The Moldy Doily

adieu adieu, parting is such sweet sorrow

The end has finally come for this creative chapter.  I have struggled to make this decision for awhile, but have decided that the time has come to say goodbye to the shop.  The past nine years have been amazing-full of creative artists and designers and makers!  We have had fun parties, sales and performances.

It will be so hard to say goodbye, and I am so grateful that I was able to work with so many incredible and creative souls.

In the beginning, when the block was more like a ghost town, I have the best memories of the local kids and their contribution to the block parties.  One particular girl named Cherie who was adorable and would come by everyday and hug every customer.  Most of those kids have long moved away.

I have met so many people because of the show pony, and have to thank all of my friends who over the years supplied flowers, ladders, tape, cupcakes, wine, their handyman time etc...  Because of my incredible close friends and my dear right arm "britt" the show pony has been able to stay around as long as it did!

There have been some crazy moments on this block, drive by shootings, crazy art openings where I have almost been arrested, that list can go on and on as well.  

From the beginning,musicians like Ariel Pink, Becky Stark, Civil War, Dame Darcy and many more have played, as well as dance troupes, films, bad poetry readings, weird theme shows...the list goes on.  

The list of designers that have graced the space- almost too long to list.

We will be having two sales and then a closing party, which of course I will post.  The first sale is this saturday on the block.  The shop LADYBOY will also be closing at the end of MArch and they will be having a going out of business sale this weekend too. Feb 28 saturday 12-5

XO

It still hasn't hit me yet.  But this has been a huge part of my life here in L.A. and I'm sure the tears will take over soon enough.

random desire

Something about this ghostly floating lamp in the trees makes me want one.

These magical sequin shoes from a stylist's pad on the selby are also making friends

Then of course there's the latest crop of London ready to wear Ossie Clark designs that are just perfect for 70's wood nymphs.

Don't you want a giant vintage denim giant pod bundle bag?

I'd also love to have giant voluminous  locks like these models- but hey- guess that's not gonna happen either

this color is so pretty- love this one

Then I spied these cool optical geometric rugs for sale on the urban outfitters site! pretty cool- kinda reminds me of the painted floors in Fire Walk With Me (Twin Peaks) 

Anyway- don't worry I'm not spending any money- just wanted to share what I would perhaps invest in if I was out and about

it's tough, but you can handle it

The keeper of the craft- georgie boy has been loving all the time I've spent at home making stuff.  He also has been playing with his new stepbro- running around and tearing through my art.  

In between making my paintings and art for this up coming show, I've been coloring in these SUGAR SHARKS inserts for our electronic dance EP.  I think that Britney would be jazzed.  

that's right, these babies are hand painted and decorated and my fingers ache from making them, so if I can sell 5 of them to pay for the band aids to cover my wounds that would be rad.

We linked them to my etsy  site so it's easy to score one.

Here's a few of the smaller paintings that I have recently done for my new show next week at space 15 twenty gallery.

The show debut party is on Friday night with guest d.j.s and musical performance by the RAD band HECUBA

The show is sort of a fashion and art installation and will also feature cool photo books by Taylor Brittenham,some work by Danielle Petrosa and some fashion pieces by show pony designers.  

PLEASE come out for this!  A lot of new framed artwork and also some affordable smaller pieces and prints available.   

a good lemon

Remember William Lemon , the lovely artist who did a small show at the show pony way back?  If you don't recall, he made incredible floral prints on tights and tshirts and giant applique tapestries that looked like they were torn from the walls of an old mystical castle.

Mr. Lemon can transform the skin into a canvas- 

He also collaborated on projects with his muse and love Natasha from Bat for Lashes!  

The following is an excerpt from the cool editorial spread in the new DAZED and CONFUSED mag on the artist:

William Lemon is an uncommon master of fashion design, accessory making, music, writing, cooking and visual art. He sews intricate tapestries from hand-printed fabric which evoke comparisons to Persian miniature painting, His opulently hued silk-screened patterned tights feature alluring snakeskin and lava lotus print designs. And his silk-screened unisex sweatshirts, hoodies and jumpers are decorated with dreamy, mystical scenes. 

