OPENING RECEPTION: Saturday, Jan. 13, 7-11 PM
“We’ve asked our artists to put their thinking hats on and determine, in visual terms, what it means to live and work within the context of a religious code of conduct, whether they consider it useful or restrictive.”
“The theme is definitely tongue-in-cheek but it’s also dead- serious, in keeping with our fondness for tackling weighty subject matter with a little wink,” said Zara Zeitountsian, director of Black Maria Gallery. “We’ve also asked them to come up with an 11th Commandment, irrespective of their religious beliefs or the nonexistence thereof,” Zeitountsian continued. “In fact, their own version of an 11th Commandment could be to do away with all commandments altogether, or it could state something specific that addresses the larger issues facing humanity in our century.”
Zeitountsian also commented on the challenge of translating such ideas into the language of art. She explained that the gallery is not aiming at a literal rendition of the theme, but rather was looking for a certain mood, a certain aesthetic statement, that captures the idea of an 11th Commandment.”
PJ Fidler
PJ Fidler was raised in a small farm community in central California, where he was deeply influenced by his childhood surroundings. His art is an unfolding of nonlinear narratives comprising animal imagery, landscapes, and religious iconography, and reflecting his love of Flemish paintings, vintage children’s books, and contemporary graphic design. The results, with their mixture of adolescent archetypes and the dark psychological aspects of the human condition, are often surreal, ambiguous, and yet very much familiar. Fidler studied illustration at the Pasadena Art Center College of Design. His work can be seen in several galleries and national publications. An active member of the Broken Wrist Project, he lives and works in Los Angeles.
www.pjfidler.com
Jack Howe
Jack Howe Lives in Santa Cruz, CA. A self-taught assemblage artist, he attended three years of high school where instead of exemplary work he did expletory work. His works are narrative pieces encoded with antique bits and pieces that tell a story, reflecting his appreciation of decay. "The Los Angeles Times comments: “ the veneer of time lay heavily over all." Jack has exhibited in New York, San Francisco, and many other cities. In Los Angeles he has exhibited at La Luz de Jesus since the early 1990s and also at Patricia Correia Gallery, along with the Don O’Melveny Gallery. His work has appeared in major and indie films and is part of numerous corporate and private collections.
www.jackhowe.net
Craig LaRotonda
After earning a BFA from the State University of New York, Craig LaRotonda moved to San Francisco, where he founded Revelation Studios with fellow artist Kim Maria. LaRotonda’s often haunting figurative works are introspective and meditative interpretations of the human condition. Applying what he calls “spiritual technology,” LaRotonda’s brushwork is meticulous and precise, reminiscent of the Flemish figurative paintings of the 15th and 16th centuries. “My paintings explore the unspeakable nature of consciousness,” he says. “Existence is much more than what we perceive with the five senses. I’m captivated by the spaces in-between, like the passage between life and death, which plays continuously in my work.” LaRotonda’s works have appeared in several motion pictures including Traffic and Heartbreakers, as well as numerous publications such as Time, The Washington Post, and Juxtapoz. His paintings have been exhibited internationally, and acquired by private collectors across the globe. LaRotonda lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Kim Maria.
www.revelationart.net
Ken Garduno
Ken Garduno was born on October 28, 1977 in Hollywood, California. He is a recent graduate of Art Center College of Design, where he received a BA with honors for illustration. After graduation, he decided to pursue a career in editorial illustration and participated in gallery shows. His clients include the New York Times, LA Weekly, LA Citybeat, SF Weekly, Esquire Russia, and the Pasadena Weekly. His other interests (other than art) include walking, traveling, and hanging out with his girlfriend Lillian.
www.kengarduno.com
Andrew Hem
Andrew Hem is a recent art center graduate. Aside from painting, Andrew loves sleeping, watching cartoons, playing the guitar, riding his bike and then sleep some more! He paints representational works that are whimsical and stylized.
www.andrewhem.com
Leanne Biank
When I first learned to talk, I told my mom that I hated coloring books and that I wanted a blank piece of paper to make my own lines. I was born and raised in northern New Jersey. After graduating from high school, I moved down to Philadelphia, where I attended the University of the Arts. I graduated with Honors and received a BA in Fine Arts and Illustration. Since then I find myself trying my very best to live out the life of an artist, having my work shown in various galleries around the country, including the Society of Illustrators in New York, Minnow Gallery in Philadelphia, The Compound Gallery in Portland, and Think Space and Black Maria galleries in Los Angeles. I find the greatest inspiration in the passionate people who surround me and in lingering childhood memories.
www.eyesorestudios.com
Matt Burlingame
Matt Burlingame was born in a small town in Michigan, where his worldview was shaped by television, Catholic school and the looming haze of automotive factories. Brutally honest yet laced with a winking sense of humor, his art depicts the depravity of society in its most blatant forms. Burlingame lives in Los Angeles.
www.mattburlingame.com
Andy Kehoe
Andy Kehoe currently lives and works in the city of champions Pittsburgh, PA. In 2003, he graduated from Parsons School of Design with a BFA in Illustration. His work serves as an outlet to feelings of unrest and anxiety in this unstable world of ours. Also important is the expression of sincere human emotion without the weight of sarcasm and irony, which has become overabundant in art these days. Andy has shown in a number of group shows around the country and as internationally as Canada. He had a one zygote solo show with his identical twin brother, Ben. He has done illustration work for such clients as the New York Times, The Progressive, Metropolis, The Stranger, Fantagraphics and has been included in American Illustration 24.
www.andykehoe.com
Karen Davison
Karen Davison was born, raised, and currently resides in Glendale, California. It wasn’t until her senior year of high school that she discovered a passion for drawing and painting after enrolling in an introductory course on a whim. Her work is inspired by her own family history along with a sense of humor and a longstanding interest in literature and popular culture. She recently graduated with distinction from the Pasadena Art Center College of Design with a BFA in Illustration.
www.karen-davison.com
Gregg Noppe
Greg Noppe was born in Ventura County, California, where he continues to reside and work. He received a BFA from the Pasadena Art Center College of Design. His work has been shown at La Luz de Jesus Gallery in Los Angeles. He is currently working on a new body of paintings for an upcoming solo exhibition.
www.gregnoppe.com
Black Maria Gallery
3137 Glendale Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90039
323.660.9393
info@blackmariagallery.com
http://www.blackmariagallery.com
