Travelin' Tiles

During the past dozen years I have visited a few places from watching the leaves change color in New England to enjoying a gondola ride along the Venice Canals to hiking down the Grand Canyon in the hot hot hot sun to marveling at the clear view of Denali (Mount McKinley) in Alaska (that not many visitors get to see behind the constant cloud cover). The past couple of years I've had to curtail my trips far from home. But that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Fortunately, I took plenty of photos of my travels and now my favorite pasttime is to paint my memories on to ceramic tiles. As I look through my photos for suitable subjects I realize I could spend the rest of my life painting a new tile every day and still not get through everything. One idea sparks another which sparks another...

Sometimes one photo by itself provides the basis for a tile design, sometimes I make a collage of several photos, cutting and pasting here and there. Always I have to make some major design decisions stuffing a 5" x 7" view into a 6" x 6" tile, but after some pushing and shoving it always works out.

About a million years ago I posted the beginnings of a ceramic tile-painting tutorial on this blog. One of these days (!) I will get back to it. But in the meantime, I will say that I start all my tile designs in Photoshop. That's where all the pushing and shoving takes place. You could go through a similar process by cutting up printouts of your photos and moving them around on a 6 x 6 template. But Photoshop or (Photoshop Elements where I assume you could do the same thing) makes life so much easier.

As I go through the process of looking for photos and designing my tiles, all the memories of my trips come flooding back. It's a great way to relive the experiences all over again. And as I no longer sell my original tiles but display them in my house, I am constantly reminded of places and people from over the years. (When a plumber came to do some work, he saw my tiles and asked if my cats went with me on my trips!) I really don't even need to travel anywhere ever again... But I will, I will!

Shown here are my latest Andalucian (southern Spain) tiles of Cazorla (looking from the Plaza), Sevilla (El Real Alcazar), and Ronda (a gateway) in that order. Reproductions are now available on my Cafepress store, RMWdesigns in the European Travels section.

(Photos and designs are copyright roslyn m wilkins)

The Amoebas (or Amoebae if you want to get technical) are Among Us!It was two days away from the Culver City Art Group Holiday Art Show, I was about to do my second firing of a few tiles that needed tweaking. But running my little electric kiln is very expensive so I prefer to have a full kiln as much as possible. As it takes about a week to paint one of my detailed tiles (from concept in Photoshop to drawing on the tile to painting, outlining, and final glazing before firing) I decided to have some fun. Not that creating all my tiles isn't fun—just intense and time-consuming.

I have nine "weird" glazes that I have never really used for anything so I decided it was time for them to see the light of day. So I did some doodles with my Wacom tablet in Photoshop and traced the outline on two tiles so they would be identical. Then I painted both the tiles with the same nine glazes but in different sequences, then outlined the shapes with black paint (as I do for most of my tiles).

The next morning I expected to retrieve nothing but a mess from the kiln. But I was pleasantly surprised and during the day as I was framing and grouting my other tiles for the show, the "Amoeba" tiles started to grow on me. When framed they looked even better. Now I love them and want to experiment more with these particular glazes.

(Photos and design copyright roslyn m wilkins)

Thank Goodness It's Friday!

It's Monday morning and another Culver City Art Group Holiday Art Show has come and gone. It was a lot of fun (as usual) and I am very grateful for the people who took time out of their busy schedules to stop by and visit. This year was so hectic with all kinds of projects I didn't even have time to send out my own invitations! I must be better organized next year (yeah, right).

Anyway, the show went really well, as always we had some fabulous entries that deservedly won prizes. As our show isn't big enough to have categories (less than twenty five artists participated this year) it is a difficult job for the judge to select nine winners. However, in my eyes, just being willing to put artwork out there for the scrutiny of fellow members and the general public, makes everybody a winner.

Maybe that sounds trite but I remember when I first started doing artwork (in the form of collages) in the early 90s, I hung the artwork all around my house and invited friends over to view it. When nobody laughed, and in fact, most people praised it (I know, they were my friends!!!), it gave me the courage to display it publicly and I had a one-woman show for several months at a restaurant. It was a huge deal for me as those collages were so personal. They were the expression of all the pent-up creativity of a quarter century of doing no artwork at all.

Of course, I've moved on since then and now I have no problem displaying my art. I make art for myself and nobody else, but if somebody else out there likes it, so much the better!

Now my number one form of creativity takes the form of hand-painted ceramic tiles. The collages I did back then were full of energy exploding on to the paper. I need to do some more. My ceramic tiles now are very controlled with a lot of detail. They are on subjects that are important to me. I especially like my "Places" series based on photos I've taken of my travels. Well, I like all my series!

Near and dear to my heart is the tile I painted last year of my tuxedo cat Friday. Like all roommates, he has his problems, but basically he is a sweetie. Just before I painted his portrait I had visited the Getty Center to view their fairly recent Gauguin acquisition (Arii Matamoe or The Royal End) which I fell in love with. (Click here for that blog entry.) I used my impression of the rug in the painting for the background of the tile. The photo I had taken of Friday looking up at the camera and the Gauguin rug all came together perfectly.

I was very happy that this tile won an award at the show. And Friday is very proud too!

(Photo and design copyright roslyn m wilkins)

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, What is the Fairest Bird of All?

I can't really answer that as I love all the birds (and animals, insects, and plants) of the Ballona Wetlands. My Wetlands tile paintings aren't strictly about the Ballona Wetlands and the creatures and plants I draw and paint would not hold up in any scientific textbook. My paintbrush does its best to translate what is being transmitted from my brain, and that's all I can say about it. But I enjoy painting what I call "My Ballona Wetlands Series."

This mirror has been gestating for probably three years. I could see it in my head but I couldn't get it on to paper, let alone tile. I did complete one design in Photoshop—could have been a couple of years ago—but I didn't like it. In the meantime I took a mosaic class at UCLA and decided I wanted to use the frame for that. So I ordered another frame and after a few months took another stab at a different design. I still didn't like it so another few months went by.

Then I decided to draw the design on the ten tiles just to see what it would look like. Hmmm... not really sure so I packed everything up and put it away. Another few months went by.

I thought, well, maybe I should paint one or two of the colors and then decide as I could always wash off the tiles and start over. So I did, lost all motivation after painting two or three colors, and packed everything up again.

With the mirror kicking around in my head and feeling guilty about not working on it, I was unable to work on any other tile projects. So a few weeks ago I realized, come hell or high water, regardless of whether or not I liked the design, I HAD to finish painting the tiles or I would never be able to work on another tile project for the rest of my life!

So with the Culver City Holiday Art Show coming up on Saturday I forced myself to finish the painting. As it moved along I began to halfway like it. Of course, with ceramic glaze you can't see the real colors until after firing. So I held my breath until the morning I removed the tiles from the kiln.

Then I started breathing again. They looked okay. And when I placed the tiles in the mirror frame, the whole thing sprang to life and I am rather pleased with the end result. If I had to do it over again would I do things differently? Absolutely yes. I see all kinds of stupid mistakes and glitches. But I know they are there and maybe nobody else will notice.

Anyway, the main point is the mirror is finished and now I can move on with my life!
(Mirror is approximately 20" wide x 26" high.)