For And Who Are You?: Work from Saatchi Online, a group show that I curated at the Sara Tecchia Roma New York gallery last December, Lemon presented a series of scented woodblock prints which illustrated an accompanying opera he wrote and performed with Bat For Lash's Natasha Khan, his mesmerising long-term girlfriend and muse. While at Deitch projects, he performed lines and cut a pig's heart from a friend's shirt with a box cutter while the national anthem played out of a kazoo. Lemon's most recent rock opera Moon & Moon's VII Acts of an Iron King can be heard herealongside act-by-act appropriate illustrations. His unique, ethereal form of skin-art has adorned the flesh of Marc Jacobs, the models of Supreme Modelling Agency, Beck, Chloe Sevigny and Khan. But most significantly, Lemon's principal medium is the generous gesture. Sincere without being earnest, and principled without being pretentious, Lemon makes art about love in all its guises and offers it to strangers.Ana Finel Honigman 

secret hour power

My friend Nina Egli has some new additions to her cool jewelry line Toujours Toi

Her new group is called the "secret hour"

check out her cute website and all of her press on her blog link!

I love love love her darling postcards and illustrations that accompany her line

Here's the designer herself Nina Egli- adorable!

XO

Feeling more worthy...

The super cool blog site WorshipWorthy just did an interview  & confessional and featured my art!  check it out at the link above...

The blog is by Jennifer Wannarachue-check out her pics and bio here:           worship worthy bio/press

below is one of the new pieces I've been working on for the show at Gallery 1520 in March! You may have to click on it to see the whole image because my weird formats on typepad like to cut everything on the right side out of the picture- alas-

Did I mention I  noticed that almost 7 of my blogger links on my sidebar list have been hidden or not published- and I just noticed it!? I guess as I was adding new people links the earlier ones were bumped down and no longer listed. Boo, so I have corrected the error and now we have our pals LOST TEETH and Viv-lish's Tarnished Lady back where they belong.  Old school creative pals

Georgie says that he has been relaxing for me, since I have no time for naps.  He's doing nap overtime

in creating, the hardest part is to begin

I recently relocated my book "The Procrastinator's Handbook", which funny enough was bookmarked around page 16.  Pretty much says it all.  I especially liked the quote in chapter 4 that states "The person who never makes a mistake probably isn't doing anything"

It's been a slight push in right direction-

I've been working on all kinds of little paintings lately, some of them will be included for an up and coming show at gallery 1520 in Hollywood.  For those of you who are in L.A. the show is coming up fast- MArch 6th.  I will post the flyer and details when I get them.  

In the meantime- I've also been working on another dance song for the Sugar Sharks which you can listen to here: SUGAR SHARKS myspace

If you are on myspace you should become our friend, since we only have like 12 at the moment, haha.

XO

hope you are all being creative productive little bees.

decadent and dainty

I really like the work of Rachel Kaye.  She makes these narrative paintings that are loose and dreamy- reminiscent of Karen Kilimnik.  She is having a show at the triple base gallery on Friday!

In her own words- about her work:

RACHEL KAYE ARTIST STATEMENT

My fascination with fame has now evolved into documenting the famous and their surroundings. Because the U.S. has no royal family, I’ve created my own; a blend of Hollywood, fame and old money. In the same way that Jean-Etienne Liotard created portraits of the Habsburg-Lorraine family, I am drawing portraits of our queens and princesses. Or to be more honest, drawing women that are worth the title to me. I’m interested in the world of old time class. People that carry a large personality and can show off decadence with a smile or handbag. And people who are drawn to grand items like chandeliers, flocking, pearl necklaces and very big rooms. I want to draw a world like William Randolph Hearst did when he built Hearst Castle. I want to draw the people I imagine would be hanging out inside these big fabulous places.

The Colony will feature over 30 new paintings, drawings and sculptures by artist Rachel Kaye. Kaye's portraits and domestic interiors are sourced from photographs of high-profile women and their surrounds. The show's title references "The Colony Club," New York City's most prestigious private women's social club founded in 1903 by socialite and suffragist Florence Jaffray Harriman. For her solo show, Kaye curates her own club of powerful and beguiling women by bringing together images of revered figures from Hollywood, fashion and royalty. Rendered in a loose and whimsical style, Kaye's works extract key details from the original image to convey the subject's strong persona and opulence.

