LIPSTiCK TrACeZ

Well, to be honest, with two kids, a husband and a kinda job, sifting through music sites and working on downloads for my ipod doesn't get top billing, but what kills me, is I want the sick collection of music at the ready with out doing all the work.

Say hello to my new BFF, www.pandora.com. This site, shockingly put together by music geeks is based on The Music Genome Project. Started in 2000, they began compiling and analyzing music by studying its "genes". They found out that by looking at a piece of music's melody, harmony, rhythm, instrumentation, orchestration, arrangement, lyrics etc. that the music had certain shared attributes with other music. Okay, what the hell does that mean? Basically, you go to their site type in any kind of artist/band you like and the site will stream music that is similar to the music you type in. Pretty amazing...chart your musical course and sit back and listen.

I started by typing in Nina Simone, how you gonna go wrong with that.

Now that I am in this blog world, it has sparked me to explore what is out there in the land of blog. On my far from exhaustive search, I stumbled upon 3191. It encompasses all that is good, simple and right about the art of creative dialogue, and the subtle yet complex endeavor of lives lived and shared. Two friends Mav and Steph who live 3191 miles apart, each take a photo of something in their daily lives, then post the images side by side on their site. If you are a fan of Uta Barth, you will be swept away. Warning, viewing is somewhat addicting.

Their first visual conversation 3191, A Year of Mornings began on January 1, 2007 and lasted the entire calendar year. Their exchange is being released in book form this Fall by Princeton Architectural Press. The friends have since moved on to A Year of Evenings. Here are a selection of some of my favorite moments so far.

mav:left/steph:right

Creative Growth in Oakland CA is just about one of my most favorite places on earth. It is an art center for adults with developmental, physical, and mental disabilities that provides a stimulating environment for artistic instruction, gallery promotion and personal expression, but really that is just the half of it. I have been lucky enough to work with and collect the artwork from Creative Growth for a couple of years now and honestly the experience has been life changing. The work that is created here will blow your mind. Last week, I had reason to visit and was taken away by the gallery's exhibition "Multiplicity" a show that explores themes of repetition and obsession in the work of Creative Growth Artists. One of the highlights to be sure is James Ferrell who marries his love of paper mache with his passion and knowledge of cars. The combination evokes such feelings of nostalgia, you are happy to get behind the cardboard wheel of 1968 Bonneville and be taken away.

Multiplicity
Featuring the work of Gerone Spruill, Terri Bowden, Jay Daley, William Scott, Dinah Shapiro and more...artwork in wood, ceramic, textiles, painting and drawing, along with limited edition artist inspired merchandise.

Creative Growth Art Center
355 24th Street, Oakland
www.creativegrowth.org

So I think I may have had my first and potentially last paparazzi moment and honestly it couldn't have included a better B grade celeb. Don't think US magazine will be tracking me down to pay top dollar for this shot (well maybe for their "where are they now" edition) but the moment was sweet non the less. Coming home from the Undefeated picnic my husband and I spotted Angelyne the self proclaimed LA starlet and Hollywood Mayoral hopeful in her infamous pink corvette, getting pulled over by a female LA cop. Ah, the poetry of it all. My man hit a fast u-turn and I nabbed the shot....a LA classic. Remember folks, you saw it here first.


Cops doing their civic duty 



Angelyne photo courtesy of her Myspace page

Undefeated is kicking off  summertime with a picnic and some community awareness. Come spread your sneaker love, and for your girlies out there, this is a prime opportunity to meet a young buck, these events are notoriously dominated by well heeled gentleman (kinda). So throw on a summer dress, bring a pair of unworn sneaks to donate and spread the summer love.

Sunday 5-9PM for the Nike x UNDFTD x Gents of Desire "Kick Down". To celebrate launch of the amazing new "Gents of Desire" billboard on the corner of 1st and La Brea in Los Angeles,

The whole event is a shoe drive, so in order to gain entry to the party you MUST bring one pair of UNWORN shoes to donate to the East LA Community Youth Center.

Glass design has always teetered on the allusive yet somewhat seductive side of life for me, but after discovering these glass octopuses created by artist Jennifer Umphress, I am ready to embrace the beauty and complexities of the ocean floor in an entirely new way.

Cindy Greene and Johnson Hartig's line, Libertine debuted Fall 2008 at Maxfield's on Wednesday. This notoriously macabre line stayed true to its devilish soul by delving deeper into its fascination with the dark-side. Their infamous use of reconsidered vintage and Swarovski crystals remain visual staples, but to that, the team has added a selection of beautifully produced garments including Italian cashmere sweaters and wet silkscreen T's. Their fascination with clustered embellishments has manifested itself in the Badge Blazer, a vintage coat highlighted with fabric buttons gathered on the lapel. Along with their trailblazing use of the skull, they have integrated some other upbeat imagery including a smeared bloody hand, dripping blood and a rather adorable monkey, I suppose added in for good measure. If you are a collector of Libertine's more exclusive pieces, Maxfield's holds the secret key. Cindy confessed that they make pieces for Maxfield's that no other accounts in the world get. Maxfield's gave them their first gig and judging from this Fall's collection they continue to return the favor in style. If you find yourself rolling down Melrose, check out their window installation accented with blood tinged IV bags, it is worth a LA drive by.

Coming from a footwear family (my husband James Bond is the co-owner of the sneaker shop Undefeated) turning out a look for your footsie's is serious business. Tonight, at our friend Cindy Greene's launch of Libertine's new season at Maxfield's proved that some tens are worth hanging with.

Chanel

















Givenchy

































Dreis Van Noten

















Chloe

Back in the day when I lived on Greene St. in NY, one of my visual and all to often financial indulgences was going to the Moss store up the block. Murray Moss truly was and is an innovator in design as well as a risk taker. Moss's ability to so seamlessly expose the beauty in both high and low design, paved the way for the Target's and Ikea's of the world to capitalize on the power of brilliant design. So before I get to off message... It came as no surprise to be blown away by these delicate floral beauties by Franz Joseph Ess. These individually hand sculpted and painted porcelain flowers designed in 1765 were originally created by Ess as part of a grand table decoration for the Munich residence of the Bavarian monarch. Nice, even Ikea can't mess with time consuming craftsmanship like that.

Nymphenburg, Treasure Box, 7 flowers


Nymphenburg,Treasure Box,  21 flowers

I knew Tara Tucker as an art teacher and a rug maker, before I ever got wind of her work and once I did, I had to pondered if I really knew her at all. I guess now I always kinda half wonder what might be going on in that head of hers. Her ability to formulate the most insane combinations of highbred animals and plant life always seems to teeter on the upsetting, but yet somehow remains such an accurate mirroring of real life you get confused as whether to be seduced or outraged. Tara's rendering skills are mesmerizing, and her gift for capturing irony, a natural. If in San Francisco, check her work out in this upcoming group exhibition.

A COMPLICATED DOMINION: NATURE AND NEW POLITICAL NARRATIVES
June 12 - August 16, 2008

Opening Reception: Thursday, June 12, 6-8pm
BYO Brown Bag Lunch Discussion: Wednesday, July 23, 12-1pm, FREE
 
San Francisco Arts Commission Gallery
401 VAN NESS AVENUE (AT McALLISTER)
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102
T: 415.554.6080

Hours: Wednesday through Saturday, 12-5pm
 
Double Trouble, graphite on paper, 2008




























Sloth and Industry, graphite on paper, 2007