Artists unsettle the eye and stomach
Halloween screams into town once a year, but for artists Tony Gleeson and Tim Gore, their fascination with things that creep, crawl and possibly ooze continues year round.
Gleeson, who released four new drawings in his new “Fanciful Visions of…Dinos & Dragons” portfolio at the one-night-only show at Dark Delicacies on Magnolia Boulevard on Oct. 23, says the limited edition prints represent a return for him.
“I’ve been working as a digital artist for sometime and I wanted to return to putting a pencil on a sheet of paper,” Gleeson said. “It’s about the way graphite feels on the page.”
Dark Delicacies, a Burbank fixture for the past 16 years, claims to be the only all horror book and gift shop in the United States.
The shop’s co-owner, Del Howison, hosts a number of signings, talks, exhibits and other events at his store throughout the year. Although authors and speakers will often fly in from elsewhere or stop as part of a tour, the majority of the visual artists featured at Dark Delicacies are from the Southern California region, since they must travel with their work.
“With composers, for example, I’ll often schedule four or more and they each bring their own following to the event,” Howison said. “It helps cross-pollinate and really helps them be discovered.”
The art of Gore, born Tim Larsen, was more accidental than a return to his roots.
After working in the paint department of his shop creating a sample of skin, he remembers thinking that a particular patch was “so cool I’ll frame it.”
A longtime resident of both Glendale and Burbank during his life, Larsen primarily works in the film effects industry and has done special effects, painting and designing in everything from the “Hellboy” and “Blade” movie series to the “Passion of the Christ” and “Monkeybone.”
“Eye Candy,” a realistic human eye seemingly growing out of an oversized lollipop is a prime example of the changes and juxtapositions Gore continues to add to his compositions.
Saturday evening’s exhibit included laced lips, tattooed eyes and teeth growing through skin, as well as other works that cause many to shudder and look away.
“I like the gamut of responses my work gets,” Gore said. “Everyone has a comment about it, good or bad—no matter what everyone has something to say.”
Links to Artists:
Tony Gleeson’s signed and numbered prints are available at Mystery and Imagination Bookstore, 238 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale. Visit https://www.mysteryandimagination.com/ or call (818) 545-0206.
Tim Gore/Tim Larsen will have his work in a group show from Nov. 6 to 27 at the Hive Gallery and Studios, 729 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, https://www.hivegallery.com/pop.htm or contact artist at Evilgore666@yahoo.com.