Santa Monica resident Blase Dillingham opened Destroy Rebuild Repeat Gallery in 2012. Raised in Santa Monica and Malibu, the artist and new gallery owner returned to his roots to expose the street art scene to his local community.
“I believe Santa Monica needed a new nontraditional gallery,” said Dillingham. “We’re working with a new model…pop up shows lasting one night… usually one a month.”
This young gallerist said he understands the plight of artists.
“I want to see artists do well because I know how hard they are working,” he said. “I want to offer a place where talented artists can show their work in a gallery setting whether they have a following or not.”
Curator Chris Cane has organized an eclectic group show.
“Dillon is an artist that we are very excited to have in the show,” Cane said. “He has created some striking images that have been seen all over the city lately, and he has a style all his own. We’re bringing together an amazing group of talented artists.”
Dillingham chimed in.
“Some are traditional street and graffiti artists who are showing in galleries, and others are gallery artists, wanting to merge with the street art movement,” he said. “Canvas Streets is a melding of the two worlds.”
Dillingham continued, “Annie Preece has a rad story and it comes through in her art.”
“Gregory Siff is also making a big name for himself right now, exhibiting work that is both abstract and visceral. Brooke Harker’s art is striking. It has an organized chaos to it that is very beautiful… especially her street and urban scenes.”
Contemporary artist Brooke Harker paints in an outdoor studio that affords her the opportunity to interact with locals.
Harker is currently working on her “Cityscapes” series which features urban scenery.
Harker is a big supporter of the arts and often purchases the work of other artists.
“Recently, I drove across town to see the work of Karen Woods at the George Billis Gallery on the last day of her showing,” Harker said. “She painted a series of street scenes through the view of her windshield in the rain. I almost cried at how deeply one of the paintings touched me. I stood there praying that I could one day have her painting.”
Harker admitted to looking forward to the event.
“I am very curious about the way other artists’ minds work, how they see themselves, what they think when they wake up in the morning and as they go through the process of making art,” Harker said. “Showing with different artists gives me the opportunity to meet these people that I am so curious about. I am excited to learn more about the street art movement.”
“Canvas Streets” will be open for one night, Saturday, April 27 from 6-10 pm at Destroy Rebuild Repeat Gallery, also known as DRR Gallery, located at 1515 4th Avenue, Santa Monica.
For more information, visit destroyrebuildrepeat.com.
