If you know me, you know that I’m not just a huge fan of Sister Corita’s amazingly bold art. You would also know that I was fortunate enough to re-team with our Beautiful Losers crew early last year to edit a short film about Corita’s illustrious and inspirational life with Become a Microscope: 90 Statements on Sister Corita. We were able to help raise the Corita awareness by showing people just how influential Corita was as an artist, nun and as a person. And now this weekend even more people will be able to get their hands on Corita’s work, literally, as the Corita Art Silkscreen Mash-Up goes down at Blue Rooster Art in Los Feliz.
Featuring the use of elements from Corita’s silkscreens for the first time ever and sponsored in part by some very good peeps at the Corita Art Center, Fresh Pressed and Gelato Bar among others, this afternoon of art making in my hood is one that I’m so sad to miss but truly hope you can make it to go create yourself!
From the ever loving Sasha Carrera at the Corita Art Center:
“The Corita Art Center and Blue Rooster Art Supplies in Los Feliz are offering a first time ever MASH UP of elements Corita used in her own mid-1960s pop prints. Best known for her innovative and provocative juxtaposition of images and words, Corita combined day-glo colors with spiritual statements, pop song lyrics with shapes from traffic signs and food packaging. On July 24th, we’re offering fans and friends the chance to recombine these elements in their own unique ways.
The resurgence in Corita’s life and work (she died in 1986) suggests that her anti-war stance, her pop aesthetic, her iconoclastic methodology and her new age spirituality have tapped a chord that’s resonating in the world today. Participants will be able to silkscreen their own tee shirts, tote bags, posters and canvases. Proceeds will benefit the Corita Art Center of the Immaculate Heart Community, Corita’s former religious order.
So what are you waiting for? Get with the Action! For more information please visit www.corita.org or call Sasha Carrera 323-466-2157 ext 1021, sasha@corita.org.”
Corita Art Silkscreen Mash-Up
Saturday, July 24th, 2-5pm
Blue Rooster Art
1718 Vermont Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90027
“Half a year ago, I tapped you all for help with a massive project. I was asked to curate the product design section of the California Design Biennial, a hefty task that sometimes felt like I was sifting through every single design blog post written in the last three years.
Fast forward to six months later and the show is opening this weekend! I don’t want to give away the surprise of what’s actually featured in the exhibition, but I do want to give a shout out to all the amazing designers whose work will be found in the product design section. These designers are doing amazing work and, to me, epitomize California’s unique convergence of high-tech wizardry and crafty activism. I couldn’t be prouder to live in this state with them.”
Early last year we followed up our documentary Beautiful Losers with a short film just as inspiring and heartfelt about Sister Corita Kent-a revolutionary nun who shared her unique vision of creating art with her friends and students in 1960’s Los Angeles. During a time when the Catholic church was none to pleased with these new and off-beat ideas, Sister Corita excelled. The film, titled Become a Microscope-90 Statements on Sister Corita, was created in association with the Corita Art Center in honor of what would have been Sister Corita’s 90th birthday.
Crafted by most of our Beautiful Losers crew, the film was deftly directed by Aaron Rose; produced by do-it-all-man Jon Barlow; features a hauntingly beautiful original score by Money Mark and Becky Stark; great graphic design by our great pal Keith Scharwath; stellar sonics by sound designer extraordinaire Eddie Kim; Corita’s work come to life through a small After Effects army including Alex Dervin, Max Erdenberger, Miguel Bautista and a ton of other skilled individuals; and edited by yours truly-me (Lenny Mesina).
Graphic design created by Keith Scharwath. See more of Keith’s “90 statements” here.
Corita’s art also received the After Effects treatment courtesy of Alex Dervin, Miguel Bautista and many, many more.
We were also very fortunate to have access to an archive of material made about Sister Corita including films by Haskell Wexler, Baylis Glascock, Cal Bernstein and Alex Singer.
A bit of loveliness for you before your Valentine’s weekend begins as the lovely and multi-talented Ariana Delawari presents intimate excerpts from her debut album, Lion of Panjshir. The following series of filmed vignettes was directed by David Lynch who is also distributing the album through his record label David Lynch MC. Recording since 2007, Ariana’s journey making Lion of Panjshir began in her homeland of Afghanistan where she recorded at her parents home in Kabul and where she continues to return to film and document her family’s life in Afghanistan.
“ARIANA WRITES GREAT SONGS - THEY ARE FILLED WITH FEELINGS AND THOUGHTS FROM HER LIFE - HER LIFE IN HOLLYWOOD AND LIFE IN AFGHANISTAN WHERE HER ROOTS ARE - ANCIENT AND MODERN FLOW TOGETHER HERE - THIS MIXTURE OF CULTURESAND HER MELODIES AND LYRICS CONJURE A GREAT UNIQUE FEELING IN PEOPLE - PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED AND EMOTIONALLY MOVED BY THIS MUSIC — ARIANA’S GOT SOMETHING TO SING ABOUT AND SHE DOES IT REAL WELL - IT’S A BEAUTIFUL DEBUT ALBUM SHE’S MADE.”
