This is the LAST WEEKEND for Kiss Me, Kate, starring Wayne Brady at the Pasadena Playhouse….see my theatre review on Huff Post. There are two shows today one at 4pm and one at 8pm. http://www.pasadenaplayhouse.org/

It’s the 2nd day of the Other Venice Film Festival (OVFF)2014-TheOtherVeniceFilmFestivaljpg, which runs through tomorrow, October 12th. Today….from 11am-6pm the OVFF will celebrate it’s First “Live Art Tent” with Christopher Hall resident artist & more. There is an additional screening venue on SATURDAY, featuring Documentary & Experimental Films. The Venice Love Shack 2121 Lincoln Blvd Venice, CA 90291, a casual setting, watch films on soft Bean Bag Chairs. Seating Limited. Hours: 11-7pm.

The festival’s music video competition series will follow at 9:00 pm, including the World Premiere of “Never Never By Korn” and the Venice debut of International touring act live band performance of Musiciens Sans Frontieres. Tickets are $ 10.00. includes after party.  Purchase tickets – here.

What: The Other Venice Film Festival
Where: Beyond Baroque, 681 Venice Bl. Venice, CA 90291
Website:  http://www.othervenicefilmfestival.com/

Also in Venice…

Sat-Oct11-VeniceArtsVenice ARTS hosts a preview event for its 21st Anniversary Preview & Live Screenprinting Event with Junk Food Clothing Co.

and a sneak peak of its Gala exhibition (21st Anniversary event on Nov 1) featuring professional and student photographs.

Get your bids in early on this year’s fabulous raffle & silent auction items.

Peruse photographic and raffle crème de la crème—including a Pure Fix Bicycle donated by Helen’s Cycles—design your own one-of-a-kind t-shirt featuring graphics by Venice Arts students during a live screenprinting event courtesy of Junk Food Clothing Co. Kick off the festivities early and walk away with a wearable work of art!

What: Opening reception
Where: Venice Arts Gallery, 1702 Lincoln Blvd, Venice, CA 90291
When: 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Phone: 310-392-0846
Website: www.venicearts.org

At Bergamot Station, located at 2525 Michigan Ave., SM, enjoy several art parties.

TAG Gallery hosts an artist reception featuring the work of Sue Keane, Andrea Rubin Kichaven, and Alison Lowe Platt.

New Works on Paper, Sue Keane – Making a dramatic shift from her previous focus on ceramic media, artist Sue Keane explores abstract two dimensional expression in her current body of work.

See image: Andrea Rubin KichaveTAG-oct2014-Kichaven Andrea Rubin Spectrum of Light Acrylic 24x36inn, Spectrum of Light, Acrylic 24x36in

Windows of Dreams, Andrea Rubin Kichaven – The exploration of atmosphere, weather, composition and mood are Kichaven’s focus in her upcoming show, Windows of Dreams.

Explorations, Alison Lowe Platt – In her most recent body of work, artist Alison Lowe Platt shifts stylistically from her plein-air and oil painting background to focus on animated mixed media compositions.Artist Talk: Saturday, September 20 at 5:00 pm

On view: September 30 ­-  October 25, 2014

What: Opening reception
Where: TAG Gallery, Bergamot Station, 2525 Michigan Avenue D3, SM 90404
When: Ocotober 11 – 5-8pm
Phone: (310) 829-9556
Website: www.taggallery.net

FIG celebrates artist Sylvia Marcin’s new exhibition titled “Soundings.”

Sat-Oct11-FIGSee image: Sylvia Marcin, Helix Flex, 2014, ink & pencil on paper, 12 x 9″

Sylvia Marcin’s intimate abstractions speak of fluidity and timelessness. The artist often creates gracefully assured washes of color that are intersected by perfectly placed and delicately drawn pencil lines. In some works blocks of color suggest solitary cross forms, while in others, lovely veils of watery pigment flow wave-like across the paper.

Her abstractions seem to offer the barest hint of subject matter, but any such hint always remains fleeting and evasive, as if just as something catches your eye it disappears into the ocean depths. Marcin’s art is intelligent, elegant and formal, somehow stark and genial at the same time. And, perhaps, it is the gentleness of her touch that will be most admired by fans of painting.

