Tom Everhart - Waves And Bubble Baths

If you were in Beverly Hills last Saturday night, you may have thought you were in Venice. So many Venice friends made the trip east of the 405 for Tom Everhart's art opening at the Mouche Gallery that I heard someone say "I feel like I'm at Abbot's Habit." It really was pretty funny, as everywhere you looked there was either a Venice person or a friend of a Venice person. It was awesome.

Waves and Bubble Baths (showing at the Mouche until December 11th) is new works from Everhart, over 150 pieces all based on a drawing of a wave done by Charles Schulz in 1991 for his comic strip. The Snoopy character shows up in each piece, to show scale, and all pay direct tribute to that Shulz wave, but also to the various inspirations that have been important to Everhart in his long career. The bubble baths refer to the various bubbles Everhart dwells in as he works, like his Venice studio, his relationship with Schulz, his studio in Tahiti ... and the bubble we live in here in Venice (Thank God).

There are tips of the hat to such diverse luminaries as Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Jean Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Missy Elliot, Biggie Smalls, Frank Stella, and Venice, California - of course.

The champagne flowed as friends caught up and congratulated Everhart and his muse/wife, Jennifer. Venice cleaned up nicely, as the ladies were hot and the gents were dapper. It would have been great to have turned it into an all night lock-in, to give everyone the chance to chat, as there were so many old friends present that it was hard to even just greet them all, never mind hear all of their latest. We need a sequel/closing party!

The new work was gorgeous, with the bright colors of Everhart's palette providing excellent selfie backgrounds for those that take those. I noticed some new color schemes in there too, as in the blacks and golds of Snoop Dogg's Sound Wave, and the pinks, purples, and golds of the beautifully abstract Andy's Tsunami. All of Everhart's work is fun to observe, and it gets even better when you know the meanings behind it. Do read the artist's written piece about the show here. It provides wonderful insight into the making of this art that had us all in Beverly Hills celebrating with our friend.

Cheers to Tom and Jenny! Thank you for the art, thank you for the fun!



Tom Everhart - Waves and Bubble Baths
Mouche Gallery
340 North Beverly Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
info@mouchegallery.com

Summer In Minnesota - Salt Of The Earth

"Greeted by thousands of lakes reflecting the sunrise up to me ... I'm back home." That was my Facebook status the morning I landed back home for a quick little Summer vacation at home to touch the roots and re-charge the spirit. It was so beautiful, I choked up (as usual) and even though it was 6:00 a.m., I hit the ground running. First stop ... Wood Lake. It's almost surreal to see it all so green and gorgeous after the desperately long Winter everyone in Minnesota endured. As a friend's boat is called, "Worth The Winter".

The first night back was a Richfield Happy Hour that was a festival of non-stop laughter. At one point I looked around the tables and realized that a good portion of the friends there were ones I've had since Kindergarten. KINDERGARTEN! That's special. SPECIAL! They're some of the best people on this Earth, and each time I'm back home, I realize the love and support I have and get to carry with me through the adventure of this life. I couldn't be more blessed.

I got to have my first Danny Hendrickson Shed experience, the grown-up version of being invited into the Tree House. It did not disappoint. It had rained all day - poured - and this photo below was taken of Danny and I the exact instant the sun came out ... Divine Intervention for the Basilica Block Party we were pre-partying for.

Flocks of Minnesotans filled the streets around the Basilica, all of them ecstatic to have an evening that now actually felt like Summer. The surroundings and the majesty of that sun emerging gave it all a rather Holy feeling ...

Which was only elevated by the performance of the Main Men, Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite. They were there to entertain the crowd with the tunes from their Grammy-winning album, Get Up. And the parishioners indeed rose for them.

Ben and Charlie BROUGHT the Blues, and the full moon rose up behind them, perfecting the Heavenly experience. You could hear many in the crowd adding their own personal witness, as the guys gave it everything they had. Chills.

As the music ended, performers and congregation alike bowed their heads, raised their arms and gave thanks. Amen.

Then, BEHOLD! The next day dawned (and we saw it happen) to be the most gorgeous, blue sky with puffy clouds day that Minnesota is famous for in Summer (usually). As is my absolute priority, I had my swim in a natural body of water, this time the beautiful St. Croix River. Best friends from one generation sharing the day, stories, love and appreciation with the next ...

Time always flies too fast (and I'm skipping a lot even so), but I got to see so many wonderful, old friends that I was just beaming the entire time. I have a songwriting project with my dear friend, Matt Jennings, and when we went into a parking lot for him to play me one of our new ones, we turned it into a sunset tailgate jam for friends and passersby alike.

Please enjoy "Mermaid Triathlon" by Carol Gronner (lyrics) and Matt Jennings (music). And then stay tuned for the whole shebang that we'll unleash on everyone one day soon. Great times!

My darling Mother had spent the day leading her choir in festivities for Norway Day at Minnehaha Park, and was still in costume when she met up with us for the evening fun. I love this woman so much I could burst. Clearly. Skål!

It was pouring rain my last day, but we had to go visit the Falls, because Mom had told me how much it was gushing from all the recent rain. It did not disappoint, and I ended the visit home the way it began, surrounded by the green and glory of nature and home in the North.

When I've told some of these home stories in the past, a friend commented, "That's the real salt of the earth stuff right there." And he was right. Wonderful people, stunningly beautiful scenery, wholesome (and crazy) fun ... that's what it's all about.

As I come up on spending almost half of my life in both Minnesota and California, I realize how firmly I have a foot in each, and always will. How lucky am I to have two such truly special and spectacular places to call home?!

This was Minnesota Nicest. Salt of the earth never seemed so sweet. Bless each and every one of you that completely fills my heart, home and away.