WLAC to Present “Artists Do L.A.” Gallery Reception Sept. 13

West Los Angeles College invites the community to rediscover Los Angeles through the lens of 12 artists at the Artists Do L.A. exhibit running from September 6-October 20. The exhibit will feature different Los Angeles neighborhoods that highlight the city’s many vibrant personalities.

A free public reception will be held Thursday, Sept. 13 in the college’s Fine Arts Gallery adjacent to the parking structure from 5 – 8 p.m. Admission is free. Parking is available directly adjacent to the gallery in the Parking Structure for $2 – exact change will be needed.

Gil Garcetti is best known as a former Los Angeles District Attorney and the father of current mayor Eric Garcetti. His passion for urban photography has led to six published books and photographic exhibits around the world such as the United Nations, the New York City Public Library for Performing Arts and the Millennium Art Museum in Beijing.

Jose “Prime” Reza is internationally recognized as a founding father of Los Angeles stylized graffiti, and one of the most influential artists in the history of Los Angeles public wall writing. Reza’s “traditional east coast painting techniques with geometric gangster-style blocks” create bold and monochromatic pieces. Prime is one of the original members of Kill 2 Succeed, a graffiti crew that has created murals around Los Angeles for more than 30 years.

Alex Drecun has shot photography for print and online publications. His love for street photography is evidenced in his work of people dwelling in Los Angeles landmarks such as Rodeo Drive and the Santa Monica Pier. Drecun’s photography will take an interesting twist on one of the country’s most affluent cities by showcasing “The Unknown Side of Beverly Hills.”

Carole Garland paints California landscapes. After a brief hiatus from painting, she found inspiration in the outdoors and began plein air watercolor studies. The wilderness of the Santa Monica Mountains and the urban characteristic of Los Angeles influenced her return to oils, leading her to paint outdoors and in the studio.

Jim McHugh is well-known for his celebrity portraits, some of which include Ed Ruscha, John Baldessari and David Hockney. He has published three books on Los Angeles artists and worked with People Magazine, Architectural Digest and the Grammy Awards. His large format Polaroid images of Los Angeles have received acclaim.

Kent Twitchell’s realistic large-scale mural portraits can be found across Los Angeles, most notably on the Pasadena freeway. He has painted over 100 portraits, including the “Julius Erving Monument” (Dr. J) in Philadelphia and monuments to visual artists. His murals, studio paintings and drawings often depict a lone figure standing and looking straight out at the viewer.

Other featured artists include Gwen Adler, Bill McDonald, Ave Pilvas, John Robertson and others.
The exhibit will be curated by Molly Barnes. Barnes is a bicoastal art dealer, curator, radio personality and artist-in-residence at West. In addition to sharing her wealth of experience and knowledge with the college’s aspiring artists, she coordinates free exhibits and lectures which are open to the public.
West Los Angeles College is located at 9000 Overland Avenue, Culver City, CA 90230. The college is a ACCJC accredited community college providing full-time, part-time and online paths to university transfer and career preparation.

Destine Gibson
“Radio Tower on Mulholland Drive – LOS” by Jim McHugh & Joe “PRIME” Reza

The Actors' Gang

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