CACKLE FACTORY: BRANDT PETERS' SOLO EXHIBITION

Tuesday, February 3rd from 7-10 PM marks my reception opening for my solo exhibition, CACKLE FACTORY. This will be my second solo show, but the first for the west cost. I will be flying in for the reception... so please be cool and DO NOT bring your toys or other collectibles to the gallery for me or Kathie to sign - this is a formal viewing of my art... (However, if you find yourself in New York during ComiCon on Feb 7 - I will have a toy release and will be signing and sketching.)

Thanks and if your in town during the reception or through the month of February, stop on by...

CACKLE FACTORY
Brandt Peters Solo Exhibition
February 3 - 27, 2009
Opening Reception: Tuesday, February 3rd (7-10 PM)

Gallery 1988
7020 Melrose Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90038
(323) 937-7088

***** For preview information, please contact the gallery at: gallery1988@aol.com

SOLO SHOW COMING UP...

That's right!!! - Feb 3 (Gallery 1988) - Los Angeles...

ITS BEEN WAY TOO LONG... ART BASEL

So at Art Basel this past week, a great friend of mine - gave me sh&*t over not updating this blog and he's right. Honestly I thought that I wasn't getting any traffic, but I now realize that I was wrong... it will be real fast and probably a little weird - because I am actually out the door to Santa Cruz for a two person show at Cardboard Spaceship (opens Friday) and a family visit to Albuquerque - Kathie and I have been really traveling a lot this year... anyway...

Last Wednesday Kathie and I went to ART BASEL in Miami... We were both showing at Francesco LoCastro & Gen Art's VANGAURD Arts Fair (The first art fair and first year in this form to specifically represent what is happening in the "Low Brow" and or Pop Surrealism genre of contemporary art during Basel.)... At the fair, we had work at Mark Murphy's Know Show Exhibition as well as Yves Laroche Galerie's (Montreal) space... the most we have had at this event yet.

We usually stay in a hotel, but this year we thought we could condo it... and we did - Funny enough we rented a condo with Sas and Colin Christian, Mark Murphy and Chris Ryniak... It was a lot of fun - a lot of laughs...

Here's a small peak into our Art Basel experience this year...

(Vangaurd Art Fair) Colin's piece was amazing - the largest piece yet...

(Vangaurd Art Fair)

(Vangaurd Art Fair)

Kaiju show at The Art Center (Glenn Barr piece)

Kaiju show at The Art Center

Kaiju show at The Art Center

Kaiju show at The Art Center

Kaiju show at The Art Center (uh yeah...)

(Aqua Arts Fair) Colin and Sas purchased the piece - it was really quite amazing...

(Vangaurd Art Fair) Gary Baseman's piece...

(Vangaurd Art Fair) Sas detail...

(Vangaurd Art Fair) AJ Fosik...

(Vangaurd Art Fair) Martin Witfooth... (Yves Laroche Galerie)

(Vangaurd Art Fair) Turf One (Yves Laroche Galerie)

(Vangaurd Art Fair) Kathie, Sas and Kathie

(Vangaurd Art Fair) Yves Laroche Galerie

(Vangaurd Art Fair) Mark, Sas, Colin, Chris and Jean (Turf One)

(Vangaurd Art Fair) Chris (Demon Eyes) and Turf One

(Vangaurd Art Fair) Synchronized Swimming and Gin at the party...

This was in our condo we rented... Such a strange combo - What does he do with that flag when were sleeping...

Breakfast at our favorite dig The Van Dyke - we almost ate every meal there - a few minutes before the Yves Laroche crew showed up...

Mark Todd and Esther Pearl Watson's custom bikes - they designed all of the graphics on them just for the event as part of an art project... that escapes me for some reason...

We just showed up at the condo - it was something out of Miami Vise and Michael Jackson's Captain Eo...

AJ Fosik's piece for the Scion party... I love this piece...

(Vangaurd Art Fair) Turf One (Yve's Laroche Galerie)

Somehow the clown always ended up in Mark's bed...

Sas' work (Vangaurd Art Fair)

AJ Fosiks piece for Vangaurd...

(Vangaurd Art Fair) Yves' Laroche Galerie

(Vangaurd Art Fair) ... There are no words to describe this shot... Chris, Martin and ...

BLACK MARKET AT BLACK MARIA: SKIP THE MALL SIGNING

In conjunction with an art exhibition opening at Black Maria - Kathie and I will be in LA this weekend for a signing at the same gallery... Kathie also has her official release of the "vintage" colorway for her Benny and Red Bird set from MINDstyle... And if you missed out on getting a Slap-Happy! and Mr. Muggles set from SDCC - there should be a few of those rare and hard to find sets left...

Here's the info:

November 17th through January 5th, 2008
Opening Reception: Saturday 17th November, 7:00 – 10:30pm

Exclusive release of Kathie Olivas’ Benny and Red Bird – Vintage Colorway.

