Opening Lines
An Exhibition by 15 Rome Prize fellows and Visiting artists.
September 30, 2025 4:00–7:00 PM (Performance at 5:00 PM)
American Academy in Rome, Via Angelo Masina 5, Rome
Toy Bin Art presents Opening Lines, an exhibition curated by Grace Kim, a visiting artist at the American Academy in Rome. The exhibition will take place on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, from 4:00 to 7:00 PM, with performance beginning at 5:00 PM.
Opening Lines features the work of fifteen American Academy in Rome prize fellow winners, visiting artists and scholars; Cass Smith, Chuna Mclntyre, Cornelia Weiss, David Keplinger, Henry Taylor, Jason Simanek, Jennifer Bornstein, Liz Glynn, Margo Weitzman, Mary Corman, Mary Gillis, Paula Gaither, Samuelle Richardson, Sean Mooney, and T.J. Dedeaux-Norris and includes paintings, drawings, sketches, poetry readings, storytelling, and dance.
This exhibition was conceived and mounted in less than a month, making it a rare opportunity to see projects at their earliest stage of development. Unlike traditional group shows where works are mixed to create dialogue, each artist and scholar will have dedicated space, allowing their distinct practices to be seen fully. While their mediums and approaches differ widely, what unites them is a deep commitment to research, rigorous exploration, and passionate engagement with their work
Living at the Academy alongside all of the fellows and visiting artists and scholars, curator Grace Kim has witnessed firsthand the extraordinary dedication and passion this group brings to their practice. She feels deeply honored to curate this exhibition and inspired by the energy, curiosity, and commitment of these artists, an experience that continues to inform and expand her own growth as a curator.
Opening Lines invites audiences to experience the very beginning of artistic inquiry, works in progress that reveal the energy, questions, and curiosity that fuel these projects. The exhibition encourages viewers to reflect on how these ideas may evolve, offering a glimpse into the creative process from its first lines to the finished work.
Opening Reception
Tuesday, September 30, 2025
4:00 – 7:00 PM (Performance at 5:00 PM)
American Academy in Rome
Free to public R.S.V.P. - toybinart@gmail.com
About the American Academy in Rome
Since 1894 the American Academy in Rome has functioned as a residential center for research and creativity. Its purpose has always been to enable highly motivated scholars and artists to immerse themselves in the experience of Rome, ancient and modern, and to be inspired by daily exchange with the other members of this creative community. The Academy has made an outsized impact on the intellectual and cultural life of the United States, and its Fellows and Residents have been recognized with 647 Guggenheim Fellowships, 79 Pulitzer Prizes, 63 MacArthur Fellowships, 28 Grammy awards, 5 Pritzker Prizes, 9 Poet Laureate appointments, and 5 Nobel Prizes. Approximately 35 Fellows are selected as winners of the Rome Prize each year by rotating juries in the different fields.
Henry Taylor in his Rome studio
T.J. Dedeaux-Norris
Samuelle Richardson
Toy Bin Art Presents Nathaniel C. Praska by curator Grace Kim at Tryst Art Fair
Los Angeles(Torrance), CA - Toy Bin Art is pleased to present new sculptural works by Nathaniel C. Praska at this year’s Tryst International Art Fair in Torrance. Now in his third year with Tryst and second with Toy Bin Art, Praska continues his investigation into the discarded Materials and uneasy symbols of American working-class life. These three recent sculptures Extend his long-standing interest in the worn, the broken, and the forgotten objects shaped by labor, damage, and quiet neglect.
Praska’s materials come from the streets and industrial areas of urban Oregon, where discarded machinery, cracked plastics, and rusting tools accumulate in alleyways, vacant lots, and overlooked corners of the city. His sculptures, a yellow turbocharger, a blue yard fire burning used motor oil and plastic, and a shattered row of purple teeth, carry the distinct weight of these environments. They feel weathered, scorched, and exhausted, reminders of the lives and labor that once moved through the city’s working landscape.
These works reflect the quiet strain of survival in a post-industrial America where promises have collapsed but effort remains. Praska’s signature beeswax-oil surfaces recall the residue of heat and wear; his palette—caustic yellows, harsh blues, synthetic purples, suggests petrochemical tunoff, industrial grime, and the artificial shine of consumer packaging. Within these harshforms, a flicker of dry humor and familiar absurdity persists, a hallmark of Praska’s work: what remains when hopes fade but life goes on.
This exhibition marks a focused moment in Praska’s practice, a sculptural reflection on labor, ruin, and persistence shaped by the city’s forgotten edges.
