Little lost tiki Art Exhibit! Closing Reception Sept 9th! (Scroll down)

Aloha Tiki Central Ohana!
I just opened an art exhibition entitled "Talking Palms and Pineapple Kings" on August 5th in Santa Ana at the Caged Chameleon Gallery from 8-midnight. Now I know it's the same night as the Mission Tiki shindig,but this exhibit was planned a while ago and there's no turning back! Plus, the exhibit is on for a month so that's plenty of time if you'd like this important show! I'll be displaying a bunch of paintings,both small and HUGE,as well as watercolors and drawings.I would venture to say that there will be at least 200 works of art to check out at this event! There will be a Powerpoint out in the back with all of the exhibition work and studies for paintings as well as work that has already found a home.This should keep the chilluns distracted while you're getting your drink and art on!For those of you not familiar with my approach to an art show,a lot of it is reading and drawing and really digging into the subject matter....the result is a lot of work to feast your eyes on! Your money back if you do not have a fantastic time! This is a free event...
Here's the invitation with all the info on it!

I'll be releasing six limited edition prints at this show as well as a Tiki Coloring Book and "about 500 Tikis" a hand-bound collection of tiki and other tropical goodies from 2 years/8 sketchbooks worth of Oceanic obsession! Other surprises are in store so put on your funkiest Hawaiian shirt and get to steppin! Hope you can make it! Mahalo!

here's a page from "about 500 Tikis"

visit http://www.kenruzic.com and you will ,hopefully, be inspired.

[ Edited by: little lost tiki 2006-09-06 16:08 ]

[ Edited by: little lost tiki 2006-09-08 11:18 ]

Been too busy to post anything new!But the show is up and looking tight! If you're in the area-pop on by and say"Aloha!"

Aloha Tiki Central Ohana!
Well, I finally salvaged what I could from the photos of the August 5th show! I will be having a Closing Reception on September 9th! We'll have the Powerpoint up,all the art,and still a bunch of Coloring Books,Stickers and "about 500 Tikis",which,according to current owners,is an invaluable artistic resource! Well, here's some photos from the Opening Reception of "Talking Palms and Pineapple Kings"

Pre-show jitters-that's me posing outside the show with Eric-he's half of the two owners of the Caged Chameleon gallery in SA.

here's a bunch of art-lovers in front of the showcase piece-that's my wife far left-schmoozing and taking care of sales!

this is the only shot my sister got of the powerpoint! It ran thru about 500 images and with the cool outside air and plenty of couches and chairs,it gave those people too tired or buzzed,an opportunity to see the whole show at a sitting! This will be up for the Sept 9th show as well! Kids love it!

Here's the front room area-just a slice of it-there was about 9 paintings hanging up-but it was so crammed,my lil' sissy could only capture this much!

here's a view down the hallway that is between the two other rooms of the gallery.That fellow in the background is checking out collected watercolors and sketchbook entries that couldn't fit on the walls!

another crowd shot-notice the kids,there were a lot of them underfoot,until they discovered the backyard area.....

Besides the Powerpoint,there is also a lil' waterfall and koi pond as well as an outdoor pavilion and plenty of couches and chairs and quiet areas amidst the trees....

Here's the outdoors looking back towards the gallery.That's my stepdaughter Jacquelline,my niece from Illinois Frannie, and my other stepdaughter Autumn all enjoying their single night stardom!

Here's my friends Randy and Dave posing near "the Ancient One" first piece sold that night! (The guy came early just so he'd have an early start on picking a painting...gotta love those crazy patrons!) Anyways,like I said.This is what I could salvage for now! I'm going down there today to shoot some daytime pix-especially since we got no shots of one whole room! Mahaloz for looking at these boring photos! C'mon down on the 9th and I'll get more exciting pix-perhaps with YOUR face in them! Aloha!

Here's some photos I took yesterday of the show,without all the people! the gallery's open 12-5 on weekends,and the show is best viewed around 2-2:15 for optimal effect...just joshin'!Anyways, here's some more shots-I'll post more after the Closing Reception on September 9th!
here's the front/main room of the gallery...





Which leads us to the 2nd room of the Exhibition...




and lastly, the third room.traditionally. this is the room where I put up a lot of the affordable,smaller pieces-usually the favorite room for collectors!
(these ones are a little fuzzy-I'll post clearer ones in the future!

that's it for now! Mahaloz for lookin'!

Looks great man :)

Aloha everyone! Just got these photos from the show from my friend Aimee!
This is me-n-my sister that night

and here I is after a few cocktails...

That's all for now! If you missed the August 5th shindig-try and make the Sept 9th Closing Party! It's 7-ii at 1505 North Main Street, Santa Ana! Hope to see you there! Mahaloz!

Great show ken!
Thanks for all the wonderful photos, I wish I could enjoy it in person.

Little lost tiki, just wanted to say that I really enjoy your posts, keep us posted. Your art work looks great and I wish you were closer so I could go to see your artwork in person.

