NELAart News Arts and Culture in the Northeast of Los Angeles Section b Section B
Volume 3 No.8
nelaart.org
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November 2015
DISCOVERING ART IN NORTHEAST L.A.
23rd Annual Arroyo Arts Collective Discovery Tour Northeast Los Angeles has been, for more than a century, a home to artists. The natural beauty of the Arroyo Seco has provided inspiration, and working artists have found community here. For 26 years, the Arroyo Arts Collective has brought artists together, sustaining the longestablished artistic nature of the area. And once a year, over 100 members of the collective throw their doors open to the public, offering the extremely rare opportunity to view and purchase art in the environment in which it was created. The 23rd annual Arroyo Arts Collective Discovery Tour will take place Sunday, November 22. The tour is self-guided, with the help of a detailed map, and can be undertaken by car, foot, bike or even with the help of the Gold Line. Participating artists are spread throughout the communities of Highland Park, Garvanza, Mount Washington, Eagle Rock and Montecito Heights. Venues range from garage studios to the living rooms of historic Craftsman mansions. All manner of artistic expression is featured on the tour--from hand-painting on silk to blacksmithing, from traditional California Plein Air painting to eclectic mixed-media. The tour will begin, appropriately enough, at the Southwest Museum, At the home of Arroyo Arts Collective which was intentionally sited President Gwen Freeman at its location overlooking the beautiful Arroyo Seco, on the route between the population centers of Downtown Los Angeles and Pasadena, by its founder Charles Lummis over a century ago. To aid in the planning of one’s tour experience, a Preview Party featuring sample work from tour artists will be held Saturday, November 14, 7-10 p.m., at Avenue 50 Studio,131 N. Ave. 50, Highland Park, in conjunction with NELAart Gallery Night. Arroyo Arts Collective Discovery Tour Sunday, November 22 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Beginning at the Southwest Museum, 234 Museum Drive, Mount Washington Tickets, $15 at the museum or $10 in advance at www.arroyoartscollective.org; at Galco’s Old World Grocery, 5702 York Boulevard; or at Avenue 50 Studio, 131 North Avenue 50. Sergio Teran at the Southwest Museum
DIA DE LOS MUERTOS Angelenos remembered the 27 bicyclists who have lost their lives in Los Angeles County and the 74 bicyclists who have lost their lives in Southern California in the past year. At Grand Park, across the street from City Hall, Lore Productions and Marcus Pollitz constructed an ofrenda, a tribute to fallen bicyclists, featuring an 8-foot sculpture of a ghost bike rider. At the El Sereno Dia de Los Muertos Festival, The Eastside Bike Club set up a large altar in honor of cyclists killed while riding. In Highland Park, Figueroa for All activists gathered in front of City Councilmember Gilbert Cedillo’s office to remember those who have passed and to call for implementation of safety features on North Figueroa Street.
Lore Productions and Marcus Pollitz, Noche de Ofrenda, Grand Park
Eastside Bike Club, El Sereno Dia de los Muertos Festival
Fig 4 All
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Pop-Hop Owner Wraps Freestyle “Freestyle Wrapper”: Artist Robey Clark covered various objects in MorYork Gallery with fabric he printed. October 10.
The Whole Dish
Going Hummus for the Holidays --Harvey Slater If you are looking to break out of the old school of holidayfriendly dips, especially where your health is concerned, but you want to hang on to some characteristics that appeal to the autumn and winter senses, consider giving this dish a try. It works well as a dip, a spread, or a topping for a holiday canapé. I have even just enjoyed it fresh and still warm, folded into a pita or tortilla with fresh crisp greens, cucumber and tzadziki. Actually, any time of the year, this twist on hummus punches lots of nutrition, and can fill you up fairly easily with the right kinds of calories. sweet potato hummus 2 average sized sweet potatoes 1 3/4 cups cooked garbanzo beans (or 1 15-oz. can) 1/2 cup tahini 1-3 cloves garlic (depending on how much you like garlic) 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 tsp. ground cumin 1/4 tsp. smoked paprika (or regular if smoked is not available) 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice Salt & pepper to taste Fresh parsley for garnish First cook your sweet potatoes. You can either boil them whole and unpeeled, fully immersed in water, or bake them with a few holes poked into them in a 400º oven, also unpeeled. Either way, it takes about 45 minutes to cook them through. While the sweet potatoes are cooking, get the rest of the hummus going by putting the garbanzo beans, tahini, garlic, olive oil, cumin, smoked paprika, nutmeg, and lemon juice into a food processor. Pulse the mixture until it is broken down enough for the garlic to be chopped and incorporated. When the sweet potatoes are cooked, drain and peel them by rubbing the skin off or cutting in half and scooping out the flesh. Discard the peels into your compost. Add the sweet potatoes to the food processor and pulse some more until they are mixed in and the hummus is smooth, or to the consistency you like. I like my hummus with a little bit of texture still intact. Add salt and pepper for taste and give it a couple more pulses in the food processor. Serve warm immediately, or refrigerate for later. Harvey Slater is a chef and Holistic Nutrition Coach residing in Highland Park. For more healthy recipes check out his blog: thewholedish.wordpress.com
