Fireball Gallery launches at The Murphy Auto Museum May 11…

Also posted in THE MALIBU SURFSIDE NEWS…

I am so proud to announce that Fireball Automotive Art Gallery will be opening on the evening of May 11 with a launch party celebrating the work of five incredible artists. 

We are less than one month away, but The Murphy Auto Museum (just outside of Malibu in Oxnard) has been working feverishly on the gallery to get it ready.

The car you see above is an incredible classic Studebaker President and sits currently in the main gallery. All cars will be removed once the art exhibit begins and the show will run for three months.

The artists include featured pinstriper Johnny Martinez, photographer Wes Nielsen, painter Chris Garcia, illustrator Geoff Ombao and the secret street artists of Bohemia Incorporated. 

The gallery is committed to making sure that the artists featured are in diversified categories covering auto culture from vastly different perspectives. But this is only the beginning.

“It’s astonishing how many artists there are in the automotive world that have never been in a professional gallery,” said David Neel, owner of The Murphy. “Well, the Murphy Museum is changing that and it’s time we celebrate their work in the Fireball Gallery to reveal their stunning capabilities. Many car museums have art on the walls, but this gallery will be the very first dedicated nostalgic automotive art gallery in any car museum in any country.”

The Fireball Gallery is already booked a year and a half out with artists, including celebrity sculptor Tony Dow (“Leave it to Beaver”), Art Center College professor Richard Pietruska, famous car designer Mark Stehrenberger and many others. 

For Gallery One coming up on the evening of May 11, the VIP party will feature StripeWork from Martinez, a Ventura local and automotive multishow winner; photographer Nielsen who shoots more than 50 shows a year; Garcia and his automotive monster posters; Geoff Ombao’s amazing car illustrations, ranging from Jaguar to Porsche; and DTLA street artists Bohemia Incorporated, whose infamous sculpted works pepper the city, even though no one has ever seen them. 

Their latest work features Jack Nicholson’s 6-foot face from “The Shining” busting out of the side of a building. They’ll be attending the show, but no one will know they’re there.

The art exhibits will run for three months, then strike for a month to regroup and start again. 

A portion of proceeds will benefit a variety of dog rescues, ocean conservancy and children’s art programs. 

And don’t miss the museum’s monthly Cars and Coffee called Muscles and Mojo every first Sunday as you’ll get a sneak peak into the Museum’s 90-car collection and Gallery.

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