Aloha Tiki Wahine and hiltiki!
Mahaloz fer the luv,and I wish I was rich enough to fly you all down for the show! Shani, thanks for the Labor Day happiness-you help make TC great! Hiltiki, your dream of seeing
Ken Ruzic artwork in person is just around the corner.....After the Closing Reception in Santa Ana on the 9th, I will be showing the following week at the Tikis and Terrors show in Rosemead at the Bahooka with a ton (maybe more) of other great artists! Is that near you? here's your chance to feel the magic,baby! Hope to see you and your ohana there!

LLT, hopefully I will be able to see your stuff at Bahooka's on the 16th and meet you.

Mahaloz Hiltiki!
Can't wait to meet you at the Bahooka! I'll be the one walking around in a daze-taking pictures of all the details!
Here's a picture of the mugs were offering at the Closing Reception on the 9th (much mahaloz to Holden at TikiFarm!!!!)
Here's the fronts....

and here's the decals on the back....

This is just a teaser to spread "mug-awareness" before the end-of-the-year release of the top-secret trio of tikimugs....
Mahaloz!

Ken,

Wow! Your art is really powerful. It's got a great iconic mojo going. I can't get over how cool that big purple warrior/shaman/tiki/symbol creature walking up the cooled lava flow is. Have you been to the Big Island and see the old lava flows? You been to Burning man? Just where do you get this cool imagery from? (okay, sorry, that's like the most asked question of any creative person). Anyway, I'm gonna try to get to your closing gallery night, I bet these pieces are a hundred times more powerful in person! (But we have a client coming in from out of town and the ASR show in San Diego is that same weekend - it's going to be busy)
Aloha
Brad~

This is a great show in an incredibly cool gallery. I highly recommend attending and seeing Ken's art in person.

I picked up the coloring book and About 500 Tikis and received the free mug w/ purchase.

We missed Ken by about 10 minutes but caught up with him later at Hot Lava Java. Swell guy. Swell artist.

Mahaloz Tiki-Kate(and Al-li as well!)
I was glad I got to meet you at the House of Tiki gig! Thanks so much for visiting the exhibition! I wish I could have been there when you were! It's always fun to hear what fellow tiki people think of the paintings, as well as talk story about the pieces. I see you chose the Rarotongan/Cook island Fishermen's God mug.Excellent! I hope you can find some time to sip a few Mai-Tais and enjoy your books! I just hope they bring you as much pleasure as I had drawing them! Many Mahaloz for encouraging TC Ohana to go see the gallery.The building is so full of history, charm, and character! And the backyard is a sanctuary away from the worries of the world,something us tiki people understand and appreciate!
Aloha Brad!
Thanks for looking and thinking! That painting you dig "the Ancient One" sold about half an hour before the Opening Reception opened! It really was a crowd favorite (I don't know,but whenever I show at the Caged Chameleon-and hang a piece over their fireplace-it either sells or becomes the crowd favorite-or both-trippy!) He's one of the characters in "the little lost tiki" a children's book I've been slowly writing (actually, I've been illustrating it more than writing it) He lives on an island, far from anything. The island does kinda resemble some lava tube that shot straight out of the ocean, then later, the wind and waves created the hole,which created the arch. Anyways....here's his home....

if you'd like to read more about him,check out my website!
Only hit Hawaii once,and that was for half an hour-stuck on the plane,awaiting my trip home from Okinawa in '83. I have lots of reference books and files ,so..... Plus, I decided to use the black (it looks like purple-but it's not) gouache from the dried pots as opposed to from the tubes-that way it became a bit more runny and transparent and dried fast so I applied layers over layers.Then I outlined it all in gold metallic ink. That Black really captured the ground texture perfect!
The Ancient One's shape began as a bit insectoid/Grey alien/mantis-like, but also with attachments and ornaments to give him an old sage/shaman feel. The strings and beads hanging from him were to give him a gentle sound as well as tie his form back to a totem with gifts and trinkets hanging from them. Haven't been to Burning Man,you're not the first to ask that...Where do i get the ideas? reading, learning, drawing, dreaming, and a huge reference library at my studio-home-and work-also having a brain that won't shut-up definitely helps! I always have the next few paintings or even entire shows in my head.I hope you can squeeze out some time and attend the show. Besides the art, I have a Powerpoint presentation in the back that shows sketches and developments of some of the characters! Like sooooo....



It's kinda fun to see all the different feels and looks of this fellow! Hope to meet you soon! Have fun at Action Sports! I had to do the Project and Magic show in Vegas last week-fashion freakin overload! You get a lot more pretty ladies at ASR! If you miss the show PM me and we can make arrangements for you to visit the studio in Orange! Then ,instead of seeing only about 50 paintings, you can see around 250!
That studio visit applies to any and all you TC-ers, just PM me and we'll make it happen! Mahaloz!