I had the good fortune of seeing LA n CV, a survey of contemporary LA area artists, recently at the Coachella Valley Art Center in Indio, California. LA n CV is the brainchild of artist/curator Mike Mclain. The show was produced at the Coachella Valley Art Center in conjunction with LGT!, a Southern California arts organization that creates member generated exhibitions and alternative art presentations across the LA metro area. The Coachella Valley Art Center is a new arts destination in Indio that provides resources for the local arts community including classes, studio space, a gallery and a theatre. The CVAC portion of LA n CV was conceived as part-one of a two-part survey that investigates the interplay between artists working in the Coachella Valley, which is essentially a desert environment, and artists working in the sprawl of Los Angeles’ urban landscape. Part-two of this curatorial effort will take place in Los Angeles and will feature desert area artists.
For more information on the Coachella Valley Art Center and Mike McLain please check out their websites:
http://coachellavalleyartcenter.com
Foreground Jacob Fowler Inservice – Disservice – Pee Nervous, 2014, Plywood, white concrete, red oak
Background Kristin Frost Recognition, 2014, Mixed media
Kristin Frost Recognition, 2014, Mixed media
Nano Rubio, Detailed Devil, Acrylic on canvas over panel
http://nanorubio.com/index.html
Marion Lane, Spontaneous Utterance, 2013, acrylic on panel
Mihyang Kim, It has been Like This, 2013, acrylic on canvas
Thinh Nguyen, Trinity, 2013, mixed media
Thinh Nguyen, Trinity (Detail)
http://www.mbartdepartment.com/thinh-nguyen/
Nano Rubio, Paragraph, 2012, acrylic on canvas
Nano Rubio, Afterguard, 2014, acrylic on canvas
Dion Johnson, Giant, 2013, acrylic on paper mounted to Dibond and framed
Dan Taulapapa McMullin, Fa’afafine Memoire, 2013
Personal and historical photographs on mylar transparency, threaded steel rod and stand
Dan Taulapapa McMullin, Fa’afafine Memoire (Detail)
http://www.taulapapa.com/sculptures.html
Shiva Aliabadi, Envelope Obsolete, 2013, copper, imprints, various artists’ bodies
Conchi Sanford, The Confessional, Part II, 2013
From left, Marion Lane, Spontaneous Utterance, Conchi Sanford, The Confessional, Part II, Nano Rubio, Detailed Devil and Shiva Aliabadi, Envelope Obsolete
The Artist's Periscope 
LAnCV2 is now up at the Center (45140 Towne Street, Indio) through March 7 2015, with a reception scheduled for Saturday February 14 from 6pm to 9pm. The show includes works from over 30 LA-area artists in painting, drawing, photography, video, scultpure, installation, and (during the reception) performance.