Given the increasing concern over Coronavirus (COVID-19) we are reaching out to let you know that we are monitoring the situation closely and will be in touch with important updates as new information is released. At present our doors remain open and we encourage you to responsibly visit to break the monotony of self-sequester.
Thank you for being patrons of the arts and for supporting your local artists community. With the uncertainty we all face during this global crisis, we wanted to assure all our gallery guests and artists that we are taking extra preventive measures to help prevent the spread of COVID19.
Our gallery artists and staff have increased our use of disinfectant across all surfaces. We will be observing social distancing within our large, no-touch art environment. Regular hand washing is always encouraged.
Art And Cake: TAG Gallery: Three Perspectives on an Art Collective Gallery
Written By Genie Davis / Art And Cake
TAG Gallery: Three Perspectives on an Art Collective Gallery
TAG Gallery has offered some terrific exhibitions in recent years, and is growing as both a gallery and a voice for artists. Gallerist Rakeem Cunningham, TAG artist Pam Douglas, and TAG artist and collective president K. Ryan Henisey each offer their take on the space as it diversifies for the future.
Cunningham relates that TAG started in 1993 as a collective for local artists to come together and display work.
“The gallery is completely funded by the artists and they are the owners. I think that is such a wonderful concept and really allows the artists to work and create at their own pace. I was hired in 2015 as the previous director’s assistant, and since then I think the gallery has expanded its focus and mission to not just allow artists to display work, but also to try to help in the furthering of each of the members’ careers based on their own personal goals and desires. With a membership of around 40 artists, not everyone is going to have the same goals, and I think that TAG really allows for its members to focus in on what they want to do and flourish at their own pace.”
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March Newsletter
CALENDAR
Saturday, March 7, 3 pm
Artist Talk: Michael Becker - Dancers | Art + Video | Postmodern Reactions
Upcoming Exhibitions: Katie Crown, Sally Jacobs, Shelley Lazarus, Toni Reinis
Exhibition Dates: March 17 - April 11
Reception: Saturday, March 21, 5-8 PM
Intro to Botanical Painting w/ Sally Jacobs:
Tuesday, March 31, 10 am - 12 pm | Contact: sallyjjacobs@gmail.com
Intro to Painting on Yupo w/ Shelley Lazarus:
Tuesday March 31, 12 pm - 2 pm | Contact: artistsjl@gmail.com
Artist Walkthrough / Raffle: Saturday, April 4, 3 PM
Katie Crown
Really Big Drawings
TAG Gallery is proud to present Really Big Drawings, a solo exhibition of large scale “metal drawings” by artist Katie Crown. The exhibition runs from March 17 – April 11 with a reception on Saturday, March 21 from 5-8 PM. Crown’s newest body of work accentuates her drawing skills, with subject matter jolted from her sketchbooks. In this endeavor, the artist looks to billboard-esque, metallic wall sculpture to investigate the roles that both humor and horror occupy in the hustle and bustle of everyday life while poking fun at coping mechanisms we form to get through each day. The figures depicted can be seen experiencing pancake induced anxiety episodes, depressive bike rides, and uncomfortable therapy sessions.
Humor has often been an element in Crown’s practice. These new works take it to a more exaggerated, cartoonish mode. In addition to their linear aspects, the pieces include planes of pattern and color. The style amplifies the humor of each situation depicted. “With all the problems in the world, we need humor to survive.” – Katie Crown.
Katie Crown graduated from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and Tufts University. Her artwork has been exhibited in museums and galleries in 12 states and Washington, D.C.
Sally Jacobs
California Grown
Sally Jacobs is a watercolor artist and a farmers market devotee -- she combines her love for her art and the bounty of the markets in her contemporary botanical watercolor paintings. Each weekend she is at vendor stalls, ready to select her picks of the week for her kitchen and studio easel.
