Now you may think since Fat Tuesday has already passed that Madis Gras is over….but it’s NOT…..

Uncle Darrow’s Cajun Restaurant in Marina Del Rey keeps the party going.

And you know there’s nothin’ that Mama likes more than keeping that party goin’!!!

Today….pop by Darrow’s for its 15th annual Mardi Gras West celebration from 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm.

Enjoy live music from great bands such as T- Lou & His Super Hot Zydeco Band and 2 U-Neek.

What: Mardi Gras Celebration
Where: Uncle Darrow’s Cajun Restaurant, 2560 Lincoln Blvd, Marina del Rey, CA 90291
When: 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Phone: 310.306.4862
Website: http://www.uncledarrows.com

In Malibu…

Start off with an early art party…Malibleu Gallery celebrates a new exhibition, entitled “SHADOWS.” Curated by Nina Herzog, the exhibit features the work of homeless artist William A. Laga. The gallery proceeds will be donated to “Imagine LA,” a non-profit organization that helps empower homeless families to transition from homelessness to self-sufficiency.

William Laga sees the world through brilliant and vibrant colors and his marbleized abstract paintings reflect his extraordinary soul. Laga is a master of mixing hues and textures while his dramatic contemporary art evokes a feeling of inspiration, hope, introspection, and love. Laga’s technique is one few have mastered, it is called “Phenomena” …and critics say his vivid and moving paintings are just that, phenomenal. William Laga is a maverick artist who searches for meaning behind every brush stroke.

William Laga has taken the art world by storm. Now it is being sold around the world, affording him the materials to continue painting as well as help other homeless families better their lives too.

Refreshments will be served. Complimentary valet. **Valet parking on Las Flores and overflow parking at Duke’s, across from the gallery. For more information about “Imagine LA,” see http://www.imaginela.org

On view: March 8th – March 21st

What: Opening reception
Where: Malibleu Gallery, 21201 Pacific Coast Hwy, @ Las Flores Canyon, in the Cosentino’s Center
When: 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Phone: (310) 456-2011
Website: https://www.facebook.com/MalibleuArt

In Santa Monica….at Bergamot Station…

Shoshana Wayne Gallery presents Irit Batsry’s “Altered Sites.” This is the artist’s fourth solo exhibition with the gallery. Altered Sites is a partial survey of Batsry’s photographic work from the last two decades illuminating key themes for the artist: the fragmentation of space, the construction of virtual space, and the dissolution of borders between photography, painting, sculpture, and the moving image.

Images from Batsry’s Neither There Nor Here series are large-scale video prints in which the artist composes ‘photographic scenes’ selected from video material she shot in Southern India.

On view: March 8th – May 3rd

What: Opening reception
Where: Shoshana Wayne Gallery, Bergamot Station (B-1) 2525 Michigan Ave., Santa Monica, 90404
When: 5:00 – 7:00 pm
Phone: 310.453.7535
Website: http://shoshanawayne.com/

Also at Bergamot….

Ruth Bachofner Gallery celebrates “Water Has No Figuration,” an exhibition of new work by Udo Nöger.

See image: Udo Nöger, “Wasser Gleichend 1,” 2014, mixed media, 40 x 56″

In this latest body of work, Udo Nöger continues his interest in light and its manifestations. Using a combination of material manipulation and traditional painting techniques, Nöger creates works which give light physicality and dispel tactility of dimensional applications.

Also opening tonight, “Ataxia” a new exhibit featuring the work of Los Angeles-based artist Carlson Hatton.

What: Opening reception
Where: Ruth Bachofner Gallery, Bergamot Station, (G-2) 2525 Michigan Avenue, Santa Monica, 90404
When: 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Phone: (310) 829-3300
Website: www.ruthbachofnergallery.com

The Frank Lloyd Gallery celebrates the opening of an exhibition of rare works by Roseline Delisle (1952-2003).

Meticulous in their fabrication and decoration, Delisle’s nonfunctional vessels are elegant and precise.

See image: Roseline Delisle, Octet 9, 1999 earthenware 41 ½ x 14 inches

March 8 – April 5, 2014

What: Opening Reception
Where: Frank Lloyd Gallery, Inc., Bergamot Station (B-5b), 2525 Michigan Ave. Santa Monica, CA 90404
When: 5:00 – 7:00 pm
Phone: 310 264-3866
Website: http://www.franklloyd.com

And one more at Bergamot…

ESSNTL Gallery is pleased to announce it’s grand opening with the presentation of Phantasmagoria, a solo exhibition of new paintings by American painter Wyatt Mills.

See image: Wyatt Mills, Dreams Do Come True, 2014, Oil Painting

This one looks like a fun art party.

On view: March 8th – April 5th

What: Grand Opening
Where: ESSNTL Gallery
When: 6:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Phone: (318) 537-3696
Website: http://www.essntlgallery.com/

Also in Santa Monica…

L.A. Marler’s Airport Art Studio will be transformed for one day to host “Unplug and Type-In,” a gathering of people and manual typewriters for an afternoon of fun, creativity, and exploration of the “key” aspects of typewriting, featuring our vintage typewriters for public use.

