The holiday spirit was everywhere in the LA art scene this past weekend, from gallery openings to open studios to fun fundraisers.

At Torrance Art Museum, a lively and excitingly interactive opening for Adjacent Adjacent in the main gallery drew a robust crowd. While artist Molly Schulman wound up her motorized hands to dance through the gallery, artist Dakota Noot glittered in gold before his own wild beast, and figurative and abstract images from Hagop Najarian blazed from the walls. 14 artists in all presented eclectic works in a wide range of media in this 2019 Forum artists exhibition, a ten-month mentorship program of which this was a glittery culmination.

Dakota Noot and his work.

Downtown, the Durden and Ray art collective hosted a jam-packed small works exhibition, Partita II, fundraiser, and raffle. Champagne and Tecate flowed while an eager crowd waited to see who would be a winner. The real answer: every artist and art lover attending the jubilant festivities. Overheard: “Should I really give art for the holidays? Isn’t it too personal, like lingerie?”

Raffle-goers wait to win at Durden and Ray.

Also downtown: a sneak peek of new large-scale sculptural work from artist Zadik Zadikian at his Produce Haus Gallery, plus a delicious holiday spread of vegan cuisine with a Mediterranean vibe. Attendee attire: sexy, blingy black, and high-heeled platform shoes.

Zadik Zadikian at Produce Haus Gallery.

On Sunday, performance art captivated in a theatrical production, Ladybird, at Pasadena City College featuring delicate, graceful art design from local artist Vojilav Rad. His signature ethereal paper birds were infused with light and danced along with the performers.

Vojilav Rad’s “Ladybird” performed at Pasadena City College.

A tribute to late LA Art Core curator Lydia Takeshita included the work of three strong artists at Art Core’s Brewery Annex outpost; guests enjoyed sushi, fruit, and cookies, while taking in an exhibition focused on the natural world in approaches both figurative and vibrantly abstract.

Young Summers with floral abstracts.

Also downtown, at an open studio exhibition on 6th Street, five captivating artists served up hot tea, wine, petite fours, and cheese and crackers while displaying quintessentially LA works that ranged from the desert flora and fauna and exquisite trees of Catherine Ruane, to the mysterious layered petroglyph patterns of Joy Ray, Molly Segal’s otherworldly futuristic scenes, and Gay Summer Rick’s lustrous Angeleno cityscapes. Holiday gift ideas and too-tasty chocolates on the buffet table both abounded.

Mike O’Connor, Johnny Rich, Catherine Ruane, Samuelle Richardson, Joy Ray, and Gay Summer Rick at 6th street open studios.

Happy, arty holidays!