Steve Gibson "New View" 24"x18" oil on linen 2012 permanent collection of Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego

New work is turning a corner. Also, has had a piece curated in the Bradley International

Print and Drawing exhibition opening March 9th 2013.

Martin Durazo "Om" 9'x6'  acrylic on canvas 2012

http://www.luisdejesus.com

The subtitle of this exhibition could be "I like to party. I like to disco". The artists has constructed a black light installation complete with a Trance, Dance and Rap sound track in the back gallery of Luis De Jesus' Culver City gallery. It is the first thing you hear as  you enter the door. When you pull back the black plastic wrapped "Club Room" curtain you might feel you just got transported back to the early 70's lower east side New York, L.A. or any of a myriad other cities engulfed with club culture during that time. It's interesting but not enlightening.

The paintings in the front gallery however, are. Here, the artist has managed to increase the size of the painting format from previous works and we are all the better for it. These works could have devolved into murky riffs on Richter but they didn't. Insulated by swaths of silver and black paint along with the white of the canvas to subordinate the high key color, each composition finds it's equilibrium. Familiar techniques of scraping and scumbling are used by Durazo, however, he manages to pull off a unique take on contemporary painting using his own voice as he subverts pop culture in his own meaningful way.

The exhibition continues through 2/18/13

Craig Taylor "Influence of atmosphere"  2012  72" x 54"  oil on canvas

http://cb1gallery.com

Clyde Beswick, owner and director of CB1 gallery in downtown L.A., has the rare ability to understand contemporary painters and their work.  Years of looking at and collecting art have honed his eye and his aesthetic. His passionate education manifests itself with a program that yields exceptional exhibitions of unique painters and their work.

The current exhibition of Craig Taylor's paintings in the west wing of his spacious gallery is the latest example of Beswick's efforts to bring the best work he can to Southern California.

Taylor, who lives and works in Brooklyn, N.Y. and Providence R.I., has a unique approach to painting. His work wrestles with tradition and art history while at the same time pushing new ground in abstraction. There is a wonderful ambiguity and subtle mystery to these mostly modest size works. They fall into a sort of hybrid abstract/narrative. All together, quite a beguiling experience.

The exhibition will be up through Feb. 17, 2013

Raoul De Keyser     (1930-2012)
  "Again"  watercolor and charcoal on canvas mounted on wood panel 6 1/2 " x11 4/5" 2012
www.davidzwirner.com

 Work that appears deceptively simple, in reality, has much nuance and complexity. The hand is always present in his painting but more importantly, so is his inquisitive mind. Sadly, passed this past year.