Beatnik Studios' Final Friday attracted a crowd of over 100 guests to its monthly event. Final Friday featured the artwork of David Mohr, Trent Liddicoat and James Angello. The three artists were present for a meet-and-greet. I had met one of the artists at an artist reception last year at Sol Collective. Liddicoat indicated that his work, along with that of the other two artists, will be exhibited for two months. “I was asked to exhibit because I'm friends with the other artists who are showing and they studied at Sac State with the curator (Kelley O'Connell) who is working here,” said Liddicoat. The self-taught artist shared that he did not attend art school, has been friends with

Expect an evening of art, music, food and family fun at Beatnik Studios during its Final Friday event. Final Fridays is a free monthly event that showcases local, regional and statewide talent and is open to an all-ages audience. Beatnik Studios is located on the corner of Broadway and 17th Street. Final Friday will feature the art of David Mohr, Trent Liddicoat and James Angello. An artist reception will run from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on March 29. Music will be provided by Rook Family, Orion Walsh, Autumn Sky and Musical Charis. I sat with Wesley Davis, photographer and co-owner, Beatnik Studios to talk about Final Fridays. Davis began by saying, “We actually have a new artist director. H

On Saturday, Sept. 1, award-winning singer-songwriter Eric Bibb will perform one show at the 24th Street Theatre. Joining Bibb will be preeminent Appalachian fiddler/mandolinist/banjoist Dirk Powell, Grammy-nominated Cajun fiddler/accordionist Cedric Watson, and virtuoso harmonica player Grant Dermody. Bibb was awarded the 2012 BMA for Best Acoustic Artist from the Blues Foundation. His album, “Blues, Ballads & Work Songs” (Opus 3 Records) has also been nominated for a Swedish Grammy in the folk music category. Additionally, “Troubadour Live,” released by Telarc in 2011, has been nominated for a Blues Foundation award in the best acoustic album category. Bibb’s music crosses and blends t

Wayne Jiang will host an artist's reception and talk at Beatnik Studios, 2421 17th St., from 6 - 8 p.m. Thursday. Also currently showing in Beatnik Studios are collage and mixed-media artist Cassandra Reeves, painter Joseph Peters and painter Les Brileson. "In my paintings I enjoy creating an ambience that reflects on stillness, solitude, and mystery," Jiang wrote on his website. Originally from China, the artist has lived in the United States since age 15.

Sad news has hit Sacramento’s art community as it learns of yet another gallery closure, Tangent Gallery. In addition to Tangent, several other prominent galleries have fallen victim to challenging times and faced closure, including 20th Street Art Gallery, Skinner Howard Contemporary Art, Solomon Dubnick, and MAIYA. These galleries have provided years of beauty to Sacramento’s art district and as they close their doors some may assume that this is a result of a decline in support of the arts, but the reality is quite to the contrary. These closures have been positively countered with creative arts partnership efforts and a new reign of galleries moving in, here to show art is alive and we

More than 40 local gallery owners, artists and others in the industry are in the beginning stages of setting up an art gallery association to better promote the arts in Sacramento. “The idea is that, as a collective voice, we will have more clout,” said Alan Dismuke, a curator and art consultant who has facilitated a couple of meetings concerning the organization since January. “We’re really serious about it. The group consensus is 98 percent in favor of forming some sort of association.” Dismuke said he was a part of the Sacramento Gallery Association, which was active in the mid- to late-1990s and served a similar purpose, but was limited to about a dozen fine art galleries. He attrib

Located just off Broadway on 17th Street, Beatnik Studios will launch an expansion project to add an outdoor artwork space, patio and event venue adjacent to its existing space. Construction is set to begin in two weeks, and the 1,800-square-foot spot of largely unused asphalt will be fenced in with a stone wall between it and nearby residences and an “art wall” made of tin panels and distressed wood by local artist Kermit McCourt. “We’d like it to be a place to have a sculpture garden, do some art shows and events, and maybe have some outdoor music if we can do it legally,” co-founder Wes Davis said Friday. Over the past year, Beatnik Studios, 2421 17th St., has become more involved as