Take a photo in our unplugged photo booth!  Ask a ghostwriter to help you create tell your typewriter story, or type a thank you note!  Create a custom typewritten poem!     

What: Opening reception
Where: L.A. Marler Studio, 3000 Airport Ave., SM, 90405
When: 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Website:  http://www.lamarler.com/typowriters/

In Venice….

This one opened last week…The Return of It Came From Venice opened last week at Sponto Gallery. Poetry reading runs from 6-7:30 pm and then enjoy a dance party from 7:30 10pm.

The exhibit features art from many of our local Venice tribe ..Sean Boyce, Jason Chrisman, Vincent Digaetano, Mark X Farina, Gerry Fialka, Randi Hall, Dave Healey, Hillary, KayeLa.Marche, Barbara Mastej, B. Meade, Margaret Molloy, John Ransom, Geneva Simmons, Ned Sloane, Dougo Smith, and Andrea Wittenberg.

For those of you who did not know Sponto (he has left us), he was an amazing man…and a lover of art.

Poetry from 6-7:30…then Dance Party begins with DJ, Reverend Dan: 7:30 -10pm

What: Opening Reception
Where: Sponto Gallery, 9 Dudley Ave.
When 6:00 – 10:00 pm

In the Miracle Mile/West Hollywood area…

Michael Briggs In conjunction with Anna Meliksetian Gallery present “Moonsick,” Britton Tolliver’s first exhibition with the gallery.

See image: Britton Tolliver, Surrender to Fantasy, 2013, Acrylic on panel, 70 x 47 in © The artist & anna meliksetian | MJBriggs, Los Angeles

For the exhibition, Tolliver presents a new group of abstract paintings, which are the result of an ongoinginvestigation at the intersection of the gestural and the geometric.

On view: March 8th – April 12th

What: Opening Reception
Where: MJ Briggs, 313 N. Fairfax Ave., LA 90036
When: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Phone: 1 323 828 4731
Website: http://www.mjbriggs.com

Also in the Miracle Mile area…There are a couple more on Fairfax, The Seventh Letter, 346 North Fairfax Ave), offers an art party from 8-11 pm. http://TheSeventhLetter.com Plus another opening on Fairfax…but it’s exactly the opposite directtion. Just head South to Minan Gallery (1051 S. Fairfax Ave), from 6-8pm. http://minangallery.com  Edward Cella Art+Architecture (6018 Wilshire Blvd), from 6-8pm. http://www.edwardcella.com 

Another reception takes place at Moskowitz Gallery (743 N La Brea Ave.), from 7-10pm. http://moskowitzgallery.com/   LAUNCH (170 S. La Brea Ave., 2nd floor LA, 90036), is located above Merry Karnowsky (actually inside…be aware it starts early. It runs from 6-8pm. http://launchla.org

Then downstairs….Merry Karnowsky Gallery presents new work from Andrew Hem’s latest exhibition, Dream But Don’t Sleep, a cross-cultural collision of foreign landscapes and native urbanism.

See image: Andrew Hem, “Kibas,” acrylic on panel, 25 x 34″

Also opening tonight…”Tied Up” featuring the work of Mel Kadel.

RSVP Essential: rsvp@mkgallery.com

What: Opening reception
Where: Merry Karnowsky Gallery 170 S. La Brea Ave. (In the Art 170 Building), LA 90036
When: 8:00 pm – 11:00 pm 
Phone: 323.933.4408
Website: http://www.mkgallery.com

Or in Downtown LA…

Night Gallery, (2276 East 16th St.), celebrates International Women’s Day with a group show from 7-10 pm. http://www.nightgallery.ca  Another art party takes place at The Hive Gallery & Studios (729 South Spring St.) from 8-11:30 pm. http://thehivegallery.com

Also in the Highland Park area….

Avenue 50 Studio holds an opening reception and Women’s Day celebration.

Mujeres de luz y de sombra: (Women of light and shadow) is a multidisciplinary exhibit that portrays the essence of women in light and in shadow. From subtle to bold, within memory and presence, through strength and vulnerability, trapped in a repetition of history, in our minds, in the streets of Mexico City or a poetic phrase in a song, Cecilia Aguilar Castillo, Olivia Barrionuevo, Angela Roa, Marianne Sadowski and Beatriz Valls present works with a personal reflection on being a woman.

Also opening tonight…Community Press: Printmakers from Barnsdall Art Center. 13 printmakers from Barnsdall Art Center share their work, and their connection to the venerable community art center. Co-sponsored by Barnsdall Art Center Student Advisory Committee (BACSAC)

On View: March 8th – April 5th

What: Opening reception
Where: Avenue 50 Studio, 131 N. Avenue 50, LA 90042
When: 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Phone: Phone: 323.258.1435
Website: http://www.avenue50studio.org