Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Where We're Gonna Be




OK, they look like guys on a wanted poster, but this Thursday night, Electronica DJs MR Oizo, wunderkind Brodinski, french visionary DJ Falcon, italo bass champion CongoRock, dancefloor destroyer Harvard Bass, birthday boss Destructo, afterparty ambassador Chris Holmes, host Keith WIlson, and old school DJs Mike Messex and Sean Perry, will lay to waste the venerable and historic Music Box Theatre, on Hollywood Boulevard. We'll be there. You'll be there. And a few thousand others greeting the dawn of the 'teens. Unlike most HARD events this year, organizers have chosen an indoor venue for
their New Year’s Eve bash, so if you have to dance a little closer, we're ok with that.

Friday, December 31st 2010
The Music Box
(Henry Fonda Theatre)
6126 Hollywood Boulevard
Limited Capacity
Doors at 8:00 pm

BUY ONLINE: $50 / $60 / $70. On sale at GROOVETICKETS.

GO V.I.P: VIP table seats up to eight guests. Reservations are currently available.

ORDER BY PHONE: Dial toll free 1-855-2-FLAVOR.

BUY AT RETAIL OUTLETS: Limited quantity pre-sales available:
MISHKA • 1547 Echo Park Ave Los Angeles, CA 90026 • 213-536-4234
XLARGE • 1768 N Vermont Ave Los Angeles, CA 90027 • 323-666-3483
BLENDS • 125 West 4th St Los Angeles, CA 90013 • 213-626-6607
BLENDS • 2930 Bristol St Costa Mesa, CA 92626 • 714-241-0666
GLOBE CLOTHING STORE • 168 W 3rd St Pomona, CA 91766 • 909-620-2772

Saturday, December 18, 2010

LAPD Shooting of 13 year-old Draws Contentious Crowd



by Margaret Arnold
News Editor
Arroyo Seco Journal

The recent LAPD shooting of a 13-year old Glassell Park boy on December 16 was the subject of a sometimes contentious community meeting the following evening at the Glassell Park Community Center.

The name of the young victim has not been released because he is a minor, and many details of the incident have not been revealed, because they are the subject of an ongoing investigation.

Commander John Sherman of the Los Angeles Police Department Central Bureau told attendees at the standing room only community meeting that at about 8 p.m. on Thursday, December 16, two LAPD Northeast Division officers were driving down Verdugo Road in Glassell Park when they saw three people in the street. As the officers approached, according to Sherman, the three people began to run, two in one direction and one in the opposite direction. The officers ordered them to stop, at which point, Sherman said, two complied and one did not. The one who was not complying with police orders produced a replica handgun—an air pistol bearing a serious resemblance in size, shape and color to the guns that police officers themselves carry. It was at that point, according to Sherman, that the youth was shot by one of the police officers.

Sherman said that all three youths were found to have been carrying replica handguns. It is believed that they had been running around the street shooting the air guns at each other.

“From every angle, this is a complete tragedy,” Sherman said.

While police cannot release the name of the victim, the LAPD is saying that he is male, about 5’7” and weighs about 200 pounds. There was a loud gasp among the crowd at the community meeting when it was revealed that the hospitalized victim is only 13 years old.

The other youths involved in the incident are 13 and 14 years old. No charges are being brought against any of the minors.

The Inspector General’s office, which responds to every police-involved shooting and use of force incident, will now investigate the case. The Inspector General operates independently of the LAPD, and both the Inspector General and LAPD leadership report to an appointed Police Commission. Upon completion of the investigation, Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck will make a recommendation, and the Inspector General will make a recommendation. An ultimate decision as to how to respond to the tragedy and whether there will be any charges or remonstration against the involved officers will be made by the Police Commission.

The incident is not considered to have been gang-related in any way, although Guillermo Cespedes, who heads up Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s Office of Gang Reduction and Youth Development did attend the Glassell Park community meeting to convey the Mayor’s interest and concern. One community member questioned whether, while the young people involved are not gang members, police in a heavily gang inhabited neighborhood like the one in which the shooting took place might be quicker to use force than in other areas.

The community meeting was also attended by Juan Carlos Mendoza, Acting Consul General for the local Mexican Consulate. Mendoza said that his office is working closely with the police department during the investigation. But he also spoke bluntly about the Consulate’s willingness to make legal advise available to the victim’s family and, should it appear necessary, to bring a civil suit against the police officer involved in the shooting.