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

One more at Bergamot…

The ROBERT BERMAN Sat-Oct11-RobertBerman-Felver-PostcardGallery present a book signing for American Jukebox A Photographic Journey by Christopher Felver.

Enjoy music by the Milo Gonzalez Band and Rick DePofi for our book signing for artist Christopher Felver this Saturday from 5-8pm.

Christopher Felver’s new book American Jukebox A Photographic Journey has been published by Indiana University Press:
http://www.iupress.indiana.edu/product_info.php?products_id=807295

There will be photographs by Felver on display along with books available for purchase. Books are also available on the IU Press website as well as Amazon.

What: Opening reception
Where: THE ROBERT BERMAN GALLERY, Bergamot Station, (B-7) 2525 Michigan Ave., Sa
nta Monica, 90404
When: 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Phone: 310.586.9128
Website: http://www.robertbermangallery.com/

The Gabba Gallery presents WALK YOUR ROBOT, an exhibition of an imagined future filled with friendly butler type robots who serve as your closest confidant, cocktail maker and protector. And what if your robot became self-aware? How would they emulate you? What would they dress like and who would they date? These are the questions answered in WALK YOUR ROBOT.

JOct11-GabbaGallery-WalkyourRobotason Ostro curates this bright, fun filled, futuristic exhibit bringing it into the almost 2000 sq. ft. gallery, featuring musician, artist, actor Vance DeGeneres along with Joey Feldman, Dave Pressler, L Croskey, MD MN, Jennifer Korsen, Chris James and Darcy Yates.

“We sometimes feel like robots in our world looking for that great can of WD40, this show has it! – Jason Ostro, Curator

The artists included in “WALK YOUR ROBOT” have often populated their work with these friendly robots and this exhibition is the first occasion where they have all been brought together.

Sponsors include: Perrier, Huberts Lemonade, Fair Vodka, 7/11, and Nue Magazine.

On view: October 11 – October 30, 2014

What: Opening reception
Where: The Gabba Gallery, 3126 Beverly Blvd. 90057
When: 7:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Phone: 310-498-2697
Website: www.thegabbagallery.com

In Hollywood….

Scion AV hosts a reception for Married to the Mob for “Seduce and Abandon.”

Married to The Mob is the first female lifestyle branSat-Oct12-married-to-the-mob-scion-av-installationd created by Leah McSweeney established in 2004. Inspired by the streets, feminism, and womens’ empowerment, Married to the Mob caters to every woman that has her own.

Scion AV is teaming up with  at the Scion AV Installation.

Click here to RSVP…to ensure entry.

On view: October 11 – November 8

What: Reception
Where: Scion AV Installation, 7667 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles
When: 7:00 pm – 10pm
Website: http://www.scionav.com

A couple more in this area…Siren Studios (1050 N Orange Dr., Hollywood, 90038) hosts a BENEFIT event and art sale from 7-10pm. Be aware there is a $25.00 admission charge (it includes two cocktails). Check website for full details. http://sirenstudios.com

On Fairfax…there are two openings taking place at different ends of this avenue…starting a bit early from 6-8pm, you’ll find an art party at Minan Gallery, (1051 South Fairfax Ave., LA, 90019) http://minangallery.com/

Then head North…Known Gallery (441 North Fairfax Ave., 90036) hosts a reception from 8-11pm. http://www.knowngallery.com/

Or in the Miracle Mile area…

Los Angeles Art Association will present a compelling complement of exhibits at Gallery 825. The north gallery will feature INFORMATIONARY, a group exhibition featuring the role of visual information in today’s information culture, juried by Herair & Lori Garboushian, Garboushian Gallery, Beverly Hills.

Sat-Oct11-LAAA-TomLambSee image: by Tom Lamb

LAAA will also feature solo exhibitions by Tom Lamb and Joan Wulf as well as Multiple Feeds, a very special video presentation.

