by Brigitte Taylor/SuiteBrigitte.blogspot.com

Local artists Martin Nasim, True Delorenzo and Nick Bahula will be displaying art and painting live as part of the December 30, 2012 Casbah show with the following bands: The Amalgamated, Karlos Paez of B*Side Players, The Soulfires and Steve Harris of The Styletones. Tickets are on sale at www.casbahmusic.com.  Doors open at 8:30 p.m.

The show will begin with Steve Harris of The Styletones performing his original soul music followed by instrumental funk band The Soulfires (formerly The Fireeaters) and continuing with the local ska act, The Amalgamated.  Karlos Paez, lead singer of the B*Side Players will perform with special guests.  We rarely see a configuration of musicians and artists of such varying styles and genres.  The following local area artists will accompany the bands’ performances, displaying and selling their artwork:

MARTIN NASIM

“I was born during the summer of 1977 in the capital of my country Bulgaria, Sofia. My name is Martin Nasim, I am a son of two cultures. My father is from Afghanistan and my mother is from Bulgaria. Now we all live in sunny San Diego, California. I’ve loved drawing from as far back as I can remember. As a teenager, I fell in love with black and white photography and went on to study it for 5 years in school. I won an award in International Assembly of Photography 1996 organized by The Red Cross.

After serving in the military for 1 year, my life went in different directions as I was searching for my way. During those years, I designed primarily with pencils and black markers. I started tattooing professionally in 2004. I am a self-taught painter inspired by objects in nature that I observe and rearrange through my own thought interpretation. I love to find solutions with the help of my imagination. I work two with very different mediums.

I use paint markers and Plexiglas for canvas or needles and skin, but each piece gives me the energy of new love that I am creating. Sometimes when I paint I just see the image. Other times, I have no idea what is coming next and what will happen. Sometimes it’s just relaxing, like a meditation. My canvas, no matter skin, Plexiglas or paper, is like my personal diary. I want to share my art journey through life with whoever finds it interesting, inspiring, and touching.”

TRUE DELORENZO

“When I was in Milan, Italy, I saw the New York Museum Travelling Exhibit of Modern Art Collection. I was so impressed by the American artists that I came back to California to become a full-time artist. My style is called post 9/11 abstract expressionism. Before 9/11, I was a graphic designer and after 9/11, I recognized how life can be cut short and it’s important to do what makes you the happiest. So I became serious about expressing myself with paint rather than digitally.

The artists that have inspired my work would start with Van Gogh, Gauguin, the impressionists, Pablo Picasso, Matisse, Modigliani, and the New York School, especially Willem de Kooning, Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, Phillip Guston, and pop artists Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, and Basquiat. Each inspires me in a different way, but I am especially inspired by color and emotional brushwork and accidental drips that have an organic feeling.
Each work of art that I do is always unique and original in itself unless I paint a bunch of canvasses at the same time. Those are generally in the same theme, style and color pallets. But the most unique paintings that I do are my self-portraits because each one shows my emotions as an artist at the time I’m painting it.”

NICK BAHULA

“Nick Bahula has emerged over the past 12 years, making a name for himself throughout Southern California. He mixes Jackson Pollck-style drips with environmental themes, using watercolor, powdered paint and, if the weather permits, a little rain. His performance painting skills have been seen as part of the Summer Rooftop Series at the Riverside Art Museum.

Nick has been a donating artist for Sea No Evil show and the Mayor’s Ball for the Arts.”