(Photo and design copyright roslyn m wilkins)

Help Preserve Archaeology in Italy, Nov. 2nd Deadline

Below is the text of the email I received from the Archaeological Institute of America regarding an important agreement between Italy and the U.S. that needs your support. I already faxed off my letter to the Cultural Heritage Center.

October 29, 2009
Hello,
On Nov. 13 the Cultural Property Advisory Committee (CPAC) will review the Memorandum of Understanding between the US and Italy that governs the trade in antiquities between the two countries. The committee has asked for public comments, with a deadline of Nov. 2nd.
Specifically, CPAC will consider Italy's actions under Article II of the Memorandum. You can read the agreement at exchanges.state.gov/heritage/culprop/itfact.html. Article II calls for Italy to loan material to US museums, allow Americans to excavate, and otherwise promote the protection of archaeological sites.
If you have visited American museums that have objects on loan from Italy, if you have excavated in Italy, if you have done research there, then you should write a letter to CPAC describing your work. Letters from the public are extremely important in CPAC's assessment of the impact of the agreement.
Letters can be fairly brief, one page is fine. Make it clear you're writing about the Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and the Republic of Italy as amended in 2006. Identify yourself. Give specific examples of museums you've visited or places in Italy you've worked, and end with a request that further co-operation between the US and Italy be encouraged (or something similarly positive). Your letter will make a difference in protecting archaeological resources for future generations.
If you can write, please do. Letters are due by Monday, Nov. 2nd and can be faxed to (202) 632-6300 or sent by mail to:
Cultural Heritage Center, SA-5, Fifth Floor, Department of StateWashington, DC 20522-0505
Thank you, Sebastian Heath, Vice-President for Professional Responsibilities Archaeological Institute of America
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the AIA at Sitepreservation@aia.bu.edu

I Lived to see Herculaneum

I had the good fortune to snag a ticket for the lecture yesterday at the Getty Villa on Herculaneum: Conserving and Interpreting the Roman Past with architect Gionata Rizzi. Although I've been looking forward to this for weeks I had a relapse of the "fluey thing" and after retreating to my bed for two hours wondered if the trek over there would kill me. But I decided dying doing something I enjoy was better than passing away in bed... how boring. So I got dressed, put gas in the car, and jumped into the worst traffic I have seen in a long time. Fortunately I was meeting a friend who arrived early enough to save two good seats for this sold out event.

The Getty Conservation Institute is a collaborator on the Herculaneum Project for which Gionata Rizzi has worked since 2002 as the architect responsible for developing pilot projects and model designs. He talked about the difficulties involved in preserving and conserving such a large project while maintaining its ambience.

Of course, we all know that Vesuvius erupted in AD 79, and until the 1700s the town of Herculaneum lay protected under tons of volcanic material some 50 feet high. After a couple of centuries of excavation at least one third of Herculaneum now lies exposed to the elements. Structures, paintings, and mosaics that had survived pretty much intact are now being destroyed by the sun and rain and oxidation.

Over the years various contraptions were devised to build covers and roofs to protect the excavation, some of which were very ugly and detracted from the sense of place. The photo above shows one of Rizzi's solutions to provide a roof while maintaining some idea of what the original may have looked like.

Evidently this was Rizzi's first visit to the Getty Villa. He got some laughs (at least from me) by talking about what it was like to leave the ancient Villa of the Papyri in Herculaneum and walk into the working replica, which is what the Getty Villa is. He said it was difficult to walk on the marble floor which is an exact copy of the ancient version, which, of course, cannot be walked on. I have been to the Getty Villa so many times (since it first opened in the 1970s) that I definitely take it for granted and no longer even think about what it represents. I should pay more intention to the building itself.

You will be happy to know (I hope) that I didn't die from attending the lecture. And I am certainly glad that I made the effort. Pompeii gets the lion's share of attention but Herculaneum is equally important in our understanding of life in the Roman Empire during that period, and I look forward to learning more about it.

After the lecture we stopped by to see the ongoing exhibit Molten Color: Glassmaking in Antiquity which is a wonderful display of over 180 ancient glass objects from the collection of Erwin Oppenländer and the Getty. About two years ago I took a twelve-week class at the Villa through UCLA Extension. One of my presentations for the class was on ancient glass, specifically Flask in the Shape of a Head (oh, note to the Getty webmaster, this has been bugging me for over a year now, the word is FLASK with a "K," not FLASH with an "H.") I was happy to see my flask is part of the exhibit. Sometimes research for a class can be useful and ever since putting together that presentation I have been fascinated by ancient glass. It's a nice adjunct to my obsession with mosaics!

(Photo: View of the multi-story House of the Telephus Relief with a timber roofing solution. Photo copyright The J. Paul Getty Trust)

See You at the 14th Annual Culver City Art Group Holiday ExhibitYou are invited to our annual art exhibit on November 14, 2009 from noon to 6:00pm. Work includes oils, water colors, acrylics, ceramics, photography, collages... and more! The show is judged with awards and prizes. Come at 3:30 to meet the artists and enjoy our snack buffet.

If you are an artist, registration forms and invitations/flyers are now uploaded to the Culver City Art Group website. Tell your friends there's still time to become a member to partipate, however all artists must work a show-related job and be present for installation and the artists' reception, so no fly bys allowed!

The Culver City Art Group is an organization of local amateur and professional artists meeting at different venues in the Culver City area. We embrace all visual arts from traditional to computer-generated, two-dimensional and three-dimensional.

For our members we have activities and special events such as painting/sketching afternoons, museum and gallery visits, group exhibits and artist demos. Just this year we already visited Descanso Gardens, Laguna Beach, the Huntington Library, and did a walking tour of the Culver City Art Galleries.

Although you must be a member to participate in our activities, anyone interested is invited to join us at our general meetings.

Members receive 30% and 40% discounts at Graphaids, worth the membership price in itself.
Contact Barbara Golbin at 310.837.2600 or mailto:b.golbin@sbcglobal.net for additional information.

Individual membership is $25 a year and is open to anybody interested in the arts, of any age.

(Flyer design copyright roslyn m wilkins)

Mosaics in Context

Exciting news in the October Getty Conservation Institute Bulletin which I subscribe to: "The GCI, the Getty Foundation, ICCROM (the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property), and ICCM (the International Committee for the Conservation of Mosaics) have launched a new collaborative initiative, MOSAIKON, to improve regional capacity for conservation, maintenance, and preservation of mosaics in museums and in situ."

According to the Getty website "The objectives of MOSAIKON are:
to strengthen the ICCM and the network of professionals concerned with the conservation, restoration, maintenance, and management of the mosaics heritage;
to provide training to a variety of individuals involved in mosaics conservation and, more generally, with the management of archaeological sites and museums with mosaics;
to work with national and international bodies to provide a more favorable legislative, regulatory, and economic environment for the conservation of mosaics in the Mediterranean; and to promote the dissemination and exchange of information."

Mosaics were for a longtime the stepchild of archaeologists and art historians. Often the "interesting" sections such as allegorical figures, animals, or flowers, were removed from the site and placed in the "safety" of museums, losing all context of the rest of the mosaic they belonged to, or to the architectural surroundings they were intended for. Unlike paintings or sculptures, floor mosaics were for the most part installed in particular areas of buildings for a purpose. Removing them from their natural habitat destroys the essence of the mosaic.

