4 Holiday Events in Sacramento

It's been a great year, and the holiday season isn't quite over yet! Here are four events you can still consider attending with family or friends to continue celebrating the holiday season in Sacramento. If you're looking for a way to get around town safely, be sure to consider Party Bus Sacramento CA. 

It's always a good idea to enjoy yourself responsibly, during the holidays and the rest of the year.

December 29

Giggle Bells Holiday Improv at All Out Comedy Theater

There are two holiday themed improv shows, and tickets are around $10. The later show is more suitable for adults, while the earlier show is more family friendly. The intermission will have refreshments and appetizers. The show is based off of suggestions from the audience, so it's sure to be fun.

December 31 

NYE Bar Crawl at various locations in Sacramento

This New Years Eve bar crawl is going to be a memorable time. Wristbands are $30 which gives you access to five different bars in downtown Sacramento, free NYE swag, an appetizer buffet, champagne toast, and VIP viewing of the ball drop. The selected bars include Republic Bar & Grille, Streets Pub, Firestone Public, and Amourath Patio.

December 31

2018's Last Laughs at Punch Line Sacramento

Are you looking for a low key New Years event to attend with friends? Here's another awesome comedy show to check out! This show is celebrating the end of the year with eight different local comedians. Tickets are only $11.50, and they're sure to come with a lot of laughs.

December 31

Motown New Year's Party at LowBrau

Are you a fan of Motown? It's going to feel like Detroit in Sacramento at this New Years event. There will be two DJ's spinning hits from the Motown era. General admission is $25, and the $45 VIP tickets include bottle service, a bottle of champagne, appetizers, and access to the VIP bar.

December Unicorn Of The Month: Jacob Fossum

Artist, teacher, musician, and one of my favorite figurative painters working today. I first met Jacob when we were studio mates at the original Verge Center For The Arts location at 19th and V in Midtown Sacramento. He is a highly skilled draftsman and storyteller and when I feel frustrated with a composition I'm working on, I ask myself, " How would Jacob solve this problem?" His work deals primarily with the uniqueness of personal experience and what is lost in translation.

The journey inward is much like Terrence McKenna’s description of the psychedelic experience: “It’s like building a bonfire bigger and bigger only to discover there’s an awful lot of darkness.” As a child raised in the Mormon faith I experienced a great sense of trauma when I came into my sexuality as a gay man.

I associated that trauma with a darkness, but I have since discovered the limitless creative potential in its exploration. My work is a response to the profundity and boundless complexities inherent in darkness, and results in a series of questions without answers. It is an infinite cycle of inquiry perpetuated by my creative process.

I create multiple bodies of work that draw from Non-duality, the New Age movement, and the Mystical experience. The process of creation and close observation induces a spiritual journey of form, color, and space rooted in the Biocentric Principle, in which external and internal perceptions are inextricably intertwined and inseparable. In this realm, truth exists only as self-realization, and the individual assumes the role of Shaman, Guru, Priest, Witch or Artist.

To view more of Jacob's work, check out his Tumblr, and Instagram Account.

November Unicorn Of The Month: Enrique "Kike" Congrains

Like last months Unicorn, I met Kike this past July in New Orleans during Kolaj Fest. Often when I meet artists for the first time, there is this " too cool for school vibe." They watched footage of Warhol acting aloof and coy during interviews, and it seemed to work for Warhol, so they imitate it. But once they find out I'm also an artist, they instantly want to compare their exhibition history to mine own or blurt out EVERY project they are working on without taking a second to ask, "So how is your day going?" Kike was not one of these artists. Matter of fact, no one at Kolaj Fest had an attitude.

His first words to me, after I asked him what he was drinking, were, " I can't fucking believe I made it! I just got in from Peru, and I don't know where I'm sleeping tonight, but I'm so happy I'm here!" Even before I saw his work, that kind of enthusiasm let me know I had to find a spot for him here.

" My name is Kike (short for Enrique), I’m from Peru and I’m a self-taught artist. I come from a family of writers and always had and interest in telling stories. I started in collage as a hobby but slowly began taking over and now I’m a full-time collagist.

