Update: Melissa Haslam

Melissa Haslam is gearing up for 2010 and just sent me a study of some new work she is developing for her busy schedule next year. I can't share the other images, but I will tell you that Haslam has clearly been putting some hours in at the easel...refining her technique while working towards a photo-realistic style.

We should finally see some finished work from her this April for our SF exhibition and than in shows in LA and London. You can expect a new print from her to release early January on Paper Tiger as well.

Preview: Andrew Hem

Prior to the Christmas holiday weekend I had the pleasure of dropping by Andrew Hem’s studio to check on progress for his upcoming solo show this January. Hem has been working on a new body of work focused on his memory and study of his native Cambodia. The show is titled “One Leads to Another” and is driven by the mythical “Butterfly Effect” – in which the theory goes that any action creates consequences and new actions from anyone and everything around it.

In this case Hem considers the possibility of lives transformed had the Khmer Rouge never taken power in his native country. The idea is fantastically executed in his series of dark blue hued paintings – where a sense of the emotional resonance behind each central figure and the detailed environments behind them is evoked at first glance.

Hem is still working on a series of sculptures that will balance the new paintings and I expect it to be an incredible body of work all around. For more preview images visit my blog on: DailyduJour.com

Andrew Hem
‘One Leads to Another’
LeBasse Projects
Saturday January 16th, 7-10pm

Tessar Lo Update

Tessar Lo just posted a beautiful recap of his 2009...its a great illustrated look into the life of a very talented young artist. Tessar will be opening his next solo show at Toronto's Show and Tell Gallery this February so keep your eyes peeled as we are all looking forward to his new work.

Video: Scott Belcastro preview

Scott Belcastro "Chasing the last Glimpse of Light" Preview from Jeremy Asher Lynch .

Thanks to Jeremy Lynch for sending over another great video teaser of December's solo exhibition for Scott Belcastro.

Opening Saturday: Scott Belcastro and Linda Kim

This Saturday December 12th we will be hosting the first US solo exhibition for Scott Belcastro, as well as the debut exhibit for recent Art Center graduate Linda Kim. I just posted both of their previews online:

LeBasse Projects

More details here soon...

Seen: 'Natural Wonders'

On LeBasse Projects' first Friday opening we were excited to host 'Natural Wonders' with Jeremy Asher Lynch, James Roper and Kevin E. Taylor as well as the debut solo exhibition of Eric Davison in our Project Room. The show was a great time...so great that Superman showed up. Davison actually painted a series of portraits of the Hollywood Boulevard costumed streetwalkers and several showed up to celebrate with Eric.

The show runs through December 5th, so drop by to see Davison's photorealistic watercolors and some excellent new work from Lynch, Roper and Taylor.

More images online at DailyduJour

Recap: 'Go East' in NY

Our recent pop-up show in NY was a huge success...thanks to everyone who joined us over the 3 day exhibit. It was great having most of the artists with us and quite a few fans were lucky enough to get their sketchbooks filled. If you want to see the actual artwork from the show please visit the gallery website here.

Prints will also be available on Paper Tiger this week and next…

To see more images check out my blog on DailyduJour.com

Video: Jeremy Asher Lynch

"A Fly on the Wall" Jeremy Asher Lynch from Modus Films .

Jeremy Asher Lynch has a show in our Main Gallery this Friday, along with UK based James Roper and Kevin E. Taylor. Lynch just provided us this "Fly on the Wall" teaser of his work in progress.

'Natural Wonders' opens Friday November 13th, 7-10pm

Preview: Eric Davison at LBP

'Hollywood Ambassadors'
new work from Eric Davison
LeBasse Projects :: Project Room
Friday Nov. 13th, 7-10pm


Eric Davison debuts his first solo show in our Project Room this Friday. Davison was a part of my curated 'Kids are Alright' Tour but is one of the most talented recent graduates from Art Center in Pasadena. Davison spent weeks with the costumed characters on Hollywood Boulevard and documented their lives on both the street and in their homes.

His amazing photorealistic portraits show both the humor and despair in the lives of the men and women who play dress up for tourists. We are certainly looking forward to his new show and if you have not seen Eric's work in person you should definitely keep an eye out for him as an artist to watch, starting now.

