Whose House? Ross' House!

Good ol' Ross Racine has been a Like the Spice artist for some time now. In fact, we've even taken him along with us to our current off site show at The Roger Smith Hotel. While the work of Jason Bryant and Allison Edge will be showing in the solarium, Ross will be adorning the walls of the lobby. Opening night is March 19th, so if you haven't seen his stuff in person before, it's a great chance to take a look!

Also good news for Ross is all the attention he's been getting! First, one of his images has been featured in Data Flow 2, a new book from the Gestalten publishing house. He's very proud to be included, and we're very impressed with him for it!

Secondly, Ross was recently interviewed on Australian art blog The Art Life. This interview also appeared on another blog, Science Fictional, proving that Ross really has wide appeal. Take a peek and enjoy learning a little more about the man behind the images!

Of course, we're just as proud to be working with Allison and Jason, and, in fact, all of our artists (including Allie Rex and Michelle Hinebrook, now being featured at the 92nd Street Y Tribeca). But, just this once, it's Ross' turn to shine. So well done, Ross Racine! You'll still remember us little people... won't you?

Hear ye, hear ye!

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears! Or, as I prefer to say, 'friends, New Yorkers, not gender-specific country people,' but this is a whole different thing...We here at Like the Spice hope that all had a wonderful time bidding 2009 adieu and welcoming with open arms this new decade. Sigh, isn't it wonderful to be in the early stages of a year? There is so much to look forward to and so many plans to make; with clear eyes and full hearts we cannot lose as we charge once more into the breach dear friends! As you are all penciling things into your calenders for the near future, and because it is totally acceptable to continue ringing in the New Year for at least a month, I would like to bring to your attention some wonderfully exciting up-and-coming events that Like the Spice is involved with. Ring it in, everybody!
First off, this Friday January 8th Like the Spice will be hosting a book signing party for LTS artist Jenny Morgan, as well as a group performance including one of our current solo artists Nicki Stager. Morgan's book, Jenny Morgan: New Territory, just came out last month and we are honored to have it on display and for purchase here at the gallery. The signing will be from 6:30-9pm and all are welcome! In addition Philadelphia performance artists Tom Firehat & James Weiss of FaceitdadPICTURES team up with drummer/designer Ryan Bair of Rolling Stone Magazine and photographer/gun moll Nicki Stager for an improptu site-specific collaboration at Like the Spice Gallery. According to Ruby Dimple, press agent, the central theme of the performance is doing a simple act the most difficult way possible. This is likely a "one-show goodbye" situation as Firehat was overheard saying (of Stager): "That wench doesn't even have a camera"; and when pressed, Bair called Stager a "pretender to the throne." One show, goodbye: January 8, 2010
Then watch Nicki Stager perform, speak, and eat at Maybe Just A Tiny Bite with Michelle Hinebrook her counterpart in our Monthly Dinner series Concurrent with Michelle Hinebrook & Nicki Stager: Exposure.

Also in January, our fearless leader and gallery owner Marisa Sage has joined with Grace Evans, director and partner at Zach Feuer Gallery in Chelsea, and Christina Ray, founder and director of Glowlab in Soho, to curate an exhibition at 92YTribeca of alumni chosen from the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture’s 1999-2008 classes. Gallery exhibits at 92Y are always free and open to the public, so join us as we attend the opening reception Jan. 21st at 6pm.
Directly Following the show at the 92YTribeca on Jan. 22nd @ Like the Spice, presents the work of artist Bennett Morris.

Plucked straight off the Skowhegan registry, Mr. Morris creates his own spaces by hand, imbibing it with elements from the German Romantics and the Hudson River School, steeping it with Gothic Revival, and realizing it in a post apocalyptic photographic form.
On the 28th of January the 92YTribeca and Art21 will present a trivia event inspired by contemporary art and the culture of our time. Think that you can organize a team of five or less that would impress the likes of Alex Trebeck? Do you enjoy raining down knowledge of current art, film, music and online cultural phenomena? Then bring it on. If your friends are already frustrated with you because you win every game of Trivia Pursuit it's no problem, come solo and join a team on the spot. And for you shy folks, participation is not necessary; come and observe while you increase your knowledge of contemporary art.

Now, I know that this may seem a bit far in advance but we do not want you to miss the group show that Like the Spice will be hosting during the Armory Exhibit. This group show will feature many LTS artists and will open on February 18 and go until March 7th. Well, my friends I do believe that is all for now. We hope that you will join us for one or all of the events we have going on this month and next, it may be the best way to kick off this new year.

Pre-Xmas X-posure!

So how was your Christmas? Did you enjoy the snow? Despite the impending shutdown, Like the Spice was still open and hoppin' on Wednesday, for opening night of Exposure, the latest show from Nicki Stager and Michelle Hinebrook. Here's a quick recap!



Right when you walk in the door, you understand how lovely this show can be. There's a light from Nicki and Michelle's work that seems to come as though from nowhere. Seeing them in person really underscores just how talented these two women are.



Despite the FREEZING cold, we were pretty happy with the crowd. It was a friendly, fun atmosphere, almost totally informal, and a wonderful opportunity to just talk to the artists face to face.



There's Nicki Stager on the right, talking to some fans. When not creating their own work, Nicki and Michelle are both teachers, helping the next generation of artists. This also means they're very accessibly when you've got questions about their work. Remember, both Nicki and Michelle will be at our next Monthly Dinner, coming up on January 15th. Previous dinners have been an absolute blast, so you can be sure this one will be just as exciting. Just remember, reservations are required. Hurry and make your reservations right now!



