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Best Los Angeles Artists You Need To Know About

One of the best things about living in Los Angeles is our amazing access to a wide variety of art. From the Getty to small neighborhood galleries, artists here are using every imaginable medium to create some serious inspiration around the city. The pool of talent is deep, so we've rounded up just a few you should definitely know about. Be sure to check out their websites for current works, exhibitions, or just some inspiration.
Riley Sheehey - verified jordan
(credit: Riley Sheehey)

Riley Sheehey
www.makethingsco.com

Specializing in custom watercolor portraits and paintings, as well beautiful wedding invitations, fashion illustrations and more, Riley Sheehey is as talented as they come and has a variety of incredible work to prove it. Sheehey, who paints a variety of settings, including visual maps of cities, couples, city settings and fashionable pieces, uses watercolors to create art which uses vibrant colors.

andybauch - VERIFIED Kellie
(Credit: Andy Bauch)

Andy Bauch / Andy Bauch Studios
www.andybauch.com

Proving that LEGOS aren't just for kids, downtown Los Angeles based artist Andy Bauch uses thousands of interlocking bricks to create his unique pieces of art. His medium of choice and its applications sprang from an obsession that began while studying digital video compression techniques. Bauch began applying these various digital skills to create his one-of-a-kind mosaics, including recreations of iconic L.A. landmarks like the Griffith Observatory, Randy's Donuts, Pink's Hot Dogs, and many more. Along with nods to pop culture and art history, he also juxtaposes the colorful LEGO bricks against more complex subjects.

stacyelainedacheux - VERIFIED Kellie
(Credit: Stacy Elaine)

Stacy Elaine Dacheux
www.stacyelaine.com

From comedy posters to interactive experimentation, Stacy Elaine Dacheux is a can do it all when it comes to art. Her work in multiple mediums is both rooted in art theory, while also deeply emotional and expressive. Through rendering personal artifacts like poems, eulogies, and photographs into commissioned abstract paintings, she creates beautiful pieces that explore our attachment to belongings and the stories they hold. Dacheux expands her love of collaboration into the comedy community, where she has not only served as an "artist in residence" for Josh Fadem's stand-up show posters, but has also appeared on IFC's Comedy Bang! Bang! Her current project is an autobiographical short film adaptation of a slide show performance that combines quotes with originally built footage to express how art theory transcends museums into society's everyday struggle with intimacy.

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(Credit: Gabe Leonard)

Gabe Leonard
www.gabeleonard.com

Cinematic artist Gabe Leonard honed his skills among the hustle and bustle of the Venice Beach boardwalk, developing his penchant toward rugged and romantic film noir characters. By combining free brushwork with impeccable lighting and framing, Leonard creates cinematic snapshot moments like that of a seasoned Hollywood cinematographer. His richly colored works offer a just a glimpse into a character's complex narrative. Runs and drips are a trademark in his pieces, adding a looseness and freedom that break from restrictive rigidity. Leonard's works have been featured in several sold out shows, and purchased throughout the world by high profile collectors and celebrities alike.

rubenrojas_beautifyearth - VERIFIED Kellie
(Credit: Ruben Rojas)

Ruben Rojas / Beautify Earth
www.rubenrojas.com

Ruben Rojas is a co-founder behind what is now an international movement to beautify blighted walls and fixtures with art. The grassroots non-profit Beautify Earth began as Beautify Lincoln (ie: Santa Monica's Lincoln Blvd.), and was created to bring artful revitalization to the drab stretch. The project began with, and continues to use, artists like Ruben Rojas, who pour hours of passion and unpaid work into turning neglected walls and fixtures into canvases for art. Through work like this, Rojas hopes to inspire the communities in which he paints, and beautify the boring with something unique and empowering.

Article by Kellie Fell.
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