Long Beach Artists Open Their Spaces as Part of GLOBAL

by Joe Mello, Community Correspondent
Continuing Coverage of Greater Long Beach Arts Lab

(Oct. 8, 2011, 11:15 p.m.) -- This weekend (Oct. 8-9_ is the 3rd LB Open Studio Tour, one of the many events comprising this year’s GLOBAL (Greater Long Beach Arts Lab)

Photo credit :Joe Mello

The LB Open Studio Tour began as a fill-in of the bi-annual Mid-Town Art Studio Tour, but has taken on a life of its own. This year's tour features 28 Long Beach artists, with most of the self-guided tour taking place in the artists’ working studios in four neighborhoods across Long Beach. Many of the venues also have live music.

Photo credit :Joe Mello

Band "Soliel" plays at the Erin Regan Studio. Photo credit :Joe Mello

One of the featured neighborhoods, the Wrigley district, may not be the area that first comes to mind when one thinks of the Long Beach art scene, but tucked into a residential area near Pacific Ave. and Willow St. is a thriving art colony of live/work studio spaces.

Just down from the corner of 25th and Cedar Ave. is the studio of Lisa Wibroe, one of the tour organizers and a well known Wrigley neighborhood activist and a Commissioner of the Long Beach Sustainable City Commission. Wibroe told LBReport.com that she has been in Long Beach 20 years after living in Palos Verde and Copenhagen. While the LB Studio Tour is open to everyone, Wibroe said it is also so gallery owners have a chance to visit the spaces and see what the local artists have to offer the galleries for showings.

Wibroe studio. Photo credit :Joe Mello

Like many of the artists, Wibroe’s studio is tucked behind her home.

Wilbroe studio. Photo credit :Joe Mello

The two block walk to 2300 block of Cedar Ave. brings tour visitors to the David Early studio. Early, who grew up in Orange County and lived in Paris, like many artists, ended up in Long Beach to find affordable work/living space. In Paris, Early established DEFA, David Early Fine Art, exhibiting work with Marcher des Artietes which earned him commissions painting throughout France. Today his company is located in Los Angeles specializing in custom site-specific art. Early told LBReport.com that he mostly exhibits his original art in Los Angeles. Early’s studio, which he has plans to expand, is located behind his home in Long Beach.

Photo credit :Joe Mello

A few blocks away on Eucalyptus Ave. are three studios of artists Erin Regan, Monica Fleming and Ricardo Guitidiaz, In Ricardo Guitidiaz’s space, was Faye Dangerfield, who drove down from Pasadena. "I come every year," Dangerfield said as she got one-on-one time and a personal tour from Guitidiaz through his artwork.

Left to right; Alida Turner of Long Beach. artist Ricardo Gutidiaz, Faye Dangerfield of Pasadena.
Photo credit :Joe Mello

Gutidiaz Studio Photo credit :Joe Mello

Art on display in Regan studio. Photo credit :Joe Mello

The tour is free and continues on Sunday with art and bands throughout the day, throughout Long Beach. For tour information and locations:

Event website: www.lbopenstudiotour.com