Artists: Kathie Olivas, Brandt Peters, Brooks Salzwedel, Jennybird Alcantara, Katherine Chiu, Billy Reynolds, Patrick Haemmerlein, Sam Saga, Jenn Porreca, Renee Lawter, Grace Chee, Sarah Stephens, Caitlin Keegan, Paulo Vinluan, Aaron Hitchcock, Jeremy Pruitt (Thinkmule), Darryl Blood, Alex Noriega, Ronald Llanos, Miss Withers, Melissa Contreras (Axel Honey), Angie Mason, Jon Measures, Takara, Jarrod Eastman, Casey O’Connell, Glory Tsui, Jay Wittenberg and teRk.

The “Black Market at Black Maria” exhibition will carry a bazaar theme, complete with some of the accoutrements of the shopping experience: paintings suspended on clothing hangers, displayed in shoe boxes and on display stands holding a variety of artworks.
The idea is to both poke gentle fun at the cosmopolitan shopping experience and, on a serious note, remind ourselves of the spiritual rewards of appreciating and owning great art. In keeping with the shopping mall theme, patrons will also be able to take with them whatever they purchase, just as they would in a store.

A painting can be as satisfying as wearing a sexy dress or owning a feature-laden barbecue, except there is an actual, sometimes life-changing meaning waiting to be derived from a work of art. Hence the subtitle of the exhibition: Skip the Mall.

“Black Market” is quintessential Black Maria, showing the work of emerging artists and established artists side by side. It is a great opportunity to see work by artists with international collectors as well as by artists who will be showing their work outside of an academic environment for the first time.

In conjunction with the exhibition, Kathie Olivas and Brandt Peters will at the gallery’s store, Under the Table, from 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm for a signing. The opening is also the official release of Kathie Olivas’ Vintage Colorway of her Benny and Red Bird vinyl figures. Both Kathie and Brandt will be signing their vinyl figures as well as prints made exclusively for Black Maria Gallery. A raffle of one of Kathie Olivas’ custom vinyl figures will be one of the highlights of the evening.

Be there in a few - B

FRANCESCO LOCASTRO'S: NO ONE BELONGS HERE MORE THAN YOU EXHIBITION

SECOND SKIN (24" x 48") Oil on Canvas

I just finished this brand new piece for Gen Art Miami's VANGUARD event, its highly anticipated art exhibition and party during Art Basel. This unprecedented show will feature works from 30 of the most widely recognized, cutting-edge Urban Contemporary and Pop Surrealism artists from around the world.

The exhibition, curated by Francesco LoCastro, is entitled No One Belongs Here More Than You. Housed at Palm Court, 23rd Street just off of Collins in Miami Beach, it will include paintings, sculptures and artist installations and will be complemented by the newest
series of works from Miami artist Lebo, entitled Infinite Echoes and Supersonic Soul Stories.

To celebrate, Gen Art will host one of its legendary parties in the exhibition space on Friday, November 7th, complete with interactive art installations, cocktails, and DJ Ray Milian to keep guests in the groove all night long.

Rooted in a vast array of styles, from pop surrealism and urban contemporary, the exhibition exemplifies global emerging art culture at its finest. Though diverse, the artists and their work present a cohesive force  the most vital part of the complex social structure of the 21st century  that is pushing the envelope of visual perception as we know it.

Among the participating artists from Europe and the United States are:

Adam Wallacavage, AJ Fosik, Alex Gross, Brandt Peters, Chris Ryniak, Colin Christian, Dalek, Dennis Hayes IV, Don Shearer, Ender Delaney, FEEDtank, Francesco LoCastro, Grant Barnhart, Harif Guzman, Heidi Taillefer, Kathie Olivas, Ken Garduno, Korin Faught, Kris Lewis, Lebo, Lola, Maite J. Horta, Matthew Bone, Marcela Aguero, Moki, Nathan Spoor, Ray Caesar, Robert Craig, Sas Christian, and Xiaoqing Ding.

The exhibition will run from Wednesday, December 5 through Sunday, December 9th and is open daily from 12pm-8pm.

ART BASEL
GEN ART: The VANGUARD Exhibition
No One Belongs Here More Than You Exhibition (curated by Francesco LoCastro)
Party: December 7 : 2007 (8 pm-Midnight)
Exhibition: December 5-9 (12 PM-8 PM)
Palm Court
309 23rd Street (just off Collins Ave)
Miami Beach : FL

ART NOW FAIR: ART BASEL MIAMI

SPANISHTOWN (12" x 12") Oil on Wood

A new piece created for KNOW, an artist exhibition featuring top talent from around the globe from curator and publisher, Mark Murphy of Murphy Design .

