Secret Still

For the first time maybe ever in my life, I find myself wanting to be in Atlanta. Not to stay, hell no, but for just long enough to attend the Living Walls events that are going down August 13-15. The whole idea of the Living Walls conference is kind of a free form, fly by the seat of your pants event that brings Street Artists from all over the world together to do what it is they do best: make some art on the streets. There are lectures and whatnot, but the real draw is the legal walls to mess around with, and, of course, the not legal walls that will also get used. You can’t put that many street artists together in one place and not expect something amazing to happen. If I could afford it, I’d hop a plane to Atlanta, and join in the fun. Instead the ATL and I will remain, as always, quiet enemies.

Living Walls

Without a doubt, the Secret Still number 1 favorite artist is Riverside, CA loc dog Jeff Soto. He’s been steady at the top of my list for nearly a decade now, to the point where I was surprised I didn’t nervously vomit on him a little when I met him a couple years ago. Just a bit. I kept my cool, showed him the tattoo I have of his Juxtapoz cover. He was a nice guy, and from what I saw, a great dad. And this year he’s given us all a fantastic Father’s Day present in the form of a new show at Jonathan Levine Gallery called Lifecycle. Like the title implies, the show’s pieces center around the various stages of life from birth through falling in love all the way to death. And no one symbolizes ideas better than Mr. Soto. His usual set of imagery is there, but transmuted and added onto in a thousand colorful ways to create a new dialog. His new work to me is always an hours long heart attack of analysis and amazement, and internet images never do it justice. There are so many little details that float around in the background that make me squeal like a delighted little school girl. Then comes the overly excited vomiting again. Just a bit.

Jeff Soto: Lifecycle

Brighton FreakShow from Johnny McCulloch on Vimeo.

Ballpoint ninja and Secret Still Vato Loco por Vida Will Scobie wanted me to drop some knowledge on you about the show he’s a part of titled “The Brighton FreakShow.” Taking place in Brighton (duh), the show is like the special forces of Brighton illustrators, the cream of the crop if you will, all mixed together into a deliciously concocted stew. That video up there should give you a pretty good idea of the magic involved. If you are lucky enough to already be in or around the Brighton area, then get your lazy ass over to that show every Saturday in May. If you aren’t even in the UK, tough shit, because that volcano ain’t gonna let you in. But you can still enjoy the pretty pictures on the website.

Brighton FreakShow

Superhumanly powered paintress Allison Sommers (previously mentioned) has an action packed sneak-peak of her upcoming show at Thinkspace Gallery titled “Schlaraffenland.” Opening May 7, the show looks like Allison’s greatest artistic endeavor to date. There are paintings, drawings, bronzes, and other sculptures; and if you can’t get lost for hours in the details of her works in progress then you have no business reading this website. Schedule an hour at least to pour over her new works, learn about her process, and pick up some ideas and technique tips for yourself. This woman is your new powerhouse, Art world. Ya’ll better know that.

Allison Sommers: Schlaraffenland

If that title didn’t tip you off, Aaron Nagel (previously mentioned) is opening a show of new works at the Shooting Gallery in SF. You’ve seen a couple of them from his website, but for the most part these are all glimpsing the light of day for the first time on Saturday. That’s this Saturday, March 6th, from 7-11pm, when the show opens to what I’m assuming will be the usual attractive 20-30’s crowd of SF art lovers, and one guy from Oakland, carrying a skateboard and drinking homebrews out of his backpack. Yeah, I’ll be there. I wouldn’t miss the opportunity to glimpse Nagel’s masterpieces in person, even if glimpsing is all I can afford. If, unlike me, you can’t get to San Francisco with a simple train ride under several millions tons of salt water, there are plenty of images of the new show for your eyes to lust over, and even a visual visit to Nagel’s studio in Oakland (why didn’t I know that was only a few blocks from me?). Be there in person or be there in spirit, but there’s no excuse for you to not see these fine works.