Nathaniel C. Praska (b. 1985, Portland, Oregon) works primarily in painting and sculpture. His layered surfaces—built up over time—convey an unfiltered immediacy, evoking the raw, overwritten quality of graffiti found on the sides of industrial warehouses: sites of continuous marking and erasure. His subject matter—garbage fires, gas cans, broken teeth, and abandoned places—morphs into enigmatic symbols that conjure anxiety, absurdity, isolation, and paranoia. Praska positions these images alongside monstrous analogies, constructing a visual language that reflects societal despondency and the instability of the post-1980s U.S. socio-economic paradigm.
Praska’s work has been exhibited at the Rose Center for the Arts Forsberg Gallery at Lower Columbia College (Longview, Washington); Cerritos College Art Gallery (Norwalk, California); and the Mestizo Institute of Culture and Arts (Salt Lake City, Utah). He has received grants and residencies from the GLEAN Artist Residency Program (2023), Oregon Arts Commission (2023), Regional Arts and Culture Council (2022, 2023), Rockland Woods (2021), and The Calligram Foundation (2012). His work has been included in exhibitions across the United States. Praska lives and works in Portland, Oregon, with his wife and their two children.
Tryst Art Fair Details
Artist: Nathaniel C.Praska https://www.nathanielcpraska.com/
Dates: July 11-13, 2025
Opening hours: Friday July 11, 4-6PM, Sat.12th & Sun.13th, 12 -6PM
Location: Del Amo Crossing, 21515 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance (3rd floor space 7)
Curator: Grace Kim https://toybinart.com/ @curatorgraceykim @toybinart
By Hand / By Heart
May 3 -30, 2025
An Exhibition in Collaboration with ECF Art Centers, Toy Bin Art & Range Projects
Opening Reception: May 3, 2025 | 2:00–5:00 PM
Range Project Gallery: 3718 W. Slauson Ave, Los Angeles, CA
Curated by Grace Kim
This May, By Hand / By Heart brings together powerful works by adult artists with disabilities from the four studio campuses of ECF Art Centers. Curated by Grace Kim from Toy Bin Art and presented at Range Project Gallery, the exhibition honors the role of creative expression as a form of dignity, identity, and resistance.
“As a curator, I was first drawn to ECF artists in 2022 by their fearless mark-making and raw visual honesty,” Kim shares “There are no rules in their lines. It’s not about fitting in, it’s about feeling, sensing, being. Their art was fresh and freeing for me, and I knew I had to keep showing their work.”
Founded in 1968, ECF Art Centers have provided a nurturing and dynamic studio environment for adults with developmental disabilities to explore their creativity and grow as artists. Through mentorship, training, and community, ECF has helped hundreds of artists gain confidence, exhibition experience, and a voice in the broader art world.
In a time when public discourse too often reduces neurodivergence and developmental disability to narratives of limitation, this exhibition insists on another truth: creativity knows no bounds. As ECF’s President and CEO Veronica Arteaga recently stated, “The individuals my organization serves are not destroyed. “They are learning, working, creating art, volunteering, making friends, and building lives of purpose.”
By Hand / By Heart is both celebration and affirmation, a vibrant offering of beauty and a call for justice. Too often, artists with developmental disabilities have been excluded or tokenized. This show challenges that narrative. With works spanning drawing, painting, printmaking, ceramics, and mixed media, the exhibition presents a dynamic, diverse, and unapologetically human body of work.
“This exhibition was curated with great care, though space limited how many works could be shown. “Kim adds. “There were so many beautiful pieces. I promise to show more in the near future.”
This is more than an exhibition, it’s a stance. A reminder that difference is not deficiency, and the art world must be expansive enough to hold every voice. Especially now.
Let us gather, not just to view, but to stand with these artists.
- Grace Kim -
Participating Artists:
Debra Alexander, Angelica Alvarado, Angie Alvarado, Maria Alvarado, Elizabeth Alvarez, Saul Amaya, James Archuleta, Leticia Arredondo, Brian Bailey, Juana Baltazar, James Basilio, Kelvin Belt, Tammy Brackens, George Anthony “Tony” Brown, Will Carrillo, Camille Chang, Mary Jane, Chavez, Heon Choi, Nelson Cobian, Eddie Cole, Trisha Cozine, Alejandro Diaz, Jaleesa Diaz, Heidi Dong, Larry Dunbar, Heather Easdale, Jesus Estrada, Maria Estrada, Hikaru Fong, Eugenio Galvez, Sarah Gerke, Paul Greeley, Kat Hastings, Chris Heathcote, Mona Heathcote, Taleea Hill, Adriana Homsi, Antwan Jones, Eubene Kim, Gary Kolster, Patrick Kreusch, Koun Lee, Jennifer Little, Diana Lopez, Aaryn Maes, Jose Martinez, Vanessa McConnell, Cindy Niyashiro, Anthony Morris, Alyssa Nagahiro, Ms. Anna Cookie Norton, Jasmine Nunez, Shafik Ortiz, Leslie Paul, Maria del mar Pereda, Maribel Perez, Deveron Richard, Valeria Robledo, Carlos Robles, Humberto Saldana, Naseem Sabokpey, Armando Saucedo, Marilyn Schmidt, Thomas Sedgwick, Ivan Serrano, Janelle Stallworth, Sarah Telkamp, Brendan Tury, Richard Villarreal, Willie Walls, Clifford Williams, Jose Zamora.