Kaye received her BFA from the California College of the Arts (2004). She has had solo shows at Adobe Books Backroom Gallery, San Francisco, CA (2008) and Kayo Gallery, Salt Lake City, UT (2007.) She has also been featured in recent group exhibitions at Gavlak Projects, West Palm Beach, FL; Dinaburg Arts LLC, New York, NY; Stinson Beach Library, Marin, CA and Paul Morris Gallery, New York, NY. Kaye was previously based in San Francisco and currently lives and works in Los Angeles.

having a ball

The First Annual Winter Ball was last night!  My friend Nina put on the entire affair, and it was impressive.  The ballroom was in the beautiful Alexandria Hotel  in downtown L.A.  A bit on the shabby chic side.  All of my pals were working the shindig.  Britt and Taylor were the cute coat checkers, Cynthia was the sassy doorgirl, Justin worked the bar and I helped set up some luxurious chocolates.  

the pre-show set up.  Lots of tables to move and cupcakes to be placed on fancy cake plates

check out the bow I tied for Nina's fancy frock- Probably my best bow tie

Little Desi is all gorgeous in her ballgown

Fran was looking fierce

These were my favorite ladies of the evening!

Let me preface the rest of this post by saying that the bar was open- and I mean way open.  I decided not to drink, wasn't in the mood- but watched others downing tons and tons of of cocktails and found myself witnessing the apocalypse.   Or as I like to say "When Charitable Balls Go Wrong"

Taylor and I went to explore the ghostly haunted 1906 hallways in search of the bathroom and found the famous finials that people told us about (supposedly they are the original owners daughters face! ohhh spooky

taylor took these of me in the crazy red SHINING bathroom...

You can't Bodyguard, if you don't body GLOVE! ha= this door man was giving Mr. Clean a run for his money

By two a.m. the coatcheckers and doorgirl were beat

Some guy decided to strip down in front of an entire room of people. serious. Around this time the bartender retreated into the back to settle up and the night of the living dead zombies ransacked the bar and stole the rest of the drinks.  It was sort of funny to be sober and witness the ladies in their refinery guzzling hard liquor from big bottles while stumbling.  How I imagine the real Marie Antoinette parties.  

people passing out left and right of the coat check

this couple was drunk and dancing and then flat out on the floor after a tricky dance move

taylor took this one of me and ari dancing- 

the evening was a huge success, over 500 people in attendance- and all wearing fancy frocks.  Only bummer was not running into the famous lonely heartbroken ghost that roams the halls.  Especially on Valentines day.

xo

ladies and the land

Somehow even in the crisp cold air, the desert is still the sweetest calm.  I wish that it was 102 however, cause that's my favorite time to be there.  Warm winds and sunsets.  It was Cynthia's annual birthday in Joshua Tree time.  We all drove up on a Saturday, got into our cozy rooms and ate Pappy and Harriet's BBQ.  We also ventured to all of our favorite haunts, like antique shops, western spots and coffee shops.  

the Birthday girl!  Looking so tough in front of the cowboy barber station.

Cynthia's pal Christa has the greatest new pet kitty, a British short hair with lil legs and hair like a soft seal.

cynthia's wedding glass

BIGGEST DOG in all of the LAND!

serious polar bear sized bear- we all cuddled him for a bit

Taylor took these stagecoach pics of me that were taken at "magic hour" right before the sunset.

she also took this one of me- cause I wanted this magical teapot with the crystals

Another year down-

another year older.

Aquarius pal

dear sweet valentine

Guess who wants to wish all of you moldy doilies a HAPPY VALENTINE'S Day? That's right lazy Georgie Boy, hopes that you sweethearts have a good one.  He suggests buying yourself a nice box of fancy dark chocolates, cuddling up in a warm blanket  and watching a movie.

