Openings on 3rd Street 390-340 E 3rd Street and 122 E 3rd st Long Beach 90802

1. Sia Aryai curated by Katalyst Foundation for the Arts
2. Jeff Atherton curated by Neil A France 
3. Christi Olmstead curated by Dreams and Visions
4. Chamane curated by Faraci Art
5. Latino artists of the Tinderbox curated by Liza Mitchell
6. Green LB Creative TBA


“Scent of the Earth “

Curated by:
Martha De Perez 
Contact:
Martha De Perez
http://www.katalystfoundation@gmail.com/
http://www.fotonostalgia.com
http://www.kffta.org 

Dates:
September 7 – Oct 1 2009
Artist reception: Sat., Sep 19 , 2009 6-9 PM 

Location:
Phantom Galleries LA on 3rd
346 E. 3rd Street, Long Beach CA 90802



Born in Tehran, Iran, Sia Aryai displayed an interest in art from early childhood. Surrounded by a stringent cultural environment, as a child, Aryai secretly sketched female figures from smuggled foreign magazines. As the rumblings of an Islamic revolution increased in the mid 70's, Aryai left Iran for England, where he received an education and gained freedom for his artistic passion Later, he ventured on to the United States, where in the mid 80's he discovered the medium of photography gave him the perfect means to capture the beauty of women
."Sia Aryai's artwork captures the sensual delicacy of the feminine mystique combined with a rough, course embellishment suggestive of Ancient Persia and modern day women, transcending time and place, in a subconscious space that attracts us all,"says NoHo Gallery LA Curator Daniel DeBevoise.
Sia is also credited with producing artistic product renderings for such major companies as Nike, Kraft and Adidas. His images have also appeared as key set decoration in studio motion pictures.

Sia Aryai's images speak universally and have garnered both national and international acclaim.
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Jeff Atherton
Photographs

Curated by: 
Neil A France

Artist Contact: 
jeff@luxacademy.org 

Curator Contact: 
Neil A. France
neilafrance.com

Dates: 
September 04- 30, 2009
Opening Reception: Saturday, September 12th 2009
7-10pm 

Location: 
390 E 3rd St
Long Beach, CA 90802



There is a deep beauty created when an object drifts away from its assigned meaning leaving the viewer to create new relationships between subject and object. Ultimately I feel that this is a more lasting kind of beauty. I am most excited when an image weds the simultaneous gestures of light, subject, object, and darkness. The objects are left pinned down within a space that is unfamiliar, and in that context the images create novel juxtapositions. In my photographs I intentionally displace the subjects from their everyday place in the world. A photograph is only interesting if it shows the cracks and seams inherent when communicating with others. _ _My work has always resolved into more or less connected groups or series. The photographs here come from three different projects related to the nature of tragedy. The Figures with Attributes set is an exploration into the way that human suffering and triumph can be depicted. The images from the Hell series started as a kind of joke. What if Hell were a place like any other? A place where you would buy real estate, plant a garden or decorate the dining room. As with any place though, Hell’s character inflects all of these things, bending them and causing them to look ominous and enigmatic. The most recent series here is the sampling of photographs from a work in progress called TheEumenides. These pieces are a reaction to the Greek tragedy The Oresteian Trilogy by Aeschylus. My interest in the work was piqued by the evolution of law and justice depicted in the plays.
The photographs will be on view from September 12th trough September 30th 2009. Please contact the Gallery for hours as they are subject to change. Private viewing available by appointment only.
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Christi Olmstead
“Heroes” 

Curated by:
Dreams & Visions Art Company 

Contact:
Christi Olmstead 562-422-9802
artartart@verizon.net 

Dates:
August 21 – September 13, 2009 
Opening September 12, 2009 7-9 pm

Location:

122 E 3rd St. 

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Chamane

Curated by Faraci Art

Location: 344 E 3rd St

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Join the Latino Artists of the Tinderbox and producer Jerry Lee Hudson at an opening reception on Saturday, Sept. 12th from 6-9 PM. Phantom Gallery at 346 E 3rd Street will also be open during the day for the Latin American Parade and Festival. Curated by Liza Mitchell
contact: lizamitchell4art@gmail.com
310-489-8998
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Artists -
Daniel F. Martinez
Paul Dominguez
Steven Amato
Rob Padilla
Abel Alejandre
Rene MelCardona
Jason Castner

The murals in this show are a retrospective of Latino artists who participated in the “Tinderbox” Guerilla Artfare Project from 2000 - 2005. The Tinderbox was created by Jerry Lee Hudson as a music and live art event/showcase. At these happenings, Long Beach artists such as Scott Bloomfield, Paul Domingues, Daniel Martinez, Rob Padilla and Steven Amato, Greg Pickens, Shelley RuggThorp, Margie Darrow-Stretz (among others) produced live art pieces on 3-panel murals during live musical performances.
Venues that have hosted a Tinderbox! event include:
The Broadlind Hotel Project Space (now Sipology Coffee house), The Que Sera, Liquid Lounge, Koos Art Center, Studio354, The Downtown Promenade (and amphitheatre), Tour Des Artistes, The Blue Cafe, Club49 on Pine, Long Beach City College, Manhattan Beach Arts Festival, Beacon House Street Fair - San Pedro, East Village Art Park, The Belmont Pier, Green Long Beach! Festival, Live H2O...and various parking lots, sidewalks and beaches.


Jerry Lee Hudson has been a Long Beach resident and promoter of the arts for over 11 years. From 2000 through 2005, he promoted a project called Tinderbox! which showcased live acts including: e clectic music, spoken word, Dj’s and live artists. These events took place at various locations/venues in and around Long Beach. During that time he was busy helping to create, transport, store, showcase and otherwise call attention to a growing number of 11' x 8' murals, now numbering 70 (That’s almost 800 feet of art!) - with plans to create more in the near future. Each three panel mural was painted, assembled, created LIVE during a musical performance. With a background as an audio and lighting technician/set carpenter for events and concerts, he can build any stage, mount any lights, and promote any event with spectacular graphic art pieces. He has had successful events and public projects in Long Beach before and after the Tinderbox! years and should be recognized for creating the opportunity for these amazing artists to have a place to share their energy and talents.
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