Exhibition Details:
Duration: May 3 – 30, 2025
Opening Reception: May 3, 2025 | 2–5 PM
Location: Range Project Gallery, 3718 W. Slauson Ave, Los Angeles
Curated by: Grace Kim | Toy Bin Art
In collaboration with: ECF Art Centers, Toy Bin Art & Range Projects
Press & Inquiries:
For this exhibition : Grace Kim | toybinart@gmail.com 424-212-1708
For ECF interviews & media inquires : Lauri Gavel | lgavel@ecf.net 310-903-2811
Casa Montruos by Jasser Membreno 4/12 - 4/27, 2025
Opening Reception: April 12, 2025. 5:00-9:00 @ Keystone Art Space
Toy Bin Art curator Grace Kim is pleased to present Casa Monstruos, a solo exhibition by Los Angeles based artist and designer Jasser Membreno.
This exhibition, running from April 12 to April 27, 2025, invites audiences into Membreno’s intricate world of monsters, whimsical yet deeply introspective figures that embody interdependence, blurring the lines between fantasy and reality. The opening reception will take place on April 12 from 5:00 to 9:00 PM.
First encountering Membreno’s work at Keystone’s Artist Open Studio in 2024, curator Grace Kim was immediately captivated by the artist’s technical precision and the mesmerizing worlds he creates. His monsters are not creatures of darkness but rather curious beings navigating spaces of imagination and identity. Through detailed, meditative pen strokes, Membreno constructs vivid landscapes where his creatures exist beyond the need for assimilation-observing, experiencing, and questioning the world without becoming it.
Deeply influenced by 1980s cult films, animation, and mythology from both Latin American and European traditions, Membreno’s artistic process is a daily practice of self-regulation and exploration. His works, created with colored pencil, acrylic, and ballpoint pen on wood panel, canvas, and illustration board, recall the fantastical escapism of Labyrinth, The Never Ending Story, City of Lost Children, and Pan’s Labyrinth, while also reflecting on personal themes of belonging, love, and the lack thereof. The exhibition will also feature an immersive soundscape created in collaboration with the artist’s brother-in-law, musician and producer Jimmy Heinz aka J57, who composed an original soundtrack specifically for this solo show. This auditory experience enhances the presence of Membreno’s creatures, inviting viewers to engage more intimately with his paintings through imagination.
As a first-generation child of Central American immigrants, Membreno channels themes of movement, transformation, and the search for authenticity into his work. His monsters embody the duality of chaos and control, solitude and connection, allowing viewers to engage with them on multiple levels, whether as nostalgic echoes of childhood fantasy or as mirrors reflecting their own journeys of self-discovery.
Jasser Membreno’s work has been exhibited at La Luz de Jesus Gallery, LAMAG, and other esteemed venues. He has also led programs for LA Commons and the Arts for Healing and Justice Network, furthering his commitment to community and storytelling through art.
Join us at Keystone Art Space for Casa Monstruos, an exhibition that invites you to step into an alternate world, one where monsters guide us toward a deeper understanding of ourselves.
For press inquiries and additional information, please contact:
Curator Grace Kim toybinart@gmail.com
Keystone Art Space : 338 S. Avenue 16, Los Angeles
@curatorgracekim @keystoneartla @toybinart @jassermembreno
ART WITHIN REACH 2024 November 16 - January 5, 2025
Location: Ace Tiger
24411 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance, CA
“Art Within Reach 2024" - Curated by Grace Kim, A Holiday Season Art Exhibition in Torrance
Torrance, CA – This holiday season, Toy Bin Art and Ace Tiger proudly announce their collaborative end-of-year exhibition, Art Within Reach 2024, featuring 37 artists. This marks the second annual Art Within Reach show by Toy Bin Art, held every year-end. This year's exhibition will take place at Ace Tiger, located at 24411 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505, and will be open to the public from November 16 to December 21, 2024.
