“Heaven’s on Fire” at AR4T Gallery

Heaven’s on Fire at AR4T Gallery opened September 8 Objects borne out of rock and roll’s indeterminate firestorm are on display this month as part of a music-themed show at AR4T Gallery in Laguna Beach. These include a Swarovski-crystal encrusted mohawk skull, a purple haze guitar with orange strings and a record player retrofitted with LED lights.

A highlight is an emotional little selection of bric-a-brac that has been reposessed in corpse paint. If you are one of those humans who get fuzzy feelings for the evil and decay expressed by metal bands through their face paint, these figurines might be something that you’ll fall passionately for. Artist Robin Fleming, who says she takes on an alter ego — named Tormentous — while painting them, explained that friends who know about her little habit of corpse painting unassuming hobo dolls and ceramic panda bears are always trying to give her their unwanted knick knacks.

I have boxes of them! I don’t need any more!

I, for one, hope that she paints through the boxes more quickly than she thinks she will.

Also in the show is behind-the-stage shots by Rock Photographer Lisa Johnson and Juxtapoz Photography Director Lindsey Byrnes. Artist David Blake has music icon portraits on display that are screen printed over either encaustic paint or epoxy resin. Probably the most rocking show in Laguna Beach… no, definitely the most rocking show in Laguna Beach. Catch it through Sept. 29.