“We have excellent communication with the police department,” said Mendoza. “We’re not looking for revenge. We are looking to have the investigation reveal exactly what happened, and we will take action accordingly.”

Mendoza asked that anyone with any information on the case bring it to the Consulate’s attention.

Many questions went unanswered at the community meeting. Due to the victim’s age, state law and the fact of an ongoing investigation, the LAPD did not divulge many details of the incident, including in what manner the youth produced the fake weapon, whether he pointed it, how many feet away from the officer he was and why the officer didn’t fire in the air or aim for the boy’s foot. Sherman replied simply that “the officer felt threatened,” an incomplete answer that caused grumbling in the audience.

“Por que venimos?” said one woman near the back of the room.

“So then we’re done here,” said another woman.

Inspector General Nicole Bershon, who attended the meeting on her first visit to Northeast Los Angeles since her appointment to the position a few months ago, interjected that she would be “very concerned if we had all the answers within 24 hours because that would suggest the investigation wasn’t very thorough.”

One topic of discussion at the Glassell Park meeting was the ready availability of fake guns that look like the real thing.

A photograph of a fake gun taken from one of the youths was passed around at the meeting. It looked very much like a real handgun and was labeled “UKARMS.”

UKARMS’ web site reads, “We are Airsoft Gun Manufacturers' representative, the exclusive Chinese airsoft gun source.”

An Airsoft gun uses air to shoot BB pellets. The UKARMS web site says that Airsoft was “created for people who enjoy target practicing or indoor plinking with friends. Individuals who are not concerned about the high power hunting application of a BB or pellet gun but just wanted to have Fun.”

Toy guns that are sold in stores generally have bright orange tips so that officers can distinguish toys from the real thing, and some in attendance at the meeting said they’d experienced no trouble telling the difference. However, various community members at the meeting suggested that such toys without the bright tips can be purchased at local ice cream trucks, and that the tips of toy guns can be gone over with black marker while the tips of real guns can be painted orange. As depicted on UKARMS’ web site, what they sell is orange-tipped.

Sherman said that Chief Beck is working in support of laws that would prohibit the sale of soft air BB pistols.




LAPD Northeast Division: 213-485-2563;

Office of the Inspector General: Monday-Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at 213-482-6833 www.ci.la.ca.us/oig/isgcu1.htm;

Mexican Consulate in the United States: 213-351-6800;

LAPD Text-a-tip Service: User types “LAPD” plus their tip on their cell phone or PDA and texts it to “CRIMES” (274637). The police have no way of determining the user’s identity;

LAPD Web Tip link: www.lapdonline.org and follow the link for “Anonymous Web Tips.” The police have no way of determining the user’s identity.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Arroyo Arts Collective Discovery Tour

The 18th Annual Arroyo Arts Collective Discovery Tour, Sunday, November 21.
Photos by Margaret Arnold and Rosamaria Marquez.
The annual Discovery Tour offers a rare opportunity to visit artists’ homes and studios in Highland Park, Eagle Rock, Garvanza, Montecito Heights and Mount Washington. Tour goers meet the artists and see how and where they derive their inspiration and do their work. They can buy works, large and small, directly from the artists themselves. The tour celebrates the area’s heritage as L.A.’s original arts community as well as its vibrant artistic present.






Howard Swerdloff/Carol Colin and Ted Waltz/Carol Colin and Ann Walnum/Raoul De la Sota and City Councilmember Ed Reyes





Ginger Mayerson/Madam X/Frank Gutierrez and Rosamaria Marquez/Mavis Leahy/Lynette Yetter





Annie Forguette/Patricia Lee/Lynette Yetter and Rosamaria Marquez/Mavis Leahy/Madam X, Rosamaria Marquez, Heather Hoggan & Amy Inouye





Ruth DeNicola with art by Mavis Leahy/Heather Hoggan/Kacy Treadway/Ruth DeNicola/Howard Swerdloff

"Haramokngna A Place Where People Gather"


