This Post is for Jeff

Dear Jeff-

Fiasco! Gallery is a hoot, But could you take out the trash just like, once or something? ..and watch the thai-iced-tea stains all over the counter...sheesh. But seriously, this blog is for you, buddy. You've done a lot, helped me make stuff I wouldn't normally make, like buttons and cool prints.
So I said I'd blog about our cool Indie-go-go crowd source funding campaign, so here goes:

Lurkers--
Please give us money so we can pay our security deposit. $6 gets you a bottle opener key chain contraption, $25 gets you an official Fiasco! teeshirt:

look how excited that dude is to rep our threads!

$30-50 gets you some cool limited edition prints and original one-of-a-kind art. So, dig deep, we are helping Paso get cooler.  It's Thursday, and there's only 10 days left! Thanks in advance for your support, lurkers!

So there you go, Jeffaroo. Don't say I never did nuthin'.

Happening Things Explosion!

Lurkers-
It feels like I don't have enough time to tell you about all the stuffs going on, and that have gone on. Hang on to your hats, if you are wearing one. If you're not, go get a hat, put it on, and hang on to it.

July was fun: Electric Popsicle was a big hit, we sold about 10 paintings and made Brick House Goods a cooler place to hang out in. I sold my Obstacle 1 painting to good pals Dan & Louise. Many thanks, guys!

August was crazy: Good buddy Jeff Claassen and I opened a working studio/gallery aptly named Fiasco Gallery, within the hallowed halls of Studios on the Park in Paso Robles. So far, we been lucky enough to get good press, and a lot of positive reinforcement. Spending time with JC in the studio is like some kind of painting summer camp.
The Skulk series continues to be a topic of conversation with people of all ages and types. At this point, it's like 60/40 shocked/awkward/rude to positive reaction, but that 40% makes a big difference when you're sitting in a studio painting your ass off.

September promises to be interesting, I am part of a 4 person group show at Steynberg Gallery. I'm pretty honored to sneak in with those ladies, and it promises to be a good show. The opening is Friday, September 6th from 6-9pm.
Saturday, September 7th is Fiasco Gallery's Super Grand Opening 7000! It just so happens that Rebel Empire (Zac & Ethan from The Ragged Jubilee) are playing some cool tunes, and Leff Street Brewhouse and Soda Works will be pouring some awesome Fiasco Ginger Brew.
It will be then that we will be promoting our upcoming, super-important Kickstarter throwdown. Your support will not only help keep the burgeoning art (counter)culture in Paso alive, but with our funds we hope to help the SOTP teen group and open a small art supply kiosk. Funds will also help promotion of the emerging artists program at Fiasco, where one artist gets to show off their best work for a two month period. As with all Kickstarter programs, you even get something cool if you donate. Everyone wins!

October I will unveil my latest batch of craziness on Linnaea's. I previously thought I was going to show the Skulk series, but I have changed my mind. You'll just have to wait for the pictures. Which reminds me, check out the Flickrs, it's exploding with new stuff...if you have a Flickr account, be sure to add me to see everything you're missing. I've also been dragged into the world of Twitter (@nealbreton) and Instagram (@nealbretonart) Look at all the new opportunities to lurk interetically at yours truly. Until next time...

Well Lurkers, it's been a crazy month or so. It was like being on tour for a little while, except less smelly and a lot more rewarding. Oakland proved to be a great show, the people were nice and I even sold a piece or two. Santa Barbara was, well, a learning experience. My pieces didn't hang the way I wanted them to, through no fault of the venue, and it's hard to explain without giving too much away, because the pieces themselves will get a facelift and probably end up being shown at Linnaea's in October. Ok, I can show one of the pieces, here:

I have such respect for people who create structures. I was always one to appreciate a nice looking building historically, but I think it's probably the architect types around me currently whom have made me think about living space and how spaces can be living things themselves as we populate them with trees, animals and people. These paintings also give me a new venue to experiment with color and line weight, which is always fun.
In my journey last month I was happy to make the acquaintance of several artists and collaborators from LA to San Diego. The DIT (do it together) Alliance will hopefully prove to be an amazingly positive experience for artists from SD to SLO if we can help it. So many people, younger than me by at least 10-15 years, running non-profit venues, setting up shows, and giving opportunity to those that have talent or passion but don't know where to put it. Google these places: The LA Fort, The Dial (Murietta/Temecula), Che Cafe, Almost Holden, Bridgetown DIY, the LA Zine Fest and etc.
After all this craziness, it was nice to take a trip to Portland. I missed this city, and about three days in I said to my friend Kate the Biking Giraffe "why don't we just...live here?". I think a city like that with so much stunning art, food, coffee, transportation/bikeability would definitely ensnare anyone who visited..unless you are a native Californian, then you would complain it's cloudy or something.
 I got a job at a cool store in town. You should maybe visit it on July 5th if you are in SLO:

