TAG Gallery is currently presenting its eighth annual California Open Juried Exhibition through the end of August featuring 41 artists and 55 artworks.
A reception and awards ceremony that’s free and open to the public will be held this Saturday from 5-8 pm.
The exhibition opened Tuesday and will run through Aug. 30.
The nationwide competition recognizes excellence in a diverse range of styles and media and offers artists exposure at Bergamot Station Arts Center, Southern California’s largest art gallery complex and cultural center.
Interest in the California Open has been on the rise since TAG Gallery moved to its current location in Bergamot Station in 2009.
This year 508 artists entered the juried show and 55 artworks were selected from more than 1500 entries by Juror Edward Goldman, art critic for KCRW, the LA-affiliated National Public Radio station, and host of a weekly program called “Art Talk.”
Before immigrating to the U.S. in 1977, Goldman worked at the Hermitage Museum in Leningrad. From 1998-1999, he was the Arts and Culture Editor of “Life & Times Tonight” on KCET, the LA-based PBS television station.
Goldman has taught Russian Art History at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena and, in 2005, he taught seminar classes on art collecting at Otis College of Art and Design. He is also an art consultant and curator for corporate and private clients, among them Deloitte & Touche, Price Waterhouse Coopers and La Opinion.
Goldman contributes articles to numerous art publications, including the Huffington Post, and serves as a panelist, moderator, and speaker for various museums and arts organizations and is a member of the International Association of Art Critics.
TAG Gallery was established in 1993 as a not-for-profit corporation, owned by its members, who share in all business decisions, responsibilities, and expenses.
It is both a physical gallery and a community of approximately 40 artists.
TAG’s mission is to offer artists invaluable opportunities for promotional and creative growth. TAG offers extensive exhibition opportunities through the gallery and off-site venues, exposure to prominent members of the art community and inclusion on its website.
TAG has been a resource for launching the careers of both emerging and mid-career artists.
Events at TAG, including frequent talks by exhibiting and visiting artists, and the annual California Open Exhibition draw ever-increasing audiences, providing TAG artists with a vital and growing market for their work.
TAG Gallery is located at 2525 Michigan Ave. D3 (Bergamot Station), Santa Monica. Its hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm and Sundays from 12-4 pm.
For more information, visit www.taggallery.net.