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Monthly Archive for March, 2010
© kristine asta helgason
Tuesday morning, Enterprise picked us up and the process of renting a Chevy Aveo was quick and painless (not a great car, but cheap). We drove to Pasadena to visit Art Center’s South Campus where I had an appointment to look at the graduate studios. It was just a tour, not an interview or anything, but I’m very excited. I contemplated not writing about this process in case I’m not accepted, but as I’ve been reading biographies and attending artist talks, many great artists don’t get into a lot of grad programs. I’m working on being less shameful and embracing the learning experience of trying things when I’m not sure how well I’m going to do.
Anyway, I had a great impression of Art Center. I almost dismissed it as more of a design school but the visit with the coordinator really made me feel that the fine arts graduate program is different than the others. He was so helpful and nice and all of my questions were answered exactly as I’d hoped. The facilities seem really great and Pasadena isn’t too far from Silverlake (where Tim & I hope to live next fall).
We got a little lost and eventually just headed back to Silverlake instead of walking around Old Town. In Silverlake we stopped at Reform School on Sunset. I was so tempted to buy nearly everything, particularly, Kim Gordon’s Chronicles and a huge Moleskine sketchbook, but instead I left with plans to beg for the Backyard Tipi for Christmas 2010. (I know, I know, it says it’s for kids, but in person, it looks big enough for my 5’3″ self.)
Tuesday night, Justin and Lincoln met us at the hotel and we went to the Red Lion and then the Cha Cha Lounge and drank an appropriate amount of cheap drinks for two great bars and took photobooth pictures in which I sat in the front so my head consumes the majority of each shot. Oops.
We booked the room for an extra night on Wednesday. Too much of the day was spent driving down the dreaded Santa Monica Boulevard but Family proved to be worth it as usual. I bought Letters to a Young Artist by Peter Nesbett (don’t be put off by the cover, it was great and I read it in a day) and The Fall of the Studio: Artists at Work by Wouter Davidts, which I have yet to read. I was excited to see that an alum from my college is selling his self published artist book there– photographer and founder of Hassla Books, David Schoerner. His new book of photographs is being released in April, and you can glimpse at it and preorder here.
Thursday morning we went to Dragonfly Dulou in Los Feliz. I wish they had stores like this near me when I was a child! I bought some toys for my nephews and niece but resisted the organic playdough (easily made at home) and Dwell Studio for Baby products that I tried to justify as my sister is pregnant for the fourth (!) time.
During our last few days with Tim’s friends in the valley, we did more of the aforementioned drinking and lazing about and music-listening, as well as made a trip to Malibu which turned out to be foggy and visited Justin and Jess’ moms at the Americana in Glendale where they rented a place for a few nights. I could easily get sucked into the experience of the Americana had I enough money and closet space, but I can’t imagine why anyone would purchase a condo there. It’s overwhelming with capitalism, crowds, and the constant need to be entertained by something or someone else. Let’s just say I really enjoyed sitting in our friends’ backyard reading in the sun.
© kristine asta helgason
Tim bought us plane tickets to LA for my Christmas present so I could get a look at the fine arts grad program at Art Center, visit my old stomping grounds in Los Feliz/ Silverlake, and hang out with his friends from home who transplanted themselves into the valley around the same time that I lived in LA. It’s been beautiful the entire time, save for a foggy visit to Malibu, and I honestly don’t want to go back to Boston.
We were greated at LAX by Justin and Goat (Steve) and some really nasty shots that tasted like rubbing alcohol and set a precadent for an fun, Natty-Ice-filled vacation. On the first full day, Tim’s friend-from-home and singer/ songwriter Lincoln and his girlfriend and fashion student Jess took us to Jet Rag in West Hollywood. The store was overall disappointing and reminded me how disheartening thrifting in LA is, but I probably would have bought a vintage leather jacket if I had the room in my suitcase to bring it home. Afterward, we ate at Cheebo on Sunset- great food but it seemed like they kept forgetting about us though they didn’t seem particularly busy.
(I’m not going to write out every moment of every day and night we spent in the valley, just imagine a lot of cheap beer and liquor, a trampoline in the backyard, a bunch of instruments at hand, and reading under the sun.)
On Monday we were picked up by Enterprise and brought back to the shop only to find out that we couldn’t rent without a major credit card. I thought I was being smart by leaving mine at home (avoid losing it and overspending) and Tim has an account but hasn’t gotten a new card since he paid it off. They were completely unwilling to help us which upset me terribly because I had an appointment to visit Art Center in Pasadena the next day, and we were checking in to the Comfort Inn on Sunset in Silverlake that afternoon. Justin and Chris came to our rescue as I stormed out of Enterprise and brought us to Fred 62′s where Tim treated us all to breakfast/ lunch and the dime bag (a meal consisting of pancakes, bacon, etc which does compare to the common use of the term– it’s that good) cheered me up.
We got dropped off at the hotel and were surprised at the perfect location and clean rooms. I’ve stayed at hotels in various price ranges but for this cheap you don’t usually get location, cleanliness, and a mini-fridge to hold your beer and cheap champagne. While Tim cleaned up to prepare to go out, I called the Enterprise in Los Feliz (I rented from them a few years ago) and they were awesome. They assured us that a copy of our itinerary that shows we are flying out of LAX later that week or confirmation from the hotel that we are guests would allow us to use a debit card instead of a credit card. They were so, so pleasant and helpful on the phone– I was hoping they’d be more agreeable when I called but I wasn’t expecting they’d be this great.
That night we walked down to the Silverlake Lounge and were surprised to find a few bands were about to go on. We stayed for Crayon Fields– an Australian band that sounded like a unique blend of Belle and Sebastian and the Beach Boys. (It works for them, oddly enough.) Back at the hotel, I found The Fold website which listed the Damn Sons as playing that night and upon listening we really wished we had stayed. Travel by Sea is playing there in April– just another of many reasons that I do not want to gome home tomorrow.
I don’t want to waste more precious LA time sitting inside writing so I will continue perhaps tomorrow during our three hour lay over.
Resa Blatman is currently showing at Montserrat College of Art in the Carol Schlosberg Alumni Gallery from March 2 – 27th 2010. She did an artist talk upstairs from the gallery in one of the classrooms on Thursday and I was fortunate enough that my advisor thought it would be a good idea to reschedule our weekly meeting so I could attend.
Blatman is an educated, well-rounded artist having been trained in Fine Arts, Graphic Design, and Painting at various institutions. Normally it might be disappointing to enter an artist talk to find the artist showing from their website, but you should know that Blatman’s background in Graphic Design makes her more than an exception. I have so, so many bookmarked photography websites but so few belonging to painters because it seems there aren’t as many out there and few of this quality. I’m always impressed when, during artist talks, they show their work from grad school or immediately after college and even more so when they are available on the artists website so I can go back and look at the work the next day, and the day after that, and two weeks later, etc. Not to mention, the site was designed by Blatman Design (the artist and her husbands team) which I think is the best way to do it because no one knows her work better. My only thing is that I would love more detail shots or a zoom option because her details are beautiful in person.
The above image is representative of her current work and what you would see visiting her exhibition at Montserrat. The following are older works, which are perhaps more interesting to me because she spoke of how they deal with fertility, femininity, and sex– something I’m trying to figure out in regards to my work right now.
The gallery hours and directions are available right here so if you haven’t seen it and live in, oh, a two hour vicinity, I suggest you visit.