Los Angeles, CA - Arts organization Create:Fixate is partnering with HD Buttercup to present “Deluxe,” a fundraiser for the arts, based on its acclaimed "Optical Lounge and Audio Lab" events on Saturday, May 21, 2005. This special Create:Fixate event will take place at the new HD Buttercup store within the landmark Helms Bakery Building in Culver City. The Helms Bakery Building, which straddles Culver City and Los Angeles, is located at 8723-8739 Washington Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90034 (at Helms, west of La Cienega). The show will take over the giant exposition space and a main thruway both dedicated to visual and multi-media art and two sound systems pumping musical pleasure. The evening begins with a free preview of the exhibit from 4:00pm - 7:00p and then the official event runs from 7:00pm - 2:00am. Admission is $12.00; $10.00 before 9:00pm. Profits from this event will benefit Create:Fixate’s non-profit programs. For more information please visit www.createfixate.com.

Attendees, of Create:Fixate’s 20th event since late 2001, are invited into HD Buttercup’s new store to explore the entire 100,000 square foot, award-winning, home fashion world (www.hdbuttercup.com). Many vendors will be open extra late for Create:Fixate's "Deluxe" crowd. HD Buttercup is a Manutailer, TM Furniture Mart which links shoppers directly to the world’s best home fashion manufacturers under one roof. Create:Fixate is proud to announce their partnership with HD Buttercup helping to make the “Deluxe” event possible.

The May 21st event will feature 25 visual artists including Andy Moses, on loan to Create:Fixate for this special event by the acclaimed Patricia Faure Gallery. Moses will show his shimmering paintings, which send the viewer to a glistening natural world of seeming skies, oceans and distant lands. Celebrated photographer Robert Yager, known for his masterful gang photographs, is on short leave from his Latin American travels to present photographs, which are at once serene and compelling as he captures humanity in each moment. Elizabeth Lopez expresses paint as philosophy. Her paintings display the tension between iconography and technology, reverence and reality, which inhabit compelling beacons of light. Paintbombs, which is a collaboration between painter Parris Patton and photographer Dean Groover, throws paint in the eye of all conventional painting forms. And Kenny Harris handles his paint and subject with the virtuosity reminiscent of the Italian renaissance painters. Then there's the spontaneous creative energy generated by our artists painting live: Jason Macaya, Astrid Chevallier and Chase (614).

Create:Fixate is known for presenting a rich array of musical genres under one roof. On the early side, “Deluxe” will feature Trace Element who combines a Theremain, a Djembe (a traditional African drum), and more, to take the listener on an emotional journey of ear tickling textures, angular electronic rhythms, and cinematic harmonies. Somnambulist is a sound design live experience incorporating music/sound/noise with live violin performance and spoken word. Somnambulist features the husband and wife team of Gideon and Janice Markham. Mrs. Markham is an artist, writer, actor, dancer and violinist having appeared in films, off-Broadway, music videos (one for David Bowie), and television. Always infinitely combining equal elements of mind and machine, Producer/Artist/DJ Kenneth Graham's sound is both clinical and funky. He’ll be showcasing tracks from his highly anticipated new album Measure of Goodwill. Audiomoe (aka Moses Truzman) combines his passion for music and expression to create something truly unique. Expect the New York-born ‘Moe to spin styles ranging from rock, Latin and hip hop. Rounding off the musical side of the night will be our resident DJs: Liza Richardson , AquaVee and Wiseacre, who will be joined by Saru, Alfonso, DJ 1-Luv, and a live performance by Rhythm Nathan. Expect a full spectrum of musical delights that can only compliment the multi-faceted visuals of Create:Fixate.

As an additional element, our sponsor, the keshot corporation, will generously supply two keshot photo booths for the evening. The keshot is a kiosk that instantly records videos and pictures of the user, and allows the user to send the images via email instantly to any email address worldwide.

Create:Fixate is proud to announce M·A·C Cosmetics as their newest sponsor. M·A·C (Make-up Art Cosmetics) is one of the leading brands of professional cosmetics. The company's popularity has grown through a tradition of word-of-mouth endorsement from makeup artists, models, photographers and journalists around the world. M·A·C is now sold in over 46 countries worldwide. For a M·A·C location visit www.maccosmetics.com.