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Classes in NELA
Besides being a haven for artists and creative types, Northeast Los Angeles is the home of a fine array of arts classes, especially the industrial arts, but not limited to them. Below is a list of some of the businesses in the area that have classes. Do check with the facility to verify times and prices of their classes. As we find more places we will bring that information to all of you. Adam’s Forge 2640 N. San Fernando Rd. Los Angeles, CA 90065 Adamsforge.org You may email Nancy with questions at blacksmithclasses@gmail.com Discovery Days/Weekdays/Fridays 2nd Sunday 9-1pm $60 Discovery Nights 2nd Thursday Night $60 Open Forge Every Tuesday from 7-10 pm, Once a month 2nd Sunday 1 pm – 5 pm, Every 2 months on the 2nd Sat. 1 pm – 5 pm, Every 2 months on the 4th Sat. 1 pm – 5 pm $40 Hot Forging series of 4 classes $80 per session CBA Level 1 Series New Series starts in Nov 6 First Sunday $80 Instructor Workshop Second Saturday of the Month $50 9 am - 3pm Forging for Woodworkers First Friday and Saturday of the Month $220 7 pm - 10 pm
Molten Metal Works 2558 N. San Fernando Rd. Los Angeles, CA 90065 moltenmetalworks.net
The Glass Studio 5668 York Blvd. 323.387.9705 www.theglassstudio.net
Space 1506 Mission St. South Pasadena, CA 91030 626.441.47788 spaceartcenter.com Birthday Parties and Spring Camp available
Jewelry Tuesdays Nov 3,10, 17, 24 11-1 $250 Fused Glass Wednesdays Nov 4, 11, 18, 25 11-1 $250 Wire Ring Nov 13 6-9pm $75 Clay to Plaster - Beginning Casting Nov 14-15 12-4pm $250 Fused Glass Pendants Nov 20 6-8pm $40 Make Glass Tiles Nov 21 12-4pm $75 Blown Ornaments Nov 27 6-8pm $50 Necklace Nov 28-29 12-4pm $250 Beginning Glass Beads O&M Leather 5048 Eagle Rock Blvd. 323-274-4640 www.ommleather.com Basic Leather Working Classes Leather 1 - Leather Basics $200 Leather 2 - Cutting and Skiving $200 Leather 3 - Hand Stiching $200 Leather 4 - Color, Finishes, and Leather $200 For information about scheduling call their store at (323)274-4640 or email them at ommeather@gmail.com Toros Pottery 4962 Eagle Rock Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90041 323.344.8330 Mon. 11:30am-2:30pm Adult Class Mon. 6:30pm-9:30pm Adult Class Tues. 6:30pm-9:30pm Adult Class Tues. 4:30pm-6:00pm Kids Class Wed. 6:30pm-9:30pm Adult Class Thurs. 6:00pm-9:30pm Adults Only Fri. 11:30am-9:30pm Adults Only Sat. 11:30am-2:00pm Kids and Parent Mandatory fee of $15 for tool use (not including brushes and trimming tools).
INTRO MIG: One Day Welding Sundays, 10am - 4pm Wednesdays, 10am - 4pm $180 INTRO to TIG Friday 11/13 or 11/25 4-10pm $235 MIG, TIG, Oxy Taster Class Friday Night, 11/6 or 11/20 7-10pm $80 CNC Plasma Cutting Class 11/19 7-10pm $80 Patinas 10/30 7-10pm $95 Advanced MIG Oct 26, 27, 29 7-10pm $210 Steel Stool: Tube Bending 11/3-4 7-10pm $180 Wood & Metal: Plywood Side Table w/Hairpin Legs Nov 7 9am-4pm (9-noon metal, 1-4pm wood) $275 Wood & Metal: Live Edge with Bent Legs Nov 14 9am-4pm (9-noon metal, 1-4pm wood) $275 Sign up for thru Community Woodshop 6 week classes are also available. To register for all classes, and for more information, please visit moltenmetalworks.net
Little Hands - World Art Ages 4-5 begins Sept 17, Thursday 1:00-2:00pm Fee: $200. meets 8 times Drawing & Painting Ages 6-9 starts Sept 16, Wednesday, 3:30-5:00pm Fee: $240 meets 8 times Ceramics from Around the World Ages 6-9 starts September 17, Thursdays, 3:30 - 5:00pm Fee: $265 meets 8 times The Path of Story Adult starts September 15, Tuesdays, 7:00-9:00pm Fee: $240 meets 6 times Exploring Drawing and Painting Adult starts September 19, Saturdays, 10:00am-12:00pm Fee: $265 meets 6 times Rock Rose Gallery 4108 N. Figueroa Street Highland Park, CA 90065 323.635.9126 rockrosegallery.com Check with the gallery for more class information. ARTIST MARKET every NELA Art Night 8-8-15 6:30 p.m. GUITAR - Instructor Hector Marquez Every Saturday at 9:30 a.m. Four classes per month $40 Pre-paid LATIN PERCUSSION - Instructor Robertito Melendez Every Saturday, 12 noon. $15 per class. ASSEMBLAGE - 1st & 3rd Wednesday, 6:30 -8:30 p.m. $20 each night. A group of things collected. Often fragmentary or discarded objects. Resulting in a work of art! Bring your special memorabilia and images. CREATIVE WIRE ART - 2nd & 4th Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. $20 each class. All materials provided. HENNA TATTOO - Rosamaria Marquez Sessions beginning at $10. By appointment NOW ENROLLING: *LIFE DRAWING - Model. Uninstructed Session Bring own materials. $5 donation *CROCHET - Instr Carmela Gomez Ball Clay 4851 York Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90042 310.954.1454 ballclaystudio.com Intermediate Ceramics Pottery Class 6 class sessions Check web site for start date $240
