Wet Paint II
Steve Turner Contemporary, Los Angeles
August 15-21, 2010
Opening: Sunday, 8/15 from 6-9 pm

My contribution to this show is a storefront-type display with a few Brutes and my new Party Tubs, which are basically glazed ceramic beer buckets.

RSVP to the opening on Facebook by clicking here.

Here’s the new Party Tubs

I was part of a team that presented this idea to the Natural History Museum—it was originally proposed by Paul S. Martin in the book, Twilight of the Mammoths.

Please join me this Saturday from 10-4 pm at the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles for the Megafauna Day, and at 7 pm for a talk and discussion inside the Page Museum.

Our group (Deena Capparelli, Roman Jaster, Claude Willey and myself) made a Southern California Megafauna Map, which we will be giving away for free this Saturday.

More here.

I’ve started a new blog. It’s about making art—both in, around and outside of the studio.

Check it out at poststudio.org

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!

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.