I wanted to combine the visual aspect of collage with my storytelling skills so I created a universe called Canson City, a fictional town where each collage is part of the mythology of the city, whereas is an illustrious citizen, an historical moment or customs and traditions each collage has its own short story that connects it to the city. I try to keep the stories short and funny, I write them as an improvisation exercise, just the first thing that comes to my mind after the piece is finished. "

(Rain) Historical moments file No. 19

True story: It's a rainy night in Canson City. A man walks into the city hall with a thermonuclear bomb in his jacket ready to detonate it and erase the city from the map. On the threshold of the building sees her, soaking wet. Then he decides to use the thermonuclear energy to dry her and walks her home. Quits terrorism, marries her, have children and no one dies. True story.

(Fishbones) illustrious citizens file No.27

Hidden in the watery depths of Canson City live the bubble fishboys, aquatic creatures that feed on bubbles produced by colorful deep-sea mollusks. The bubbles are collected and cooked in a variety of ways, among the most popular are bubble stew, bubbles in oyster sauce, crispy bubbles with roasted carrots, bubble casserole, bubble teriyaki, grilled bubbles with cucumber salad, bubble ceviche and bubble flan.

" I like to keep it colorful, I use cardstock paper as much as I use old magazines and I use knives more than scissors. "

To see more of his work, visit his Facebook Page, his IG Page, and on Behance.

October Unicorn Of The Month: Chelsea Dean

Faith Is Forged In The Unknown. 2017. Hand-cut photograph, watercolor, decorative paper, wood veneer, wall paper, foam core, and found objects from abandoned homesteads on panel. 12" x 14"

Chelsea Dean is a Los Angeles-based artist whose work embodies and embraces systems that erode. " For the past four years, I have been combing the Mojave Desert, wandering in and out of abandoned homesteads taking pictures and collecting artifacts. 

Faith Is Forged In The Unknown, detail.

These relics have served as reminders that someone used to occupy these once hopeful spaces. It’s here that I find myself drawn to the multitude of textures, colors, and patterns that live within the detritus."

You Can't Forget Me. 2018. Hand-cut photograph, metallic foil, etching, and foam core on vintage tile. 8" x 8"

When Patterns Are Broken. 2017. Hand-cut photograph, decorative paper, gold foil, and foam core on monotype. 29" x 31"

I salvage history, suspending the architecture of Southern California in time with a process of carefully controlled chaos. By combining my photographs with experimental printmaking, drawing, and collage techniques, I elevate the conflict between order and entropy. My most recent body of work focuses around my fascination with these abandoned homesteads in Wonder Valley where I continue to meditate upon the allure of beauty and decay.

Reflected In What's Left. 2018. Hand-cut photographs, watercolor, contact paper, foam core, and found objects from abandoned homesteads on panel. 36" x 48" (diptych)

The Peril, But Also The Promise. 2018. Hand-cut photograph, watercolor, and 24k gold leaf on panel. 36" x 48"

"By gathering and incorporating discarded elements from these abandoned ruins in the remote reaches of the Mojave Desert, I layer and build them back into my work, assigning new meaning with the addition of gold elements and embellished patterns. I carefully document then reconstruct these spaces, offering the viewer a spatially rich experience that responds to the original site. Memorializing architectural histories, I emphasize sites in transition to re-contextualize and illuminate their inherent value."

Fool's Gold. 2018. Found objects from abandoned homesteads and gold enamel paint.

12" x 35" (triptych)

Purportedly Mystical. 2017. Hand-cut photograph, color-aid paper, decorative paper, and vintage wallpaper on paper. 7" x 11"

To view more of her work, visit her website, check out her Instagram account, and her Facebook page. If you happen to be in Los Angeles, go see her work at Fellows of Contemporary Art in Chinatown until November 2nd. FOCA is located at 970 N. Broadway, Ste 208, Los Angeles, CA 90012.