For more info: contact@lebasseprojects.com

'Go East' is open in NYC

We are officially open for our New York based "Go East" exhibition. While the Artist Reception is not until Saturday night, feel free to drop by daily from 1-6pm as we will be open for viewing. If you cannot make it Saturday night you should definitely drop in during the day as there is a fantastic selection of work from the artists.

The work is now online as well, so if you are not in NY check out the work on our website.

Teaser: 'Go East' NY pop-up show

LeBasse Projects Go East Preview from Modus Films on Vimeo.

Thank you Jeremy Lynch for the great teaser video's. You can see Jeremy's paintings next month in LA, but for now enjoy this teaser for this weekend's 'Go East' show in NY.

Video: Tessar Lo Time Lapse

folding futures + a visit; time lapse from tessar lo.

Tessar Lo, who will have some new work in our upcoming 'Go East' NY exhibition just released this beautiful time lapse video of his recent work. Join us in NY next week to see more of Tessar Lo's work in person.

Preview: 'Go East' LBP in NY

Next week we open our first pop-up exhibition with "Go East" in New York November 7th. The gallery will be taking over a space in the Lower East Side for a 3 day exhibition featuring Yoskay Yamamoto, Nate Frizzell, Edwin Ushiro, Tessar Lo, Mia, Joao Ruas and Eric Fortune.

We received a few amazing paintings from Eric Fortune just in time to pack them in the crate and take care of some print editions which will debut in NY.

We hope to see you there. Details on website or Facebook.

LBP x Hello Kitty

This weekend several LeBasse Projects artists help celebrate Hello Kitty's 35th birthday at Royal/T in Culver City.

Yoskay Yamamoto, Melissa Haslam, Nate Frizzell, Edwin Ushiro and Tessar Lo all have prepared Hello Kitty themed paintings for the show. Make sure to check out the celebration this weekend.

Prints: Edwin Ushiro on Paper Tiger

Edwin Ushiro just released two prints on Paper Tiger today from his recent solo exhibition with us. One is a super limited edition of only 5, so better get one now. They also have some copies of the Catalog we produced for the show here.

The Kids are Alright: Final show

In its last stop of a five city tour, The Kids Are Alright is a collection of 12”x12” paintings from a group of 25 emerging artists, all of whom are still attending or recently graduated from art school.

Hailing from some of the most prestigious art schools such as Art Center, Parsons, Otis, Sheridan College Institute of Technology and the Rhode Island School of Design, this group of artists includes Ching Ching Cheng, Asia Eng, Julian Callos, Nicole Dreyfuss, Mylan Nguyen, Nimit Malavia, Yuta Onoda, Martha Chan, Dominique Fung, Jeremy Lynch, Wendy Cogan-Toyoda, Eric Davison, David Jien, Linda Kim, Timmy Lee, Diana Kim, Jared Schorr, and Chelsea Lewyta.

Preview now online:


'The Kids are Alright' in the project room:
Opening: Saturday, October 17th 7-10pm

Video: Nate Frizzell 'Lost in the Thicket'

Nate Frizzell "Lost in The Thicket" Teaser from Modus Films on Vimeo.

Our friends at Modus Films just sent us this great preview/trailer for Nate Frizzell's upcoming show this weekend. You can get a few glimpse's of whats going on as we setup the show and installation earlier this week.

The preview of the show is online already, but you will have to come to the gallery to see all the pieces as we are saving some for those who attend the opening.

Updates: Thomas Doyle

Artist Thomas Doyle has been a busy guy. After sending a few new pieces to LeBasse Projects for the Beyond Eden Fair he managed to find time for interviews and editorial work for Newsweek.

Doyle has an interview out with Underworld Magazine here, and is featured in the October 19th issue of Newsweek - where they used an image of his piece "Displaced Persons" to accompany an article about the new trend towards localism in America.

Doyle will have more work for us soon as he is preparing for a solo show with LeBasse Projects early next year.

Beyond Eden Art Fair October 10-11th

This weekend LeBasse Projects will also be participating in the Beyond Eden Art Fair in Los Angeles. We have some great new work from Morgan Slade, James Roper (pictured), Thomas Doyle and Holly Thoburn. We also have a few preview pieces from Nate Frizzell's upcoming solo show and even some custom Koibito's from Yoskay Yamamoto.