Community Woodshop 2558 N. San Fernando Rd. Los Angeles CA 90065 626.755.4202 www.community woodshopla.com These guys offer a wonderful selection of classes from beginner to advanced, membership, and private lessons. Please check their web site for more information and a list of classes. New Stone Age Mosaic Studio 1754 Colorado Blvd Eagle Rock They offer mosaic classes on Mondays and Tuesday. All classes are on going and open to all skill levels.We also do mosaic birthday parties. Call Mary at (323) 547-2021 for more information. Little Knittery 3195 Glendale Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90039 thelittleknittery@gmail.com Beginning Crochet Saturdays 3:30-5:30 Tuesdays 1:00-3:00 Beginning Knitting Sundays 3:30-5:30 Wednesdays 1:00-3:00 Check schedule for new macramé classes Deb3321 3321 Pasadena Ave. Los Angeles, CA email: deb3321@gmail.com Uninstructed Figure Drawing Saturdays 11:00am - 3:00pm $5.00/hr Strictly Charcoal 11am - 1pm First two Saturdays of every month. Christine Haenen Artists Crit Saturdays Starting at 3:30 $5/session Crit with Karen Stained Glass Supplies 2104 Colorado Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90041 323.254.4361 Stained Glass Class Tues. 9-12 or 6:30-9:30 Wed. 9-12 or 6:30-9:30 Thurs. 9-12 or 6:30-9:30 Sat. 9-12 $95 - 8 weeks Tools - $45 - $125 Materials - $45 - $100 Classes are ongoing Barndall Art Park 4800 Hollywood Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90027 323.644.6295 http://www.barnsdall.org Check they’re web site for upcoming classes. co-LAB Gallery 5319 York Blvd. http://co-lab-gallery.myshopify.com Check their schedule for fresh classes. Leanna Lin’s Wonderland 5024 Eagle Rock Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90041 323.550.1332 Sun., Nov. 15th / 12-3pm Advent Calendar Workshop with Sheryl Cancellieri of Eastside Handmade and Kids Handmade $45 per person http://leannalinswonderland.com/pages/workshops
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Government Notes HIGH-SPEED RAIL An open house and community meeting will be held in Cypress Park to present information on The California High-Speed Rail Authority‚Äôs Burbank to Los Angeles Project Section. The 15-mile corridor is being planned to follow the existing rail right of way adjacent to the Los Angeles River. Thursday, November 19, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Los Angeles River Center and Gardens, 570 West Avenue 28. English presentation at 6 p.m. Spanish presentation at 7 p.m. CALL FOR ARTISTS FROM CULTURAL AFFAIRS Developed by the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA), CURRENT:LA is an ongoing, biannual temporary public art initiative that aims to establish a new paradigm for public art in LA, one that is transformative and contributes to the creation of social capital and public discourse locally, nationally, and globally. CURRENT:LA seeks to maximize the potential for public art to create dialogue and help change how we understand and respond to issues, with an inaugural presentation in 2016 that will respond to the issue of water. Description of Opportunity CURRENT:LA Water will establish the first Public Art Biennial for Los Angeles. Led by DCA‚Äôs Public Art Division, the initiative will utilize public sites throughout LA for temporary public art projects that aim to generate civic discourse on the issue of water and allied topics such as infrastructure, drought, ecology and conservation, among others. CURRENT:LA Water will take place for one month in late summer 2016. Eligibility This RFP is open to professional artists/teams living and working in the County of Los Angeles. Artists and artist teams pre-qualified for other DCA-administered public art opportunities are not prevented from applying to this RFP. Employees of the City of Los Angeles are ineligible to apply. For further details please refer to the full RFP document available online. Deadline for proposal submissions is Monday, November 16, 2015.¬† http://bit.ly/1GjPSoG LATINA ATHLETES HONORED This year’s annual Latina breakfast and City Council presentation at City Hall honored Latinas in athletics. “We need strong leaders and Latina women to be role models for the next generation of women,” Councilmember Nury Martinez said at the October 16 event. Past celebrations have honored Latinas as neighborhood activists, as business owners, and as artists. “Today, I’m focusing on the strength of women,” said Martinez, who organizes the annual event. Martinez stressed the relationship between participation in sports and academic achievement, scholarships, mentoring and success in the business world. One honoree was selected from each City Council District. Receiving recognition from the three Northeast Los Angeles Council Districts were: From CD 1 (Councilmember Gilbert Cedillo), Naomi Rodriguez, Senior Director, External Affairs and Community Relations for the Los Angeles Dodgers. continued on page 21
Eagle Rock’s very own HOT DOG spot! Colorado Blvd. La Roda Ave.
