The Pick of the Week…may be over…but the art parties still continue, plus we’ve got Mardi Gras too….

Mardi Gras is on the horizon….This coming week is “Fat Tuesday”….so start the partying early…today with the most enthusiastic Mardi Gras party west of New Orleans at Farmers Market.

Offering great music, festive decorations, impromptu parades and plenty of Cajun food and beer and beads highlight the weekend party.

There’s also a parade as unique as the Market itself, Mutti Gras, a jester-led parade of costumed pets which concludes with an audience-judged King & Queen of Mutti Gras contest.

The events take place all day Saturday & Sunday, throughout the Market; noon to 9:30 PM

What: Mardis Gras Party
Where: Farmers Market, 6333 West 3rd Street, 3rd & Fairfax, LA 90036
When: 12:00 pm – 9:30 pm
Phone: (323) 933-9211
Website: www.farmersmarketla.com

Or in Venice Beach…jump into the annual Mardis gras parade on the Boardwalk….

It starts at noon at Rose and the boardwalk. This years inspirational theme is, “California Gold”…put on your best Mardi Gras party clothes, grab your beads and get ready to march, dance and strutt down Ocean Front Walk for the 12th Annual Venice Beach Mardi Gras Parade.

If you’ve never been, come on down, its supposted to start at noonish at Ros Ave…(hey it’s Venice…so you never know), and runs to Windward Ave, then we turn around….yes, I will be there shaking my thang! 

Then the Gumbo Brothers perform at The Venice Bistro, 2:00 pm -5:00 pm. The Venice Bistro is located at 323 Ocean Front Walk, just south of Rose Ave.

In Topanga….

“Visions Six,” the annual exhibit by the associate members of Topanga Canyon Gallery, opens today with a reception from 3:00-6:00 p.m.

If you have never been…Topanga Canyon Gallery holds engaging some art exhibitions and fun art parties….

The group show offers a artists including Linda Bolhuis, dyes on silk; Christo Brock, photography; Teri Garcia, graphite on paper; Susan Haskell, glass; Carmen Monne photography; and Carole Spence, acrylic painting.

Gallery hours: Wednesday-Saturday 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m., Sunday, 11:00 a.m. -5:00 p.m. Parking is available.

On view: February 5 March 3rd

What: Opening reception
Where: Topanga Canyon Gallery, 120 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Suite 109, Topanga, CA 90290
When: Saturday February 9th 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
www.topangacanyongallery.com

Or take some time off to head to Joshua Tree for a lovely weekend. Joshua Tree Art Gallery presents a group show focusing on Love.

Featured artists include Burnham, Drucker,Fulmer, Geiger,Hall, Leatart, Mackenzie, Parker,Reese, Rieman,Rogoyska, & Swenson.

What: Opening reception, JTAG
Where: Joshua Tree Art Gallery, 61607 29 Palms Hwy, Joshua Tree, CA 92552
When: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Phone: 760 366 3636
Website: http://www.joshuatreeartgallery.com; www.jthar.com

  in Santa Monica at Bergamot Station….

Rosamund Felsen Gallery presents its third exhibition of new works by Los Angeles based artist Lavi Daniel, “A Seed With A Mind Of Its Own.”

The solo exhibition consists of nine large scale oil paintings, a dozen miniature paintings, and two sculptures.

Gallery Luisotti hostsan artist’s reception for Catherine Wagner’s current exhibition, trans/literate, tonight. In resonance with her other works documenting the obsolescence of things past their usefulness, the braille books of trans/literate are premonitions of a seemingly doubtful fate.

These works are the documentation of the physical loss of those objects that are familiar in our times, crystallized here as visual signifiers of what history once left us.

Fig celebrates the work of artist, John de Heras with an opening reception.

John de Heras looks to a variety of cultures for inspiration. Latin American, Asian and local Los Angeles influences combine in his complex paintings.

On view: February 6th – March 9th

What: Opening reception
Where: FIG, Bergamot Station, (G-6) 2525 Michigan Ave.,  Santa Monica, 90404
When: 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Phone: (310) 829-0345
Website: www.figgallery.com

Also in Santa Monica…From 6-8 pm enjoy an opening at Gallery KM, 2903 Santa Monica Blvd., http://www.gallerykmla.com/


On Venice Blvd….

