Bleeding Neon

Illustration by Michael Todoran

Place Gallery is a scrappy, homespun art gallery and artist studio run by one of my oldest friends, the awesome Gina Quaranto. In recent months, Place, located on Main Street across from the S2 Art Center, has become a favorite among the local underground/low brow/outcast art scene, hosting multiple shows every month, with epic First Friday receptions including artisans, live music, libations and more. It’s technically the first gallery in which I’ve ever formally shown art (in the LVSK8 IV group show). And, sadly, it’s become a victim of multiple factors threatening to crush its already delicate existence.

This summer, the building housing Place has had power and air conditioning problems — not something that a business in the Las Vegas summer can endure. Then, a few weeks ago, an exploding electrical transformer rocked Main Street, damaging businesses for blocks, including Place, which is now missing several window and door panes. The gallery has been temporarily closed due to the conditions, and while insurance will cover replacement of the glass, it won’t do so without a steep $5,000 deductible, which Place just doesn’t have in pocket.

Art Renegades, the collective that organized LVSK8 IV, is moving the skateboard art show temporarily to Todd VonBaastian’s Alios Gallery, a few blocks south of Place at 1221 S. Main St., where a second reception for the group show will be held this Friday. At the same time, a fund-raising event is being held at Alios for Place, called “Picking Up The Pieces.” Details are still being worked out, but there will be some sort of art auction, raffle prizes, bake sale and other fun stuff to raise funds for Place — whether it’s to pay for repairs to the existing location, or help pay for the gallery to move somewhere less volatile.

I donated five of the Giant Robot prints (as seen in my online store) for the art auction, as well as a complete set of comics from Pop! Goes the Icon (including The Utopian #1-3 and Omega Comics Presents #1-2), and I’ll be down there for the benefit auction/reception as well. It starts at 6:30 p.m., and I highly recommend you come down and toss in a few bucks. Great deals on locally grown art can be had. And you can see the monstrosity I painted on a skateboard deck as well.

If you can’t make it to the event, donations are being accepted online as well.

As you fine people may know, I like to try to spread around my boundless wealth to as many good causes as possible, mainly because I’m far too busy ascending toward global domination to actually shovel food for the homeless or read to burn victims or whatever.

One of the charities I’ve very visibly supported for longer than I can even remember is Aid for AIDS of Nevada, a Las Vegas-based nonprofit whose mission is to provide “support and advocacy for adults and children living with and affected by HIV/AIDS in Southern Nevada.” How does AFAN do this? By working to reduce HIV infection through prevention education, providing services to those affected by the disease such as housing, transportation, food, nutritional counseling and legal assistance.

Every year around tax time, AFAN holds AIDS Walk Las Vegas, which serves both to bring awareness to the community and to raise beaucoup fundage for the organization. This year’s walk — the 20th annual — is being held on April 25, and as always, your pal Pj will be walking. It’s more like a big block party than a boring old charity walk — there’s live entertainment, vendors, colorful characters, food and drinks, and, of course, thousands of energized, awesome people ready to take to the streets of downtown Las Vegas.

I kindly request (and slightly urge) you to help the cause by either a) sponsoring me as a walker or b) joining our team and walking with us. I’d prefer “b,” but will definitely take “a!” This year, I’m walking on the Harrah’s Entertainment/Penn & Teller team, which means that for every dollar you guys donate on my behalf, Harrah’s will match that donation! Isn’t that cool? IT IS.

So I hope to either see you at 8 a.m. on April 25 at the World Market Center, or see your name pop up in my donation page “Honor Roll.” Thanks! In the meantime, enjoy a slideshow of photos from the 2008 AIDS Walk:

Buy this comic or the terrorists win.

I don’t need to tell you about the devastation that’s wracked Haiti (more than usual) in the wake of this week’s 7.0-scale earthquake. What I am asking is for you to help me help the survivors by donating to Save the Children, one of my favorite charities who does continuous work in the field there — and whose own staff in Haiti has been affected.

You COULD do that on your own, but I’m going to offer added incentive by tossing in a comic book. Yep. It’s simple: Pre-order the debut issue of Omega Comics Presents, the new comic anthology series I’m publishing starting next month, and I donate 100 percent of the proceeds to Save the Children. To sweeten the deal, I’ve knocked 50 cents off the cover price and am waiving shipping charges. So your $3 goes to Save the Children’s relief efforts in Haiti, and in a few weeks you get a signed comic book and letter of appreciation from me.

DO IT NOW. CLICK HERE.

Thanks.

Nevada Cancer Institute director Dr. John C. Ruckdeschel and Ricardo's of Las Vegas owner Bob Ansara

Last Thursday, Sara and I went to Ricardo’s of Las Vegas, a long-time local favorite for pretty decent Mexican food. The restaurant had teamed up with Nevada Cancer Institute for “Dine for the Cure,” an event held to raise money for the local nonprofit. Ricardo’s owner Bob Ansara pledged to donate 30 percent of all proceeds from that evening to NVCI.

When we were there at about 7 p.m., it was definitely more packed than usual for a Thursday night. I figured that was a good sign, and that the donation to NVCI would be significant, at least $1000 (OK, ANY amount is significant, I know, but this is a business donation from a big event, not a personal thing). But according to the publicist for the event, Ricardo’s donation (thus far, not sure why there’s no final tally after four days) is just over $500.

Unless I’m crazy with the math, $500 is 30 percent of about $1667. For Sara and I, dinner (two entrees, no appetizers, one beer) was about $40. There were some big parties in there that night, but even averaging $40 per meal over the four hours of the event, that’s only approximately 41 meals. Really? Come on, there had to be that much being consumed in just the hour we were there.

Those numbers just don’t line up. I’ve never run a restaurant, but if just over $1500 is your take on a “special,” busy weeknight, then I can’t imagine you’re making enough to keep your doors open regularly. I worked at a movie theater in high school, and I’m pretty sure our nightly take on the concession stand was that much.

Well, either way, we had a good meal for a good cause, and it was very cool of Mr. Ansara to do this (blatant PR grab notwithstanding), but let’s double-check those numbers!

The greatest band on Planet Earth will rock you Saturday, Feb. 7 at the Freakin' Frog. Can you afford to miss it?

1. Shop for cancer research. Recession be damned, Juicy Couture is opening a new retail location in the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. And if you shop at the 4,800-square-foot boutique during opening weekend this Thursday through Sunday (Feb. 5 to 8), Juicy will donate 10 percent of your well-spent cash to the Nevada Cancer Institute.
2. Feed a starving artist. First Friday is this week, but as usual, real art lovers know the good stuff happens the day before. So get your fill of the best local, national and international art on Thursday, Feb. 5 with an opening reception at Trifecta Gallery, a closing reception at Naomi Arin Contemporary Art and the two-year anniversary of Danny Roberts’ Damned Ink Studios.
3. Get drunk for public television. We all grew up watching Sesame Street, Electric Company and 3-2-1 Contact, and we’re much better human beings for it. So help ensure the next generation of boob-tubers has the same opportunity and get yourself liquored up at the same time at Southern Nevada Public Television’s 20th Annual Splendor in the Glass Benefit Wine & Beer Tasting on Saturday, Feb. 7 at the Las Vegas Hilton.
4. Channel your inner groupie. What better way to cap off your Saturday night than with live, original rock ‘n’ roll and the largest selection of beers this side of the Mississippi? I don’t know. So be at the Freakin’ Frog at 10 p.m. to catch Think, Fractured and As Yet Unbroken — yes, that last one is my band, and you will love it. If you don’t, you hate America and the terrorists win.