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Taco Bell
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continued from page 20 From CD 13 (Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell), Guadalupe Salas, a student at Helen Bernstein High School, who excels at volleyball and softball and serves as a mentor for other girls. From CD 14 (Councilmember Jos√© Huizar), Angelica “Jelly” Felix, an El Sereno resident and UCLA Bruin, who excels at softball and who gives back to her community by hosting softball clinics. STATE ASSEMBLY UPDATE Governor Jerry Brown has signed into law a measure by Assemblymember Richard Bloom allowing for the creation of Cultural Districts in California. Guidelines for the establishment of such districts through a competitive process will now be in the hands of the California Arts Council. The Governor has also signed a measure by Northeast L.A. Assemblymember Jimmy Gomez that is expected to accelerate revitalization of waterways such as the Los Angeles River. The bill defines the greenways it allows for as bicycle and pedestrian, non-motorized vehicle transportation and recreational travel corridors adjacent to urban waterways. This new definition provides local governments with the ability to include greenways in the local open-space strategy of their general plans. Non-profits, whose primary purpose is the development of greenways, will be able to acquire and revitalize these protected lands for public enjoyment. HYBRID INDUSTRIAL ZONING UPDATE The City of Los Angeles is moving closer to allowing Hybrid Industrial (HI) Zoning, permitting for the first time construction of live-work units in certain industrial areas, including parts of Northeast L.A. The units are to be designed to accommodate residents plus up to four outside employees. HI Zoning was detailed in NELAart News when the concept passed the City Planning Commission. Since that time it has passed the City Council’s Planning and Land Use Management (PLUM) Committee, and the full City Council has voted to send the issue on to the City Attorney’s Office for the drafting of an ordinance making the zoning change. HI Zoning has received a divided response among stakeholders in affected areas. Large numbers of Arts District residents have turned out in opposition, fearful that it will destroy the artistic character and any remaining affordability of their neighborhood. The Lincoln Heights Chamber of Commerce and the East Los Business Foundation (which includes such El Sereno businesses as The L.A. Derby Dolls, Holy Grounds Coffee, and Hecho en Mexico) support it, hoping to use it as a tool for artistic revitalization of struggling industrial neighborhoods. If the measure ultimately passes the City Council, any developer would still have to request the zoning designation on a case-by-case basis, allowing for review of any proposal by community stakeholders. “We recognize that there is a need for responsible development that can improve our community without stripping it of its character while at the same time creating jobs,” Connie Castro de Bravo of the East Los Business Foundation told the PLUM Committee. “We also recommend that all individual projects go through a zone change that is vetted by our communities, so that we can maintain the integrity of our neighborhoods.” At the request of Councilmembers Jos√© Huizar and Gilbert Cedillo, there will be monitoring of HI Zoning effects, with annual reports to the PLUM Committee. The City Attorney is being asked to report on the feasibility of prioritizing artists for the affordable housing included in any HI Zone development.
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Fuzz “II” LP (In The Red) The first Fuzz LP laid waste to the notion that Ty Segall, Charles Mootheart, and Chad Ubovich were just a bunch of garage punk savants, by proving that this power trio could do doom-y psych with the best of ‘em. What they did with the first record blew minds, but on “II” they’ve really come into their own. No longer does this band sound like punks with a Sabbath penchant. Fuzz is their own band and they do what they want, whether that means filling a whole side of wax with an epic jam called “Silent Sits the Dust Bowl” or painting themselves gold and wearing capes. If this guitar player’s wet dream of a double LP is too long for you, you’re an ADDaddled troglodite. The insanely intricate acid-fueled artwork compliments the psychedelic sonics very well to boot. Record of the year contender, for sure. http://static.spin.com/files/2015/07/150722-fuzz-560x560.jpg -Permanent Records - LA 5116 York Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90042 Ph./Fx. - (323)739-6141 Sign up for our weekly email update at: permanentrecordsla.com Sample releases from the Permanent Records label at: soundcloud.com/permanentrecords Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter too! facebook.com/pages/Permanent-Records-Los-Angeles/279666765383595 instagram.com/permanentrecordsla twitter.com/Permanent_LA Recently released on our label: PERM-045 - Frankie and the Witch Fingers LP PERM-046 - Rectal Hygienics - Ultimate Purity LP PERM-047 - MARTIN REV - Clouds of Glory LP reish PERM-048 - VCSR - Tape 4 LP (Bil Vermette-related archival synth explorations) Coming soon on our label: PERM-050 - ZIPPER - Zipper LP reish
