Have you been to 18th Street Arts Center recently? For the last few years 18th Street has put on BAM - which will also happen again this fall so don’t fret – but this Sunday (May 19) Nicole Gordillo Schimpf (the same mastermind event planner behind BAM and founder of Tap & Cheer) has put together a wine, art, and food tasting event not to be missed! All the proceeds go to 18th Street thus funding art programming that provokes public dialogue about contemporary art and artist residencies, which provide space and time for cutting-edge artists to make challenging work, like the preview you will get of the collaborative exhibition Forêt Intérieure/Interior Forest by Alexandra Grant.

in process – Forêt Intérieure/Interior Forest by Alexandra Grant

1st Annual CRUSH Wine, Food, Art & Music Festival hits sunny Santa Monica for a Good Cause!

Santa Monica, CA- On Sunday, May 19, 2013 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., 18th Street Arts Center is bringing its complement to the renowned BAM Fest (Beer, Art and Music Festival) to the Westside of L.A. Held in the heart of Santa Monica, CRUSH celebrates the best of locally-produced art, food and music along with a selection of fine wines. With a variety of small bites from 10 restaurants and trend- setting chefs, 2 Master Chef Finalists, 12 award-winning wineries, a leading sommelier, specialty cocktails of fine spirits, live music, a collaborative exhibition and open artist studios as well as Crash Courses to educate, CRUSH is well-poised to provide attendees with a delightful, engaging cultural experience.

The event is a steal with general admission tickets priced at just $45 and VIP tickets that provide priority entrance for $55. Tickets may be obtained online at www.18thstreet.org. CRUSH attendees will not only feel great because they’re spending a Sunday afternoon sipping in the sun, tasting culinary delights, interacting with artists and exploring significant artworks while listening to talented young musicians, but also because they know that all proceeds benefit 18th Street Arts Center, a 24- year old, influential non-profit arts organization in Santa Monica. Young Jazz musicians from the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts will appear and as a special treat, NBC’s ‘The Voice’ music- reality show contestant, Orlando Napier and his R&B power trio will be the headline music act at CRUSH. Between band sets, artist and DJ, “Fresh + Sunny” will fuse an array of musical styles to keep the crowd movin’.

For this year’s CRUSH, 18th Street is partnering with Edible Westside Magazine, a to help facilitate the artisanal food and drink side of the festival. Publisher of Edible Westside Magazine, Linzy May Mahoney, aims to keep the focus on fresh, seasonal foods, sustainable practices and the local community of farmers, chefs and wine-makers. Participating wineries ranging from big to small are featured at CRUSH, including recognizable brands, such as Hitching Post Wines, local favorites like Colcanyon Estate Winery in Malibu, and Rosenblum Cellars in Alameda. Smaller winery Turiya Wines, also featured at CRUSH, produces ultra, boutique wines from the Central Coast of California and plans to present its rare, fine wines, both blends as well as extremely small releases of single cultivars. 

For the foodie at heart, restaurants, chefs and catering companies will offer a bounty of small bites from signature dishes to new creations utilizing local farmer-fresh produce. Favorite Santa Monica neighborhood restaurants such as the Library Alehouse and Real Food Daily will showcase dishes developed around local, organic and seasonal ingredients. Former Master Chef finalist, Becky Reams will be partnering with Weiser Family Farms to create an original culinary treat designed from the local farmer’s seasonal produce. Even restaurants yet to open, will be at CRUSH to show off their skills and what they plan to bring to the Westside scene. Bank of Venice, to open late April, will feature the craft beer-influenced dishes it plans to offer the Windward Avenue area while Santa Monica restaurant, Fork in the Road, to open in early June, will be offering organic, Mediterranean-themed dishes to be food and drink print publication focusing on the coastal communities of LA County paired with rare vintage wines and top shelf cocktails. Both restaurants are part of the culinary family of Venice Ale House owners, Tom Elliot and Spoon Singh. A special bonus for CRUSH attendees will be the opportunity to participate in 20-minute mini-educational sessions called Crash Courses, which will teach attendees how to evaluate wine like a trained sommelier based on visual representations of the aromas, tastes and textures found in their wines while Tracy Kontos (former Master Chef finalist), will teach guests how to make homemade fresh ricotta and tomato jam, served on a garlic crostini. Finally, Wise Coffee will show you how to consistently brew the perfect cup of coffee based on water quality, temperature and just a little patience. With the marriage of wine, art and food, 18^th Street has concocted a one-of-a-kind fundraising event.

