Best in Class: At Insights 2009

A glimpse to an annual affair that brings together our school's finest art students, the current "Insights" exhibit at the University Art Museum. These are fine-tuned projects that faculty and UAM directors, a.k.a. the jury of the show, can look at with confidence and say, "We get it." And most noteworthy to mention is this year's addition of typography-related products, as experienced through Chris Ballard's curvaceous book on Frank Gehry L.A. gems.

My photos begin with another Ballard (Chris's brother), a university sculpture student who I worked with for the "Downtown" show. Part of the charm in Patrick's work relies on an unspoken communication that almost screams. Whenever I see that block laced with an imaginary static I really just want to dive into it. And Patrick would be fine with that, really. But has anybody tried it?? In the pictures following, I have captured a few of my other favorite pieces showing at "Insights." Rachel Malin's works are odd and they always get my imagination working on little stories of impossible mystery. What Julia Haft-Candell has works in the same way for me, except, in general, I consider Julia's tangled pieces so pretty. Feline and sophisticated with an echoed languor, the scariest way I'd describe what I see in Julia's work. To elaborate what I've drawn out from her sculptures: speckled straps and blushed-up rags. (And more and more. We can all fixate. Now.) The last two artists here (White and Flaherty) worked with capturing the X-rated, a subjet matter I usually turn away from. But not this time when I was, undeniably, left turn on.

Congratulations to all "Insights" artists and to those who were awarded scholarship for their entries! I'm looking forward to more, more, and more!

Patrick Ballard

Rachel Malin

Julia Haft-Candell

James H. White, III

Sean C. Flaherty

"Insights" is a must-see exhibition reflecting the best of our university's artists in various mediums (paint, film, sculpture, typography, photography, fibers etc.). The University Art Museum at Cal State Long Beach closes the show on Sunday, May 31st.

My heart's racketing flywheel is stuttering:
Downtown! Downtown!

Cal State Long Beach artists are presenting works in photography, sculpture, paintings, mixed media and video art on Saturday in downtown’s cargo container art space, the Goods Gallery. All CSULB students are invited to attend for free. There’ll be cool local music by Dietra Kruschev and a cool cupcake party. Come celebrate "Downtown!" DTO9.

Your arts commissioner,
Barbara Navarro

Behind the Scenes with Barbara: Making the Ad Art for ARTSweek and Leaders Night

It’s great when you find an art director/designer/illustrator group all-in-one situation to work on a project — which happened with creating this year's invitation (image above) to the ASI Student Leader Night.

I walked into the ASI Communications office (where 99% of the student government orders its project materials, everything from name tags to 30-foot banners) three weeks before the bash, which would take place at the close of ARTSweek, on Thursday, Nov. 20. And I came in with oozes of newspaper articles, books with marked photos and all the written details to what would belong on the inside of the invitation.

My vision for the invitation's look came from Pop master Andy Warhol's Mick Jagger pastel and acetate collaged silkscreen foil posters, and his Liz Taylor pastel prints (I love!). But when I met with one of the illustrators at ASI Comm., Patrick, he had his own ideas and created a landscape of the University Art Museum à la color-by-numbers — he made the museum into the star. After, another designer stepped in and added color. The results? Pssss... Look above!


After researching the designer's inspiration for the Leaders Night invitation, which was to transform the UAM into a star and create a color-by-numbers landscape, I became a fan.

A full week of arts-related events for ARTSweek passed, then Thursday night finally strolled in for the ASI Student Leader Night, an event created by the previous arts commissioner, Melissa Tanney. A group of about 50 devoured yummy minis from Bouchees Bistro and Silver Ballon cupcakes created especially for this event by Frosted Cupcakey. Apple Computers and the Photo Club entertained guests with taking Polaroid and other Pop-inspired photos in the UAM's Reading Room. Then, we toured the galleries with the direction of the UAM museum director, Chris Scoates, as he ellaborated on Andy Warhol's life as an artist and his art pieces found in "Warhol: 15 min/24 fps."

Let Andy Warhol inspire you, too. "Warhol: 15 min/24 fps" will be at Cal State Long Beach's UAM through Dec. 14.

Chris Scoates on YouTube: 'Now at the UAM'

If you're curious of what the University Art Museum Director Chris Scoates has to say about the three current exhibits showing at the UAM, watch this YouTube video:

On the Arts Beat: 400 Words about ARTSweek

Making the ARTS on campus visible
Published in Tuesday's edition of the Daily Forty-Niner

Poll Results: Warhol Thoughts

Earlier this month I asked what Warhol muse(s) you’d most likely want to be and also what artist you would like to see the University Art Museum pull from its permanent collection for a show, à la Andy Warhol. The poll questions revolved around the UAM, because, after all, it's had an impressive month — from debuting “Warhol: 15 min/24 fps,” to receiving a grant from the Getty Center to collaborate with the Long Beach Museum of Art on a show on video art. If you’ve been M.I.A., look through my archives for more details. For now, here are this month’s poll questions and results:

If you could be one of Andy Warhol's darlings, who would you be?
57% voted Elizabeth Taylor
28% voted Edie Sedgwick
14% voted Campbell Soup, Lou Reed, the Wicked Witch of the West or Mick Jagger

Andy Warhol was known to ask his friends for their suggestions on what he might paint next. Make a suggestion to the UAM on what other major artist from its permanent collection should show next.
50% voted David Hockney
33% voted Roy Lichtenstein
16% voted Graciela Iturbide

Blurb of the Night

Met L.A. artist Maya Schindler tonight, and I wish I could've taken pictures of Andy Warhol's silver ballons. Naked women were at the museum. "Performance action," they call it. Tattoo, then glue.



ARTSweek Event : MUSEUM I Nov. 13 I “Warhol; 15 min / 24 fps” “Maya Schindler: Present Progressive” “Un-figuring the Body” I University Art Museum I 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Public Reception I Free

This is what's happening at Cal State Long Beach this week. It's the Week of the Arts, or simply ARTSweek! Hooray!