The many ways in which Highland Park has been a gathering spot—from Tongva settlement to birthday party in the park—are depicted in a temporary mural installation, a collaborative effort between local high school students and professional artists, on view on North Figueroa Street across from Sycamore Grove Park.
“Haramokngna A Place Where People Gather,” was dedicated November 21 during the Arroyo Arts Collective Discovery Tour.
Students from Franklin High School and Academia Avance spent 15 months on the mural under the guidance of artists Pola Lopez and Heriberto Luna. Its creation was spearheaded by LA Commons in partnership locally with Avenue 50 Studio.
“We watched our students grow and empower themselves, not only as budding artists, but also as members of their community,” Lopez wrote in the project’s Artist Statement.
The mural is hung at the GlenMary Archway, which leads to the home of Lupe Handy. Mrs. Handy, now 87, has cared for 150 foster children there. The mural is dedicated to her.
“What we did was akin to making a dress without a pattern,” wrote Lopez. “We dreamed it, designed it, cut out the pattern, sewed it together, embellished it with our images, and finally fitted it and had to make adjustments.”
At the dedication, Youth Artist Alex Soto explained how the students began their participation in the project by gathering stories. Then they asked people what they thought of Highland Park.
Youth Artist Heather Fuentes spoke of how her 15 months of participation in the project made her feel “proud to be part of our community.”
Fuentes expressed the hope that the mural will serve the continuation of Highland Park’s role as a place where people gather.
“Art helps us interact with one another,” the young artist said. “It doesn’t need words.”
The team of Youth Artists included Lino Aguilar, Michelle Aguilar, Cynthia Avila, Cindy Delarosa, Isabel Franco, Francisco Franco, Heather Fuentes, Evany Ibarra, Terri Jackson, Linette Martinez, Jocelyn Rivera, Alex Soto, Yomaira Tapia, Douglas Vasquez, Sam Childs, Genessee Cervantes, Sofia Garcia, Tiffany Garibay, Brian Hernandez, Adrian Manzanares, Thalia Torres and Amyleila Mejia.


















Sunday, December 12, 2010

Chicken Boy and Guardian Honored



Chicken Boy’s guardian, Amy Inouye of Highland Park, was among nine recipients of the year’s Governor’s Historic Preservation Awards.
Chicken Boy spent his earliest years atop a chicken outlet on Historic Route 66 in Downtown Los Angeles. When that gig ended in 1984, Inouye saved the half chicken-half boy from a fate worse than death, moved him and guarded him until 2007, when she was able to install him on top of Future Studio on North Figueroa Street, from where he once again looks down on Historic Route 66.
Established in 1986, the Governor's Historic Preservation Awards are presented annually under the sponsorship of the State Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) and California State Parks to recognize meaningful achievements in historic preservation and to increase public awareness, appreciation and support for historic preservation efforts throughout the State.
Inouye recently travelled to Sacramento to receive the award. Chicken Boy elected to remain in Highland Park to guard the roost.
The City of Los Angeles Office of Historic Resources was also honored for its SurveyLA Public Participation Program.

Atwater Village Park Expansion



Ground has been broken for an expansion of North Atwater Park and a related creek restoration project. Three acres of parkland between the creek and the Los Angeles River will feature a picnic area, demonstration garden, outdoor classroom, concrete play tunnel and sand play area. The creek restoration will involve native plantings to prevent erosion and to improve water quality by cleaning storm water before it hits the river.
Councilmember Tom LaBonge, who represents North Atwater Village on the Los Angeles City Council, was joined by two Northeast Los Angeles colleagues, Ed Reyes and Eric Garcetti, for the groundbreaking. After the formal ceremony, LaBonge enthusiastically led guests to a section of the river where nature is at work reclaiming the space.
“There's so much history and meaning right here, and nobody has a bad day at a park,” LaBonge told attendees.
The project will cost $1.3 million and is partially funded through voter-approved Proposition 50. It is part of the Los Angeles River Revitalization Master Plan. Completion is expected by the end of 2011.

Friday, December 10, 2010

webweaver.nu
Happy 5th Birthday NELAart!

Art Listings~~Saturday, December 11

The Second Saturday of every month, Northeast Los Angeles art galleries stay open late for NELAart Second Saturday Gallery Night. The event is a celebration of the thriving NELA contemporary arts community and of NELA’s history as L.A.’s original arts community. Visit nelaart.com to download a gallery map.

