I love LA – Page 13 – No Idle hands here

But is it Art?

Yeah, I had my rant about contemporary art. I should probably explain what bothers me so much about it. Bates Motel on Sunset in Silverlake, everything whitewashed, even the trees.

Once upon a time, art was a well respected profession. People would apprentice in an artist studio, learn the tricks of the trade from a master. As their skills increased many would move on, open their own studios and try and get clients of their own. The patron would have to be someone with a lot of money – like the Church, or wealthy businessmen, at some point government got in on the gig – especially when they saw how well art works as a propaganda tool.This old derelict motel is the Sunset Pacific, but being on the corner of Bates street and being very creepy looking, it became known as the Bates Motel – once it was no longer accepting paying guests. (Vagrants used it of course)

By the late 19th c. the hierarchy of studios and approved art institutions started breaking down. Think Impressionism or Van Gough, the outsiders wanted in! Government became even more powerful, think Nazi Germany and their art propaganda. Their classification of unsanctioned art as Degenerate Art did more for expat German artists than any positive publicity ever could.Keeping everyone out of the property meant a chain link fence and some pretty vicious looking razor wire.

Suddenly the art world was blown wide open, and the term art was applied to anything, if you called what you created, Art, this is was wrong and judgmental to deny your claim. Of course there still have to be powerful forces making a lot of money out of all this vast creative output. Enter Art schools – where learning technique is meaningless, but learning jargon, pseudo-phylosophies and making sure that what you create has a message – preferably an angry anti society one – became a must in this new industry. All this must be supported by snooty galleries, curators and museums who are horrified by the notion that art could edify or even just be pretty. Not all beauty is art, sometimes interesting shapes and textures are just that, something that make it worth your while to stop and look, just because.

We’ve seen a glut of lawyers desperately trying to ways to make a living in a very crowded field. The same has happened with artists, although more so. The art schools are churning out more ‘artists’ every year, only a few can come back to make money off teaching the next years crop of students. So many go out, find a cheap place to ‘create’ and within a few years disappear, since bills must be paid. Others are successful, they get exhibitions, they sell their commissions to cities and businesses who want to appear hip and in the know. And of course there is are all those people who have disposable income and the best way to show their success is to create an art collection. Preferably one that doesn’t cost too much money, so supporting some young unknown does two things. Makes you more than just a philistine, you are now part of the literati elite, and you are supporting ART!.Everything gets covered by this lime wash, even the palm trees. We are told that this will do them no harm and it will gradually wear off. Who told us? The artist, not an arborist who actually knows about trees.

So 20 years this site has been sitting empty, now it is owned by a developer who will tear it down and build a large apartment complex on the site. Silverlake is one of the hippest and now expensive neighborhoods in LA.And if in the process of creating ‘art’ your work spills over and obscures a city owned street sign, oh well, maybe the city should be ‘proud’ to be included.Can I just say that it warms my heart to see that stubborn weeds managed to avoid the lime wash.Spraying everything white has a way of highlighting the shapes and textures. Not to mention that against a bright blue LA sky, it all looks marvelous.

Of course the neighbors are upset, they don’t want a big apartment complex. Really what they should be asking for is a new modern hotel. One thing Silverlake doesn’t have is any hotels. Sure that is a great boon to the AirBnB industry, but they could survive very well even with a large hotel on Sunset Blvd. Look at downtown, every week a new project is starting for either more apartments or hotels.

I’m probably giving the impression that I don’t like what was done here. Wrong! I actually love it, I think it’s a great use of the space until it gets torn down. What I don’t like is calling this art. Come up with a new term. We are all conditioned to think that if it’s art then it is elevated and important. There is a lot of creativity and beauty in the world that just is, because we as humans have the need to be creative.I have a love hate relationship with graffiti, I’m really torn. I happen to really like this – and since it is anonymous I guess we can’t call it art. It is ‘defacing’ public property, but I admit, I like it. This lamp pole is right next to the big white installation, and both is their way are pleasing to me.

