Crazy Al Evans October 18 art show

Crazy Al Evans' 10 for 11, 12 and 13 Art Show

and limited edition release party at The Bahooka

featuring exotic music by the Tikiyaki Orchestra with sword and fire dancer Tehani

Artist reception and party: Saturday, Oct. 18, 2008 – 7 pm – 11 pm.
Bahooka Restaurant
4501 Rosemead Blvd.
Rosemead, CA 91770
For dinner reservations call (626) 285-1241
Sales start at 7:00PM.
Lighting ceremony at 8:30PM

Crazy Al Evans website: http://www.tikimania.com/
Online press release with images: http://leejosephpublicity.com/show/crazyalbahooka

THE EVENT 

Enjoy an enchanted evening with Crazy Al Evans and his new limited edition ceramics, artist proofs, new art and special guests! This event celebrates the ten-year anniversary of Evans' Tikis #11, 12 and 13. To commemorate these primordial sculptures in the Crazy AL Tiki Gallery, a new ceramic creation will be debuted at this event. A decanter  design of Tiki #12,"Hula Lover, will be sold in a numbered edition in the very room the same tiki was first presented to the public at the Copro/Nason Tiki Art Show of September 19, 1998. Sculpted by Evans to match the original in every detail, the piece is also proportional to its partner Tiki #13 mug. Evans will also introduce a candle-holder miniature of Tiki #11, "Tiki Lantern'" Limited sets of all three designs with be available as well. Evans has once again pushed the envelope and stretched his imagination with the introduction of Tiki #12, "Hula Lover Carafe," which will hold a lightable tiki-torch just like the original! Evans continued to lead the way with more developments in his personal quest for originality. Be there for the re-lighting ceremony of Tiki #12 as Dancer Tahini ignites the celebration with the exotic music of the Tikiyaki Orchestra.

CRAZY AL EVANS

Crazy Al Evans is a Southern California based multi-media artist who has been carving, sculpting and painting tiki imagery since 1990. Nicknamed for his fun and enthusiastic antics, the name also suits him for his manic and detailed carving. Evans' Polynesian Pop-inspired sculptures can be found from Hawaii to New York. Through his one-man company, Bone Productions, his limited-edition tiki-inspired resins and mugs can be found worldwide. Paying tribute to the original Polynesian artisans from the South Pacific as well as majestic cultural icons of primitive cultures, Evans brands his art with unique craftsmanship and extreme attention to detail, giving each one of his creations meaning and importance and avoiding the use of cartoon imagery and bright colors. His palm sculpts, velvet paintings, dioramas, hardwood carvings, utilitarian objects (such as lamps and cabinets) and environmental installations are an exciting mix of authentic design and modern concepts.

Born in 1967, Evans grew up in the Scottsdale area of Phoenix, AZ surrounded by the ever-present Polynesian-Pop of the era, and claims his dad's collection of Native American art, namely Hopi Kachina Dolls, as a major inspiration on his own art.  Greatly inspired by the primitive arts, his tiki sculptures always have a specific propose by paying tribute to a particular person, thing, event or activity.

Evans graduated from the prestigious Art Center College of Design, but is self-taught in the art of carving. He works almost exclusively with palm wood, using each dramatically different layer to help create the complexities in his designs. Exalting the once living tree, Evans leaves the bark on his finished piece. The manipulation of its complex texture gives even more depth and detail to each sculpture. Since 1996, Evans has carved around 150 tikis each assigned a number. In 2004, Evans began making limited mugs in his "Crazy Al Tiki Gallery Line of Ceramic Editions" for which he sculpts exact replicas of his large tikis in miniature.

Evans is also the front man of the band Ape who perform a rousing set of classic Hawaiian sounds using steel guitars and ukulele with guitars, bass and drums. During their enchanting sets, Evans plays percussion with an axe and a log, carving a tiki in the process! Of course the tikis carved during Ape's set look much simpler than the works that take him 45-100 hours from start to finish. However, these sculpts created in as little as 45 minutes contain the energies of the event from which they were created; they have an individual striking presence all their own.

Crazy Al Evans also does commercial work, sculpting toys for Warner Brothers, Disney, Lucas/Star Wars as well as installations for several establishments such as The Tahiti Restaurant in Hollywood, Kona Club in Oakland, Ka Hale Tiki in Georgia, Lucky Tiki Bar in Los Angeles, Bigfoot Lodge in San Francisco and the Puka Bar in Long Beach. Crazy Al Evans has recently been spotlighted carving tikis on the Discovery Channel 's "Dude Room " and the TV Guide Channel 's "Ready Set Change" as well as many You-Tube videos, and has worked in charity raising money for Hurricane Katrina victims, National Stroke Association and the Honolulu Marathon. Evans currently resides in Sunset Beach, California.

