Farewell to the Billy Shire

I am saddened to report that Billy Shire Fine Arts, perhaps the finest art gallery in all of Los Angeles, has closed its doors. I'll treasure my memories of discovering Elizabeth McGrath, Chris Mars, Dave Cooper and many of my other favorite contemporary artists at Billy Shire. I'm really going to miss that place.

I'm not privy to any inside info, but I get the impression this closing was rather abrupt. A lot of art galleries are really suffering in this brutal economy, so if you have a favorite local gallery, visit them this afternoon and enjoy them while you can. (And if you happen to see some artwork you really like and you can afford it, go ahead and buy it. That's how these places stay in business, after all.)