We are having a Mr Toast Party on Saturday, March 13th, at JapanLA, 7pm-10pm. Meet Dan Goodsell, creator of Mr Toast, and bring your sketchbook for him to sign.

Free Goody Bags (with any Mr. Toast purchase) for first 100 people. Take your picture with Mr. Toast! Grilled Cheese Truck parked out front! Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer! Special Limited Edition Prints and mini paintings available. Lots of Mr Toast stuff to buy: t-shirts, plush, books, jewelry, and more!!!

Party is free, and all ages. Must be 21 with ID if drinking alcohol.

JapanLA
648 N Fuller Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90036

RSVP on Facebook at www.facebook.com/japanla

–dinoxsketchpad

Armsrock & Imminent Disaster “Refuge” (main gallery)

Tran Nguyen “Fresh” (project room)

Opening Reception: Friday, Mar. 12th 7-11PM
On View: Mar. 12th, 2010 – Apr. 2nd, 2010

* This will be the last show at our Silver Lake location. We will relocate to Culver City this April.

(Los Angeles, CA)Thinkspace is honored to welcome Denmark based artist Armsrock along with New York City based artist Imminent Disaster to our gallery for Refuge, their first two-person show together.

Refuge is the forced necessity of societies in collapse. It begins with people in motion, moving away from circumstances that are barren or perilous, that are unable to sustain their life or are actively seeking to end it. Refuge carries with it the transience of being in between one home and another; it is a liminal space, its structures are built to be packed away with ease; it momentarily rebuilds community while acknowledging the fragility of its permanence.

This idea of Refuge grounded in the local presence of tent cities in Southern California will be the basis of the upcoming collaborative installation between Armsrock and Imminent Disaster. This exhibition will illustrate the fragile and temporary nature of any refuge and the collaborative installation between the two artists will be an allegory of sorts illustrating how we are all stuck in the same boat, which seems to be sinking.

“Refuge’s political underpinnings only intensify its visual impact as a catalogue of catastrophes and archetypal contemplations sketched on walls and dangling from ceilings – a mélange of textiles, dimensions, and heroic execution.” – JUXTAPOZ

–dinoxsketchpad

–dinoxsketchpad

At the CoproGallery in Santa Monica:

At Crewest LA:

And on Sunday afternoon, we have a live-painting session at Mid-City Arts.

This makes for one busy weekend. Enjoy. And hopefully the weather will stay beautiful.

–dinoxsketchpad

Curated by Sarah Jo Marks and Dov Kelemer of DKE Toys, the Custom Yoka Show which debuted at last year’s DesignerCon featured an army of over 200 customs of adFunture’s 3” Yoka. Now the show is moving onto its next milestone – the first gallery exhibition which opens @ Black Maria this Thursday, February 18th (7 – 10:30 PM).

The Black Maria exhibition will feature pieces from the initial show, which can be viewed in the official flickr album, as well as roughly 35-40 new pieces including work from kaNO, Itokin Park, Scott Tolleson, Suckadelic, Uamou, and Kii Arens. It will also feature five addition Drachenloch Cavebear resin Yokas from Scott and Anne Willkowski of Wax Bean Studio as seen on the virtual flier image above.

Finally, a gourmet food truck is starting to be a requirement for happening art shows. So if like most of us you never remember to eat before you go to the show, you’re in luck – Bool BBQ will be parked out front for all you hungry art and toy collectors.

