GIBSON GUITARTOWN On The SUNSET STRIP To Unveil Third Installment of Art Guitars Wednesday, July 17

GIBSON GUITARTOWN ON THE SUNSET STRIP is set to unveil its third installment of art guitars on Wednesday, July 17 at a special VIP reception at Hornburg Land Rover on The Sunset Strip. The public art exhibit features 10-foot tall art guitar sculptures celebrating artists and musicians who have influenced The Sunset Strip. The current selection includes works celebrating 2013 Sunset Strip Music Festival (SSMF) honoree Joan Jett, Janis Joplin, Love, ZZ Top, Alice Cooper and Debbie Harry.

A range of artists participated in the 2013 installment, including Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda, tattoo artist Kat Von D, tattoo artist Lyle Tuttle, who was close friends with Janis Joplin, sculptor Eugene Daub, who recently created the Rosa Parks sculpture for the U.S. capitol, and jewelry designer Kathy Rose.

GIBSON GUITARTOWN ON THE SUNSET STRIP originally launched in August 2010 with 20 10-foot tall fiberglass Gibson Les Paul model guitars strategically placed along the legendary Sunset Strip. Each guitar sculpture celebrates a musician, personality or artist unique to The Sunset Strip’s history. Previous years have included works by artists Shepard Fairey, RISK, Tristan Eaton and John Kosh and have celebrated The Doors, Buffalo Springfield, Van Halen, Stevie Nicks, Jane’s Addiction, Slash, The Runaways and Cheech & Chong among others.

As in previous years, the 2013 Gibson GuitarTown art guitars will be auctioned for charity at the end of their “tour.” Proceeds from the auction will benefit Music For Relief, the nonprofit organization Linkin Park founded to support disaster relief, provide aid to survivors of natural disasters and support the prevention of such disasters via environmental programs.

Collectively, the previous auctions have raised more than $106,600 for charities. The 2012 Gibson GuitarTown charity auction raised $52,280 to benefit Los Angeles Fund for Education’s “Arts Matter” campaign, which funds art and music education programs in Los Angeles public schools. The 2011 charity auction raised $27,180 to benefit the Los Angeles Youth Network, which provides services for homeless youth, as well as $20,385 to support public art in West Hollywood and $6,795 to benefit the West Hollywood Library.

“We are happy to partner with Gibson for the third year and showcase another lineup of amazing art guitars,” noted Sunset Strip Music Festival managing director Karmen Beck, who spearheaded the GuitarTown partnership. “Gibson GuitarTown is a true celebration of The Sunset Strip community, and the guitars provide a vibrant and memorable walking tour of this influential music boulevard.”

The Sunset Strip Business Association, which is presenting the project in conjunction with Gibson, plans to unveil additional art guitars this fall. All guitars are created by local and nationally recognized artists and celebrate people and places that have shaped The Strip. All guitars unveiled July 17 will be on display at the Saturday, August 3 Sunset Strip Music Festival street fest. After the festival, they will be placed along the boulevard for public view.

The full list of guitars being unveiled at the July 17 launch includes:

• Danny Curnen, “The Eliminator” – Mixed media guitar inspired by the music and influence of rock and roll band ZZ Top. (Performances at Whisky, House of Blues Sunset Strip.): Graphic designer Danny Curnen was recently named one of the ‘Top 10 Poster Artists of 2012’ by Creative Bloq (UK). His design for Lisa Marie Presley will soon find a permanent home on display at Elvis Presley’s Graceland in Memphis, TN. His artwork has been featured at legendary festivals such as South By Southwest, the Sunset Strip Music Festival and the Los Angeles Vegan Beer Festival, and he is the official poster art and graphic designer for The Roxy.
• Eugene Daub, “Call Me” – Mixed media guitar inspired by the music and influence of Debbie Harry, lead singer of Blondie. (Performed at the Whisky.) – Eugene Daub is the recipient of the highest National Awards for sculpture and relief sculpture. He is the president of the American Medallic Sculpture Association, and a fellow and board member of the National Sculpture Society. Over the last 30 years Daub has designed and created many public art commissions for the United States government, private foundations, universities and corporations and has exhibited in the British Museum and the Smithsonian Institute, among other locations. His sculpture of Rosa Parks was unveiled by President Obama on March 27, 2013, in the U.S Capitol, Statuary Hall. The concept and pedestal were a collaboration with Rob Firmin.
• Simone Gad, “Dolly Parton and The Sunset Towers” – Mixed media, abstract guitar inspired by country music legend Dolly Parton. (Performed at The Roxy.) – Simone Gad is a self-taught visual artist who has exhibited in local, national and international museums and galleries for more than 44 years. Gad is a six-time grant recipient and Getty-sponsored PST artist who was featured in Lyn Kienholtz’s encyclopedia, “L.A. Rising; So Cal Artists Before 1980,” among other numerous publications. Her guitar is part of a continuing series of paintings that focus on Los Angeles architectural monuments and famous females.
• Tsipi Mani, “Unvarnished” – Mixed media guitar celebrating 2013 Sunset Strip Music Festival honoree Joan Jett. (Performances at the Whisky.) – Tsipi Mani is a multi-media painter and sculptor with skills working in oils, clay, acrylic, bronze, aluminum and steel. Her paintings and statues fill her home and can be seen in a Beverly Hills gallery, as well as in a few commercial buildings in West Hollywood.
• Juliana Martinez, “Don Jose, Que Chévere!” – Tile and mixed media guitar inspired by legendary guitarist Jose Feliciano. (Performed at The Roxy, Whisky.) – Juliana Martinez created her first mosaic at age 9 and was hooked. She currently creates public art pieces and accepts private commissions. This is her third contribution to the GuitarTown on The Sunset Strip art project. In 2010 she created a mosaic guitar celebrating the “Summer of Love” and in 2012 she created “There’s Something Happening Here” celebrating Buffalo Springfield.
• Kathy Rose, “Alanis Morissette Utopia” – Guitar embellished with semi-precious stones, natural material and mixed media. Inspired by the music and message of singer/songwriter Alanis Morissette. (Performances at the Whisky, House of Blues Sunset Strip.) – Kathy Rose is a recognized jewelry designer and businesswoman. She owns and operates Roseark gallery in West Hollywood and Santa Monica, and has launched Kaviar Jewelry and Native Rose clothing line. She also serves as the accessories editor for Foam magazine.
• Mike Shinoda, “Soldier In Repose” – Acrylic and spray paint. Linkin Park’s first shows ever were played on Sunset Boulevard. In this illustration, the band’s iconic “Hybrid Theory” soldier is shown in a moment of reflection. (Performances at The Roxy, House of Blues Sunset Strip.) – Mike Shinoda is a songwriter, performer, record producer and visual artist. He is best known for his vocal and musical endeavors with two-time Grammy Award-winning, multi-platinum alternative band Linkin Park. Shinoda graduated with a B.F.A. in Illustration from Art Center College of Design in 1998 and received an honorary doctorate of humane letters in 2009. He has a hand in most artistic facets of Linkin Park’s artwork and imagery, including art for the band’s albums, merchandise, web and stage.
• Lyle Tuttle & Mark Phillips, “Tribute To My Friend, Janis Joplin” – Mixed media guitar celebrating the colorful music career of Janis Joplin. The design features her portrait, signature, tattoos and other mementos of her life. (Performed at the Whisky.) – Lyle Tuttle is a well-known American tattoo artist and tattoo historian. Tuttle opened his first tattoo studio in San Francisco in 1954. He has tattooed Janis Joplin, Cher, Henry Fonda and Paul Stanley among others.
• Kat Von D, “City Of Angels” – Graphite on paper and graphic wrap guitar using a modern day approach to the old school black and grey style of fine-line tattoo art. The guitar celebrates the prominence of the Mexican art culture that originated in the 1970s, here on the streets of Los Angeles. – Kat Von D is a renowned tattoo artist and the star of the former hit television series LA Ink, which ran for five successful years. She is the author of three New York Times bestsellers, High Voltage Tattoo, The Tattoo Chronicles and Go Big or Go Home. She is the creator of a popular makeup and fragrance line for Sephora. She is also the founder of Wonderland Gallery, an art gallery and boutique located next to her tattoo shop, High Voltage Tattoo, in West Hollywood, where she resides with her awesome hairless cat, Piaf.
• Stacey Wells, “Welcome To My Nightmare” – Paint and mixed media guitar inspired by musician Alice Cooper. (Performances at the Whisky, House of Blues Sunset Strip.) – Stacey Wells has become a familiar face on The Sunset Strip, recently creating a collection of art she calls “Reflections of the Strip,” which features musicians who have made it big after starting on The Sunset Strip as well as new, talented bands that are paving their way today, playing at The Roxy, the Whisky and the Viper Room.
• The Wizard, “Forever Changes” – Graphic wrap guitar inspired by iconic 1960s L.A. band Love. (Performed at the Whisky.) – Born in a nondenominational hospital to two able-bodied humans in the year of our Lord 1984, The Wizard has spent the last 29 years traveling the Earth, harshing mellows. The Wizard currently spends his time farming hair, clicking furiously and making dreams real.

Additionally, artists from Ethos Gallery will create a live art piece during the 2013 SSMF street festival on August 3. The artists will paint the guitar outdoors throughout the day. Ethos Gallery, located in the heart of the Los Angeles art scene, specializes in fine art, street art, and live art installations. Ethos believes in the power of artistic expression, and therefore supports art that is positive, uplifting and environmentally conscious.

Gibson GuitarTown on The Sunset Strip is supported by the Sunset Strip Business Association, Hornburg Land Rover on The Sunset Strip, City of West Hollywood and Visit West Hollywood. GuitarTown on The Sunset Strip is administered by the Gibson Foundation, the philanthropic division of Gibson Guitar Corp. For a map and photos of the guitars, please visit www.thesunsetstrip.com/guitartown. For additional information, please visit www.gibson.com/sunset-strip and www.gibsonfoundation.org.

