Laluzapalooza 2014: Accepted List!

Have you seen this billboard around town yet?

It's that time of year again, and hard to believe it's already our 28th year! Oh, how time flies! Laluzapalooza is the grandaddy of all group shows in the post-pop art world. We did it first and we still do it best. But don't take our word for it, check out the roster below.

We viewed more submissions than ever before and narrowed it down to the fewest accepted pieces since our Melrose days–when the group show was labeled Uncommercial Art by Commercial Artists. There are less than 130 total pieces this year. In years past, that didn't even account for the number of artists included. There are a lot of new people, many of whom are making their La Luz de Jesus debut. There's some museum exhibited talent, and household names we haven't shown in a decade or more.

I could go on, but I think you get the picture.
Without further ado, I give you the Laluzapalooza 2014 Accepted List:

Peter Adamyan
Susanne Apgar
A.S. Ashley
Briana Bainbridge
Christopher Bales
Clive Barker
Alexandra Bastien
Davidd Batalon
Shaun Berke
Michelle Bickford
Katherine Brannock
Mark Bryan
Christine Cheung
Carol Connett
JAW Cooper
Edward Robin Coronel
Matthew Couper
Jessica Dalva
Teodor Dumitrescu
Brice Eichelberger
Gary Epting
Maya Fonseca
Frank Forte
Michael Foulkrod
Rose Freymuth-Frazier
Don Fritz
Richard Frost
Arthur Giron
Mark Gleason
Derek Harrison
Andy Hernandez
Jack Howe
Stephanie Inagaki
Jinx
Susan Jonaitis
Jessica Joslin
Jason Justice
Brent Kallenbach
Jin Kim
Michael Kortez
Craig LaRotonda
Mavis Leahy
Dave Lebow
Chris Lieb
Victor Lightworship
Lizz Lopez
Didu Losso
Danni Shinya Luo
Dion Macellari
Ver Mar
D.W. Marino
Ofelia Marquez
Horacio Martinez
Aya Masuda
Albert F. Montoya
Graham Moore
Click Mort
Joanne Seohyun Nam
Cheyenne Nguyen
Ron Norman
Daisuke Okamoto
Bill Pacak
Valerie Pobjoy
Gail Potocki
Matthew Price
Charles Printz
Eric Quezada
Aaron Rivera
Dave Schonhoff
Sean Stepanoff
Deirdre Sullivan-Beeman
Hui Tan
Annie Terrazzo
Allison Hueman Torneros
Christopher Ulrich
Vega
Edith Wadell
Dave Warshaw
Misty Zhou

Not all images are posted yet, but everything that is posted can be bought now. Contact gallery director Matt Kennedy to secure your purchase.

Too Hot for Facebook: R. Crumb & Bill Ward

I posted a few days ago on Facebook and Twitter that we recently acquired a second Robert Crumb drawing for consignment sale. I was able to tweet the image, but hesitated to post it to Facebook, knowing that their draconian guidelines could result in an account suspension.

Many of our Facebook friends requested that I blog post it, so here it is:

Robert Crumb
"I Wouldn't Kick Her Out of Bed"
7 x 10.25"
Ballpoint on paper placemat
Feb. 1985
Inquire for price

Robert Crumb is the undisputed king of the underground comix artists, and drawings like this are generally auction pieces. The last piece we had sold for five figures within days of posting it, and this one is priced far below that range, so don't hesitate to get in contact.

We also have a few pieces that I added to the Black Friday page that didn't quite make it in time for that re-sale event. There are some Joe Coleman drawings, and some great Bill Ward, Robert Williams and Basil Wolverton art, as well.

Speaking of Bill Ward, here's an awesome Bettie Page color drawing from 1985. It comes with a hand-written letter that explains the unusual provenance–basically that this was done as a gift for the reclusive Miss Page and was eventually printed in World of Ward and the Bettie Page 3D Special.


Bill Ward
"Bettie Page: Martini and a Lariat"
11 5/8 x 14 5/8 in.
Gouache on paper
$3,500.00

Contact gallery director Matt Kennedy for more info:
info[at]laluzdejesus[dot]com
(323)666-7667

Bruce Eichelberger In Hi-Fructose & Hey! Magazine

Hi-Fructose Magazine recently caught up with Bruce Eichelberger in his studio to talk about his current exhibition at La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Babel.

You can access the complete article here.

