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Our close collaborator, inspiring curator and dear friend Aaron Rose relaunches his dream art and design school in New York City this July and August with the return of the Make Something!! workshops. Originally spawned from a joint venture between our film Beautiful Losers and the generous contributions of Nike Sportswear, this latest incarnation of the D.I.Y. workshops aimed at teens features world renowned artists (Os Gemeos, Todd James, Ari Marcopoulos and Jeff Canham amongst others) as well as creatives from Converse, Nike and Brand Jordan working with students to create in a variety of mediums in Lower Manhattan.

The workshops culminate with a celebration of the students’ artwork created during the classes with a parade at the world famous Rucker Park in conjunction with the World Basketball Festival Celebration Event in August.

Register and sign up for the month long workshop events here or here. Class schedule, teachers, details and more can be found at Makesomethingschool.com as well as from head teacher Aaron Rose below.

Also…click here to see the film series of the inaugural Make Something!! workshops featuring KAWS, Ed Templeton, Money Mark, Mike Mills and more (including me!)

From A. Rose:

“Not sure if everyone knows, but for the last three years we’ve been doing D.I.Y. creativity workshops for teens under the banner of Make Something!! This summer we’re partnering with Nike, Jordan and Converse to open a five-week long “pop-up” school house in NYC filled with amazing classes taught by fantastic artists, designers, musicians and all around champs in their fields. I thought I’d put the word out as I’m pretty excited about it.

Just as a teaser we’re offering classes like this: Documentary photo with Ari Marcopoulos, puppet-making with Todd James, sign-painting with Jeff Canham, Costume design with Cassette Playa, a mural workshop with Os Gemeos…plus shoe and garment design with Nike/Converse/Jordan designers and many, many more!

Check out our website for info and dates as they develop.

http://www.makesomethingschool.com

Classes are filling up quick, but if anyone is New York-based and has kids who want to attend (ages 13-18), email us at <info@makesomethingschool.com> and we’ll try to fit them in.

All the best for an inspiring Summer!!”

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With World Cup fever sure to be affecting just about everyone in the world this summer, Nike Sportswear helps kick off the futbol festivities by presenting Futbol Arte: Brasil with the launch of Nike’s Brasil Black Pack Collection as well as the US premiere of the Brazilian themed documentary Cadéncia at Hollywood’s Montalbán Theater. For more on the beautifully soulful film about Brazilian culture directed by Daren Bartlett click here.

RSVP is a must!

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The main event this weekend features the violent artistry of fan and Filipino favorite Manny Pacquiao as he defends his best pound for pound boxer in the world crown and one of his welterweight titles against Africa’s Joshua Clottey. Nike Sportswear opens the doors to their space at The Montalbán Theater in Hollywood and invites fight fans to watch the mega fight on the big screen. RSVP required.

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Dancing, fighting, opening, auctioning, speaking, signing, arting. Many a great things happening this weekend, but for me and my Friday the 13th birthday weekend, the best present I can receive would be an exciting Manny Pacquiao victory. Hope you have a fun filled Filipino weekend!

• The weekend begins with a Friday the 13th full of Wonder as New York’s DJ Spinna and Bobbito bring their traveling Stevie Wonder tribute to Hollywood with Wonder-Full LA4 at The Vanguard.

• Giant Robot boldly follows Deth P. Sun’s lead as his melancholy cat-like characters come to LA in his new solo show Please Be Brave at GR2 on Sawtelle.

• Juxtapoz celebrates their 15th year of existence by throwing The Big Payback, a group art show and charity auction held in conjunction with Upper Playground and Power House Project of Detroit at the Factory Place Arts Complex in downtown LA. Proceeds from the auction will support the goal of purchasing five homes and employing local Detroit contractors, electricians, plumbers, and carpenters to perform the renovations. See the pieces by some of the urban art world’s best being auctioned off on Juxtapoz.com and bid on them at Charitybuzz.com.

• The main event of the weekend for fight fans and Filipinos everywhere: Manny Pacquiao fights Miguel Cotto for the Welterweight championship and a record setting seventh title. Nike Sportswear graciously hosts the fight at the Montalbán Theater in Hollywood. RSVP required.

• Spend Sunday with Family, the extraordinarily eclectic bookstore on Fairfax that is, as they host a very special speaking and signing engagement with Spike Jonze to celebrate the release of Heads On & We Shoot a “unique collaboration behind Where the Wild Things Are-the combined work of Maurice Sendak, Spike Jonze, Dave Eggers, and all the cast and crew.”

