"Beard Buddies" by Tripper Dungan
If you happen to be in Santa Monica this Saturday, we highly recommend making a stop after dinner at the Daniel Rolnik Gallery, where Portland artists – and fellow bearded folk – Tripper Dungan and Bwana Spoons will be having a psychedelic 2-person art show. Daniel Rolnik, the founder of his namesake gallery, promises the entire gallery will be turned into a cabin filled with rainbows and magic. 3D glasses will be provided so you get the full trip.
The show, entitled Pacific & Northwest after Dungan and Spoons’ shared hometown of Portland, will take place from 7 PM to 11 PM (full details at the end of this post). Zeus will be in attendance, so be sure to look out for our black shirts!
We caught up with Rolnik to talk colorful, non-stuffy art and the joys of bearded life. Enjoy, and hope to see you at the show!
Daniel Rolnik
1. What gave you the idea for the Pacific & Northwest show?
My favorite thing is driving to a new city and exploring its art scene. See, a common misconception is that there’s only one art world: that big, mucky-mucky white-walled, yucky pretentious museum world where you have to be all educated and stuff to understand anything, when in fact it’s actually an art galaxy out there.
And for whatever reason, I happen to be drawn to art done by the outliers - the rebels and outsiders that don’t fit into a genre or style. So I bring them to my little clubhouse to share their work with as many people as I possibly can. On top of being outliers, Bwana Spoons and Tripper Dungan’s artworks hit the pocket of my other favorite things - adventure, colorful characters, and a sense of humor.
I was a fan and collector of their art and felt a similar spiritual charge vibrating from their paintings whenever I looked at them. My intuition told me they must live nearby each other and it was by happenstance that I found out they lived in the same city, albeit on the opposite side of town from each other. That was it! I had to a do a show with them because it’s actually the spirit of Portland, OR coming to Los Angeles, CA. The original title was “The Pacific Northwest” but then Bwana told me that Portlanders call it “Pacific & Northwest” so we went with that.
2. Tell me about the artistic styles of each artist. And how do their styles tie together into one show?
I think that at one point or another we all want to escape to some far-off shore somewhere and just be left alone in our own private world, and the art of Bwana Spoons and Tripper Dungan lets you do that. They give you the landscapes for you to walk around in and the characters for you to hang out with and observe while you’re there.
Artist Bwana Spoons (far right)
Artwork by Bwana Spoons
3. All of you guys are bearded! Why do you beard?
I beard because I'm naturally hairy and it's my way to embrace and feel comfortable in my own skin. I just don't feel like myself without a beard. My brother Ben also has a wild beard that he hasn't cut in over 4 years, so it's pretty epic. But the biggest influence to me having a beard was probably that my last 3 long-term girlfriends all preferred me having one, haha!
4. Any more details about the show you'd like readers to know?
At the opening reception for "Pacific & Northwest" at Daniel Rolnik Gallery on July 18th, I'll be giving 3D glasses to everyone so they can trip out and feel nauseous while they look at art. Also, Bwana Spoons and Tripper Dungan will be in attendance, which is a rare opportunity to meet them in Southern California.
Pacific & Northwest Show
ADDRESS: 1431 Ocean Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90401
TIME: Saturday, July 18th from 7 PM – 11 PM
PARKING: Free parking is available in the public lots on 2nd street at Santa Monica Blvd.
DETAILS: 3D Glasses will be provided to all attendees.
Don't miss this unique experience to meet both Bwana and Tripper at the opening reception, since they will be in town from Portland, Oregon.
For more information, visit http://www.danielrolnikgallery.com/.
