LA ART NEWS Section B Volume 3 No.10 laartnews.com find us on Facebook February 2016
HOW DO YOU CREATE?
Q: WHY DID THE ARTIST CROSS THE STATE LINE? By Dani Dodge
The L.A. artists streamed across the Arizona border in Mazdas and late-model Hondas, in Toyota Siennas and at least one pretty Porsche, loaded with abstract paintings, conceptual photos and haunting videos. They passed the hours snacking on tangerines and doughnuts, Kit Kat bars and Lay’s potato chips, all washed down with coffee from Starbucks stores that dotted the highway from beginning to end. They carpooled. Drove with spouses. Took to the road solo. Thirteen in all. Destination: Tempe. “The desert looked like a moonscape in a good way,” said Kireilyn Barber, an artist focused on photobased media. “The light was filtering through the clouds and it was so soft and changing, even in the dusk you could see detail. It was so serene.” Twelve hours there and back (at the very least.) In between, two nights in a motel. “I love getting out and sharing my stuff with the world,” said painter David Spanbock. For a chance to show their work. For three hours.
Kio Griffith an artist and member of Artra Curatorial, takes a break from the road on his 7-hour drive from Tempe to Los Angeles the day after the show. Photo by Dani Dodge
This is the MAS Attack model. One night only. No sales allowed. Artists must be present. If the exhibit is outside of L.A., local artists are invited to show as well. MAS Attack X took place Jan. 23 at Fine Art Complex 1101, the gallery of former L.A. gallery owner Grant Vetter. “Maybe some people might not think it’s worth it,” mused Sijia Chen, a painter and photographer “But it’s a chance to meet artists from Arizona, to have real conversations with other artists from L.A.; it’s a chance support and expand your circle. “ Artra Curatorial has been hosting MAS Attack events since about 2013. (MAS stands for Mutual Appreciation Society.) The size of the shows have range from more than 200 artists in a Los Angeles show to about two dozen artists at out-of-state shows in places such Albuquerque and Tempe. The Artra Curatorial team, Max Presneill, Colton Stenke and Kio Griffith, came up with the idea while drinking tea at Presneill’s kitchen table. “We wanted to try to re-establish a sense of community and networking and to do that we wanted, to stay away from sales,” Presneill said. “No pressure. And it had to be one night. The most important aspect was it was the social aspect: making friendships and building relationships.” Griffith explained, “No one is competing.” Artists are chosen from Facebook nominations. Artra doesn’t even select the art. Artists just show up with their work in hand. continued on page 23
ROBERT WILLIAMS HONORED AT LA ART SHOW Artist Robert Williams was honored with a lifetime achievement award at this year’s L.A. Art Show, January 28. Williams pioneered what is now commonly called pop surrealism. At a time when realism in art was considered second-rate, he showed that he and other artists could paint realistic subjects with a narrative, and paint them well, in ways that drew on the imagination and touched viewers’ experiences, dreams and longings, and left windows open to interpretation. The award was presented in the “Littletopia” section of the Convention Center Show, a curated area for galleries and artists from Los Angeles and beyond who subscribe to Williams’ sensibilities. Williams was “recognized for his great contributions to creating a bigger better art world for all of us to enjoy.”
Artist Robert Williams and Littletopia co-curator Gregorio Escalante
The art of Robert Williams at Littletopia
Robert Williams and Littletopia co-curator Gregorio Escalante with Williams’ life achievement award designed by Jeff Gillette
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AWARD WINNING BIRD PHOTOS AT AUDUBON CENTER The winning images of birds from the annual Audubon photography contest, selected from among almost 9,000 entries, are on display through February at the Audubon Center at Debs Park. Entries were judged in four categories: Amateur, Professional, Fine Art and Youth. The Center is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at 4700 N. Griffin Avenue, and admission is free. The exhibit is presented in association with Nature’s Best Photography. The 2016 Audubon Photo Contest is open for bird photograph submissions. The deadline is February 19, and more information is available at www. audubon.org/photoawards.
