The Skatermade Art Of Bart Saric

A fun art opening went down last night at Trim on Rose to exhibit the artwork of Bart Saric, owner of the Skatermade skate company, and lifelong Venice guy. You could tell it was a true Venice opening as soon as you walked up, with skaters pulling tricks on the concrete out in front of the salon, and by seeing people you actually knew in town!

A whole bunch of skaters and Venice O.G.s were there to support their longtime friend Saric, and to catch up with pals around the keg. There was live music going on from Meet Me At The Pub's Jeremy Parker, keeping it all festive.

Saric's paintings of surf and skate scenes were done on skate decks, and the accompanying photography kept to that awesome theme. When talking to Saric about it, he explained that he has his art, his skate company, his filmmaking, his own surfing and skating, and all sorts of plates spinning in the air, and I commented that it seems like a lot of Venice people have multiple outlets for their creativity and expression, and perhaps that's why we were all drawn here. Saric answered, "I think it's because we all have something to share." I love that.

Sharing was in full effect at the opening party, from the tall tales being swapped to the passing of the dutchie outside on a starry Venice night. Kaycee Smith of Trim curated the art show, and it looks great. I especially liked the deck hanging in mid-air.

Smith could not say enough good about Saric, and told me that he is the ultimate example of a skater living the credo, "Biggest grin wins!" Skater Eric Dressen was there, and had a statement on the wall backing that up ...

Everyone was having such a good time that no one noticed it getting late, well past salon hours. The entire crowd cleaned and packed it up together, and then headed as one big group to the Cock and Bull.  That's the mark of a good party, when no one wants it to end, and everyone carries on to the next phase together. That is special. That is friendship. That is community. That's what this bunch is about. Good times, Skatemade.

Saric's art will be on display at Trim on Rose through June 1st. 

512D Rose Avenue, Venice.

Art inquiries may be made to info@skatermade.com

Venice Openings Are Fun - From Hats to Art to Hair

This last Saturday was a grand old time in Venice, ringing in the new with a bunch of business and art openings. Once again, there was too much going on at once to properly get it all done, but we did our very best.

First up, I was delighted to celebrate with my guys at Nick Fouquet Hat. Co.,  creators and purveyors of the finest hats in the West.

They now have a gorgeous work/sales space in the house at 1629 Abbot Kinney Boulevard that they share with Kapital (fancy, spendy threads out of Japan), H.O.W.L. (cool jewelry) and M. Cohen (more cool jewelry). Mikey was serving up the drinks, and Nick was the charming host, and the place was packed when I headed out to the next stop with my bike posse.

It was so wonderful to see the beautiful photography work (and the big crowd there to see it!) of my dear friend, Paddy Wilkins, at Curio Studio and Collection on Sunset Avenue.

As owner, Anne Faith Nicholls said while introducing the show, "It's all about Venice," and she was right. Wilkins (who can be seen in pretty much every commercial on t.v. right now) lives in Venice, as do most of the models that appear in his gorgeous photos made on a vintage Polaroid 600SE.

It seemed that most of Venice was there as well, making the gallery extra steamy inside. That might have been helped along by the fact that the photos were fairly steamy themselves, with women in various stages of undress. As Wilkins describes in the press release:

In COLORFORM, Wilkins explores the senses with portraiture, focusing on anonymous women and the inherent beauty of both their bodies and what they cover them with. The subject's identities in the works give way to Wilkins’s focus on form, and the beautiful details captured in sheer fabrics, saturated hues, contrasting patterns and light translated through the medium of real film, without doctoring. In a world where we are manipulated by heavily altered images and impossible beauty, Paddy’s photos present a timeless, and unfiltered glimpse of woman. 

Yeah. You probably know some of these women, and part of the fun of the night was guessing who might be who. Curio is locally owned and artist operated, and always has excellent shows of innovative and profound artistry. Paddy Wilkins' Colorform will be showing until June 10th.

We then headed over to the opening of Trim's new location at 512 Rose, where it was all winding down by the time we pedaled over there. It appeared to have been a big success as all the party-goers were still standing around on the sidewalk having fun, as Venice Paparazzi was packing up the red carpet. They were handing out shirts that read, "Every man needs a little trim," so there might be your theme for the entire evening ...

 Plans were made, and the people dispersed out all over town, for points like The Townhouse, The Other Room, The Tasting Kitchen, and home ... whichever was your poison.

All in all, it was a great night, in a great town, with great and talented people making it even greater. Congratulations to Nick and Mikey and Paddy and Anne and Nik and Jaime, and everyone who went to their fun jamborees ... VeNICE!

The HeART of Destin Clover

It is such a delight when you make friends with someone, and then you keep finding out new cool things about them, and then you see their art in whatever form it takes, and you love it. That has been the case with knowing Destin Clover, so now let's have you know about him too. We're a community here in Venice, after all ("No bullshit about it" - D.Clover).