Tom Lamb is a landscape and ethnographic photographer who implements pioneering trends in new media. Joan Wulf’s newest body of work, Catalyst, is the result of experimentation with fire as catalyst, medium and method of art creation.

What: Opening reception
Where: Gallery 825 – 825 N. La Cienega Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90069
When: 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Phone: 310.652.8272
Website: http://laaa.org

Nearby…head to La Brea Ave…

Launch Gallery presents “Ambiguity” featurSat-Oct11-Launch-BANGKBANGKOK-BR-14-Acrylic-watercolor-and-posters-on-wood-and-canvas-36-x-32-inches -1-e1412724268442ing the work of Kirk Pedersen.

See image: Kirk Pedersen, “BANGKBANGKOK BR,” 2014, Acrylic, watercolor and posters on wood and canvas, 36 x 32 inches

Kirk Pedersen’s multidimensional approach to art making includes everything from the recent series of mixed media works seen here, to shaping the aesthetic and foundation of his company Zero+ Publishing. An eye for the ordinary positions him as a curator of the commonplace, yet his sensitive approach as photographer perhaps is his best asset.

We see this in a set of works entitled “Ambiguity,” collaged, layered, and gritty pieces that are his most expressive to date and a welcome departure from the viewfinder.

What: Opening reception
Where: Launch Gallery, 170 S. La Brea Ave. (In the Art 170 Building), LA 90036
When: 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Website: http://www.launchla.org

Sat-Oct11-MKGallery-MercedesHelnwein-MiddleSouth-RobertaThen later in the evening in the main gallery, downstairs…

MK Gallery presents three new exhbits…Mercedes Helnwein – Mama Said Amen :: Kim Kimbro – The Queen of Calvary :: Vonn Sumner – Gravity and Other Lies

See image: Mercedes Helnwein Middle South (Roberta), 2014 Black pencil and oil pastel on paper, 20 x 15.5 in.

In Mercedes Helnwein’s new series of oil-pastels, Mama Said Amen, the artist’s overall grasp of technique remains remarkable, as does her ability to accentuate the oddities of an otherwise simple scene. Each pastel has been invaded by sinister swathes of coral pigment; in some paintings the coral smudges concentrate around her subjects’ faces while in others they seem on the brink of triumphing over the figures and objects within.

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

In Culver City…

Thinkspace (6009 Washington Blvd., Culver City, 90232), throws an art party from 6-9pm. http://thinkspacegallery.com/

CHG Circa hosts an opening receptSelf-ish Bannerion for “Luke Chueh SELF-ISH.”

As a noted cute-surrealist painter, Luke Chueh’s own contrary impulses are personified in his work as cuddly animals that evoke comforting memories of childhood.

Yet, these sweet-faced bears, bunnies, and monkeys are brutally forced into suffering the effects of the proverbial human condition.

On view: October 11 – November 8

What: Opening reception
Where: CHG Circa, 8530 Washington Blvd., Culver City, 90232
When: 7:00 pm ‑10:00 pm
Phone: 310 287-2340
Website: www.coreyhelfordgallery.com

Downtown…Jancar Gallery (961 Chung King Road, LA 90012), hosts a reception from 6-8pm. http://www.jancargallery.com/

Pancakes and Zombies…? Say What??

GSat-Oct11-ZombieOct11th-1et into the Halloween spirit with the Zombie Fashion Show & Creature Art Exhibit.

Come watch as 50 Hollywood makeup artists transform a bevy of gorgeous models into gory zombies in this one-of-a-kind zombie fashion show. In addition to this sexy-scary runway show, there will also be a creature art exhibit featuring over 150 original pieces of monster, zombie, ghoul and alien art.

This event at Lot 613 features live music by Tetra and a performance from Dangerous D the Anatomical Wonder, as well as a free photo booth courtesy of Snap Yourself. Enjoy all-you-can-eat pancakes provided by The Pancakes & Booze Art Show.

ADMISSION: $10

What: Zombie Fashion Show & Creature Art Exhibit
Where: Lot 613, Imperial Street, Los Angeles, 90021WHEN:
When: 8 pm – 2 am
Website: www.zombiefashionshow.com