Design and cultural icons: A look at this year's Kennedy Center honorees

Design and cultural icons: A look at this year's Kennedy Center honorees

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Website design: A New Year's resolution

Website design: A New Year's resolution

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Shepard Fairey designs the official artwork for the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards

Shepard Fairey designs the official artwork for the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards

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The typography of LA Cholo Graffiti: Chastanet releases new book

The typography of LA Cholo Graffiti: Chastanet releases new book

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Stanley Donwood's "Twisted Woods"

British artist Stanley Donwood and Radiohead's Thom Yorke have teamed up again for Yorke's new 12" EP These Are My Twisted Words. The record's beautiful packaging design contains a wavy stencil-like cutout area showing through to a striped pattern on the record sleeve. In addition, the digital download (also included in the purchase of a physical copy) includes the unique project "Twisted Woods," a project intended to engage the consumer. This project consists of a pdf with 14 images exploring organic tree forms as seen through mist or fog. Instructions of printing the images on tracing paper encourage the downloaders to combine the shapes in unique ways so that they can create their own interpretation of the images and get actively involved with the artwork. What an awesome idea!

Using the same images from "Twisted Woods," Donwood also just released his new series of three metallic screenprints. He created these screenprints in bronze, silver, and gold.

For more info: www.slowlydownward.com

Digital Sketch

Little Tokyo

Little Tokyo in Downtown LA, just north of the arts district, contains great restaurants, museums (including the Geffen Contemporary and Japanese National Museum), theaters, an annual film fest, gardens, sculptures, karaoke clubs, Buddhist temples, landmarks, shopping and more.

My favorite spot is Shojin, a Buddhist vegan restaurant in Little Tokyo Shopping Center at 3rd & Alameda with unbelievably good food. Pumpkin croquettes, avocado rolls, pasta dishes... the list goes on. And they are making a vegan Thanksgiving Dinner Feast available Wednesday through Saturday that looks really tempting. I also love the atmosphere and the unique art. Cafe Mode opens a new art exhibit there entitled "Earthworks" about every two months with live music.

Also, when I visit, I try to see if there are any cute bowls and tea cups at the Utsuwa No Yakata gift shop just downstairs from Shojin that are on sale- I love those things.

Polar Coordinates

Elliott Smith Mural

Autumn de Wilde's awesome photography of the late Elliott Smith included his cover photo for the album Figure 8 of him standing in front of a mural. Fans still go to this spot on Sunset Blvd. in Silver Lake to write messages on the wall.

I heard a great fan compilation of 54 of his live covers for the first time recently, including some rad Beatles covers. I enjoyed hearing him do all of these songs.

Check out Autumn de Wilde's video for Son of Sam. Great photography, and I really like the red balloon concept and reference.

Japanese Pinky Violence Movie Poster Exhibition Tomorrow

Pinky Violence is a style of Japanese film that begun in the 1960s and featured female yakuzas and girl boss guerillas. This popular genre predated American counterparts, such as Charlie's Angels, and continues to influence directors such as Quentin Tarantino.


The bright and action packed posters at the exhibit are for the series of films made by the Toei company.


Opening Saturday, November 21, 8pm - 12am
Hyaena Gallery
1928 W. Olive Ave., Burbank
Hours: Mon. - Sat. 11am - 7pm, Sun. 12pm - 5pm

Blue

The Hidden Oil Sites of LA

Palladium Boots released an interesting and informative video on their website exploring the undercover oil rigs that are all over Los Angeles... in the Weho Farmers' Market, Beverly Center, and Beverly Hills High School to name a few locations. As the third largest oil field in the country, LA is literally a city built on oil.

Check it out, I found it fascinating:

Photography: Pool

composite photograph

Beck's Record Club

The third installment of Beck's Record Club begins! Beck, Wilco, Leslie Feist and Jamie Lidell recorded Skip Spence's Album "Oar" at Sunset Sound in Hollywood back in June. The first video depicts the studio session for "Little Hands."

The Record Club series stars an evolving group of musicians who cover an album in a day and then, on his website, Beck releases one track per week from the session. The previous two Record Club installments included Beck covering The Velvet Underground and Nico with producer Nigel Godrich and actor Giovanni Ribisi and Beck covering the Songs of Leonard Cohen with MGMT and Devendra Banhart.

Great, interesting concept to the series! Check it out: www.beck.com

Photography: 5th and Spring Streets

Santa Monica Studios Open House and Exhibit

Santa Monica Fine Art Studios' exhibit opening tonight showing a variety of paintings, sculptures, digital work and installations.


Sat. Nov. 14th, from 6-9pm
Open House continues tomorrow, Sun. Nov. 15th, 1-5pm
Location: 1834 Franklin St., Santa Monica

Snap to Grid Art Opening at LACDA

Last night's opening of Snap to Grid at LACDA was awesome! So many people came to see all of the great digital art! I enjoyed seeing what everyone did and how it all came together as a cohesive show. I really appreciate the opportunity of contributing a couple of pieces to this collection.


Exhibit runs until Dec. 5th
Location: LACDA, 107 West 5th St., Los Angeles
Gallery Hours: Wed.-Sat. 12-5

Mos Def - The Ecstatic

Mos Def's "The Ecstatic" is one of my favorite albums of 2009. After a couple of years since his last release, Mos came back strong with his socially conscious hip hop. I love the bollywood style samples, the production, the song "No Hay Nada Mas"... great album!

Fender P Bass

I've got my eyes set on you...