CRUSH attendees also have the special opportunity to explore the multi-faceted installation, by Los Angeles-based artist Alexandra Grant based on an ongoing exchange with the iconic French author, poet, playwright and philosopher Cixous. Grant’s exhibition focuses on is a collaboration that encompasses works from a series of public drawing sessions, reading groups, artist collaborations and a large- scale, site-specific installation. In addition, the resident artists and organizations that work and create daily at 18th Street open their studios for attendees to experience works in progress. Such artists include internationally-recognized installation and environmental artist, painter and sculptor, Lita Albuquerque; documentary and experimental filmmaker Michael Barnard, as well as Southern California’s boldest center for new performance, Highways Performance Space. In addition, visiting Italian award-winning filmmaker, Gianpaolo Bucci and Nepalese public art, installation and photography artist, Hit Man Gurung will also have their studios open for attendees to visit. And if you’re looking for a way to get to and from the event safely, SideCar, the will be providing a $25 credit to all CRUSH attendees anywhere in Los Angeles. Without a doubt, CRUSH will draw a great crowd in its first year as Santa Monica’s best wine, art and food tasting event!

Tickets are on sale at: http://18thstreetcrush.eventbrite.com/. A list of participating Wineries, Wine Experts, Restaurants, Leading Chefs, food and drink is here. For more information about CRUSH 2013 and 18th Street Arts Center visit: www.18thstreet.org

Join Arts For LA on ArtsDay 2013 for the City Council meeting in the John Ferraro City Council Chamber of Los Angeles City Hall.  The meeting begins at 10:00 a.m.

ArtsDay is an opportunity to unite artists, audiences, and arts organizations with the leaders who represent them in City Hall. The first 250 people to sign up to attend will receive a free, awesome T-shirt designed by a local artist.

This is a chance for EAL/LA members to get excited about their district and join others in advocacy for the arts. ArtsDAy highlights the arts from all spheres of life, from education to business, public safety to health care, transportation to innovation.

You can participate in a vareity of ways that include joining Arts For LA for the city council meeting (direct sign up here), thanking your council member (here), and posting this badge to your social media page.

[Part One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six]

After last week’s play with primary colors, I thought we’d explore the world of symbol and pattern.  I was inspired from a recent trip to Alaska and thought it would be delightful if we all painted totems of ourselves.  Class started with a mini lesson on Inuit art, specifically the totem, and continued into an extended lesson on symbolism.  The students struggled a little with the concept of symbolism, having a hard time linking abstract ideas to an animal.  However, once they got the hang of it, finding meaning behind each creature became easier.

The students were enraptured by the examples of Inuit art.  They were particularly drawn to the patterns and simple color schemes of totems and modern art pieces.  My first graders, the next day, had fun reading all the animals and meanings we listed on the board in class.  I ended up teaching two lessons on symbolism.

The art students had about an hour to draw and paint in class.  They were so taken with the project, that not a single one of them finished on time.  They all worked for the entire hour as if a seriousness had fallen over them.  As they sketched, I demonstrated some watercolor techniques, working on a totem of my own.  As you can see by their paintings, their watercoloring skills have developed nicely.  There is much more control, in both brush and medium, than when we began class in January.  All of the projects were finished at home.  I think the students enjoyed working throughout the week – they’ve been diligently testing and probably needed the release.

Next month will be our last for the year.  There are only two more scheduled sessions – one of which will be an all day trip to the Getty in Los Angeles.  Next week, the students will begin their final project.  I know they are all excited – I am too.

This post also appears at Lifeasgood.com.

[Part One, Two, Three, Four, Five]

Spring break is over. The teachers and students have all returned to the last quarter with bright eyes. Schools across the country are gearing up for testing, but our small art mentorship program is making sure we take a break from all those test taking strategies. Last week, my students and I once again dipped our feet into the refreshing coolness of watercolors.

