Art Happenings This Week

Check out Closet Cases artist Sean Bradshaw's film So Whaddya Think? - a hilarious short about Shelley Pinkel, a slacker girl with big ideas - at the LA Shorts Fest. So Whaddya Think? is written and voiced by Happy friend and supporter Debi Bradshaw and animated by Sean. It's short and sweet and funny! It can be seen this Thursday, July 23 at 5:30pm as part of the LA Shorts Fest at Laemmle's Sunset 5:



http://lashortsfest.com/film_program_details.asp?programnumber=3

On Saturday July 25 from 5:30-9:30pm, Closet Cases artist Corina Gamma will be featured in the group show Project Home at SOPA Studios in South Pasadana. This exhibition is in conjunction with South Pasadena's Project Home Art Walk. For more info:

http://www.sopastudios.com/

Also on Saturday July 25 from 6:00pm - midnight, Happy friend and supporter Andie Villafañe curated Latent Night, which showcases the art of Charlie Cho. It's the closing reception for this show and there will be an artist talk at 7:30pm. Get on the Redline to Union Station and walk over to Freedom Gallery at 618 E. 1st St. (just off Alameda).

Hope you can get out and support your local arts organizations and artists!!!

Meet the Artist: Leia Jervert

Artwork (or artist) that changed your life and why?

Visiting the Chinati Foundation in Marfa, TX and seeing Donald Judd’s "100 untitled works in mill aluminum" installed in person was revelatory. As you walk through the former army barrack, flanked by floor to ceiling glass windows, the aluminum boxes reflect the landscape outside and seemingly disappear and reappear before your eyes.

When did you first know you wanted to be an artist?

I honestly seem to recommit myself to becoming an artist everyday in the studio.

What do you like about making art in Los Angeles?

Not to be cliché, but I do love the light in Southern California. The urban landscape of manicured lawns and deftly created fictions in concrete is very inspiring.

What do you dislike about making art in Los Angeles?

Having had to discourage viewers from labeling my work as East Coast. (Can one develop an aesthetic growing up in New Jersey?).

Favorite book, film and food?

My favorite book is Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf. My favorite film is In the Mood for Love by Kar Wai Wong. I am always satisfied by a bowl of homemade pasta and marinara sauce.

Favorite current web site?

Wow. I am so 2000. I still go to Craigslist for everything.

Best art advice?

Make magic.

Leia made magic at Happy! Check out her thought provoking and interactive installation, "Cut Back", on view until August 30.

Hey? Thanks!

Thanks to everyone who came out for Jim Gentry and Leia Jervert on Friday. Jim's canvas stitchings commanded Happy's main space and Leia's hedge sprouted, morphed and captivated viewers in Happy's closet. Pictures from the packed opening will be posted soon. In the meantime, fans of Leia's can catch more of her unique work at Deborah Martin Gallery, this Thursday:

209 W. 5th St. Los Angeles, CA 90013
www.deborahmartingallery.com

July 9 - August 8
Artist Reception July 9 7-9pm

Birds, Insects and a Hedge at HAPPY

Opening reception: Friday, July 3 from 6-9pm

July 3 – August 30, 2009

HAPPY is pleased to present “Never Odd or Even”, an exhibition of new work by Jim Gentry. Gentry uses image and language to lure the viewer into his “drawings” of birds and insects. Creating idiosyncratic gestures with sewn thread and contrasting this erratic style with subversive and stealth messages, Gentry’s seemingly innocent works are at once contemplative and visually arresting; static victims of the artist’s hand yet ultimately uplifting. Gentry’s subjects are manipulating in their simplistic beauty: soaring, dripping, electric and almost sculptural. Gentry earned his BFA from the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York. He currently lives and works in Los Angeles.


