Happy Halloween!

"Ghosts, Goblins and Kids"

Here I am getting dressed a few years ago for my big trick or treat night...


Eat chocolate and bee safe...

a 'fair' day at the museum

There is always something new to see at LACMA...

I really wanted to see the newly opened Broad Contemporary Art Museum that holds some of the most iconic artworks from the last four decades. My pal (an amazing artist) CW and I set off to fill our id with some groovy art....BCAM’s sixty thousand square feet of gallery space are devoted primarily to groupings of works by single artists including Robert Rauschenberg, Jasper Johns, Roy Lichtenstein, Ed Ruscha, Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, John Baldessari, Jeff Koons and Richard Serra.

You are permitted to take non flash pictures of some of the permanent art at LACMA...
so here's a few of my favorite things...on this day anyway...

I don't know what it is about Richard Serra's 'Sequence' sculpture. It's just steel, large rusted steel that is 153 x846 x440...yet when you walk inside of this huge steel structure, you feel like you are wrapped all safe and sound in a cocoon...and it is strange how it evokes emotions as you walk through it.

and I have to say...we really loved it...

'Woman in Chair' by Joan Brown. The oil paint is so thickly applied that it creates wonderful texture.

Lee Bontecou

I have always loved Modigliani. Seeing his art in person is a real treat.

Most of us are familiar with Roy Lichenstein's graphic dot art but I had never seen this piece which I really liked...
This amazing pattern on canvas looks like lace. But it's painted with oil on canvas by Yayoi Kusama.
The amazing and flowing "Fading Scroll" by El Anatsui
It's really something.

Then we were off to see the Vanity Fair Exhibit where I learned that Conde Nast was an actual person. I never knew that. I always thought it was just a very successful publishing company.
Though He died in New York City on September 19, 1942. Eight hundred people attended his funeral. Nast believed that women should have the opportunity to have the prettiest clothes, the prettiest surroundings, and every known method to make themselves more attractive. His magazines still exist today. You learn something every day...and I found this fascinating.

On display are all those amazing photographs that have appeared in Vanity Fair, (many of the more recent ones by the phenomenal photographerAnnie Leibovitz.) There is also a large display of those fabulous illustrated Vanity Fair Magazine Covers, which I found you can buy online at the Vanity Fair store. That's pretty cool. Here's just a few...but you can see more by clicking here...

I thought this cover above looked like Sarah and me!

Do you feel the energy in this February 1926 cover by A.H.Fish

Or the movement in this cover by Warren Davis August 1924

Filled up with art, till the next time...

exciting news on this fine day....

Here it is...a look at the cover of Sarah's and my book "In This Garden - Explorations in Mixed Media Narrative". It is due to be released April of 2009...but can be pre-ordered on Amazon if you want to get it as soon as it is available.

I know it is a long way off...but I just had to share...

unbridled souls

Last Sunday my friend Bristol McDonald had her fabulous exhibit at A Studio Gallery. It was amazing. Bristol is a huge supporter of Return To Freedom, the Wild Horse Sanctuary, which is dedicated to protecting and preserving the last of America’s wild horse herds.
Bristol's new exhibit "Unbridled Souls" are photographs she has taken recently at the Sanctuary which is located in Lompoc, CA. There is such emotion in her photographs, they are very special indeed. If you love horses, it is a treat...but even if you don't love horses, you can appreciate the beauty of her magnificent photographs. Check out Bristol's website , sit back and enjoy.

the lovely Ms. Bristol

Or stop by the gallery Monday through Friday if you are in Los Angeles. Bristol is having an Encore Reception November 16th from 6:00pm - 8:00. Also on hand are her note cards, prints and calendars which make terrific gifts for the horse lovers in your life. Also coming up at the gallery is the annual LOMO SHOW-MO group exhibit.
We have this exhibit every year right before the holidays, and it never ceases to amaze me what great shots can be taken with toy cameras. Anyone who takes lomographic photographs can be a part of it. Do you have any great black and white pix you have shot in this Lomographic format? Photographs in this exhibit must be shot with a LOMO camera, this includes the HOLGA, DIANA, CLACK, PINHOLE, OCTOMAT, POP, ACTION and SUPERSAMPLERS, and all TOY Cameras that shoot film. Black and white film only! You don't have to live in LA to be a part of it. Deadline is soon though Click here to get the scoop.
Photographs shot with lomo cameras are just terrific in altered art. Here's one I took not so long ago...handpainted by moi.

Hang in there...crazy times make for good art...
ac

visits...

a few visits that put a smile on my face...

My friend Connie and I took off and

visited the bountiful Zinnia.

They've expanded and they have some fantastic new things, noted by Connie's shopping bag. Tamara always celebrates the seasons with style.

With the weather taking a cooler turn, pal CW and I decided to take a long walk and visit one of my favorite places on earth...Descanso Gardens.

the greenhouse by the entrance donned some interesting growth...
Anyone know what these are? We looked for a sign but we couldn't find one.
I found these cool mosaic patterns in (of all places) the Boddy House bathroom. I'm always saying look up and down to catch the really cool stuff around you...
I'm glad when they refurbished the house they kept many of these fabulous accents.

Walking back from the Boddy House as usual I was digging the shadows...
A couple of weeks ago I made my way to the Hollywood Collecters Show...

and I visited with some of my old friends at the 'Lost In Space" reunion...
How great it was to see everyone again.

Mark Goddard, me, Bob May, Bill Mumy, Marta Kristen

While there I shot the carpet...cool design that could find it's way into some art...this design would make great stencils...

And then there was a visit to the theater to see the Musical "9-5"
The dancing was fantastic. Hadn't been to the theatre for awhile and it was fun.

Over the weekend we visited Becca's new digs...
grabbed lunch and watched the "Sex In The City" movie...the clothes were fantastic.

She's made a lovely comfortable home for herself.
...and we engaged in a lively catch up discussion on her patio...

Hoping fall starts to penetrate the LA warmth soon
....till next time