The Lardner Report

Unleash your creative superpowers!

Artist, Vandal, Or Both?

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(Pic #1) Top view of rear wheel, painted bike, Chelsea , NYC.

I’m not really sure how this happened, nor why. But the artist left quite a splash on 9th Avenue in NYC. While the bike owner could not have been pleased, the painter’s aggressive splattering — of what appears to be house paint — could easily have been showcased by one of the fine art galleries in Chelsea — New York’s premier contemporary art district. I particularly like the quirky abstractions left for my camera — on the street and from above. (Pics #1 and #2).

You may not agree with the artist’s intention — but as my husband points out — he’s simply expressing his “freedom of spoke.”

(Pic #2) Close-up, splashed paint on sidewalk.

(Pic #3) Wide-shot, painted bike, Chelsea Arts District.

Art from the Heart

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(Pic #1) Young artist decorating his pumpkin at the Van Ness Recreation Center, South Central Los Angeles.

Forget the costumes. Trash the candy. For me, Halloween can celebrate so much more.

Every year, this holiday blows my mind. Not because little ones get to dress up in insanely cute costumes — or because I get permission to consume ungodly amounts of chocolate — but for the jolt of joy I experience when we paint pumpkins in South Central Los Angeles.

Our non-profit organization, Hope’s Nest, sponsors holiday art workshops in LA city parks every year. Our volunteers never know how many kids will show up, but they always surprise us with uber creative ways of making their orangey-golden globes come to life. This weekend, we saw a couple hundred earnest artists enrobe their round “organic canvases” with layers and layers of color, collage, and creativity. I swear, this never gets old. We are looking at our 29th year of service in 2018.

Scroll down to check out the work. Some are unabashed abstracts, others more like science experiments. But in every case, they are making art from their hearts, and no one ever wants to go home. Few of these children say they have art programs in their schools, so we see why they respond so readily to the opportunity to express themselves so fearlessly here. One Guggenheim comprehensive educational study reveals that children exposed to consistent arts programs show signs of improved literacy, and better behavior.

So just maybe we can start serving a healthy helping of acrylic paint with our Kit Kat bars this time next year?

Thank you to Benita, Donielle and staff at the Van Ness Recreation Center.

Art’s Most Seductive Disappearing Act

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(Pic #1) Detail, reflection of a Chevy truck door on my hair salon wall. Woodland Hills, CA.

Now you see it, now you don’t.

Sometimes I think ART is messing with my head. It’s always when I least expect it — something catches my eye walking to or from an appointment. This time I was on my way to Salon Sirenetta for a haircut and highlights (not exactly critical to the story, but nonetheless) when shiny, tombstone-like  patterns on the parking lot wall jumped out at me. (Pic #1)

(Pic #2) Minutes later — the art had vanished.

I couldn’t tell if they were caused by a funky paint job, or maybe a gifted local muralist. Upon further inspection, I saw that they disappeared when I walked by. Light bouncing off a big black truck door was causing all the hubbub, and I played with the shadows and reflections until I was satisfied that was the source.

Art can be transitory, sildenafil fleeting, and when it’s really on its game — a big tease. With the shifting of the sun, the patterns above just lasted a matter of minutes — and by the time I left the salon, the whole work of art was gone. (Pic #2)

Despite its trickery, or maybe because of it, I find this kind of interplay exciting. There’s something about savoring an ever-so-brief moment like this that stirs up my own artist within.

It reminds me of the “zen” experience of painting on a Buddha Board. As you see in the video above,  you paint with water — so your designs disappear in a matter of seconds. The practice is a great exercise in connecting with the present, and not being obsessed with outcome. Process — not product. The work you paint now, will soon be a memory. There is no time to get attached or judge your results. It’s the ultimate lesson in “letting go.”