Everything You Need to Know About Second Saturday

Years ago, I made one last New Year’s resolution, and that was to not make any more New Year’s resolutions. I’ve kept that one very successfully.

If one of your resolutions was to get to know your community better, the next two Saturdays give you an excellent opportunity to keep your resolve.

On the Second Saturday of every month the galleries and many other shops in our end of town stay open late for us to wander around and appreciate and mingle and get to know our artistic environment.

District 4 at RicRoks

will be hosting District 4, a collaboration of Highland Park natives Angel Alfaro, Carlos Reyes and William Soto.

According to Alfaro, the show takes its name from the local school district each attended. The show features a collection of each artists work, accumulated over the duration of their budding artistic careers.

Much of it, they said, is inspired by growing up in the Arroyo--whether it was drawing comic books in classrooms at Franklin High School or driving by graffiti taggers on the school bus. 

"It's a little urban here, and of course, there's all the graffiti artists that went to school to us. Lots of people in Highland Park are artists in their own way," Alfaro said.

"We love to represent Highland Park," added Soto, who is a tattoo artist at RicRoks.

Avenue 50 Studio

At the Ave 50 Studio we will find the show, Resurrected Histories:
Voices from the Chicano Arts Collectives of Highland Park.

Described as an archival exhibition presenting paintings, graphic art, photographs, publications and other memorabilia telling the story of the Highland Park Chicano arts collectives Mechicano--located at Avenue 54 and Figueroa--and the Centro de Arte Publico--located near Avenue 57 on Figueroa--during the 1970's. Featuring the work of artists Carlos Almaraz, Barbara Carrasco, Leo Limon, Guillermo Bejerano, John Valadez, Roberto Delgado, Dolores Guerrero and others associated with these collectives. 

If you were around in those exciting days, this should be an amazing show. If you weren’t around back in the day, then go to this show and see what was going on in the recent history of art in Highland Park.

York Boulevard

At the other end of Ave 50, on York Boulevard, there are always many places to explore. There will also be additional bicycle parking available in front of on Saturday evening, so if you prefer to peddle, you'll well accommodated These next few galleries are on York Blvd, between Avenues 50 and Ave 51.

La Vida Loca Galeria

At we will find the work of 19 year old Tony Beringhele, who will have his paintings on display, which La Loca Anita Acosta describes as “Very abstract yet somewhat analytical paintings of the ocean.” Beringhele will also be working on painting some of his work on a surfboard during the show.

Platform Gallery

David Richard Israel will be showing his photography at Platform on 5027 York Boulevard.

This shop sells fashion, jewelry, housewares, and other objects made by their friends, small designers or just things that they've collected while traveling. 

Israel has been working as a location manager for 33 years and his photography shows us beautiful places and moments captured during his many years of travel scouting for movie locations.

Kristi Engle Gallery

At on 5002 York Boulevard at 7:00 p.m. hear author Guy Bennett read his translations of Algerian poet Mohammed Dibs, and hear poet Anna Rosen Guercio read her translations of Mexican poet Jose Eugenio Sanchez

Matters of Space 

At Matters of Space at 5005 York, you will find an interior design and architecture firm with a storefront featuring art and jewelry from local artists. They also showcase an artist every month. This Saturday the photography of Christopher Barbour.   

Cactus Gallery

A few blocks beyond this area visit Cactus Gallery on Eagle Rock Boulevard, Funky Flocks and Flying Feathers, their fifth annual bird themed show, is on display this month. And check out the tree in front.

Art Soup

If this Saturday isn’t enough art for you, a wonderful event is going on next Saturday.

As previously, Highland Park's Art Soup Night looks like a lot of fun.

From Dodson's Blog: Here’s how it works. $10 buys soup and a vote. The soup is offered by Ba chef James Graham, and the diners see presentations of works in progress by artists. The presentations might include videos, trailers, animation, slide shows, puppets, opera, staged readings, singing, dancing, pie charts, puppets, or fireworks. No Power Points, that’s a promise. After the presentations, the soup-eating audience of judges votes on their favorite, and the winner pockets the grant. The amount of the grant depends on the number of soup eaters. Winners are expected to provide an update of their progress at a subsequent Soup LA.

Here is a chance to get into a new art experience, be one of the first to enjoy sustenance at , Highland Park’s newest restaurant, and be a patron of the arts.

Get your ticket, and they are going fast, at the , 5052 York Blvd.

Do your part of HLP art! 

So download the map, grab someone you love, visit an eatery or a food truck, see some art, meet some people and be a part of Highland Park.