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SAVE THE DATE “How to be a Good Neighbor: Communities and Change” will be the subject of a panel discussion taking place Saturday, November 14 at Temple Beth Israel of Highland Park & Eagle Rock. How can we create neighborhoods that reflect the best of us? How do we honor longtime residents and key cultures and also encourage economic vitality? The panel will include Helen Leung, Co-Executive Director, LA-Más (moderator); Steve Zimmer, LAUSD Board of Education; Diep Tran, Owner & Chef, Good Girl Dinette; Elena Popp, Executive Director of the Eviction Defense Network (EDeN); and Shmuel Gonzalez, Community Organizer and Activist Historian, Barrio Boychik. Presented by Interfaith Family/Los Angeles. 5711 Monte Vista Street Doors: 6 p.m./Presentation: 6:45 p.m. Free. After the discussion, participants will head out to the NELAart Second Saturday Gallery Night. The future of the Southwest Museum will be the topic of a Community Conversation Monday, November 16. The conversation will be facilitated by the Frank Parrello and Carol Teutsch, the two community representatives to the Southwest Museum Site Steering Committee. The meeting is sponsored by City Council District 1. Amy Webb and Chris Morris of the National Trust for Historic Preservation will report on the results of stakeholder interviews. An overview of the museum’s status as a National Treasure and next steps will be discussed. Ramona Hall, 4580 Figueroa Street, 7-8:30 p.m. Open to all. Northeast Los Angeles resident Juli Crockett has been named the Grand Marshall of the 2015 Doo Dah Parade, to be held November 22. The irreverent parade is recognizing Crockett for her role as leader of the popular musical group, The Evangenitals. She is also a song writer, playwright, director, retired boxer, mother, and generous arts activist. 11 a.m. on Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena
Juli Crockett at Lummis Day
SECOND SATURDAY AT EKLECTOMANIA Curator Dulce Stein presents “HOME”, featuring artists Malka Nedivi and Susan T. Kurland at EkletoMania. Both artists are known for their re-purposing of materials to create delicate but intense artwork that fosters early memories of childhood and family. Artist Malka Nedivi derives her main inspiration from her mother -“My mother was a seamstress and she was always mending holes in old clothes. I think she was in a way mending the holes of her past. I feel my art is a way of mending the holes of my past.” Nedevi’s pieces feature vibrant primary colors—colors that return her to meaningful childhood memories. Susan T. Kurland is known for weaving fabric and other textiles onto her art pieces. She often weaves directly onto objects, finding the repetition of movement meditative and part of the whole artistic process. The materials she uses belong to various family members and are reminiscent of shared experiences and the bonding that results. Like relationships, her pieces are colorful and complex. Celebrate the work of these two artists during the NELAart Gallery Night, Saturday, November 14, 6-9 p.m., at EklectoMania. 6152 York Boulevard.
Namaste Highland Park Yoga Studio | Art Gallery | Tea Shop www.namastehighlandpark.com
Vinyasa Flow| Power Lunch | Candlelight Flow | Prenatal Kids Yoga | Yoga Sculpt | Mixed Level Flow
5118 York Blvd | Los Angeles | CA | 90042 23
November 2015
Nelaart News Section B
"Prayers: From Los Angeles, Shared Voices through Art & Music" A Benefit for Casa 0101
Casa 0101 Theatre is a mainstay of Eastside culture, providing visual arts, cultural and educational programming. A special event in support of that work will take place Saturday, December 5. An exhibition of works by noted artists will be a highlight of the event. Featured artists include Margaret Garcia, Heriberto Luna, Shea Stella, Rodrigo D. Manzano, Javier Herrera, Brett Doran Photography, and Orion Feeney. The popular Stamp Project will be on display, courtesy of Avenue 50 Studio. The project creates a cultural currency through serigraph prints representing visual artists, musicians poets and writers. The art exhibit is participatory, with attendees invited to hang miniature works depicting their positive wishes, hopes and dreams for the world. Live music throughout the event will include a performance by special guest, Northeast L.A. resident Brian Grillo of Extra Fancy. According to curator Nataasja Saint-Satyr, "Our attempt and long term goal is to develop into a yearly worldwide event day or "Prayers" Day through sharing and participating within our local communities with our art pieces." “Prayers: From Los Angeles, Shared Voices through Art & Music� An Art Show & Concert Benefit Fest for Casa 0101 December 5, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Benefit concert at 4 p.m. Casa 0101 Theater, 2102 East First Street, Boyle Heights Donations encouraged, sliding scale $5-20. Prayer paintings by Margaret Garcia
Another prayer painting by Margaret Garcia
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HIGHLAND PARK INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL “After School” won the Best Feature Award at the second annual Highland Park Independent Film Festival. The film bluntly confronts the exploitation of children through the story of a boy who deals with extreme abuse with a gun and ends up holed up in a classroom with a down and out actor. “After School” was directed by Mauricio Mendoza & Carlos Melendez. The festival brought three days and evenings of film to The Highland Theatre and Occidental College. It was produced by a team of local film professionals and sponsored by local businesses and organizations. “The feedback we get from our community and the talented filmmakers who benefit from the platform we have created here in Highland Park inspires us to continue producing the Festival,” says festival coproducer Marita De La Torre. “Throughout the three-day event, long-time Highland Park residents approached our table to thank our team for our Film Festival Team Members Luisa Frias and Marita De La Torre, production of the fest. It was also inspiring to see our sponsors attend Festival Humanitarian Award Recipient Monica Alcaraz, City the film screenings and voice their appreciation of the quality of our films and Councilmember Gilbert Cedillo, and Festival Team Members the quality of our Alessandro Gentile and Mark Reitman on opening night events proving our mission to build community through the art of film was once again accomplished.” “I think this years film festival surpassed all expectations. We had more films, more sponsors, and more attendees. I couldn’t have been happier with the final outcome,” says Co-founder and Artistic Director Alessandro Gentile, who adds that the team is already moving toward next year’s festival.
