10 GREAT PLACES YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS DURING ARTWALK

Of course, this Downtown Art Walk, you’ll probably hear about the usual Art Walk Lounge happenings, and it’s tours, the fairy tale labyrinth of books at the Last Bookstore and the oh so, elegant findings at the Gloria Delson Contemporary, but be sure not to miss the politics, cultural diversity, delicious eats, celebrity artists, musical talent, free giveaways, anniversaries, charity events, and outright drama taking place in some of the less talked about stops along the way. Here’s a list of our favorites.

LE PETITE PARIS

Le Petite Paris is excited to celebrate their 1 Year Anniversary during the month of October, giving art walkers, not only the chance to take delight inside their elegant, bi-level, true South of France brasserie, offering a full immersion of the finer things of France, but also live jazz and a complimentary glass of Rose Kir Royal when you say the MAGIC word: “La vie en rose”. Also, don’t forget to stop in the retail store, “La Boutique”, for an enhanced shopping experience and take in the environment while admiring displays of art by some of France’s most notable artists. 418 South Spring Street, DTLA – (213) 217-4445

MIGUEL OSUNA

Born in Mazatlan, Mexico, Miguel Osuna brings his architecture training and proud heritage to Downtown Art Walk, now working as an artists with different mediums, especially oil painting, producing some of the best results he’s developed so far. He’s particularly drawn to creating pieces inspired by the transportation-driven urban life we experience here in Southern California. Freeways, on and off-ramp scenes, things you would see or remember seeing while in a moving vehicle are just some of his recent influencers. For years, Miguel has shown his work in various galleries in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and other locations in California but takes residence in Downtown Los Angeles just east of 4^th and Spring Street, in the perfect location to welcome thousands of art walkers each month. Inside his gallery, are remnants from his former series “Infinity Within”, which makes references to his interest on quantum theory, spinning particles of energy that, in theory, compose our perceived universe, and its membranes. His newest series, “The Bends” takes some of that in addition to the emotive properties of the calligraphic gestures that overtly show in the pieces. Meet and greet with the artist during Downtown Art Walk and join the large crowd of visitors eager to admire, purchase and share his works. 126 W 4th St, Los Angeles, CA 90013.

PLEASE DO NOT ENTER

Owner/curators Nicolas Libert and Emmanuel Renoird of Please Do Not Enter are, although off of the usual beat and path located on Olive Street, monthly participants of the Downtown Art Walk who enjoy the opportunity the Art Walk brings to lend to a wider clientele. Opening their doors not only because they love what they do but also because they want to share it and see how people react, its with great pleasure for them to be able to host experimental French Artist Frédérick Gautier. Gautier and his highly publicized exhibit Eat the River features 100 replicas of the LA River which include textures, objects or resources that are able to be used as everyday housewares. The LA River is one of the only rivers in the world people aren’t readily allowed to frequent but thanks to the effort of their new exhibit, art walkers can raid the river and return with some of its most interested archeological memories as recreated by Gautier. 549 S Olive St, Los Angeles, CA 90013.

ART APPETITE – Taste Of Art Walk

It’s Official; Art Appetite – The Taste of Art Walk is the number 1 flavored attraction during the Downtown Art Walk. Celebrating its 2^nd year, with live djs, independent artisans and tons of giveaways from Choice Teas and many others. Sponsored in part by Papi’s Pizzeria, there are no starving artists in their camp. The park is located just south of  7^th and Spring, has already made the pages of LA Magazine, LA Times, LA Weekly and National Geographic as representing the Downtown Art Walk, and is celebrating its success as a major Downtown Art Walk hub hosting up to 5000 people in the peak summer months. The City of Los Angeles has been known to donate tables and chairs to help the park organizers, who are artists dedicated to raising money for local charities. Richeeze Melts, Wet Burger, Pinch of Flavor, Los Tameleros, Fermosa Fresh and the much sought after newbie on the block, The Head Hunter Truck, will provide delicious gourmet food to the Art Walk masses from 5pm to 10:30pm. Also, featuring special guest appearances by Sand Up Comedy, an all-Moslem comedy troupe, spreading understanding and celebrating our nations vast diversity.

