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Artist Ben Joyce explains one of his Spokane paintings on display at Lurie Gallery in Beverly Hills.    (Live Video)

Born in Acton, artist Joyce lives in Spokane. He placed five paintings in Lurie Gallery, Beverly Hills then celebrated with his family afterwards.     (Live Video)

UP BEAT!

by John Joyce

When a local Antelope Valley kid goes away to someplace big and finds success, I think our community must be doing something right because life is hard anyplace and success usually comes to somebody who learned how to work hard until they succeeded. Somehow they picked up a work ethic found all over Antelope Valley and carried some of it away with them. They learned how to live from people here who raised their families, worked their jobs, ran their businesses, survived in this high desert place; with emphasis on sand, wind, glare, sun, hot, dry.

Last Friday night I went down to Beverly Hills to attend a successful event because one of our local AV kids on the way up made it happen.

Beverly Hills, 90210, where producers hang out, where directors, movie stars and rich people from all over the world live in palaces. Gas there cost $5.50 per gallon. No place to park. Every driveby either a Mercedes, Lamborghini or Rolls Royce Phantom filled with faces who looked to be somebody important. Their sidelong glances made me feel like I should know who they were or at least want to meet them.

Rodeo Drive, Beverly, wide, curved streets meandering along between immaculate front lawns with clipped hedges. Tourists posed in front of the big Beverly Hills sign along Santa Monica Boulevard so other tourists could take their pictures. Outdoor restaurants stuffed with tanned, well-dressed patrons looking into every passing car for a celebrity. Valet parking just to park on the street! That's Beverly Hills.

I went to Lurie Art Gallery in Beverly Hills on South Santa Monica Boulevard because a local kid made himself into a successful artist who sold so many paintings outside of California a Beverly Hills gallery wanted him to hang five of his newest canvasses in their studio.

Why? What makes this AV-born artist's pieces so different, so sought after? I went to Louie to find out for myself.

Abstract art rarely stays with me out to the parking lot after, because it takes too much expertise to really appreciate shapes, colors, positions, spacing, lines telling what abstract artists want to communicate. Most people I talk to feel similar. Abstract art just doesn't evoke much feeling or emotion for them. These five new paintings hanging in Lourie Gallery definitely seem abstract at first glance. Then something extraordinary begins to happen.

Recognition!

An abstract of something familiar growing more alive minute by minute the more a viewer appreciates a custom fitted canvas (not just a square) with see-thru windows and colors to match demographics.

Understandable! Like "Oh, that's where we live! And there's the park! Downtown. The Mall. Cool!"

Five new paintings hang in Lurie. One of Beverly Hills, two of Manhattan in New York and two from Spokane. Smallest is probably 3' x 4'. Beverly Hills recognition came slowest for me even though it's closest to where we live. Once I read the title it started to come together. An art work in progress. Recognition art. Something entirely new and different.

Did I mention this local-born artist who married a Spokane girl? An artist supporting one baby daughter with another on the way?

Of course, Ben Joyce.

Lurie Gallery
9411 S. Santa Monica Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
(310) 860 6960