Duncan Miller Gallery (NOT THE BERGAMOT Location), enjoy a closing reception for the pop up show of rare rock and roll photography.

Valuable works of Mick Jagger, Jimi Hendrix, Allman Brothers, Grateful Dead, Johnny Cash and many others will be on hand.

In Culver City

Mark Moore Gallery holds a closing recption for concurrent exhibitions, Andrew Schoultz and Nano Rubio.

See image: The Great Tree of No Where, 2013 / Acrylic and collage on panel / 24 x 24 inches

What: Closing reception
Where: Mark Moore Gallery, 5790 Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
When: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Phone: 310 453-3031
Website: http://www.markmooregallery.com


David Kordansky Gallery presents “WAITED,” an exhibition of new work by Andrew Dadson. This will be Dadson’s first exhibition with the gallery, and his first solo exhibition in Los Angeles.

See image: Andrew Dadson, Zen Head,  2013 , oil on canvas , 84 x 60 inches (213.4 x 152.4 cm)

On view: February 9th – March 23rd

What: Opening Reception
Where: David Kordansky Gallery, 3143 S. La Cienega Blvd., LA, 90016
When: 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Phone: 310-558-3030
Website: http://davidkordanskygallery.com/

LeBasse Projects presents two new painting exhibitions by multi-disciplinary artists Alexandros Vasmoulakis and j.frede.

The main room will feature muralist and installation artist Vasmoulakis (see image), and his new series, “Figures.” In the project room, Los Angeles artist j.frede presents “Unentitled.”

On view: Feb 9th – Feb 23rd

What: Opening reception
Where: LeBasse Projects, 6023 Washington Blvd., LA 90232
When: 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Phone: 310.558.0200
Website: http://www.lebasseprojects.com/

Stay in Culver City and head to Mihai Nicodim Gallery who celebrates the first solo exhibition and U.S. debut of British artist Raymonde Beraud.

On view: February 9th – March 23rd

What: Opening reception
Where: Mihai Nicodim Gallery, 3143 S. La Cienega Blvd, Unit B , Entrance on Blackwelder, LA 90016
When: 6:00 – 9:00 pm
Phone: 310-838-8884
Website:  http://www.nicodimgallery.com

One more for you in the area….

Maxwell Alexander Gallery presents “Drawings and Works on Paper” a group exhibit featuring approximately 40 original works ranging from etchings to drawings to pastels.

Or in Highland Park…..

In the spirit of Valentine’s Day….

Celebrate Love at Avenue 50 Studio! Artist Sophia Gasparian is set to be featured in the group exhibition, “The Love Show.”

Artist, Sophia Gasparian’s narrative paintings intertwine childlike innocence with sociopolitical criticism and her aesthetic approach remains apart from mainstream art, incorporating stencils, stickers, spray paint and other nontraditional media.

On view: February 9 through March 3, 2013

Or in Marina Del Rey….

Grab your honey and start celebrating Valentine’s Day early…

Santa Monica Windyammers Yacht Club hold a Valentine’s Wine tasting event with live music from James Brewster (known for his Sinatra) who will be singing the music made famous by legends from the 50s and 60s.  

Now be aware this event is in MARINA DEL REY Not Santa Monica….

Wine tasting and appetizers.  RSVP to reservations@smwyc.org

Admission is $30.00

What: LIve Music
Where: Santa Monica Windyammers Yacht Club, 13589 Mindanao Way, Marina Del Ray
When: 7:00 pm – 11:00pm  Music starts at 9:00 pm
Phone: 310) 827-7692
Website: http://www.smwyc.org/

Now this one is in Santa Monica…

Slow down and enjoy the week with Sabado’s smooth sax and cool grooves.  Bar Pico offers live music with Robert Sabado on sax.

What: LIve Music
Where: Bar Pico, 2819 Pico Blvd. SM between 28th and 29th.
When: 9:00 pm – 12:00 am.
Phone: 310.310.8872
Website: http://www.barpico.com/  http://www.robertsabado.com