“Birthday Party” - Art Show and Skate Event celebrating the 1 year anniversary of Jacuzzi Unlimited
Date - November 9, 2024
Time - 4:00-9:00pm
Crossthread has teamed up to bring sounds from Big Boy, Doomsday and Stand Tall
Sponsored by: Converse
Beverage provided by: Shindig Cider and Drink Weird
San Jose
"IN LIMBO" by Danilo Parra opens this Saturday, September 7
FORWARD FROM EMPIRE SEVEN STUDIOS:
Danilo Parra was born and raised in San Jose and comes from a family of musical creatives. Danilo is best known for his award-winning filmmaking but has always painted as well. In 2020, he leaked a body of work on Instagram that certainly had us intrigued. If you’re reading the top art magazines, you will see that Danilo’s work would fit right in due to its originality and humorous nature.
Danilo’s film credentials list a broad range of clients such as Weezer, A$AP Rocky, Spike Jonze, Robyn, Honne, David Byrne and several other celebrities like Adam Driver with whom he recently worked.
"In Limbo" will feature a collection of oil paintings Danilo hauled in a suitcase from New York. We’re thrilled to be the Gallery to host Danilo’s first solo art exhibition. We are honored to work with this multifaceted artist who has roots in San Jose.
We look forward to you joining us this Saturday, September 7, from 6:00-9:00 pm. The exhibit will be on view through October 5, 2024.
If you’re interested in purchasing artworks before we open the doors, please send us an email at info@empiresevenstudios.com.
SHORT WRITE UP FOR THE 'IN LIMBO' EXHIBITION:
Danilo Parra is a Chilean-American artist and filmmaker who creates oil paintings as single-frame stories. Beginning his artistic journey in San Jose, Danilo later moved to New York to pursue documentary storytelling, a career that allowed him to explore the world and deeply observe cultural and environmental issues—insights he now weaves into his paintings. His show, "In Limbo," captures characters in moments of transition, using dark, moody palettes contrasted with vivid colors to highlight the tension between hope and despair, intimacy and isolation. These ambiguous settings invite viewers to immerse themselves into the narrative.
ARTIST STATEMENT:
"My brain works in story. I struggle to understand visual art that doesn't have a beginning, middle, or end. When I try to paint a pretty picture, I end up painting over it until I uncover a deeper narrative that has stronger meaning to me." - Danilo Parra
From PDX to SJ
in art
Join us Saturday June 8, 2024 from 6:00-9:00pm for the opening reception of “From PDX to SJ.” Bring your own beverage and hang out in the Exhibit Jtown patio!
Ryan Bubnis, a San Jose Walls 2019 alumni and one time Gilroy resident, has always had a connection to the South Bay. Despite moving to Portland, Ryan kept in touch with Bay Area friends and family over the years. We still remember during our first visit to Portland and connecting with Ryan to visit his home studio many moons ago. Collaborating with Ryan has always been a delight. When we reached out to him to ask him if he’d like to have a solo exhibition at Empire Seven Studios, he forfeited the opportunity to instead share the space with the artist friends he made over the years in Portland. The group of artists exhibiting for the month of June are making an impact everywhere they go: their creativity and talent has resulted in collaborations with clothing brands, tech companies, film makers, and the continued resilient DIY community.
From PDX to SJ brings together seven Portland-based image makers, all connected through skateboarding, music, printmaking, zines, and the independent DIY culture that Portland, Oregon has long been known for. This exhibition will feature the works of Briana Spencer, Erik Railton, Estee Preda, Lori D., Molly Mendoza, and Nathan McKee; curated by Ryan Bubnis.
Collectors interested in artwork on display can email us at info@empiresevenstudios.com for a price list.
About the Artists:
Brianna Spencer’s work drew upon her family’s culture, street art, and folk traditions to execute her illustrative style. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally. She was known for her sense of humor, kindness, and generosity. As an artist, she shared her heart and instilled her personality into everything she created. Her art was personal and it always left us in awe of how willing she was to share a piece of her heart. She gave glimpses into her daily life through her work, especially with the people she loved the most, George and Ene.
Erik Railton is a self taught painter with 24 years of experience. In his formative years on the Oregon coast, he found himself spending most of his time outdoors. The color, texture and shapes of what he sees in the natural world were influences in his paintings. The imagery of his paintings lives in the space between abstract and representational and the colors are bold and graphic. Through shifts in color ranges of contrasting colors he attempts to create something familiar and beautiful. He has shown in galleries in Portland, Seattle, and San Francisco. His client list includes Adidas, Columbia and Emerica
Estée Preda, as a child, was read Hans Christian Andersen and Brothers Grimm fairy tales every night by her mother who escaped the iron curtain. She lived across the hall from her grand-mother who was prone to night terrors. She would watch out the window from her home as one season would slowly turn into another. The world that her art exists in lies somewhere between those ephemeral seasons, night terrors and folk tales.