For this week’s program, I wanted the students to explore primary colors. I was very pleased that the majority had remembered red, yellow, and blue were primary from our color wheel lesson. I gave the students two mini lessons, one on primary colors and another on watercolor as a medium. After the lessons, I released the students to their art. I allowed them to paint any subject they wanted but required that they stay within the primary colors, without mixing too much. They don’t know it, but this lesson and practice was designed to set up our next lesson on Inuit Art.

Class went well. I love talking with the students. I’ve found that the extra one-on-one time they get with me has an encouraging effect on all of them. It even has one on me. We often find ourselves joking around, singing, and laughing at ourselves through the art class. Sometimes, they start to tease each other but I always stop that. “Mr. Henisey doesn’t like that,” one of the girls called out when a bout of Your Momma Jokes started up. She was right. I’m fine with playing, but I insist on an atmosphere of kindness and positivity. I’m proud of the students for monitoring themselves. I never had to ask them to stop. Group consensus did all of the work.

During the off week, I’ve been setting up the remainder of the program. NASA and the local Museum are almost set. I still have a bit more coordinating to do with them. Our field trip in May is ready to go; it is approved by both the museum and the school board. I also have all the materials we should need for our final project (which will take up the bulk of our May sessions).

Stay tuned for more.

This post appears simultaneously at LifeasGood.com.

[Part One]

[Part Two]

[Part Three]

[Part Four]

Excellent news!  Both NASA and the Lancaster Art Museum got back to me in last couple of weeks.  With our upcoming field trip and exciting news from both of these entities, our After School Art Program is going strong.  Both groups were very excited to hear about our projects and seem more than willing to lend a hand with the students.

NASA’s wonderful staff at the Dryden Research Center was extremely kind and helpful.  Their public relations specialist seemed excited to get one of their teachers out to our school.  She mentioned one teacher who is also an artist focusing on aerospace art and seemed very encouraging when we sent a tentative schedule for a visit.

The Lancaster Art Museum was just and generous in their support and excitement.  After we return from spring break, I’ll be contacting the museum once again.  They would like to preview some of the student work and make decisions on where they would like to show it.  The new museum facility includes a classroom for children from the public.  I think our student art might be shown there for the grand opening.

The students also had a good time at our last meeting.  After sending a number of original characters off for the scholastic contest, I decided that it would be worthwhile to spend some time exploring acrylic paints and canvas.   Knowing that most of the students have limited access to art supplies, I felt that dedicating a couple of hours to fun and practice was a good idea.  I’d like all of the final pieces to be acrylic on canvas.

In class, I laid out posters of the solar system and space exploration.  I gave a thirty minute lesson on consistency and application of acrylic paints before letting the children explore their own canvases.  The class had a wonderful time working with the paints and exploring the solubility and elasticity of acrylics.

Mentorship played a large role in these last few weeks as well.  I had personal conversations with some of the students concerning academics and behavior.  Being the art group leader, my interaction with them is very different from that of a regular teacher or a parent.  The students seemed much more receptive to suggestions on proper behavior and academic focus.  Their drive to remain in the art program and explore their own creativity also seems to help.

Overall, the students are having a wonderful time and I can see positive changes in their outlook.

This post also appears at EAL/LA.org

[Part One]

[Part Two]

[Part Three]

The program continues with fun and laughs.  At our last meeting, I introduced the students to a new contest from Scholastic.  This one asks them to create an original character for a comic.  Our lesson involved originality, character creation, and generating character sketches.

I led the class in a short discussion on originality and the ills of plagiarism.  The older students were familiar with the terms, having had lessons on originality in their core classes.  Many had already generated science and history reports for their regular teachers.  After our brief discussion, we talked about using our personal interests to create a character.  We made comparisons of heroic figures like Wonder Woman, Super Man, and Batman and later contrasted them against other characters from Disney, Captain Underpants, and of course, Bone (whose creator is behind the scholastic contest).

