites you to the opening reception for a group show featuring the work of Barbara Kosoff, Frederico Ceballos, Mara Thompson and Michele Castagnetti. The opening reception will be held Friday, May 17 from 5-8 PM. Peruse accessibly priced work while enjoying white wine and freshly popped popcorn.

Frederico Ceballos creates contemporary abstract designs of indigenous nature. His work utilizes hard edges and distinct lines of color while exploring relationships between scale and repetition.

Mara Thompson’s “Pick a Card…Any Card” series combines vintage, found and original collage materials, augmented by acrylic paint and oils. Mara’s work is a visual representation of what she perceives to be of value and importance to those around her.

Michele Castagnetti has created a series of prints inspired by wallpaper of the 1970’s. The series hovers between minimalism, abstraction and geometry while the bright colors create a vivid sense of spatial illusion.The gallery will be filled – floor to ceiling- with the work of several artists working in a variety of media.

See image: Barbara Kosoff

Barbara Kosoff creates mixed-media and assemblage works on paper. Her whimsical pieces combine a variety of print sources as well as drawing and painting with oil bars. Her illustrations often appear in the LA Times.

Wine and freshly popped popcorn will be served.

Onv view May 17 – June 25th

What: Opening reception
Where: haleARTS S P A C E, 2443 Main St., Santa Monica, CA 90405
When: 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Phone: 310-314-8038
Website: www.halearts.com

Also in Santa Monica…Rose Gallery at Bergamot Station Art Center , 2525 Michigan Avenue G-5 host a reception from 6:30-9:30pm.  http://www.rosegallery.net/

In Venice….

at 1320 Main Street….The Earth Project event is having music & art exhibits both Friday & Saturday nights starting at 7pm.

This is the 1st Annual “Respect your Momma” Show.  (Gotta love that name, right???)

Celebrate the planet and our connection to eARTh with local musicians & DJs, dirt-lovin’ and treehuggin’ art. The event starts at 7pm. A portion of art sales will go to benefit EarthProtect.

Performers include Venice’s own Christopher Hawley, Seeing Thingz & VJ Theory.

Artists include: Jules Muck, Isabelle Alford-Lago, Kaleo Sallas, David Cedeno, Betsy Enzensberger, EKO, Dustin Varpness, Spacemonkey’s Photography, Lisa Green, Tony Venegas, Patrick Hammerlein, Chuck U Farley, Lena Simovic, Erik Warn, Lou Minatti, Marianne Magne, Eduardo Manilla, Thierry Mallet, Chistopher Lorello and projections by VJ Theory.

Artist Betesy Enzenberger (see image, left) will be exhibiting her Metro series (“Metro I” & “Metro II”) which are resins on vintage print drawers.  www.betsyenzensberger.com

Special thanks to 1320 Main, all the artists/performers & Dogtown Artists United.

What: Respect your Momma Art Music SHow
Where: 1320 Main Street
When: 7:00 pm to???
Website: http://www.earthprotect.com/    FB Event Page

In Hollywood…

ltd losangeles hosts an opening reception for “A Short History of Cologne” featuring artists  Julia Scher, Frances Scholz, Mark von Schlegell.

See image: Mark von Schlegell, Dreaming the Mainstream, 2013  Merve Verlag, Berlin   Photo by: Tom Lamberty

What: Opening reception
Where: ltd losangeles, 7561 Sunset Blvd #103, LA 90046
When: 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Phone: 323.378.6842
Website: http://ltdlosangeles.com

Also nearby…

KM Fine Arts Los Angeles celebrates the work of artist John Michael Rusnak.  “Fear of Nostalgia,” features an iconic series of six magnificent triptychs represent the culmination of more than 100 days spent in Cuba. Although entirely shot in Cuba, the images are universal symbols provoking a reflection on the necessity of equality and equity among people.

See image: John Michael Rusnak, Postura de los Saintos,  2011, magery created from photographs taken on 4X5 Polaroid 55 Negative film with manual enhancements by the artist. Pigment printing on Hahnemuhle Bamboo fiber-based paper with archival mounting on 1/8″ aluminum., 82 1/6″ x 39 13/16″

On view: May 17th – July 12th

What: Opening reception
Where: KM Fine Arts Los Angeles, 814 N. La Cienega Blvd
When: 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Phone:  310-854-0540
Website:  http://www.kmfinearts.com

In Culver City…POPgallery, 3505 Helms Ave.holds a reception from 7-10 pm.   http://thepopstudio.com/gallery/

Or head towards the the Miracle Mile area…pop by New Theme Gallery, 8178 Melrose Ave. offer an exhibition featuring artists Nick Aguayo, Daniel Payavis, Zack Stadel, Beth Holden. Reception runs from 7-11pm  http://newtheme-gallery.net/

Martha Otero Gallery presents Pedro Matos’ first exhibition in Los Angeles, Building Castles Made of Sand featuring a new series of oil paintings on canvas and Azulejo panels – a traditional Portuguese medium of hand-painted, tin-glazed, ceramic tile work.

See image: Portrait of a Man Holding Gloves, 2013, Oil on burnt canvas, 24 inch diameter (60 cm)

On view: May 17th – June 15th

What: Opening reception
Where: Martha Otero Gallery, 820 N Fairfax Ave., LA 90046
When: 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Phone: 323 951 1068
Website: http://www.marthaotero.com

Downtown LA….Actual Size Los Angeles, 741 New High St.  also offers an opening from 7-10pm.   http://www.actualsizela.com/

An evening of spoken word hosted by the LAartlab crew at Lincoln High School, featuring teen poets and special guests including Sumiko Braun and Maia Mayor.

Sumiko Braun is a poet, musician, actor, and parent. Currently, she produces, writes, and acts in her own comedy web series about a jaded group of superheroes called The New Order and lives in LA with her son.

Maia Mayor is a member of Get Lit Players, and has been featured on KPFK, and has performed all over Los Angeles.

LAartlab is an independent, all-volunteer collective helping teens and young adults engage in the various facets of the Los Angeles art community and California’s creative economy by providing hands-on opportunities to help design, produce and host art events.

Where: Avenue 50 Studio
When: 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Phone: (323) 258-1435
Website: www.avenue50studio.org  http://www.laartlab.org