Sister Corita was a highly influential and inspirational art teacher and nun who created controversial pop art in Los Angeles during the 60’s. Earlier this year I edited a short film directed by Aaron Rose with a score by Money Mark to commemorate what would have been Corita’s 90th birthday. Today the art of Sister Corita will be on display and for sale at Landis Gifts & Stationery in Hollywood’s Larchmont Village. A percentage of sales all day will benefit the Corita Art Center.
Find yourself watching unintentional comedy and painting words while writing images in Hollywood, and then eat, drink, and be merry on the Westside before the cops come to harsh your mellow.
Stop watching the Youtubes because the Found Footage Festival is back and ready to celebrate “laughably bad videos rescued from garbage bins, garage sales, thrift stores, and warehouses across the country.”
The always inspiring Corita Art Center opens it’s doors to the public for Saturday’s Smithsonian sponsored Museum Day and will host workshops based on Sister Corita’s use of “text as image” special guest artist John Carrera’s use of “image as text” as seen in his book Pictorial Webster’s. The day is free to all, however the workshop is limited to 15 participants and costs $20. Advance registration required.
Painting Words/ Writing Pictures
Saturday, Sept 26th, doors open at 11am workshop begins at 12:30
Corita Art Center
5515 Franklin Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90028
(NW corner of Franklin and Western Avenues in Hollywood. Entrance is on Western at the AFI gate)
Admission is free. Workshop cost is $20.
And for the beach lovers and Westsiders, Venice’s Abbot Kinney Festival ends the weekend with fun for everyone with an all day extravaganza of music, art, food, and the obligatory drum circles.
Abbot Kinney Festival
Sunday, September 27th, 10am-6pm
Abbot Kinney Blvd. Venice, CA 90291
Films about an inspirational pop art nun (including ours), a Karaoke dance party, Muppets and more Muppets, and of course art openings highlight this weekends highlights.
Pocket wallet pioneers Poketo take over Royal/T’s this summer with their storefront pop-up shop. Tonight they transform the joint into a Karaoke Dance Party with our fun Fluxer friends Jonathan and Meg Wells on an esteemed panel of judges.
Poketo Karaoke Dance Party at Royal/T Friday July 10th, 8 PM - 1 AM
Royal/T
8910 Washington Blvd. Culver City, CA 90232
Free, RSVP at rsvp@poketo.com
The Cinefamily at the Silent Movie Theater on Fairfax has Muppets on the mind once again as they bring back last year’s sold out showings of Jim Henson’s mind-blowing collection of shorts, crazy commercials, and other rarities including the not-be-to-be-missed Oscar winning Time Piece. Bonus: midnight screening of Henson’s feature film The Dark Crystal!
Printed Matter
Opening reception: Saturday July 11th, 6:30-10pm GR2
2062 Sawtelle Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90025
Show runs from July 11 through August 5, 2009
Desert Sexy
Opening reception: Saturday July 11th, 6-8pm
The Constant Gallery
2673 S. La Cienega Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90034
Show runs from July 11 through August 15, 2009
Girls go wild as the Honor Fraser Gallery opens Bitch is the New Black, an all women art show featuring “fourteen Los Angeles-based women who are all emerging or established artists from roughly the same generation and are bright lights on the local scene.”
Bitch is the New Black
Opening reception: Saturday July 11th, 6-8pm
Honor Fraser Gallery
2622 S La Cienega Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90034
Show runs from July 11 through August 29, 2009
And finally end your weekend inspired as our short film (Become a Microscope: 90 Statements on Sister Corita) about the life and art of Sister Corita Kent will be screening at the Silent Movie Theater Sunday night alongside two other films by Corita’s friends, Mary’s Day (1964) by Baylis Glascock, and Survival With Style (1966) by Cal Bernstein, Alex Singer and Haskell Wexler. Both of these rare films will be screened from their original 16mm prints, and Mary’s Day will feature a live score by special musical guests!
Sorry for the late post today, I was a bit busy rejoining the human race again. The last few days have just about been the hardest I’ve ever pushed myself finishing a film, and I’d def do it all over again. Working with the dedicated members of our Corita film crew in finishing the edit, finalizing the animations, listening to the sound mix, coloring the film, and conforming the entire thing to be ready for last night’s Flux screening tallied me a new personal work record: work-90 hours, sleep-6, from Sunday up until the show on Wednesday. But with a drive to finish fueled by the work of Sister Corita and with the payoff of how well our film was received, I have to say it was all so worth it. Big thanks to Jonathan and Meg Wells for organizing another fun Flux screening and to all who came out and checked out our film, Become a Microscope-90 Statements on Sister Corita! Many more screenings to come soon!
On top of our film showing alongside a multitude of amazing music videos and short films, the LA Ladies Choir headed by Becky Stark performed as well. The lovelies were captivating with their two songs in this their second performance.
And here’s another film that screened last night, a supremely crafted short directed by Ace Norton and his new ’stache that left me sonically blown away:
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