I personally have enjoyed seeing many a mosaic improperly hanging on the wall of a museum. I doubt at the time that I even considered it should be viewed any other way. And if I had to travel to see every mosaic in situ I certainly would not have been able to view as many as I have. However, that is hardly the point.

Currently, the thinking among conservationists is to maintain mosaics on site. Obviously, this is not doable in all cases, but wherever possible I embrace the idea of keeping them intact in their original location. Although I have not had the privilege of seeing as many mosaics in situ as I have in museums, there is certainly nothing more exciting than running across a mosaic floor in a ruined villa or temple. On the other hand I don't advocate attempting to return mosaics to their place of origin, even if that was feasible—what's done is done. But it is comforting to know that the consensus of opinion among the guardians of such treasures is to preserve them in their intended locations.

Unfortunately I don't have the qualifications to attend the MOSAIKON conference in Lebanon in May, 2010, but in the meantime I am grateful to the Getty Conservation Institute for being involved in the preservation and conservation of my favorite art form.

(Photo: Overhead view of technicians performing stabilization treatment on mosaics. Photo: Aurora Ortega de Torre. From Getty.edu website.)

Lillian Sizemore's Mosaics Newsletter

I am a big fan of Lillian Sizemore. She is a mosaic artist who began working in tile and glass mosaics in 1995.

I first stumbled upon her a couple of years ago when I attended a seminar at the Getty Villa on the history of mosaics. She showed some samples of her public work around the San Francisco area (and that of other artists too). Later I took a one-day mosaic-making class with her, again at the Getty Villa.

This summer she taught a two-weekend workshop in Long Beach I would love to have attended but it wasn't the right time. I hope she will schedule another workshop soon, preferably in West Los Angeles!

The reason for this post is that I just received the first issue of her e-newsletter which you can read and subscribe to by clicking here.

And you can read more about her at her website.
(Photo copyright Lillian Sizemore)

A New Day and a New Blog

Sometimes my ATM blog wanders away from its primary focus which isn't a good idea when people come here to read about Art, Tiles, and Mosaics.

But I am in writing mode these days and there are other subjects I want to explore.

So I decided to start another blog I am calling One Good Life. And ATM can concentrate on its original purpose. So, when you have nothing better to do, click on over to my new blog.

And, don't forget Friday's blog at Friday's Amazing Adventures!

A Feast for the Eyes, if not for the Palate

If you have traveled to Greece and can't wait to go back—like myself—in the interim you can enjoy the LA Greek Fest on the grounds of Saint Sophia's Greek Orthodox Cathedral (just a couple of miles west of downtown Los Angeles). Every year in September the tents go up and the dancers and musicians come out to celebrate all things Greek. There is no real Greek community in Los Angeles so Saint Sophia's is the next best thing, located in Koreatown and surrounded by hispanic neighborhoods.

My friends and I arrived at 4:00pm on Saturday, September 12, just in time to see one of the cooking demos. Although the vultures lined up for samples after the demonstrations, as the dishes were mostly made of wheat or meat, or a combination of both, I only had a small taste.

So we went in search of dinner. I had my taste buds primed for grilled octopus, remembering the delicious meals I had enjoyed in Athens. As I arrived at the line, I was disappointed to see octopus being scratched off the menu. So my only option was to order the calamari at another booth. Huge mistake. I've eaten a lot of calamari over the years in various forms but this was unequivocally the worst I have ever eaten. I would rather have chewed on my shoes as I am sure they would have been tastier and more tender.

The highlight of the day for me was the cathedral itself. I have lived in Los Angeles all my adult life and consider myself to be reasonably knowledgable about the city and fairly adventurous in discovering her nooks and crannies. But I don't recall ever seeing Saint Sophia's before, not even in passing. Or maybe, not being sure what the building was, it just wasn't on my radar.

The exterior is elegant in a southern California eclectic, art deco-ish way with both Mission and Greek influences. With its three domes I imagine this is what Union Station would have looked like if it had been built on an island in the Aegean. As stunning as the exterior is, it in no way prepared me for the lavish interior. I have had the good fortune to visit cathedrals and churches in various parts of the world and found many of them to be awe-inspiring. But I don't recall ever seeing so much gold leaf work in any one place before. Amazingly, the interior is not garish in any way—it is gorgeous.

After visiting so many European cathedrals I decided if I ever felt the need to follow a structured religion I would convert to Roman Catholicism, or at least the Church of England, just so I could be attached to a beautiful cathedral. But after visiting Saint Sophia, I'm thinking Greek Orthodox might be the way to go! Now, of course, I am being facetious and probably already offended somebody, although that is not my intent. As a non-religious person I always have the sense of being close to heaven (or at least the Christian perception of heaven) when I am in a cathedral—and certainly no less so in this particular place.
Although the beauty of the main part of the cathedral is overwhelming, my favorite spot is in a side chapel. In the dome is a mosaic of Jesus (not painted as it seems to be on the dome of the cathedral) and the altar and walls are of exquisite marbles in varying shades of greys, tans, and beige. Stained glass panels of Jesus, Mary, and saints hover over the altar.

Saint Sophia's story has an interesting connection to Hollywood and 20th Century Fox which I won't go into as it is ably described at this website.

The cathedral is worth a visit if you are in the area, but you should check their website listed below for the cathedral visiting hours.

Saint Sophia Cathedral

1324 S. Normandie Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90006

www.stsophia.org/

323.737.2424

You can view a gallery of my photos by clicking here.

(photos copyright roslyn m wilkins)

Postcards from Ballona Mural Updated

Lori Escalera recently updated the video of the original Postcards from Ballona Mural project (1995-1997) to add the recent (2009) renovation. So now you can see the entire history of the Postcards mural in one place at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zWOL9FYUi8

Just as a reference, you can still check out the blog, Culver City Murals Restorations, which documents the May, 2009 restoration.

Illuminating Art

On very short notice my friend BG announced she wanted to see Illumination: The Paintings of Georgia O’Keeffe, Agnes Pelton, Agnes Martin, and Florence Miller Pierce at the Orange County Museum of Art. As the exhibit is closing September 13 we hustled on down to Newport Beach last Saturday, the 6th.

These four women artists were paired up, one famous, one relatively unknown: Georgia O’Keeffe with Agnes Pelton, Agnes Martin with Florence Miller. I have to admit the only one I am familiar with is Georgia O’Keeffe, who happens to be one of my favorite artists—no surprise there. What was a revelation were the works of Agnes Pelton. I immediately fell in love with and established a connection with several of her paintings.

While I enjoyed the O’Keeffe paintings on display, a couple of which were new to me, I was totally enraptured with the discovery of Agnes Pelton (who lived from 1881 to 1961). I love abstract art because to me it has a spiritual quality that realism can never achieve. It comes from the deepest corners of the imagination and leaves the interpretation to the viewer. But like any kind of art, there is good and there is rubbish. Fortunately, Pelton’s art belongs in the first category.

She was also a poet, and as a sometime artist, sometime poet myself, I appreciate this combination. In fact, I am not a big fan of reading poetry by itself, but combined with visual art, it takes on a different dimension.

I am really surprised that Agnes Pelton is not more of a household name. And while not belittling Georgia O’Keeffe in the least, perhaps, like a splendid little wine from a small winery, she is better served to a small audience who can truly appreciate her. I am grateful that I discovered this wine and intend to keep my eyes open for more of it.