Where to see art Saturday, December 11
including:
NELAart’s Second Saturday Galleries (2 New Ones!)
Stores and Coffee Houses showing local artists
Special Events
And other once-in-a-lifetime opportunities
(7 to 10 p.m. unless otherwise indicated)

Avenue 50 Studio
121 North Avenue 50
“Words of Paz.” Visual Reflections on the Poetry of Octavio Paz. Curated by Raoul De la Sota. Works by Abel Alejandre, Guillermo Bejerano, Raoul De la Sota, John Deheras, Rebeca Guerrero, Pola Lopez, Jose Lopes, Jose Lozano, Poli Marichal, Isabel Martinez, Andres Montoya, Marianne Sadowski, CiCi Segura Gonzalez, Kathy Mas-Gallegos, Sergio Vasquez, J. Michael Walker.
In the Annex: “8” x 8”” A $100 Silent Art Auction with works by Judith Amdur. Linda Arreola. Joe Bravo. Rudy Calderon. Martin Charlot. Raoul De la Sota. Kikki Eder. Margaret Garcia. Yolanda Gonzalez. Dolores Guerrero, Frank Gutierrez. Peter Hess, Michelle Juarez Taylor. Susan Lasch Krevitt. Ron Llanos. Robert Louden. Jose Lozano. Daniel Martinez. Isabel Martinez. Paul Martinez. Kathy Mas-Gallegos. Andres Montoya. Julie Nagesh. Yana Nervana. Toti O'Brien. Ramon Ramirez. Stuart Rapeport. Sonia Romero. Daniel Ruiz. Richard Scully. Antonio Sorcini. Howard Swerdloff. Kacy Treadway. Melly Trochez.

Bike Oven
3706 North Figueroa
The Spoke(n) Art bicycle ride to several local galleries leaves at 7. Return about 10 for an after party. Ilir Zeneli showing paintings. Ilir’s band Peg Leg Love and His Name is Red will play.

Cactus
5434 Eagle Rock Boulevard
Annual miniatures show, "Tiny Treasures," featuring small, original and affordable works of art in a cash-and-carry style exhibit. All art will be priced at or below $100 with some works priced as low as $25. In addition, you can always find wonderfully priced jewelry and art objects that are completely handcrafted by Argentine artisans and created specifically for Cactus Gallery.

Cafe de Leche
5000 York Boulevard
A coffee shop with monthly exhibits by local artists. Featuring a singular art installation by Julia Michalski in collaboration with SO DA (Julianna So and Brenda So). It's architecture meeting historic brick wall.

Curve Line Space
1577 Colorado Boulevard
Kate Savage: "Out of the Woods"

Future Studio
5558 North Figueroa
“Soft.” Artists' Stuffed Animal Show, curated by Edith Abeyta. Available for cash and carry. Kim Abeles, Michele Hubacek, Edith Abeyta, Amy Inouye, Rheim Alkadhi, Merry-Beth Noble, Marshall Astor, Charlene Roth, Sandra Carter Rachel Siegel, Amy Caterina, Yong Sin, Jacqueline Draeger, Camilla Stacey, Beth Elliott, Deborah Thomas, Carol Es, Porous Walker, Bean Gilsdorf, Julie Zemel, Heather Hoggan. Chicken Boy Shop will be open.

The Glass Studio
5052 York Boulevard
Art glass and tiles, classes and supplies. Debut featured artists are Leigh Adams, Chad Sterandeo, Shirlee Yantz and The Glass Studio owner, Cathi Milligan.

José Vera Fine Art & Antiques
2012 Colorado Boulevard
“Observations: Past and Present.” Featuring the art of Charles Borman, Ron Kriss and David McNutt. Borman’s works, the majority carved from one piece each of American Lime, are influenced by works of Native People of the Northwest Coast. They also depict animals of the Southwest. Kriss’ illustrations have graced record album and CD covers for most major recording companies. He is a well-known film poster artist and has also created 40 murals for a western financial institution. Kriss is currently working on a series of fine art paintings of Koi and Geishas. McNutt has designed award-winning university publications, and his work has appeared in numerous art and design textbooks. He is also the author/illustrator of a children's book entitled There Was An Old Man Who Lived In A One. His media include drawing, painting, printmaking, jewelry-making, sculpture and photography. 6-9 p.m.