Join us for the opening reception on November 16, from 3-7 PM, to celebrate the artists and discover a curated selection of affordable, high-quality artworks—a perfect opportunity for holiday shoppers seeking meaningful, one-of-a-kind gifts.
Art Within Reach 2024 offers art lovers and collectors a chance to acquire unique, original pieces from emerging and mid-career artists at accessible prices. The exhibition includes a diverse array of styles and mediums—paintings, drawings, ceramics, sculptures, and textile art—designed to appeal to a wide range of tastes and preferences.
"Thank you to all participating artists for their generosity and commitment to making their works affordable, allowing more people to enjoy and take home incredible art," says curator Grace Kim of Toy Bin Art. “We’re thrilled to partner with Ace Tiger and create a space where art is within reach for everyone.”
Mark your calendars to support these amazing artists at Art Within Reach 2024! We look forward to welcoming art enthusiasts of all kinds to this festive showcase in Torrance.
Participating Artists:
Clarisse Abelarde, Michael Alten, Jack Avetisyan, Patrick Boyd, Michael Brunswick, Crescent Cheng, Trevor Coopersmith, Noah Gould, Phil Hayes, Eunsil Jeoung, JuJu, Beanie Kaman, Danni Kim, Dave Young Kim, Jiwon Lee, Heather Lowe, Adam Mars, Karena Massengill, Jasser Membreno, Randy Morales, Hung-Viet Nguyen, Kyong Boon Oh, Sihyeon Park, Nathaniel C. Praska, Samuelle Richardson, Robin Sarner, Peggy Sivert, Sung Hee Son, Sheri Ki Sun, Micke Tong, La Kristen Virgen, Andre Woodward, John Weston, Silvia Wagensberg, Randy Wheeler, Michael Freitas Wood, and HK Zamani.
Exhibition Details:
Dates: November 16 - December 21, 2024
Location: Ace Tiger, 24411 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505
Opening Reception: November 16, 3-7 PM
Gallery Hours: Wednesday - Saturday, 12 - 6 PM, and by appointment
Gallery Website : toybinart.com Email: toybinart@gmail.com
nighttcore - Crescent Cheng
Friday, September 27 - October 20, 2024
BlackMarket Courtyard,
2060 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles
Toy Bin Art is proud to present nightcore, the debut solo exhibition of Los Angeles-based artist Crescent Cheng. Running from September 27 to October 20, 2024, nightcore takes viewers on an introspective journey through nocturnal landscapes and scenes from Crescent's late-night walks, reimagined and romanticized in oil and acrylic on canvas and papers. Exploring Nighttime’s Transformative Power In nightcore, Crescent Cheng curates a series of moods, scenes, and memories that blur the boundaries between reality and romanticism. These paintings capture the familiar yet haunting nature of locations she encountered on her nighttime walks, in Los Angeles and during visits to family in Hawaiʻi and Louisiana. As the sun sets, the external world transforms—the shadows grow, objects blur together, and nocturnal creatures emerge, creating an otherworldly atmosphere that shifts one’s perception of outer and inner reality. “Nighttime transforms the way we perceive our surroundings and process emotions,” says Cheng. “The dark magnifies moments of introspection, nostalgia, and even regret or resolve, making space for deeper reflection.” Human Impact on the Nighttime Environment The title nightcore references a creative tradition that invites viewers to embrace feelings of isolation, reflection, and melancholy triggered by urban nightscapes. It draws connections to everything from Charles Dickens's “Night Walks,” to Edward Hopper's night paintings and John Green’s discussion of “he night feeling,” reflecting a rich history of art and social commentary that informs Cheng’s perspective. For Cheng, a key element of nightcore is a yearning for an unspoiled version of nighttime that does not exist. In her paintings, streetlights compete with moonlight, and green tennis courts clash with green vegetation. “Where I live, it’s impossible to encounter true darkness or silence, even in the middle of the night,” Cheng notes. “But there is a wistful beauty in the interplay between natural and unnatural.” Art as Emotional Catharsis Crescent Cheng (b. 1993, Honolulu) is an artist who draws from her personal experiences, including her upbringing in Hawaiʻi, her relationship with mental illness, and the emotional volatility she encounters in daily life. This series emphasizes the layered emotions experienced when walking through dimly lit streets, where light flickers behind dark forms, symbolizing the way a single moment or place can evoke multiple, sometimes conflicting, emotions. Opening Reception Toy Bin Art invites art lovers, collectors, and the community to the opening reception of nightcore curated by Grace Kim on Friday, September 27th from 6:00 to 9:00 PM. Join us to explore Crescent Cheng’s contemplative nightscapes and engage in conversation about the deeper emotional transformations brought on by the night. For more information, press inquiries, or to schedule a private viewing, please contact toybinart@gmail.com Exhibition Details Exhibition Title: nightcore Artist: Crescent Cheng Dates: September 27 – October 20, 2024 Opening Reception: Friday, September 27, 2024 6:00 - 9:00 PM Gallery: Toy Bin Art Curator: Grace Kim Exhibition address: BlackMarket Courtyard, 2060 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles About Toy Bin Art: Toy Bin Art is an alternative gallery space founded by curator Grace Kim. With a focus on flexibility and creativity, showcasing emerging and visionary artists. Toy Bin Art exhibits in different locations based on the themes of each show and the artist’s work. Currently showcasing in a hidden gem on Sawtelle Blvd, located in the rear space at BlackMarket. We curate exhibitions that highlight unique perspectives and foster connections between art, culture, and the community.