As there doesn’t seem to be much available in print on Agnes Pelton, your best bet may be to acquire the catalog for this exhibit which sells on Amazon for forty bucks ($15 less than at the OCMA bookstore—although I am sure OCMA would appreciate your dollars more than Amazon).

I haven’t said anything about Agnes Martin or Florence Miller. While their work was interesting, it didn’t blow me away like the paintings of Pelton—or O’Keeffe. If you want to see for yourself, hurry on down.

Smokin’ at the Huntington Several intrepid Culver City Art Group members braved the heat and smoke on Sunday, August 29 to meet at the Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens in Pasadena. The last time our group descended on the Huntington five years ago it was a stinking hot day around 105 degrees. So, being gluttons for punishment, we ended up picking a similar day. Added to the heat was the smoke from the adjacent Station fire that ate up 150,000 acres of the Los Angeles area.

But soaking in the beauty of the gardens, we hardly noticed what was going on just next door. As an artist, or any kind of creative person, if you can't find inspiration in this place, you just aren't going to find it anywhere!

First we roamed around the gardens with the intention of hitting the galleries later on as the heat intensified. The Botanical Gardens contain more than 14,000 different kinds of plants in more than a dozen themed garden areas. We spent a good amount of time in the Desert Garden and Conservatory reveling in the gorgeous cactus and succulent varieties. Many years ago when I had a house my pride and joy was my cactus/succulent garden. As the sun and heat devastates any kind of flowering plant on my front balcony, perhaps it’s time to grow a mini succulent garden in pots—worth a try! I will report back. We visited the peaceful lily ponds and the stunning Japanese Garden where I enjoyed a welcome cooling Silver Jasmine iced tea. By now the plume cloud of smoke hanging over the next ridge of mountains was unavoidable. Magnificent in its own way, of course it was bringing heartbreak and destruction on its wings.

It‘s impossible to do justice to the Huntington in one afternoon, but on this trip we visited areas we had not seen on our last excursion. And there is still more to see. We ended the afternoon in the new (to me anyway) Scott Galleries of American Art from the Colonial Period through mid 20th century—not quite my cup of tea. Then the refurbished (since our last visit) main Huntington Gallery (which was the residence) housing Gainsborough’s Blue Boy. The heat by then had penetrated our bones, and we were ready to leave.

On the way out I had to stop for a quick sprint around the exhibit on Samuel Johnson in Library Hall. As one of my favorite historical English characters I’m always interested to learn a little more about him. Some wonderful books, manuscripts, and paintings tell his story—I was happy I didn’t miss that.

As there are so many places to go and so many places to see in our Southern California playground, perhaps it will be another five years before we delight in the Huntington again. If it is, so be it, but I hope not!

(Photos copyright roslyn m wilkins)

Your Bright Future Quickie

August 23 I had the good fortune to return to LACMA for a second look at the Pompeii and the Roman Villa Exhibit. This time I remembered my camera and was able to take a couple of shots of the outdoor pieces for the Your Bright Future exhibit which I wrote about on my Busing to Art blog. As you can see these are fun to walk around if you are a kid or a kid at heart. The exhibit closes September 20.

(Photos copyright roslyn m wilkins)

Tea is Tea is Tea...

Or is it?

On Friday I had to make another trek up to the UCLA Med Center. Senility is definitely setting in. I sorted out a bus leaving at 10:09... wait a minute, if my appointment is at 10:00am, how can I leave at 10:09? At that point I had ten minutes to get ready and run like the wind to the bus stop.... only to see the back of my bus as it disappeared down the street. Not a good start to the day, but things definitely picked up after that.

August 16 Steeped in History, the Art of Tea opened at the Fowler Museum on the UCLA campus. As the museum opens at noon, I had some time to fill after the doctor's appointment before heading on over there. One of my favorite areas is the Murphy Sculpture Garden on the north campus. It's a pleasant mixture of a variety of trees, grassy berms, meandering paths, concrete seating areas that blend into the landscape, and yes, sculptures. I am no expert on sculpture, nor is sculpture my favorite art medium, but in this setting, what's not to like?

I sat for an hour at one side of the garden shaded by some trees so I could see it in its entirety. I watched people walking along the paths. Nobody ever seems to actually stop and look at the individual sculptures, but I do know from personal experience, as you spend time in the garden, even walking from one side to the other on a regular basis, you can't help but be aware of them. They seem to be growing out of the ground as much as the trees and plants. They have become not individual pieces of art but part of the whole. I think this is why this garden works so well. Everything belongs together.

As I was sitting there, time seemed to slow down. When I was younger and immortal I was always in a hurry to get to the next thing, whatever that might be. Now that my mortality is catching up with me, I am perfectly happy to stay in the present. I have had to train myself to sit still, physically and mentally, but it has paid off. I am more content observing quietly than jumping up and being the one observed. It would be more logical the other way around: to sit still when there is all the time in the universe ahead, and to be on the move, doing all there is to do, when there is less time left. Maybe because I've done so many things, I can happily sit and reflect on them, and doing more now seems less important—oh, I can see we are going to get convoluted here! Let's just say that now I am better at sitting still and letting the world come to me, rather than the other way around.

Time for Tea. I like the Fowler Museum as it is small and manageable. The exhibits are well presented and informative. Upon leaving this exhibit I felt as though I had earned my PhD in Tea! There are hundreds (probably an understatement) of kinds of teas in the world, albeit all from the same basic plant, and over two dozen are displayed in their various forms at the entrance to the exhibit, from loose leaf to compressed cakes, with exotic names like Yunnan Black Needle and Dragonwell Superior. From there on it is a veritable Disneyland of Tea.

As you would guess, I enjoyed the many examples of ceramic tea pots and tea cups, from modern to whimsical to traditional. One of these days I WILL unpack one of those bisque teapots in my garage and paint and fire it, for sure...

Other highlights of the presentation included paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, historic documents, accoutrements and furniture—everything you need to understand the centuries of culture, politics, art, suffering, beauty, philosophy, pleasure, and conflict involved in the extraordinary history of tea. I spent close to an hour and a half taking in the exhibit.

Interestingly, I learned that Samuel Johnson (whose Dictionary of the English Language was published in 1755) and his biographer and friend James Boswell, both suffered from severe depression. Johnson "cured" himself by drinking tea, while Boswell only deepened his depression by drinking alcohol.

Over the past few months I have made a conscious effort to drink more tea. My favorite is Salada Earl Green, green tea flavored with oil of Bergamot. I sometimes mix this with other tea such as ginger, black, or herbal tea, sometimes with a lemon slice, sometimes iced, sometimes hot. I find the Salada Earl Green to be particularly uplifting: it seems to the combination of the green tea and the Bergamot. When I am tired, lacking motivation, upset, or down, drinking this tea does wonders for my spirits—I consider it my miracle brew. When I find it at the market I buy several boxes to ensure I don't run out.

Moral of this story: when you visit the Fowler Museum, make a little effort to hang out in the Sculpture Garden, and vice versa. Or, if you have to make an appointment at the Medical Center, improve the day by spending some time with nature and art. Then go home and make yourself a "cuppa."