Kristi Engle Gallery
5002 York Boulevard
TBA: A Group Video Exhibition in 7 Parts. Part 2 features works by Stephanie Allespach, Nichole Antebi, Davis & Davis, Ecstatic Energy Consultants Inc. in collaboration with Elana Mann, Michele Jaquis, Susan Joseph, Annetta Kapon, Hillary Musnkin (with Jen Hofer), Danial Nord. (For complete viewing, the gallery also will be open daily, noon-6 p.m., through December 18.)

Leanna Lin’s Wonderland
5024 Eagle Rock Boulevard
The Artist Sisters: CJ Metzger & Miss Mindy’s “Heart on Our Sleeve,” splendid works in paint, pencil & ink. Small paintings, drawings and watercolors, hand embellished limited edition prints, hand painted nesting dolls, signed sets and more. New works just added.
Local Jewelry Designer Trunk Show. Meli Jewelry by Ashley Gall, ODD Jewelry by Oskar de la Cruz (Luxe de Ville), Thursday Brown by Sharon Sancer and new Leanna Lin Jewelry. Holiday Drinks + Sweets from Maile's Fine Pastries, Don Chow Tacos Chinese Mexican fusion truck. Live music by Love In The Circus at 7 p.m. 6-10 p.m.

M2 Gallery
New!
4501 Eagle Rock Boulevard
“Crowns + Veils.” Javiera Estrada presents a unique mixed media exploration of traditional photography, digital texturing, sanding, wood and resin, a photographic journey of the struggle between the ego and true nature. 7-11 p.m.

MorYork Gallery
4959 York Boulevard
“be-longing” Paintings by Tamarind Rossetti. "Have you ever stood on a cliff above the ocean, or floated in a boat in the middle of a lake and felt that you were undeniably part of the vital breath of the water? This is what painting does for me. I begin a piece by choosing intense colors and mixing them to abstract attraction. Then images appear and I bring them into focus, often animals. My recent work is an exploration of vibrant turquoises, blues, ochres, and birds flying and floating through these." .

New Stone Age Mosaics
4532 1/2 Eagle Rock Boulevard
The mosaic studio of Mary Clark-Camargo (who just did four pieces for the TV show “Parks and Recreation).

An Orange Door
3188 Verdugo Road
Jordan Halsey / Rafael Serrano

Outpost for Contemporary Art
1268 North Avenue 50
T-shirt Revival Night is a silk-screening event that features a new artist every month. Bring a favorite old T-Shirt that needs a little sprucing up or any other item you'd like to have the artist print on. Each print is only $6, or buy two for $10. This month: Stephanie Sabo, whose interest in the profusion of winter apparel as a standard for holiday gift-giving has led her to create unique experimentation with the textural limitations of the T-shirt. Sabo has taken patterns from garments such as sweaters and scarves, and will collage them into compositional explorations to enliven simple cotton jersey knit. A variety of colors and screens will be available, allowing the viewer to advise the artist and participate in determining the image, placement and overall style of their new creation.

Public Fiction (the museum of)
749 North Avenue 50
A shape-shifting museum in the model of cabinets of curiosity. The shows combine made and found things to create slightly unusual environments, to frame art, artifact and facsimile in one fictional place. Currently: “Public Records,” featuring Alee Peoples, Anders Johnson, Ashley Zangle, assume astro vivid focus, BEVERLY FRE$H, Bobbi Woods, Breanne Trammell, Brendan Threadgill, Brie Ruais, Clement Valla, Davida Nemeroff, Erin Perry, Grant Worth, Greg Kalliche, Julia Dault, Joshua Callaghan, Kat Hodges, Mark Rice, Maureen Keaveny, Michael Bizon, Michael Magnan, Paul Pescador, Riah Buchanan, Sto, Talon True Gustafson, Walker Mettling.

Show Cave
3501 Eagle Rock Boulevard
“L AZY ID E N TIT Y,” new videos curated by Hazel Hill McCarthy III. Screening at 10 p.m. sharp. Performance and after party with Mikki and the Mauses. $5.