Great Egret. Photo: Melissa Groo/Audubon Photography Awards
STACKING UP WITH BEETS Here is a fun vegan, and super clean variation on caprese salad. You can venture into making the vegan cheese, which will require some uncommon ingredients if you aren’t used to vegan baking or cheese making. Or use a favorite cashew cheese; some spreadable cashew cheeses would work great in between the layers of beets. Or, if you eat dairy, just use a good, organic dairy cheese like burrata or buffalo mozzarella. beet & fresh cheese stacks with avocado-lemon dressing 4 small beets, roasted or boiled whole and cleaned of outer peel 4 pieces vegan jack or other soft vegan cheese 1 avocado, peeled and pitted 1 lemon, juiced 1-2 cloves garlic, depending on how much garlic you like 2 small bunches of herbs like basil, mint, cilantro, or tarragon, mixed if you want 3 tsp. raw cider vinegar 1/2 cup (or more) cold water Sea salt & pepper to taste Olive oil drizzle and lemon slices for garnish Slice the beets and the cheese into stackable slices, as shown in the photograph. Set aside and keep them separate so the beets don’t bleed on the cheese. Make the dressing by blending the avocado, lemon, garlic, herbs, vinegar, water, salt and pepper in a food processor until it is the consistency of a creamy dressing. I find a traditional food processor works better for this recipe than a blender. Spread some dressing around the bottom of a platter or 4 separate plates. Build your salad on top of the dressing by placing a cheese layer, then a beet, then a cheese layer, until you have used up one beet and one piece of cheese per slice. NOTE: Depending on what cheese you use these quantities may vary so just use your imagination and get creative. Even a firm, spreadable cheese will work for this. Finish the salad by placing some lemon slices along side the beet stacks and drizzle with some olive oil. You can skip the oil drizzle and make this an oil-free recipe. All the oil would come unrefined and naturally through the avocado and the cheese. Harvey Slater is chef & holistic nutrition coach residing in Highland Park. You can find more healthy recipes on his blog, The Whole Dish: thewholedish.wordpress.com
FEBRUARY 2016
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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 Feb 7 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 Heart Corkscrew Saturday Feb 6th, 9 AM to 3 PM with a break for lunch $80 Bowie Knife Saturday Feb 13 9am to 3 pm with an hour for lunch $100 The Glass Studio 5668 York Blvd. 323.387.9705 www.theglassstudio.net Jewelry Tuesdays Feb 2, 9, 16, 23 11-1 $250 Fused Glass Wednesdays Feb 3, 10, 17, 24 11-1 $250 Glass Tiles Feb 7 12-4pm $75 Blown Ornaments Feb 19 6-8pm $50 Parts Sheets Feb 20-21 12-4pm $250 Beginning Glass Bead Making Feb 27-28 11-4pm $250 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). A Place to Bead 2566 Mission St San Marino, CA 91108 626.219.6633 aplace2bead.com Find a variety of jewelry making classes, including stringing and wirework.
Molten Metal Works 2558 N. San Fernando Rd. Los Angeles, CA 90065 moltenmetalworks.net INTRO MIG: One Day Welding Sundays, 10am - 4pm Wednesdays, 10am - 4pm $180 INTRO to TIG Fri 2/5 12-6pm or 2/19 4-10pm $235 MIG, TIG, Oxy Taster Class Sat 2/6 6-9pm or Fri 2/26 7-10pm $80 Advanced Mig 2/19 for 3 Saturdays 7-10pm $80 Plywood Side Table with Hairpin Legs 2 Fridays 2/5 and 2/12 $275 Live Edge Table with Hairpin Legs Fridays 2/21 12 - 7pm $275 Hairpin Stool Sun 2/14 12-7pm $275 Sign up through Community Woodshop 6 week classes are also available. To register for all classes, and for more information, please visit moltenmetalworks.net Space 1506 Mission St. South Pasadena, CA 91030 626.441.47788 spaceartcenter.com Birthday Parties and Spring Camp available Art Explorers Ages 6-8 begins January 8, Friday 1:00-2:00pm Fee: $240. meets 8 times Ceramics Ages 6-9 starts January 26, Thursday, 3:30-5:00pm Fee: $265 meets 8 times Portraits Ages 6-9 starts February 10, Wednesdays, 3:30 - 5:00pm Fee: $240 meets 8 times Creative Writing Ages 9-12 starts January 28, Thursdays, 3:30 - 5:00pm Fee: $240 meets 8 times The Path of Story Adult starts January 26, Tuesdays, 7:00-9:00pm Fee: $240 meets 6 times Exploring Art Adult starts January 30, Saturdays, 10:00am-12:00pm Fee: $250 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 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
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 19 Backus Street Pasadena, CA 91107 626-219-6055 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 Check Leanna’s web site for a current list of workshops and events.
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
LA ART NEWS SECTION B
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TWO NEW CALIFORNIA ARTS COUNCIL GRANTS BY KATHLEEN GALLEGOS
Being appointed by Governor Brown in 2014 to the Board of the California Arts Council was an honor for both me and my community. It has also been daunting for someone who has been more comfortable playing a supporting role in the background than as the "face" of the community. During my first year on the Council, I've learned so much about the arts throughout California. I've seen how the lack of funding can affect cities such as Fresno, where small arts groups double as service providers in the Asian and Latino communities. I've also seen how the influx of money can create an ecosystem where the arts are integrated strongly into the community. Cities such as San Francisco and Santa Cruz come to mind. It has been eye-opening. With one year under my belt, I've taken on the task of supporting the artists who do the hard work of serving our often overlooked and ignored communities. I'm proud to have initiated two new pilot programs, Cultural Pathways and Artists Activating Communities. Cultural Pathways California’s demographics are shifting toward a population that is primarily Latino and Asian. We can prepare for that change by growing arts leaders who will be a strong voice for underserved communities and all Californians. This program provides "two years of operating support, technical assistance and professional development to small and emerging organizations rooted in communities of color, recent immigrant and refugee communities, or tribal groups." Artists Activating Communities Artists play a leading role in building healthy communities. Artists Activating Communities grants promote projects that "demonstrate how artists are integral to healthy communities and how artists’ projects can bring people together, build community, and foster social progress. Artists and their artistic processes are the center of project activities." I look forward to seeing our communities represented in the application of these two new grant programs that strengthen our collective voices.
FROM THE LA ART SHOW 2016 UGLAR Works, Mural Conservancy of Los Angeles
Stuart Rapeport, right tool for the right job, BG Gallery
FEBRUARY 2016
PLANT OF THE MONTH
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LARISA CODE AKA TEACHER Note: Create peace, one garden at a time.