A River of Art For hundreds of years before the arrival of the Spanish, the Los Angeles River provided water and food for the Gabrielino Indians. In 1769, the members of the Gaspar de Portolà expedition settled on the banks of the river and named it El Río de Nuestra Señora La Reina de Los Ángeles de Porciúncula: The River of Our Lady Queen of the Angels of Porciuncula. It was known as the Porciuncula River.

Today, after a change of course or two, the Los Angeles River runs 51 miles from the west end of the San Fernando Valley to its mouth in Long Beach, mostly encased in concrete because of the river's tendency to flood. In recent years there has been a movement to safely remove the concrete and to restore the vegetation, and hence the wildlife, to a more natural environment.

Saturday evening BG and I attended the opening reception for Carole Garland's exhibit at TAG (The Artists' Gallery 2903 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90404) with the Los Angeles River as her theme.

As a member of the Culver City Art Group, I have watched the development of Carole's art for some time. She just keeps on getting better and better, and I feel like now she has really hit her stride. I believe the point at which somebody crosses over from being merely a painter to an artist in their own right is when a distinguishable style emerges—and that point has definitely been reached by Carole. I like her soft, impressionistic style immensely.

The painting above (although not strictly the LA River, as its subject is the Wetlands) is a beautiful example of her style. The colors and layout are perfectly harmonious.

The exhibit runs through August 15. Swim on over there.
(Photos copyright roslyn m wilkins.)

The Artful CheckupThis image is from the Icons of the Desert website. See website for further copyright information. Photo: Tony De Camillo for the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University

Time for my annual checkup so, in my new public transportation mode, I took the Big Blue Bus (Santa Monica Bus Line) from Culver City up to Westwood and the UCLA (University of California at Los Angeles) Medical Center. With the 40-minute ride (this route encompasses almost the entire universe) and a combined 20-minute walk, this little adventure lasts one whole hour as opposed to half that time by car. So once again, it's a matter of weighing the value of one's time against the operating costs and mileage on the family car plus the $11 parking fee. Right now my preference is for the bus over fighting traffic and looking for a parking space.

I was able to plan the day so that I had doctors appointments in the morning and late afternoon. This gave me the time slot I needed to walk over to the Fowler Museum on campus. For over two months now I have been staring at the brochure announcing the Icons of the Desert exhibit, a collection of Australian Aboriginal paintings from the early 1970s with the extended exhibit of Innovations in Western Desert Painting, 1972-1999. I was so excited about seeing these abstract images I was almost afraid I would be disappointed when viewing them in person. But not to worry. I was totally immersed in the wonder of these paintings, composed of lines and dots in earthy tones. The best part is that each painting tells a story according to Aboriginal lore. The viewer cannot understand the story without a written description, but this does not diminish the power of these works. I felt a direct spiritual connection to these designs. One can argue that all art is spiritual. However, I sensed these pieces had a life of their own, beyond the two-dimensional representations that I was looking at on the walls of the museum.

Sunday, August 2 at 2:00pm there are two lectures on this exhibit, free with no reservations required. I am tempted to attend.

Unfortunately, this exhibit ends August 3, but you can still catch it at New York University through December.

Intersections: World Arts, Local Lives, is a display of 250 artifacts from the Fowler Collection exploring the impact of art on people's lives in various cultures worldwide. There are several pieces displayed that I want to research further on the internet, such as the papier mache art of the Linares family and the ceramics of Jorge Wilmot. This is ongoing.

Reflecting Culture: The Francis E. Fowler, Jr. Collection of Silver is a permanent installation with some stunning examples of silver artifacts such as teapots and goblets.

Busing to Art

Being forced to live in a state of "less is more" I have now discovered public transportation. In a previous blog I reported on my adventures busing and training to downtown LA with my friend GZ. Since then I have become even more adventurous.
Last Saturday I had a ticket for the lecture on The Golden Graves of Ancient Vani at the Getty Villa and invited GZ. Knowing she had no fear of public transportation I thought it would be fun if we could both find our individual ways there, she from West Hollywood, me from Culver City. She assured me she had a straight shot on the number 2. I took line 33 to Fairfax, then line 584, which dropped me off across the street from the Villa (after a rather convoluted trip that took almost two hours, partly my fault but partly because the West LA Transportation Center is several miles east of me from where I can take a bus to anywhere in the known universe, even if I want to go west).
It turned out her bus had changed the route and she had to walk a mile on Pacific Coast Highway with no sidewalks and traffic coming up behind her at 60 plus miles an hour. Going home we both took the #584 to Fairfax then went our separate ways.
The "Golden Graves" date from around 450-250BC and since the 1930s, archaeologists have uncovered 28 burials. Vani is in the area of today's Georgia, Russia. A highly developed civilization has been discovered that had its own religious and artistic practices, while embracing influences from neighboring cultures.
The kingdom of Colchis gained fame as the destination of Jason and the Argonauts in their quest for the Golden Fleece, and indeed, the region has proved to be rich in gold.
The gold jewelry and other objects found in the graves are exquisite and sophisticated. Granulated gold (extremely small gold beads the size of termite castings) were intricately imposed on some of the pieces.
There are also non-burial items in the exhibit such as the elephant lamps and some figurines, all equally interesting in the discussion of this artistic culture.
This exhibit goes through October 5, 2009. As parking at both Gettys is now $15, unless you have a car full of people, I would suggest looking at that bus schedule.

So, for something completely different I decided to bus up to LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) on Friday. This was a one-hour trip, door to door, and as Fairfax was a mess on a Friday afternoon, I thought that was pretty good time. I was interested to see Your Bright Future: 12 Contemporary Artists From Korea at the BCAM (Broad Contemporary Art Museum, a part of LACMA), otherwise known as the Broad (pronounced "Brode").
It's no secret that I'm not a fan of a lot of contemporary art but I kinda liked this exhibit. I enjoyed walking through HappyHappy at the entrance comprised of strings of brightly colored plastic containers and the chain link fences at the Sixth Street side where you can add your own plastic items. I also liked looking out of the Ahmanson Building to see the swaths of colored fabric criss-crossing the windows.
One of my favorite indoor pieces was the room where there were six movies playing, each one set in different parts of the world. The artist stood still and silent while people passed her by. The passersby became part of the piece too, some ignoring her, some puzzled by her, some smiling or laughing at her presence.
The other was the person-sized stuffed animals. The signage said illegal aliens were inside the costumes as a "performance." One was a rabbit, the other a family of different animals. I found it interesting how my perception changed when for a second I believed there really were people inside, then that they were illegally in this country earning $5 a day for their performance, then the realization that there couldn't be anybody inside.
After that I wandered around the permanent collections, not stopping at anything in particular, just breathing in all the art as a whole, ingesting the peace and serenity.
I walked around outside in the park, viewing the full scale models of the woolly mammoths and saber-toothed tigers caught in the tar pits tens of thousands of years ago. Climbing the berm to the top of the Page Museum, I saw couples, singles, families, tourists, Angelenos, all enjoying themselves on this wondrous, sun-filled day in southern California... all my problems, dilemmas, unmade decisions, and other troubles of the past months, weeks, and days were nowhere to be found. I was in the moment.

Century Plaza Needs Your Help

Below is information I copied from the Los Angeles Conservancy website:

CENTURY PLAZA HOTEL: One of 11 Most Endangered Historic Sites in U.S.
How You Can Help

To Learn More

Century Plaza Hotel in the News

Did You Know?