Here are a few preview images from the show via our Flickr.

Join us this weekend and catch Nate Frizzell, Yoskay Yamamoto and Scott Belcastro painting live on Saturday night as well.

Closing Show for Ushiro and Ogino: 10/8

We will be hosting a closing party and print/catalog release for Edwin Ushiro at the gallery October 8th from 7-9pm. Hope you can join us as we release two different prints for Edwin.

Mr. Ushiro will also be on hand signing the catalogs and giving away some special hand made gifts for those in attendance.

LBP at Beyond Eden Art Fair

LeBasse Projects will be attending the Beyond Eden Art Fair here in Los Angeles from Oct 9-11th.

We will be participating in the art fair with new work from Morgan Slade, James Roper, Thomas Doyle, Holly Thoburn and Alexandros Vasmoulakis (pictured above).

Beyond Eden is a multi-gallery event celebrating the new contemporary art scene in Los Angeles. Beyond Eden will showcase the works of over 15 galleries and will be held inside the beautiful confines of the historic Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery during the weekend of October 9th, 10th and 11th, with an opening night celebration planned for Saturday, October 10th.

Beyond Eden will also feature an 'Artist Village' in the courtyard outside of the LAMAG in the beautiful confines of the Barnsdall Art Park. The 'Artist Village' will feature an array of live painters including LeBasse Projects own Nate Frizzell and Yoskay Yamamoto.

More details at BeyondEdenArtFair.com

Ushiro and Ogi show Extended til Oct. 10th

Edwin Ushiro and Ogi show has been extended to October 10th, and we are hosting a closing party as well.

Make sure to visit the Fall Season opening exhibition before it closes or join us at the Closing Reception for a signing of Ushiro's new catalog and a limited edition print release. Both artists, Edwin Ushiro and Ryuichi Ogino have put together fantastic bodies of work that need to be seen in person.

The show has received press and praise from a large number of publications including THE Magazine, Artslant, Art Moco, DailyduJour, NotCot, SlamxHype, HypeBeast, Arrested Motion, hustler of culture and more. Come see what all the talk is about.

Closing Reception:
Thursday, October 8th from 7-9pm
Edwin Ushiro print release and catalog signing

Interview: Edwin Ushiro on SlamxHype

Edwin Ushiro has a great interview in SlamxHype this week...and has more news to share. We will be hosting a closing party and print release with Ushiro before the show comes down. Details coming soon.

If you have not seen Edwin and Ryuichi Ogino's shows, make sure to check it out before it closes next month. Online here as well.

Interview: Yoskay Yamamoto x Scion

Yoskay Yamamoto Interview

New interview with Yoskay Yamamoto as part of Scion's Installation Tour - currently in LA. You can bid on Yoskay's painting, which is being auctioned off for charity along with all the other artists. The auction is online at artnet here.

Keep up with us as Yoskay prepares for his next show that LeBasse Projects is producing in New York this November.

Edwin Ushiro on DDtv

Today we will broadcast a live streaming interview with Edwin Ushiro on DailyduJourTV.

Ushiro will tell us a bit about his process, the ghost stories and the Hawaiian Mythology that infuse his paintings. Tune in today at 3pm PST.

Live at DDtv

Interview: Edwin Ushiro via Erratic Phenomena

Amanda Erlanson just posted this insightful interview with Edwin Ushiro. The interview took place as he was working on pieces for the upcoming solo exhibition and is a great dialogue and view into Ushiro's stories and process.



Read on:

In anticipation of the show, Edwin invited me over to chat about his work, rather than replying to my questions via email. As a result, the interview is rather lengthy and a bit strange… and occasionally takes detours into unmapped territory.

When I arrived, Edwin was in the midst of the stage of his process where he applies transfers to a thick sheet of clear vinyl with a layer of matte varnish in between. The painting he was working on is one of himself and his little brother as children, heads together as they watch a tiny green chameleon that is perched on a leaf. As we begin, Edwin is bent over the vinyl, with the image face-up, rolling air bubbles out from between the vinyl and the transfer paper.

Edwin Ushiro: Sorry it’s taking me a while to get this together. I think I mounted it wrong, so I got more air bubbles than I normally would get.

Amanda: That’s OK. It’s interesting watching you do it.

