Check out my friend: Gin Stevens

My good friend, Gin Stevens, has an art show opening this Friday at the La Luz de Jesus gallery in Hollywood. Gin does beautiful scratchboard art and has had several successful shows around L.A. in recent years. He is best known for his stunning portraits of Blues singers, illustrations of African-American Folklore and, most recently, his series of Hobo portraits from his solo show at the Harmony Gallery last year.

His work is evolving. The new series uses a much more lush, almost painterly, sand-paper scratchboard technique that he tints with watercolor. His subject matter has matured as well. He has moved beyond the realm of illustration to a more expressive, individualized vision of narrative portraiture. The new work is a series of tattoos and tattooed people. No longer is he merely illustrating a narrative story, but rather telling you the story through a stark image of a hand, foot, face or torso that is covered in years of history. The tattoos of his subjects are steeped in personal symbolism which give Gin's new series a self-expressive touch that I haven't seen in the past.

This is Gin Stevens biggest, and most impressive show yet. I highly recommend everyone checks it out this month.

December 2nd through Jan 1st at La Luz de Jesus
Opening reception Friday, December 2nd, from 8 to 11 pm
4633 Hollywood Blvd. (in the back of the Wacko store)
Los Angeles, CA 90027

More info at the La Luz de Jesus website: click here.