September Unicorn Of The Month: Ryosuke Kumakura

My work is observational, focusing on the spirit within or behind possessions and memorabilia – seemingly everyday objects that hold their own special character, their own storage of memories and stories existing beyond the usage of human ownership. The intention is that these objects – socks, t-shirts, handkerchiefs, etc. – be portrayed in their own singular and momentous light. Further exploring this idea of presence, I've also been working on a series of cat portraits. The paintings capture the subjects, always sitting, in their own states of observation. 

Regarding process, I’ve always been interested in learning from the practices of past masters. From stretching my own canvases – a technique emblematic of the common but somehow sacred custom of folding one’s clothes – to various styles of underpainting, my methods serve as a history lesson as I work. From there, ideas arise organically; for example – the pointed tips of canvases resembling ears and thereby inspiring the series of cats.

To see more of Ryosuke's work visit his Website, on Instagram, and visit Patron Gallery in Chicago to see the work in person.  

August Unicorn Of The Month: Lin Fei Fei

"The Study of White Horse" Oil On Canvas. 48" x 48". 2018

As you know, I have been neglecting this portion of my life for a few months. I will get into details later, but for now, enjoy UOTM Lin Fei Fei. 

Lin Fei Fei is a professional artist from Shenyang, China. She moved to America after completing her Master’s degree in Oil Painting at Luxun Academy of Fine Arts. She has experience working and painting in over a dozen countries and has participated in exhibitions in Europe, Asia, and the United States. 

Her work has also been collected by Luxun Academy of Fine Arts, Oslo National Art Academy, Blue Roof Art Museum, Wang Shi Kuo Foundation, Eland Foundation, Laforet Summer Vacation Project in Italy, and many more.

"Collecting The Warmth" Ink On Paper. 102cm x 72cm. 2013

"Breaking the Walls."  Installation view from "Beyond the Frame" at the Museum Of Northern California Art.

The themes of Fei's art revolve around freedom and the mixture between emotions and the real world. Many of her pieces combine abstract techniques and realism to explore the energy of life and the varying atmospheres that people live in. Fei also as a part time curator, organizing many international art shows including most recently the "East Meets West Exhibition "and "The 2nd Annual of Borderless Contemporary Art Exhibition", " Put it above the Table". Whether by painting or curating, Fei’s goal is to bring art and cultures together to spur further inspiration and the growth of international art.

"Bound by Explanation" Oil On Canvas. 282cm x 223cm. 2014

"Lost in Thought, Found in Meditation."Acrylic Cut-Out, Three Layers Of Acrylic Glass,  and Led Light.
80cm x 80cm x 40cm. 2014

To see more of her work, hist here Website,  Instagram, and LIKE her FB Page. She is also taking part in the Wide Open Walls Mural Festival from August 9- 19 in Sacramento CA. So go see her paint live and bring her water!

5 Cool Upcoming Sacramento Events

Art, beer, wine, and fun within the community are all aspects of a great adventure. Sacramento has so many fantastic events and activities throughout the year, but even more so in the summer time. Here are five great events to consider checking out in the Sacramento area. If you're looking for a way to get around town without having to find a designated driver or deal with traffic and parking, be sure to consider this Sacramento Party Bus Pickup Area. 

Plein Air Painting at La Borgata Winery

May 19 from 9AM to 4PM

Art supplies and lunch from the La Borgata Deli is included in the ticket price for this fun event. This event starts with step by step instruction by two talented local artists. Afterward, you're able to freely roam to plein air paint anywhere on the property. All skill levels are celebrated at this event. This is a great way to spend a Saturday!

Sunset Sip at Old Sacramento

May 24 from 5:30PM to 8:30PM

Over 20 wineries will be providing nearly 40 wines for tasting at this event at the recently renovated Embarcadero at Old Sacramento. Delta King will be providing appetizers and there will be live music by the band Simple Creation. VIP guests will have access to a private lounge and early tasting.

Burgess Brothers & Fountainhead Brewing Spring BBQ at Fountainhead Brewing Company

May 26 from 4PM to 9PM

Come celebrate the season of spring with two fantastic local companies. Each $20 ticket includes one beer, a barbeque dinner with two meats and two sides, and a delectable churro waffle dessert. There will be a DJ playing music for the event and take home specials on ribs and hot links.

