Friday, December 13, 2013

"Summer Samba" Drawing

It's going to take more work to get a good photo of this drawing entitled, "Summer Samba." It's another fairly large piece done with colored pencils and the delicate colors are hard to capture. Making them dark enough to register also makes the paper look gray, which it isn't. And even with the grayish paper, all the colors don't show up. Ah, the challenges! -- But I like the cheerful feeling and musical composition.



Monday, November 4, 2013

"The Brewery: Where Art Lives"

I'm delighted to be a part of this terrific new video by Eric Minh Swenson about The Brewery and its eclectic artists! [See it full size here on YouTube.]


Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Fun at the Fall Brewery Art Walk

The Brewery is the world's largest artist-in-residence community. The creation of the Brewery Arts Complex began in 1982 at the site of the former Pabst Blue Ribbon Brewery in downtown Los Angeles. With the passing of the Los Angeles Artist-In-Residence code, artists could rent live/work space in industrially-zoned buildings.


On art walk weekend, the UPS lot offers free public parking.

The lofts eventually expanded from the former brewery to neighboring buildings, and now this huge complex houses hundred of artists, either as full-time loft residents or day studio renters. It truly is an arts community.


Here's an example of one of the buildings on the campus.

It was a beautiful weekend and about 150 studios opened their doors to the public for the semi-annual Art Walk on October 12th and 13th.

 The Fab Four in Studio E-31:
Susan Berkowitz, Cynthia Friedlob, Madam X, Yvonne Beatty

My studiomates and I were ready to greet the crowds on Saturday.


View from the catwalk.

The art walkers were just beginning to gather in this photo taken from the vantage point of the catwalk that runs between two of the large former brewery buildings. (You won't catch me up there, but John Semper Jr. was brave enough to check out the view!) If you were to start at the bottom of the picture and walk straight ahead to the top, my studio would be on the right, almost at the end of that low building. Barbara's, the restaurant, is the yellow building on the left of the photo; the food tents are in the parking area.

A few of the visitors in my studio.

It was such fun to see old friends, former students, and a whole bunch of total strangers who love art. I'm delighted to have made some sales, but I'm also delighted to have had some wonderful conversations about my art with people who were genuinely interested and appreciative. Artists work in solitude and most of us like that, but it's a real boost to get some acknowledgement for our creative efforts.

Thanks to everyone who came out to support all of the artists at The Brewery. If you didn't get there this time, join us for the next art walk in the spring!
 
 


Wednesday, October 2, 2013

2013 Fall Brewery Art Walk on Oct. 12th and 13th


It's time once again for The Brewery Art Walk, a truly enjoyable semi-annual event at the world's largest art colony -- and the location of my studio. The Brewery is just off the 5 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles. Over 100 artists will be participating so you'll get to see a huge variety of artistic styles and meet the artists in person.

Participating studios will be open from 11 AM to 6 PM on Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free and so is parking. Stop by and say hi!

Check out this great short video about the Artwalk by Keith Berson!


Art Walk at The Brewery Artist Lofts from Keith Berson on Vimeo.




Monday, July 29, 2013

2013 LA Juried Exhibition Reception Photos

What a lovely reception at Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery yesterday! The gallery is so beautiful and the surroundings (Barnsdall Park) are so lovely that it's always a treat to visit, and it's a special treat to be a part of this show. Thanks to everyone involved for the recognition and the support.

You can watch the making of the drawing in this show in the video, "Who Is Art by Cynthia?"









John Semper Jr. couldn't resist getting this shot with A.S. Ashley's
painting of Billy Mumy! (My drawing is next to this painting.)

With Tim Carpenter, Founder & Executive Director of EngAGE,
and my drawing, "Visual Popcorn."

With artist Andre Miripolsky.















Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Celebrating Art with Proust

July 25th marks the three-year anniversary of publication of this blog, so it's nice to have something unusual to post as a celebration. Thanks to indefatigable artist/resident Kristine Schomaker, The Brewery Artists Colony, where I have my studio, has a new blog on Tumblr called Brewery Art Los Angeles. To give readers some insight to those of us who work and live there, artists have been invited to answer a version of the Proust Questionnaire very similar to the one featured in Vanity Fair. The questionnaire has its origins in a parlor game popularized (though not devised) by Marcel Proust, the French essayist and novelist, who believed that in answering these questions, an individual reveals his or her true nature. Click here to read my responses. They probably won't surprise those of you who've known me for a long time!

 


Monday, July 22, 2013

New Drawing in the 2013 LA Juried Exhibition

I'm pleased to have a new drawing included in the 2013 Los Angeles Juried Exhibition which will take place at the beautiful Municipal Arts Gallery in Barnsdall Park. This competitive biennial show features 74 works of art by 46 artists selected from more than 900 artworks submitted by 368 artists. The piece that was chosen for this exhibition was the one I was creating in the recent short video produced by Owen Captures Photography entitled, "Who Is Art by Cynthia?"
 
I hope to see you at the reception and thank you, as always, for your interest in my art!!
 


