That being said, I don’t think a civilization could run smoothly solely on a bartering system, but I DO think that a mixture of the two can work. So, we come back to reality. In the world of Etsy, bartering is very much a possibility AND totally awesome.

Pascalle Ballard (aka fabricalchemist) contacted me on Etsy and wanted to exchange something from her shop for a pair of custom red slippers (seen above). I didn’t see anything in her shop that went with the decor in my room, so I asked her if I could possibly request a custom illustration… and she said yes!

The Wasp Duchess, by Pascalle Ballard (5.5″ x 8″)

And OH MY GOD it came out amazing. I can’t wait to frame it. I asked her to draw something Gothic Lolita inspired, using yellow and a dash of lace and what she created was even cooler than I had imagined. The result is this amazing piece. What a wonderful way to collect art! Be sure to check out her shop for her many unique and beautiful pieces.

Now, now. I really do like LA. I love the energy, the history, and just the overall punk rock feeling mixed with the uber corporate. The best of both worlds really, but also an incredibly strange place. Very ugly beautiful, but the other way around, I guess. Beautiful ugly?

Enough of my rambling! There is a point to this entry, I promise.

It’s the beginning of June. The beginning of Summer. And when I think of summer, I think of travel and trips on the metrolink to LA, because I did a lot of that last year. Whether it was to visit friends who live there or to see shows, LA will always be associated with summer and good friends for me.

So! This summer there are a lot of cool exhibits and museums that I need to check out. You should too! Here are my top three that I need to see (like that rhyme?):

Classical Frieze: Eleanor Antin at LACMA

Remember a long time ago when I went to see WACK at the Geffen Contemporary? And how I went on and on about how much I love Eleanor Antin? Well, to reiterate, I think the lady is pretty great. I want to see her newer work and how she has evolved as an artist and great thinker.

The Darker Side of Light: Arts of Privacy, 1850-1900 at the Hammer Museum

The museum website describes this exhibit as the hidden art from this time; the seedy underbelly, if you will. Focusing mostly on works from France and Germany, these pieces present a darker side of the Impressionist era.  I’ve never been to the Hammer Museum. I remember last year they were showing Kara Walker’s work and I missed out! I will not miss this.

Craft and Folk Art Museum

Their tagline explains “because a shrinking world requires an expanded mind.” YES! I agree, CaFAM! Their exhibit Celestial Ash looks neat. Their other current exhibit doesn’t sound all that exciting to me. I’m interested in seeing their permanent collection. I can’t believe this museum is right across the street from LACMA and I’ve never noticed it! I stumbled upon this site today. I’ll keep you posted when I visit. Admission is $5 for general public. Not too shabby!

I heard about this public installation through a friend. It sounded intriguing… outdoor video installation about dancing, and a DJ providing the soundtrack.

So a bunch of us went, and 5 out of 6 were not disappointed. I was one of the 5. This piece was displayed outside of Segerstrom Hall at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa, California. We parked (we found a way to park without paying… don’t tell anyone), walked over and I was surprised to see so many people. And bleachers! Like a classy football game. ) It was really cool to see so many people gather to view such a beautiful installation.

The piece was titled Slow Dancing by David Michalek and the video was projected onto the side of the building. The visuals in junction with the masterful mixing of KCRW’s DJ Jason Bentley made for a wonderful treat for the eyes and ears. And my hot chocolate was pretty good too.

I haven’t been this fascinated by the human body since I went to see the Body Worlds exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago 4 years ago. It was fascinating to watch the tiny ripples move across the dancers’ clothing like water.

So says the critic Brian Sewell, and the art market seems to agree, with men’s work commanding millions more at auction. By Andrew Johnson

I think Sarah Thronton made the best point in this article when she explained, “You cannot equate the monetary value of art with the aesthetic worth of the artist. One would expect the art world to be more egalitarian. It was only in 2004 that a living woman, Marlene Dumas, broke through the $1m barrier. At the top end of the market, the people who can afford to spend a lot are entrepreneurial men. And they buy entrepreneurial artists – Warhol, Hirst, Koons – artists they perhaps identify with. Second, it’s about volume. Women don’t tend to have factories of assistants churning out work. If you want to boost an artist’s price you need to bring their work to auction again and again. Women don’t usually work in that way.”

If I were a multi-millionaire, I would probably buy pieces from artists I identify with as well, but I wouldn’t exclusively purchase art by women. Interesting article. Interesting to see that there remain to be ignorant people in the art world.

My good friend Marissa ventured down from the splendid North (Rohnert Park, CA to be exact) to hang out and bond. Marissa and I discovered a tradition that we have of always visiting museums when we spend time together. In the past we’ve visited the SF MOMA, the Boston Institute of Contemporary Art, the DeYoung Museum, and the list goes on. This time, since she flew into LAX, we hopped over to the J. Paul Getty Museum. What a perfect day. The weather was beautiful, and the museum was not at all crowded. The Getty has a handful of exhibits currently running, but here are a few that I thought were worth mentioning:

The Goat’s Dance: Photographs by Graciela Iturbide -

This exhibit showcases the photography of Graciela Iturbide, from the barrios of Los Angeles to the wide open spaces of Sonora, Mexico. She captures the in-your-face nature of the cholos and cholas from the infamous White Fence and Maravillas gangs of East LA. The subjects of her photographs are compelling and allow us a glimpse into their dynamic world.

Consuming Passion: Fragonard’s Allegories of Love -

I absolutely loved these pieces, and I loved seeing the process in making pieces of such detail. The Getty provides not only the finished paintings for our viewing pleasure, but includes some original sketches and/or drafts and variations of the pieces. Very neat experience.

Alas, my Friday spent at the Getty came and went. The two hours we spent in pre-rush hour traffic back to Huntington could have been worse. I, of course, played my Shirley Temple’s Greatest Hits CD… but soon realized that I was the only one enjoying it. Needless to say, it did not help. Luckily we talked up a storm and passed the time the best we could.

Every now and then I get an itch to create an addition to my wardrobe. Usually this itch is a result of disappointing selections at clothing stores. My quest this time is to create the perfect jumper. The jumper is something I struggle with. Why? Well, for one, it can easily look like a Muumuu. And secondly it can make one look very juvenile- and being the youngest person in my workplace, looking more juvenile than I already do is not ideal. So, I have been doing some research. Luckily for me, Joann’s had an amazing sale on Simplicity patterns yesterday. I bought 10 patterns for $10! Woo woo. So here is the pattern I am using for my jumper:

I basically finished it last night, save for a few details that need some hand sewing, but I still feel like it looks a bit muumuu-ish. So, after perusing the good old internet I’ve found some inspiring jumpers:

I really like this jumper by Chloe. I like the bagginess, and the way the garment is styled with the collared undershirt.

I really like the way this jumper bubbles at the bottom, but not in the typical “bubble skirt” kind of way. I might utilize this technique.

The “Maeby Jumper” by Mooka Kinney, a dress designing duo from New York. I absolutely love what they do. Totally inspiring.

I’ll keep you posted on my progress with the perfect jumper…

The Graphic Imperative: International Posters for Peace, Social Justice & the Environment, 1965-2005

Where?
Cal State Los Angeles
Luckman Gallery
5151 State University Dr.
Los Angeles, CA 90032-8116
(323) 343-6604

When?
October 27-December 15, 2007
Gallery Hours: Mon-Thurs. and Sat. 12-5pm

How much?
FREE, except for the dollar that you’ll pay for parking… which is a bargain for parking in LA.

I STILL don’t get it.
What initially drew me to this exhibit? Two words: Guerilla Girls! I love seeing their pieces at different exhibits. They’re so inspiring, I would never pass up an opportunity to experience their work up close. The aura of powerful women is always palpable. I know their pieces are posters, and it’s not exactly the same as viewing a painting, because it’s not one of a kind… but I think that’s what’s so great about this exhibit, and about the graphic arts in general. Graphic art, for me, has so much cultural influence and resonates loudly irregardless of which form it takes; whether it’s a billboard, graffiti, a sticker, or in this case, a poster. It’s a piece of art that is utilized in the mainstream of everyday and in turn may be discussed outside of the political arena, making these issues everyone’s problem instead of just the government’s. It’s kind of sneaky if you think about it. We are advertising a social movement like we’re advertising a consumer good. If you capture someone’s attention, the product becomes more popular, and then more people will jump on the bandwagon. Well, that’s in the utopia for social movements in my mind, but I guess in the real world it’s a little more difficult.

The Graphic Imperative exhibits 111 posters that have served to create awareness of social issues or injustices that existed, and in turn created a discourse to try to make change happen. The exhibit includes posters from the past 40 years; four decades that were critical to many issues such as unfair labor, racism, violence against women, AIDS, the environment, and many more.

The Luckman Art Gallery at CSLA is pretty small space, but an average size for a University art gallery. Although the exhibit is small its message is anything but.

Dancer #1: This is weird.
Dancer #2: I think it’s because it’s for a museum.

Oh kids. So cute. Anyway, here’s the info. Check it out if you can. (FYI: the piece will be performed by professional, non-adolescent dancers.)

The Museum Project

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbjTFsR1dOw

Where?
Torrance Art Museum
3320 Civic Center Dr.
Torrance, CA 90503
When?
Sept. 28 & 29 @ 8pm
Sept. 28 @ 2pm
How much?
$20
I STILL don’t get it.
This will be a site specific performance at the new Torrance Art Museum. So basically you’re killing two birds with one stone. You’re 1.) experiencing a once in a lifetime performance and 2.) visiting a brand new art space. Not too shabby.

Where?
6767 Bright Ave.
Whittier, CA 90601
562.696.9493
When?
August 11 – September 1, 2007
Gallery Hours: Tues.-Sat. 11:30am-9pm
How much?
FREE
I STILL don’t get it.
This show focuses on the pieces of four artists from the California College of Arts and Crafts: Ryan Martin, Nohemi Espinoza, Ramiro Hernandez, and Mick Farrell. Each with his/her unique perspective and concentration, this show exhibits merely a peak at the inner psyches of these distinct talents. From the abstract layered compositions Hernandez presents and explains to be reminiscent of his childhood to the almost surreal perfection of Martin’s portraits which exude a type of nostalgia for the beauty of innocence. Espinoza’s mixed media works express the juxtaposition of naivete and perversion while Farrell’s ink renderings add a dark humor which he explains are influenced by a mixture of found objects such as “a yearbook from the 1970s.”

Overall this was a really fun show to see. The Bluebird Art House is quaint and intimate, which makes for a great experience. The artists were all great to talk to, and my Aunt and I had fun arguing whether the abstract shape in one of Espinoza’s pieces was a pelvis or intestines. Even though the space was so small, I ended up sticking around for a couple of hours (4 total). The people were great, the art was great, and the DJ was great.

So, my camera ran out of battery basically right when I got there so I was only able to take one picture:

Yup. That’s the DJ. P Looks like you’ll have to go to The Bluebird Art House yourself if you want to see any art. But I must say, the DJ was pretty amazing. Never have I heard a DJ go from playing the Fugees to retro Indian music to Salsa. Talk about a treat for the ears. All in all the evening proved to be an amazing one and absolutely inspirational to the fans of art (–> Me.)

I really appreciate the fact that some amazing people decided to film the Ballet Russes performances. The concept of dance being a momentary and dynamic experience is a concept that has always left me feeling conflicted. Dance along with theater and other performance arts pieces (such as the Happenings of the 1950s & 60s or Fluxus art), can be performed forever (in theory), like Nutcracker ballet for example. But each performance and each combination of dancers and audience experiences are unique and differ. These performances are so valuable and precious because they, most of the time, are not filmed or really documented in a manner that makes them permanent, like a painting or a photo. They are not captured in a way that can be enjoyed by the masses forever, and in some aspects it is sad, but I think that in other ways, this is what makes the performances so magical.

It’s amazing that the filmmakers found all of this priceless footage, all of these amazingly talented 70-90 year olds and made this documentary. Although not a dance history buff, I am a fan of dance, and an ex-ballerina, err kind of. My most critically acclaimed** performance was dancing to the song “Hi-ho!” from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs when I was 12; my farewell piece, as I then retired from my 3-year dance career a few months later due to the inability to do the splits. P Enough about me, this film was well edited, well researched and full of richly descriptive and delightful stories about traveling the world to bring ballet to the people. I highly recommend it, if you haven’t seen it already.

So, like Center Stage or Dirty Dancing, this film made me want to dance. Like, as soon as possible. It also made me feel really out of shape compared to those 80-year-olds in leotards with those ever impressive plies and releves. In essence it made me think about the company that my friend dances with, and their upcoming open house, which I will probably check out… or actually maybe I’ll just go and watch. ) I’m kinda rusty.

Regina Klenjoski Dance Company’s Open House

Where?
Torrance Cultural Arts Center, Studio I
3330 Civic Center Dr.
Torrance, CA 90503
When?
Sunday, August 26, 2007
1-2:30pm: Modern Dance Technique with Regina Klenjoski
3-4:30pm: Showcase and sample classes
How much?
FREE
I STILL don’t get it.
The RKDC has performed in numerous venues and universities throughout the United States since opening its doors in 1993. Klenjoski’s pieces often explore her fascination with the human experience in a contemporary society. Utilizing partnering to convey diverse relationships in her pieces, Klenjoski’s clever voice brings a unique element to the world of contemporary dance.
This open house will create an opportunity for anyone in the community who has a love for dance to sample her classes and get a feel for her take on contemporary movement and choreography.

** not actually critically acclaimed… unless my parents count as critics, in which case, the performance was acclaimed.