As to the artist, go google him yourself, next weekend he will be at the site and there will be a grand opening of this project.

And so now you know in a nutshell, why I won’t call myself an artist. I’m simply not one. I’m a very creative crafter, I love making beautiful things to share with people in my life.

I’m not expecting the literati to ever consider crafts worthy of their attention unless the word art is attached. That is fine by me, in my world I get a lot of accolades for the work I do and thats’ the way I like it.

Leah

Art and Architecture in East LA

One of the benefits of being a LACMA docent is the field trips. We tend to go to interesting places. This spring the trip was to Boyle Heights and East LA, with the caveat ‘isn’t it amazing that art is being created here! Well no, but I”ll get to that shortly.

Lonnie C. Blanchard III, a successful attorney, also got into buying real-estate. He moved his law offices to a pretty shady street in an industrial area of Boyle Heights. At the far eastern section of Pico Blvd. ‘pretty’ is a misnomer, we are talking about a rather downscale area of old warehouses, but despite the tires and couches on the street, the big old ficus trees give this section of Pico Blvd a very pleasant feel.He painted the compound this deep grey, he may be responsible for the fact that it is completely walled off from the street. Love this ‘graffiti’ fly. He has his law office here, which is much more unusual than having artist studios in old industrial sections of town.A serene garden in the complex.

Artists are always looking for large workspaces with low rent. They tend to move to undesirable areas, then as the area gets gentrified – newer artists can’t afford the rent and they look for the next undiscovered area. In LA this progression started in Venice Beach, moved downtown to the Arts District and now is moving east. Say Venice or the Arts district today and you are talking very expensive real estate.So Lonnie is renting out most of this space to young budding artists. A passion of his, to support contemporary art.I think this brick patio was added, I doubt this was part of the original building. As I mentioned, this is in an old industrial part of town. Much of LA’s economy used to be small business and manufacturing, of course that is changing, but there is still a lot of that going on.

So where’s the art you ask?? Here’s the thing, I really don’t like contemporary art. There is a reason why I proudly call myself a crafter and not an artist. I find most contemporary art to be pretentious crap.While a photographer droned on about the importance of the thought process behind a rather mundane photo, I looked up to the ceiling and was intrigued by the building itself, in this case, peeling paint.I stopped listening to art student babble and instead looked to the beauty that hard working construction workers created at least 80 years ago.The engineering intrigues me, the struts, the long bow that supports the roof better than straight steel beams would. And of course the gradual decay.Skylights, sheet metal, florescent lights, all became fascinating to me. I mentioned them to one of the artists – who had to admit – looking up in old industrial buildings can be a thing of beauty.Out on the street I was thrilled to see an Art Deco facade, we tend to think of this style of architecture as very elevated and high brow. Not so, when a style catches on – it makes it’s way to the simplest and most mundane of buildings.Even if this was a simple metal workshop.

So what about the Art? Meh.This caught my eye not because it was destined to be painted and glued into figurative shapes that are a social criticism of how we view the human body. Rather, it’s the pile of plywood jigsawed into organic shapes that pleased me. The material is more fascinating than the highbrow reasoning behind it.This one infuriated me. The artist calls this a quilt, well guess what sweetheart – I’m sure you’d look down on my craft, but what I do is make quilts. This is simply old movie cells dripped with bright paint and sewn together. Also, without the light table underneath, it would be dark and boring. I know the art world looks down on crafters, which is why many a crafter feels the need to call themself an artist. Art these days isn’t about beauty – it’s about ‘messaging’. Thankfully, crafting is about making pretty things that can be useful or not. I finally did see something I like. At East LA community college there is an exhibit of wonderful painted woven objects. Lorenzo Hurtado Segovia, is Mexican American, so he can bridge art and craft – there is a hierarchy like no other in the art world. Of course to be honest, I didn’t read any of the explanations of his work, it was simply a matter of reacting to the beauty and the workmanship. Back side of plaid carpet.

