Exhibitions

January 5 to February 1:

NO PARKING ANYTIME

For 2025, the Long Beach Creative Group solicited curatorial proposals. From more than 40 submissions, six were selected. The first, No Parking Anytime, opens at 1pm on Sunday, January 5, and runs through Saturday, February 1st, in the Rod Briggs Gallery, located at 2221 E Broadway, in Long Beach, CA. Regular gallery hours are Friday through Sunday from 1 to 4 PM.

No Parking Anytime was conceived and curated by Natalie Veenstra, an interdisciplinary artist based in Long Beach. “Growing up in various parts of LA County,” Veenstra said, “I have always been a commuter, spending more time in my car than on my couch.” Inspired by the pervasive role of cars and commuter culture in Southern California, Veenstra created the exhibition to explore how vehicles become extensions of our identities and narratives. Through a dynamic blend of humor and sentiment, “the selected works capture the often-overlooked aspects of daily commutes, highlighting the intricate relationship between our lives and the cars we drive,” she concluded.

LBCG Board President Travis Stock-Tucker agrees. “This exhibition dives into the humor, irony, and quirks of a car-dependent lifestyle,” he said, “using unexpected and playful artworks to shed light on the ways that vehicles shape our daily lives. By transforming mundane elements of the commuter experience into thought-provoking installations, the show brings fresh energy to a landscape often taken for granted.”

Featuring works across sculpture, ceramics, installation, painting, and printmaking, the exhibition reimagines everyday objects associated with driving. Highlights include an array of ceramic sculptures, a modified exhaust transformed into a raging bull, and a classic Barbie dream car reinvented as a monster truck. “With each piece, the exhibit adds a whimsical twist to the components of the commute, blending fine art with the ordinary in ways that speak to both daily drivers and non-enthusiasts alike,” Stock-Tucker said.

Featured artists include Clarisse Abelarde, Autumn Dolan, Ruby Gomez, Bonny Jackson, Mackenzie Kasdan, Cynthia Lujan, Alan Mendez, Emily Miller, Emily Perez, Andric Stephens, Jacqueline Valenzuela, and Jack Veenstra.

The exhibition also includes three free special events. On Saturday, January 11th at 2pm, gallery visitors are invited to participate in a License Plate Printmaking workshop. The workshop is open to everyone, accompanied children and adults, who will receive guidance from printmaking experts. On Friday, January 17 at 7:30pm, LBCG board member Carlos Cordero will host Movie Night, featuring the original road rage classic, Duel. Starring Dennis Weaver and directed by Steven Spielberg, this action packed thrill ride from 1971 will keep everyone on the edge of their seats. Lastly, on Sunday, January 26 at 2pm, the LBCG is hosting a live sketching event called Capturing Movement. Everyone is welcome to participate, using still and moving images as inspiration.

The Long Beach Creative Group is supported, in part, by the Arts Council for Long Beach, the Port of Long Beach, the City of Long Beach, and the Briggs Family Trust.

Upcoming Exhibitions

2025

Alienation, Belonging, and Perceptions

March 2nd to March 29th

This exhibition centers on themes of color, transparency, alienation, and belonging, exploring the perceptions versus realities of living in a new country. Ukrainian artist Yulia uses her work to express the disconnection of not quite fitting in, shaped by globalized views of the U.S. through Hollywood. Combining abstraction with figurative elements, Yulia’s stunning pieces use layers of transparency and vivid colors to convey depth and complexity. Her work is complemented by that of her student, Johnny Castillo, whose own exploration of invisibility in his new environment echoes Yulia’s influence, making this show a powerful commentary on identity and migration.

Flower Power (Open Call)

April 26th to May 24th

This exhibition celebrates the joy that flowers bring exploring floral themes—from illustrated blooms to abstract representations, live flowers, and more. The show highlights the magic of flowers in connecting people, through diverse Accompanying floral events, like flower arranging workshops and a flower tower installation, will further immerse the community in this uplifting experience.

The Woman’s Perceptive

June 22nd to July 19th

“The Woman’s Perspective” is an exhibition dedicated to celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Southern California Women’s Caucus for Art (SCWCA). This exhibition aims to highlight the rich history and diverse voices of women artists who have been instrumental in shaping the art landscape of Southern California and beyond. Through various mediums and styles, this exhibition will explore themes of identity, empowerment, abstract and landscape perspectives, and the ongoing fight for gender equality in the arts.

Dreams, Doppelgängers, and Parallel Universes

August 17th to September 13th

This solo exhibition features four years of studio work, presenting large-format figurative paintings that reflect the divisions of our time—cultural, political, and psychological. Addressing themes like COVID-19, BLM, Me Too, climate change, and the crisis of democracy, the works juxtapose current events with anonymous figures, creating a narrative that questions and deconstructs the legacy of history painting. Through spatial fracturing, non-objective color, and absurdist symbolism, the exhibition conveys the fragmented, oppositional realities of contemporary America, capturing the dissociative experience of living through this complex era.

Long Beach Vibes (Open Call)

October 11th to November 15th

This exhibition celebrates Long Beach street culture, showcasing the raw and vibrant arts that often exist outside traditional spaces. Highlighting dynamic self-expression, it features work from both established and emerging artists who channel the energy of the streets. The show aims to capture the diverse spirit of Long Beach, blending influences from car, tattoo, LGBTQ+, skateboard, surf, and music cultures, along with the city’s rich ethnic diversity, creating a true representation of its creative pulse.