Welcome to California!
All new paintings by
Bwana Spoons and Justin "Scrappers" Morrison
Opens Sept 7th (first friday) 6-9pm
Grass Hut Gallery
811 e. Burnside
Portland, OR
To see Bwana's work go here:
http://www.grasshutcorp.com/bits/
To see Scrappers work go here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/scrappers/
Bwana Spoons and Justin "Scrappers" Morrison are coming outta the closet. The secrets out, they're from California. They've kept it a secret because they thought Oregonians might get mad and hate on them with a "Locals Only" attitude. As it turns out though, everyone's been super nice and welcoming here in Portland. So take this show as a welcome right back at you.
In their new body of work the Cali-boys explore and reflect everything rad and lame about California. That covers everything from surfing legend Moon-Doggy to gangsta rap legend Easy-E.
Using vivid colors and bold icons in their new painting, Bwana and Scrappers celebrate their first show together in Grass Hut gallery (the galley they both own and operate).
Bwana Spoons:
Growing up in California I began to think of it as it's own country. Born in Santa Ana on a dragbike, and after a momentary stint in Michigan, my folks moved me up and down the coast and the valley. We made pit stops in Trona(Death Valley)- where my dad worked at the the Kerry-McGee plant. Home to Silkwood. Then Fairfield- where I learned to skate like every other Californian. Central Valley- not the area, the town right near the Shasta Dam. Walnut Creek- where my mom thought our house was haunted, but really just felt uncomfortable because everybody was rich, Then off to the shithole Oakley- Again, not the goggle/sunglass company, just some walnut orchards, cholos, and rednecks out in the middle of suburbia. Then to mendocino- Where I realized that you didn't have to hate school, and fight, or run from fights everyday. The ocean, hippies, no fences, and no walkie talkies. And lastly, when I graduated from mendo I moved to SF. home to hills, killer art, king of slappies, and earthquakes. So... by the time i moved to portland back in '96, at first i just thought it was an extension of the country California. I love it here, and I still love california. This show is about my love for all things Cali, the good, the rad, and the ugly.
Justin "Scrappers" Morrison:
I am Californian: I have kicked Mickey Mouse in the balls, I have been to Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch, I saw the LA riots, I had my first kiss under the Hollywood sign next to Madonna's house, I listened to "Straight Outta Compton" by NWA while on spring break in Palm Springs, I smoked pot in a VW van parked in front of Jimm Morrison's house, I surfed my first wave at Sunset Cliffs in San Diego, I watched my first movie on the Walt Disney studio lot, I've seen Erik Estrada (Ponch) from Chips dressed up as Santa Clause hand out gifts at the Los Angeles Mission, I learned how to tree-sit by Earth First protesters in Humboldt county, I found a seal's tooth on Catalina Island, I made a necklace from Big Bear mountain pine cones and I have hocked a loogie off the Golden Gate bridge.
I was born in Canada on Vancouver Island, had my diapers changed in Medford Oregon, but I grew up in Los Angeles county. I grew up around gnarly bikers, greasy mechanics, Armenian gang members, Hispanic family members, crazy surfers, bleach blond pool cleaners, Hollywood butt rockers, movie studio slaves, plastic surgery junkies and uselessly over-watered palm trees.
Somehow my stoner buddies and I graduated from Burbank High School, then I studied random art, music and history at Pasadena City College and the College of the Redwoods. It wasn't till I moved to Portland that I got a History degree from PSU and devoted a year of my life to the Wieden+Kennedy 12 advertising agency/school/experiment.
Now I live in Portland, paint with old house paint, run Grass Hut studio/gallery/shop with my buddy Bwana and swim in the rivers every chance I get.