Studio Root66
5917 North Figueroa
“Collection,” a sampling of photographic art by Nicole Fournier. Fournier is an accomplished production artist, photo editor and photographer with 13 years experience in the publishing industry--specializing in books, magazines and newspapers. Her process begins with photography. She then prints the image onto canvas. After stretching the canvas, she embellishes the surface using an encaustic wax process. Special musical guests Princess Pangolin, a four-piece female acoustic band, will perform one set only at 8 p.m.

She Rides the Lion
133 North Avenue 50
The print-making studio of Sonia Romero.

THIS
5906 North Figueroa
"THIS Holiday." Cash & Carry Extravaganza. Affordable handmade goods.
Ben Woodward, Blake E. Marquis, Caroline Hwang, Christopher Bettig, Damien Correll, Garrett Morin, Jim Houser, Kevin Byrd, Kimberly Scola, Mary's Granddaughter, Todd St. John and a couple surprises. noon-6 p.m.

Urchin
5006½ York Boulevard
A vintage clothing store with works by young local artists on the walls.

Verbre Studio and Gallery
4540 Eagle Rock Boulevard
The art studio of D. Paul Verbre.

Workspace
2601 Pasadena Avenue
“Dark Glasses,” an installation by Bobbi Woods.

York Studios—The Loft
5029 York Boulevard
Get ready for some great Music, Art, Dancing and a Live Art Auction! 7 p.m.-2 a.m. Bands start at 9.

2 Tracks Art Studio
135 North Avenue 50
The LA-Artist Documentary Project is dedicated to people working creatively in and around Los Angeles. In addition to producing a series of informative online films, a team of dedicated volunteers has been strategically placing ArtCards all over the greater Los Angeles area—in coffee shops, art galleries, community centers, schools, etc.—to facilitate a citywide community art project linking LA’s heterogeneous range of artistic practices. ArtCards are published in an online archive (www.la-artist.com/artcard). The most recent ArtCard submissions will be on exhibit at 2 Tracks Studio. 6-9 p.m.

1215 Projects
New!
1215 Cypress Avenue
“Vision Pulse.” Artist Scot Schneir is having his first solo exhibit. Inspired by daily
experiences and personal interpretations, his collection of paintings reveals
a soul searching journey through abstract and contemporary images. 7 p.m.-midnight.

Holiday Art Sale and Party


Avenue 50 Studio, Two Tracks Studio and She Rides the Lion
Sixth Annual Holiday Sale & Party

131-135 North Avenue 50
www.Avenue50Studio.com
Saturday, December 18th from 7:00pm to 11:00pm, and
Sunday, December 19th from 12:00 noon to 4:00pm
Original and affordable prints, paintings, photography, jewelry, scarves, etc. by local artists:
Anna Alvarado, Lalo Alcaraz, Nico and Alfonso Aceves, Joseph Botello, Benito Campos, Damian Dovarganes, Raquel Escobar, Jack Fenn Margaret Garcia, Rosie Getz, Jaime Guerrero, Roberto Gutierrez, Mavis Leahy, Pola Lopez, Jose Lozano, Heriberto Luna,
Stephanie Mercardo, Gracie Miller, Gisel Osuma, Robert Palacios,Beth Peterson, Nancy Romero, Sonia Romero, Jaime Sabatte, Marianne Sadowski, Roderick Smith, Kay Brown with Los de Abajo, Hector Silva, Miranda Calvin Tanya, Stormie Trujillo, Richard Valdes, Michael J Walker and more.
Festive Attire encouraged.

Panpipes in Highland Park

Lynette at the Arroyo Arts Collective Discovery Tour

Lynette Yetter will be reading and signing her novel Lucy Plays Panpipes for Peace December 19, 1 p.m., at Avenue 50 Studio, 131 North Avenue 50 in Highland Park.

Lynette Yetter is an author, indie musician, visual artist and film-maker dedicated to inspiring people to live their dreams. Lynette played panpipes on the Academy Award Nominated documentary, "Recycled Life." She followed the sound of the panpipes from California to the Andes. Her experiences she transforms into music, movies, books and art to touch your soul and make you think.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Northeast Holiday Parade Fundraiser

Northeast Los Angeles Holiday Parade Barbeque Fundraiser, October 2010. Sponsored by the Highland Park Chamber of Commerce and the Eagle Rock Chamber of Commerce at the Eagle Rock home of Michael and Eugenie Nogueira.