Create:Fixate is also sponsored by Matteo, the creator of simple sheets from the most luxurious textiles in the world. Matteo’s newest contemporary line, Teo are inspired by nature - clean and simple in their design - with a neutral color palette. Teo can be found in Matteo’s new west coast flagship store housed within the HD Buttercup store in Culver City.

The Create:Fixate organization has also partnered with PHFE Management Solutions (PHFE) to provide a comprehensive administrative and fiscal structure during this period of early growth. PHFE Management Solutions, also known as Public Health Foundation Enterprises, is a 36-year-old 501( c ) 3 nonprofit organization providing back office support and management services to nonprofit programs. Create:Fixate and its non-profit division are growing quickly. This fundraising event will help provide Los Angeles with a vital outlet for expression and an ongoing opportunity to know and discover emerging art in Los Angeles. Create:Fixate’s future plans include leasing a permanent space for shows, having permanent offices, classes and lectures as well as establishing a permanent presence in the Los Angeles community. Create:Fixate will also grow their mentoring programs, artist porthole, outreach to arts programs in schools and publish original materials, to name a few.

Create:Fixate is an organization dedicated to showcasing the work of emerging and mid-career artists in a unique environment. Founder, Michelle Berc, curates, produces and hosts these stunning group art shows, which present artisans from around the globe with an emphasis on the local talent of Los Angeles. Artist, Andrea LaHue, is co-curating, co-producing and co-hosting this “Deluxe” event with Berc. LaHue has been involved with Create:Fixate in some capacity for the past two years and serves on the board helping steer the marketing and sponsorship programs. Awe-inspiring painters, photographers, sculptors, and multi-media artists exhibit alongside an equally impressive array of Los Angeles' finest DJs and musicians. Each event's audio artists are poised to create a soundtrack for the night that transforms this from a simple 'art show' into the city's most anticipated Art Event. Below you will find short bios on the talent being showcased at Create:Fixate’s “Deluxe" event on Saturday, May 21, 2005. Visual Artists Include:

Andy Moses
Andy Moses grew up in LA and studied painting at CalArts from 1979-1982. In 1982 he moved to New York City to continue his painting. In 2000 he moved back to LA and currently lives and works in Venice. Moses’ most recent body of work, although suggestive of oceans, deserts and skies, remains elusive, hovering just beyond the grasp of absolute identification. Their range and fusion of color stimulates the senses while playing with our perceptions of light, space and horizon. He has shown extensively in New York and LA as well as Rome, Toronto, East Hampton, San Francisco and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Patricia Faure Gallery in Los Angeles currently represents him.

Wess Dahlberg
Wess Dahlberg is a diehard romantic who still believes in the power of art to elucidate some of the existential quandaries of our lives. He is, however, by no means naïve: he painstakingly explores the sublime of aesthetics through the physical sensuality of paint. In other words, painting is philosophy made tangible. Dahlberg works and lives in Los Angeles. He holds a very heavy M.F.A. from U.C. Berkeley and has shown with famed dealers Bennett Roberts, Douglas Chrismas and Eugenio Lopez.

Lyuben Dimitrov
Lyuben Dimitrov is a Bulgarian artist who studied from 1986 to 1991 at the National School of Fine Arts in Sofia, Bulgaria. He received a certificate as a Specialist in Arts, majoring in Pictorial Art and Illustration. He earned his BFA degree in 1996 and his MFA Degree in 1998 in Animated Film and Directing from the National Academy of Film and Theatre Art, Sofia. Since then he has painted, illustrated, created and directed his own animation shorts. Dimitrov has worked in Bulgaria and Prague as an animator, director and character designer for Pillion Film, ZDF, RTV, Germany, MTV, Discovery channel, and King Rollo-London.

Eric Tucker
Eric Tucker’s love for photography is the possibility of story-telling through imagery. Whether he’s shooting a conceptual illustration for an editorial, or a portrait for a national ad campaign, his desire these past 12 years, has been to communicate a story with each project. A dropout of Art Center and at the age of 37, Tucker finds himself happily stuck with one foot in Venice and the other in Manhattan. Tucker is also a very proud father of his six-year-old daughter Zoe.

