"Notes from the Overground" - The Art of Walt Hall and Paul Torres

Playing All August and September at Cactus Gallery.....

"Notes from the Overground" - The Art of Walt Hall and Paul Torres

Opening Night Reception - Saturday, August 8, 2009 * 8-11p
Show runs Aug 8 - September 27, 2009

Back by popular demand, our next exhibition will feature new works from two of L.A.'s premium artists, Walt Hall and Paul Torres. Both at the forefront of the art scene in Los Angeles, their styles are as unique as their narratives.

Walt Hall's ever growing series, "Fenceposts for a Better Tomorrow," continues to steer us through other worlds filled with bear figures, worms with top hats, bird riders, trees, robots and processions. His images capture your imagination and his composition creates art pieces that spike interest in all who see them.

View Walt's work at http://www.thesappystudio.com

Naturally gifted with a keen observation, Paul Torres' art embodies a rich imagination and is laced with social commentary and a soulful interpretation of everyday life. His newest works depict various themes, among them aspects of L.A. nightlife. Paul's new high low brow contemporary rococo style takes aim at the cultural, religious, and sensory flavors and underpinnings of Americana and society.

View Paul's work at http://www.paul-torres.com

Walt Hall :: Fenceposts for a Better Tomorrow

About three years ago, Cactus Gallery put on a "$100 Show." We have always believed art should be accessible to everyone and we thought it to be a good way to attract new collectors. During the run of this show, we got to know a guy named Walt Hall; he was down with the idea of ART FOR THE PEOPLE.

Since then, we have been able to reach a hundred or so collectors, new and old, who love the idea of collecting Walt's "panels." The price of each panel has gone up since the first few he did, and rightly so, as the quality of work has grown by leaps and bounds and his popularity and recognition has also.

Having seen hundreds of panels by now, I am still impressed with the panels, the way Walt transports them and carefully hangs his wall to "tell a story." The placement of the multilingual newsprint, the birds, the hats, the nostalgia that much of it invokes gets better and better.

What's with the hierarchy of the hats? The bird walkers? The bird riders? The too infrequent appearance of the robots? The barren trees? What does it all mean? I can't make sense of it all. I don't want to. With each new batch of fenceposts that grace the Cactus walls, I am humbled by the sheer number of works that Walt has created in such a short period of time. Hat's off to you, Walt Hall, no pun intended. 

Come see why everybody loves Walt Hall. "Fenceposts for a Better Tomorrow" always available at Cactus Gallery. 

To see Walt' s work :: http://www.thesappystudio.com/

www.myspace.com/waltghall