CREPES SANS FRONTIERES

Pioneer and visionary Ruth Hudin of Crêpes Sans Frontières offers a menu of authentic crepes, live art and musical entertainment brought to Art Walk by master violinist, producer and composer, Alan Price. Located inside the Spring Arcade Building built in 1923 by a San Francisco engineer trained at L’école des Beaux Arts de Paris,Crêpes Sans Frontières offers the only celebration of creativity supporting the artists of the Historic Core, held inside the Spring Arcade that night. When they aren’t celebrating the arts during Art Walk, Crêpes Sans Frontières enjoys a steady crowd six days a week, and an enormous brunch offering some of the most popular dishes of traditional buckwheat galettes (crêpes) made as they were intended for centuries, from the region of Brittany, France.

Oh so sweet and savory, Ruth and her international team of culinary masters fill your plates and glasses with 100% organic gluten-free crêpes, vegan crepes, French wines and bottomless mimosas, showing us once again why they continue to be voted BEST CREPE of Downtown, now three years in a row.  541 South Spring Street, DTLA – (213) 863-9318.

CURT DARLING SALON
Hello Darlings! One of the most and last enjoyable stops on Main Street, during the Downtown Art Walk is Emmy® award winning hair stylist Curt Darling, who will be hosting his 2nd annual “Pretty in Pink Ponytail Party” from 3pm-10pm. Curt Darling has worked with countless celebrities over the years including Elizabeth Taylor, Jodi Foster, Sally Field, Tom Cruise and Sir Mick Jagger. Curt and his team of specialists will be doing complimentary DryCuts for anyone who has at least 8 inches of hair to donate. Donations are going to “Pantene Beautiful Lengths”, the largest national movement and first campaign to create free, real-hair wigs for women with cancer. Call to reserve your appointment, 213.426.4000. 440 S. Main Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013.

THE HIVE

The Hive presents the 3^rd annual, “The Secret Art of Animators 3”, and is the winner by far when we talk most celebrated artists on exhibit this Art Walk.

This exciting show is a compilation of fine art made by the movers and shakers of today’s animation industry!  Curated by Stephen Holman and Josephine T. Huang, it features the work of over 25 Hive artists whose work was inspired by some of our “Saturday Morning Pastime cartoons!” Here a breakdown of the show’s highlights.

• Stephen Holman – With over 3 years’ experience in curation, Stephen Holman started his TV career working on Pee Wee’s Playhouse and creating segments for MTV’s Liquid TV. However, in the late 1980’s/90’s his performances with the theatre troupe, ‘Theatre Carnivale’, a staple of the LA art scene and his fine art projects has gotten international recognition like in SF Weekly, The New York Times, The Village Voice, Wired, LA Weekly, and Paper Magazine. He worked with Nickelodeon for four seasons from 1996-2000.
• Josephine T. Huang – Josephine was raised in America and Canada. Huang studied fine art and has performed and has successfully exhibited in the UK, Japan, and the US. She started animation on Tim Burton’s, “The Nightmare before Christmas”. And since then, she has since been a lead animator on “James and the Giant Peach”, worked on Henry Selick’s, “Monkeybone”, Wes Anderson’s, “The Life Aquatic”, and even on upcoming projects like the animated comedy, “Hell & Back” and Charlie Kaufman film, “Anomalisa”.  Together, Stephen Holman and Josephine Huang in 1994 pioneered Wholesome Products Animation Company. The company uses stop motion animation using miniatures and puppets.  Their relationship was ignited on the grounds that they believe in, “producing good and quality animation for children,” as they stated along with the fact that they both started their training in Art School. In the last two decades, WP Animation Company has produced some of the best and unique children’s programs on TV.  Their unique backgrounds in theatre are properly combined in animation, fine art, film, and comics were their experiences and skills, which make them, stand out.

