Eric LoPresti, plutonium, mac n' cheese, oh my?!

Well, I am still full from last night's amazing "Different Cuisine," dinner (the artist dinner for Eric LoPresti's current show "Different Country"). Eric did a fantastic job discussing this new body of work and just how much where he came from factors in.

Growing up in the desert steppe of eastern Washington state near the Hanford plutonium production site seemed completely normal in his early years; his parents, as well as all of his friends' parents, worked at the famed Hanford sites developing many notable technological achievements during a period where Nuclear technology was growing rapidly. As a young boy playing in the school yard Eric never really thought about how notorious that region was; established in 1943 as part of the Manhattan Project, the Hanford site was home to the B Reactor, the first full-scale plutonium production reactor in the world. Plutonium manufactured at the site was used in the first nuclear bomb tested at the Trinity site, and in Fat Man, the bomb detonated over Nagasaki, Japan.


Above is a photograph taken in 1960 of the Hanford site; the historic B Reactor, the world's first plutonium production reactor, is visible in the distance. It wasn't until later that Eric became interested in this world history that happened to be so closely tied to his own family history. He started reading and researching everything about the area and as well as the Cold War, fascinated by the dichotomy posed by the atom bomb and how it was the "ultimate success of theoretical science" but also its "ultimate moral failure."


Growing up in this shadow, surrounded by the aftermath of that era and remembering how is dad and his friends' dads did work they were not allowed to talk about speaks to what he refers to as a "dark center." Still fascinated by this dark center LoPresti created his new landscape paintings to reflect it; maintaining his established focus on the physical and psychological aftermath of the Cold War, the physical pock marks of nuclear testing, and subsequent environmental clean-up campaigns (today, Hanford is still the most contaminated nuclear site in the country). Cool, right? I love impromptu history lessons! Now that we have the historical and geographical background for Eric's dinner, let's talk about the food...


Famed Williamsburg soul-food mecca, Pies and Thighs, did an amazing job catering for us. I never thought a kale salad could win me over (I LOVE MEAT) but it did! We also had a delicious black-eyed pea salad that was just the right amount of spice and sweet (fresh jalapenos and chopped sweet pickles do the trick). We then had entree plates piled with Pies and Thighs' signature fried chicken (so good that even Martha Stewart needed to get a piece), smoked beef brisket with homemade bbq sauce, and black pepper and cheddar macaroni and cheese. Needless to say, it was all irresistible. For those of you who could not join us I would definitely recommend making a trip and tasting the food for yourself (plus, Like the Spice is in walking distance and you could come see us too!) Eric's show is open until May 8th so get to planning your Pies and Thighs/Like the Spice adventure!


A huge thank you to all who were able to join us, and to the rest of you I hope you will join us for Jenny Morgan's dinner for One and the Many in June!

Isn't it swell to be different?

Another second Friday gone and another successful opening achieved, and we barely even broke a sweat! Eric LoPresti's newest body of work, "Different Country," transforms the gallery into a sort of battle-zone where hazy aerial views of once decimated nuclear test sites and environmental clean up facilities collide with dark solid vectors that appear to target specific points on the canvas. I love the softer color gradients of the oil landscapes themselves juxtaposed with the sharp and probing vectors. The viewers' attention is immediately drawn to the mountains and crags and yet at the same time the gaze is redirected to follow and map out the targets and line-scapes overlaid in india ink. I almost feel like a military strategist tracing paths and drawing diagrams for possible maneuvers. Sigh, but I digress...What I mean to be focusing on is the opening itself (the works of course you will just have to come to Like the Spice and see for yourself)!
In spite of the foggy haze and the damp side walks people from all over attended the opening reception of "Different Country"; we had members of Eric's family, droves of his friends, and then all of those wonderful visitors and passerby-ers who either planned to come or just happened to see some bright lights, smiling strangers, and some really beautiful art work and decided to check it out."Different Country," Eric LoPresti's third solo show here at Like the Spice, will be up through May 8th and with all of this sunshine going around there is little excuse to not come to Williamsburg and check out some of the shops, shops, fine food, and the artwork at Like the Spice!

In other exciting (and mouthwatering) news, Pies and Thighs will be catering our "Different Cuisine" dinner on Friday, April 22nd. Eric will of course be in attendance, as should you to see the show, meet the artist, and chow down on some amazing food. Our dinners are RSVP only, click here to reserve your tickets today!

It's a Different Country Out There!

Hello followers of Like the Spice!

The opening reception for Eric LoPresti's show Different Country is this Friday, the 8th of April, from 6:30pm - 9pm. We'd love for you to stop by!

Here is a video of the artist at work; check out his technique of overlaying dark, diagonal vectors in India ink over the gradient of color as he puts the finishing touches on a piece. Don't you want to see the final product?



If you missed the last video of Eric at work, laying down the first hints of color, check it out here.

We'd love to see you at the opening, and at our monthly dinner series on Friday, April 22nd. This installment will be Different Cuisine, and Eric LoPresti will be there in the flesh to speak about his work and process. RSVP now and reserve your seat to meet and discuss the pieces with the artist himself (and enjoy some delicious food and drink)!

Brunch for dinner is my new favorite thing...

Last night we were lucky enough to be a part of "Breakfast at Like the Spice," the March installation of our monthly dinner series. We were joined for dinner by a few friends of the gallery and, of course, our current exhibiting artist Jason Bryant. Surrounded by the products of his current show "Love's Labor Lost," the 14 of us dined to our hearts' content under the obscured gazes of Jason's Hollywood stars. Neilie Meyer, chef and owner of the local catering kitchen, The Starving Artist Bakery, produced a smorgusbord of delicious sage-infused biscuits with homemade apple butter, savory spinach, leek and goat cheese quiche with fresh thyme, a hearty pancetta, roasted red pepper, and fresh basil quiche with a light baby green salad topped with a roasted garlic vinaigrette and served with golden hash browns and sirracia creme fraiche.


After the main dishes (and ample mimosas), our guests were given insight to Jason's work by the artist himself. He described his painterly process, artistic influences and inspirations for this series of work. His paintings deal with social memory and consciousness and the results of the overwhelming city culture in which one lives. Originally from North Carolina, Jason discussed how New York City itself is an inspiration to him, how a walk down the block can be so over-stimulating that it is impossible to take in everything one sees. I was very impressed to learn (and I can safely say that everyone else was, as well) that the source images for Jason's paintings are all postcard size prints taken from magazines, old movies and photos. He does not use a projector to create these large-scale works but instead works from a small print and embraces the abstractions that emerge as a result. As an artist with a passion for drawing, this technique allows him to utilize more of that talent.


The intimate evening was closed with more wine and delicious chocolate-espresso-truffle brownies with fresh fruit. Everyone left full of great food and thoughts about Jason's work.
"Love's Labor Lost" will be up at Like the Spice for another week until Sunday, April 3rd, so come and check it out!!



And don't forget, Different Country, the upcoming exhibition of Eric LoPresti's work, opens on Friday, April 8th. There will be an opening reception from 6:30-9:00pm and we'd love to see you there!