Mike Russek
Mike Russek received his Masters in Sculpture from The Maryland Institute College of Art shortly before coming out to Los Angeles in the fall of 2003. Since his arrival he has been part of the downtown art scene. First starting Transport Gallery, which has already established itself as one of downtown’s most cutting edge underground galleries, to throwing the two-day art and music festival "6 Degrees" which combined the talents of such art groups as Cannibal Flower, Create:Fixate, The Lab 101 Gallery, and his Transport Gallery. Russek continues to live in his studio downtown making sculpture and running the gallery.

Patsy Cox
Patsy Cox was born in 1973 in Ubon, Ratchatani, Thailand. She received her BFA in Graphic Design and Ceramics from Southwest Missouri State University and her MFA in Ceramics and Sculpture from the University of Delaware. Her work focuses on taking ceramic forms into sculptural realms through form, concept and installation. Her forms are derived from the natural world and allude to mutations and cross-fertilization in metaphors of culture and community. She is currently an Assistant Professor of art at California State University, Northridge, and maintains a productive studio space in Los Angeles. These pieces titled “Parodia Bloom I-VI” are drawn from natural forms. They allude to a hybridized culture or community in the sense that all colors are possible from the primaries yellow, blue and red.

Steven Janssen
Los Angeles based artist, Steven Janssen, dives into a sensual world full of colorful, swirling botanicals combined with soft erotic undertones of the human form. He explores the divine and sublime qualities of these humanistic, organic elements of nature. Janssen infuses his new paintings with an abstract yet sensual heat. His objective as an artist is to create as many possibilities of interpretation as he can. His recent series of works, “LUSH” revel in creating a world where both the eye and the body feel caressed by color and form, making for a seductive, subtly erotic experience no matter what the viewer’s sexual orientation. Inspiration is drawn from everyday life, what people overlook, the sky, the trees, bodies of water, and most of all, color.

Siuan McGahan
Siuan McGahan was born in Dublin Ireland and moved to Los Angeles as a teenager. Trained formally as a mathematician, her work is informed by the beauty of the mathematical world. She uses painting as an alternative visual language to the strictly formal symbols of mathematical notation. Mathematics can be defined as the science of patterns: patterns that appear in our physical, biological and sociological world as well as patterns that resonate from our minds and thoughts. Her work begins with these patterns - real and imagined, static and dynamic, inorganic, and organic - to create a lush visual exploration of integrated impressions.

Andrea LaHue
As an artist, Andrea LaHue’s goal is to paint our time with virtuosity. Inspired by the day to day, she is constantly involved with creation in differing mediums and the rendering of a variety of subjects. Skillfully engaging the paint in a form of channeling, which allows subjects, emotions and meaning to inhabit the images as she creates them. She thereby captures the moments and dimensions of our lives, allowing those who behold her work to come that much closer to the essence in their search for life's unifying equation.

Gulbin F. Yavuz
Gulbin F. Yavuz thinks of herself as an "imagesmith" forever trying to capture/paint that extraordinary moment/image which is modern, now, new and intense but not necessarily beautiful in any conventional way.

Elizabeth Lopez
Elizabeth Lopez was born in San Antonio, TX in 1972, and educated at the San Francisco Art Institute where she received her B.F.A. in 2000. Influenced by her early environment, the work of Lopez touches on issues relating to iconography, technology, and the struggle between reverent ideals and modern life. She currently lives in Los Angeles where she works and plays.

Linka A. Odom
Linka A. Odom is a photographer, traveler & escapist. Her images combine a fascination with the transcendent nature of reality and the classic elements of photography. She just returned from two weeks in China photographing the neon lights of capitalism’s boom. She is currently living and working in Los Angeles. Odom earned a B.F.A. in Photography from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts in 1997. Her recognitions and achievements include: APA LA ‘05‚ Personal Ads Juried Exhibition; Women in Photography Int‚l the Decisive Moments Gallery ‘05‚; Smithsonian Magazine Top Prize Arts Category ‘04‚; The Santa Fe Workshops Annual Competition, First Place ‘01‚; Nymphoto Member, a collective of Women Photographers.