About Gibson Foundation: The Gibson Foundation is the philanthropic division of Gibson Guitar Corp., with a mission to make the world a better world for children through its initiatives such as GuitarTown, Music Rising and Soundwaves, as well as through its support of music & the arts, education, health & welfare and environmental causes. www.gibsonfoundation.org

About Gibson Guitar Corp.: Gibson Guitar Corp. is known worldwide for producing classic models in every major style of fretted instrument, including acoustic and electric guitars, mandolins, and banjos. The Gibson Les Paul Guitar is the bestselling guitar of all time and is a tribute to the late, famed musician of the same name. Collectively, the Gibson Robot Guitar, Gibson Dark Fire, Gibson Dusk Tiger and the Gibson Firebird X represent the biggest advances in electric guitar design in more than 75 years. Through the Gibson Foundation, Gibson Guitar Corp. has become equally known for its philanthropic efforts on behalf of music, education, health and human services. Founded in 1894 in Kalamazoo, MI, and headquartered in Nashville, TN, since 1984, Gibson Guitar Corp.’s family of brands includes Epiphone, Cerwin-Vega!, Dobro, Kramer, Onkyo, KRK Systems, Steinberger, Tobias, Echoplex, Electar, Flatiron, Slingerland, Stanton, Valley Arts, Maestro, Oberheim, Baldwin, Sunshine Piano, Take Anywhere Technology, J&C Fischer, Chickering, Hamilton, Wurlitzer and Gibson Pro Audio. Visit Gibson’s website at  www.gibson.com.  Follow Gibson Guitar at www.facebook.com/gibsonguitar and www.twitter.com/gibsonguitar.

About The Sunset Strip: The Sunset Strip is a 1.6 mile stretch along Sunset Boulevard that runs through the heart of West Hollywood. From its beginning as an unregulated “strip” of land along Sunset Boulevard outside Los Angeles’ city limits, The Sunset Strip has served as a notorious entertainment destination for celebrities, tourists and California residents. It is an iconic locale where fashion, music, architecture and a unique history combine. The Sunset Strip has birthed countless music and entertainment careers, and it continues to blaze its own path as a leading destination with a vibrant and entertaining landscape made up of more than 150 restaurants, shops, nightclubs and hotels. The Sunset Strip became part of the City of West Hollywood when it was incorporated in 1984. For more information about The Sunset Strip, please visit www.thesunsetstrip.com.

About Hornburg Land Rover and Jaguar on The Sunset Strip: Since its opening, Hornburg Sunset has built its reputation on quality customer service and extensive product selection.  Ideally located on the Sunset Strip, the award-winning franchised Jaguar and Land Rover dealer continues to deliver the product and service that the brand is famous for.  The dealership is located at 9176 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood 90069. For more information, visit www.hornburgLA.com

About Visit West Hollywood: Visit West Hollywood is a 501(c) non-profit organization dedicated to marketing the City of West Hollywood as a “living forward” visitor destination to business and leisure travelers by promoting awareness of the city’s unique location, image, businesses and industries and by providing support for the city’s economic development efforts. For more information on West Hollywood’s cutting edge businesses or to plan the ultimate getaway, please visit www.visitwesthollywood.com. For the latest offers and tips on living like a West Hollywood insider, visit www.WHinsiders.com. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/westhollywood and Twitter at www.twitter.com/westhollywood.

About the City of West Hollywood: West Hollywood is also known as “The Creative City,” due to its rich history as a hub of entertainment, dining, fashion, design and architecture, is home to such iconic global destinations as Sunset Boulevard; Santa Monica Boulevard, the historic “Route 66;” and Melrose Avenue (The Avenues of Art, Fashion & Design). Originally, an unincorporated section of Los Angeles County, the 1.9 square miles between Beverly Hills and Los Angeles, known as West Hollywood was officially incorporated in 1984. West Hollywood is passionate and creative in its approach to City government and has established itself as a leader in many of the critical social movements over the last twenty years. The City has led the way in the fight against HIV and AIDS; rent control and affordable housing; LGBT rights; human rights and civil rights; women’s rights; Seniors; protection of our environment; and animal rights. For more information about the City of West Hollywood, please visit www.weho.org

About Music for Relief: Founded by two-time Grammy winning/multi-platinum rock band Linkin Park, Music for Relief is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization dedicated to providing aid to survivors of natural disasters and the prevention of such disasters.  Since its inception in 2005, Music for Relief has raised over $5 million for survivors of multiple disasters across four continents including the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, hurricane Katrina, China’s Wenchuan earthquake, a cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe, and the 2011 earthquake & tsunami in Japan. Music for Relief also supports environmental programs as a means of disaster risk mitigation including the planting of over 1 million trees to help reduce global warming.  The organization was recently recognized by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon for the Download to Donate program to raise funds and awareness in the aftermath of the Haiti earthquake. Currently Music for Relief is supporting Oklahoma tornado recovery and clean energy solutions through the Power the World campaign.  For more information visit www.musicforrelief.org.

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