{"id":426129,"date":"2026-08-07T05:08:15","date_gmt":"2026-08-07T05:08:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/426129\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T05:08:15","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T05:08:15","slug":"enigmatic-new-art-show-at-black-ring-coffee-connects-the-lines-between-us","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/426129\/","title":{"rendered":"Enigmatic new art show at Black Ring Coffee connects the \u2018Lines Between Us\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

People feel more disconnected from each other than ever, and unfortunately, there\u2019s no single all-encompassing cause.<\/p>\n

Major stressors include politics<\/a>, social media<\/a> and the oppressive weight of capitalism<\/a> \u2014 and that\u2019s on a good day.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Despite our collective differences, there are \u201ctethers\u201d that keep every person emotionally, creatively and, at times, harmoniously attached; at least that\u2019s what Long Beach-based artist Jared Schwartz believes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Schwartz is this month\u2019s featured artist<\/a> at Black Ring Coffee Roasters (5373 Long Beach Blvd.) and his new exhibition, \u201cLines Between Us,\u201d a collection of acrylic, mixed-media and digital artwork, emerges from the inevitability of our shared humanity. \u2014 a link which unites even the most extreme opponents.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cNo matter how many divisions you create, there\u2019s still that basic humanity at the core of it, and I think that\u2019s kind of what I want to emphasize,\u201d Schwartz said. \u201cAcknowledging emotional bonds between people isn\u2019t a weakness, it\u2019s how humanity keeps surviving. It\u2019s how we\u2019ve survived to this day, by keeping those tethers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\""The\u201cThe Spark\u201d (2025) is one of Schwartz\u2019s newer pieces on display in the \u201cLines Between Us\u201d exhibition at Black Ring Coffee Roasters. (Courtesy of Jared Schwartz)<\/p>\n

Schwartz, who has lived in Long Beach for around two years, raves about the city\u2019s \u201ccreative energy.\u201d Even before moving to the 562, he had already established an artistic presence in the area. His local resume includes participating in the Micro Galleries of Long Beach<\/a>, collaborating with Art Massive in Bixby Knolls and teaming up with Taco Bell Drawing Club<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Schwartz describes his creative process as a mixture of transferring his thoughts into the real world, and attempting to give visual meaning to feelings or words that either can\u2019t be described or just don\u2019t exist. The latter underscores why, particularly in this exhibition, gathering unique perspectives from viewers may be enlightening, as they can reveal previously undiscovered similarities in our experiences.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s almost like there\u2019s imaginary antennas between all of us and we can pick up on each other\u2019s cues if we just find a way to communicate with it, whether it\u2019s with our hands, or our mouths or anything,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

For those unfamiliar with Schwartz\u2019s work, \u201cLines Between Us\u201d is a proper introduction to his multifaceted style, the entirety of which stems from his lifelong fascination: drawing.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI love drawing pen to paper, I love the immediacy of that,\u201d Schwartz explained. \u201cI also really love color obviously, but I don\u2019t like being messy, so it took me a long time to find what mediums just kinda fit my approach to life as well as how I like to draw.\u201d<\/p>\n

While the exhibition also reveals plenty of playfulness, his approach is likely best characterized by a credo on his website<\/a>: \u201cI have been drawing since I was a little kid, and I\u2019m still drawing as a little adult.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Schwartz\u2019s particular interest in lines, and their abstract nature, was strongly influenced by cartoons like \u201cSpongebob SquarePants,\u201d \u201cLooney Tunes\u201d and \u201cScooby-Doo.\u201d These characters\u2019 uniquely shaped bodies proved formative in developing his skills at a young age.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI think those things are really helpful because you can kind of memorize basic shapes that have certain meanings \u2026 a lot of that visual information and knowledge I think comes from noticing the things happening in other drawings,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Upon entering Black Ring Coffee Roasters \u2014 now through the end of August \u2014 visitors can swivel to their left and follow a line of intriguing artworks, each with a distinct blend of brightness and emotion that can be admired through quick glances or long, thoughtful studies alike.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cLines Between Us\u201d features a handful of mediums, such as digital and a few formerly digital, that have since been painted over with acrylic paint, Sharpie and inks. Some are entirely acrylic, others are gicl\u00e9e \u2014 fine art prints on archival paper \u2014 beaming with an array of texture and color.<\/p>\n

Though the artwork on display remains static, they showcase a wide range of movement, with humanoid figures lunging, grappling and grasping as emotional signifiers. The exhibition includes pieces made over the past few years and new creations, but the 2019 piece \u201cPull My Finger!\u201d is especially indicative of Schwartz\u2019s heart-on-his-sleeve \u2014 or in this case, his canvas \u2014 mentality that emphasizes cathartic release.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the overall impact of people recognizing that it\u2019s okay to talk about one\u2019s feelings, that it\u2019s okay to express affection, is certainly a positive for humanity,\u201d Schwartz said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Jared Schwartz\u2019s pieces in \u201cLines Between Us\u201d at Black Ring Coffee Roasters center on the tethers that keep humanity linked. (Ryan Hardison | Signal Tribune)<\/p>\n

\"\"The artwork of \u201cLines Between Us,\u201d Jared Schwartz\u2019s new exhibition at Black Ring Coffee Roasters, features an array of colors, textures and moods. (Ryan Hardison | Signal Tribune)<\/p>\n

While there are no signs of Scooby-Doo, among the subjects on display is a fiery red stick figure topped with slicked-back blonde hair, bursting with fury and disdain. Maybe it\u2019s an anonymous devil, or, perhaps it\u2019s the country\u2019s commander in chief. Whatever the source, it draws the eye and is just one element that unifies Schwartz\u2019s art.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s common themes to my artwork that I\u2019ve noticed in the past couple years. There\u2019s sort of a politicalness to them, there\u2019s a political cartooning element on some level, which I think emphasizes the divisions one might feel with our current government and whatnot,\u201d Schwartz said. \u201cBut also it\u2019s just about relationships in general, and really even more so it\u2019s that, in all, I do a lot of line work in my artwork, so it felt like \u2018Lines Between Us\u2019 was the perfect thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ahead of the exhibition\u2019s opening reception, Schwartz has earnest hopes for attendees. Though he professes that viewers can feel an emotional connection to his artwork at any point of the show\u2019s run, he believes the communal aspect of a public opening can produce unexpected avenues for growth.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope they came away with new ways to express their feelings,\u201d he said. \u201cI hope they come away feeling like they\u2019ve learned something, whether it\u2019s about themselves or others, and that they experience that connection.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cLines Between Us\u201d will have a free opening reception Saturday at 7 p.m. To RSVP, visit the event page on Partiful<\/a>.<\/p>\n

To learn more about Jared Schwartz, visit jaredsart.com<\/a> or his Instagram (@Jareds.Art.Official<\/a>). Schwartz\u2019s art can be purchased as stickers at Page Against the Machine (2714 E. Fourth St.) and TAVi Art Gallery (5229 Second St.), where there are also shirts featuring his work.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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