After our lessons, I allowed the students time to create a few character sketches.  Using our small art library and the white board, I showed the students how a character can be drawn from a variety of angles and poses.  They quickly broke out their sketchbooks and began drawing.  Monitoring and offering encouragement, I was delighted to see the students engaged in their own creative processes.  Some of the highlights were “Soulkeeper,” a Grim Reaper-like figure who collects souls with a variety of magical accoutrements; Roboman, a cartoon robot made of a variety of angles and shapes; and a villain made entirely of applesauce.  ”He can’t be killed unless you eat him with a spoon,” his student creator declared.

After our last contest, I knew I needed to make a greater effort to reach out to the families.  I sent home reminder flyers for our deadline (this Friday for review and Monday for the final project) and made sure to call all of their homes.  The parents were very excited to hear about the project.  I could also tell that they were moved by such a simple personal touch.  I imagine it must be motivating for them to have other adults interested in their children; I certainly feel that each call home helps motivate the students.  More than half of the students have come to discuss their characters before the deadline.

Our field trip is set for mid May, after the students will have completed their California State Tests.  It will be a wonderful treat for this group; that two-week battery of exams can be draining on even the most studious of children.  We will be visiting the Getty for a self-guided tour (our group is too small for a docent to guide us).  The students are already excited, many asking for their permission slips now.  However, I think I’ll wait for our return from Spring Break before sending those home.

I got through to NASA at the Dryden Center last week.  Their public relations coordinator is currently on leave but should be back shortly.  I look forward to discussing our small group and their final project with her in the future.  I have made a couple of calls to the local municipality hoping to find a venue for our finished pieces and will continue to pursue those in the future.

We are quickly nearing the halfway mark of our term and I couldn’t be more proud of the students.  They all seem to enjoy the art program and projects.  More importantly, I see a change in their academics and behavior.  Because the art program is important to them, school has become important.  A teacher can’t ask for a better goal than that.

This appears simultaneously at lifeasgood.com.

[Part One]

[Part Two]

Last week was a busy one for our art mentorship program.  The principal and I have been networking with other teachers to find a NASA contact, we had the poster competition deadline, I’ve started planning a field trip to the Getty Center, and we’ve had a small lesson on watercolors.  There were a couple of snags, but the program is rolling along smoothly.

The largest hiccup in the program involved the poster contest for African American Heritage Month.  Only two of the students turned in their posters by the deadline.  A few more students turned in posters later that week but about half hadn’t finished by our session.  When we gathered, I thought it best to start with a little guidance, rather than art.  We talked about not meeting the deadline for the assignment and I linked that to our future project, wondering if they were going to meet that deadline as well.  They promised to make a greater effort at completing assignments and I promised to check up on them by calling them at home to talk about their projects.  I had sent a reminder the Friday before the posters were due but I think I might have misjudged the intrinsic motivation of the whole class.  I suppose we’re all learning each other’s needs as we go along.

I received two more art contest flyers (My Original Character and a Van Gogh haiku contest) from personal contacts over the last week.  I plan on having the class engage in these projects in their spare time at home or at school.  However, with these assignments, I will be much more diligent about checking in with the families. After our conversation, I think both the students and I are motivated to perform well.

Using money from my donation fund, I plan on buying a few more supplies for the group.  I received the principal’s approval for a field trip with the students in the mentorship program.  I let the students choose where they wanted to go from a number of museums in the city.  They all chose the Getty Museum at the Getty Center.  I’ve already sent my request to the Getty and have started the request for the school board.  The only thing that needs to be paid for is transportation; hopefully soon we’ll be rolling into the city in a bright yellow school bus.

After our discussion, we talked about the type of medium they wanted to use for the final project.  Unanimously, they selected paint on canvas.  None of them have worked on canvas before and all of them seem excited to try.  We ended the session with a brief lesson on watercolors and then some freestyle experimentation. With their limited prior experience, I had planned on introducing the medium slowly.  I let the students draw any subject they wanted.  Afterwards, I demonstrated wet and dry applications with the brush and paper.  I was pretty impressed by the control most of them demonstrated.  I allowed them time to experiment with the paints and color.  As you can see by the paintings, the class had a wonderful time.

Look for us again in two weeks.

This also appears at lifeasgood.com.

