No Touching Ground

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Ronan Donovan @ronan_donovan is one of my absolute favorite photographers. His photos and documentation of wolves are incredible and the relationships he has developed with specific packs is extraordinary. Big time honor to represent a wolf he formed a certain relationship and trust with in this piece. This project was made possible with a grant from @insidenatgeo and created in collaboration with @amplifierart for @wyss_campaign. The Instagram AR filters to view this artwork, and free downloads of all the art in the series that can be activated with your phone, are available at @amplifierart.

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Open Arts Alumni Spotlight: Lars Bergquist (@no_touching_ground) | Lars grew up in Alaska the son of a commercial fishing family, and thus much of his life has been intricately woven into the environment. He started working on his dad’s boat in the late 1980’s and saw first hand the catastrophic effects of the Exxon Valdez oil spill. This event was deeply influential in his life, informing much of his artwork moving forward and making clear the impact humans can have on the environment.

For this project by Aaron Huey (@argonautphoto), Lars created interpretations of endangered species based on photographs from @NatGeo photographers @prasen.yadav, @ronan_donovan and @amivitale; his images can be activated with augmented reality filters in Instagram to play video footage and sounds from each species in their native habitat. The artwork drives awareness for the Campaign for Nature’s ambitious science-driven goal to protect at least 30 percent of the planet by 2030.

🤳This project was made possible with a grant from @insidenatgeo and created in collaboration with @amplifierart for @wyss_campaign. The Instagram AR filters to view this artwork, and free downloads of all the art in the series that can be activated with your phone, are available at @amplifierart.

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Prasenjeet Yadav @prasen.yadav has spent time tracking and documenting snow leopards in the steep inclines of the Himalayas. A lot of the images you see of snow leopards are by him, as the leopard is extremely elusive. To get these photographs, Prasenjeet has set up remote cameras on cliff-sides in high elevations where there’s evidence of leopard markings. Very grateful to be able to use one of his photos for this piece 🙏 -This project was made possible with a grant from @insidenatgeo and created in collaboration with @amplifierart for @wyss_campaign. The Instagram AR filters to view this artwork, and free downloads of all the art in the series that can be activated with your phone, are available at @amplifierart.

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Ami Vitale @amivitale is a phenomenal photographer and activist. Her photographs of the northern white rhinos in Kenya are breathtaking and her involvement in the lives of the last 2 remaining is extremely powerful. So grateful to be able to use her image of this chimpanzee and infant for the series. 💗💗💗. This project was made possible with a grant from @insidenatgeo and created in collaboration with @amplifierart for @wyss_campaign. The Instagram AR filters to view this artwork, and free downloads of all the art in the series that can be activated with your phone, are available at @amplifierart.

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During my time going through chemo I’d write down mantras that would help me make it through the hard days. Most of the mantras I’d write would be of resistance or inspiration. I’d revisit them when my motivation needed a boost. This mantra “before the stars call us home” is more of a submission to the inevitable. It reminded me to be grateful for all the positive memories i’d experienced.

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My internal dialogue while making this drawing: It’s never taken me this long to finish a drawing. It’s never taken me this long to finish any artwork. Maybe it’s never meant to be finished. Maybe I should just trash it. Maybe I should just be ok with however long it needs. Fuck it, you are one of the best people I’ve ever known and you wouldn’t give a fuck whatever I decide on this one. Peace Sachiko Kuwabata and happy birthday! I love you!!!!

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maybe tomorrow but not today

My mantra during chemo and through my life moving forward

30x40 inches- acrylic, enamel and resin on wood.

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Burning buildings aren’t an uncommon occurance in DTLA. I’ve taken many photos of the way the fire and smoke have effected the brick facades. Cancer is like a fire in that it damages or destroys much within, but also changes your overall appearance.

For this piece I painted the Pheonix constellation on bricks. This bird was born out of fire. I wanted it to be about the destruction of something beautiful and replaced with something ever more powerful. Fire isn’t always a bad thing.

19x25 inches- acrylic, enamel and resin on wood

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During my first chemo session I laid in a bed for 8 hours while nurses monitored my organs to make sure they could handle the chemo load. The sun had gone down and day became night. I walked out of my cancer hospital, City Of Hope, in what seemed like forever. The moon that night was a waxing crescent, 43% illumination. I’ve never really been one to believe in coincidence but it’s fitting that the waxing crescent encourages positivity and faith. The video is of me taking apart a silicone mold I made of one of the bricks I found. I made 10 molds of different bricks for this series, I found most of the bricks at the house I moved into recently, covered in spider webs behind a banana tree.

18x18 inches- acrylic, enamel and resin on wood.

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January 22nd marks the 50th anniversary of Roe v Wade. A decision by the Supreme Court that grants a person the liberty to choose to have an abortion. It's just a matter of time until it will be overturned, which in turn will make abortion banned or heavily regulated in half of the United States. Abortion pills, Mifepristone and Misoprostol were first introduced in the states in 2000 and until very recently you could only get them in person, from an abortion clinic. Now you can get these pills by mail in all US states. They are legal. Abortion pills by mail are the best tool we have to minimize the impact of anti-choice legislation. I created this piece for @shoutyourabortion in order to amplify and share this information with the general public. For more info check @shoutyourabortion and #abortionpillsforever campaign. Also, ShareAbortionPill.info has all the info you need

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Ramon is a musician who plays guitar on 7th and Hill in downtown LA. He was involved in an accident when he was five years old which left him blind. He learned how to play guitar at an early age and now plays for a living in downtown’s Jewelry District. I met Ramon this past year on 7th and Hill, which was right next to my old art studio. I’d walk past him and listen to him play often. We struck up a relationship and Ramon asked me to paint his portrait. There’s quite a bit more to this story and our relationship, but as of now this is an editioned print of the portrait I painted of Ramon.

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Two years ago I set out on a journey- starting chemotherapy to stop an aggressive form of cancer that had started growing in my body. I’d head out on long walks across downtown LA, keeping in the best shape I could and having the personal time to come to terms with my mortality. I’ve always felt a connection to the extremely complex ecosystem of downtown- but I’d never felt kinship to the abandoned buildings on Broadway before. These stunning buildings served a purpose- now they awaited an unexpected future of disappearing or changing completely. Life shifts and we develop new mantras to live by.

Succumb to change knowing change is inevitable, Look forward to the next iteration

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Incredible way to end off 2021. Honored to be invited to show in Good To Know. FYI's PLEASURETOWN at Art Basel Miami. PLEASURETOWN is a multidisciplinary exhibition highlighting Miami Beach’s infamous yet celebrated nightlife, exploring sexual positivity, dance culture and technology as tools for social change and personal liberation.