This Saturday, June 13, Copro Gallery unveils three excellent new exhibitions by Carl Dobsky, Shawn Barber, and Jason Wheatley (otherwise knows as TIKUNKIT)! Free admission and open to the public, Copro Gallery will once again be putting on an exciting opening reception so if you are in the Santa Monica area, don’t miss out!
CARL DOBSKY ‘Hell or High Water’
SHAWN BARBER ‘Perpetual Motion’
JASON WHEATLEY (TIKUNKIT) ‘In Where Silence Watches’
Opening Reception: Saturday June 13, 2026 – 6:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Dates: June 13 – July 4, 2026. Free admission and open to the public.
Copro Gallery
Bergamot Station Arts Complex
2525 Michigan Ave , Unit T5, Santa Monica , CA 90404
For more information, email Copro Gallery Director, Gary Pressman at coprogallery@live.com
Carl Dobsky Hell or High Water
In Carl Dobsky’s upcoming exhibition Hell or High Water at Copro Gallery, allegorically alludes to being committed to doing something regardless of difficulties or opposition. Showing unwavering determination to see it through, no matter the consequences, and sometimes ending in deep-seated and a tragic kind of folly. Through the use of allegory and social commentary Carl points at our tendencies to engage in acts that end up destroying our health, wealth, and security both on the individual scale and that of the society at large. Whether the subject is an original invention or taken from literary or humanist sources, the common theme is the evil men do both to others and themselves.
Carl Dobsky is a figurative painter currently living and working in the Los Angeles area. His work is grounded in traditional forms of representation while still incorporating contemporary elements. He earned a B.F.A from Ringling College of Art and Design and an M.F.A from the New York Academy of Art. Beyond education at these institutions, he also studied classical approaches to drawing and painting at the Water Street Atelier in Brooklyn, NY. He has exhibited throughout the U.S. and in Europe. His work can be found in both private and public collections including the New Britain Museum of Art and the Seven Bridges Foundation.
60” x 90” Oil on Linen
16” diameter Oil on Panel
16” diameter Oil on Panel
26” x 30”, Oil on Linen
Graphite on Toned Paper 30” x 20.75″
Shawn Barber Perpetual Motion: THE TATTOOED PORTRAIT SERIES
In this latest exhibition by Shawn Barber, we delve into the exploration and documentation of contemporary tattoo culture and history over the past two decades. Through portraits, still lifes and paintings of interiors and exteriors of tattoo shops and flash, Shawn’s intimate personal knowledge of the subjects is unveiled. In his new body of work, Perpetual Motion, the artist draws inspiration from the sequential photography of Eadweard Muybridge, translating recent personal and professional transformations into a rhythmic visual narrative.
Shawn earned his B.F.A from Ringling College of Art in 1999 and A.A.S. from Cazenovia College in 1997. His paintings are held in private collections throughout the United States, Canada, Asia, Europe and Australia. Among his extensive achievements, he has taught drawing, painting and the business of art for 20 years at various art schools throughout the country. After years of documenting the art of tattoo, it was a logical progression to pick up the tattoo machine and add tattooist to his resume.
oil on canvas, 48” x 32”
oil on canvas, 30” x 24”
(Torso tattoos by Chris Brand
& James Spencer Briggs)
oil on canvas, 36” x 24”
oil on canvas, 36” x 24”
oil on linen panel, 16” x 20”
Jason Wheatley (TIKUNKIT) In Where Silence Watches
Jason Wheatley (TIKUNKIT)’s latest exhibition In Where Silence Watches explores the whimsical and surreal side of still life. His paintings explore the threshold of movement, and draws inspiration from the techniques and traditions of the Old Masters. Through familiar archetypes, he constructs scenes that invite the viewer to pause and engage with subtle nuances, revealing a dynamic interplay between elements and encouraging exploration of the deeper meanings. Jason’s work points to the connection between nature and artistic expression. A monkey clutching fruit symbolizes the trickster’s role in the balance of chaos and order. A heron acts as a guardian between realms, and goldfish swim in surreal spaces, challenging perception. His art is detailed yet open to interpretation, revealing layers that evolve over time.
Born on February 4th 1973 in Salt Lake City, Utah, Jason has painted and drawn animals since he can remember, and he has used them as spirit guides to venture into the Aetherial realms. “It was here I met a magical monkey named Tiku who has been my mentor and companion ever since.” he shares. “He has helped guide me through my mystic sojourns into the dreamscapes of my paintings. As part of the shaman’s journey, I laid to rest my given name as I was reborn and assumed the magic moniker tikunkit.” Jason currently resides in Sweden.
oil on panel 24″ x 24″
oil on panel 24″ x 24″
oil on canvas 20″ x 20″
oil on canvas 36″ x 29″
oil on panel 49″ x 40″
