Hello friends, Mark here. Last night, an amazing artist, Kung-Fu master, L.A. resident and genuinely swell guy lost a long battle with cancer. I got to meet Michael a few times post-cancer diagnosis and he was always really excitable and pleasant to be around, even when he was pushing his way through a dense crowd while on crutches.

Excerpt from an article on Comic Book Resources:

Turner is an artist best known for his work on books like “Witchblade,” where he got his start in comics, moving on to titles such as “Black Panther,” “Superman/Batman” and his very own creator owned series “Fathom” and “Soulfire” through his publishing company Aspen Comics. A prolific artist, he’s done work for both DC Comics and Marvel Comics, and has provided covers to some of the best-known comics published in the last ten years, including Brad Meltzer’s “Identity Crisis.”

In 2000, Turner was diagnosed with cancer — chondrosarcoma in the right pelvis, which resulted in his loosing his hip, 40% of his pelvis and three pounds of bone. What followed was 9 months of radiation. The cancer has gone into remission and returned multiple times since he was first diagnosed.

We’ve lost quite few, young and seemingly able-bodied comic book artists lately. This high mortality rate causing my wife no small amount of concern. I reassured her that my general sloth and steady diet of puddings nearly guarantees me a long life as a grumpy nerd.

Tonight the Montecito Fine Arts College of design is hosting an opening night reception for a show featuring the work of the faculty and staff.  The “Art Off the Canvas” show is presented in conjuntion with the East West Art Association.  The show itself will run June 21 - July 19, 2008.

Of course it being a reception means that not only will you get to enjoy some great art you will also get to take advantage of some great munchies and FREE booze.  (Almost a bottomfeeders post for a date night in my corner of LA).

Montecito Fine Arts arrived in Monrovia last fall.  They appeared at the Monrovia Association of Fine Arts October show and certainly got a lot of attention from us locals.  The work they had to show was definitely among the best I’ve seen.  I certainly am looking forward to the show tonight to see what else they can wow me with at this show.

DETAILS:  Saturday June 21, 2008.  7PM - 11PM.  121 E Huntington Drive,  Monrovia CA 91016.  877-Do-Design (for those of you alpha-phone challenged 877-383-3744).

Directions: 210 Freeway towards Monrovia, Exit Myrtle north to Huntington Drive.  Turn Right (east).  The campus is on the north side of the street between Myrtle and Ivy Avenues.

Metro Board Chair Pam O’Connor will host a “live” internet chat today at noon to discuss high gas prices and the latest recession buzzword: Staycations!

With gas prices spiraling out of control and ridership up on Metro Rail, the MTA is wisely capitalizing on the increasing trend of Americans to take vacations in their home cities. Staycations eliminate the need for gassing up the car or paying those irksome new baggage fees with the airlines. In a city like L.A., there’s a ton of things to see and do. Some of it is even free.

Here is your challenge: Plan a mini staycation within walking distance of ONE METRO STATION, be it bus or rail.

Example: Civic Center Station, Downtown Los Angeles, June 26-29

• Stay at the Omni Hotel
• Thurs. June 26 - A Chorus Line at the Ahmanson Theatre ($30 and up)
• Fri. June 27 - Dance Downtown, with Swing featuring The Jonathan Stout Orchestra at the Music Center Plaza (FREE)
• Sat. June 28 - Angel City Drive-In showing Breakfast at Tiffany’s, 4th & Broadway (Walk-ups & bike-ins welcome, $10)
• During the day visit Historic Broadway Theaters, Disney Concert Hall, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Bradbury Building, Los Angeles City Hall, Grand Central Market, the Jewelry District, Santee Alley, and the birthplace of the most diverse city in the world.
• When you’re tired of walking, stop by Bar 107 for a goblet of beer.

That’s just one small example. Let us know your idea for a staycation near a Metro stop in your hood.

Photo from puck90’s photostream

Earlier this week I had the pleasure of meeting NYC based photographer Brian Finke who tipped me off to his exhibition of flight attendants opening this week at Stephen Cohen Gallery (7358 Beverly Boulevard). Over the last two years he’s spent countless hours in flight documenting flight attendants, their lifestyle, and a good bit of behind the scenes. The photos in the online preview are pretty fantastic (especially if you start off with a little bit of a flight attendant fetish to begin with. What?!) and I can only imagine they are that much more breathtaking in person. The show opens Thursday at 7pm, and Brian will be there signing copies of the book that goes with the exhibition which is always awesome for those of us without the wallspace for the larger prints.