Featured Plant: Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’/S. Herbstfreude Perennial/Semi-evergreen Succulent Full Sun (Four hours of direct sunlight will be okay) Low Water Ceilon is a Vietnam Vet, a dreamer, a drinker, a spliff smoker, but most importantly, a great story teller and my dear friend. He’s possibly the best friend I ever made in LA and more genuine than anyone I know. I can’t remember exactly how we met, but think he had parked his cart in front of my house (I lived in a guest house with an alley entrance). When I said cart, you most likely pictured a shopping cart, but no, Ceilon’s carts were custom, no less than 10 feet long with skateboards and roller skates providing the wheels. Sometimes he would add shopping carts in the mix, like an urban train. He attached the cart to his bike and rode all over North Hollywood, following all bike laws and signaling appropriately. Sometimes I would come home and he’d be washing my car. He’d say, “Your car was so dirty Teacher, it was fuckin’ me up.” Other times, he would start projects in front of my house. There was a very small area of dirt. He would lay down brick or old carpet and begin a little seating area with furniture he had found, but these projects needed to be nipped in the bud, or they tended to get out of control. He created a cord with a wire to unclog my vacuum. I kept that for years, and it was amazing. Ceilon briefly moved into a garage across from me and really set it up, even got himself a girlfriend. During this time, he would use my trash bin and hose. He filled the bin with water, added laundry detergent and stirred his clothes in the mix. Once I asked, “Hey, Ceilon, are you doing your laundry in my trashcan?” He replied, “Hey Teach, you do things your way, and I do ‘em mine. No judgement.” On Sunday mornings, he usually stopped by. He would stand outside my door yelling, “Teacher!” over and over until I would come out. I’d get a cup of tea, he’d pull out a milk crate or stool from his cart, maybe a beer, maybe a joint and tell me stories about working with Chaka Khan or childhood adventures. Sometimes he’d be a little too drunk for comfort, but it was rare. He’d go missing for days, weeks even, and I’d check around until I’d hear he was okay. Always full of surprises, one visit he gave me a bag of clothes; I still have the greatest Barbie shirt EVER from him. When I had to move, the really sad part was leaving Ceilon. He came by while I was setting up for my yard sale, and I let him take whatever he wanted. We sat down in the alley together as the sun was filling up the sky, I cried a little, tried not to, and hugged him good-bye. It has been years since I’ve seen him, and I’ve looked plenty. Last year, I thought I saw him on Lankershim Boulevard with a real pretty woman, possibly a hooker, and he looked proud, happy, sober, maybe he found a home, but, I’m not sure he wanted one, his temporary homes in the park were always exquisite. Specific plants often remind me of a person or personality trait. Ceilon is spot on for sedum autumn joy. This plant dies down and comes back, and although you can read about its cycle in books, it doesn’t always stick to the plan. But, when it does return, it looks beautiful, soft grey green, secure in the soil, like a little brussel sprout in the ground as it emerges. It is a succulent and therefore needs very little to keep it going. It will be fine in a pot, but when you put it in the ground, it will spread nicely, in clumps, larger every year (2’ wide when matured). It reaches 15 to 18 inches high, so it does nicely as a front border plant. I advise mixing it with another plant to make up for the dormant period. It looks lovely with daisies, (I’m a sucker for daisies). The bloom is special too (lasting about 8 weeks), it is a nice cluster of soft little flowers that form one larger flower, slightly rounded but mostly flat and almost fuzzy looking. To start, the flower is cream colored; it then forms a blush that reaches a mind blowing coral, rosy pink with hints of bronze--like pink champagne. As it ages, it turns a deep bronze but still holds its beauty and is worth keeping around, if not for the interest it creates in your garden then for the birds it attracts. Although the stems are slightly fragile, like all succulents, you can stick the broken piece in soil, and it will grow. Mine have suffered many a dog’s paws and still returns. This plant doesn’t give up, and it is a wonderful surprise to see it pushing out of the soil, ready to try again. As I no longer have visits from Ceilon to look forward to, at least I have my memories of him, which awaken every time my sedum autumn joy pops up. Enjoy this low water, sun loving, diverse plant, as it does its own thing, creating a special aura in your garden.
LA ART NEWS SECTION B
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WHAT GROWS BELOW GROUND BY JEFF ROGERS
Roots. Origins. What grows below the ground. The warmth and rising light from over And behind the horizon, just before dawn. That which casts out, escapes from under The garden wall, groping blind for lands beyond. Taproot that pushes down through seed-ground seeking source. Time-traveler of sorts, arrow tendril pointing all the way back In constituent nutrients of its fibrous molecules To that very moment the big bang Snapped the whole universe inside out. That ecstasy of first creation, from ecstatic trance of the first cave painters On down to us, standing here feeling nearly deaf, nearly blind and nearly mute, Brushes in hand before the empty canvas, Fingers poised above keys before the blank blinking screen, Our arts the coded thoughts of the universe passed through Our twining neurons and into our hands, into frames on the walls before us, Into our poems clutched in shaking fingers, Into the halting delivery system of our words, cobbled together From such thin and rickety letters. How that viny S twirls up and around, How that scaffold E makes a ladder of three rungs from earth to sky, And how that Y dips its shy tail into subterranean waters below, Then spreads its naked arms in welcome
Jeff Rogers at Lummis Day
To the rain and the star-showers above.