Opening Celebration for Herrero & Oliveira Exhibits at Napa Valley Museum

June 2 from 5PM to 7PM

This event is celebrating the opening of two new exhibits at the Napa Valley Museum. Nathan Oliveira, and Lowell Herrero are the American Figurative artists being featured. The event is free for museum members and $20 for those who aren't. Come view the charming art and company of other art lovers here.

Rocklin Brewfest at Johnson-Springview Park

June 2 from 1PM to 5PM

Rocklin Brewfest boasts over 40 different breweries and their products at this festival. If you're a wine lover, don't feel left out, as there will also be seven different wineries representing their products here. Admission is $30 and includes 15 tickets that are good for one four ounce tasting. Proceeds support the South Placer Rotary organization which supports underprivileged school kids.

May Unicorn Of The Month: Siobhan van Winkel

Concocting work that interacts with the body I corral many media. Physically bending to the materials' imprint while impacting them with my intent I become their expressive vehicle. Sewing machines extend my body and allow me through a complicated dance of foot pedals to pierce and sew. This process of merging separate media together results in a site of energy transference-the joinery-the activated point that thrusts one medium into another.

In Aromatherapy Machine pumping the bellows activates a system of tubes. Air is ejected through five separate scent portholes releasing a concoction of essential oils that are encapsulated at the ends of these tubes. Textile fibers are impregnated with the essential oils that mingle with the air and are intended to be mood enhancing healing vehicles.

This series is intended to house tools of exploration in the form of machines that enable visceral interaction with the senses. These machines help facilitate the experience of things that are invisible and might not be detected otherwise. Layers of textiles, found objects, parts of machines and scraps are manipulated into these devices.

Working in sculptural textiles there are multiple processes some of which are timed, some are random acts of nature and enable my work to have many layers and moving parts. 

I often work with rescued leather keeping cow hides from the landfill one piece at a time. I am immersed in discovering the plethora of qualities found in leather such as durability, flexibility, and inherent material preciousness. I create protective coverings and objects that interact directly with the body and strive to imbue the wearer with some of this protective aura.

To see more Siobhan's work, visit her website and say hello.

April Unicorn Of The Month: Angel Otero

Lost Where I Belong. 2016. Oil paint and fabric collaged on canvas. 96 × 120 × 2 in

“I’ve always been passionate about painting specifically. That’s what drives me—painting and all the drama that goes with it,” states Angel Otero, who channels that passion into paintings and sculptures layered with directly applied oil paint and the sheets that form when it dries, called oil paint skins. Otero's 'deformation' approach to painting his works, first across glass and then once dry, flaying the dried paint and reconstructing the composition anew across large canvasses, creating thick, folding sheets, and densely textured compositions full of hills and crevices, is representative of how the artist perceives the process of reconfiguring both personal and historical narratives.

For his sculptures, he mixes materials like metal and wood with household items and furniture, which he then encrusts with the skins. Otero’s works range from entirely abstract, in his words, “purely gestural,” to semi-representative, incorporating ghostly figures, floral patterns, or evocative phrases.

At Five in the Afternoon. 2017. Oil skins on fabric. 104 × 96 × 4 in

Love Eclipses Evil. 2015. Oil paint and fabric on canvas. 84 × 60 × 2 1/2 in

Wind Chimes. 2015. Oil paint and fabric collaged on canvas. 96 × 72 × 2 1/2 in

Inspired by his music-filled childhood home and the fiercely independent New York School artists, Otero’s work sometimes uses process as a way of confronting deep, personal memories. Instead of representing his life through art, he archives moments within it by creating opportunities of surprise and discovery. His work is a constant negotiation between the individual and art history.

I was a Drizzle and she Was a Hurricane. 2016.Oil paint and fabric collaged on canvas. 60 × 36 in

Cathedral of Salt and Lime. 2018. Oil skins on fabric. 96 × 64 × 5 in

To view more of Angel's work, visit his website, and his Instagram. To inquire about available works, contact Lehmann Maupin, Kavi Gupta, or SUSANNE VIELMETTER Los Angeles Projects.