Let's not lie: We Sacramentans have a fairly thick skin when it comes to upstart local bands hanging it up. Sometimes they just gradually fade out, or just seem to kind of stop playing without ever really formally disbanding, or move away and set up shop in another city. Rarely do we get the opportunity for a big farewell party like the one Prieta is treating us to on Saturday, December 17 at Beatnik Studios, which will at least soften the sting of seeing this Sammie-award winning humdinger of a band bounce. In what guitarist Mat Woods calls a "totally amicable decision," the five members of Prieta have decided to hang it up after nearly five years. If you want to follow their progressi

The Red Night poetry series will close at Beatnik Studios after a year that has featured Mary Mackey, Kathryn Hohlwein, Josh Fernandez, Sandy Thomas, Bill Gainer, Lara Kaapuni, Phillip T. Nails, Crawdad Nelson, James Lee Jobe, Mario Ellis Hill and numerous others, including B.L. Kennedy, who was featured in the first show with Charlene Ungstad. Kennedy will join Ann Menebroker and Paul Fericano to close the popular reading series that has run the third Wednesday of each month since July 14, 2010, and has been well-attended by poetry and prose enthusiasts. Organizer Genelle Chaconas, a Sacramento State alum, artist and poet, envisioned the series as a place “where our shared instinct to c

Opening night of “The Known and Travel” gallery show took place during Beatnik Studios’ Final Friday. The opening for the P.R. Brown exhibit turned out to be a family affair that showcased the talents of the Brown family. The Known and Travel exhibit also included a silent auction and wine tasting with proceeds going towards transforming the lives of orphaned and poverty-stricken children. Several projects are supported by the nonprofit organization, 2Build 4Ward International. Friday’s event highlighted a major project, the building of an orphanage in Tuxpan, Jalisco, Mexico. The UN estimates that over 10 million orphans live in Mexico and 2x4 International, operated by state workers

“For Love of Woman,” an exhibition by Robert R. Sanders, was well received at Beatnik Studios this past Friday. Sanders’ brilliant photo exhibition showcased his incredible talent which helped him win first prize in the Beatnik Studios Fine Art Competition held in February. Sanders’ photographic art opening was also an auction event that will benefit the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC). The NOCC had a table at the front entrance of Beatnik Studios where informational material was available for guests. Robert Sanders was at the exhibit and spoke with guests as they arrived. Each photograph was available for bidding. Bidders filled out a registration form that allowed them to s

The Sacramento area is constantly unveiling local art and talent and Beatnik Studios is one of its largest event spaces that is dedicated to bringing that talent to light. “For Love Of Woman,” will be local 60-year-old artist Robert Sanders’ first show in his career. Doors open at 7 p.m. on Friday (and art will stay on display through Sept. 28) at Beatnik Studios, which is located at 2421 17th St. “I truly believe that from women all things appear, and I hold them in my highest esteem and appreciation,” Sandars said. His show includes 36 pieces spotlighting the beauty and inspiring stories of modern women. The proceeds from the reception and auction will go to the National Ovarian Cance

The 2011 Art Happens, hosted by the Sacramento Artists Council, took place June 4 in Midtown. The venue was held inside the Sacramento Art Complex on 2110 K Street. This was a benefit event to support art in Sacramento. Sutter Middle School and Nevada Union High School students exhibited works of art by their students. Artwork created by the students also helped their school art programs as  one 100 percent of sales was given to the respective school’s art program. The event was sponsored by Sacramento News and Review, Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission, Sacramento Bee, Sacramento Press and others. A day full of art, music, food, wine tasting and great music contributed to the fest