Look at all those fancy art stars! Also, a DJ named Velanche who is awesome, AAAND craft brewed rootbeer by Leff Street Brewhouse (which alcohol might be added to upon request). It should be a fun night, if jerks don't show up.
Ok, back to work for me. I just finished a bunch of cute drawings for the New Times 55 Fiction and my hands are all inky and colored. I'll drop a link later...or you could check the Flickr page for a sneaky preview!





ps: shout out to NR, thanks for getting back in touch.

UPDATE!
If I have any lurkers/enemies in the Santa Barbara area, you will be on fire to know that I am showing some really really really different/abstract sculpture-like pieces at a new shop that is soon to open up on Hayley Street.

Thursday, JUNE 5
6 to 9 pm
Get Loud Music grand opening!
414B E. Hayley Street, Santa Barbara CA 93101
Featuring Neal Breton and Martin Diaz.
Showing for one full month.

Additionally, I am happy to announce that we will be continuing the "Savage Collective" show at Brick House Goods! One day in Paso's park simply wasn't enough. Here are the details:

Brick House Goods presents
ELECTRIC POPSICLE: a group show thing.
Friday, JULY 5
6 to 9 pm
1119 Chorro Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
>>free popsicles, a super cool DJ, and limited edition teeshirts!<<
Featuring artists Drew Davis, Nick Wilkinson, Reid Cain, Lauren Buzzetti, Jason Hudson, Isaac Yorke and more!

Opportunities To See Art In Real-Life Person

Here are some ways to see some of my art with your own eyeballs:

Brick House Goods, 1119 Chorro St  San Luis Obispo, CA 93401- Showing the Elementals, a series that needs to be seen up close to be appreciated, in my opinion due to my terrible photography skills. They are open 7 days, from about 10-6. They will be showing the work until June.


Paso Robles Festival of the Arts- Emerging Artists Collective booth, in the Park at 12th and Pine Street. A one day event, starting at noon until 4 pm on Saturday, May 25th.


17 Jewels Salon,  4801 Telegraph Ave Oakland, CA 94609 -Showing new works on canvas. Opening Friday June 7th.

..and then a coffee break.


Steynberg Gallery, 1531 Monterey St, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401- A show featuring Peg Grady, Lena Rushing and Josephine Crawford. I'll be mopping up afterward, please try not to spill anything. Showing in September 2013.

The Linnaeas cade show is in October. They're located at 1110 Garden st. I'd have links for you but my computer just died and I'm finishing this post on my phone. Huzzah, technology. This is why I still write stuff down on paper.

Oh, Yeah?

If you think you have anything better to do, you don't. Come and find me and win whatever I have in my pockets that I am willing to give you. Enemies--this would be a great time to come out and tell me what you really think of me...for a mere $5 door charge. See you there if you dare.

PS: I'm showing the coolest Skulk series painting that I will not be posting on teh Flickr, so go ahead and cry yourself to sleep if you miss this show.

I am the Kilgore Trout of the Central Coast Painting Set

Hey Lurkers-

Things coming up in the near future:

I'll be filling in for the lovely and talented Anne Laddon at Studios on the Park this week, from Thursday April 11 through Saturday April 13 from 12 to 6. "Filling in" means I'll be painting in her studio, spilling Tab on her couch, attempting to sell her pretty pretty landscapes while I construct my Skulk series. I'm honored to have been asked. If you're in the area and sick/bored of what SLO has to offer (as I am), come to Studios on the Park, 1130 Pine Street, Paso Robles, CA.

I have also been put in charge..."in charge"...of wrangling more artists for a festival in Paso Robles. The Paso Art Festival has included an Emerging Artists Booth. It includes a hand-picked unit from the Young Savages group show. Each artist will be displaying 3 fairly new pieces of art, or I will be super disappointed in them.
Quick glance info:
Saturday, May 25th, from 10am to 4pm, in the park located directly across from the Studios on the Park building.
It's free to attend, so bring some money to spend on some cool paintings.

My friend Dave thinks he's being funny by writing a blog about fake sightings of me. Ok, so maybe it is pretty funny. Check the Flickr soon. That is all.

-N





"My biggest problem is that I am nice to the wrong people. If I had to draw them, I'd make them all look like coffin nails."- James Connecticut  (from the novel "The Soundtrack to Rows of Burning Monuments".)