Jeff Rogers presented this poem at the Southwest Museum as part of the 10th Annual Lummis Day Festival of Northeast Los Angeles. Jeff Rogers, poet, writer and performer, blogs as “LefthandedJeff ” at beenandgoing.com and makes his headquarters on the web at lefthandedjeff. com. 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.
FEBRUARY 2016
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Dani Dodge continued from page 17
For Vetter, the former owner of Autonomie in Los Angeles, it was fun to see the familiar art of Angelenos. After being beaten by developers bid after bid for a gallery in Los Angeles, Vetter moved to Tempe 1½ years ago on a quest to own his own space. And now he has it: a 1,500-square-foot gallery as four different exhibition spaces: a half-round main gallery, a project room, a new media arts center and a huge front window that displays work to passersby. The elegant building was designed by Will Bruder, who also designed the iconic Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. The gallery is midway between the Tempe Center for the Arts and the Arizona State University Art Museum. Vetter said he established the gallery because he believed he could have a “real impact” on Tempe’s art community. “I’m here to write a lot about work and open up Arizona to the outside world,” he said. And to do shows. He has a white board in his back room that is about 6 feet tall and filled with the scribbled outlines of upcoming exhibitions, many featuring a 50/50 mix of Arizona and California artists. “As soon as I opened, it occurred to me a MAS Attack would be a fun thing to do, to blend two communities for a night that don’t know each other,” Vetter said. “Friendships are the basis of the art world. People being exposed to each other’s works. If it blossoms into people staying in dialogue and extended a hand to be in a show down the line ... well …”
Grant Vetter, director of Fine Art Complex 1101 in Tempe, screws a French cleat into the wall. Photo by Dani Dodge.
He smiled. As he spoke with excitement about his new community, the time for delivering art ended and the time for installing began. Artists materialized in the room and picked up hammers and screwdrivers and levels. The show was up in less than an hour. “It took longer for Grant to get coffee than to get this show up,” Griffith joked. One brightly colored work of art flowed seamlessly into the next. Presneill asked Vetter: “What do we need to impress the locals?” “I think this is it,” Vetter replied. “This is the best group show we’ve had in town for awhile.” The show was the top pick in the town’s Art Beacon publication. And when the reception opened at 7, the gallery was filled within 10 minutes. Strangers came. Arizonans and Angelenos talked opportunities. Tempe artist Joe Holdren went from one small clutch to the next in easy conversations. “I love the mixture of art here,” Holdren said. “I love the mixture of people.” The hum of conversation barely softened over three hours. Then at 10:05, the room suddenly went dark. Voices went silent for a moment before there was a audible sigh of disappointment. It was over. But no. As the lights went back up Vetter’s voice projected above the dismay: “It’s time for the after party!” Artists grabbed their work from the walls and continued the conversations a block away at an English pub. A: To shake a few hands, grab a few business cards, and share a few beers. MAS Attack 11 is scheduled for March 19 at the San Diego Art Institute. Disclaimer: This was writer Dani Dodge’s fifth MAS Attack and second out-of-state event, so her impartiality on the value of the enterprise is suspect. Artists in the show: Max Presneill, Kio Griffith, Brian Thomas Jones, Tom Dunn, David Spanbock, Dani Dodge, Sijia Chen, Nano Rubio, David Leapman, Kireilyn Barber, Matt Driggs, Audra Graziano, Bill Dambrova, Rachel Goodwin, Emmett Potter, Angie Zielinski, Cam DeCaussin, Lisa von Hoffner, Travis Rice, Tyler Griese, James Angel, Abbey Messmer, Jonathan Marquis, R.J. Ward, Joe Holdren. Many people enjoy the MAS Attack X reception at Fine Art Complex 1101 in Tempe. Photo by Brian Thomas Jones
For more about Artra Curatorial go to artraLA.org For more about the Fine Art Complex 1101 go to fineartcomplex1101.com
LA ART NEWS SECTION B
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FEBRUARY 2016
ART HAPPENINGS AROUND LOS ANGELES Presented by Shoebox PR UPCOMING OPENINGS
Wild Land: Thomas Cole and the Birth of American Landscape Painting & Urban Transformations: The Contemporary Landscape University Art Gallery, LaCorte Hall A-107 California State University, Dominguez Hills, 1000 E. Victoria St., Carson Opening Feb 3 5:30-7:30 p.m. On view through March 14https://www.facebook.com/ events/180479485645824/ Newton to Albers: Color Theory to Creative Practice Cypress College Art Gallery 9200 Valley View St, Cypress Opening February 4 6-8 p.m. https://www.facebook.com/events/1672529829666636/ Erika Lizee “...and yet, things continue to unfold” 643 Project Space Ventura Opening February 5 6-8 p.m. On view through February https://www.facebook.com/events/170504629980556/ Cynthia Minet: Avian Vita Art Center 432 Ventura Ave Studio 30, Ventura Opening Reception: Friday, February 5 6-9 p.m. Exhibit Dates: February 5-28 https://www.facebook.com/events/974082292676948/ Phill Niblock | Carl Stone Human Resources 410 Cottage Home St, Los Angeles Opening February 5 8 p.m. https://www.facebook.com/events/1641076212825442/ Shifting Ground | A Group Exhibition I-5 Gallery at The Brewery 2100 N Main St, Unit A10 A one day only reception Saturday February 6 3-5 p.m. https://www.facebook.com/events/1540927752901342/