A five-day festival filled with music by 40 groups in five Midtown venues is about to engulf the Sacramento scene. The In the Flow Festival, an annual event going from Thursday to May 16, will be bringing out improvisational players of jazz, rock, blues, electronic, poetry/spoken word and visual art. Co-organizer and guitarist Ross Hammond, 33, addressed why it was created. Hammond said it is important to create a music event in Sacramento and bring out the unknown and/or unrecognized talents. “I knew enough people and acts, so we decided to put something cool together,” Hammond said. “It is a celebration of creative music and art. It is the music, art and poetry community just coming

Sorry we're a little late this week with the Rundown, y'all! Tax filing procrastinators, unite! My story and interview with Mr. Garrett "G. Love" Dutton will be up later on this weekend, in preparation for his show at Harlow's on Wednesday night. I won't lie, I can't wait to hear some of those new Avett Brothers produced tunes, played by the Sauce! Meantime, there's a chance for you to unleash your inner Diamond this weekend, and a little more fun on tap for Second Saturday weekend. Cheers! Super Diamond - If you're a regular reader of this space, you know our general disdain for cover bands at Rundown headquarters. Sure, we all like to hear our favorite tunes souped up and busted throu

Belly dancers, authentic Mediterranean food and music by The Dunes will highlight culture in south and eastern Mediterranean French-speaking countries Sunday at Midtown’s Beatnik Studios. The annual Fête de la Francophonie French Heritage Festival will introduce Sacramentans to the culture, food and customs of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Lebanon, said Beatrice Hildebrand, executive director of the Sacramento chapter of the Alliance Française, which hosts the event. The event has been held throughout the United States since the 1980s, she said. “Every year, the month of March has been dedicated to celebrating francophone cultures from all over the world,” she said. “We try to focus on

Homeless in America come in all colors, all ages and their number continues to grow. Homelessness in Sacramento is also on the rise. This past Tuesday, March 8, 2011 a fundraising reception was held at Beatnik Studios for the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ) homeless youth of Sacramento. The humanitarian issue of homelessness is addressed differently depending on the areas that it affects. In Sacramento and other cities little has been done to meet the needs and challenges of the LGBTQ homeless youth. These challenges are being addressed by the Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center along with individuals and community groups. As a result The Sacramento LGBTQ Homele

Beatnik Studios hosted its Last Friday art showings for November. Musical guests were The Dreaded Diamond and Exquisite Corps. Art surrounded the walls on the entrance area and a fashion show took place in the Beatnik studio area in the back of the building. I got the opportunity to listen to one of Dreaded Diamond’s songs as they were ending their set when I arrived. . Exquisite Corps followed and I was able to enjoy some of their set. The last time I saw them was at the Chalk It Up event in September and enjoyed their venue. Their unique blend of a cello, violin, drums, guitar and vocals always makes it a joy to listen to. (Exquisite Corps) A charity fashion event benefiting Feeding

To quote Ben Bridwell of Band of Horses, “The world is such a wonderful place/ The world is such a wonderful place.” Through and through, he’s absolutely right. But there are just some tragic and unfortunate elements of this world that we sometimes have to live with – the kind that tend to perpetuate the sale of cheap gin and handguns. I of course refer to the fact that Arco Arena is hosting back-to-back concerts on Friday and Saturday night by Justin Bieber and Nickelback. Hard to stomach the fact that we’ll probably see more heads each of these nights at the Big Gas Pump than at your average Kings game, all packed in to see a squeak jockey on anti-puberty meds and wearing a hair-met,

One of my favorite Sacramento bands was on the line-up for Friday’s Concerts in the Park. Musical Charis, Prieta and Lite Brite were the headline acts for the evening. We got to Cesar Chavez Park  on time (almost) to catch Musical Charis on stage. The weather, as it has been true in the past few days, was still very warm. Musical Charis had 7 members on stage. Several instruments were being used; a bass, 2-3 guitars, 2 keyboards, drums, and several lead and backup vocals. A definition of charis indicates that it means “that which affords joy, pleasure, delight sweetness, charm, loveliness: grace of speech”. I couldn’t think of anything in that definition that did not fit while Musical Cha