Our pick of the week takes place at the G2 Gallery. I included G2 Gallery in my article about the this weekend’s art events in the Westside Today. It’s in this week’s Santa Monica Mirror as well.

The G2 Gallery celebrates two new exhibitions, “Ricked from the Headlines: A Ranger Rick Photo Expedition” and “Nature LA: Susie Loucks.”

The G2 Gallery is a fantastic gallery that consistently helps environmental causes.

Here is some info from the gallery. “Ricked From the Headlines: A Ranger Rick Photo Expedition” is presented in partnership with National Wildlife Federation’s much beloved Ranger Rick magazine. The exhibit will feature images from some of the world’s most heralded photographers alongside tales from the famous magazine.

See image: Macro close-up of a Brazilian Tree Hopper

Co-curated by Ranger Rick photo editor Susan McElhinney and G2 Director and Curator Jolene Hanson, Ricked From the Headlines will feature photo stories from several of the magazine’s most recent issues. Stories about mountain lions, alien-esque insects and birds of paradise from the pages of the 47-year old, kid-friendly publication will accompany the images.

McElhinney has been Ranger Rick’s photo editor for 20 years, and her eye for choosing the right images for the right stories has led to award-winning photographs gracing the magazine’s pages. She and Hanson curated the most compelling visual stories from Ranger Rick’s past issues, working with more than a dozen world-renowned photographers, including Pete Oxford, Igor Siwanowicz, Jeff Yonover and many more.

See image: A Thorny Devil lizard crosses a highway.

The exhibit is particularly close to Hanson’s heart.”I want this exhibit to do for visitors – adults and kids alike – what it did for me when I was young,” says Hanson. “Ranger Rick stirs something in people to not just learn about their world, but to save it.”

Also opening, on Saturday….Nature LA: Susie Loucks, part of the gallery’s ongoing series featuring Los Angeles based artists with unique photographic vision. Loucks began her career as a freelance photographer, but art took a backseat to her work as a standup comedian, where she did various shows, including a showcase on HBO. But in the past 10 years, Loucks refocused on photography, exhibiting in galleries around Los Angeles, including bG Gallery and Bleicher Gallery.

“I tend to think in images. I love photographs because they fill in my blanks with details and nine times out of ten, are much more interesting,” says Loucks. Loucks’s love of coastal birds drove the theme of her show. With a home by the ocean, she had easy access to pelagic birds of all types – gulls, pelicans and more. Her haunting photographs portray these animals simultaneously frozen in space and time; in rapid motion, but completely still.

See image: by Susie Loucks, A gull caught mid-flight off of Los Angeles.

Loucks says, “The beauty and intricacies of a bird’s feathers, wings, anatomy and mechanics never cease to amaze me.”

The opening reception for Ricked From the Headlines: A Ranger Rick Photo Expedition, along with Nature LA: Susie Loucks, will be held on September 20 from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. 

Be aware that you MUST RSVP and there is a $10.00 admission at the door…..but it includes wine, hors d’oeuvres, and complimentary valet. All proceeds from admissions will be donated to National Wildlife Federation. RSVP to rsvp@theg2gallery.com

On View: September 19  – November 2

What: Opening reception
Where: G2 Gallery, 1503 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice 90291
When: Saturday, Sept 20, 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Phone: 310.452.2842
Website: www.theg2gallery.com