I'm going to be attending my friend Nina's first annual HOLIDAY BALL!  That's right-a real ball with ladies and gents in luxurious frocks, dancing in a huge 1906 historical building ballroom.  It should be fun, her inspiration was Marie Antoinette.  I'll be sure to take lots of pictures so you can see all the creative dresses.  I'm excited because I heard the hotel is one of the most haunted- and that one of the ghosts that roams is the lonely soul of a heartbroken girl.  I also heard the man who originally owned the hotel  lost his daughter during the construction and had his daughter's face built onto all the scones.  Wow. spooky- following Friday the 13th and on Valentines day.  

 

Georgie Boy received a new live in pal this Valentine's Day.  It's taken about 4 days for the two to get officially acquainted but the love parade has finally set sail, just in time for Valentine's Day.  They are finally playing and passing in the hall without having a showdown or hissing fit.  The new pal is "Largent", who has definitely decided that he is the alpha male in this buddy combo.  If you have ever seen the movie "step brothers" with Will Ferrell, this experience has been a little like that. 

Largent is probably thinking, "oh great...I gotta share a food bowl with this fat furry beast?"

 

r.i.p. lil cutie curl

You may not recognize her from the image above, (and you may not even recognize her from her childhood head shot), but this actress was one of my favorite to watch in the famous "OUR GANG" shorts.  

Shirley Jean Rickert appeared alongside Jackie Cooper and the pre-Alfalfa gang in several Our Gang shorts in 1931.  She appeared in ONLY five of the OUR GANG shorts but for the next 78 years, and right up until her obituary in today's Los Angeles Times, she was known as "Shirley Jean Rickert, child star of Our Gang comedies."

She was 82 years old and passed away on Feb 6th according to her daughter Melody.

After those child acting days passed she became known in the Burlesque circuit as Gilda- the crowning glory.  I always loved her strange pale pale white blonde curls back in the early years...and her cute pursed bow lip expressions.  Darling.  

Farewell cutie pie- tell the rest of the rascals hello for us.

sugar attack

I thought I would let you guys be the first to hear a super secret song from my fun project called the  "Sugar Sharks".  It's sort of started out as the musical collaboration of two neighbors in L.A.   One of them a talented musical wizard with instruments and electronics, and the other a rhythm-less hyper muppet who watches a bit too many ghost shows on tv. 

We turned my back room into a musical studio (instead of a flair closet) and found out the acoustics in the vanity hall can make anyone sound pretty good.

It's sort of dance pop for these rainy L.A. days

So listen if you want, just for fun here: sugar sharks 

The whole thing has made me want to make weird paintings with funny faces like these...

soft opening...

my dear and darling pal emily ryan is coming to visit L.A. from nyc soon and we are delighted to host a mini month opening for her new work.  She always creates the best artsy stuff and has the scariest ghost stories to share.  Because our openings are normally the first saturday of the month, but she doesn't arrive til th 10th, we are having a mid month debut for her work.  

We will decide an official show date and then invite you all to the party this coming week!

Besides the show pony girls are venturing off to Joshua tree for Cynthia's annual birthday desert bash.  As you recall from previous years, it's a "get out of town" must.  One of the only places where you can actually relax and sit on a porch with a cup of coffee and watch the landscape unfold.

Last year's festivities parlayed into my break up and year of living single.  Perfect for pre-Valentine's Day again huh?  Nothing better than running out of town with your lady pals in a car full of music and costumes and snacks, to a place where roadrunners, wild bunnies and horses roam free.  

in the still of the eyes

Elizabeth Bauman is an artist living in Keizer, Oregon, who I discovered on etsy. She paints some of her work from old photographs and her portraits are able to capture their haunting essence. I love the muted palette and the stillness to their expressions.  You can find her affordable pieces at her etsy site Elizabeth Bauman ART
All images are copyright Elizabeth Bauman.

Perfect Valentine for yourself

Guess what!?

The CHELAN album is out today on Origami records, with my artwork as the cover.  That means you can finally buy it here! Also available on itunes, emusic and most major sites.

The record is excellent, and if you like all the music I normally mention- then you should love this stuff too.  The album is sort of an electro-acoustic hybrid with soaring female vocals.  Perfect for making art, sewing things, daydreaming while driving (maybe that's not a good idea) or dancing by yourself.

The EP to this album received album of the year on Nextmusic.com.  

Support new music! and the artists