Aaron Nagel: Marks
Aaron Nagel Studio Visit

If you’re looking for a way to kill the last few hours of the work day, or the first few hours of the non-work day (for those of you not in PST), then consider them dead and gone because Narwhal Projects has a giant preview of Gary Taxali’s new show, “The Taxali 300,” available for your viewing pleasure. That’s right, 300 paintings/drawings from the prolific and amazing Gary Taxali, the Canadian wonder. You can also buy them, but I don’t want to pressure you into something like that. You haven’t even had dinner yet. Get comfortable, relax, get out of those work clothes, and then maybe we’ll talk about buying some art.

Gary Taxali: The Taxali 300

I don’t even have the right words to describe how much of a kick in the feelings the new Doze Green paintings are. Do yourself a solid and check them all out, and if you’re in New York, see them in person. Maybe send me some pictures of them in giant size. Oh, and buy me a small Doze painting while you’re at it. It’s only my dream come true, so no big deal if you don’t get around to it.

Doze Green @ Jonathan Levine

Beau Basse from LeBasse Projects shot me a note to let you know about their upcoming show on September 12th, that’s next Saturday (don’t worry, I had to check a calendar, too). And there’s no way I’m going to be responsible for even one of you in the LA area missing this show due to my negligence. I care about you too much to see you sitting at home on a Saturday night when you could be in Culver City drinking some free wine and cramming your eyes full of glory. This show, or shows actually, is definitely a must see as it features new works from Edwin Ushiro (work pictured above) and Ryuichi Ogino. Ushiro’s work is gorgeous and lush and layered, and Ogino’s is beautiful in its graphic simplicity and playfulness. Both these dudes are better than you in so many ways that it’s kind of embarrassing. If you don’t die from smoke inhalation in the next week or so, make sure you’re in Culver City from 7-10pm for this opening. If you have some kind of medical emergency that night, which is the only acceptable excuse, the show will be up until October 3rd; plenty of time for you to get over there once your burns heal. My public service for the day is now completed.

*voting is now closed* For those of you that voted, thanks and keep watch for the randumb prize winner tomorrow. For the other 300 people who read the post and didn’t bother to vote: eat a syphilitic dick. Can’t even spare 30 seconds to vote. Cock-knockers.

At the beginning of April my friend Matt and I decided that it was high time we stopped being little girls and grew manly beards. Dudes that we are, we decided to make it interesting by turning the whole beard growing process into a competition, and so Beardoff 2009 was born. Both of us have suffered through the slow, itchy, and disgusting process of growing a beard for 30 long days, and now it’s time for the winner to be decided. That’s where you come in, internet. We need you to be our impartial judges, so one of us can throw their beard-mastery in the other’s face. The loser also has to buy the winner a big, manly, delicious steak, because we’re men and that’s what men eat.

To sweeten the pot, one random voter will be chosen to receive some sweet prizes in the form of a DEATHCAT!!! t-shirt that Matt designed, and probably some drawing from my sketch book. That’s as good as we can offer without corporate sponsorship. The real prize is knowing that you have helped one man make another man cry, and at the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about.

Leave your vote in the comments. Make sure to leave your e-mail so we can contact you about your fabulous prizes.

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Recently added Secret Still Thousandaire Player’s Club Member Forever, Yuta Onoda (previously mentioned), hit me with the knowledge of a new piece (pictured above) that he’ll be showing at Subtext Gallery come Friday night. The show is a group effort titled The Kids Are Alright featuring work from emerging artists, and curated by the always bakery-fresh Beau Basse of LeBasse Projects. All of the work in the show is seriously top notch, and priced to move even in the tough economic times, so you might want to think about stealing a few more car stereos this month to buy some art. The show opens tomorrow, May 1st, with a reception from 6-10pm at Subtext HQ in San Diego. Anyone in the area want to hook a brother up with some opening photos, I’ll post ‘em up here real nice like. For all four of you to see.

The Kids Are Alright @ Subtext