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Ayotzinapa: A Roar of Silence | 43 Missing Students from Mexico SPARC ART 685 Venice Blvd, Venice Opening February 18 5-8 p.m. On view through June 2016 https://www.facebook.com/events/1683913491886205/ Breasts. An Explorative Exhibit Oddville. A Creative Space 734 S Main Street, Los Angeles Opening February 20 7 p.m. https://www.facebook.com/events/1696576560579382/ Go Big or Go Home Brand Library & Art Center 1601 W Mountain St, Glendale Opening February 20 6-9 p.m. https://www.facebook.com/events/959891597421668/ Elemental Energies Neutra Institute Gallery & Museum 2379 Glendale Boulevard. Los Angeles Opening February 20 6-9 p.m. Through March 12https://www.facebook.com/ events/1666325316967317/ Shades of Winter - Gallery Opening @ Art Share L.A. Art Share-LA 801 E 4th Place, Los Angeles Opening reception February 20 7-10 p.m. Through March https://www.facebook.com/ events/1666354133621080/ The Los Angeles River, A City Runs Through It Keystone Gallery 2558 North San Fernando Road, Los Angeles Opening reception Saturday, February 20 7 p.m.-10 p.m. Through March 1 https://www.facebook.com/events/902983583072064/
Curate This, Part Deux The Gabba Gallery 3126 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles Opening reception February 6 7-11 p.m. Through February 26https://www.facebook.com/ events/824249011017575/
Farewell Eden: Nature in a Post-Wild World Descanso Gardens 1418 Descanso Drive La Cañada Flintridge Reception Sunday, February 21, 4 -6 p.m. On view January 10-April 3 https://www.descansogardens.org/calendar/farewelleden/?date=2016-02-21
Ted Meyer | SCAR STORIES MUZEUMM 4817 W Adams Blvd, Los Angeles Opening reception, February 6, 2 p.m. On view through February https://www.facebook.com/events/947735231962298/
Jason Salavon (Gallery Two: Lester Monzon) Mark Moore Gallery 5790 Washington Boulevard Opening reception February 25 6-8:30 p.m. Through April 16https://www.facebook.com/ events/556628257818375/
Grayscale Wonderland II BG Gallery Bleicher/Golightly/Gorman 2525 Michigan Ave, # G8A, Santa Monica Opening reception Feb 6 5-8 p.m. https://www.facebook.com/events/1661942727392756/
ONGOING EXHIBITIONS
TRANSPARENCY - a group exhibit SugarMynt Gallery 810 Meridian Avenue, South Pasadena Opening reception: Saturday, February 6, 7-10 p.m. Exhibition runs: February 6 - March 5 https://www.facebook.com/events/581588295322424/ SKIN Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery 4800 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles Opening Feb 7 2-5 p.m. Through April 17https://www.facebook.com/ events/1542486922740233/ Evolution of the Revolution California African American Museum 600 State Drive, Los Angeles Opening reception: February 12 12-2 p.m. https://www.facebook.com/events/149493598760774/ Consort - Gallery Show at Art Share Art Share-LA 801 E 4th Pl, Los Angeles Opening reception February 13 7 p.m. https://www.facebook.com/events/1114667705211204/
Grand Opening – Consciousness: Recent Paintings Jill Joy Gallery 6124 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles Through February 13 https://www.facebook.com/events/1069402923103321/ Notes From The Front Line Customizing Language Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions 6522 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles Through February 14 https://www.facebook.com/events/983184958394588/ “Ten Top Artists”, Juried by Tulsa Kinney Coagula Curatorial 974 Chung King Road, Los Angeles Through February 14 https://www.facebook.com/events/989209827804254/ Watts Loft at Liz’s 453 S La Brea Avenue, Los Angeles Through February 15 https://www.facebook.com/events/1746876915547112/
Kim Schoenstadt Chimento Contemporary 622 S Anderson Street, Spc 105, Los Angeles Through February 20 https://www.facebook.com/events/145992282434376/ Chuck Argo: “My Head is a Ghost” Paul Donald: “Endymion Project” Chris Oatey: “Snowmelt Paintings and Drawings” CB1 Gallery 1923 S Santa Fe Avenue, Los Angeles Through February 20 http://cb1gallery.com/ Rosette – A Group Show Organized by Mary Anna Pomonis Charlie James Gallery 969 Chung King Road, Los Angeles Through February 20 https://www.facebook.com/events/823230677786557/ Allison Schulnik – “Hoof ” Mark Moore Gallery 5790 Washington Boulevard, Culver City Through February 20 https://www.facebook.com/events/1705859679627231/ Claudia Parducci | The Space Between Us & Julia Haft-Candell | Double Knot OCHI Projects 3301 W Washington Boulevard, Los Angeles Through February 20 https://www.facebook.com/events/166935867002825/ Mike Saijo: Inaka SPARC Gallery 1121 Mission Street, South Pasadena Through February 26 https://www.facebook.com/events/518408758333410/ Greg Mocilnikar “Redaction” & Dana Weiser “Without you, I couldn’t be me…” Walter Maciel Gallery 2642 S La Cienega Boulevard, Los Angeles Through February 27 https://www.facebook.com/events/112434019131232/ Ian Ingram: Ash and Oil 101/EXHIBIT 668 North La Peer Drive, Los Angeles Exhibition runs through February 27 https://www.facebook.com/events/492531474286738/ William Leavitt: The small laboratory and Recent Paintings by Katy Crowe, Raúl Guerrero, Janet Jenkins and William Leavitt Honor Fraser Gallery 2622 S La Cienega Boulevard, Los Angeles On view through February 27 https://www.facebook.com/events/472192356298279/ COAST to COLOR Laura Korman Gallery 2525 Michigan Avenue, Ste D2, Santa Monica Through March 5 https://www.facebook.com/events/1525572081074878/ Wyatt Mills | NORMAL Project Gallery 961 Chung King Road, Los Angeles Through March 6 https://www.facebook.com/events/1304695746229709/ Sibling Rivalries TAM Torrance Art Museum 3320 Civic Center Drive N, Torrance Through March 12 https://www.facebook.com/events/1166491793379355/ Techno Rococo, new work by Laurie Lipton Ace Gallery- Los Angeles 5514 Wilshire Boulevard. 2nd Floor, Los Angeles Through May https://www.facebook.com/ events/142043479487791/