Showing in Happy’s closet is “Cut Back”, a site-specific installation by Leia Jervert. Jervert creates a life size hedge, composed of leftover material - refuse, odds and ends, scraps, things that were cut away in the past - to form an ornamental sculpture. What was once discarded will now be incorporated in the construction of something new. Where the hedge becomes unruly, viewers are encouraged to gently prune Jervert’s bittersweet reminder of what is lost and how to come to terms with it. Jervert earned her BFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York and her MFA at Claremont Graduate University. She currently lives and works in Los Angeles.

HAPPY stocks well designed home and lifestyle accessories, and features revolving art shows with local and international artists. HAPPY combines gift, garden and gallery to create a unique space, full of inspired gifts and thoughtful embellishments.

Please join us for art, wine and really nice people!

June Art Around Hollywood

Contributed by Paul Evans

HAPPY was open for the Los Feliz Art Walk on Friday night, but the festivities started early with my weekly jaunt to Scoops for some vegan almond coffee ice cream on Thursday. Scoops’ owner Tai Kim and I wandered over to Synchronicity Space (http://www.syncspacela.com/) on Melrose near Heliotrope to view their new show, The Enigmatic Shadow. It’s about negative space or something, but it’s really just a good show with standouts by Zachary Rossman and Ryan Travis Christian. Oh wait, Colin Chillag’s paintings are a total guilty pleasure. I found myself staring at them much longer than I anticipated. Look closely. And while at Sync Space, make sure you say hi to two of the nicest gallery folk in LA, Chris Gere and Katie Vonderheide.

Chris Gere of Syncronicity Space


Friday at HAPPY saw lots of new and returning friends who stopped in to see Anya Smilanick’s slick, handsome paintings of Los Angeles’ hallucinogenic landscape and to get a peek at Closet Cases. There was lively discussion and lots of art lovers happy to be out after a day of June gloom. HAPPY’s next show, to open on Friday, July 3, will feature local artists Jim Gentry (http://www.gentry.ws/) and Leia Jervert (http://www.leiajervert.net/).

A space I’ve been curious to visit is Garage Gallery (http://www.garagegalleryla.com/). Located in Los Feliz on Kingswell Ave., Garage Gallery is the brainchild of Ali Grossman. Frustrated with the art scene and loving a good party, Ali decided to open a gallery in her…Can you guess?? GARAGE! So, on the first Saturday of every month, Ali has a one night, hardcore meet and greet. Artist makes art, Ali shows art, artist meets art lovers, art gets sold, music gets played, food gets eaten and everyone is happy. Sounds right to me. On this Saturday, she presented the work of Thomas Voorhies. Voorhies simply and effectively produced numerous nocturnal snapshot paintings of the neighborhood where Garage Gallery resides. They looked great and for one night they illuminated Ali’s rustic yet perfect backyard space. And to her credit, you leave wanting more.

Paul’s June Art Find: http://www.thepublicschool.org/

Happy in Coagula Art Journal!

Coagula posted some pics from HAPPY featuring Michael Slimmer and Corina Gamma, in the the current show Closet Cases in HAPPY's project room, and Anya Smilanick showing in HAPPY's main space.

Come by this Friday for the Los Feliz Art Walk and see for yourself!

Click on the images to see Coagula's pages.
http://coagula.com/

Los Feliz Art Walk This Friday!

Missed the opening for Anya Smilanick and Closet Cases? This Friday, June 5, HAPPY will be open until 9:00pm as part of the Los Feliz Art Walk. Come by, say hi to Anya and Closet Cases curator Paul Evans, have a glass of wine and hang out with us.

Be sure to mark your calendars for our Friday, July 3 opening featuring Jim Gentry in our main space and Leia Jervert in Happy’s closet. It promises to be a great show!

HAPPY is at 4675 Hollywood Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90027

323.661.2200

HAPPY is part of the Los Feliz Art Walk. A "new" collaborative venture in the Los Feliz Village community of Los Angeles seeking to bring together Los Feliz artists, galleries, studios and others to support the arts. It is held on the first Friday of every month. Maps and listings are available at http://www.losfelizartwalk.org/.