Perhaps you've seen him walking down Abbot Kinney, always in a good mood. It's hard not to be when you're constantly inspired by your surroundings, and the beautiful days we get to enjoy. Clover grew up in Oregon (Ashland) with hippie artist parents (darlings, we've met) who always encouraged him to be himself and to be a free thinker. He split for Portland to attend the "School of Rock", working at the Satyricon nightclub. He rolled with Elliot Smith and hung out with the whole grunge scene that would come through. Clover had his own band (The Drugstore Cowgirls), and always made art to express himself, as "good art comes from bad weather."

A visit to Venice made him fall in love with it, and he has made it his home for the past 17 years. The community inspires him, as well as supports him, and world class artists like Doug Aitken, Peter Lodato and Tom Everhart are both friends and mentors.

I tend to lean towards art with words in it, as I've mentioned before, so it was automatic that I became a fan of Clover's work, who says that "Words give me freedom ... I'm reckless in my art, so words help me solidify my meaning, and give structure to the chaos." Word.

In discussing our Venice, Clover said, "From the homeless guy waking up on the street to the business man double parking his Porsche ... I feel sorry for both of them." It's all about compassion, and we agreed that that old Golden Rule is "the only way to roll."

"Venice is constantly changing and there's never a dull moment ... Nothing is too dark and nothing is too bright." Clover has a great way of expressing what many of us feel, and may not even be conscious of, a rare gift.

Another obvious gift is his art work, now on display until the end of October at the Trim Salon on Abbot Kinney. The show is called Letters Never Sent, and is comprised of works on paper that feature insightful (back)words with spare, expressive images. And I love them.

Clover loves our beach, those sunsets, Hal's ("It's our office"), Gjelina ("An inspiration ... so many artists work and go there"), the Louver and the other many galleries popping up ("We're still an art-centric community, for sure"), The Roosterfish (fast becoming everyone's favorite/only dive bar left on Abbot Kinney), Biking everywhere, and the world's greatest people watching. "But I like the people the most, more than all the businesses." Agreed.

As Clover keeps busy, having a good time, playing with his band, The Lost Bird, working on his next art show, supporting his favorite charity, Zeno Mountain Farms (a camp for special needs kids here in Venice), and moving and shaking bringing artists together, he keeps his sunny optimism about life going, which is inspiring enough on its own.

We clinked a glass in the afternoon sunlight at Hal's, and Clover said, "Here's to your next mistake, my friends, and may there be many more! Travel light and go towards the future."

And now you can see why we're friends.


Letters Never Sent
Showing now through the end of October at:
Trim Salon
1424 Abbot Kinney Blvd.
Venice

Wehearwithourheart.com

https://www.facebook.com/destin.clover?fref=ts 

Stephanie Hobgood - Friend & Stylist Extraordinaire!

You've probably seen her walking or biking around the streets of Venice with her Boston Terrier, Nico. You really can't miss the tall gorgeousness of Stephanie Hobgood ... it's fairly jarring.



She's an Oregon girl, but has been living in Venice again (after a stint here when she first moved to L.A.) since June ... and it's been oh, so lovely to have one of my best home-girls near me again. The very best (and truest) thing I've heard said about Steph is "You know she'd have your back in a bar fight." And she's proven that time and time again (not necessarily in bar fights - yet, but in daily life for sure).

Steph is a stylist at Trim on Abbot Kinney, and the only one currently offering the latest craze for ladies that have crazy hair "and still want to go to the beach", the Brazilian Blow Dry. It's a fairly spendy process ($300), but if you're one of those (I say blessed, they all say cursed) with curly or wavy hair, apparently this is THE jam. Straight, shiny and silky - right out of the shower. The Anti-Frizz. It lasts from 6 weeks to 3 months, and that's a lot of good hair days. Ladies are freaking out for it, so call and make your appointment with Steph at (310) 396-3330 if that sounds like your hair dream. My hair is already stick-straight, and Steph cuts it that way too. I've been stopped on the street by strangers commenting on how ruler-straight my hair is across the bottom. That's Steph's able hands - that she makes me stand up to accomplish. She does all the Venice Gronners' hair, and most of our friends too. Venice is looking GOOD since Steph came to town!

You'll see her cute dimples a lot too, as this one is hilarious. We were talking about the merits or demerits of our local coffee spots the other day, and Steph said, "Why does it have to be a science project, just give me a coffee. And I want a FAT coffee to start my day, I'm an American, Super Size it!" That was about the new cafe at Equator, who shrank their cup size (ha) from one week to the next. So now she's a Groundworks on Rose gal (good dog park en route, and Steph is nothing if not a doting Mother to her little Neeks), while I remain true to The French Market. (But don't stalk us.)


Steph is a crucial member of my Bikini Team - the bike/walk/swim triathalon we do each weekday morning, but she has been much in demand lately for hair on photo shoots, so she's been slacking on the Team. Which is fine by us, she's Bikini Team Emeritus. For always. She's also about to be on a hair salon reality show as the only white girl that does weaves in the shop. I cannot WAIT for that one!

Stephanie Hobgood was born to ROCK. She is happiest in the V.I.P. area of a Slayer show ... and has a lot of good rock and roll stories up her tattooed sleeves. It's one of the things I love most about her - her gamer attitude, and her raised rock-horn enthusiasm.

Check her out when you need to look real good - she will lively up your look in no time.



*Oh, and Gentlemen, she's single.