LAGUNA BEACH, CA.- The art of Baseman and Biskup are acts of pervasion. Pervasive artists, as defined by Gary Baseman, use every outlet at their means – art galleries, print, TV, film, lecture halls, and even commerce – to infuse their vision deeper into the fabric of contemporary life. The strength of Baseman’s and Biskup’s art is not based on where the art is seen, but based on the esthetic and message.

Compatriots for several years, and this being their first museum exhibition of showing together exclusively, Pervasion explores how both artists are at the forefront of blurring the lines between fine art, toy culture and other forms of media. Each has created unique characters that originate within densely packed imagery found in their paintings and sculptures, such as Baseman’s Toby, or Biskup’s Helper. These characters then become motifs that appear on clothing, in books, as toys, and even on animated cartoons. Organized by Laguna Art Museum, and curated by chief curator Tyler Stallings.

Major support for this exhibition has been provided by Hurley. Additional support comes from Billy Shire Fine Arts (Culver City), Jonathan LeVine Gallery (New York), and Michele & Chris Hoff.

Gary Baseman is a three-time Emmy award winning creator and executive producer of Teacher’s Pet, the critically acclaimed animated television series and feature-length animated film. He has had several solo exhibitions throughout the U.S. and internationally. Baseman’s artwork is regularly published in The New Yorker, Time, The New York Times, and Rolling Stone. He also been commissioned by companies including Nike, Chili's, Gatorade, Mercedes-Benz, Labatt, and Thomas Cook. Mr. Baseman created the visual identity of the award-winning, best selling game Cranium. The National Portrait Gallery in D.C. and the Museum of Modern Art in Rome feature his work in their permanent collections. He continues to have solo gallery exhibitions in New York, Los Angeles, Rome and Tokyo. Mr. Baseman lectures internationally at such venues as the School of Visual Arts in NY, the Royal College of Art in London, and Art Center in LA. His limited edition art toys are at the forefront of this new Art Toy movement. Entertainment Weekly Magazine named Baseman as one of the 100 Most Creative People in Entertainment. His 352 page book titled Dumb Luck was just published by Chronicle Books. More can be learned about the artist at his website www.garybaseman.com.

Tim Biskup is a Southern California fine artist whose work has been shown worldwide, including galleries in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Tokyo, Kyoto and Melbourne. He has collaborated with artists and designers around the globe. His original paintings, drawings and sculptures show the influence of his many years in the animation industry as well as a fondness for mid-century modern design and illustration. Biskup’s popular 100 Paintings series, published in a hard bound volume of the same name by Dark Horse Books, is being followed-up with a new series of 500 paintings entitled The Jackson 500. The second of five books chronicling the series will be released in July. In September of 2004, Biskup opened his own store/gallery in the center of Old Town Pasadena, Bispop Gallery exhibits and sells original paintings, hand painted objects, clothing, toys, books, cards and store exclusive items. For more information about Bispop Gallery, visit www.Bispop.com. To view Tim Biskup’s artwork, visit www.timbiskup.com.