Edwin: It’s fun watching me push air bubbles out? We should make this a documentary. I can do this for hours. (laughter)

The thing that’s challenging at this stage is that when you have the ink under here – and between the ink and the vinyl is this matte varnish – it actually loosens up the ink and kind of lifts it off the transfer paper, so if I squeeze too hard, I can destroy this whole piece… and actually did, here. But that’s part of the fun, that I’m never in control of this whole medium. After maybe two years of doing it this way, I still haven’t mastered it, because there are too many points in creating this that I can totally mess up. And I have. That’s when it’s not fun. But when you can overcome it and not mess up too much, that’s when it’s really cool and you can pat yourself on the back a little bit. Which lasts only for like, two seconds. Until you realize, “Hey, I’m not even done yet.”

Amanda: So how many versions of this one have you done so far?

Edwin: Actually this is the lucky one. This one I just did once, and if I don’t mess up here, I feel pretty confident that I’m in the clear right now. Because I knew exactly how I saw it in my head – so it’s that whole process of trying to communicate it as best you can, from what’s inside your head to what you see in front of you. On this one I did it all right.

For the FULL interview please visit: http://commandax.blogspot.com/

Join us for "Softly Encompassing the Womb" Saturday Sept 12th. Details here.

Teasers: Edwin Ushiro

Edwin Ushiro Solo Show Teaser from Modus Films on Vimeo.

Our friends at Modus Films just made this great teaser video for Edwin Ushiro's upcoming show next weekend. If you want to see the preview, please email the gallery: contact@lebasseprojects.com

Edwin Ushiro teaser on DailyD

The following is from a teaser of Edwin Ushiro's upcoming show at the gallery via DailyduJour:

"Dailydujour recently caught up with Edwin Ushiro as he was prepping one of his larger pieces for his upcoming ‘Softly Encompassing the Womb’ solo which opens September 12th (7-10 PM) @ Lebasse Projects in Culver City. Edwin’s work has an ethereal quality which is accentuated by his intricate process he’s developed on his own through experimentation. We’re not going to try to fully explain all the nuances, but the basics are that he creates several smaller pieces on transfer paper (used for their transparency which lets light flow through the work) which he then aligns into a larger piece by adhering them to a clear sheet of vinyl. That’s what you see in the picture above and the others after the jump.

As you can see, it’s not for the faint of heart. Take a basically complete piece and then apply heavy amounts of varnish (also acts as an adhesive) and sandwich between a layer of vinyl. Then, patiently and meticulously roll and squeegee out bubbles. As you can imagine Edwin’s had some less than stellar results in the early stages of using this process, but he seemed perfectly calm today."

The rest online here:

Interview with Mike Shinoda

Yesterday afternoon I interviewed Mike Shinoda for DailyduJour.com as he put the finishing touches on his show at the Japanese American National Museum that opens tonight, August 28th.

Make sure to visit a great show that Mike has put together and check out the interview on DDtv here.

Eric Fortune video...

Eric Fortune is one of 6 artists LeBasse Projects is taking to New York for a 3-Day exhibition this November. While working on some of the new pieces for the show Eric created a short time lapse video of part of his process. Eric has sold out all three of his last shows and the waiting list for the few pieces in New York is getting long.

Keep an eye out for the new Hi Fructose Magazine for an interview with Eric. More details on Eric and 'Go East,' the NY show soon.

The Fall Season Opens Soon...

LeBasse Projects presents:

'Softly Encompassing the Womb'
New work from Edwin Ushiro

'Idealistically Hypocritical 3'
by Ryuichi Ogino in our project room

Artist reception: Saturday, September 12th, 7 to 10pm
Music and Beverages sponsored by DailyduJour

Los Angeles, CA - LeBasse Projects proudly presents the return of artist Edwin Ushiro to the gallery with a new solo exhibition, Softly Encompassing the Womb. His latest collection of multimedia paintings will be complemented by that of fellow Japanese artist Ryuichi Ogino, whose Idealistically Hypocritical 3 is featured in the gallery's project room.

