Although Stanislav Szukalski was born in Poland in the 19th century he was influential in Southern California where he lived for a few decades until his death in 1987. A very short list of friends and admirers include Robert and Suzanne Williams, Rick Griffin, Jim Woodring, George DiCaprio and DiCaprio's son Leonardo.

Thomas Kinkade died on April 7th, and while I certainly hadn’t thought about him in quite sometime, I immediately became transported to a bower of flowers, gently puffing chimneys and picket fences, and more pastel flowers. Vivid reds would be too jarring. Henri Matisse observed that “There is an inherent truth, which must be disengaged from the outward appearance of the object to be represented. This is the only truth that matters … exactitude is not truth.”

This past Saturday night in Santa Monica, Copro Gallery opened a special exhibition, Juxtapoz Turns 18, a retrospective and collection of artworks and artists who have helped shape our publication over nearly two decades. Hundreds upon hundreds of artists and gallery-goers made it out to the opening, enjoying a look at what has made the magazine a leading voice in underground and contemporary art for 20 years.

This Saturday, March 24. Copro Gallery in Santa Monica will be opening our 18th Birthday exhibition, Juxtapoz Turns 18. This week, we will be doing teasing previews of the entire exhibition, and today we have works from Robert Williams, Shag, Cathie Bleck, Dennis McNett, Eriberto Oriol, Candice Tripp, Brian Bowen Smith, and Mike Shine.

This Saturday, March 24. Copro Gallery in Santa Monica will be opening our 18th Birthday exhibition, Juxtapoz Turns 18. This week, we will be doing teasing previews of the entire exhibition, and today we have works from Robert Williams, Marion Peck, Todd Schorr, Dave Cooper, Andrew Schoultz, Souther Salazar, Candice Tripp, Tara McPherson, and Don Pendleton.

In conjunction with the Orange County Museum of Art's Two Schools of Cool exhibition, the museum will be screening the documentary, Robert Williams: Mr Bitchin', tomorrow, November 17. This screening will be followed by a panel discussion moderated by Mat Gleason and including Artist Robert Williams and producers/co-directors Douglas Blake, Michael LaFetra, Nancye Ferguson and Stephen Nemeth.

Jeremy Fish, who last graced our magazine cover in December 2006, is back with a special cover and type treatment made for Juxtapoz' October 2011 issue. Jeremy's portrait is also a special edition, stopping traffic in one of the busiest intersections in San Francisco so his lounge chair could be rolled to Columbus and Broadway.

Famed car photographer Ray Gordon was recently out at the Bonneville Salt Flats where he photographed a great series of hot rods being driven and raced in the desert. This writer, having been driven in a hot rod through Southern California with Juxtapoz founder, Robert Williams, has great appreciation of hot rod culture.

Robert Williams is an American painter, cartoonist, and one of the founders of Juxtapoz. Starting October 9th, he will be featured in a new exhibition, "Two Schools of Cool," opening at the Orange County Museum of Art in Newport Beach, CA. The show will explore the roots of Los Angeles art in the 60's and 70's, pairing the 'elder statesmen of cool' with a newer generation of LA artists.