Toy Bin Art Presents med·i·cine – A Solo Exhibition by Nathaniel C. Praska
Los Angeles, CA — Toy Bin Art is thrilled to present “med-i-cine,” a solo exhibition curated by Grace Kim, featuring the debut of Portland-based artist Nathaniel C. Praska at the gallery. Running from August 3 to September 15, this exhibition showcases Nathaniel’s exploration through twelve black-and-white monotypes, capturing the essence of emotion rendered to plain expression.
In the “med-i-cine” series, Nathaniel C. Praska delves into reflections on abandoned rage, resonating with the societal and emotional turbulence of recent decades. Developed alongside his major works in painting and sculpture over the past year, this series allowed him to experiment with a different medium, focusing on a singular facial expression that reveals raw, unfiltered facets of simplified human feeling.
By repetitively exploring this expression, Nathaniel delves into the complexities of printmaking, uncovering subtle nuances that add depth to each piece. Though each monotype tells a distinct story, together they create a powerful and immersive experience. This body of work transcends individual pieces, occupying a vast intellectual and physical space that challenges viewers to confront their own emotional landscapes. It also invites audiences to engage with the dynamic interplay between rage and apathy, pushing the boundaries of artistic expression and societal reflection.
The title “med-i-cine” plays on the dual meanings of “medicine”: both “a substance or preparation used in treating disease” and “the science and art dealing with the maintenance of health and the prevention, alleviation, or cure of disease.” Nathaniel’s work prompts introspection on whether ‘medicine’ serves as a remedy or a catalyst for broader societal issues, encouraging viewers to reconsider traditional perceptions of health, both personal and communal.
The series also reflects on the complex nature of medicine in our daily lives. Medicine is a constant presence, whether we are ill or not, raising questions about its role in genuinely healing our bodies. It is something many struggle to access or have found ways to misuse, as seen in the expanded opioid epidemic, which exploits a culture primed for addiction and despair.
Join us at Toy Bin Art to experience the complexities of “med-i-cine” through Nathaniel C. Praska’s evocative artworks. The exhibition opens on August 3 and runs through September 15. An artist reception will be held on August 17 from 6-9 PM, providing an opportunity to meet Nathaniel and engage directly with his creative process.
To view his larger paintings, visit Toy Bin Art at the Tryst International Art Fair in Torrance from August 23-25 at Del Amo Crossing.
nathanielcpraska.com
toybinart.com
Exhibition Details:
Gallery : Toy Bin Art
Exhibition title: med·i·cine
Curator: Grace Kim
Artist: Nathaniel C. Praska
Exhibition duration: August 3 – September 15, 2024
Artist Reception: August 17, 6:00 – 9:00 PM
Location: Toy Bin Art @ BlackMarket ( rear)
2060 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025
Admission: Free/open to public
For more information, please visit: https://toybinart.com
Press Contact: Grace Kim @curatorgraceykim
More Past Exhibitions
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Playful Universe
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Down To Earth
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Over The Rainbow
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Art Within Reach
Ben Zesk, Colin Gray, Sean Yang, Wonsil Kim, Damian Seo, Peggy Sivert, Sungho Choe, Eunsil Jeoung, Beanie Kaman, Hannah Smoot, Jack Avetisyan, Philip Vaughan, Nathaniel Praska, Namkung Kyoung, Karena Massengill, Silvia Wagensberg, moderncavepainter, Michael Freitas Wood.
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TRYST
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Oct 27 - Oct 29, 2023 @Tryst TAM
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TRYST
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Sorry But Not Sorry
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R.E.D.
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