See, even in the contemporary art world, I can find beauty.

Leah

In the neighborhood

I have been taking my good camera with me more often as I go on walks. Everyone’s neighborhood has things to see, especially on foot.Like outdoor chandeliers. Which reminds me, I need to get to Silver Lake one of these evenings to see the Chandelier Tree.Sometimes the image is just too fuzzy, but how could I not share this big bunch of balloons just hanging out in a driveway.Color at the Farmers’ Market isn’t all fruits and vegetables. Store signage can be very creative.Of course everyone wants a sheep, right?And then there are cats. Cats are so much luckier than dogs, dogs can only be out in public with a person, cats get to roam freely.Slinking through the grass.Or just basking in the sun.

Leah

PacMutual, a closer look at a downtown Gem

I’m downtown often, giving tours of wonderful historic old buildings. I rarely have time to take pictures myself, which is a mistake on my part.

This week I arrived early for a tour and had to run up to the conservancy office for something. I remembered to throw in my small camera and it occurred to me, time to share some of the wonderful details of this marvelous building – today known as the Pacmutual building.

This being crowded downtown, I can’t get far enough to capture the whole building in one shot.Over the main entrance we have this wonderful sculpture with the original symbol of the company Pacific Mutual Life Insurance – the mighty Redwood tree. Today the company is known simply as Pacific Life and it’s logo is the humpback whale. But this isn’t about the company (as great as it is) but about the buildings they built downtown.Sorry about the quality of the pictures, my little pocket camera isn’t up to the task like my larger camera is. The lobby is gorgeous, I’m just highlighting some of the details, to see the whole building come on one of our walking tours. Pacific Mutual Life Insurance Co Initials on the marble stairway finial.The building is classic Beaux Arts through and through, here in the lobby wonderful carved marble pilasters. I rarely pay much attention to the detail, it is worth while stopping and looking upland around.Details of the barrel vaulted ceiling, probably made from plaster and painted.The clock over the elevator bank. Clocks in public places were very important seeing that not everyone could afford a watch. The whole exterior is clad in glazed terra cotta from Gladding McBean, the largest installation in Los Angeles. All the fine detail is wonderful, one thing that makes this building stand out is the use of the dimensional tiles as well.I LOVE fine detail work, notice how in this corner they worked to get this perfect match.This metal and tile work is in the exterior foyer. Great use of tile and iron.Thats it for now, there is so much more share and show, but I will leave that for another post.

Leah

Kater-Crafts The books!

New books, printed elsewhere but bound here. Remember that first machine? These books went through that.Many of the old books that come in to be repaired are Bibles.This job gets done often, steaming and scrapping off the old glue.Here is the old spin, the covers have been put back on, the new spine will be made to replicate the old one.Of course not all old books are bibles. the new spine is in place, looks like the old cover didn’t need to be replaced.Imagine my surprise when I saw this, Gebete der Israeliten.- Prayers of the Jews.

Of course what caught my eye first was the Jewish star. I really shouldn’t be surprised, being the people of the book, we cherish and care for our books. I found the woman who is working on this project, she was kind enough to open the actual book for me. It is in good shape. It is also not just any Prayer book but the book we use on the three holidays, Passover, Shavuot and Succot.Back in the front office, I see a Clamshell cover of a favorite author of mine, Tim Powers – this book is all about crafting beer, with a little magic thrown in.

I am so glad to have found Society Obscura they will be seeing a lot more of me.

Leah

Kater-Crafts Bookbinders part I

I have discovered a wonderful organization, The Los Angeles Obscura Society, they organize some very interesting trips around the Los Angeles area. It was through them that I was able to visit the Judson studios.