Moments In History
Photo courtesy Yamasaki Associates
On April 28, 2009, the National Trust for Historic Preservation named the Century Plaza Hotel (Minoru Yamasaki, 1966) in Century City to its 2009 list of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. This annual list highlights historic places throughout the U.S. that face destruction or irreparable damage.

The owners of the Century Plaza Hotel in Century City announced plans to raze the building and replace it with two 600-foot towers in December 2008. The new project would include a boutique hotel, condominiums, and mixed-use space, plus two acres of open space. The venerable hotel received a $36 million facelift less than a year ago. HOW YOU CAN HELP
The Los Angeles Conservancy is leading the charge to save the Century Plaza from demolition. Here's how you can help:
1. Pledge your support for preserving the Century Plaza. Join our growing network of people throughout L.A. and the world in voicing your support for the hotel's preservation. We won't share your information with anyone, and we'll use it only to gauge the level of support for the Century Plaza and update you on breaking news on this specific issue.

Ronald Reagan at the CenturyPlaza Hotel with Mary Lou Rettonand the 1984 Olympic team. Photo courtesy Ronald Reagan Library.
2. If you're part of an organization, consider joining the Conservancy's growing coalition of groups who support preservation of the Century Plaza. For more information, contact Flora Chou at fchou@laconservancy.org or (213) 430-4211.
3. Become a part of the conversation on Facebook and engage in the Conservancy's Century Plaza discussion board. Voice your opinion and find out what others are thinking. Visit our Facebook page and become a fan to get the most up to date information on this issue.
4. If you're not already a member, join the Conservancy to give us greater strength in numbers.
5. If you'd like to make a donation, consider a gift to the Conservancy's Preservation Advocacy Fund to help with expenses for support materials, outreach, and other costs related to protecting the hotel from demolition.

Who Gets To Call it Art, John Constable or Charlton Heston?

I've been watching a lot of 50s and 60s Hollywood movies lately like The Fall of the Roman Empire, Ben-Hur, Spartacus, etc. I never saw those movies when they first came out so I thought it was time to catch up. And, of course, I'll read, watch, hear, or smell anything that has the remotest connection to the Roman Empire, my favorite period of history. So, in that vein, although a millenia away from that time period, I Netflixed The Agony and the Ecstasy starring Charlton Heston and Rex Harrison, two icons of the silver screen. Of course, we are all familiar with Michelangelo's obsession and anguish with painting the Sistine Chapel (the snippet of Irvine Stone's book that this film covers). Nevertheless, it is interesting to see the relationship between Michelangelo and his patron/protagonist Pope Julius II fleshed out. Nothing in the dialogue sounded phony—the words coming out of their mouths were believable as the actual conversations that took place.
I also enjoyed watching the progression of the painting, from the drawings on paper to the transfer of the outlines to the ceiling, to the application of paint. Watching Charlton Heston painstakingly make those brush strokes while sitting and lying in those awkward positions, it is inconceivable that Michelangelo was able to complete the entire ceiling. Although he had assistants to mix the paint and clean up, he made the decision to paint the whole thing himself.
A few years ago I had the good fortune to stand and stare at the Sistine Chapel ceiling. Our tour guide whisked us through at breakneck speed, apparently so she could maximize the time we spent in the Vatican souvenir store, and hence, her commissions on our purchases. So my friend and I decided to return on our own at the end of the two-week tour through Italy. Whereas the first time through we had been more concerned with keeping up with our guide's red flag than soaking anything in, this time we were able to find a place to sit and contemplate the ceiling in all its glory. I wish now I had seen the movie before viewing the ceiling, as it would have been fun to imagine Charlton Heston way up there on the scaffolding, and even more amazing to contemplate Michelangelo's vision. But obviously, that is my 20th century mindset—and perhaps it was, after all, better to see it for its own beauty and not through the eyes of a Hollywood film.
Aside from the painting of the ceiling and the relationship between the painter and the pope, I was struck by the fact that Julius II acted more like a military general than a religious leader. Apparently at that time, the Catholic church was into empire building, spreading Christianity much like the British Empire spreading "civilization" and the US spreading "democracy," by military might. History turns out to be nothing more than a change of clothes and vocabulary after all.
If you enjoy art, or history, or both, The Agony and the Ecstasy is not a bad way to spend a couple of hours.

Two other films I rented recently, both documentaries, are Who Gets to Call it Art? and The English Masters: Constable. The first was the biography of an art critic I never heard of before (not that I am familiar with many art critics), Henry Geldzahler, the very first curator of contemporary art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Oh, so now I know who to blame! Just kidding, folks. Geldzahler was born independently wealthy—how unfair is that? But it seems he was also born knowing what he wanted to do with his life, and rather than sitting around being rich all day, he went out and did it. He was unusual as an art critic in that he mingled with the artists of the day, had intimate platonic and sexual relationships with some, and both treated and was treated by the artists as an equal. His friends were Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Jasper Johns and others of their ilk. Artistic luminaries such as David Hockney and Frank Stella, also his pals and two of my favorites, contributed interviews to the film along with others.

Geldzahler was one of the first people to consider "pop" art as fine art. While I don't always share his enthusiasm, I understand the contributions this genre has made to the world of art, and I admire him for being true to his convictions, as he genuinely believed in these artists and their work. Geldzahler died of cancer at the age of sixty. The organizer to the end, Hockney relates that Henry was carried downstairs from his sickbed so he could re-arrange a few objets d'art in his living room—he loved and understood the relationships between things. He was then carried back upstairs and died shortly thereafter.

The second documentary about John Constable, the English landscape artist, has a more personal meaning to me. On a trip to England a few years ago, some friends took me to Constable Country in Suffolk (see photo above). I have to admit, I wasn't that interested in Constable's art at the time. But after seeing his paintings and being able to relate them to the part of the country that he mostly painted, I became a fan. Landscape art was not very popular at the time (the early 1800s) as the money was in portraits. But as time went by, his landscapes were recognized as great works of art, leading to his acceptance, rather late, by the Royal Academy. His beloved wife died shortly after delivering their seventh child and Constable spent the rest of his life (he died at 60) dressed in black, painting, and raising his children. He rejected the popular notion that artists should use their imaginations, and instead painted what he saw in nature, and was probably the first plein air painter in oils. His sketches, expressions of what he saw at the moment, had a great influence on the later impressionists. As for me, I thoroughly enjoyed walking through the area that was his inspiration. The temperature was in the mid-eighties on that trip, with humidity and insects to match. As there is a lot of water in the area, I wondered if Constable had to deal with mosquitoes as he sat out in the fields sketching!

(Photo copyright roslyn m wilkins)

Tile Trek

This weekend is the annual warehouse sale at Classic Tile & Mosaic. You don't have to be in the market for a new bathroom in order to enjoy a visit. On Saturday my friend KL brought with her two decorative tiles she had bought previously and was looking for ideas to incorporate them into her back step risers. I was just looking.

As CTM is not normally open to the public this is always an opportunity to see what's happenin' in the world of tile.

