My dancing brush (music: Compa Galletano)

(Please play YouTube video at the bottom)

I love Cuban music, and the dance. When I draw or paint, I always listen to Latin music, preferably Cuban music that gives me groove. It's almost like I am dancing through the brush.

 www.shanahanart.com

And perhaps, that's why I love gesture drawings with quick movements and the beauty of ink wash painting. Once I make a brush stroke, there's no way to change. It's just like the dance. You are in the moment. You dance as you feel and it doesn't stay. If you hear another good song, you dance differently as you feel. Isn't that beautiful?

Cuban dancer: Greydis Montero 2013

Mix media on paper (water color, sumi ink, color pencil), 7" x 9"

The inspiration

Great thanks to beautiful dancers and great musicians.

                                                                 www.shanahanart.com

Announcing the first ever Lincoln Heights Biennale at deb3321

deb3321 is pleased to present as its second exhibition the works from the attendees of the studio who will participate in the first ever Lincoln Heights Biennale.  This will coincide with deb3321's one year anniversay, since opening the studio's door to other artists.

Works in a variety of media primarily representational will range from graphic statements of the Los Angeles' ignored but omnipresent; the painterly bravado and/or sublime, the sensual painted portrait, scratchboard markings of popular mythic metaphors or philosophical allusion; to the remarkable gestural drawings of the quickly apprehended; photographs that infer the object though its signs, shadows and environment, and photographs that place the space.  More surprises to come.
While the artists are mature, for most this will be their first public exhibition--a true emerging celebrating their growth.  This exhibition also supports the mission of the studio, to create an artist controlled community--where artists place art where it belongs--under their vision and intelligence.

Artists include:  Erika Olden, Grace Umali, Shana Han, Ray Indolos, Roger Stephenson, Rika Everett, Christine Haenen and more.

OPENING
BY INVITATION ONLY
6:00 P.M. - 9:30 P.M.
SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2013

OPEN FOR PUBLIC VIEWING11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Sundays only: April 28 through May 31, 2013.

For more information, visit www.deb3321.com
Partial Preview http://www.deb3321.com/lincoln-heights-biennale-2013#!__lincoln-heights-biennale-2013/about-the-lh-biennale