In her latest exhibit, California Grown, Jacobs, a long time Miracle Mile resident zooms in, portraying flowers and vegetables with dramatic precision unique for a watercolorist. She transforms a vegetable we choose for dinner or a flower for display, rendering its structure eye-catching and explicit, causing viewers to catch their breath in wonder at the feats of nature.
Jacobs has exhibited in numerous juried shows in New York and San Francisco, and at museums in New York, Minneapolis and Phoenix. She was an award winner at the Brand 37 Works on Paper exhibit and is one of the artists included in “Todays Botanical Artists,” a publication of well-known nature artists.
Jacobs has taught botanical art at The Getty Center, Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles Arboretum, and the annual meeting of the American Society of Botanical Art. Currently she is teaching at the Brentwood Art Center in Los Angeles.
Shelley Lazarus
Mostly H2O
TAG Gallery is pleased to present Mostly H20, a solo exhibition by watercolorist Shelley Lazarus. The proceeds of this show will go to the Robert David Lazarus Pulmonary Rehabilitation Unit at Cedar-Sinai Hospital in memory of her son Robert. Shelley Lazarus was born and educated in New York, where as a teenager she attended Pratt College. She later attended Syracuse University studying fine arts and at the Parsons School of Design.
Living in a crowded city she became infatuated with the buildings around her. The urban landscapes that she captures in this series of paintings are from sketches she made while on location or peering out of windows. Never a purist watercolor artist, she renders her works with her signature style incorporating these works with pencils, pens, crayons, and different mediums.
Lazarus is a founding member of TAG Gallery and has served on its board since its inception. She has taught watercolor medium at the Brentwood Art Center for over 26 years. Her award winning works and can be found in both private and corporate sector collections domestic and abroad. Lazarus is also a member of various art related organizations including the Watercolor Honor Society.
Toni Reinis
Moral Stain | Go Figure!
TAG Gallery is proud to present two bodies of work from contemporary sculptor Toni Reinis. The bodies of work, respectively titled Moral Stain and Go Figure! will be on display in TAG’s south gallery. The exhibitions will run March 17 – April 11 with an opening reception on March 21 from 5-8 pm.
The first of these exhibitions, Moral Stain comments on America’s long history of what Reinis describes as “Moral Stains.” These works aim to stir emotions and challenge the viewer to ACT. “It is up to the people of this nation to stand up because our lives and the future of democracy is at stake. “
America has a long history of “moral stains”. We have enacted slavery, incarceration of Japanese Americans, civil rights abuses, voter suppression, homelessness, segregation, and Watergate. During the Trump administration, there has been a greater decline in social justice reform and policy, a horrifying lack of decency, lies and immorality to an extent never seen before. The work comments on a range of issues from the border crisis to systematic racism. Reinis urges viewers to use their voice in music, written word, march and most importantly……..VOTE.
The second of the exhibitions, Go Figure! explores the diversity, grace, and regality of the female figure by way of material experimentation. Reinis was inspired by the creative use of found objects, plants, flowers, beads, and jewelry found in African art and dress and aims to honor these traditions with her sculpture.
February Artist Walk
February Artist Walk
Meet our 2020 artists at TAG’s first Gallery Art Walk! Support your local artists and join us, Saturday, February 15 for an all day Art Walk at TAG. Our 2020 artists will be displaying art, merchandise and more—perfect for Valentine’s Day gift buying or adding to your collection.
The all day event (11am-5pm) is a wonderful opportunity to meet our new artists or say hello to your returning favorites. Available artists will set up small areas within the gallery for our first ‘art fair-style’ pop-up event.
Our 2020 artist roster includes Shirley Asano Guldimann, Michael Becker, Ana Boghosian, Jaime Coffey Bateman, Katie Crown, Deb Decker, Pam Douglas, Fielden Harper, K Ryan Henisey, Karen Hochman Brown, Joan Horsfall Young, Sally Jacobs, Sunhee Joo, Sunny Kim, James Lane, Shelley Lazarus, SKÜT (Scott Lewallen), Edward Lightner, Rebecca Marie, Ernie Marjorman, Gary Polonsky, Susan Price, Damon Reinagle, Toni Reinis, Lynne Russo, Farnaz Shadravan, Betzi Stein, Douglas Teiger, Gianna Vargas, Arlene Weinstock, Tom Wheeler, Dwayne Wilbert, Elyse Wyman, and Judy Zimbert.