I salivated over the many types, materials, designs, and colors of tile. I was imagining various scenarios in which I could use the different kinds of tile on display. I particularly liked this square foot of marbley-travertiney-looking tiles above. They would look great on a wall, maybe in my dining area. They would go well with all the wood in my place.

In the showroom the Malibu Tile collection was showcased. If I had a couple thousand bucks to spare I would have loaded up my car as I thought the sale prices were pretty good. I fell in love with one tile approximately 12" x 8", a scene of Catalina, but then I remembered I had a piece of bisque about that size and maybe I should save my money and paint it myself in my own style.

I ended up buying a 6" x 6" Malibu-style tile of a flying fish. The designer was in the store, Juan Aguirre (hope I spelled his name correctly). He works out the design on the computer, then the design is silk-screened on to the bisque tile, then the tile is hand-painted in the "corda seca" style with the colors separated by raised black lines (I believe a mixture of manganese and linseed). When I visited Sevilla, Spain, some years ago I remember watching an artist painting in this style with some kind of syringe like decorating a birthday cake.
Many things in life I can pass up. But a beautiful tile I cannot resist!
(photos copyright roslyn m wilkins and tile designs copyright respective artists)

Ladies of the Night
Normally I'm an early riser. There is nothing more wonderful than being up and around before dawn when all is quiet and you know most people are still snug in their beds. Standing out on my deck, cup of coffee in hand, watching the sun rise before the sound of traffic arrives out in the street, is an experience not to be missed. So when I tell you that my natural inclination is to be a night crawler, you might go huuuuhhhhh?
All those years working in construction, when I had to be on the job site before dawn, stuck with me. And then having a corporate job for ten years where I had to be on the freeway in the wee hours for the shortest commute. Which has led to the strange lifestyle of still being a night person some of the time and a morning person most of the time. Night time is when I seem to be the most creative, but the early morning is when I am able to get the most work done.
Yesterday I reverted to my night personna and ended up standing on the corner of Hollywood and Cahuenga Blvds, prime "ladies of the night territory," at midnight...
My friend GZ graciously invited me to the Los Angeles Conservancy's "Last Remaining Seats" to see "A Streetcar Named Desire" at the Los Angeles Theatre as my birthday treat.
The evening was quite an adventure. I drove to GZ's home in West Hollywood. From there we walked the few blocks to the bus stop and rode the bus to Hollywood and Highland. From there we took the Red Line train which runs underground all the way to downtown Los Angeles. I don't ride the train very often, but when I do I can't help notice how clean and bright the stations are compared to any of the other cities in the US and the world that I have visited. It's probably an unfair comparison considering our system is so new, but nevertheless, I can't help but feel good about it. It was also nice to see the train was so well used—standing room only.
People reading this from other cities and parts of the world may find it strange that I'm making such a big deal about riding the bus and train. But my friends in LA will understand—LA is the city where we drive everywhere. We don't walk (except for myself and two other people), we don't take taxis (even if we could find one), we don't take buses (aren't those for deranged people who don't have a driver's license?)... and we certainly do not take trains (those things where you have to drive to the station and find a place to park, good luck, so you might as well have driven to your destination in the first place).
Did you lose track of my story already? We arrived in downtown LA and walked along Broadway (a whole other universe I may write about some day) to Clifton's Brookdale, favorite of Huell Howser (who will be featuring the cafeteria again on his KCET broadcast June 27) and the only place to eat when you are in downtown LA, if only because the decor is so unbelievably unbelievable. My friend was concerned about this being my birthday dinner, but with this ambiance, how can you go wrong?
After getting my fill of trout and tapioca, we lined up outside the Los Angeles. From their website: "the last and most extravagant of the ornate movie palaces built on Broadway in downtown Los Angeles between 1911 and 1931. Designed by S. Charles Lee with a French Baroque-inspired décor, its majestic six-story main lobby and 2,000 seat auditorium of carved plaster ornamentation, mirrors, and cove-lit murals recall the glamorous days of 1930s Hollywood."
I led architectural tours for the Conservancy for sixteen years. When I was leading the Broadway Theaters tours, this was probably my favorite. Non-Los Angelenos, and even native Los Angelenos, don't think we have a history. I didn't think so either until I was a Conservancy docent, but Los Angeles has a fascinating background—the downtown theatres being an important part of it.
We found good seats. The proscenium curtain was as stunning as I remembered it. I was somewhat dismayed by the obvious cracks in the plaster around the theatre interior, not there on my last visit many years ago. But it is Magnificent (definitely deserving of the capital "M").
Before the movie, we listened to a talk by Leith Adams, Corporate Archivist at Warner Bros. He showed us how the film was affected by censorship as the producers discovered that the Catholic Church was going to boycott the movie due to the "erotic" nature of the film. We saw one scene as it was originally released in 1951 and as it was restored in the 90s. The 50s audience was not allowed to see Kim Hunter's sultry walk down the stairs towards Marlon Brando. As the chemistry of their relationship was the center of the story, it seems odd that this was omitted. And it certainly was tame by today's standards.
The opening titles of "A Streetcar" came on the screen. The man who had struck up a conversation with me earlier, plopping down in the empty seat next to mine, told me he was only here to hear Leith Adams speak, then he was leaving due to other commitments. Apparently mesmerized by the film, he stayed until almost the end. I understood, as the movie is that spell-binding. I first saw it many, many years ago, one of those films that stays in your brain. I didn't remember all the details, and certainly not the ending, but I did have the relationship between Stella and Stanley in my head in stunning black and white. It would be hard to imagine seeing this film in color.
When you think about it, black and white is a strange phenomenon. All colors mixed together and no colors at all. Why did we start out only being able to take photographs and make films in black and white while our world and our eyesight (for most people) is in full color? Think about it. Okay, another blog.
In the meantime, the acting and photography and sets in "Streetcar" are pretty amazing. It's a very powerful production, even today, almost sixty years later.
I understand why Marlon Brando was the acting icon that he was. I wasn't that familiar with Kim Hunter who did a tremendous job playing Stella. Probably the reason is that, according to IMDb, "Kim was blacklisted in films and TV even though she was never a Communist or even held pro-Communist views. But as a strong believer in civil rights she signed a lot of petitions and was a sponsor of a 1949 World Peace Conference in New York." Terrible, terrible days.
And so, the sojourn home began. The Red Line (packed again at 11:30pm) took us to Hollywood Blvd. And so, there we were, two ladies of the night, standing on the corner of Hollywood and Cahuenga, waiting for the bus close to the bewitching hour... and waiting... and waiting. A taxi pulled up and GZ was ready to hop in but for some reason I felt we needed to wait. Seconds later, like a camel in the desert, our 217 appeared. In my car, driving home with little traffic around, I decided this was the time to be up and awake and on the streets in LA.
Except this morning I missed the sunrise.

Feel the Love with Tile Love
I've really neglected my TileLove website. When I started it several years ago I had all kinds of ambitions for it but other projects got in the way.

So I decided to give it a new look and I created a new section called Serendipity Tiles from my Travels. These are a handful of tiles I happened to find on my trips around the world and around town. I am disappointed in myself that I haven't made more of an effort to collect souvenir tiles. From now on, wherever I go, along with a magnet, I will buy a tile.

My love of all things tile, mosaic, and marble has not diminished. But there is only so much time and effort that I can expend... however, I promise to do better in future, especially taking photos around Culver City and Los Angeles.

