Around the corner from the Anaheim Ice Rink sits a small but glorious gallery, Rothick Art Haus. Popzilla Gallery opened their fourth show, “The Burton Show” on Saturday night. Rothick Art Haus was packed as crowds filled the small one room gallery and the front patio as a DJ played music from Tim Burton films.
Sam Carter, curator and owner of Popzilla, donned a classic Pee Wee Herman suit and bowtie from the 1985 Tim Burton classic, “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure” spoke about the Popzilla Gallery and the fuel behind this show.
“This is our first show that focuses on one person,” said Carter. “I was inspired by the Danny Elfman concerts last year where he played his music from Tim Burton films. So this is like the art version of that concert.”
Carter, who is also one of 60 artists in the show, spoke about Popzilla’s past shows including “Rat Trap” which was a comedic roast about Disneyland, “Steampop” a steampunk and pop culture crossover, “Megamouse” another Disney and pop culture inspired gallery and most recently “Popcade” which was a gallery of video games and pop culture. Next year, Popzilla’s gallery will be “Time After Time” a homage to the 1985 classic film “Back to the Future” as well as other pop culture time traveling features.
Dave and Lindsay Share went as Victor and Bride from the 2005 Tim Burton stop motion film “Corpse Bride.”
Kelly Castillo, owner of Rothick Art Haus and participant in the show, was on hand the night of the event. She and her husband, who own and live above the gallery, were running a bar as well as assisting in the production of the show.
“We’ve done three of Sam’s shows before,” Castillo said. She met Carter and featured his work previously at a community gallery she does aside from Rothick. After his first showing she was blown away and invited him to continue his work at Rothick.
Nearly every Tim Burton film one can think inspired a piece of art displayed in the gallery. The two most featured films that seemed to inspire artists were “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” a 1993 stop motion cult classic and the 1988 odd yet loved “Beetlejuice.” Despite those films, heavy appearance work from lesser known Burton films like “Big Fish”, “Mars Attacks”, “Ed Wood” and “Frankenweenie” were on display.
One of the featured artists was Tracie Cotta who created shadowboxes inspired films such as the 1990 Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder classic “Edward Scissorhands.” Cotta attended the gallery opening dressed as Lydia, from “Beetlejuice”, Winona Ryder’s beloved young girl who has an infatuation with the two ghosts who live in her house.
Sculptures and paintings covered the walls of the gallery. Paintings done in tribute to Burton himself as well. Some great crossover pieces such as “Pee-Wee Jack Skellington” and “Batman Jack Skellington” were center in the middle.
Next week, Rothick Art Haus will have another opening of “The Burton Show” as well as an open art crawl. The art crawl will feature live music as well as food trucks.
“The Burton Show” is only open on Saturdays in November. For more information check out facebook.com/popzillagallery.
Rothick Art Haus is located at 170 S. Harbor Blvd. Anaheim, Ca. For information on the art crawl visit their facebook page facebook.com/rothick-art-haus