Black Maria Gallery
3137 Glendale Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90039
323.660.9393

–dinoxsketchpad

Back in March of 2009, Mishka opened their flagship store – 350 Broadway – in the heart of burgeoning South Williamsburg. Since then Mishka’s digs have at times hosted a variety of activities including art shows, various parties, crazy sample sales, celebrity drop-ins, and bitter impromptu Street Fighter 2 competitions. 350 Broadway went from being Mishka’s brick and mortar shop, to being one of Brooklyn’s hot spots. Exactly 344 days after, Mishka will be opening their sister store in Los Angeles and they hope to accomplish in Echo Park what 350 Broadway did in Brooklyn. Mishka LA will open its doors at 1547 Echo Park Blvd. on February 20th with a clear mission to be a part of the growing transformation of the Echo Park neighborhood.

news via Hypebeast
–dinoxsketchpad

Sorry for the late update on this one. My friend, Ysabel, just sent it to me a bit earlier…but if you’re in town and have nothing to do tonight, I’d highly suggest stopping by this exhibition. The paintings look great and well worth it. Enjoy!

VICTOR CASTILLO: STRANGE FRUIT & MISS VAN: SHE-WOLVES at the MK Gallery.

Where?
MERRY KARNOWSKY GALLERY
170 S. La Brea Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90036

When?
Saturday, February 06, 2010 from 8PM-11PM

–dinoxsketchpad

Talented LA artists and good friends Martin Hsu (above) and Andrew Brandou will celebrate the upcoming Year of the Tiger with their For the Love of Tiger joint show opening @ Munky King on Thursday February 11th 2010 (7 to 10 PM). Individually both artists have created standout pieces in their recent showings – this is definitely a must-see exhibition.

As a first preview, here’s a look at Martin Hsu’s Protect. Revive. (above) which focuses not only on the coming Year of the Tiger but also the global plight of tigers as endangered species. This piece inverts the traditional relationship of children and tigers within Chinese folklore – rather than having the Tiger protecting the children, the Children (in Tiger suits) are caring for the Tiger represented in an abstract from as a tree in the forest. Beautiful work.

Opening on February 11th (7-10 PM)
Munky King
7308 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90046
323.938.0091

–dinoxsketchpad

Saturday, January 30, 2010
from 1 – 3 pm Mark Ryden will sign copies of his newest release “The Tree Show” (2009), a hardcover collection of recent works.
Art Los Angeles Contemporary Art Fair
Pacific Design Center
(taking place on the 2nd floor of the Pacific Design Center, the blue building, at the ARTBOOK booth, H10)
Pacific Design Center
8687 Melrose Avenue
West Hollywood, California 90069

–dinoxsketchpad

HEAVY SURVEILLANCE – Live Painting Exhibition & Art Exhibit

FEATURING STREET ARTIST:

T-KID (nyc)
POSE2 / MR. MAXX MOSES (nyc)
DUSTER (nyc – Style Wars)
AXIS (los angeles)
VOGUE (oakland)
Jim Darling (los angeles)
Dabs & Myla (australia)

****PLUS!! MASSIVE SALE IN STORE DURING THE SHOW!!*****

Free Caps Sample Pack & Pocket Can w/ Every $25 Purchase

Free Basic Can & Caps Sample Pack w/ Every $50 Purchase

Free $10 Gift Card, Basic Can, & Caps Sample Pack w/ Every $100 Purchase

Combo Pack = 6 Iron Laks + 25 tips For $25 Straight
Combo Pack = 4 Iron Laks + 25 tips For $17 Straight

*Basic Paint $2.99 EA.
*Iron Lak Paint $3.99 EA.
*Alien Cans $4.99 EA.
*German Montana BlackLine Cans $4.49 EA.
*Spanish Montana Hardcore Cans $4.99 EA.
*MTN 94 Cans $5.99 EA.
*Iron Lak Pocket Cans – $3.49 EA.
*Streaks – $3.99 EA.
*Micron Markers – 6 For $10
*25% Off All Art Books, Black Books, DVD’s
*25% Off All Prints & Select Artwork (Saber, Duster, Retna, MSK, Codak, etc.

This is a FREE event open to the public @ 33third Los Angeles

Where?
Mid-City Arts
5111 W. Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles CA 90019

When?
Saturday, January 23, 2010 @ 12-5PM

–dinoxsketchpad