Marco Almera, Bryan Cunningham, & Krystopher Sapp February 1, 2008

Marco Almera, Bryan Cunningham, & Krystopher Sapp

February 1 – March 2, 2008
Artist Reception: Friday, February 1, 8 - 11 pm
www.laluzdejesus.com

Online press release with images:
http://leejosephpublicity.com/show/laluzfeb08

Marco Almera - Resurgence
Marco Almera began his artistic career in the Southern California Surf/Skate/Punk/Rock culture of the early 80's. As a teenager, Almera was inspired by the do-it-yourself style of this culture, and created his own t-shirts and stylized graphics. His underground art style has always gravitated to this world of surfing, music, cars, pinup girls and California culture, and he remains a dedicated representative to this way of life. Almera created T-shirt art and album covers for bands such as Sublime, Voodoo Glow Skulls, Primus, Ween and Reverend Horton Heat, rock music posters and commissioned paintings. Almera's originals have been collected by a diverse range of celebrities such as James Hetfield of Metallica, Randy Hild, President of ROXY (Quiksilver,) artist Frank Kozik, Jonathan Dupree, head of the Art Department for Paul Frank Industries, top New York lawyer Stephen Fantozzi and many others. In the past few years, Almera has made a transition from primarily music related artwork to almost entirely fine art. Besides his private commissioned work, the artist has been involved in a continuous succession of gallery showings. Almera’s “Resurgence” show at La Luz de Jesus Gallery will include all new works in acrylic on canvas.
Website: http://www.marcoalmera.com/

Bryan Cunningham - Free Toy Inside
With influences of vintage advertising, carnival midways, and comic books, Bryan Cunningham
(a.k.a. MUTIE) creates unique mixed media assemblages with found objects by combining his skills in painting and wood working. Each work begins with a loose canvas painting created by various mediums including textile, paint, silk screen and oil stick. Next the canvas is set with grommets and stretched with
pop-tops and twine in a hand crafted wooden frame made from recycled materials and found objects. In the final step Bryan incorporates sign painting and woodcarving into the frames design. "I had a dualistic childhood that began in suburban Detroit. I lived in a subdivision surrounded by other children and all the pop culture of the day. Life was all about Saturday morning cartoons, Atari and fast food. Then my parents moved out to the country where I had to entertain my self with whatever was around. I would go into the woods and find bones and collect old cans and bottles from a depression era dump pile,” states Cunningham. The combination of these two nostalgic worlds is apparent in Cunningham's art as voodoo dolls, tattooed ladies and strange elixirs float in a timeless marquee of childlike wonder.
Website: http://www.mutieonline.com/

Krystopher Sapp
Krystopher Sapp likes to stay locked up in his studio and create highly detailed, dark and twisted worlds in the form of mixed media assemblage. Inspired by his favorite horror and sci-fi movies, war history books and intense nightmares, Sapp uses found objects and items purchased at Home Depo which Sapp states is his “art supply store”. His works are cultivated from horror and molded into beauty. By day, Sapp is a commercial artist and has created album cover, t-shirt and poster art for bands such as Demented Are Go, Meteors, Necromantics, Tiger Army, 45 Grave, Penis Flytrap, Zombie Ghost Train and many others.
Myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/krysapp

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La Luz de Jesus is located at the Soap Plant/Wacko building, in Los Feliz at 4633 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027. Gallery hours are Monday – Wednesday: 11am – 7pm, Thursday – Saturday: 11am – 9pm and Sunday 12-6pm.

Official Website: http://laluzdejesus.com