The OC Art Blog was created in 2004 as a way to build community and promote the marginalized but dynamic Orange County art scene.

Well here's my Top Ten for 2004 in no particular order. As you can see I did a little traveling this year. These aren't easy to put together: 1. Orange County Museum of Art. We snatched Dennis Szakacs from the New Museum and it's been all uphill from there. They finished the remodel of the main building and opened the new media satellite the Orange Lounge in South Coast plaza and have a great line up of shows planned. National/International recognition is not far behind. 2. Francis...

14 December, 2004 /

This weekend The Office was visited by the Laguna Art Museum's Contemporary Collectors Council. I was able to give them a little background on how The Office came about and Adam Bryam one of the artists in the current show was there to answer any questions they had about the work. If you are interested in collecting art or just in the artistic process, collectors councils/organizations that are attached to institutions are a great way to get access that you may not be able to...

13 December, 2004 /

Rebecca Schoenkopf's review of Ulteriora at The Office can be found here. The Ulteriora boys were interviewed by NPR last weekend and will be featured on a new show on NPR highlighting arts and culture in Southern California. I'll keep you posted. It should air early Jan. 05. ...

09 December, 2004 /

Mark over at Rarified Air visits The Office and Gallery C and breaks it down here. And it would seem the Art Blog world is back on the subject of Thomas Kinkade. Jessica at Insurgent Muse discusses the "High Art vs. Low Art" debate here. And Carolyn over at Studio Notebook get's in the mix here. I'm sure all would be interested to know that OC held the first "serious" showing of Kinkade's work in a contemporary art space. All the information about the Jeffrey Valance curated show...

09 December, 2004 /

For those interested Walter Robinson breaks down Scope Miami here. As I understand it Scope is not coming back to LA so that makes artLA in January the only new/contemporary game in town. So be sure to come out and support it. ...

09 December, 2004 /

For a thorough wrap up of the happenings at Art Basel Miami Beach check out Tyler Green's latest here. So what does Miami have that Orange County doesn't?? Couldn't a successful contemporary art fair be held here, near our beautiful beaches and resorts?? Away from all the major art centers?? Hmmmm...

08 December, 2004 /

After a very nice lunch at the Gypsy Den in the Santa Ana Artists Village today I was able to catch Joe Diebes video installation at Grand Central. It's a combination of video and audio that is described as: In Joe Diebes' latest music driven installation work the audience is invited to wander through a labyrinthine arrangement of video projections that document the everyday behavior of the urban human specimen.  At rest:  people with blank stares standing on street corners, people smoking cigarettes outside of...

07 December, 2004 /

Nicole Davis reviews John Baldessari's show at Marian Goodman Gallery here. Baldessari is a big influence on my own work and his new "stack" pieces in this show are examples of work I wish I had done. Baldessari is the quintessential California artist and it's good to see him still pushing the envelope. Here is a Baldessari in my collection. ...

07 December, 2004 /

Due to unfortunate circumstances I found myself in Westwood on Saturday, so while I was there I had the opportunity to catch the Undiscovered Country show at The Hammer. Highlights for me included Luc Tuymans work. I was in London in Sept. and was able to catch his retrospective at the Tate and I walked out a little underwhelmed. After some mental digestion and seeing his work here at the Hammer in this context I now can see how Tuymans has served as a link...

06 December, 2004 /

Well we're headed towards the end of the year so that means it's Top Ten time in the art world. I hope to post a few top tens here before the end of the year. Let's start with ArtForum's which can be found here. ...

03 December, 2004 /

Because I'm a big fan and because I know a family member they send me free copies. I have to let everybody know about a can't miss event in North Orange County, otherwise known as Long Beach (hey...

02 December, 2004 /

Scribble Theory Gallery will be hosting their Holiday Spectacular Show this Saturday night in conjunction with the Santa Ana art walk. All the information can be found here. I'm sure there will be plenty of opportunities to pick up many art gifts for your friendly local neighborhood blogger. ...

02 December, 2004 /

Although this show is taking place outside of the OC, I wanted to mention it because it is being curated by Orange County's triple threat atist/curator/nice guy Tyler Stallings and will feature a couple of artists I believe are on the fast track specifically Sherie' Franssen and Lisa Tucker. As an added bonus I hear that the openings at Gallery C are quite an event with plenty of food and the red carpet treatment. So be sure not to miss the opening this Thursday. More...

30 November, 2004 /

Why I'm not an art writer My take on Matthew Greene’s show at Peres Projects: “Very Good” Brian Sholis’ take on ArtForum.com: In his solo debut, Matthew Greene outlines the contours of a world devoid of hierarchy and false dichotomies, populated by an idiosyncratic amalgam of mushrooms and redwoods, guitars and Marshall amps, and armies of louche figures (often hermaphrodites) based on 1970s-era pornographic magazines. His landscape paintings, as large as twelve by ten feet, and black ink drawings, as small as seven inches square, are sensoriums skeptical...

30 November, 2004 /

Wanted to let everybody know that The Office will be participating in artLA in Jan. 2005. Confirmed exhibitors and participating museums can be found here. I've been to a few Photo LA's and San Francisco's and Stephen Cohen has always done a very nice job in my opinion so I really think the new LA art fair is in the right hands. It also won't hurt that it's at the Santa Monica Civic where it will be easy to find and there will be plenty of...

30 November, 2004 /