Dwora Fried | BIG BOX / little box Los Angeles Art Association 825 N La Cienega Boulevard, Los Angeles Through February 19 https://www.facebook.com/events/132045677162743/ Greetings From LA: 24 Frames and 50 Years | George Porcari Haphazard 1543 Sawtelle Boulevard, Los Angeles Through February 20 https://www.facebook.com/events/1632114063721575/
shoeboxpr.com
LA ART NEWS SECTION B
We Choose Art
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Dwora Fried’s BIG BOX / little box Written by: Desiree Cormier From WeChooseArt.com Dwora Fried creates tiny tableaux inside glass fronted boxes. She populates them with miniature vintage furniture, dolls, toys and fabrics from the 50’s, adding photographs, plastic, wood, metal and paint. Her small rooms evoke what it was like to grow up as an outsider in postwar Vienna: being Jewish, Lesbian and a child of holocaust survivors, she learned to see everything through the prism of loss, danger and secrecy. “I inherited a sense of isolation, displacement and an appreciation for the surreal.” At first glance, the pieces seem to be colorful miniature doll house rooms; however their small size forces the viewer to get closer and share that intimate sense of alienation and solitude of the artist. Although Fried has been living in Los Angeles for over 30 years, her art is still haunted by the remembrance of her early childhood in Vienna, the whimsy and the not so imaginary dangers she experienced on a visceral level. Her latest exhibition is the “BIG BOX / little box” a Solo Show at Gallery 825 located in Los Angeles. Fried is exhibiting a new series of her unique and intimate boxes for viewers to see …and one BIG BOX for viewers to experience! We Choose Art had a few questions for Fried and tried to sit down with her during the handful of days that Los Angeles actually experienced a downpour, or as Fried put it, “compared to Austria, this is like a light spring drizzle….” But with California’s completely chaotic response to water falling from the sky we decided to conduct this interview via email. We Choose Art: Can you tell me a little about the box series and how it began? What is influence behind them? Dwora Fried: My box series started out as a dream: I had this collage exhibit and in my dream the images started to move. You know how on the iPhone the photographs move a little when you touch them, almost imperceptible, but it is a little shocking when you first notice it. So I decided to use a format that allowed me to let my images move and I found these boxes at IKEA and just went with it. At the time I was visiting my mom in Vienna and she was a bit of a hoarder, so I had lots of stuff to work with, shopping bags, photos, hair rollers, you name it. We Choose Art: Has that influence/message remained constant throughout your artistic career? Fried: My influence has remained the lack of a childhood, inheriting the angst of survival from my mom, who survived Auschwitz and Bergen Belsen. She was only 11 when the war started. I guess you have to continued on page 27
FEBRUARY 2016
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continued from page 26 grow up with a holocaust survivor to understand… We Choose Art: You’ve been quoted as saying that you made the switch from collage to boxes over 10 years ago. Since then it’s been all boxes and all identical in size. Is this life size box the first time you’ll be breaking that mold and can you fill me in more on what led to you creating this large box, and what message you’re trying to convey with putting the viewer in the exhibit? Fried: I came up with the BIG BOX idea, when a friend of mine said: “I wonder what it feels like to be in your world.” When you take a photograph of a person sitting in a box it looks like they are actually in one of my small boxes. To look at the small boxes, you have to get very close to them. It is an intimate encounter between the artist and the spectator. In the BIG BOX you cannot really see that much, the idea is to create that sense of claustrophobia, confusion and alienation that you get just sitting there. We Choose Art: When reviewing your website I noticed you’ve done a lot of work and interviews for groups such as Amazing Women in Action and having work FeministArtProject.rutgers.edu. How does feminism play a role in your life and in the work you create (if at all)? What types of adversities do you feel you’ve faced in the art world? Fried: I have always considered myself a feminist, both my sister and I never questioned the fact that we were equal to men and had the same opportunities and rights as them. My father was a chauvinist and we just laughed it off. My three daughters also never questioned the fact that as women they have the same power as men. One is a photographer, the middle one is a filmmaker and the third one is going to study business. They of course are aware that women earn less than men, that women are less represented in film and in galleries and museums. But they are ready to change that. We Choose Art: And finally, our last question is: why do you choose art? Fried: As for why I chose art? Honestly, art chose me. It is what I call home. With a past, present and future as dynamic and astonishing as Dwora Fried’s, it is no coincidence that her little boxes speak VOLUMES and her BIG BOX is sure to be an everlasting experience to be had.