Paintbombs
"Paintbombs" is a collaborative effort between artist Parris Patton and photographer Dean Groover. The original process combines painting, performance and photography to arrive at high impact, colorful photographs of paint-drenched models. The latest series was created during live performances for the Downtown LA and Brewery Art Walks. For the May Create:Fixate show Parris Patton has constructed the “Tree” installation, the first Paintbombs “environment” in an effort to include sculpture and installation into the project's repertoire. www.art4miles.com

R.S. Yeager
R.S. Yeager is a photographer of sorts. Sometimes a camera is used and other times not, though usually film is involved if only to destroy it. The pictures tend to record organic forms and patterns but there is no master plan, only a temporary feeling that everything will work out just fine. Yeager lives and works in Venice, California.

Petra Westen
Petra Westen is most certainly a multi-faceted artist. Born in Italy, her abstract mixed-media series are an on-going exploration of new materials. From wafers, and cookies, to panty hoses, letraset and resin, her ever-renewing manipulation of mediums is constantly challenging perception as it yearns to escape from a defined "painterly" identity. Along with painting she is a sultry singer-songwriter.

Christoff Koon
When conceptualist sculptor Christoff Koon finished carving stone at a 400-year old Italian tomb stone atelier in Pietrasanta, Italy. He said, “I saw an old man wearing a T- shirt that said Las Vegas any thing goes.” That’s when he packed it all up and went for it. After four years of working in every thing but marble or bronze he found foam and a new technology in the use of auto cad to create his art in a complete hands free process.

Robert Yager
Robert Yager is an award winning LA-based photographer from London. He regularly shoots for the New York Times Magazine and British magazines such as The Observer and The Independent. He has been documenting gangs in LA over the last 13 years. The images he is showing are a selection of his work in Latin America.

CTRL
CTRL is a media art collective interested in creating site-specific interactive installations. Members have shown work in the US, Finland, Italy, Japan, Austria, and Germany.

Jbrother
Jbrother, a southern California native has spent most of his waking years following the surf, both here and in Hawaii. When not out riding on them himself, Jbrother has been documenting the waves and those who ride them. Inspired by the lack of quality surf flicks out there, he has focused his cameras over the last decade to record all things "surf" and those surrounding it. Accredited with being a leader in the "movement back to 'surfing-as-art-film,’ he forged a unique and soulfully influential style and produced two of the smoothest surf movies around, a drift© and LONGER. <www.jbrother.com>

Ron Reihel
Ron Reihel was born in the California desert and raised in the Florida Keys. His visual experiences influence his work as it examines the depth and gravity of light. Provoking an unorthodox spirit, Reihel’s sculptures continuously dance between absorption and reflection and are engendered with a sense of internal power. These pieces are modern magical aspects of the natural world underlining the very essence of how color shapes our perception and elicits emotional response. Reihel studied at Otis Parsons and has shown with many distinguished galleries such as Ace and Cartel.

Kenny Harris
Venice painter Kenny Harris continues his painterly explorations of light and space. He combines his classical training with the energetic, gestural use of line and color from the latter half of the 20th century. His oils walk the line between calm, naturalistic light studies and boldly defined color fields, with brilliant light and reflections. They define a place and a mood, but with spontaneity and naïveté. He received his art training in the US and Italy. After living and painting in San Francisco, he moved to New York, where he studied under Frank Mason at Art Students' League. From 1998 through 2001 he participated in "underground" studio shows in San Francisco, New York and Venice, CA, as well as the Venice Art Walks of 2002 and 2004. He currently shows at Terrence Rogers in Santa Monica and Gallery C in Hermosa Beach.