Whereas his last foray with the gallery, 2008's While Tides Guide You Back Home, was a bittersweet homage to his native Hawaii, Ushiro's new works continue to use childhood memories as a main source of inspiration, this time with a more distanced perspective as he tangles idealized tales of his own adolescence with fantasy and folklore. Concentrating on his years in intermediate school, this series introduces a cast of characters modeled after real fixtures of Ushiro's past. Woven into the dreamlike scenarios he illustrates is imagery from ghost stories the artist encountered and relished in this period of his youth. The result is a collection of work that is decidedly darker and more mature than others in his repertoire.

While both artists take inspiration from Japanese anime, Ryuichi Ogino keeps the focus on Pop Art, creating work that is more conceptual than figurative. Ogino's artwork ranges from whimsical to edgy with a nod to Takashi Murakami's postmodern 'Superflat' style. The latest of his ongoing series, Idealistically Hypocritical 3, combines elements of modernist illustration, text, sculpture and installation.

Visit with Mark Dean Veca

I had the pleasure of dropping by the home and studio of artist Mark Dean Veca this weekend as he prepared to send work off to his upcoming solo exhibition at Jonathan Levine Gallery next month.

Mark was gracious enough to unwrap some of his new work and talk about where the work is going. Mark actually stepped away from his usual style of fully patterned paintings and focuses our attention on individual images…all the while keeping his signature pattern work inside the character boundaries.

After several shows with massive installations, Veca will be taking a break and letting viewers focus on the work alone, which is actually a nice change of pace. Even in his studio, the ability to focus on individual paintings give you the chance to see his outstanding technique and skill with a brush.

Make sure to catch Veca’s show:

Mark Dean Veca
As Cold As They Come
Jonathan Levine Gallery
Sep 12 thru Oct 10, 2009
Opening Reception- Saturday, September 12th, 7-9pm

We also have a few pieces of Mark's to offer through the gallery, so email me if you are interested.

NEW People building opening in SF

The New People building launched this past weekend in SF with what will be an annual festival in Japantown. It was pretty crazy out there with a Lolita fashion show, JPop bands from MTV, a street fair of foods and beverages and a giant line to gain access to the new building.

If I still lived in SF this would be my new go to spot, much like Royal/T has become in LA.

More pics on my DailyduJour blog:

Yoshitake Amano in SF

I had done a bit of consulting for the newly launched SuperFrog Gallery in SF and they were nice enough to invite me to the private opening and reception for Japanese Pop Artist and illustrator Yoshitake Amano this past weekend.

The SuperFrog is part of an unbelievable new building in Japantown that holds a theater, two levels of Japanese boutiques and the gallery on the top floor. The opening was attended by an interesting mix of several prominent city officials, Harajuku Lolitas and a posse of Amano’s direct from Tokyo.

After the opening we were invited to join the General Consul of Japan at the Japanese Embassy for a reception honoring Amano and the launch of the New People building as part of the revitalization of Japantown. If you are in SF make sure to visit the gallery and New People building…

More pictures on DailyduJour.

Interview: Edwin Ushiro

LBP artist Edwin Ushiro is hard at work preparing his next body of work which will be opening our Fall season this September 12th. He did take a few minutes away from painting for a great interview on "A Thousand Stories." Here is an excerpt:

....Tell me a story from your childhood. A vivid one. A startling one. Are you willing to recount all the details?

One afternoon in his studio, Edwin Ushiro did. He brought to life each child that appeared in a large, unfinished piece of work—pointing them out to me, clearly remembering all of them by name. And they each had a story.

Let him tell you a story.

“Storytelling is so much part of society, you know? Like with the drawings in the dark cave. When a young child comes of age, where he becomes a man, they would take him into the cave and look at the drawings and you would kind of realize where your place is,
you know?”

Edwin’s expressions came slowly, deliberately. As if only a few very particular words or phrases were the ones to spur his incredible imagination, and then conversation. Such a vivid mind. Focused. Thoughts deep in folklore and myth....

Read the full interview here:

Nate Frizzell preview...

LBP artist Nate Frizzell recently sold a recent series of paintings in the UK with bo.lee gallery, and is working on what we expect to be a breakout series of work for his solo exhibition this October. In an early preview we can see he is starting to feature some fully rendered backgrounds and adding some cohesive elements to the series.

I have seen more, but this all until we get closer. Keep an eye out for Nate's work in NY this November as well.