So this past week I had the opportunity to visit another fascinating business, Kater-Craft Bookbinders, the last remaining bookbinding business in southern CA. I’m sure there are people who do this kind of work on a small scale, but this is a real business. It is over 60 years old and has an interesting trajectory, from binding large scale projects for libraries, to one of a kind books, rebinding old Bibles as well as menu covers for restaurants.Pico Rivera is not a tourist destination, but in a nondescript industrial park, this is what greets the visitor. A marvelous mid-century modern building.I’m not a big fan of mid-century modern. But I must say, the more one learns about a style, the more exposure one gets, the more one appreciates it. This is true of anything, from classical music to art or design. So I am no longer indifferent to this period and I have developed an appreciation, if not a love for it.Here we see the design continuing inside, with examples of some of the books and fonts used in the business.I do love the use of the brick wall both inside and out.

Of course I asked the owners Bruce, Judy and Rick about the architect. They don’t know his name. The company was started by their father Mel 67 years ago in downtown LA. In 1965 they moved out to the hinterlands of Pico Rivera, theirs was the first business in the industrial park. Their mother was very artistic and she is the one who chose the architect and the design. Owning the building is what allows them to stay in business with only 25 employees.The entrance is decorated with an old press, they are still using some very old equipment on the actual factory floor.This lamp has to be an original, they have two of them.One of the many unique books they have bound, The Thorn Birds, by Colleen Mccullough, bound in Kangaroo leather and fur. They will use many interesting materials for one of a kind books. This is the kind of thing many artisan binders will do as well.

Before going on to the next post, the actual factory floor I must share what Bruce shared with us about paper. Paper has grain. As someone who works with fabric, I am very very aware of grain and how it affects the end product. The same is true of paper, although many people who work with books and paper have no idea, which is why some books are superior to others and last longer – simply because the printer and binder are aware of the properties of the material they are using.

Leah

Echo Park Lake

From new park to old, 120 years old, which is quite old for Los Angeles.

Anyone driving north on the 101 past downtown has seen the lake with it’s massive aerating fountain whiz by. For years I never dared stop, Echo Park was a gang ridden scary area. But then gentrification arrived and the city closed the lake for a few years in order to drain it, clean it and spruce it up. One thing the lake is known for is the water lilies, there is even a festival every June, The Lotus Festival. This takes place every June, I don’t know how many flowers are blooming then, they are blooming now. Even on an overcast weekday, people come out to enjoy the park.I love how the reflections in the water make this look like a painting, hey maybe Monet was influenced in a similar manner.I can understand why Asian cultures revere the lotus, from murky origins comes such an etherial delicate flower. Similar to very different plants – cacti and succulents, that are harsh yet produce beautiful flowers.Another form of water flower, if it weren’t in the middle of the lake, I’d think this is a day lily or iris.This bridge is closed to the public, but is part of the original lake. the lake was created as a reservoir, something we really need in our arid Mediterranean climate.The Queen of Angels, or as she is better known the Lady of the Lake is back in her original location.Yup, another view of downtown with the famous aerating fountain in the foreground.

Bird life flourishes here. Of course, many ducks, like the mallard.So comfortable here that they sleep out in the open in broad daylight.A little rarer but still very comfortable and at home here is the grey heron.Yes, he was hiding, but I must have a good eye at seeing these hidden birds.Sorry, I can’t help it, I’m loving how good my pictures of flowers have gotten, I just have to share.Even if I’ve already shared this flower.

Leah

The Theater at the Ace Hotel, revisited.

Last year we saw the movie Back to the Future at the newly reopened Theater at the Ace hotel. Of course I took pictures that were somewhat blurry. Recently I had the chance to return, during the day which a small group of people.A bright sunny day, from the outside the building with it’s Gothic design elements.From the street, pointing straight up one can see the tower, shiny and renovated. Once again, you need to get a little further away to see the tower better.