Trace Palmer
After winning a green card in the lottery, Trace Palmer immigrated to the United States in 1996 from Belfast, Ireland. While living in Eugene, Oregon, she became inspired by the art of glass blowing. Palmer began experimenting with the glass medium creating her own self-taught style and founded her own jewelry line called KarmaKulture. Her original glass jewels are combined with designed necklaces crafted with materials such as suede, leather, sterling silver, and semi-precious beads. Her designer line also includes enchanting rings and earrings. Palmer's unique contemporary glass jewels are her interpretation of traditional Celtic mysticism. Her designs are featured in The Functional Art Gallery at Bergamot Station and at Fred Segal in Santa Monica, and are worn by Sharon Stone in "Cold Creek Manor" and Lisa Kudrow in "Friends." Liza Minnelli, Hilary Duff and Farah Fawcett own glass pieces by Palmer as well.Musicians & DJs:

Live Performances-

Somnambulist
Somnambulist is a sound design experience incorporating pre-recorded tracks of music/sound/noise with live violin performance and spoken word. somnambulist features Gideon Markham on computer, bass and vocals. He brings to the table his passion for the electronic and digital as well as his experience in lighting a stage to create dramatic chiaroscuro. Gideon's partner in artistic crimes is his wife, artist/writer/actor and violinist, Janice Markham. She hopes to use this project to bridge together her interest in white noise, baroque music, pop art and Nietzschian Philosophy. Somnambulist had their debut performance at MONA (Museum of Neon Art) in 2000 and they have had numerous sold out performances in their home studio for neighborhood pets in their hometown of Eagle Rock, CA.

Trace Element
An emotional journey of ear tickling textures, angular electronic rhythms, and cinematic harmonies, Trace Element is an electro-cinematic performance of live instrumentation and intricate rhythms and melodies. Henry Strange, Element’s mastermind performs live with a Theremin, Djembe (traditional African drum), mangles computer generated beats, and scratches a bizarre array of sounds. A veteran electronic music producer and film composer, Strange has worked on a remix of Michael Jackson' s "One More Chance" that went gold, on films such as Wes Craven's Cursed, and has performed his electronic madness at venues of all types throughout the west coast and in Florida. Learn more about the legend of Henry Strange and the Trace Element project at www.henrystrange.com.

Rhythm Nathan
Rhythm Nathan is a three-piece live break-beat ensemble whose reputation and following in LA's loft scene is growing every weekend! Featuring preeminent studio drummer John Wicks, Rhythm Nathan exemplifies the ability to reverse engineer dance music into a new form and sound. Wicks' virtuoso drumming - a sight to be seen - is quickly propelling him into the national spotlight. He has recently collaborated and recorded with many prominent artists including, Skerik (Ropeadope/Atlantic Records), Heather Porcaro, Soccermom, and many more. With D.C. Cooper's (Heather Porcaro, Sensation Junkies) subsonic, modulating bass lines and Joel Bowers' (Greasy Beats, Fred Wesley, Melvin Sparks, Leon Spencer) melodic tenor sax through effects, Rhythm Nathan pushes the boundaries of electro-improv.

DJs-

Kenneth Graham
Always infinitely combining equal elements of mind and machine, Kenneth Graham's sound is both clinical and funky. It's no surprise that since his introduction to electronic music in 1984, Graham has gone on to become one of the most influential dance music producers, and was named "Next 100" for 2000 in URB Magazine. But Graham's music exceeds the limitations of restrictive titles; it is simply good music. He has produced and remixed for such labels as Ovum, Stickman, and Eukahouse just to name a few. His music has also been licensed to various mixed CDs including Peace Division & G-Pal. Graham is primarily driven by a desire to create timeless moments and the diversity of his sound is simply a reflection of that same desire. Booked from Chili to Switzerland, his live performances are always a treat. This producer's talent inspires spontaneous creative activity and intense body movement, so beware. Pre-release copies of his new CD Measures of Goodwill will be available at Create:Fixate's “Deluxe” on May 21st.

AudioMoe
Whether it's producing original music and remixes or killing it live behind the decks, Audiomoe (aka Moses Truzman) combines his passion for music and expression to create something truly unique. Born in New York, he was influenced by many styles of music ranging from rock, Latin and hip hop. According to him, “Music has no labels, it's all just soul music to me." And with that mind set he creates music that crosses genres and styles but still hits you in the same place. He is currently working with LA-based MC Voxx on a new album.