Best Feature Film: “After School.” Left to right--Actor Vance Valencia, Festival Co-Producers Marita De La Torre and Alessandro Gentile, Actress and Producer Yennifer Behrens-Mendoza, and Director and Actor Mauricio Mendoza on the red carpet (photos: Andrew Goldman)
CAMLAB AND THE POLITICS OF PLEASURE AT OXY Occidental College is currently hosting a residency by CamLab, a creative partnership of two artists, Anna Mayer and Jemima Wyman, begun when they were students at the California Institute of the Arts in 2005. CamLab believes that a contemporary politics of pleasure must acknowledge the contiguity of language and body in facilitating a spectrum of experience that includes alterity, intimacy, and humor. The duo’s reflections on issues of sexual assault and body politics are startling and relevant in light of Occidental’s examination by the U.S. Department of Education over alleged mishandling of assault cases. Information on CamLab programming at Occidental this semester may be found at www.Oxy.edu/oxyarts.
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November 2015
Nelaart News Section B
The Second Annual Running of the Clowns The Alleys of Old Town Pasadena October 25
Here they come!!
Imagine what it’s like to be chased by clowns!
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Invasive Plant of the Month Larisa Code
Note: Create peace, one garden at a time. Featured Plant: Stipa Tenuissima/Mexican feather grass Crazy Invasive There is a new guy living in my house! I found him online and drove 2.5 hours just to meet him, because he was so cute. I know, we shouldn’t base our feelings on looks; it is what’s inside that matters the most. But, I was feeling vulnerable, and his kind eyes were what got me to drive to San Jacinto on a Friday morning. I swore after quite a few busts I would never go online looking for a guy again…I swore, and I cringe that I ever did! Even though it is the norm, that or a phone app, I still find it incredibly unsuccessful. Many years ago, at a dinner party, this woman said it perfectly, it used to be that you saw someone, your eyes met, you knew you wanted to make out and you had to find out if you had anything in common, if you got along. But now, it is the opposite, you find out you get along and then you have to hope you want to make out…that was my story when online dating, yes we’d get along, but, alas, no chemistry, and you can’t make that shit up, it is either there or not. When I first met him, he wasn’t going to be able to come back to LA with me, he had a surgery scheduled, but, our eyes locked and he got the surgery that day, just to drive home with me. We met around noon and were on the road by 5:45 pm--him, groggy from morphine, me, groggy from waiting but also nervous about having a new guy in my house…one that I had known so briefly. To be honest, I didn’t even know his name for a week. He wouldn’t sleep in bed with me for a few days and now only does on and off, moving from the bed to his favorite chair. The parrots have also been back, visiting, making lots of noise, entertaining me. I love waking up and sitting on the stoop, watching them on the power lines, making sweet noises to each other, grooming each other, it is a love fest! Just the other morning, one of my neighbors came out and started to chase them away, right in the middle of my first cup of coffee. As he is a person who makes much noise, I mean very much, from music to Harleys to blowers…his car alarm goes off every day, 14 times…oh my god, now I have admitted two embarrassing things, first I tried online dating and second, I count and keep track of the number of times my neighbor sets/resets and checks his car alarm…what is wrong with me? Who cares? My point was, he told me the parrots are too noisy…I said, I listen to cars starting, engines running, car alarms, kids screeching, very loud music all weekend and you are complaining about this tiny speck of nature we are offered in this urban slab we live on? Well, his idea that the sound of birds was offensive and not his new Harley got me to thinking. It is kind of like when I meet with clients and they have all good intentions to rip out their lawn and create a drought tolerant haven, but then, more times than not, they request that my design include stipa, also known as Mexican feather grass. Stipa is a beautiful grass, its movement, its color. It is drought tolerant, but it is incredibly invasive and on PlantRight’s list of invasive plants of California. One plant creates tens of thousands of seeds. Most people hear me and understand, but not all. Hey, look at most Sunset or Houzz landscape spreads and you see stipa all over the place, I get the appeal. So, like my neighbor who is chasing away birds because they are noisy, but seems to be entirely unaware of how much noise he makes (a lot), falling for the initial thrill of stipa and planting one plant, you are giving it to your neighbors whether they want it or not; the seeds spread via wind, cars, animals, foot traffic, water, spreading into our woods and by rivers and wiping out the native flora that we need to keep our birds, snakes, well, all of our critters alive. You are causing a huge detriment to our already struggling environment. There are so many options when it comes to drought tolerant plants and decorative grasses in particular, plenty that are non-invasive or sterile. Seek out these options as, I believe, the best way to have a beautiful yard is to respect nature and your environment. It is truly appreciated by your plants and they will thrive, to show their gratitude. His name is Curtis.
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tyco by the hifi
A random pull from the 80s cabinet.