Yvette Gellis - The Project Room at 18th Street Arts Center

I really enjoyed experiencing Yvette's latest exhibit in the project room at 18th Street Arts entitled "Aqueous/Igneous." She expanded upon her colorful abstract paintings by creating this project in three dimensions, filling an entire studio. You can actually walk into the project and experience the colors and shapes from every angle.


I'm interested to see her other work and what she does in the future!
www.yvettegellis.com

New Song Lyrics: Maps

I still remember that day

we drew out a map

we were so young then

there was no looking back

anything was possible

and there were no fears

we travelled for miles

days became months, months became years

the open road surprises

it’s uncharted paths

after all of the time

the sadness, the laughs

and there’s been so much to learn

so much to forgive

but the past is far behind

it’s time for us to live

no one can stop us now

no one can stop us now

the road of desire

the road of desire

we followed it home

and now we’re home

yes, now we’re home

we’re home

Brian Eno: 77 Million Paintings at Cal State Long Beach

Brian Eno's current light and sound installation is a very interesting and inspirational experience. Consisting of twelve monitors of different dimensions, images constantly transform and evolve. Colors and patterns emerge and morph into unique configurations, generating mesmerizing video "paintings." The accompanying music constantly evolves as well and sounds emerge from the background and become the primary part of the music.

Eno programmed these sights and sounds using computers and tape decks to create virtually limitless combinations of images and musical compositions. He describes the result as frequently surprising even to himself. Every moment that you spend sitting on sofas in this darkly lit room is a unique one.

In addition to this installation, the exhibit also includes thirteen abstract prints, which reflect the style of the installation.

Exhibit runs until Dec. 13
University Art Museum, CSULB, 2150 Bellflower Blvd., Long Beach
Tues. - Sun. 12pm - 5pm, Thurs. to 8pm (562) 985-5761

Yummy - Pink Vinyl

It just looks so yummy, like I could eat it! It's so awesome that Ryan Adams made his new 7" record "Oblivion/People Need Sunlight" pretty in pink!


Listened for the first time today. Oblivion is a great rocker with a surprising piano ending- the piano is reminiscent of The Smiths' "Asleep." Ryan recorded the track right before the album "Easy Tiger" in 2007. People Need Sunlight is a catchy tune similar to some of the other songs he has been doing recently on his computer then bringing them over to Sunset Sound for Jamie Candiloro to fix up.

LA Adobe Web and Illustrator Group Meeting

I went to the November LA Adobe Web and Illustrator Group meeting last night at Moviola in Hollywood. It was great meeting some of the other designers and I enjoyed Chana Messer's presentation. Hoping to attend more of these in the coming year.

Preview: Snap To Grid Exhibit Next Thursday

"Purple Haze"

Please come check out this group digital art exhibit that is in conjunction with the Downtown LA Artwalk next Thursday! It will be an interesting collection of work from many different artists, and I am also happy to be contributing two pieces to this exhibit (including the one shown above).

Opening Reception: Thursday November 12, 7-9pm

Exhibit Dates: November 12 - December 5

Location: LACDA - 107 West Fifth Street, Los Angeles

Hope Sandoval

I'm really enjoying Hope Sandoval and the Warm Inventions new album Through the Devil Softly. While her voice and instrumentation is as dreamy as ever, this album is distinct from her work with Mazzy Star as well as the Warm Inventions first album Bavarian Fruit Bread. It feels like it has more space. Some highlights for me include Blue Bird, Trouble, and Satellite. I was fortunate enough to catch this East Los Angeles native's performance at the Mayan recently and, I must say, her voice is like no other I've heard and her beauty radiates out from the darkly lit stage.

Without a Car in the World- Exhibit at 18th St Arts Center

Interesting photography exhibit up right now by Diane Meyer at 18th Street Arts Center telling the stories of people living in LA without a car as a means for transportation. Before seeing the exhibit, I thought it was going to be focused on environmentalism, however, that was only one point of the show. It was a sociological examination of who comprises the carless people in Los Angeles, including people doing it by choice and necessity. The experiences and feelings of people really ranged and were at times surprising.

One thing proved consistent though- the Metro is not meeting people's needs for public transportation. For Los Angeles car culture to change, the Metro needs to be improved.

On display until December 11th
1639 18th St, Santa Monica
www.18thstreet.org

Oil painting based on aerial photograph

(Untitled) - the movie

Went to the movie "(Untitled)" - it's a comedy about the NYC conceptual art scene and avant garde music. Not to say that I don't always enjoy watching Adam Goldberg (The Hebrew Hammer), but the movie had some funny parts. It reminded me a lot of the scene when I was in college at Wesleyan.


I feel like the message of the movie was that there is an audience for all different types of art- all art/music has its place and purpose in the world. The artists just need to find their market.


BTW, those sofas at the Landmark Theatre are comfy...


Trailer

U2 at the Rose Bowl

Video of U2 at Rose Bowl

Yes, I was one of the almost 100,000 people at the Rose Bowl last Sunday and it was one of the most amazing times ever. U2 always energizes the audience, lifting them up together. The transcendent experience of this energy and feeling the music was incredible.

I loved how the songs on the new album No Line on the Horizon were translated to live performance, especially Moment of Surrender, Magnificent, and the remix of I'll Go Crazy. And I was so happy with some of the others they played- such as The Unforgettable Fire, Where the Streets Have No Name, and Ultraviolet. And the production was quite an experience itself- very innovative. I think that it would be great to make stages more like this in general as it increases the connection to the audience.

The Black Eyed Peas were a good opener and it was pretty classic when Slash himself came out to play Sweet Child O'Mine with them.