Exhibits and Shows-
-21st Century Tiki /La Luz de Jesus Gallery /Los Angeles /California /USA (1996)
-Dionysus Demolition Derby /Tiki News Magazine /Hollywood /California /USA 1997)
-Tiki Art /Copro-Nason &The Bahooka /Rosemead /California /USA (1998)
-Tiki Art /Copro-Nason &The Key Club /Hollywood /California /USA (1998)
-Tiki & Leeteg /Copro-Nason &Huntington Beach Art Center /Huntington Beach /California /USA (1999)
-Leeteg Tribute /Copro-Nason Gallery /Culver City /California /USA (1999)
-The Definitive Retrospective/Copro-Nason Gallery /Culver City /California /USA (2000)
-Mondo Tiki /Tiki Farm & Hard Rock Casino / Las Vegas /Nevada /USA (2003)
-I Dream of Tiki /M Modern Gallery/ Palm Springs/ California/ USA (2003)
-A Night of Tiki / Von Franco and Friends / Bahooka /Rosemead /California /USA (2004)
-Tiki art Now / Tiki News Magazine Shooting Gallery / San Francisco /USA (2004)
-Tikis and Terrors /A Stuart Gallery /Encino /California /USA (2005)
-Tiki art Now II/ Tiki News Magazine Shooting Gallery / San Francisco /USA (2005)
-10 Year Retrospective Show /Belmont Shores /Long Beach /California /USA (2006)
-10 Year Retrospective Show /La Luz de Jesus Gallery /Los Angeles/California /USA (2006)
-20th Century Tiki /Roq la Rue Gallery /Seattle /Washington /USA (2006)
-Tikis and Terrors /A Stuart Gallery &The Bahooka /Rosemead /California //USA (2006)
-15 year Retrospective Show /Copro-Nason Gallery /Santa Monica /California //USA (2006)
-3rd Annual Gala /DVA Gallery /Chicago / Illinois /USA (2007)
-Tiki Island /Tiki Magazine & Bali Hi /San Diego / California/ USA (2007)
-Surfbeat /Light Gallery /Costa Mesa /California /USA (2008)
-Tiki Caliente  /M Modern Gallery/ Palm Springs/ California/ USA (2008)
-4th Annual Gala /DVA Gallery /Chicago / Illinois /USA (2008)
-Hukilau /Harold Golen Gallery /Miami /Florida /USA (2008)
-'In Search of Tiki'/ Copro-Nason, Forest Lawn Museum /Glendale /California /USA (2008)
-Tiki Island Planet Roth /Tiki Magazine & Planet Roth Gallery /San Diego / California/ USA (2008)

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Lee Joseph Publicity for the Visual Arts
www.leejosephpublicity.com
818) 848-2698 (p) 818) 848-2699 (f)

Bigfoot Lodge
Billy Shire Fine Arts Press
Black Maria Gallery
Crazy Al Evans
drkrm. Gallery
Davey Jones
East of Eden
La Luz De Jesus Gallery/Press
Saints and Sinners Lounge
Stinkers
Heather Watts

Oct. 3: Nathan Ota - Joel Nakamura - La Luz de Jesus Gallery

       

  

LA LUZ DE JESUS GALLERY

4633 Hollywood Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90027

323-666-7667 Fax: 323-663-0243

 

NATHAN OTA – "Way WAY South"

JOEL NAKAMURA – "Teratoid Muse"

 

Oct. 3 – Oct. 26, 2008

Artist Reception: Friday, Oct. 3, 8 pm – 11 pm.

www.laluzdejesus.com

Online press release with images:

http://leejosephpublicity.com/show/nakamuraotta

 

 

Nathan T. Ota – "Way WAY South"

Obsessed with drawing since his early childhood, Nathan Ota passionately references TV cartoons, comic books and punk-rock flyers as his early influences. Ota would sneak into his brother's room and raid the collection of "Vampirella" comics so he could trace the colorful art on the covers. Uninterested in classical or traditional art, he responded most to visuals by Robert Williams, Olivia, Puss Head and Raymond Pettibon. Upon entering his teens, Ota became mesmerized by graffiti and participated in creating street art. "I was completely hooked. I loved everything about it; the clicking of the ball in the can, the sound of the spray, the colors, the huge scale, the friendships with other graffiti artists and the complete feeling of freedom," states Ota. Upon entering Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Ota was exposed to a whole new world of possibilities. With an open mind and guidance from his instructors, his direction changed and he decided to enter the world of illustration. Shortly after graduating in 1993, Ota began working freelance for newspapers, magazines, record labels and producing background art for the gaming industry. Ota's current show "Way WAY South" focuses on a journey back home using acrylics and wood panel.

 

Joel Nakamura – "Teratoid Muse"

Joel Nakamura's blend of folk art and sophisticated iconography are rendered in a neo-primitive technique using polymers and enamel on metal. With a deep knowledge of tribal art and mythology, Nakamura conveys stories and information in an intricate and engaging manner. His ability to render humanity in primal, edgy hues has captured the attention of clients like Time magazine, US News and World Report, and the Los Angeles Times. Nakamura's paintings have enlivened the pages of many other books and publications, as well as the 2002 Winter Olympics opening and closing ceremonies' programs. Nakamura has been profiled in Communication Arts, Step Inside Design, Confetti and Southwest Art magazines. He is proud to be the recipient of over two hundred awards of excellence. Nakamura splits his time between commercial and fine art projects. His work is in numerous private and corporate collections, including Wynonna Judd, Chick Corea, and US embassies around the world. Nakamura resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico with his wife Kathleen and children Paloma and Kai.

  

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La Luz de Jesus is located at the Soap Plant/Wacko building, in Los Feliz at 4633 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027. Gallery hours are Monday – Wednesday: 11am – 7pm, Thursday – Saturday: 11am – 9pm and Sunday 12-6pm.  For high resolution jpegs, interview requests and more information contact: Lee Joseph Publicity, 359 E. Magnolia, Suite F., Burbank, CA 91502, leejemail@gmail.com, p (818) 848-2698  f (818) 848-2699.

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Lee Joseph Publicity for the Visual Arts
www.leejosephpublicity.com
818) 848-2698 (p) 818) 848-2699 (f)

Bigfoot Lodge
Billy Shire Fine Arts Press
Black Maria Gallery
drkrm. Gallery
Davey Jones
East of Eden
La Luz De Jesus Gallery/Press
Saints and Sinners Lounge
Stinkers
Heather Watts