New Order
Stray Cats
Style Council
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Talking Heads
Tom Tom Club
REFLECTIONS ON ONE YEAR IN HIGHLAND PARK By Jen Hitchcock
It has been one year since my bookshop, Book Show, moved to Highland Park from Elysian Valley (Frogtown). This has been a vibrant and fantastic year. I can’t even begin to express how much the support from the artists and residents of this neighborhood means to me. So instead of blathering on and on and on about the amazing things that have happened here and the endless inspiration I get from so many people that walk through these doors, I decided to set a timer for five minutes to free write an off the top of my head love list stemming from the experience of being in Highland Park since opening last November. Have questions about anything on my list? Come see me at the shop and I will give you the details you crave. Good Girl Dinette Jim Ruland and Vermin on the Mount. Todd and Dumbag Daryl at Razorcake. Rodney at Avalon Vintage. My awesome shop neighbors Highland Magic Touch and Bed Mattress Etc. Sabine and Pattywack Vintage and the awesome Queer Bazaar. Plant Food For People. Bunnies & Kittens. Daniel Nerio. Nathan at The Eastsider. Happening In Highland Park! Follieros Pizza. Eddie bear. LaLaLandmine. Sabrina Dropkick, EAT ART Open Mic and the hodge-podge of regulars that come every month. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE! Madame Pamita teaching me how to read tea leaves. Meeting Craphound’s Sean Tejaratchi. Cirque Salon and Mandy C Moore. My Scraps to Scribes Writing Workshop team! Jessica Wilson Cardenas and the Los Angeles Poet Society. Chris Paradox. Josh Stallings. The clowns that walked in the first day I was open. Jesse. Jimmy. Sara T Russell’s fantastic cat! Ashley Perez. Chicos. La Cuivita. NELA Second Saturdays. Wendy Ortiz. MariNaomi. Laura Heffington. Philip Barragan. The guy who loves books about animals. All the cat lovers who appreciate all the feline related stuff. Helen. The cute kid who loved Diary of a Whimpy kid and now reads everything he can get his hands on! Punk Hostage Press. Panaderia Delicias. Cathi and Margaret at NELA Art News. Chicken Boy. Being on Route 66, All the families and kids in the neighborhood who are my steady supporters. Cathi Camacho. Jessica Ceballos. Cory and Cruz. Meghan and Harlequin Creature. Ramonda Hammer. April Wolfe. Tradeschool Los Angeles. Cornelius Peter and the Book Me Please podcast. Brodie Foster Hubbard. Bethany for helping me paint the stripes! Kim Koehler. Oh my goodness, this isn’t even close to finished. Thank you Highland Park for being so welcoming and inspiring on a daily basis. And tasty. There is a lot of good food here. Our anniversary party is on November 14th during the NELA ART Second Saturday night, 7pm – 10pm. Please join us and let me fill you with food and drink as a thank you, Highland Park! Book Show is located at 5503 N. Figueroa St.
BOOK SHOW EVENTS Wednesday November 11th Author Isaac Simpson reads from his travel book “Philosophy and Fucking in Vietnam” Isaac Simpson is an LA based writer and photographer. His work has appeared the LA Weekly, Vice, Complex and The Daily Dot. 7:30pm Saturday November 14th ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY PARTY! Thank you Highland Park! Food! Music! Raffle! Tarot Readings! 7pm-10pm Saturday November 21st Mariah Reyes reading. 6:30-8pm Sunday November 22nd Josh Stallings release party for “Young Americans” 5pm-7pm Wednesday Nov 25th – Friday Nov 27th CLOSED for stuffing ourselves with food. Saturday November 28th SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY FUN! Vendors selling handcrafted works! Unique gifts, zines, books. Local band Ramonda Hammer! Snacks! 11am-8pm ONGOING EVENTS and WORKSHOPS at BOOK SHOW: EAT ART OPEN MIC Hosted by Sabrina Dropkick Monthly, every 1st Friday Poetry and Prose open mic 8pm sign ups Free Back To Scraps Writing Group Monthly, every 2nd Sunday An evening of writing exercises and prompts. Led by Jen Hitchcock $5
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November 2015
Nelaart News Section B
Cautionary Tales of Double-Aught-Seven for the Aspiring Entrepreneur Jeremy Kaplan of READ Books
So a wise guy walks into the bookstore last week & asks me how long we’ve existed. Flipping through the calendar of my mind, I informed the both of us that, holy shit, READ Books is about to celebrate its 9th anniversary. Was I surprised how long it’s been, or how not longer it hasn’t been? Seems like yesterday when I’d been father to two grade school punks alphabetizing our shelves for free; also seems like I’ve been malingering in this here bookstore my whole damn life. My boys are now surly college punks demanding wages (damn unions!), and I was still malingering at the front desk, attempting to subpoena mental images of early 2007, when the wise guy interrupted my reverie with the funniest request. “Can I buy this book?” he asked. Well this, I thought, is an image missing from the archives of READ Books’ first few months of business. In February 2007, most of those storming our tiny castle manifested scant interest in literature, and the voices encountered on the other end of the phone were usually soliciting. This is apparently a common thing amongst new businesses: Most humans initially aware of your existence will have cash flow ideas that are in direct opposition to yours. Por ejemplo: Corporate Malfeasance Donna Priddy is a piece of crap whose job accommodates her like a stinky toilet bowl; she is the sales rep who introduced READ Books to the perverted world of credit card companies. Her primary accomplishment was to sign us up for some cockamamie gift card program that she’d promised not to sign us up for, thus sticking us with two years of excess paperwork & useless gift cards we’d never use, plus all the appended costs, plus monthly fees that increased whenever the hell they said they did. DPriddy was also adept at not returning phone calls or letters, though no more so than her supervisors. We eventually weaned ourselves off credit card companies & their machines & have thrown in with Square. Local Tomfoolery In our incipiency, we were visited by the publisher of a local