Bruce is also profiled in the latest issue of the French magazine of art of pop-culture, Hey!
Bruce is currently exhibiting alongside Krystopher Sapp in Gallery I, with Juan Muniz and Jennifer Jelenski filling Gallery II. All pieces purchased this month are available for early holiday pick-up.

December to Dismember!

  Last night's Elizabeth McGrath Pop-up Shop and Release Party for her brand new Incurable Disorder book was INSANE! We had Zombie Santas and Zombie Elves, multiple original art pieces from the incredible Liz McGrath, and a signature line that lasted all night.

Attendees were season greeted with free prints and buttons, and there was a limited supply of extreme X-Mas ornaments, gobbled up by ravenous collectors within minutes of the event's opening.

Mike Odd (from Rosemary's Billygoat) and Dookie Flyswatter (from Haunted Garage) were in character all night as crachety (undead) Kris Kringles–posing with kids all night to produce holiday memories that doubtless require years of therapy.

Winter Rosebudd and a rainbow coalition of undead elves handed out refreshments by Messy Monsters all evening, and Clint Catalyst closed the evening's festivities with a live reading of the poem he contributed to Incurable Disorder.

Liz got her start here almost two decades ago, and she remains one of our favorite guests!
More pics below, courtesy of Sean Hathwell, Wendy Sherman and our gallery director Matt Kennedy.

A Zombie Elf!

Zombie Santas Dookie Flyswatter & Mike Odd

Incurable Disorder -available now!

Tonight: Miss Wu, Heavenly Bodies, and Crystal Radio Live!

TONIGHT, 8-11PM:
As seen in the L.A. Weekly! Dr. Paul Koudounaris opens his exhibition, Heavenly Bodies, and signs his latest book of the same title (as well as his previous tome, The Empire of Death). The story behind the photographs in this exhibition seems custom made for the Dia de los Muertos. Admission is free, refreshments will be served (while supplies last), and the pieces are available for purchase by contacting the gallery director at (323) 666-7667 or info[at]laluzdejesus[dot]com.



Also opening a new exhibition is Miss Christine Wu, whose Coming Home is already more than half-way sold out. Christine's oil paintings capture people in transition, making a statement about the temporary importance of our fleeting lives. A few months back, Daniel Rolnick caught up with Miss Wu mid-collaboration with master print-maker Ryan McIntosh.



Performing live this evening will be musical guests Crystal Radio, featuring Daniel Martin Diaz and Paula Catherine Valencia of Blind Devine, whose sound is reminiscent of a haunted western about ghosts and dreams, as scored by Ennio Morricone and directed by David Lynch–which should compliment the evening perfectly.





Daniel Martin Diaz will be signing his own latest book, Soul of Science, on Saturday, November 2nd, 4-7 PM.



Signed and personalized copies of Soul of Science as well as Anatomy of Sorrow,  Thirty-One Drawings & Thirty-One Days,  Mysterium Fidei, and La Luz de Jesus 25 (which Billy and Matt will be happy to sign as well) can be pre-ordered by calling the bookstore at (323) 663-0122 or emailing sales[at]soapplant[dot]com.

Video of October Feature Artist Danni Shinya Luo

Last Gasp TV caught up with Danni Shinya Luo recently about her book Soft Candy and her upcoming exhibition Vanitas 13, which opens this Friday at 8PM–right here at La Luz de Jesus Gallery. For the first hour of the exhibition, she'll be signing copies of her super-limited edition Un Petit Catalog, which she debuted at San Diego Comicon. We wisely grabbed a couple boxes to offer to our patrons before she went down there and completely sold out. The gorgeous, album-sized volume (10.25x12 in.) features a spot-varnished cover and 45 full color pages, priced $35. This was an edition of 500 numbered copies, and there are not many left.

To reserve yours today, call or email the bookstore:
(323) 663-0122
sales@soapplant.com

A portion of her show preview is currently live, accessible here:

http://laluzdejesus.com/van-saro-what-a-wonderful-world-danni-shinya-luo-vanitas-13/

We're expecting a few more paintings, drawings and sketches, though, so be sure to email the gallery to get put on the preview list.

Van Saro will also be signing his limited edition, self-published art tome on Friday. Check back here for more info about his exciting new exhibition!

Ozone Schmozone! Max Gundy & The Coaster Show - Video II

More great footage of The Coaster Show and Max Grundy's Ozone Schmozone!