My Goals, My Dreams and That Look I Give When I'm Really Tired

It's this look....



My goal for the day was to go ALL OUT with a post that filled you in so much with what's going on here, including the opening reception for "Packed and Loaded" (going on tonight, as I type this), but I was run ragged with my daily chores of getting the spot ready. It just seemed like everything was a hassle today....except for...

Kevin Smith publicizing the CRAZY 4 CULT show today on Kevin and Bean (KROQ's morning show). Man, I don't mean to come off Rupert Pupkin (King of Comedy, anyone? Really, man? Who runs your Netflix?), but I love this dude. He's promoting the art show, not because he has a financial reason to, but because he actually is excited for it and ready to support the artists. That dude KNOWS John McClain personally, on some "I sell you weapons" shit, and he's actually gonna be at the art show and is ALREADY promoting for us? Barely know him, but LOVE him already.

WAIT.......

While I was writing this blog entry, we heard that Malcolm McDowell (Clockwork Orange? At this point, you're semi-pitiful) was having a signing over at Rocket Video, so I had Becky, gallery assistant genius, run over there to tell him about the Crazy 4 Cult show, especially as he appears twice on show card (which he signed for us). He actually HAD ALREADY HEARD ABOUT IT!!! He said he's going to try and stop by!!! OH....and he posed:



While I'm live blogging....here is what I see from my desk right now as the opening reception rolls along:



That didn't end up as cool as I thought it would be. Now I look boring.

Jensen
G1988: LA

GOODBYE SAN FRANCISCO!

It's vacation time! Hooray! That means the SF gallery will be closed until June 29th, when we re-open with "Back For Seconds!" This is already our third SF show! I can't believe it.





I know you'll miss us while we're vacationing, but you can still get your G1988 fix while we're away cause we have an amazing show opening in LA!


"Packed and Loaded" opens in Los Angeles on Tuesday, June 19th 7-10PM and features Isaac Pierro, Jen Rarey, Israel Sanchez, Camilla d'Errico, Erik Alos, Heiko Windisch, Rachel Wong and Brandt Peters...





We have paintings, drawings AND plush in this show! It's a great group of artists and the opening reception's gonna be a blast because most of the artists will be attending, so come check it out!


Other very exciting news... we've confirmed two very special hosts for our "Crazy for Cult" show this July in LA: Kevin Smith and Scott Mosier (of Clerks and Mallrats fame)! WOW! This is a huge deal for us, so we really can't explain in words how excited we are! The show features over 50 AMAZING artists depicting scenes from their favorite cult movies. Check out the show flyer HERE.

OK! That's all I have for today. Goodbye, friends. I will see you back in SF on June 29th.

Katie
G1988 San Francisco



THE SF GALLERY WILL BE CLOSED JUNE 17TH - JUNE 28TH. WE WILL RE-OPEN ON JUNE 29TH AT 7PM.

The Mother Land of Israel Sanchez

As we get ready to take down the epic exhibit that is Kurt Hasley Frederiken's first solo at 1988: LA (one piece remaining now btw), we ready ourselves for a group show of 8 artists opening on the 19th. "Packed and Loaded" features some names you might recognize, and some that might prove to be a brand new artist for your repertoire. One of these new names to 1988 is Israel Sanchez. An artist heavily influenced by childrens' book illustrations (not to mention "Neverending Story," a movie he's depicted in one of his pieces before), Israel is a CA native (La Habra, stand up!) and here's a sneak peek at a piece he'll have in the "Packed and Loaded" show.



The weekend is here, so my words are limited. Keep it gangster.

Jensen
G1988: LA

Stuff Me.

I was contemplating a title that incorporated how much I ate yesterday (2 turkey dogs, a BBQ chicken breast, and 3 bags of the new cheeseburger flavored Doritos can make one rather "stuffed") and the plush dolls for our next exhibit, "Packed and Loaded," in LA, but I figured it was just to 'Memorial Day obvious." You tell me.

Anyway, we've been showing one-of-a-kind handmade plush art here at Gallery 1988 since our first year and it's given us a fun little fanbase that normally doesn't come to art galleries. AND, the cool part is, many of our everyday art collectors have also gotten in on the fun, buying plush while also noticing the prices and demand have risen over the past 2 years within the genre. Horvath's Ugly Dolls may have just paved the way, but i think some of the artists we've been showing, especially during the last two years' Plush Weeks, are taking it a step further.

And I do love plush, but I have NO IDEA how these creatures are made. I mean, they just appear one day at the gallery in a box. That's it. But Jen Rarey, one of my favorite plush artists, is one of the 8 artists in our next show (where she is the only "plusher" amongst some GREAT painters), and she was nice enough to send me this picture and let me in on the secret a bit:



Deflated little guys, huh? This is right before the stuff and sew portion, and I figured I had to post it. Sure, you've seen plush art, but have you seen the steps before plush art? Next time you see these guys, they'll be stuffed fatter than Carney Wilson asking you to "Hold On For One More Day." Obviously, pre-surgery.

Jensen
G1988: LA

Name Brandt Goods

It's not every single day that I get email sneak peeks at Brandt Peter's paintings for our upcoming "Packed and Loaded" group show in Los Angeles, which will open June 19th, 2007. OK, it's every 3 weeks. BUT STILL! Look at the progress in Brandt's work, not just in this piece, but on the piece that sits on the front of the exhibit's postcard (viewable on our regular website in "Future Exhibits," I can't give you everything). Watching his growth over the past year has been a transition to marvel, as his rendering has become some of the best in the biz. I really can't wait to see the rest of his pieces, and two will get the distinction of becoming prints available during the show. Excuse my gimmick infringement on Mr. Simkins (who is almost mid-flight to his 2-man in Philly right now), but this Brandt dude is a monster.

Jensen
G1988: LA