Visions Adolescent Treatment Centers Presents:

Visit Gallery this Week Only for Miller, Risk, Defer and Big Sleeps Work

By ONE Recovery and Visions

If you missed the party don’t miss the Art and a chance to Support the kids of ONE as the artists are donating a portion back to ONE:

July 25-29, Monday-Friday: 11-7:00pm
Call 310.997.7627 for Private Showings or Questions

Join us for an extraordinary look into the talent and craft of four amazing artist: Mike Miller, Defer, Risky and Big Sleeps. Their work will be showcased at the ONE Recovery Gallery in Santa Monica, where we’ll celebrate the men as well as their artistry.

This event is being presented by ONE Recovery and the amazing people at Visions Adolescent Treatment Centers. Read more about them HERE.
Read more about MIKE MILLER HERE.
Read more about DEFER HERE.
Read more about RISK.
Read more about BIG SLEEPS.

About Mike Miller

Famed photographer/director Mike Miller has worked with some of the most iconic 90’s supermodels, photographed hundreds of major-label album covers from all genres of music from Tupac, Nick Cave to Herb Albert. Recently photographed and directed YG, A$AP, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Jeezy.

Currently working with Ferrari and collaborations with Retna, Shepard Fairey among others…, clients include Angelina Jolie, Jack Nicholson, Cameron Diaz, James Franco, Sony, Nike, Puma, MTV Video Awards, Coca~Cola, Stussy etc…

Miller’s work has been featured in numerous exhibitions, including a recent show at the New York City Public Library. Miller’s work has been added to The Getty Black Book and is now featured in The Smithsonian, as well.

In his recent book, West Coast Hip Hop: A History in Pictures, he presents just what the title implies. A reportage of his iconic images coving the golden age of rap.

More on Mike from KCET TV:
Miller grew up on the Westside, attending Santa Monica public schools while living in Malibu, back when he says it was still “really country.” His teen years were impeccably timed; not only was he classmates with Rob Lowe and Sean Penn, but as an avid skater and surfer, Miller ended up befriending members of the Dogtown skating crew, the Z-Boys, especially Tony Alva.

Miller graduated from UCLA in the mid 1980s and decamped for Europe, first to compete in downhill skiing before ending up in Paris, where he briefly made ends meet by painting houses. His entry into photographer was a bit of a fluke, he says. He and a friend, “were after one thing and it [was] to date models and it’s where my photography first started.” Whatever his original motives, Miller quickly proved gifted for the craft and within months, was traveling across Europe to shoot campaigns for Cacharel and other major fashion houses.

When he returned home to L.A., his fashion work caught the eye of record labels such as EMI and by the late 1980s, he was shooting artists as varied as girl rockers The Go-Go’s and Heart, to jazz players such as Stan Getz and Herb Alpert. Miller, however, grew up a hip-hop fan, listening to 1580 AM, KDAY, the first 24 hour hip-hop station in the country. As a teen, he used to spin late-night shows on KBOO, literally an underground radio station housed in a Malibu basement. In 1989, he snapped his first rap-related cover, for the original N.W.A. group member, Arabian Prince and his debut solo album. That began Miller’s long history of shooting the key figures on the West Coast rap scene, thoroughly compiled in “West Coast Hip-Hop” and the subject of his in-progress documentary about the influence of this region’s hip-hop culture on the rest of the world.

“West Coast Hip-Hop” includes extensive background testimonials to almost all the photos, providing crucial personal and historical context.
Check out Mike’s YouTube Video HERE.

About Defer

Defer’s work is not something that can be defined by any one style. Moving from Picasso handstyles, graffiti, fine art, and his use of Japanese Imagery Defer is able to bridge these influences into a strong body of work. Working in layers with repetitive rhythm Defer’s paintings meditate a powerful energy. Growing up in Los Angeles as a youth Defer embraced the native street language of graffiti as key component to his art as he transitioned into fine art. Defer’s work is able to effectively capture the gesture and layers of “Spiritual Language” as the artist calls it in this quote. “My work represents many layers of the human existence brought forth by the many layers of under painting that is exhibited in my work. I also utilize many forms of text – and that pay homage to the graffiti that I was exposed to as a youth growing up in LA. The text is painted in gestural strokes and is expressed as “spiritual language”.” Defer is an artist to watch out for as he establishes himself among his contemporaries. An amazing painter that we expect big things from in the future.

