Black light on the beach!

Black light on the beach! Check it out this May 26 & June 23, 2012.

Usually, the beach is associated with bathing, boarding, and babes in bikinis.

But this May 26 and June 23, Dockweiler Beach is doing something new:

Black light on the beach.

(It’s lucky that Dockweiler Beach happens to be the only L.A. County Beach open at night!)

Here’s what’s going down…

It’s called Nite-Write, and it’s part of a collaboration between the L.A. County Arts Commission & Department of Beaches & Harbor to create a public mural near the beach’s concession stand.

But instead of simply commissioning an artist to create the artist’s vision, this mural is part of a new approach designed to get community involvement by collecting stories, experiences, and sentiments to help inform the design of the mural. In this way, the mural truly becomes a reflection of the community rather than a singular artist’s vision.

Similar projects have met with great success in other parts of the country.

As part of the civic engagement festivities, there will be…

  • Story sharing & gathering with artist Faith Purvey (inside luminescent tents—how cool is that?)
  • Live, interactive digital projections with members of P$tAGB (“Pedestal and the All Girl Band,” which isn’t actually a band!)
  • Live, interactive black light painting with artist Axayacatl Arturo Nevarez, “The Black Light King.”

The artists tasked with actually creating the mural are the collaborative team David Russell and Roberto Del Hoyo, who operate the MobileMuralLab, a retro-fitted City Search and Rescue Van used in facilitating interactive mural programs, events, and workshops.

The side of the MobileMuralLab van will serve as the canvass for the work of Nevarez, who uses Wildfire paint in his live artwork.

“Wildfire opened so many doors of possibilities for me when I started using it,” commented Nevarez in an unsolicited testimonial (honestly!) “I always recommend Wildfire because they make the best paint ever!”

The public is invited to attend the festivities, which take place Saturday, May 26 and Saturday, June 23 from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm. The final mural design will be unveiled and installed on Saturday, September 29. (For more information, click the image above.)

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Jimi Hendrix painted by Brian Olsen using Wildfire Invisible Paint, under white light. (See below for reveal.)

Brian Olsen paints portraits. But he doesn’t sit in a studio, working tediously for hours. He does it in about 4 to 10 minutes… in front of a live audience.

Brian works in front of an oversized canvas, sometimes holding six brushes at once, other times using his bare hands, and in a theatrical display of showmanship accompanied by music, he paints portraits of famous individuals: athletes, movie stars, politicians, CEOs of major corporations, and other celebrities.

The effect is thrilling, and always wows audiences. But every now and then, he’ll throw in an extra element of surprise.

That’s where Wildfire comes in.

One of his signature effects is to paint an apparent black and white portrait, say of Jimi Hendrix (see photos) using Wildfire Invisible Paint… Then, once the painting is finished, he kicks on the blacklight to reveal a fluorescent display of vibrant color!

Since Wildfire Invisible Paint appears white under ordinary light, and only reveals its color under blacklight, Brian admits that “the biggest challenge is remembering what color is what!”

He says of Wildfire, “The invisible line of paints are awesome to work with. They have a consistent texture that works well for layering colors without running or blending together. The luminosity under the black light is surprisingly vibrant and consistent among each color.  The paints have allowed me to execute my vision perfectly…

“Using the Wildfire Effects Master black light fixtures provide an even throw and a consistent wash of light. I work on large canvases and the lights don’t fade out. Using the fixtures on stage provides a great result without being obtrusive to the audience. The fixtures are sturdy and the floor stands allow me to position each light in a key location.”

Same Jimi Hendrix painting as above, under blacklight.

Brian has been performing live art onstage since 1998, following in the footsteps of his late mentor Denny Dent. But it wasn’t until a couple of years ago, when he was actively looking for a way to take his work to another level, that he discovered the black light effect.

His desire is to take people out of their everyday life and give them an experience of the creative process happening in a very short amount of time. His focus is on illustrating and teaching about the creative process and how it can benefit everyone, whether artists, sales professionals, parents, or business executives.

To learn more about Brian Olsen and see examples of his work, visit his website at www.BrianOlsenArt.com.

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Blacklight Basics: The Truth About “UV Filters”

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We’re Sponsoring This Cool Project. Will You Join Us?

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Ever since we first saw Bradley Lawrence’s work, which we wrote about here, we’ve been enamored. Lawrence is an artist who creates, among other things, stop-motion animation using the black light effect. In fact, we think his work is so cool and unique, we’ve decided to sponsor his latest project, “Creative Process.” “Creative Process” is [...]

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