LA ART NEWS SECTION B
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PERSONAL BEST
LOAF OF BREAD RISING (SQUID RECORDS) This is the finest piece of DIY magnetic tape to be released in the Southland since I don't know when. I'm so inspired by these tunes that I'm now going into a deluge of bad puns. This local crew has achieved their Personal Best on tape with "Loaf Of Bread Rising". It's the best thing since sliced bread (or bad moons) rising. If you like you're punk sunnyside down, this cassette will make ya pinch a loaf right where you stand. These youngsters prolly treat Our Band Could Be Your Life like the bible it is and worship at the altar of SST, Twin/Tone, and Flying Nun like very few their age know well enough to. Leading by example is the best way to live. Too bad Negative Guest List isn't around anymore, Brendon Annesley would've loved this. I hope y'all sent a copy to Termbo for review at least. They may not like it as much as I do, but they're some of the only dudes around that'll get where you're coming from. http://squidrecords.bigcartel.com/product/personal-best-loaf-of-bread-rising
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Permanent Records - LA 5116 York Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90042 Ph./Fx. - (323)739-6141
NIGHT ON BROADWAY, 2016 January 30 Downtown Los Angeles
Ozomatli on Broadway
FEBRUARY 2016
Thee Commons at the United Artists Theatre at the Ace Hotel
It’s Monica and her girls!
I WAS A PAID AUDIENCE MEMBER
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BY JEN HITCHCOCK
Owning my own bookstore is the best “job” I have ever had, yet I often think back to all the other oddball ways I have earned a paycheck over the years. The most memorable might be the stint I did as a paid audience member. I was going back to school so thought it would be an easy way to study and earn money at the same time. The first show I did, the production team had us lined up in the hot bright Los Angeles sun for hours before they began selecting the “bodies” to place in the seats. On set, this is how they referred to us. Bodies. I concluded that this probably stemmed from Production’s very real dream of actually figuring out a way to make corpses clap. A cost efficient benefit since dead bodies don’t cough, sneeze, have to take bathroom breaks or demand payment for their time. Melting in line, my camera-ready smile wilted a bit more each time the Production Assistant breezed by me, the cool promise of the studio’s air-conditioning trailing behind him and dissipating into the heat. My bright and energetic enthusiasm faded as I watched him pluck people one by one around me and lead them into the studio. When there was only a toothless glassy-eyed guy in a purple suit and fedora, a seventy-five year old woman with pigtails and me left, the PA sighed and pointed my way and directed me into the studio. It was at this moment that I discovered that in the Paid Audience world there are actually two types of “bodies.” The front row bodies and the back row bodies. I fell into the latter category most days. But it is here that between takes, I got to listen in on some fascinating conversations as I pretended to read my book. There was the man in a thread-worn suit that shared in mouthwatering detail his recipe for making Spam taste like a chicken dumpling. Another favorite was the guy who would talk for hours about his life to whomever he happened to be placed next to that day. I kept track of his stories. My final count revealed he had seven different blood grandmothers (all rich and exciting), somehow managed to go to high school in Rome, Spain, Argentina, Italy and Greenwich, Connecticut, photographed supermodels in his spare time, had an alpaca ranch in wine country and only does paid audience to have something to do while his Mercedes is in the shop. I quickly learned the Paid Audience world was a cutthroat business. I of course got caught up in the dysfunction of it all, and was spending all the time I should have been studying trying to land the next job or chatting with the person next to me about a good way to spice up a Top Ramen meal. So I had to move on or I would never graduate (again). But I will leave you with this thought. The next time you sit down and watch television, look to the back row blurs. That is where the real heart of Hollywood sits; stuffed in seats, smiling and banging their hands together to buy another can of Spam and a bus ride home. Jen is the proprietor of Book Show, a used book sideshow and gift shop in Highland Park. Come visit at 5503 N. Figueroa St. 90042. www.bookshowla.com
LUMMIS DAY TEACHERS’ WORKSHOP:
“A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT: CHARLES LUMMIS AND THE CULTURE OF THE ARROYO SECO” FEBRUARY 20 AND 27. This year’s Lummis Day Teachers’ Workshop, a LAUSD-approved one-point credit class, will be held on two Saturdays: February 20 and 27, from 8:30 am-4:30 pm at various Northeast L.A. locations. The workshop, titled “Charles Lummis and the Culture of Arroyo Seco,” will immerse teachers in the history of one of the city’s key historical figures while taking participants through geographical, ecological and ethnographic factors that influenced the growth of the vibrant early cultural life of the Arroyo and surrounding Northeast L.A. communities in the early years of the last century. Lummis, a larger than life persona, served as the first city editor of the Los Angeles Times, as one of the city’s first male librarians, and founded the Southwest Museum. Attendees will participate in: · a field study and nature walk in the restored Lower Arroyo emphasizing the geography of the Arroyo Seco watershed · instruction with a “sense of place” theme by representatives of Audubon and Friends of the L.A. River( FoLAR) · a docent led tour of the Lummis Home and Gardens and the Southwest Museum · a Sycamore Grove Walking Tour for which participants may bring family and friends Participants will also learn about the Arroyo’s history and heritage and how to use that information to encourage students to make their own historical, environmental and cultural discoveries in their part of Los Angeles. The workshop will enable teachers to create meaningful, standards-based, curriculum-relevant projects for use in their own classrooms Participants will be encouraged to share their projects on June 5, 2016 as part of the Lummis Day Festival at Sycamore Grove Park. Workshop Fee: $85.00 Registration form and schedule also available online at www.lummisday.org/ currentevents/riverrunsthroughit. Up to 20 participants can be accommodated. Registration and Fees Due February 16, 2016 For more information: Carmela Gomes, gomescarmela@gmail.com.