newspapery-like publication with initials that are, befittingly, a synonym for malarkey. For several months we took out ads with this fella whom I refer to as Professor Syntax because all of the sentences that he types are grammatically funny. Even funnier than that last one I typed! Mid-2007 Professor S came by & we declined to take out an ad. Accidentally (one presumes) speaking his alleged thoughts out loud, Professor S duly noted that the distance between our books and the ceiling might be in violation of fire codes. He responded to my quizzical expression by coughing out a hunk of phlegm and saying: “Not that I’d report you.” A week later a rather reluctant fire marshal appeared in our store for the purpose of inspecting the distance between books & ceiling. It was his disinterested opinion that we might spread our books out less vertically & more horizontally, so I moved a pile of books from up high onto the floor spot once reserved for Professor Syntax’s B.S. “newspaper.” Horatio Hobo In daylight, Heavy Metal Joe was a disarmingly sweet guy sporting long black locks beneath a KISS cap, a black eye or two, and an obstinate hangover that caused his leathery face to cringe at 30w light bulbs. By night he was an annoying lush ostensibly in search of a third black eye. Daylight HM Joe used to visit READ Books in order to sell us his rock & roll books as he had no other source of income. One Friday evening circa 2007, several hours after I’d purchased a signed Paul McCartney Rolling Stone from him, HM Joe staggered up beside me at the farmer’s market, poked me in the chest, and growled: “Hasvinifuh seknir fleginblerk.” He then fell down without being hit, crawled across Merton Avenue, reassumed a shaky biped stance, and repeated the scene with a young hummus vender who gave HM Joe a free pita chip & sent him on his way. When he visited me the next week, his sole memory of that evening was beginning it with lots of money & ending it without. On any given day, Heavy Metal Joe was the nicest guy I’ve ever met, and I hope he is alive & residing in a helpful institution. My point is one day I bought some books from HM Joe & gave him back several I did not want. Next day this little old lady donning a jumbo straw Coolie hat on her noggin came in the store & tried to sell me the same books I’d returned to Joe. Next time I saw Joe, he told me he had taken those books to the Eagle Rock library & donated them. The library, apparently, set them in their own donation box where that enterprising old lady, now known as The Librarian, found them. The Librarian, a habitué of both the library & St. Dominic’s free lunch fare, would periodically show up with more library rejects she’d try to sell. After a few months of no luck, she stopped bringing me books & began taking them off the sales cart in front of our store. Several times I gaped at her thru the window as she shoveled books into her shopping cart & gaped back thru the window at the gaping Jew whose books she had abducted, before bolting south down Eagle Rock Blvd with one hand steering her somewhat heavier cart, and the other balancing the straw hat on her somewhat tinier head. This was a quandary; in a moment of weakness, I once promised the Lord that, aside from mom, I’d never again chase or wrestle any old ladies. Furthermore, it is READ Books’ policy to let all lit-loving homeless persons have sale books gratis. It’s just that they always ask first. Hi, how much for this book? Hi yourself, you can have it for free. Thank you bye! No, thank you bye! This one just shoveled & ran. One day after work I went to Occidental to run up & down stairs. Passing a very large house on Campus Road, a veritable mansion by my piss-ant standards, I espied The Librarian entering that manor without, like, knocking on the door. I approached a young laborer engaged in yard work & asked him if the manor was his. He looked at me like I was nuts. I asked him if it belonged to the straw-hatted lady who’d just passed thru the entrance. Yeah, he nodded, that’s the ticket. I stood on her capacious front lawn for a few minutes, stretching & shit, until she came back out, at which time I approached her and said: “Next time you steal books from the cart in front of my store, lady, I shall break my pact with God.” And she has never taken another book from my cart, as she could see that I was a most serious man.
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HOLY LAND Jim Bolt © 2015 Los Angeles
This is the Holy Land This heat these planet waves this air Mojave Shoshone Chumash Tongva Sweat here Release your body these bones our skins This is the Holy Land We are the first people Jim Bolt at Lummis Day
You and I die today on this soil blessed by the four winds We shall live in the trees in the ash in the eyes of the deer the eagle the bear This is the Holy Land our only land We are the Holy People Burn this sage Rise with this smoke
11.28.15
Jim Bolt presented this poem at the Southwest Museum as part of the 10th Annual Lummis Day Festival of Northeast Los Angeles. He is an acclaimed poet, actor and writer. He has performed throughout the US with live shows in Europe and Japan. A National Poetry Slam competitor featured on MTV, Jim was the opening performer in Portugal for Lisbon’s Art Expo. Poetry at Lummis Day was produced and hosted by Linda Kaye as part of a tribute to the late iconic artist Richard Duardo. The event was made possible in part by a grant from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs and was presented in conjunction with the Arroyo Arts Collective.
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TH
We Heart
EAGLE
ROCK Block Party
SATURDAY NOV 28TH, 2015 11AM- 6PM IN CONJUNCTION WITH SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY SmallBusinessSaturday.com Join us for some pre-holiday shopping fun & support local Small Shops on: EAGLE ROCK BLVD. & COLORADO BLVD. Each retail shop will be hosting their own festivities and/or promotions on this day!
On Small Business Saturday
FOR MORE DETAILS:
Facebook.com/WeHeartEagleRock #SmallBusinessSaturday #EagleRockShops #ShopSmall
Produced By: LEANNA LIN’S WONDERLAND & THE GREEN BEAN 31
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