Yoskay Yamamoto on CNN

What vinyl sculpture does the CNN reporter on iReport need to get this year? Yoskay Yamamoto's Bronze Koibito of course...

David Flores new work...

Dave Flores just opened up his show with us, but just returned from a trip to Hong Kong where he made just a little impression with Block 28 and Disney at the Times Mall. He also is working on some crazy looking apparel and watches with Chouette.

Take a peek.



And check out some of his new work including a great series of painted vintage photos.

David Flores x Esquire Hong Kong

David Flores just cut himself some crazy Hong Kong licensing deals. Check the covers of several HK magazines including the new Esquire for his now ubiquitous style...or see his new work in the gallery tomorrow...

Tomorrow Night @ LeBasse Projects

LeBasse Projects is proud to announce, ‘A Distorted Lens,’ a two-artist exhibition featuring gallery artists David Flores and Lisa Alisa. Both artists have worked with the gallery since the first group show hosted by director Beau Basse in 2005. Coming full circle, the artists are each presenting new bodies of work to open the summer season at LeBasse Projects’ new gallery.

LeBasse Projects
‘A Distorted Lens’
New work from David Flores and Lisa Alisa
Artist reception: Saturday, July 18th, 7 to 10pm

In his first Los Angeles show since 2006, Flores delivers all new artwork that embodies his unique interpretation of pop iconography. In addition to his paintings he has embellished dozens of vintage fashion, music and news magazine spreads with his vision of the world around him. Flores’ stained-glass window style creates a warped view of the pop icons he simultaneously idolizes and mocks.

Lisa Alisa is clearly influeced by Japanese artists like Hayao Miyazaki and Takashi Murakami, but her work tends to have much more bite. Generally featuring thinly veiled self-portraits, her paintings are what she refers to as ‘new feminist’ artwork. While bloody and violent, the paintings are a metaphor for both the brutality of life and the desire for change within the artist herself. There’s a thick vein of dark, surreal humor running through the images

The pair both paint in the ’superflat’ style, but have clearly found their own voices in making their individual commentary on society. Alisa is openly shouting her feminist views while Flores’ work is subtly, but undeniably masculine. Together Alisa and Flores reflect both sides of the dynamic that distinguishes between men and women.

The Kids are Alright @ Black Maria Gallery

Black Maria Gallery opens “The Kids are Alright”, an emerging artist showcase series this weekend. “The Kids are Alright” is a five city showcase tour of 25 young artists that have either recently graduated or are still attending art school. The Series was designed to give young artists an opportunity to develop their talents while receiving direction and feedback from a curator and several different galleries.

The Tour is curated by me to create a platform for young artists to gain experience working with galleries in order to properly prepare them for future success as professional artists.

For the show at Black Maria artists were asked to work exclusively in black and white.

The Kids Are Alright
July 18th through August 8th, 2009
Opening Reception: Saturday, 18th of July, 7:00 - 10:30pm

Artists join the program from Los Angeles, New York, Toronto, London and hail from some of the top art schools in the world including Otis, Art Center, Sheridan Institute, RISD and Parsons.

Participating artists will have new work at each of the five gallery exhibitions. This Tour will premiere at T and P Fine Art (Philadelphia, PA) and make its way to Subtext (San Diego, CA), Black Maria (Los Angeles, CA), Show and Tell Gallery (Toronto, Canada) making its final stop at London Miles Gallery (London, UK).

“The Kids are Alright” will remain open through Saturday, August 8th, 2009.

Alexandros Vasmoulakis dominates the Athens skyline...

Greek artist Alexandros Vasmoulakis, showing with LBP in 2010, just finished another large scale mural in Athens. No guerilla work here, as the project was commissioned for greek, film director Nikos Perakis.

Perakis is shooting a docu-fiction film which shows the life and the difficulties of young artists today. Vasmoulakis plays himself in the film while working on the mural.

Alexandros tells us:

"...according to the script, this mural is a commission from a big company and the boss is not satisfied at all with my work so a hard conflict between him and me rises. Iit was not too bad to play there, i dare say it was funny..."

While the mural is a commission, the content was left to Alexandros and he was strongly influenced from the wide riots that had taken place in athens in December 2008.

We are looking forward to his show with us, his first in LA and first solo in the US, next year.