Gallery 839 opening show: Friday, February 5

Gallery 839, the Animation Guild’s art gallery in our new office headquarters building, will have its official opening a week from today, Friday, February 5, with a show entitled CANVAS, BRONZE AND POLYRESIN.

The show will featuring the paintings of GEORGE SCRIBNER, WILLIAM WRAY and ANNIE GUENTHER (above left), and the sculpture art of VICKI BANKS and RUBEN PROCOPIO, all respected veterans of the animation business. The exhibit focuses on the work these fine artists do apart from their day-to-day jobs in animation.

A reception will be held from 6 to 9 pm, and the show will run until March 3. Last fall the Gallery "soft-opened" with an exhibit of Christmas card designs by the late RALPH HULETT, noted artist and Disney background painter, which will close on February 1 in preparation for this show.

We’re thrilled to announce the first of what we’re dubbing First Friday Shows at Gallery 839. These will be monthly shows of members’ personal art, with a gala opening reception the first Friday of each month.

We have two main goals for these shows. First, they’ll give members a venue to show their personal artistry, and make some money selling their work. We know the talent of our membership runs deep and wide, and we want that to be shared with both the membership and the rest of the community. Second, these shows will give us a good reason to regularly get together, to network and hang out. It will be a chance to celebrate ourselves, and gather as animators and artists, separate and apart from our workplace tribalism.

The March show is already being arranged, so it’s up to members to apply to put up future shows. Members in good standing are eligible (this includes members on honorable withdrawal). Individual shows are fine, but we encourage group shows.

The artists showing will be responsible for almost everything (we’re not adding additional staff, and our staff is pretty busy as is!). So, in addition to creating the artwork, artists are in charge of matting/framing, advertising (aside from the Peg-Board and the TAG Blog), setting up the show, hosting the reception, and tearing the show down. It also includes buying any refreshments/snacks for the reception, and arranging to have someone responsible for watching the artwork whenever the artists want the gallery open (otherwise the gallery will be locked to prevent theft). The Guild will charge rent of 10% of any sales from the show (compare that to the 50% most galleries take). If you don’t sell anything, it’s free of charge.

We’re looking to host a variety of personal artwork: painting, drawing, prints, photography, sculpture, ceramics, CG installations … it’s all good. We may also put on some themed shows as the spirit moves us. This will be an evolving, dynamic program, and it’ll be as cool as the membership wants it to be.

If you’re interested in having a show, contact Jeff Massie for more information.

-- Kevin Koch

Gallery 839 and the TAG headquarters are located at 1105 N. Hollywood Way, between Magnolia and Chandler, in Burbank.