• And finally a weeks worth of free admission to the MOCA and the Geffen Contemporary as they both open their doors to bring their acclaimed collection of postwar art to the community with complimentary admission during the opening week of Collection: MOCA’s First Thirty Years.

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A solid first weekend of November with friends in art shows, friends being crafty, and Pac Man going up against Kitty. I got my money on Manny.

• Fifteen years strong, Marsea Goldberg’s venerable New Image Art Gallery keeps banging out the hits with the help of special human being Amber Abramson (who herself is often busy-being) as they present the group show 14 Artists. And these aren’t just any artists, they’re heavy hitters Judith Supine, Cleon Peterson, Skullphone, The Date Farmers, Richard Colman, and Erik Foss among others. Party starts at the gallery and continues on to the after-party at the Cha Cha in Silver Lake.

• Get your craft on at the Contemporary Crafts Market in Santa Monica as my dear old friend Tianna Osborne will be displaying (and selling) her art through her uniquely beautiful purses through the weekend. Flyer below is good for free admission for two!

• Want more Manny? Of course you do! So I suggest you start waiting in line now at Hollywood’s Montálban Theater as Nike Sportswear presents Under the Hood with Manny Pacquiao, a send off celebration and Q&A with the man himself and his team of Freddie Roach, Buboy Fernandez and Alex Ariza. RSVP is mandatory and capacity will surely be reached, but if you can’t make it in person the event will be streaming live on Niksportswear.com, Complex.com, and Facebook.

• The HVW8 Art+Design Gallery on Melrose reunites three old designer friends with the show Michael, Kevin & Geoff. Those three amigos would be: Geoff McFetridge who was of course in Beautiful Losers and whose work you’ve most recently seen in the title design of Where the Wild Things Are; graphic designer Michael Leon whose work with Nike is well documented; and Kevin Lyons who’s well, Kevin Lyons.

• Ever wanted to know how to blow yourself up? If your answer is yes (or if you just want to see some good art) then you’re in luck as WK Interact teaches you how to do so at Echo Park’s Subliminal Projects with his solo show aptly titled How to Blow Yourself Up.

• Speaking of blowing stuff up, the Three Apples Exhibition Celebrating 35 years of Hello Kitty continues at the Royal/T Cafe in Culver City with limited edition print releases, live painting, and meet and greets with some of the participating artists of this never ending event. Along with my Hit+Run homeboys silk-screening gear, Buff Monster and Plasticgod will be among the artists on hand from 4-9pm. Presented by Juxtapoz and Japan LA.

• And finally, another celebratory show as the clothing line Blood is the New Black celebrates their five years of existence with a group show and party at Silver Lake’s JÜNC Gallery. And what would an art party be without my talented friends, the lovely Jesse Spears and the sometimes bearded Dan Monick, among the many participating artists.

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And speaking of Aaron Rose’s Don’t Move Here shot by the nicest cinematographer on Earth, Tobin Yelland, do something nice for your eyes today and check out Tobin’s latest DP reel:

From Tobin:

“Hello I am a DP based in New York City. I got my start making skateboard films. Here is my most recent Reel. Beautiful Losers feature Doc. Heloise and the Savoir Faire Shot on RED Camera. Apples and Stereo video Directed by Elijah Wood. High on Fire music video. Intros for MTV High School Stories and MTV Made. I shot the Nick Tunes spots with a still camera. I like how that looks. Etnies Verte spots shot on 16mm. Coventry fashion look book shot with two cameras in HD. Sony commercials for Sony Power PC computers. Stereo Video with Jason Lee’s last video part. Also Nike 6.0 Commercials I directed.”

BONUS: Check out Tobin taking kids through documentary boot camp for the Make Something!! program we did with Nike Sportswear:

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Bike your way around LA. Starting and stopping at the Montalban Theater in Hollywood, Nike Sportswear presents their weekly support of Los Angeles’ cyclists with food, drink, and a special performance by The Moonrats (10-11pm). Bonus, $1 raffle tickets to win a fixed gear bike designed by Undefeated’s Jupiter Desphy.

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Flux and Nike Sportswear’s ongoing Cinema Tuesdays film series keeps the good times going with yet another stellar film selection, this time with the Los Angeles premiere of Bjork’s upcoming concert film Voltaic. And for those wary of not getting in don’t fret, according to Flux mastermind Jonathan Wells the previously problematic RSVP/line/capacity situation has been resolved and those who actually did RSVP will indeed be able to attend. Just don’t forget the RSVP part!

Read more on Bjork and Voltaic from Flux here.

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