I think this stuff is fascinating. HOW does anyone fabricate a two-story-high aluminum balloon dog?

Well, Ave. 50 Studio in Highland Park (the same folks who gave J. Michael Walker, whose work is now on display at the Autry, his first show for his “All the Saints of Los Angeles”) is hosting a tour through the very place that made artist Jeff Koons’ balloon dogs–and other monumental works of art. The deets:

“Carlson & Company is one of the leading fabricators of industrial-sized artworks in the Country. The Carlson building is a warehouse of over 30,000 square feet. A few of its clients include Claes Oldenburg/Coosje van Bruggen, Jeff Koons, Ellsworth Kelly, and Noguchi. A number of engineers from Disney Imagineering work on their staff, along with 75 regular employees. One of the major projects of Carlson was Jeff Koons “Balloon Dog” a 10-foot tall brightly colored stainless steel sculpture. This tour will appeal to artists, collectors and art fabricators alike, and will be led by owner Peter Carlson.”

Click thru for the vital info. (more…)

A few months back I did a post regarding the Monrovia High School Urban Art Club and their mural program.  I managed to worm an invitation to watch them produce their latest one for the Class of 2008’s graduation.   What you see here is is the final product.  It took more than a few hours over a few days to produce the mural.  To see how they got to the final product you need to make the jump. (more…)

Click thumbs to ENLARGE

Extraordinary cars litter the streets of Los Angeles. Exotic Lamborghinis, cherried-out kustom rods, lowrider wet-dreams.

But very, very few L.A. cars spring full-blown from the foreheads of artists - like this one has - and remind us what car design is really about.

This looks to be  Baron Margo’s latest ride - a Chitty- Chitty- Bang- Bang-esque rocket pod with dualie rear wheels, a propellerized tail and more hand-polished aluminum-and-Bakelite controls knobs than Chuck George Barris could dream up on a meth-and-steampunk bender. I say newest because the seats still haven’t even been installed, there are no plates yet, and it’s polished to within an inch of its life.

More handcrafted gorgeousness after the jump …

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Hello Friends! Awesome cartoonist, Ron Rege Jr. is having an art show and concert at the HOPE Gallery in Echo Park with fellow artist and band mate Becky Stark.

From his blog:

‘The Mystical Unionists’ is a project of Becky Stark and Ron Rege Jr, both of the band Lavender Diamond. For one month they will turn the gallery into an ultra-optimistic projection of the future, via constant in-house drawing, musical performances, and puppet theatre. ‘Enter the Cartoon Utopia’ aims to inspire viewers towards positive imaginings for their surroundings, and the empowerment for their realisation.

Utililising his distinctive cartoon line-drawing style, Rege envisions a future utopia, drawing largely from the Los Angeles cityscape, and the genre of 60s utopian sci-fi novels. Stark’s installation consists of multiple miniature stages for future-utopian puppet shows, as well as musical performances and dance, featuring Stark and friends.

It looks to be a swell way to spend a Saturday night… instead of messing with the Zohan, go experience some amazing art, why don’t ya? Click on the flyer for the full deets!

Culver City is very attractive.  It must have been fun to have lived out here when the place was up and coming, or hip, or funky.  From my perspective, after spending time along the main stretches, it’s none of those things now.  But Culver City is a very enjoyable, established place.  It does a lot of things right.  Yesterday’s ARTWALK was one such thing.

continue the tour after the jump

 If you think Pasadena Art is little old blue hairs and their plein air ”California Style” paintings have I got some news for you.

Pasadena’s Museum of California Art explores all sorts of art being produced by California Artists.  Opening June 1 is “Tales from the Strip” by Pete Miller celebrating his Hot Rod Comics and Drag Racing Cartoons.  The show will run through September 14,2008. 

Near and dear to my heart is car stuff.  The cool stuff like Mad Magazine and Ed “Big Daddy” Roth produced back in the day of the hot rod.  Miller in his bio says his inspiration came from Mad’s artists and comical satire of the 1950s and 1960s. I’ve seen Millers work in the past and it is comical satire poking fun at the gearheads and their overbuilt hot rods.  Worth seeing if only to look back at that chapter of our history that was so strongly influenced by LA and So Cal.

Details: Pasadena Museum of California Art, 490 East Union Street, Pasadena CA 91101.  Hours: Wednesday - Sunday noon to 5PM.  Adults $7, Kids/Seniors $5.

There is parking in the area but rather than deal with the Pasadena’s Parking Nazis I’d suggest you use metro Gold Line and hop off at Memorial Park Station for a quick 7 block walk.