This week, at long last, I bring you a little peak into the world of the underground art gallery in Los Angeles…Yes, that's right…underground art gallery. It may seem like an oxy-moron, for surely the gallery scene as we know it is full of snobbery and uneducated gallery owners looking to make a buck out of exploiting the fine artists they represent. Isn't the whole idea of "underground" supposed to defy the norm and provided the public with a trajectory towards the truth? Well folks, meet Thinkspace Gallery…one of several truly underground art spaces in Los Angeles...And I emphasize the word space.

I like to think of the gallery as more like an interactive and collaborative space that tries to stay true to it’s own code of ethics…

" Thinkspace exists as a catalyst for the rapidly expanding movement that is exploding forth from the streets and art schools not only in Los Angeles, but the world over. We are here to help represent this new generation of artists, to provide them that home base and to aid them in building the right awareness and collector base necessary for long-term growth". – from the Thinkspace website

Thinkspace was formed not as a traditional gallery but rather spawned from a group of people with a true love for the arts and seeking a way in which to provide their community with the opportunity in which to view modern and innovative talent. Likewise, the founders' mission was to provide the unexpected talent a place to be "heard"…hence the heads merged together to bring us Thinkspace. Notice I say, unexpected talent, for I think in many respects many of these artists have taken the world by storm in terms of redefining art and reconstructing the public's attitude towards it. Has it really been that long since the public has been shaken by art? Well…not really.

Banksy has certainly left his mark…literally and many other street artists, graffiti, pop and otherwise have had the respect or at least been noticed in popular circles. However, places like Thinkspace, help to give the otherwise unnoticed or unnacclaimed artist some sort of "legitimacy" in a harsh world of the uber-cool (now, hip, in…) art scene of LA. Although the artist has no choice but to make work, it never hurts to get a little validation from some outsider once in a while. And although the founders of Thinkspace probably wish that a name wouldn't be a ticket to legitimacy for these said artists…they know how harsh and hard the art market is and for @%#$'s sake if sticking a painting in a building instead of on a street corner somehow gets someone recognized…then hell…they'll build a million walls….

And leave it to Thinkspace to not only stick to their guns when it comes to principle…but to do it all the while promoting other galleries and artist circles just to show the universal "them" that art is a conversation…not a condemnation. The founders of Thinkspace came from two different sources. The husband and wife team Andrew and Shawn Hosner (of Sour Harvest: www.sourharvest.com) and L. Croskey (of The Cannibal Flower: www.cannibalflower.com) came together to form the space. Sour Harvest is an online resource for their recommended openings and local art galleries/events, etc. and Cannibal Flower is a "traveling venue" that collaborates with other spaces to bring the best in LA talent to the surface.

So while these innovators respectfully indulge the "other" art circle..leave it to me to say screw the "man" and plunge your feelers into Thinkspace for a look at some of the finest and freshest in Los Angeles. Oh, and just in case you were wondering how your own chops might hold up…stop in the 1 st,3 rd and 4 th Thursdays of each month…L.Croskey will gladly give you a free portfolio review…why? Because who ever claimed that a gallery founder hasn't got any room to learn or grow? And besides…any opportunity for a little feedback is a good one.

This month…Thinkspace features Lola in her first solo show entitled, "The Rememberlings"