Theaters inside are always dark, so it’s not like my pictures this time are so much better.The details of the images are better.To be honest, while in the building, you hardly notice the details for all the gothic exuberance around you.Entering the theater itself. I took these pictures a few months ago. I didn’t use a flash, that would have washed everything out, so I’m thinking that the light was more blue, not so purple.I’m pretty sure this is more of that wonderful Gladding McBean glazed terra cotta embellishments. Here used on the balcony inside.One thing that never ceases to amaze is this skylight. Made up of thousands of circles of glass embedded in some kind of mortar.Seeing a movie here is fun, but looking at all the decorations is overwhelming. So much to see.

So here is my plug, go sign up for the LA Conservancy Broadway Tour, no you can’t just walk up and join this one. The management at the Ace hotel is thrilled to open the theater to the public and one way of getting inside and see the details is to go on this tour. Other tours get in here as well, but I’m plugging the Conservancy tour. No I don’t give this specific one, but I do know it is really good. Stepping outside, two different types of graffiti, yarn bombing and applying stickers. Yarn bombing used to be very new and subversive, it is now simply another form of graffiti on our streets. At least once removed it doesn’t leave any residue.

And of course, one can’t have images of this building without this.For many years Reverend Scott used the theater as his Church, and this sign was visible from many different angles in downtown. Today is proudly sits right over the swimming pool. And casts a wonderful shadow on the neighboring buildings.

Leah

CicLAvia San Fernando Valley

The city is changing, the valley is changing. A few years ago the city started a wonderful program called CicLAvia – on a Sunday they will close off some major streets to car traffic and the cyclists, walkers and other innovative modes of transportation come out to play.

Today it was in the Valley, they closed off a large portion of Ventura and Lankershim Blvd.People of all ages out in the middle of the street.Coming and going Alternative mode of transportation.And a marching band.

I was only on one small portion of Ventura Blvd, but Joel rode the whole length of the route and there were masses of people everywhere. What a great way to get people out and about enjoying our city.Someone got left behind in the trash.

Leah

Vista Hermosa Park

During the 90s I remember hearing about the Belmont High School project near downtown that was plagued by many problems, a major one being that the building site was an old oil drilling site as well as a small earthquake fault – so there would be health issues. I really had no idea where this was, in those days, DTLA and the environs were scary and off limits.I’ve heard that an old oil field near Echo Park had been turned into a park, so on a lovely spring day I went to investigate. Only to discover that I was in the middle of the old Belmont controversy. It’s springtime, all these native (or near native, Mediterranean plants) are blooming. I love spring flowers. As the season warms up most of these flowers will die off and we’ll be left with golden brown chaparral.The park covers 10 acres, has wonderful paths around the perimeter as well as a large grassy area, picnic tables, a play ground as well as a water feature. Also, the park is designed to trap rain water as well as run off water, so apparently the irrigation is utilizing that water. We need more projects like this in the southland.The views are amazing. You should know me by now, any time I can get a view of DTLA I will.Orange and purple, what a great color combination. Yes, I’m thinking of my sewing projects here, everything is an inspiration.Like this, the whole image screams modern quilt, not just the building in the foreground. The high school was eventually built and is now the Edward R. Roybal Learning center.For all of you suffering from hay fever this time of year, this is where that yellow pine pollen comes from.

Another wonderful thing about this park is that with all the natural plantings, this has become a stop for migratory birds. Here is a beauty. This is the Western Scrub Jay. He is local and common, I’m sure he loves the new park, since these birds like trees and bushes. Apparently he has a screechy voice, I didn’t hear it, he was silent when I saw him.There is a little man made stream, to my amazement I was actually able to capture this hummingbird as he came to drink. I’m used to the non-descript brown ones, this one is a little jewel.Of course, people and dog sightings as well.A sight we probably won’t see much longer. The park is next to the famous Bob Baker Marionette theater. Bob died last year, the theater was sold and it looks like an apartment building will replace it. There may be a mention of the theater, but with progress, many old buildings go.

From here I went on to Echo Park Lake, subject of a future post.

Leah