Closing This Week
BLACKSTRACT
Blackstract Installation Images
HERITAGE
Heritage Installation Images
February Newsletter
EXHIBITIONS
February 18 - March 14
Reception: Saturday, February 22, 6-9 PM
Artist Walkthrough: Saturday, March 7, 3 PM
DANCERS
Michael Becker
TAG Gallery is proud to debut Michael Becker’s DANCERS – a photographic survey of male and female dancers in movement. “Capturing a rehearsal of the renowned dance troupe Diavolo was an experience of energy interacting with architecture.” Becker said about the exhibition.
“Having access to this amazingly talented group of young people gave me inspiration to make a body of work about humans and the way we interact with architecture and each other.” He added. The photography seems to jump off the walls to the viewer with colorful excitement and at the same time has a serene effect of seeing movement frozen in time. Some of what is captured is crystal clear and others are blurry as the split second of the lens can’t keep up with the outpouring of energy the dancers convey.
Its intention is diverse and displays interactions between the participants showing movement and flight. The work is very chic and has a way of saying to the viewer that the human form and architecture are made for each other.
Michael Becker is self-taught and has had many exhibitions in galleries and has his work permanently displayed in the West Hollywood Library and nonprofit agencies in Los Angeles. His work is in the collection of the Leslie Lohman Museum in New York City.
ART + VIDEO
TAG Gallery Group Exhibition
Los Angeles is known as the world’s contemporary Creative Capital. One of every six people in our home city is employed in some sort of artistic field. TAG is celebrating Los Angeles with Art+Video. Selected and member artists will display video art alongside physical art objects in our beautiful and popular South Gallery.
Video art emerged in the 1960’s with the growing development of film technologies. Today, fine artists regularly employ video media in a variety of ways. Art+Video invites viewers to make connections between contemporary objects and the screen. Artists include Karen Hochman Brown, Mathilda LaZalle Moore, Katie Brightside, Jody Zellen, Molly Schulman, SKÜT, Robert Fitzgerald, Hannah Beadman, Kayla Cloonan, and Miss Art World.
Postmodern Reactions
TAG Artist Member Show
TAG Members present Postmodern Reactions in the upcoming member artists group show. The exhibition will run from February 18 - March 14 with a reception on Saturday, February 22, from 6-9 PM.
Postmodernism appeared in the late 20th century as a reaction to traditional and Modern art and critical practice. The movement was characterized by a distrust of grand theories and ideas, oftentimes rejecting established notions of “art.” In Postmodern Reactions, TAG members respond to the movement in their own unique and diverse ways. The artist showcase will appear in our East and West Galleries.
TAG Gallery Admissions
For more than 25 years, TAG Gallery has helped artists take charge of their creative careers. TAG Gallery serves 40 artists each year, providing many creative opportunities for all artist members. Our artist-driven organization connects artists with each other, the local community, and our network of thousands of art collectors, patrons, and local artists.
Questions? Please contact Ryan at president.taggallery@gmail.com.
Member benefits include:
· A solo exhibition once per year.
· Group exhibitions.
· Curatorial opportunities.
· 75% artist commissions.
· Non-exclusive representation.
· A supportive community of artists.
Membership responsibilities include:
· $3500 annual membership fees
(paid in a $500 deposit and two $1500 payments on the first of January and July).
· Monthly gallery business meetings.
· Participation in one of our community committees.
Admissions Process:
· Applications for 2020 are now open. Selected artists will be invited for interviews the week of February 3 and finalists will be juried by TAG members in February. Final selection for 2020 membership will be announced by March 1, 2020.