
I saw some interesting shows last night. Feel free to add your own observations about these and other venues in the comments section.
GALLERY 25
Robert Weibel is known for his "gunpowder art," and his full show at Gallery 25 -- he was scheduled to display with Karen LeCocq but she had to drop out -- is, dare we say, explosive. He has a couple of works titled "Delta Smelt," which I'm assuming is a reference to a political powder keg of a Valley water issue (sorry, I have to ease up on the munitions puns), which are stunning visually, with the mixture of gunpowder and metallic leaf making a shimmering impact on the paper. I love how Weibel organized his show, too -- to the extent that representations of birds actually seem to "flock" up a corner wall, as if they're ready to take flight. There will be a reception 1-4 p.m. Sunday at Gallery 25. The show continues through Nov. 29.
DeROUCHEY CREATIVE DESIGN STUDIO
A fun, different ArtHop stop -- definitely with a youthful vibe. Most, if not all, of the artists appeared to be recent Fresno State graduates, and the crowd in this warehouse district -- just down the street from the Chris Sorensen Studio -- brought the average ArtHop age WAY down. I ran into Fresno State art prof Doug Hansen, who was proud as a papa of his former students. One of my favorites of the bunch: Uriel Tekunoff's surrealist-style painting of a bearded man. This was a one-night-only show.