I’m just getting rolling on a new project for the 18th Street Arts Center in Santa Monica, California. It’s called Fine Art 626-394-3963 and the project is an invitation for you to call or email me to begin a conversation about what you want from artists and the institutions that exhibit art work.

For more info, call the above number, email fineart@merkelhess.net, or visit the project blog, fineart6263943963.blogspot.com.

The project is just getting started, and will be up through June 25, 2010. If you are in the Los Angeles area, please join me for the May 1 Art Night at 18th Street, or drop by during the week to check out the project room. The gallery hours are M-F, 11am—5:30pm.

Here’s a photo of what the signs look like around town:

I was a late addition to this ceramic group show at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood. The show will be up through April (and possibly May). In April, it will be open to the public W-F, noon to 5 pm, and by appointment at the number on the card.

The UCLA MFA Thesis Show #1 opens March 4 from 5-8 pm at UCLA Broad Art Center. In addition to my work, the show includes work by Derek Curry, Abbey Dubin, Jennifer Gradecki and Ian Pines. The show is up through March 12, 2010. Hope to see you there!

The image above is a drawing I created for my postcard announcing the show.

UPDATE!: Photos of my work in the show, and images from the opening, can be found here.

UCLA Winter 2010 Open Studios are January 29 and 30, from 7-9 pm. I’ll have new work in my studio and in the center bay exhibition space.

UPDATE: Some photos of my work from open studios are on the Try-Har-Der blog here, here, at the bottom of this post, and here.

I really love the one I’ve posted below. It’s of my installation, UCLA Room, drywall, mold, 2010, with some of the visitors during open studios. Thanks for taking these photos, Try-Har-Der!

Please join me for the opening of the MFA 2010 group exhibition at UCLA on Thursday, October 29. It’s gonna be awesome!

 
 

 
 
Plaster Table #2 is currently in the Greater LA MFA exhibition at Cal State Long Beach. Like my previous plaster table, this one is for the public to carve and alter.
 
 
The GLAMFA reception is this Sunday, Sept. 6 from 4-9 pm. For a list of other artists and directions, visit greaterlamfa.com

UCLA Spring Open Studios


Friday, May 29, 2009
7-9 pm
8535 Warner Drive, Culver City


Come check out my latest work and all the great stuff by current MFA students. More info here.

I’m in a show being held in conjunction with the College Art Association conference in Los Angeles. The show is up from February 24-28 and is at two galleries on the USC campus. More info here and here.

Please consider joining me this Thursday, Sept 25, for the opening of the Wight Biennial 2008. Titled “Group Effort: Collaboration as Process and Form,” the show presents 18 projects from more than 30 artists. I’ve been working hard with a team of other UCLA graduate students to put together this show, so I hope you will check it out.


More here.

Mammut #1 “Leave the Land Alone” is going to be included in the 2008 Greater Los Angeles MFA show at California State University, Long Beach. The show runs Aug. 25–Sept. 10 at the CSULB galleries.


> More info at greaterlamfa.com.


Here’s the card: