November...Scorpio Season.

Welcome to Scorpio season…it’s my birthday, and many of my friends and collegue’s birthdays as well. So you all have to put up with us. Ha! So, some of you may know the studio I am in, The Makery was effected by a fire in the neighboring building. We sustained some water damage but we’ll be fine. I look forward to the demolition of the burnt carcass of a building. Onward!

We’ve got November poetry over at Poet’s Place. I can always count on Linda to provide us with a fine variety of poems. Enjoy! What else is going on this month? Well, the holiday season is upon us, so there are shows and shopping opportunities, in between seeing art around town. In some cases you get to do both.

Damn it's Hot Out. Must be September

Welcome to the real start of summer. We have been fortunate to have had a rather mild summer, up to now. Remember to hydrate folks, hydrate. And go to air conditioned galleries and museums. That sounds like an excellent idea.

I’d tell you about First Friday coming up at The Makery, my studio in Little Tokyo, but we did that tonight. There was collage and it was super fun. I think there will pictures over at The Makery web site soon. Our next show over at The Makery (how many times can I say…in the same paragraph?), is Dulcepalooza curated and instigated by Dulce Stein. The opening for that is September 10, from 6-10pm. 55 artists will be represented, myself included.

Don’t forget to check out Linda Kaye’s Poet’s Place this month for fresh poetry.

Save the date! The Highland Park Independent Film Festival is almost here!

Happy July!! Keep it Safe and Sane...Sane, Hahaha!!

You can hear the fireworks in the distance. It’s that season again. Summer. And who would have thought that for the 4th of July women would have to deal with the reversal of Roe v Wade. We’ve had rights taken away. this is not a time to celebrate. No, it’s time to get angry. Create the change we need. Artists know what to do. Get busy. Get marching. Get to calling your representatives. Hey Jimmy Gomez! Can you hear us? Codify Roe v Wade. Get rid of the filibuster. Impeach lying Supreme Court judges. Simple requests. Anyway, here we are. What’s next? Good question. But in the meantime we do need to keep stimulated and inspired, and the best way to do that is to go see art. Or read some poetry. Check out Linda’s poets over at Poet’s Place.

Now, for the art…where should we start? I’d like to go to The Cheech next. I’m jealous of all of my friends that have already been there. I’m going this coming week. The Cheech houses the largest and most fabulous collection of Chicano art in the world. Go. Enjoy.

THE WEST COAST THEATRICAL DEBUT OF ART DOCUMENTARY MAKE ME
FAMOUS WILL BE PRESENTED AT THE 40TH ANNUAL OUTFEST FILM
FESTIVAL.

The 40th Annual Outfest Film Festival will present the West Coast Theatrical Premiere of feature documentary, MAKE ME FAMOUS, a fresh look at the iconic Downtown art scene in NYC in the 1980s.

MAKE ME FAMOUS brings forward a popular era while unearthing many artists, photographers, and stories that have seldom been in the public eye. The 1980s art scene is famous for breakout artists like Basquiat and Keith Haring, but there were many other artists who made a powerful impact. Set during arguably the last great art explosion in American history, MAKE ME FAMOUS tells the story of painter Edward Brezinski in his maniacal quest for fame. Told by the artists and gallery owners themselves, MAKE ME FAMOUS gives an intimate portrait of what it was like to be an artist in NYC in the 1980s, with an unexpected twist at the end when you find out what happened with Brezinski’s mysterious death in the Côte d’Azur. This feature art documentary delves into the spirit of the artists themselves, what drove their generation and what they were up against.

Dates and Times: Sunday, July 17, 2022 at 2PM Director Brian Vincent and Producer Heather Spore will be in attendance for a Q&A following the Harmony Gold screening. Tickets are on sale through www.outfest.org, and single tickets can be purchased for $14. Films are available for streaming after their Theatrical Screening.

La Brea Tar Pits Announces Summer Programming
that Celebrates Museum’s First Confirmed Fossil

WHAT

Through Labor Day, visitors can enjoy special programming at La Brea Tar Pits that celebrates one of the Ice Age’s mightiest predators: the saber-toothed cat. This summer, visitors can experience fantastic tours and programs, witness the Ice Age coming to life in Ice Age Encounters performances, help scientists with their discoveries, and engage in specially guided tours.

As the first confirmed fossil found at La Brea Tar Pits, saber-toothed cats are iconic symbols of Ice Age Los Angeles and California as a whole. In 1974, the saber-toothed cat was officially designated as our state fossil. Just like L.A., saber-toothed cats have killer vibes. This powerful predator is captured perfectly in its scientific name, Smilodon fatalis, coming from the Greek smilodon for “blade” and “tooth”, and the Latin fatalis for “deadly.”

A self-guided scavenger hunt with La Brea Tar Pits’ Saber-tooth highlights is the purrfect starting place.

WHEN
Summer 2022
Visit tarpits.org for tickets and museum hours

Excavator Tours
Daily at 10:30 am and 1 pm – Meet at the Fossil Lab

Saber-tooth Cat Chats
Daily at 3:00 p.m. – Meet at the Fossil Lab

WHERE
La Brea Tar Pits
5801 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036

MORE INFO
https://tarpits.org/saber-toothed-summer

SPECIAL EVENTS
Fossilized and Realized: Tar Pits Video Festival
Friday, July 22, 2022 / 8:30pm-9:30pm
Fossilized and Realized: Tar Pits Video Festival will feature a selection of videos submitted by the public, a screening of a new film about La Brea Tar Pits by our moderator and host Nic Cha Kim, and a discussion on LBTP’s significance in art and popular culture with the Natural History Museum’s Archivist Yolanda Bustos and artist in residence Mark Dion.

Opening at The Makery This Friday Night!

Here's a Mid-Month Update of Cool Things You Should Go Do!

June is over halfway done. Wow! Next week marks the first day of summer as well as the longest day of the year. How are you celebrating? I have some suggestions listed below. Take a look.

Mika Rottenberg's debut exhibition in Los Angeles will feature video works as well as new kinetic sculptures, drawings and installations.

A first-ever discussion between Mika Rottenberg and Paul McCarthy will take place 23 June, in Los Angeles, moderated by Anne Ellegood.

EMMA RUTH RUNDLE

Lethal Amounts

BY EMILY BABETTE

"Dowsing Voice is an ambitious multimedia exhibition, combining Rundle’s visual art as well as her music."

THE BROAD’S SUMMER HAPPENINGS MUSIC + PERFORMANCE SERIES 
KICKS OFF JUNE 18 

ALL QUEER LATINX LINE UP FOR PRIDE REFLECTS ON THE COMPLEX MEANINGS OF
THE UNITED STATES FLAG 

COME HEAR THE WORLD’S ONLY LBGTQ+ MARIACHI BAND AND SO MUCH MORE

LATE NIGHT MUSEUM ACCESS FOR ALL TICKET HOLDERS. 

The Broad kicks off our 2022 summer performance on June 18th with artists reflecting on the complex meanings and symbolism of the United States flag represented in The Broad’s special exhibition This Is Not America’s Flag.

Celebrate Pride Month with the first Now We’re Here performance event, featuring barrier-breaking rapper Niña Dioz, genre-bending singer Rubby, performance artist and filmmaker Xandra Ibarra, poet and healer féi hernandez, the world’s first and only LGBTQ+ mariachi band Mariachi Arcoiris de Los Angeles, and a wildcard, all-vinyl set on the decks by local cult favorite DJ Cocteautwinks, exploring immigration, gender and sexuality, spirituality, colonialism, and more at the intersections of Indigenous and ancestral heritage and contemporary pop culture.

Now We’re Here lays the groundwork for artists to celebrate their own roles and identities in today’s artistic and sociopolitical landscape, the joys and struggles of self-defining “place,” citizenship and national identity, and the profoundly individual ways in which they arrived at this moment in their journeys. Doors open at 8pm and ticket price includes access to the museum, including the special exhibitions This Is Not America’s Flag and Takashi Murakami: Stepping on the Tail of a Rainbow. $25 

Presents
Ryoko Kaneta
In Our Nature

Downtown Los Angeles’ Corey Helford Gallery (CHG) is proud to announce their next major solo show In Our Nature, featuring new works from Japanese artist Ryoko Kaneta and set to premiere June 25th in Gallery 3.

One of the leading figures of Japan’s up-and-coming generation of artists, Kaneta will be making her U.S. solo debut with her upcoming show at CHG, which features 14 new works. The Tokyo-based artist paints according to ancient Japanese philosophies, including the thought that God dwells in all beings. Her descriptive paintings are embedded in historic cultures yet exist as fleeting spectacles of nature. The artist applies acrylic paint to canvas and masterfully blends to create an image that actively develops and moves with cyclicality. Her artworks suggest a passing of time and celebrate nature’s ephemerality.

OPENING RECEPTION
June 25, 2022 | 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm

ON VIEW
June 25 – July 30, 2022 

COREY HELFORD GALLERY
571 S. Anderson St. Los Angeles, CA 90033
Open: Tuesday-Saturday, 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Visiting Hours: Thursday-Saturday, 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm
(310) 287-2340

SUPERVISOR HILDA L. SOLIS AUTHORS MOTION TO PROCLAIM
"ARTS AND HEALTH WEEK"
IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY

Weeklong Celebration Includes Offsite Events Throughout LA County,
Featuring June 15 Arts and Health Summit
from LA Opera and Department of Arts and Culture

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has proclaimed "Arts and Health Week" in Los Angeles County, from June 13 through June 18, 2022. The Board’s motion states: "From arts education for young people to arts programming for older adults, the arts have been proven to make individual lives better and strengthen communities. They improve health and well-being, and they improve cognitive skills. There is growing research and proven connections demonstrating that arts can make a positive impact on health across mental health, physical health, and public health, for all communities." The motion further recognizes LA County’s work at the intersection of arts and health, including LA Opera, and the County’s Departments of Arts and Culture, Mental Health, Public Health, and Health Services, and other partners.

June...Ahhh, Summer is Almost Here!

What is your favorite season? I’m partial to the time between spring and summer. It’s really nice out most of the time. Yeah, there’s some June gloom we contend with, but once it burns off, it’s usually pretty freakin’ nice. I’m sharing my appreciation for this time of year. I also appreciate that the good weather coincides with many art events around the city. Check out what is listed below. And as you do every month, check out Poet’s Place, our round up of fabulous poets doing what they do best.

Let’s start with AMOCA over in Pomona. Click on the link and find out more about what’s in store for the month of June.

Over at Hauser Wurth. Paul McCarthy.

Over at Corey Helford later this month…Downtown Los Angeles’ Corey Helford Gallery (CHG) is proud to announce their next major solo show Fight to Live in the Void, featuring new works from Japanese artist Hikari Shimoda and set to premiere June 25th in the Main Gallery.

Now for some information that artists can use from CCI, Center for Cultural Innovation. Learn about grant opportunities and good things like that.

Submissions Open for Fossilized and Realized: Tar Pits Video Festival, happening on July 22, 2022
Celebrate the iconic site by creating a one-minute (or shorter) video that may be selected to be screened

Submission deadline: July 1, 2022

Fossilized and Realized: Tar Pits Video Festival

Los Angeles, CA (June 10, 2022) — Calling all video makers and Tar Pits enthusiasts! This summer is your opportunity to have your short video screened outdoors in the heart of Los Angeles during the Fossilized and Realized: Tar Pits Video Festival, happening on July 22, 2022.

Write a script for your dire wolf puppet, choreograph a tar dance, create a montage of all your favorite tar pits-inspired movie scenes, or whatever else comes to mind to show us why this site is special to you, to Los Angeles, and to the world.

Videos chosen can qualify to win a sabertooth cat scull cast awarded for Favorite Video. The videos (one-minute or less) can be animated, live-action, shot on your cell phone– and they don't need to be filmed at Hancock Park. International submissions are welcome.

Join us on July 22, 2022 for Fossilized and Realized: Tar Pits Video Festival featuring select videos from the callout, a screening of a new film about La Brea Tar Pits by our moderator and host Nic Cha Kim, and a discussion on the site's significance in art and popular culture with the Natural History Museum of L.A. County’s Archivist Yolanda Bustos and La Brea Tar Pits artist-in-residence Mark Dion.

This event is part of LBTP x Pacific Standard Time: Mark Dion, an artist's residency at LBTP funded by the Getty Foundation as part of the Getty's Pacific Standard Time 2024: Art x Science x L.A. initiative, a series of exhibitions, public programs, and publications that will explore connections between the visual arts and science from prehistoric times to the present and across different cultures worldwide. 

Learn more and submit your videos here.

May Means One More Month of Spring! Don't Forget to Smell the Flowers. And May the Fourth Be With You.

It’s time to mobilize. Women’s rights are dear to me. We are seeing the disregard and disrespect for women in this nation. We cannot allow 5 individuals to reak havok on the lives of women across this country. We in California are fortunate to have a safe haven for those in need of reproductive healthcare, but when you see the maps of the regions where women will loose control of their bodies, it’s heartbreaking. I’m not sure the Republicans have any idea of what they are unleashing. I know this is the red line I draw in the sand and I will protest, volunteer, contribute to make sure that those responsible for doing this to 51% of the population, need to be removed from their jobs. Artists need to get to work. Come scream with me! Create artwork and send it here to post.

Check out Poet’s Place this month. Linda Kaye is gathering her poets, to share their work with you. Now, here’s some of what is happening around the LA art scene.

Levitt Pavilion Los Angeles in MacArthur Park
Celebrating 15 years of free live music with an outstanding diverse lineup
Welcoming music fans of all ages from across Los Angeles and beyond to MacArthur Park for 30 free concerts

Levitt Pavilion Los Angeles (Levitt LA) is thrilled to announce its 15th season of summer performances in MacArthur Park that continues to reflect the cultural mosaic of Los Angeles with an outstanding lineup while enjoying an iconic LA outdoor setting.

The electrifying 2022 lineup features international greats as well as LA's own superstar talents performing a wide variety of genres including cumbia, rock, soul, ska, salsa, electronic dance music, Hip-Hop, folklorico music from Mexico, Central & South America, and more. Levitt LA’s concerts will once again transform MacArthur Park into a sonically-charged urban oasis featuring free live music under the stars.

Levitt LA is pleased to announce that concerts will be live-streamed and available after the season on YouTube, expanding the accessibility of free high-quality concerts for all.

“We’re coming back stronger than ever this summer” says Matthew Himes, Levitt LA’s Director of Programming and Production, “with over 150 performances, 50 genres, and many surprises, there’s a little something for everyone. We can’t wait to see everyone dance, laugh, and enjoy the incredible music under the stars with all their friends and families and make new connections with each other.”

Launching the season, Levitt LA is partnering with LACMA's Latin Sounds and La Banda Elástica to co- present the concert series’ opening night on June 18, 2022 from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm featuring El Gran Silencio, Buyepongo, Las Chikas, and La Banda Elástica DJ’s.

This season will also feature the soulful oldie sounds of Joe Bataan, Mexican sonidero sounds of Grupo Soñador, to the neo-perreo beats of Andrekza, dancing all night with LA's hottest DJ's to a festival celebrating Filipino culture & beyond !!

With long built trust Levitt LA teams up with local heritage groups and music collectives who often serve as culture bearers to celebrate the distinct communities that make LA so unique. The Sunday concerts showcase exciting new and traditional music for an immersive crosscultural experience with food, dance, and more!

Such as: INCA, The Peruvian Ensemble and TAIKOPROJECT- presented in partnership with The Music Center, plus Yola At HOLA, HOLA Music Studios.

For more information about the Levitt LA Summer Season 2022, please visit www.levittlosangeles.org.

May at AMOCA

New exhibition and a new podcast!

April was a remarkably busy month at AMOCA, and May is shaping up to be just as vibrant: a new exhibition featuring work by Alina Hayes opens in the Vault Gallery, a podcast launches featuring AMOCA's very own Exhibition Manager Pam Aliaga, the Huntington celebrates Fiber Arts Month, and more classes and workshops in the ceramics studio have been posted!