Lori Damiano works and plays in the realms of animation, illustration, murals, surface design, advertising, packaging, apparel, film-making, fine art, fiber art, and education. She is an independent animator with 20 years of experience working for a wide range of clients and directors including Spike Jonze, Lance Bangs, Davis Guggenheim, Greg Hunt, and Ted Passon. She recently illustrated a picture book called ‘Shorty’s Ark’ written by musician Will Oldham based on a song he wrote with Matt Sweeney for their Superwolves album. Lori D. Is also known for her involvement making art, zines, and films documenting female skateboarders since the late nineties with the skateboarding collective Villa Villa Cola. Lori Damiano received a BA in Media Studies: Film/Video from UCSD and an MFA in Experimental Animation from CalArts.
Molly Mendoza is a Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator. Through their work, they explore the complex emotions of interpersonal relationships and self-love with a focus on layered visual storytelling, mark-making, and color. They write stories, they paint murals, they teach students, and they draw. Molly has worked for clients such as APWOT, The Atlantic, and The Marshall Project - made comics with Bulgilhan Press, Oni, and Nobrow - and has illustrated picture books for Scholastic, Chronicle Books, and Beach Lane Books. They are Eisner nominated, Ignatz winning, and have received a Caldecott Honor. They write stories, they paint murals, they teach students, and they draw.
Nathan McKee is an artist creating illustrations, sculptures, murals, and paper cutouts utilizing simple lines and flat color. He is inspired by growing up in the 80’s & by his time skateboarding, reading comics, and exploring album covers in his youth. HIs work is meant to trigger lost memories or to promote conversation of different points of view from the same image. His works have been included in exhibitions around the world and clients have included, but are not limited to, Bleacher Report, Adidas, Green Room, Gatorade, CCS, and Converse. McKee has studied at the Pacific Northwest College of Art.
Ryan Bubnis is a multidisciplinary artist, illustrator, educator, and muralist based in graphics,public artworks, and more.Equally influenced by Do-It-Yourself culture, art history, The Pacific Northwest, and the natural world. He explores themes of presence, connection, and the shared human experience. Pared-down shapes, textures, paKerns, and bold colors combine to inspire a sense of calm, curiosity, accessibility, and introspection.Ryan has collaborated with a number of commercial clients and agencies, and his work has been exhibited across the U.S. and abroad. Bubnis received a BFA in Illustration from the Pacific Northwest College of Art.
Stance socks represents expression and embraces the spirit of individuality through a unique product which features a collaborative series with artists.
Stance has generously donated 100 pairs of their solid socks in support of “FROM PDX TO SJ”
Come early to get a free pair, while supplies last (one per person).
Molly Mendoza will be doing a book signing and live drawing portraits (only 12 slots available!)
Art Lovers! This is the last week of our BARGAIN SALE...
Art lovers: this is the last week of our Bargain Sale! We have sold many artworks since we launched. We appreciate everyone who has walked in or visited our online store and purchased pieces to take to their homes or businesses. It’s been fun negotiating prices without jeopardizing the artists’ commission. Notifying our artist friends that they have a check in the mail is very rewarding and collectors are what make that happiness happen.
In an era of instant gratification, collecting artwork and owning something physical is becoming a lost tradition. As curators our mission is to sell, sell, sell, upholding the values and responsibility we’re assigned when given the opportunity to hang and sell someone's work.
Since 2022, Empire Seven Studios has had the opportunity to assess how the local art market is functioning. We’re honored to be a place where collectors understand our vision and the importance of purchasing someone's dedication to their medium of choice: painting, sculpture, knitting, mixed media, or what have you. While we make these transactions, we’re also connecting and learning from you all and we appreciate the feedback.
Curating artworks that are not available at every other venue is the same as bringing Beyonce, or Taylor Swift to an arena where people pay a generous amount for tickets for a few hours of lifetime memories. No one questions where they come from or what's their area code. You buy that ticket because it’s an artist unlike any other talent sticking out; out of millions of others. Whether mainstream or underground, the interest in their art is solidified because of the product's quality. We are stimulated by art as deep as our wallets allow us to be.
Empire Seven Studios will not sacrifice quality over quantity or biases knowing there’s an artist struggling to put out the best they can or know how to. We’re here to support the most technical and emerging artists from San Jose or beyond. If we had it our way (and we aim to do so) there would be no borders, and in terms of art, that's what it’s all about for us. The ultimate freedom to be ourselves. Like Stephen Powers (aka Espo) has said: “unapologetic, uncut, giving it to you raw.”
Over the last year, we have had the pleasure of hearing positive feedback about our gallery and our work; it is these compliments that inspire us to be ourselves, which is what got us here in the first place. What is working for us is realizing we have you, our visitors, fans, and collectors, that believe in our mission and support an art movement that allows us to be FREE. We will continue to do just that, knowing so many of you miss the authentic vision our Gallery works tirelessly to deliver.
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