About RISK

Kelly Graval, the multi-talented Fine Artist, Illustrator, and Graffiti artist known as RISK, has been synonymous with the Los Angeles art community for decades. With a career spanning 30 years, RISK has solidified his place in the history books as a world-renowned graffiti legend. He has come a long way since he pioneered the painting of freeway overpasses, signs and billboards, dubbed “heavens.” Although RISK loves aerosol art, he sees it as merely just one genre in his life’s work. From his days as a student at the USC School of Fine Arts to Gallery and museum showings around the world; RISK has transformed from a street artist to a rising star in the contemporary art world.

Looking back on his pioneering work with the West Coast Artists crew to his now legendary multi-faceted approach to creativity; RISK art spans the spectrum of everything from renowned clothing brands and canvas pieces, to massive street murals that breathe life into their communities. As his notoriety became prevalent around the Los Angeles art community; it didn’t take long for RISK to become a hot commodity in the music scene. His art can be seen in music videos by everyone from the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Ice Cube to Bad Religion and the legendary Michael Jackson. RISK has also worked with some of the most notable music festivals, musicians, and events around the globe including Coachella, the MTV Music Awards, Sunset Strip Music Festival, The Doors and of course his high profile collaboration with Aerosmith.

The next step was to take the graffiti from the streets and into the gallery. RISK accomplished this with the launch of the Third Rail series of art shows. These very successful events showcased his versatility with various mediums and styles from lettering to imagery. Consciously pushing the boundaries for graffiti as an art form, RISK pushed graffiti into a form of artistic expression that is universally recognized around the globe.

From there, the entrepreneurial spirit and the desire to push creative concepts gave birth to the first authentic line of graffiti-inspired clothing, which RISK branded as THRID RAIL. With his artwork used as the designs for apparel, RISK’s art quickly became the key ingredient for one of the hottest clothing brands to emerge out of Southern California.

Today, RISK stays connected to his roots by supporting artists and giving back to the community with countless charitable endeavors. He continues to travel the globe showcasing his art, and generating media attention from the likes of The Los Angeles Times, countless magazines, NBC, Carson Daily, BBC, and many others. The mark that RISK has left on graffiti culture will be showcased in his upcoming Biography ” KEEP ON KEEPIN ON “. Risk continues to break down barriers in both art and commerce while remaining grounded and respectful of the culture he helped build.

About BIG SLEEPS

Despite his newfound worldwide perspective, Big Sleeps maintains a humble, community-based mindset, speaking to local Los Angeles at-risk youth and working with Second Chance, a company which works with Homeboy Industries to give rehabilitated former prisoners employment opportunities. Though he lost his mother to cancer before she could see him
blossom into the artist he is today, Sleeps is steadied by his girl and his family, respected by his peers, adored by his customers, and poised to continue his upward flight into the clouds of creativity and the annals of contemporary art. His is a tale of redemption, and it is certainly poetic justice that the man who once saw the alleys of his neighborhood as his only artistic refuge now sees the entire world as his canvas.

About Visions Adolescent Treatment Centers

In 2002, Visions’ Founders Chris and Amanda Shumow began their mission of creating an adolescent program that provided cutting edge mental health, substance abuse and family treatment. Since its inception, they have advocated for the family in its entirety. This founder driven center has set the standard for adolescent treatment amongst industry professionals with its clinical acumen and attention to specialized services.

Chris and Amanda acknowledged the success of Visions would correlate to the strength and unity of their clinical team. They place great value on collaborating with service providers who share the same passion for adolescents and their families. Since opening, Visions has maintained original founding clinicians while adding several dynamic team members with continued program growth.

As proud parents of four beautiful children, Chris and Amanda understand the importance of family involvement and support throughout the treatment process. They know from personal experience that any individual going through the recovery process must do it with laughter and fun in order to sustain a new healthy lifestyle.

Year after year, Chris and Amanda push Visions to maintain a creative clinical culture of excellence.

Website: www.VisionsTeen.com
Instagram: @VisionsTeen
Facebook: VisionsTreatmentCenters
Twitter: @VisionsTeen