BOOK SHOW EVENTS Saturday February 6th At 7:30pm Release reading and party for Gabriela Knutson’s “Legumes” Saturday February 13th 7pm-9:30pm My Paradox Open Mic Sex postive and erotica open mic hosted by Chris Paradox Friday February 19th 7:30pm Vermin on the mount Author Jim ruland’s night of irreverent readings Friday March 4th 8pm special eat art open mic for lazf’s zine week!!! Saturday March 5th 7pm Zine week event! Bookmaking for zines and artist books workshop with Rachel Curry Saturday March 19th Fig Jam!!! Cool vendors and all day long lit & poetry readings at book show! ONGOING EVENTS and WORKSHOPS EAT ART OPEN MIC Monthly, every 1st Friday Poetry and Prose open mic 8pm sign ups Free Back To Scraps Monthly, every 2nd Sunday $5 An evening of writing exercises and prompts. LA ART NEWS SECTION B
HAPPY CHORIZO BURRITO DAY
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Jeremy Kaplan of READ Books
What are the chances? In 1994 I met my wife in a large bookstore. We now co-own a small bookstore. We married in 1997 at the Long Beach Rod & Gun Club. We now co-own two children, yet neither of them seem to own either rod or gun. The older boy was born in 1994, the younger in 1997 (we knew neither of them in either aforementioned year, but that’s another story). Some people tell us that there is a profound, spiritual significance to all them there coinciding events of ’94 & ’97. Some people, I tell you, struggle profoundly with concepts such as math and reality. This is reality: It’s May of ’94, late evening shift at Book Soup. I’ve been working here for less than two weeks and some genius manager has just placed me at the cash register, which I am manning with half my ass. The other half is busy rolling a burrito, stuffed with Bargain Circus chorizo & eggs, on the front counter. I’m hungry enough to forego microwaving these leftovers since my official dinner break won’t happen soon enough, hungry enough to ignore the young lady sidling up to the register whilst making lusty sniffing sounds, but apparently not as hungry as that young lady who inevitably hovers, drooling & snorting, on the business side of my chorizo counter. “Is that chorizo?” she slobbers. “’Cause I sure do love chorizo.” I shove the somewhat rolled burrito across the counter and commence with the sweet talk. “Go ahead, I’m not hungry anyway,” I grumble. “I found a raisin behind the register an hour ago and I ate it. Go ahead and eat my burrito already. It’s fucking destiny.” “It’s fucking cold,” she murmurs while chomping at my dinner like a circus geek set loose upon a comatose chicken. “But it’s still chorizo and all chorizo is great gardblarnit.” She not only persevered in the face of my faux surliness, this future wife of mine, but she also microwaved what remained after that first bite and then allowed me a nibble or two of what was supposed to be my second meal of the day. I did not initially realize that we were co-workers, my future wife & I, as she had been away on a trip to Boston when I was hired. We might have talked about books that first evening, but more likely we marveled about how lucky we were to live in a time & place when burritos glutted with chorizo, pastor, carnitas, and sundry pig parts could be procured at a mere pittance. This is more reality: Our mutual support of immigration reform— mandatory immigration for all those emanating from chorizobearing countries really— had more to do with our hooking up than any abstruse aligning of stars. No magic here folks, just Mexican sausage. That was some 22 years ago. We have now been married for nearly 19 years. I’ll give you two guesses as to the ages of our children. This is merely math. So they were born the years we met and married. Still I am confident that the boys’ biological parents did not conceive with my wife and I in mind, and if there is a God she best have more important things to do with her time than playing cute number games with some goofy family in Los Angeles. Furthermore, when you hear your dead dad’s favorite song on the radio it ain’t God telling you that dad’s in heaven watching over you any more than the 99 crappy songs you previously heard on the radio was God telling you that dad’s alone in hell. DJ God? What’s more important is whether or not dad’s song kicked ass. Yesterday was my birthday. My wife celebrated hers two days before mine. She and our children surprised me last night by baking pizza with—what else?—chorizo on top. Destiny? Shut up. It’s called good taste. Twenty-three-and-one-half years ago I had enough of it to share my burrito with a lovely person who had enough of it to appreciate good, cheap food when she smelled it. So we had sex. Together we had enough sense to raise children that, amongst myriad faults & aptitudes, possess a healthy respect for the tastier things in life and are willing to stumble into a kitchen once-a-year to make a meal happen. Nine years ago, that wife of mine gave me the birthday present of a lifetime when she helped me open READ Books. So long as I am competent enough not to muck this up I will never have to get another job again, thus proving that hard work will always save one from having to work hard. With a belly full of Chorizo pizza, I dedicate this article, as well as a large, geek-sized portion of anything I ever write, to what’s-herface: Happy birthday wife! I don’t need divine intervention; I gots you.
FEBRUARY 2016
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LA ART NEWS SECTION B
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