Whether you paint or sculpt or weave or work in ink and paper, you know that getting to your first exhibit can be a bit of a winding path, with a few ups and downs and starts and stops.
But get there you shall, if stick-to-it-tive-ness has anything to say about the matter. Look to artist Burton Kopelow for inspiration in this regard, and look to his exhibit that is currently on at the LA Artcore Brewery Annex through Thursday, Feb. 27. The show, which features "(n)early 100 abstract pieces" from "his catalog of over 2,000 pieces" happens to be Mr. Kopelow's first.
It's notable for several reasons, but one is worth stating here: The artist's next birthday will be his 90th. And the works in Mr. Kopelow's first showing? They're beautiful and grand and hue-vibrant and threaded through with vigor and panache. It can be hard to believe they represent only about one twentieth of his full complement of artworks.
Mr. Kopelow is described as a self-taught artist in his exhibit's summary, and his story is one full of looking, thinking, and life experiences, all things you can see on the canvas. He was a frequenter of museums during his New York boyhood and went on to serve in the South Pacific during World War II (he was later awarded the Purple Heart).
And if any of his works or his signature style ring a bell, then you might have seen his storefront on Fairfax Avenue four decades back, when he worked and painted near Mid-City.
The show is on from Thursday to Sunday through Feb. 27. You can also follow Mr. Kopelow's Facebook page, to get updates and see what he's working on next.