• Nathan Cartwright – Nathan Cartwright, “King Bee”, in who he explains how others address him, is the founder of The Hive Gallery and Studios. His gallery was established in 2005, providing those who visit a truly unique and vibrant gallery/studio experience. It is one of the longest standing galleries on the Downtown Art Walk, on the forefront of establishing the Los Angeles Metro area as a world-wide art mecca. Nathan’s gallery serves as an arts community hub, holding various fundraising events and programs such as figure drawing, private movie screenings, yoga, and more. The art featured in the gallery leans toward neo-pop illustration in nearly all mediums that are highly crafted and affordable. Artists that show at The Hive have proven their dedication to the community by consistently producing high quality work on a month-to-month basis. Operating on a low commission basis, The Hive allows artists to display and sell their own art-work at a low cost, making it more affordable for the general public to purchase an original piece of art. In his own words, Nathan encourages the public to, “Come out and bee inspired!”
• The exhibit also features, Tory Belleci – Model Maker for The Matrix, Jorge Gutierrez- Creator/Director of The Book of Life, Peter Hannan – Creator/Writer/Director/Storyboard of CatDog and many others.  729 S Spring St., Los Angeles, California 90014.

STEPHEN ROWE GALLERY

Stephen Rowe is an accomplished artist who specializes in producing large, colorful abstract paintings. As a young boy in the outback-Australian town of Broken Hill, Australia, Stephen’s work is partly influenced by the dot art and leavened by the impression of the working class culture from Broken Hill, the hard scrabble mining town that formed his vision. He combines pointillism with abstract backgrounds, using media such as acrylic paint on canvas and wood.  Hidden written messages lie beneath the veil of dots, which mask the emotions of life. Connecting movement, color and mood, Stephen departed from the detailed pointillist technique to what he calls the “loose’ dots and works regularly producing art works for sale. Stephen Rowe has announced his plans to leave his downtown location just south of 6^th and Main by the end of the year, so be sure to catch his wondrous works while you still can. 640 S Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90014.

TACOS ON EVERY CORNER –  Art and the Love of Taco Trucks
When a Donald Trump surrogate and self appointed leader of “Latinos for Trump” Marco Gutierrez, issued the dire warning that a Trump loss in November would result in “taco trucks on every corner” he grossly under-estimated America’s love of tacos. The reaction across the country was an overwhelming, “Yes, more tacos please!”

The hashtag #TacosOnEveryCorner immediately started trending on Twitter and Facebook. People were fantasizing about a world with tacos raining from the sky, google maps showing taco trucks literally on every corner. Here in Los Angeles especially this was seen as a futuristic utopian dream world.

A group of Los Angeles artists will be gathering at The Lobby Gallery in DTLA during October Artwalk to celebrate our much loved regional cuisine. Taco Trucks on Every Corner is a group exhibit featuring the artwork of Alfredo de Batuc, Douglas Alvarez, Terri Berman, Kelly Thompson, George Joachim, Scott Yeskel, Paul Torres, Sandra Vista, Eric Almanza, Jennifer Korsen, Jon Measures, Ron King, Skylaire Alfvegren, Henry Penn & Clare Holzer. Lobby Gallery – 725 S Spring St, Los Angeles, California 90014

 

ODDVILLE 

Has anyone seen Stinky the Cat? If not, you better head over to Oddville and give your condolences to curator Stephen Payne. Recently, this gallery owner, curator, and photographer extraordinaire’s pet cat Stinky went missing. Payne checked the gallery video only to find footage of his former, disgruntled partner Ezra Croft, presumingly catnapping the little beast. Stephen Payne hasn’t been the same and has posted the tapes to social media day after day in a cry for help. Known for throwing one of the most popular Art Walk after parties, with gallery mascot, and company favorite Stinky the Cat for little over a year, his partner can be seen searching the gallery for Stinky the Cat on the widely publicized video, picking up the cat and exiting after placing it inside of a beer cooler. Controversy abound, as allies from both sides clash it out on social media about who the rightful owner of the cat really is and who should be it’s final caretaker. But the cat still hasn’t been returned and the culprit has reportedly left the city, and no one seems to know, for sure, if Stinky the Cat is dead or alive. 734 S Main Street, Los Angeles CA 90014.