Start the day early and head to Hollywood to enjoy the 19th Annual Gilmore Heritage Auto Show takes place today at the Farmers Market on 3rd and Fairfax.

This classic and vintage American car show features a tribute to the ultimate California cruisin’ machine, the Pontiac GTO. Over 100 classic and vintage cars will be on display on the Farmers Market Plaza and along Gilmore Lane.

(Photo Credit: Farmers Market Los Angeles)

What: Gilmore Heritage Auto Show
Where: Farmers Market, Third & Fairfax, LA 90036
When: 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Phone: (323) 933-9211
Website: www.farmersmarketla.com

Or in Santa Monica…

Head to the 22nd annual Santa Monica Festival. Located at Clover Park, festivities will include live music, dance performances, art workshops, food trucks, cooking demos, fitness classes and more.

Its  a fun community event. I ‘ve been several times.

Admission, parking and bike valet are FREE.

What: Festival
Where: Clover Park, 2600 Ocean Park Blvd.,
When: 11am – 6pm
Website: www.smgov.net/festival

Also in Santa Monica…

Santa Monica College Chamber Choir presents “Extolling the Vices” choral works celebrating vice and debauchery from the Renaissance through the present day. 

Admission:  $10

In Venice… 

There is a community event and benefit taking place at Beyond Baroque. Venice locals are gathering to try to prevent overnight permit parking.

The event will feature food, beverages and musical acts….

I’ll be singing with Greg Cruz with the Country Legends. There will be other acts,  as well such as New Directions, Eric Ahlberg, Freddy Ginns, etc.

$25.00 donation, but no one will be turned away…so come and donate what you can.

What: Benefit
Where:  On Lawn in front of Beyond Baroque, 681 Venice Bl. Venice, CA 90291
When: 2:00 pm -5:00 pm
Phone: 310-822-3006
Website: http://www.beyondbaroque.org/

Another early one takes place in Inglewood. It’s the old Beacon Arts Center….which was always fun but there’s an event (5790 Projects) presented by Mark Moore Gallery in Culver City, with several studios open showing art and performance art and food and drink….1019 W. Manchester Blvd.  Los Angeles, CA 90301. http://1019WEST.com/

Of course, a favorite Art stops is Bergamot Station located at 2525 Michigan Ave.

We’ve got some early ones here

One of my favorite galleries at Bergamot Station is Skidmore Contemporary Art.

See image: “Cocktails,” 2013, oil on canvas 18 x 36″  Dennis Ziemienski 

Tonight enjoy an artist reception for “Cocktails” featuring artist Dennis Ziemienski.

Ziemienski’s background in art was founded in illustration and he admits he was always fond of early 20th century poster artists such as Ludwig Hohlwein, Tom Purvis, Maurice Logan and Leslie Regan.

See image: “The Brown Derby,” 2013, oil on canvas, 48 x 60″  Dennis Ziemienski

On view: June 1 – July 13

What: Opening reception  –
Where: Skidmore Contemporary Art, Bergamot Station 2525 Michigan Ave., D-2 Santa Monica, 90404
When: 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Phone: 310-828-5070
Website: http://www.skidmorecontemporaryart.com

Craig Krull Gallery offers a new exhibition celebrating artists Bruce Everett and Jenny Okun. 

This is the ninth solo exhibition for Jenny Okun at the gallery and consists of images that Okun has made to be projected on the stage of the opera, “Dulce Rosa,” which is being presented by the LA Philharmonic currently at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica.

See image: Bruce Everett, Above Point Conception, 2013, oil on canvas , 30 x 48 in.

Bruce Everett’s exhbition offers plein-air and large-scale studio paintings of rural California landscapes.  After spending many years in Southern California, Everett recently moved to the central coast and, like many cultural historians and geographers, he recognizes Point Conception as the border between Southern and Northern California. Entitled, North of Conception, this exhibition includes views of the vineyards, oaks and rolling hills that characterize the Central Coast.

On view: June 1 – July 6, 2013

What: Opening reception
Where: Craig Krull Gallery (B-3) Bergamot Station, 2525 Michigan Ave, Santa Monica, 90404
When: 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Phone: 310.828.6410
Website: http://www.craigkrullgallery.com

Also at Bergamot….Shoshana Wayne Gallery presents a solo show of photographs by Yvonne Venegas. This is Yvonne’s second show with the gallery.

There will be an artist talk preceding the opening at 3pm. Yvonne Venegas will be joined in conversation with REDCAT Curator Ruth Estevez.

You must RSVP @ mail@shoshanawayne.com

Venegas continues to investigate the notion of portraiture. This practice was instilled in the artist through the work of her father- a photographer who captures various social events in the Mexican city of Tijuana.