Jumping the Gun on Artwalk Culver City
I am happy to see that the City of Culver City will be presenting the fourth annual Artwalk Culver City on Saturday, May 30th. I hope this event continues on into perpetuity. If you have never done it, I recommend participating... at least once. However, I won't be going on the walk.
Last Saturday, May 16, I joined some other members of the Culver City Art Group to jump the gun and do our own version of the walk... sans all the crowds and inherent noise.
We visited about a dozen galleries on La Cienega and Washington Blvds. (For map of the galleries, click here.) There were four of us, which was the perfect number to move relatively quickly but also enjoy a smattering of differing opinions.
As always with art, some of it did not appeal to me at all (this is art?), some crept up on me after looking at it for a while, some I fell in love with immediately, some I felt the need to figure out or investigate, some I was disgusted with, some was sweet and whimsical... so many diverse emotions and reactions.
After approximately three hours of looking, feeling, and walking, I think we were all drained both psychically and physically. Over the week since, I have been hit by images and sensations relating to the artwork at odd times. Some pieces I would like to inspect again, some I wonder why those particular pieces bother me so much. It would be interesting, as an exercise, to retrace my footsteps and discover whether or not I have the same feelings the second time. But the galleries have moved on with new exhibits and I wouldn't make the time anyway.
Viewing art is always so much more pleasant when there are few other people around. Although I like to support friends and be up on what is new, I am beginning to dislike artist receptions and gallery openings. In fact, I don't enjoy anything anymore where there are crowds of people.
For example, viewing the Pompeii exhibit at LACMA on a members' only day saw an acceptable number of people in attendance. I wonder what it will be like the next time I go. I remember having to push and shove my way through the Tut exhibit several years ago. I was able to see it three times, and each time it was worse. Once there was even a screaming baby following us from room to room!
So, while I hope the Artwalk Culver City will be as well-attended as ever, that Culver City will make lots of money from it, and that thousands of people will enjoy it, I'm glad I won't have to be there jostling for position in front of a painting for a few seconds before somebody's elbow intrudes on my view. Or, probably, I am missing the point, and actually viewing the art isn't the purpose at all!

A Craving for Fish Tacos

To help celebrate its tenth anniversary, I visited the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach on Tuesday. Yes, it has taken me that long. While I have visited the Monterey Aquarium twice, I never got around to visiting the one in my own back yard. And that was only because KL mentioned she was going and I decided to tag along.

If you have never been, all I can say is "GO!" I have painted quite a few fish/ocean/undersea ceramic tiles, most of which were sea creatures from my imagination. But who needs imagination when you are faced with the real thing? The fish are beautiful and unbelievable beyond any attempt to paint something fanciful.

Taking photos was not easy: through glass, underwater, changing light, and those sea creatures will not sit still for a portrait—not even the sea anemones. But halfway though our day my memory card filled up as I realized I had taken 200 photos! Yes, I could have zapped some previous images but my practice is to fill up a one gig card, dump the whole thing on to a CD and start over. Maybe it was just as well, as sometimes the camera can get in the way of the immediate experience when you are seeing everything through the camera lens and not your own eyeballs. None of the photos I took are spectacular, but they are an impression of a moment.

Although all the different kinds of fish were enjoyable, I loved the coral reefs and ocean plants just as much. The myriad shapes, colors and forms were amazing. I felt as though I was in a moving art gallery. Why do we mere mortals attempt to create art when Alice, Goddess of Nature, will always win the prizes?

I was impressed with the aquarium overall—a good mix of inside and outside exhibits. I enjoyed discovering diverse regions of the oceans such as Southern California and Baja, the North Pacific, and the coral reefs of the Pacific. Outside it was fun to see the seals at mealtime and to touch the silky, velvet stingrays as they swam past.

Almost immediately I developed a craving for a fish sandwich! At lunchtime we walked over to restaurant row where I devoured two wonderful fish tacos at Islands. As we walked back to the aquarium we decided on an impulse to take the 45-minute harbor cruise. Out on the water with salt spray and wind in my face all my cares and worries drifted away.

We finished up the afternoon back at the aquarium. It was much quieter as the bus loads of school kids had left. Of course, I am glad that young students are able to visit a facility that teaches about the importance of the oceans. Hopefully there are some budding marine biologists among them.

On the way out we revisited the Lorikeet Forest. Over 100 of these noisy but vividly-colored birds live there. One of them took a fancy to my straw sun visor and when I attempted to put him back on his branch he became very upset and took a good bite out of two of my fingers!

As we drove home on the freeway I felt as if I had taken a vacation to another country. I have images of the beautiful sea creatures swimming around in my head and some ideas for more tiles.

Now I feel like having a tuna sandwich for lunch...

(photos copyright roslyn m wilkins)

Mobile Art, BabyCountry Squire station wagon, my favorite of the show.

You want mobile art, baby? Alexander Calder can't hold a spark plug to the Sixth Annual Cruisin' Back to Culver City Car Show held on May 9th, 2009. This show is located just two blocks from my house but until last year I always had plans out of town on that day. Last year I had just enough time to run through like a whirlwind. So this year I planned ahead. As it was my birthday (okay, you missed it again but I don't hold grudges—for more than a few years) I decided to go, on my own, if necessary. But KJ to the rescue!

It was a typical balmy Culver City day, the same kind of day, I'm sure when Harry Culver met up with Thomas Ince filming his western on the shores of Ballona Creek and thereby started the whole film industry in Culver City—but I digress.

1932 Roadster, pure vintage

We walked up to the car show about eleven. By then there was no parking on my street and hordes of people were walking from every direction. Now, I am NOT a car person by any definition of that word. To me a car is merely transportation (with the exception of my beloved Subaru who I think of as more of a chariot than an automobile) but there is something about the love people have for their vintage vehicles that I can appreciate.

Elvira was supposed to be the Mistress of Ceremonies but by the time we left in the afternoon she still had not shown her face—well, daylight is tough on vampires so I can't be too hard on her.

The show consisted of over 400 cars. It was fun to see the old Keystone-cops style Culver City police car and the new SUV I assume the CCPD had painted on non-city time (or as KJ noted, that's where my tax dollars are going!).

This was the first time I had been inside the Culver City Fire Station—and if you've heard rumours about the CCFD they are all true—the hunkiest crew anywhere! KJ wanted to know if they had a calendar for sale—now there's a way to make up the $6 million city deficit pretty darn fast...

Rear end of the Watidiz, wildest of the show.

My favorite car of the show was the red Country Squire station wagon at the top of the blog. It looks a lot like my Outback and I could see myself driving around town in that car. The wildest car hands down, inside and out, was the Watidiz.

But if I was a vintage purist I suppose I would have to pick the 1932 Roadster as best of show. Well, not really. I loved them all, for a non-car person, that is.

So now I've really "done" the Culver City Car Show and next year I don't have to feel so guilty about having other plans. But I may just find myself sauntering up there anyway...

And another kind of art—food presentation—was to be found at Akasha where AB took me for my birthday dinner that evening. Although the food tasted divine (we ate tapas style) we decided the artful presentation was part of the pleasure of eating there. Ya know, art is everywhere if you only stay on the alert for it—which I definitely enjoy doing.

(photos are copyright roslyn m wilkins)