KNOW: Exhibition and Art Books
ART NOW FAIR: ART BASEL MIAMI
December 6-9 : 2007
Claremont Hotel
1700 Collins Avenue (17th St.)
Miami Beach : FL

Other Featured Artists: Chris Roberts-Antieau, Robert Bellm, Cathie Bleck, Marc Burckhardt, Will Buzzell, Bob Dob, David Chung, P-Jay Fidler, AJ Fosik, Keith Greiman, Matt Haber, Brent Harada, Ryan Heshka, Jordan Isip, Rich Jacobs, Pamela Jaeger, Travis Lampe, Lola, Daniel Lim, Anthony Lister, Jen Lobo, Jason Murphy, Mark Murphy, Joel Nakamura, Kathie Olivas, Chris Pyle, Martha Rich, Jermain Rogers, Chris Ryniak, Erik Sandberg, Greg Simkins : Craola, Kim Scott, Keith Shore, Jeff Soto, Matt Stallings, Mark Todd, Jonathan Viner, Amanda Wachob, Esther Pearl Watson, Damien Weinkrantz, Gord Wiebe, John Yanok

See ya there!

TOY SHOP MAGAZINE COVERAGE

(*****Great news - The MINDstyle release of Slap-Happy! and Mr. Muggles was covered by International magazine Toy Shop. - Read Below...)

MINDstyle: Brandt Peters' Signature Series Slap Happy and Mr. Muggles

Slap Happy and Mr. Muggles sound like it should be some kind of Polka band, but no, it’s a new release from Brandt Peters through the great new vinyl company, MINDStyle.

Starting with a beautifully painted, high-quality box that is becoming a trademark of MINDstyle, you are treated to the immediate feel of an old-time carnival. You know, they kind with the carnies that do awful things to you in the haunted house. Open it up and glimpse the monochromatic figures, and the feeling is only heightened.

The figures have a very strong design to them. They have lines that can be almost Disney-like. They have a cartoonish feel that looks like it came right out of Steam Boat Willie, but another quality that makes it looks like it comes out of an acid-induced nightmare.

I’m talking about the fact that the cute little dog and carnival barker have skulls for faces. Sure, they are smiling, and they are both wearing hats. You can’t be evil with a hat, right? But black holes where the eyes should be definitely make you wonder.

The eyes are just an example of how well Brandt uses color, even in the black-and-white format. The rest of the figure's shades are friendly and look like old-style animation. It’s the eyes that pierce through it all, but in the end, they still have a cute overtone. Check them out and see for yourself.

(Here's the direct link.)

GREEN: Artistic Interaction with Nature

VALLEY OF THE TINBOTS
Oil on Canvas / 24" x 36"

New piece I finished for the upcoming GREEN Show at Robert Berman Gallery at Bergamot Station Arts Center in Santa Monica, California - curated by Mark Murphy of Murphy Design. 24 Leading artists paint an original composition that celebrates their personal vision with their interaction with nature. Artists include Charles Burns, Ray Caesar, Kevin Christy, Sas Christian, David Cooper, Bob Dob, Femtasia, Irene Olivieri Hardwicke, Jason Holley, Seonna Hong, K. Lolley, Rich Jacobs, James Jean, Chris Mars, Mars I, Scott Musgrove, Joel Nakamura, Christian Northeast, Saelee Oh, Kathie Olivas, Nathan Ota, Martha Rich, Red Nose Studios, Souther Salazar, Greg Simkins (Craola), Jeff Soto, Gary Taxali, Mark Todd, Jonathan Viner, Esther Pearl Watson...

Robert Berman Gallery (Bergamot Station Arts Center)
2525 Michigan Ave, C2
Santa Monica, CA 90404
310.315.1937

Opening Reception: November 17, 2007 (7 PM - 10 PM)

*Kathie and I will be making our way out there for this one - See ya there!

SLAP-HAPPY! AND MR. MUGGLES AVAILABLE...

If you didn't make it to San Diego ComiCon or VTN this past weekend there are still some sets of my first vinyl toy release (Slap-Happy! and Mr. Muggles: Mono Version) available through the following retailers Munky King, Rotofugi, Cardboard Spaceship, and other online toy and collectable stores...

This exclusive SDCC/VTN (double-boxed set) MINDstyle vinyl toy release is a limited edition run of 200 pieces in total and comes with an official card that states the particular number you have in the edition of 200.

Thanks!!!

COMICON BOUND...

Well it's finally here - My release of Slap-Happy! and Mr. Muggles at ComiCon. There is only 200 (double boxed sets) for this event and they will be available everyday of the event - Just stop by - MINDstyle (1045 Showroom @ Toy Tokyo) - 5333 - They will be available for $129.99. Kathie and I will be there (Wednesday - through Sunday) for this event to sign and sketch - I also will be signing and offering part of this edition at the VTN event (The Urban Underground Project) on Saturday, July 28 6-8 PM. Come on by - There will be an unveiling the 16" VINTAGE SLAPPY (Panda Edition) painted prototype as well... See ya there!