Tag: lawrence asher gallery

Kim Kimbro: To My Widow

A very small measure of warmth

I am looking forward to what looks like a powerful show at Lawrence Asher Gallery this Saturday November 22. Kim Kimbro's haunting images, including these three dog oil paintings, were inspired by archival photographs of the doomed 1912 exploration of the South Pole by British explorer Captain Robert Falcon Scott.

The show's title, To My Widow, is taken from the letter Scott wrote to his wife and was found on his body 11 miles from the warm supply hut stocked food. The paintings' titles are derived from passages from the letter as well.

I could tell you of this journey

Waking or sleeping

Visit Kim's website to see all the images.

Or stop by Lawrence Asher Gallery for the opening reception 6-10 pm. Show runs until December 20, 2008.

Info: Lawrence Asher Gallery 5820 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 100
Los Angeles, CA 90036 Tel.: 323.935.9100

November 21, 2008
Bryan Ricci’s Dogtown

Dogtown, 2007. Oil on photograph mounted on panel

My friend James Panozzo over at Lawrence Asher Gallery will be featuring one of my new favorite dog art works in this weekend, Bryan Ricci’s Dogtown. The piece, part of Ricci’s first solo show there entitled Don’t Feed The Animals, juxtaposes the simplified background of blurred patterns and shapes of the urban/oceanfront photograph with the spotlighted coyote panted in "obsessive detail with a pixel-like quality."

Working with the contrasts of style and subject, Ricci aims " to bring to light the ever-increasing disparities between the
limitedness of what we allow ourselves to see and the enormity and
timelessness of the world that goes unnoticed. [His] paintings serve as a
reminder of human ignorance and neglect, an invitation to look deeper,
and a challenge to question and examine one’s own perceptions."

On it’s own, I think Dogtown is a gorgeous piece. And truth be told, I don’t usually respond to artwork with a social message. But I think Ricci has deftly made his point in a beautiful way. And that’s true art!

Update: James just sent over another Ricci piece with similar themes but a different energy. Very cool!

Summer Lovin’, 2008. Oil on photograph mounted on panel.

Information:

Lawrence Asher Gallery
5820 Wilshire Blvd.
Suite 100
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Opening Reception March 15, 6 – 10 pm.

The show runs until April 12.

March 14, 2008
The Perfect Evening: Dalí, Dog Art, and Cheese (oh…and some red wine too) PART II

To continue our adventure…After the Dalí exhibit, Allison and I crossed the street to go to see our friend James Panazzo at his Lawrence Asher Gallery Christmas party. Kris Kamm, our other friend, met us there too. You may remember James and Kris from the pig roast escapade.

James (center) and friends

LAG owner Steve Kramer with his daughter Jennifer (right) and family friend

I hadn’t seen the gallery’s latest show and was pleasantly surprised to see several wonderful dog works on display.

Allison, Kris and Me in front of The One by Kim Kimbro

Prey by Kim Kimbro

Artist Barry Baldwin with his intriguing English Girl statue.

English Girl close up

Eventually we felt a little peckish and Kris recommended we to go to Lou, a tiny wine bar nestled between a Laundromat and a Thai massage parlor near Vine and Melrose Ave.

Lou exterior

Because the windows and door are covered in fabric, I had no way of knowing that inside is one of the coziest, coolest restaurants in LA. With no reservations, we sipped some wine from the 25 wine-by-the-glass menu and hovered near the bar. I had the Lirac Syrah which was just right for a rainy night.

This is the entire restaurant. My camera doesn’t do justice to the low warm lighting, but you get the idea. It’s like being at someone’s dinner party.

Eventually seats opened up at the bar and we had the perfect spot to chat with owner Lou Amdur, to watch him meticulously pour his flights of wine, and to discover that he’s a former financial biz guy who always had a passion for wine and cheese.

Lou Amdur

I like wine too, but I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE cheese, so I was thrilled by this new find, not that I would ever doubt Kris, who is always on LA’s inside track. But…we all were a little disappointed with the food. The pig candy (bacon with savory/sweet seasoning) and the macaroni & cheese were cold. And the cheese board was bizarrely uninspired. Granted, by this time I was starving and anxious to inhale a hamburger (not on the menu) and the room was slammed with standing room only patrons. And there are many raves for Lou at Yelp. So maybe it was an off night. Plus, Lou was so nice and the place has such an inviting speakeasy feel, I would definitely go back. But I was glad I had the fixings for a turkey sandwich when I got home.

December 20, 2007