Eagle Rock Art of the Heart

A look at the calendar confirms that it’s nowhere near Cupid’s busiest day but you’d never know it from the shows opening this weekend at several Eagle Rock galleries in conjunction with NELA 2^nd Saturday Gallery Night, the monthly, neighborhood art crawl. Whether love, attraction, heartbreak, or forever friendship, the following shows put the heART in art.

Dishes, dogs, deadlines …. It’s hard enough juggling work and domestic details in a two career household. Add in the (hypothetical) challenges of working at home, messy materials, weird working hours, and the occasional “blocked” artistic process and life, love and art can get even more interesting.

LAWS OF ATTRACTION: An Artists’ Couples Exhibit, the new show at , offers a behind-the-curtain look at artist couples, simultaneously celebrating each visual artist’s solo career while exploring the effect of relationships on art and of art careers on relationships. Curated by Renee Dominique, CFAER’s Director of Development, the show includes a documentary produced by filmmakers and couple Barbara Green and Michelle Boyaner with in-studio visits with the artists who talk about their work and how they met their partners.

Artists featured in the show include Carl Smith and the late Donald Krieger, Brian and Mary Jean Mallman, Cidne Hart and Kevin Hass, Marcos Lutyens and Yi Ping Hou, Jeff Klarin and Rebecca Johnson, Jamison Carter and Margaret Griffith, Samantha Fields and Andre Yi, and John O’Brien and Cielo Pessione.  Come toast love and art at the Opening Reception on Saturday, May 14  from 6-9 p.m. at Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock. The exhibition, which was made possible by funding from the Pasadena Arts Alliance, will run from May 14-June 17, 2011. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Here’s the thing about love. Sometimes, things don’t go well. Starting this weekend, presents explorations of heartache and hope in TO HEAL OUR BROKEN HEART by multimedia artist Patricia Krebs. In her fourth solo show at the gallery, the prolific Krebs explores both the dark and redemptive side of romance with over 30 two and three-dimensional works that combine unconventional materials and found objects and with traditional techniques.

The Opening Reception, which features “sound ambience” by MALEVO (a.k.a. Emiliano Almeida) is Saturday, May 14^th from 7-10 p.m. TO HEAL OUR BROKEN HEART will run through June 8^th at the Latino-owned Cactus Gallery: a strong promoter of Los Angeles artists.

Is there anything more comforting than a good friend? You’ll be convinced of the curative powers of cuteness and BFF’s after visiting the FOREVER FRIENDS exhibit at . The “super-cute show and pop-up shop” features original artwork and limited edition prints from two wonderfully complementary design teams.  The work of the Japanese-influenced, Los Angeles-based mother-and-daughter duo at Bored Inc. features a miso-loving panda bear and a donut-eating narwhal. Or meet a pirate bunny and a bad-tempered mushroom at designer and illustrators Jason Ponggasam and Patty Variboa’s Fat Rabbit Farm.  Plushies, apparel and accessories will be available for purchase to help you indulge in the cuddlier side of camaraderie.  Bonus for early bird shoppers! The first ten purchases of $15 or more from either Bored Inc. or Fat Rabbit Farm will be accompanied by a goody bag.

The FOREVER FRIENDS Opening Event, which is styled by Lovely Jubilee, is Saturday from 6 – 10 p.m.  and features music in addition to drinks and sweet treats from Maile’s Fine Pastries.