Because artists don't eat ... or something

I just finished a piece for a project in conjunction with the American Planning Association conference to be held in 2011.
"breathe"

The piece includes cigarette ash, carbon monoxide blown on the canvas, crushed pine needles, embroidery, CO2 (aerosol)...I literally put aspects of the sky and of air quality on the piece. It was a challenge, but I am happy with the results. =

I looked up women environmental artists and am newly acquainted with Agnes Denes and was glad to see her Wheatfield, created about 25 years before the Lauren Bon Cornfield. Both very industrious projects. Here is another article on land and environmental art on World Changing dot com.

This last month I have also been thinking about sustainability which lead to thoughts about groceries. We have been really slack on getting our food garden going this past year....as if we have no motivation to survive.

Food talk doesn't seem particularly conducive to an art blog. But, I have a somewhat secret photo stash of my food. I post them every now and then -- to the chagrin of unsolicited advice from people who tell me that I should only post serious stuff about my art if I want to be taken seriously. I don't know, I thought everyone had to eat, but maybe in some art world circles the artists exist on osmosis or something.

In the mean time, live long and prosper.

originally written for movement 365, Leora Lutz, 12/6/2010

Go-About Bergamot Station and Chinatown

Here is a new one for the Go-About series. It's my way of sharing the things that friends/colleagues/peers are doing, living and passionate about.

First stop:Bergamot - Samuel Freeman Gallery. Group show, "Mostly Sculpture (damn it)"
Treats abounded for the eyes and the taste-buds!
Here I show off the pretty jello treat that was served to those "in-the-know".

Inedible yet at once delicious treats:
Everyone got COOLHAUS!!

In anticipation for the opening, some folks thought that this was a little too pedestrian for such a serious group show.

My thoughts were, "Maybe that is the point". Well, it turned out to be the Perfect Touch - added so much Joy and Fun to the event, for all - (including Ed Moses).
PLEASE! save me from all the SERIOUS ART for a change. And actually, from a curatorial stand-point - It Worked!!
I had the ginger cookie with lemon ice-cream.
A few more highlights...
Jerry Thomas & Chuck Arnoldi in the patio:
My pal, Todd Squires STUNNING piece, "Altoid". Please go see this delicious thing in person, you will totally drool!
Jheri Redding
From decadence to de-elegance, the next stop was Chinatown. Into the alley where Telic Arts Exchange resides.
Group show for "The Public School" project series this summer..."classes", engagement, dialogue and participation for practicing artists. Brilliant!!

I recently joined the URBAN PLEIN AIR SOCIETY OF LOS ANGELES. We make art outside. Here is a bit of the show:
Daniel Ingroff drawing- co-creator of the UPASLA is on the right.
My piece on the far left.
Danielle McCullough and Telic folks ... thinking and chatting in their basement location.
My friend/peer/artist I exhibited at GR, Ya Ya Chou translated the sign in the alley above their door:
"Los Angeles County Triumph[ant] Theatre of the Arts..." (I hope I remembered that right!)
Across the alley to a big Group Show at Jancar...some highlights:

Then to Sam Lee -- Apologies to Sam Lee: NO PICTURES! I'm sorry!!
His gallery was packed and the show is amazing. Sam said he "wanted to show the dark side of a summer back-yard."

Perfect, fresh show and a perfect curatorial interpretation of all that is urban, all that is nature, the flight of the norm, the fear and the comfort in all things uncomfortable.
See it here.

Then over to David Salow: Yo Fukui "Future Imperfect".



Needless or necessary to say, the day was filled with tied together fragments that entwined the senses and stated what is needed in ways that make us feel collective.
Art is engagement - it is a participation.

It is not about You - it is about Us.
It is not about objects and the things we make or why.

It is about
Where.

Today was about Going Places, stimulating, real, raw, fun(ny), delicious life.
Go-About!!