On view: June 1st – August 23rd

What: Opening reception
Where: Shoshana Wayne Gallery, Bergamot Station (B-1) 2525 Michigan Ave., Santa Monica, 90404
When: 3 -5pm (Art Talk) 5:00 – 7:00 pm
Phone: 310.453.7535
Website: http://shoshanawayne.com/

A couple more…

FIG Gallery offers an opening reception for artist Jeffrey O’Connell.

See Image: Jeffrey O’Connell Running Man, 2003, enamel & ink on found photograph, 6 x 4”

O’Connell will be showing altered photographs which he has been creating during the last decade or so alongside the paintings and drawings he is more widely known for.

On view: May 22 – June 22

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

William Turner celebrates the work of Jennifer Wolf with a reception from 6:30-8:30pm. http://www.williamturnergallery.com/

Also in Santa Monica…

Axiom Contemporary holds an opening reception for THE ART OF CONVERSATIONS, a solo exhibition of recent works by Paul Ecke.

On view; June 1 – 22nd, 2013

What: Opening reception
Where: Axiom Contemporary, 2801 Main St. Santa Monica, CA 90405
When: 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Website: www.axiomcontemporary.com

A couple more happenings in Venice…Aran Cravey Gallery, (1638 Abbot Kinney Blvd.) hosts an opening from 6-8pm. http://www.arancravey.com/.

This is is amazing…. I had a chance to preview this show….Shulamit Gallery celebrates first large-scale West Coast solo exhibition by noted Israeli artist and printmaker Orit Hofshi.

Orit Hofshi breathtakingly demonstrates the powerful effects of this application of tools in her adept landscapes.

Known for her monumental-sized works, she often integrates prints with drawings and woodblocks to create multi-dimensional installations.

I stopped in to see this brilliant show.  Be sure to pop in. Hofshi also features an original woodcut, which no prints will be made from. Incredible intricate work.

What: Opening reception
Where: Shulamit Gallery 17 N. Venice Blvd., Venice
When: 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Phone: 310.281.0961
Website: www.shulamitgallery.com

In Culver City…

Tonight an opening reception welcomes two new shows,  “Into the Sun” fears artist Yunee Min and “Priapus Agonistes” showcases the art of Mary Reid Kelley with Patrick Kelly.

On view: June 1 – July 6, 2013

What: Opening reception
Where: Susanne Vielmetter Gallery, 6006 Washington Blvd., Culver City, 90232
When: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Phone: 310-837-2117
Website: http://www.vielmetter.com

There are a couple more from 6-9pm….Samuel Freeman, 2639 South La Cienega Blvd. http://www.samuelfreeman.com and Thinkspace, 6009 Washington Blvd.  http://www.thinkspacegallery.com

George Billis Gallery hosts an opening reception for two exhibtions. “Suspended” is the gallery’s first solo exhibition by Northern California artist Kim Squaglia.

“Rich Text” offers ew realist paintings by Terry Thompson depicting historical advertising of neon signage and food packaging.

See image: Terry Thompson, Sun Drop Froot Loops, 2012, oil on canvas, 40 x 60 inches

On view: June 1st – July 6th

What: Opening reception
Where: George Billis Gallery, 2716 S. La Cienega Blvd., LA, 90029
When: 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Phone: (310) 838-3685
Website: www.georgebillis.com

Lots of other openings taking place in the Miracle Mile area from 6-8 pm, such as Jack Rutberg Fine Arts, 357 N. La Brea Ave. http://www.jackrutbergfinearts.com/ and Couturier Gallery, (166 N. La Brea Ave.) http://www.couturiergallery.com/ Plus one more heading towards Fairfax, New Image Art Gallery 7920 Santa Monica Blvd., from 7-10 pm

In Hollywood….

Enjoy an opening reception at Artist’s Corner Gallery! Curated by Phil Tarley the exhibition features Jennifer Bardot and Alia Funaro Nude Self Portraits.

Refreshments will be served.

Free admission with RSVP to: info@bookblocks.us

What: Opening
Where: Artist’s Corner Gallery, 6585 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, CA 9003
When: 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Phone: 323 464-3900
Website: http://www.bookblocks.us/

Downtown LA…

Blackstone Gallery presents an exhibition of figurative work by various southern California artists.The exhibition will display figuration in various modes of style and expression.

The group show features work by Timothy Lynch, Matthew Robinson, Khalid Hussein, Brian Moreland, Larry Caveney, Steven Higgins.

See image: by Matthew Robinson, “Lust” oil on canvas, 60 x 40 in.

What: Opening reception
Where: Blackstone Gallery – 901 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, 90015
When: 5pm – 9pm
Phone: (909) 746 6308
Website: http://blackstonegalleryla.com/

Back in Venice…

The Talking Stick celebrates 10 years of music art and more!!!

Come on out and party….gonna be a fun night…See their site for a full line up.

What: Anniversary
Where: Talking Stick Coffee Lounge 1411 Lincoln Blvd Venice 90291
When: 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Website:  http://www.thetalkingstick.net/