Last year I became an active member at EAL/LA and one of the things that I’ve admired about my peers is how proactive they are in every aspect of their lives.  This fall’s Creative Conversations, the September workshop with Spark LA, and the energy everyone brings to the various events has inspired me and I’ve been driven by these examples to give back.  This semester, I’m leading a small art mentorship at my elementary school.

There are twelve students in the program and we will meet twice a month for two hours.  The students will also have access to an art room at school and to me as their mentor.  I have a small donation fund, permission, and access to some school supplies and thought, “I don’t need anything else to get started.”  Over the next few months, I’ll be chronicling my journey with these students, their art, and the program.  For the students, I hope to have a sketch a day (even for the youngest one), a monthly piece of art, and a collaborative piece as a final.  As for myself, I would like the students to learn art basics, have their art to shown in the community, possibly find more funding, and try and have as much fun with creative children as possible.  I hope you’ll join us, twice a month.

Before winter break, I had interested student submit applications and an art sample.  I had set twelve as the limit for the program, knowing that the students would need time both at school and at home.  My principal agreed.  The student body seemed to as well; exactly twelve students applied.  Our first meeting was last week.  Most of the students are fifth and sixth graders.  There are a couple of third graders, and one very brave, first grader.  Each of them displays interest in the arts.

After introducing ourselves around the room, I showed the students my collection of “how to” books – Anatomy for the Artist, A Course in Oils, Acrylic Basics, etc.  The fifth grade boys perked at the DC Comics series and other comic book drawing guides.  Surprisingly, it was the girls who went looking for various wonder women first.  “I’m going to make myself a superhero,” one girl exclaimed.

I passed out new, large sized sketchbooks to each of the children.  I had found them on sale (buy one get one for a penny) at Aaron Brothers.   The class went wild.  They were incredibly excited; I was too.  We talked about sketching every day as part of the project for the class.  We drew three-dimensional shapes, practiced shading, and drew a face.  The students were on point for both hours.  The tone of the room was jovial, but everyone was respectful, attentive to their work, and receptive to guidance.

The very next day, one of the other teachers came to tell me he had to confiscate a sketchbook – we laughed about it and both encouraged the student draw at appropriate times.  “You can draw in your book anywhere you want when you graduate,” I whispered in his ear.  That got a laugh.

Next week, we are going to decide on a final project, make color wheels, and start projects for an art contest.

Pencil Nubs, shown above, is student drawings on canvas with acrylic.  

This also appears on my site, lifeasgood.com

Hi EALs,

Please read a letter below from Jackie Koppell of CA Arts Advocates. She’s presenting a great opportunity to get your hands dirty in some advocacy work and, possibly, to take on a leadership role in the local committee. I worked with Jackie and CAA during the Arts in the CA Governor’s Race and highly recommend this ongoing effort to those of you looking to build your advocacy experience.
Tara

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Dear Emerging Arts Leaders,

My name is Jackie Koppell and I am the Director of Programs for California Arts Advocates (CAA). CAA’s mission is “to develop strategies and coordinate advocacy that strengthen arts and culture in California.”

Last year, CAA was intimately involved in the successful “Arts in the California Governor’s Race” campaign and with renewed energy it hopes to remain at the forefront of advocacy for the arts and culture in California. As part of this effort, CAA is looking to establish committees around the state to facilitate this work. I am hoping to have the first of these committees in Los Angeles!

I wanted to contact you all in the hopes that some of you may be interested in getting in on the ground floor to help shape the direction and success of CAA. I would love to work with and learn from those of you who may be interested. As for the time commitment, it would be very doable. I envision one meeting per month with some follow up work in between meetings. It is my hope that these committees help represent the voice of the arts in communities around the state and as such want to grow at a steady, realistic pace to ensure longevity and success.

For more information about CAA, please check out www.californiaartsadvocates.org. If you have any questions and/or are interested in being a part of this exciting new endeavor, please email me at jacqueline.koppell at gmail dot com.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Best,
Jackie

This post was submitted by Tara Aesquivel.

The Otis Report on the Creative Economy of the Los Angeles Region is the first study to capture the monumental economic force of the creative industries in Southern California. For more information or to download the report go to: http://www.otis.edu/creative_economy/

Who got to attend the event last week? What are some of the things you learned?