Liza Richardson
Liza Richardson has been a DJ at 89.9 KCRW in Santa Monica since 1991, currently hosting "The Drop", an eclectic mix of house, urban music, rock and underground beats, on Saturday nights from 9:00pm - midnight. Her commercial music supervision credits include the recent Apple iPod Silhouettes campaign, Mini-Cooper and Motorola. Richardson was nominated for a Grammy for Best Soundtrack Compilation for her work on Y Tu Mama Tambien. She is currently music supervising five films including Curious George and Lords of Dogtown.

AquaVee
Andrea Giardina aka DJ AquaVee has been DJing since 1992. After inspirations by such LA clubs at Flammable Liquid and Sunday Love, her passion for house music grew ever stronger. She started her electronic vinyl journey in Los Angeles and made her way down to San Diego, up to San Francisco and all the way to Argentina. After college in San Francisco and travels around the world, she finally settled back into Los Angeles where she has been DJing ever since. From October 1999 until 2003 she was a buyer at Beat Non Stop Records on Melrose in Hollywood. Her first 4-track EP, including "Swan Match", was signed to Beatnonstop Records and licensed to the compilation, "Girls in Space." Nowadays you can hear her spinning what some might call "Deep Tech," a combination of house and techno. AquaVee is also a resident DJ and Music Coordinator for Createfixate.

DJ 1-LUV
Darryl Jones' (1-LUV) story starts back in the days when his mom & uncle opened up a record shop in Compton. He would spend most of his days soaking up knowledge from all genres of music, and when he wasn't there, he was at his uncle's crib riffling through a record collection that took up two rooms and a couple of closets. This collection (which was left to him) contains all the rare gems that inspired him to become a music collector as well a music selector. DJ 1-LUV's past residencies included: Boardners (Bounce Rock Skate), Club Status (EL Cid), and Project Blowed (Leimert Park). Currently, you can find him spinning weekly at the House Lounge in Vernon and also at the Standard Hotel (Downtown). Darryl is an Urban Planning student and Grant writer by profession.

Wiseacre
The art of mixing, matching and selecting soulful beats is something very new to Wiseacre; and after two years he finds himself completely addicted and happily distracted. In the past year, Wiseacre has orchestrated a monthly happening called "Soul Brunch" which pulls it's inspiration from the Body + Soul parties of New York. Currently he is working on producing his first mixes in the genres of house, dub and world/down tempo; and soon hopes to have a weekly venue to share all of these eclectic tracks. Stay tuned.

Saru
Saru (Shadow Records, Bastard Jazz), Los Angeles Producer/DJ/Volunteer Monkey Ranger spends one month each year trekking through the mountains of Nepal searching for rare herbs. Are they in-between a baboon’s brow, under a long forgotten trading card, or possibly in the folds of a sequined prayer robe? Who knows? He seeks these rare and mystical plants for a magic elixir that will one day wash away the woes of the world. Someday he'll find the elusive ingredients. In the meantime he settles for twisting vinyl discs into eighty-minute mandalas and brewing his own special tinctures of throat-soothing beats.

Alfonso
Alfonso began DJing at various events during his college years in the mid-90s. While he interned at The Beastie Boys' Grand Royal record label, he was frequently given fresh pressed tracks on vinyl. Naturally, Alfonso was inspired to get more serious about his art. He upgraded his DJ setup and spent concentrated time behind the decks. His discovery of downtempo emerged in 1997 upon purchasing a record from a then unknown DJ/production duo from Washington, D.C. known as Thievery Corporation. "Thievery's music was like Downtempo 101." The album pretty much defined what became Alfonso's musical element: dub-influenced jazzy downtempo. In the summer of 2003, he co-founded Recline Sounds with his DJ partner Jubal, a Create:Fixate regular contributor. Recline Sound's goal is to host events where music, people, and other essential elements can be brought together to create positive vibes and wholesome good times. More information is available at www.ReclineSounds.com.

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For more information, photos, or to interview Michelle Berc please contact Lynn Hasty at Green Galactic at 323-466-5141 or lynn@greengalactic.com.