2013 Los Angeles Juried Exhibition
Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery
Located at Barnsdall Park
4800 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90027

      July 28 to September 22, 2013
     
 Opening Reception: Sunday, July 28, 2013, 2 to 5 pm


 
Artists:
Shiva Aliabadi, A.S. Ashley, Sarah Barnard, Anne Baumgartner, Todd Becraft, Nathan Bell, Mattia Biagi, Liza Hennessey Botkin, Nina Castro, Chais, Andrew K. Currey, Chris Dyson, Marc Fichou, Cynthia Friedlob, Matthew Miles Grayson, Beth Herzhaft, Randi Hokett, Romine Jaklin, Shannnon Keller, Manny Krakowski, Nadia Kusmajadi, Olga Lah, Madam X, Ceres Madoo, Oscar Magallanes, Lauren Marsolier, Tanner McCardle, Zoran Milosavljevic, Mike Mollett, Donna Morin, Keiko Nakagawa, Arshak Nazarian, Emily NyBurg, Joe O'Neill, Linda Sue Price, Jeff Rau, Melissa Reischman, Javier Rosales, Neil Shigley, Jacqueline Suskin, Lisa Talbot, Phoebe Sarason, Ricard Turner, Valerie Wilcox, Darlyn Susan Yee, and Tom Zou.

Jurors:
Carol Cheh - Writer/Curator
Mike McGee - Gallery Director/Associate Prof., CalState Fullerton
Aram Moshayedi - Curator, Hammer Museum


About LAMAG | Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery
The 10,000 square foot Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery (LAMAG) is the flagship gallery for the City of Los Angeles. A jewel in the crown of the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs' facilities in Barnsdall Park, the gallery has been central to the growth of Los Angeles as an international art capital. Since its founding in 1954, LAMAG has showcased the work of emerging, midcareer, and established artists from the region, as well as group shows that tap into contemporary art movements, issues, and ideas and shine a light on the diverse cultural communities that make up Los Angeles.
 
About the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery Associates
Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery Associates is a private nonprofit organization founded in 1952, whose primary mission is to promote, assist, and serve as advocates for the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery. LAMAGA provides financial, marketing, and public relations support for the Gallery's exhibitions, publications, and educational programs. 
 

 

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Only One Piece Still Available in the Rochester Contemporary Art Center Show


I pleased that two of the three pieces in the 6x6 RoCo Show have sold! Only the one below is left.

The show is a fund-raising effort for the center and an opportunity for you to own a six inch by six inch print reproduction detail of "Angles," one of the hand-colored photographs currently on display at the show in NoHo. (NoHo and RoCo. Nice!)

All of the art in the 6x6 show costs only $20 and the entire amount is donated to the Rochester Contemporary Art Center. There are hundreds of other works available, too, if you'd like to take a look around for more art you can own for a song.


Click here to find and purchase this piece on the 6x6 RoCo website. Thank you!

UPDATE: Sold.

Thursday, July 11, 2013

"A Vanishing Art: Hand-Colored Photographs" Reception Pictures

A Vanishing Art: Hand-Colored Photographs
NoHo Senior Arts Colony/The Road Theatre Lobby Gallery
10747 Magnolia Blvd
North Hollywood, CA 91601
July 9 - August 21
Pictures from the Opening Reception on Tuesday, July 9th
I appreciated the invitation to have this solo show of my original photos; photos taken by my partner, John Semper Jr.; and stills from classic motion pictures, all hand-colored by me with specially designed oil paints and colored pencils. The gallery area extends from the lobby of the Road Theatre on Magnolia, down a hallway and into the lobby of NoHo Senior Artists Colony. It's quite a nice venue and I was very pleased with the way the show looked. It's up through August 21st, so if you're in the L.A. area, please stop by to see it. Just buzz the management office at NoHo SAC to get in, or come to a performance at the theatre. -- John took photos at the reception, but we didn't get one of the two of us!
I was surprised to see a large poster promoting the show.


Jazz guitarist Doug is ready to play in the theatre's lobby gallery.

Guests begin to arrive.

With Tim Carpenter, Founder & Executive Director of EngAGE.

Artist Andre Miripolsky and Tim Carpenter.

EngAGE COO Maureen Kellen-Taylor with Andre and Tim.

With Andre Miripolsky.

With musician/artist Jan Edward Vogels.

Owen, of Owen Captures Photography (and creator of the wonderful
short video, "Who Is Art by Cynthia?"), with my mother.

Owen's wife, Mattaniah Yip, and Mom.

With Brewery studiomate, artist Yvonne Beatty.

Jan, Tim, and Andre show me their love and respect!

There were 21 of my hand-colored photos in the show.

This wall displayed four image transfers. You can find out
more about that interesting process if you search this blog.

Another view.

The hallway connecting NoHo SAC and the Road Theatre lobbies.

NoHo SAC at the intersection of Riverton and Magnolia.

The Road Theatre on Magnolia Boulevard.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

"Who Is Art by Cynthia" Video by Owen Captures Photography

I'm excited to share this short video by Owen Captures Photography. I met Owen at the last Brewery Art Walk when he stopped by my studio. He asked if I'd like to be the subject of one of his fascinating minute-to-minute-and-a-half videos of artists creating their work. I was delighted to participate. Owen came back to my studio several times and captured me making a large abstract drawing. You can see other videos in his "Who is . . . ?" series here on Vimeo.


Series | Who is Art by Cynthia? from Owen Captures on Vimeo.

And here are some stills from the video shoot, including the finished drawing entitled, "Visual Popcorn," and a detail photo that shows exactly what it looks like up close (click to enlarge them):





Paper for future work.

A detail of my painting, "French Garden."

A detail of my drawing, "Jazz."

My drawing, "Trading Mulberry Eights."
 
In the background is my painting, "More Hollyhocks."

This picture made me laugh!
 
"Visual Popcorn" is 17" x 17"


Detail: each pen & ink circle/triangle/square was colored
with colored pencils.