Dan Fenelon’s sunny folky paintings are giving way to a darker, more mature style

Dan Fenelon’s sunny mixed-media paintings, with influences varying from Keith Haring to Oaxacan folk art, seem like they’re painted with summer in mind. Simple, two-dimensional, somehow tribal: Almost everyone understands them and can agree they’re art, the kind that would look great [...]

SANDOW BIRK’S “THE LIBERATION OF BAGHDAD”
According to the LA Times, a mural by Long Beach artist Sandow Birk (who we’ve written about here, here and here) has apparently rankled more than a few residents of Boyle Heights. The LAPD-commissioned mural was created for the department’s Hollenbeck station but has yet to be installed because of [...]

Artist Sandow Birk will autograph the book based on his latest show, “The Depravities of War”
The size changes but Sandow Birk’s nightmarish Iraq war vision, “The Depravities of War,” is still gripping. Even writ small, in a book at a book signing Saturday at DDR Projects.
How could it not be? It’s our story even if [...]

‘Bits and Pieces’ is what’s inside Damion Silver

DAMION SILVER’S “TOKYO STREETS FROM ABOVE”
Ten years ago, Damion Silver’s mixed-media collages would have been revolutionary, instead of very good‚as with his current DDR Projects show.
But now that we have the Juxtapoz and we’re not afraid to . . . buy the limited-edition Japanese vinyl toys advertised inside, [...]

Elizabeth Berdann’s motherly, painterly sense of humor

ELIZABETH BERDANN’S “SMILEY”
DDR Projects opened in August with a show of designer toys-made-art—and owner John Geldbach explaining how this was nevertheless an art gallery. (Sometimes, you still have to say that.) “Crybaby,” Elizabeth Berdann’s exhibition of pop realist oils, is all the proof he needs—and she does it with [...]

Bearbricks: DDR Projects falls in line with the rest of Black Friday and offers 10% off on all toys. Thru Sun.
DDR PROJECTS 532 E Broadway, Long Beach 90802. 562.590.9030; ddrprojects.com.
It Should Happen to You: A sweet deal on Judy Holiday’s ’50s comic romance. 7pm. $1.
LONG BEACH SCHOOL FOR ADULTS 3701 E Willow St, Long Beach [...]

Pathway to Success: Councilman Dee Andrews hosts a job fair for the Sixth District. There’ll be opportunities for all ages, and as Councilman Andrews writes: “I can’t legislate a job, but I can help bring people together. If we find one person a job it will be a success.” 9am-Noon.
ST. MARY’S MEDICAL CENTER 1050 Linden [...]

The Americanization of Fumi Nakamura

‘LET EVERYTHING GO’ by FUMI NAKAMURA
Wolves, the ethereal, the soft and the lush—the chapters of the hipster girl handbook all populate the pencil drawings in Fumi Nakamura’s “Himitsu,” up now at DDR Projects. But in her hands, they’re personal.
“Himitsu” explores dangerous ground: our struggles with ourselves—the kind of icky stuff you’re [...]

DDR Projects’ Inaugural show makes it up to the little pachyderm no one loved

“SKUMBO” AT DDR PROJECTS
The vinyl toy revolution of seven/eight years ago, which convinced adults to start collecting action figures, is not without its flaming wreckage. For every Camille Rose Garcia creepy-little-girl-doll we love, for every adorably pitiable Hunchy hunchback-Charlie-Brown figure, for every [...]