It was so wonderful to have so many guests at our opening night, despite the terrifying threat of snow. But what if you couldn't make it? Oh, well, you know we'll always forgive YOU! Just be sure to stop in anytime between right now and January 17th. Really, Exposure is a show you're going to want to see in person.



(ps: Like the Spice will be closed on Thursday, December 31st, but we'll be open again on Saturday, January 2nd. 2010, here we come!)

More-Than-Decent Exposure

Fabulous exposure? Amazing exposure? We're still working out the adjectives, but we aren't going to let that stop us. Friday, December 18th sees the opening night of Exposure: Michelle Hinebrook and Nicki Stager.



These two brilliant young artists are both perfectly matched, which is why we had to put them together. Their unique pieces shape light and color, starting from a near-similar point, but winding up far, far away, yet still equally beautiful. You can read the full press release for all the details. Just know that the quick version is: we're so pleased to have them with us!

As many will remember, our old friend Nicki Stager has been here before, with her wildly successful solo show Synaesthesia. She'll be returning with her extremely popular cubes, all new pieces including some in an unprecedentedly large size. Our newer friend Michelle Hinebrook has been successful on our many art fair trips, and this is her first Like the Spice solo show. Her work has a sort of elusive geometry to it, some pieces reflect like a cut diamond, while others catch the eye like a fish in a net. We could not be more excited to host these two talented women in our gallery.

Be sure to come to our opening night party on Friday, December 18th starting at 6:00pm. And it's never to late to get in that RSVP for our Artist's Dinner, coming January 15th. Both Nicki and Michelle are teachers, so we're expecting to learn an awful lot!

"It Takes A Lot Of Work To Be This Cheap!"

Of course, that's a quote from the wonderful Dolly Parton, but after this weekend at the Affordable Art Fair, we found we could understand her exactly. The AAF is designed to present art that's high in value but low in price, so we've taken some of our most valuable artists along for the ride. We're pretty proud of our little corner of the show. Just take a look!







Don't we have a lovely booth? You just know you've got to stop in and see it in person. Long time LtS groupies will have already noticed that we're showing some fresh new work from the incredible Jenny Morgan. We've also got two brand new watercolors from Reuben Negron that are just amazing. Consider it a preview of his upcoming show, Dirty Dirty Love, which opens May 22nd. Reuben's hot stuff and he's gonna get attention, so you should sign up for his dinner right now. You won't want to miss it, we're certain.



Our team of Lovely Assistants are on hand and waiting for you! We've even put up a few Sunday surprises that aren't reflected in these photo. The AAF is open until 5pm on Sunday night, and we're in booth E-103. Wouldn't it be a nice way to spend Mother's Day?

LTS and Dylan Peet skip over a Bridge into Miami beach!

This year, we are also privileged to be joining Dylan Peet in a co-curation at Bridge Miami. Bridge leads the way for contemporary art fairs worldwide, and South Beach will be filled with art from more than 80 galleries. Come find us in the Catalina Hotel: Room #209.

Like the Spice’s enormous success at last year’s Fountain Miami left us so excited to return to Florida. We’ll be taking the state by storm with an awesome arsenal of new work by up-and-coming artists.

Also as you might know from previous posts!

Like the Spice is thrilled to announce our participation in December’s SCOPE Miami. SCOPE, Miami’s original emerging art fair, is in its seventh year. Its reputation for adventurous alternative art and a museum-quality program of tours, lectures, and special events has made it one of the most respected art fairs currently in operation. LTS will be at booth 473 in the brand new SCOPE Pavilion, located in the famous Wynwood Art District, alongside 84 other exhibitors from 28 different countries.

Here are all the artists we are Bringing with us for the festivities!




Rachel Beach's multifaceted wood veneer and oil paint constructions are derived from details of art, architecture and design history. Her works have been described as " tough, precise and disciplined with a hard edged cheeriness" and "steeped in a pleasant pluralism, bound by a shared material intelligence".

Liz Brown’s subjects are intended to be amusingly romantic, assembled from the ideal world that is delivered by traditional media. Her goal is a work that exists as itself, rather than a revelation of the thoughts other process of the artist.

Jason Bryant's unique approach to popular culture shows in his lavishly detailed, pristinely finished drawings and canvasses, reinvesting their stars with a bit of privacy, a bit of agency.

Anna Druzcz built her current visual methodology using a combination of photographic and digital techniques. Her most recent series features digitally composed photographic landscapes cobbled together from organic and synthetic sources.

Allison Edge works primarily in oil on canvas and watercolor on paper. Her work captures recurring themes of youth worship and idealized beauty, and are influenced by fashion advertising, boyfriends/friends, Pre-Raphaelites and growing up in the 80’s.

Dean Goelz’s sculptures and drawings depict the slightly odd ways we interact with each other and our environment, and the tenuous grip society and culture have on our gentle animal natures. Using a kind of reverse anthropomorphism, the characters depicted in his work evoke protective instincts usually reserved for cute animals and babies.

Abby Goodman combines animal imagery and manufactured products , creating a visual metaphor for the nameless longing for ideal balance between man and nature. Inspired by her own personal experiences, Goodman’s creatures become characters in a fantasy world that parallels the reality of her daily life.

Eric LoPresti paints from photographs using oils, sometimes with an airbrushed acrylic background. His imagery alludes to hidden forces, the world that exists beside us, and beyond our control.

Jenny Morgan’s physiological portraiture manipulates the figure to expose an individual's idiosyncrasies. Working with people from her own life as subject matter allows Morgan to hone in on specifics of their character and present their personalities as she experiences them.

Ross Racine’s digital prints are drawn completely freehand, on the computer. Joined together the pieces reveal familiar opposites of handmade and digital, organic and mechanical, subjective and technological, physical and virtual.

Michelle Hinebrook: More info coming!