ROMI CORTIER’S BLOG

(Used with Permission From the Stahl Trust)

(Used with Permission from the Stahl Trust)

(Used with Permission from the Stahl Trust)

(Used with Permission from the Stahl Trust)

(Used with Permission from the Stahl Trust)

Top 4 photos: Romi Cortier

Lower Photo: Romi Cortier and Mrs. Stahl

The Case Study #22 House, also known as the Stahl House, was open for private tours today. Organized through the Ca Boom Design Show in Beverly Hills, the tours allowed small numbers of visitors, including myself, to experience the magic that is the Stahl House.

Built in 1958 by Architect Pierre Koenig, the home is considered to be one of the most iconic homes of the 20th Century. Immortalized in 1960 by Photographer Julius Shulman with a stunning Black and White photo taken at dusk, the home is believed to be one of the most photographed homes in the world.

The Stahl House is now taking reservations for special events, with the proceeds to help renovate and preserve what is now a Historic Cultural Monument. If you’ve never been moved to tears by an exceptional piece of architecture, then make a reservation and experience the Case Study House #22. 

Official Web Site:  www.stahlhouse.com 

All Photos: Romi Cortier

Opening June 28th, 2009, at LACMA is an exhibition of 12 Contemporary Artists from Korea. The first exhibit of it’s kind in the United States, these cutting edge artists will feature works that include site specific installations, video art, computer animation, and sculpture. From what I’ve seen so far, it looks to be bold, colorful, and very cheery… something we can all use during these challenging times.

For more info go to: www.lacma.org

R.M. Schindler’s Buck Residence

Photos 2-6  Romi Cortier

For 3 short hours today, R. M. Schindler’s Buck Residence was open to the public for the purpose of enticing would be renters. A mere $5,000 per month will allow you to lease this historically significant home built in 1934. Rarely open to the public, many of us who’ve jogged or driven by this home over the years, took this opportunity to pop in and snoop around a bit. While only 2500 square feet in size, this home looks to be much more palatial then it actually is, due primarily to it’s exception proportions and varying horizontal plains. 

This home is a hybrid between Streamline Moderne and the International Style, which makes it rather rare. Both styles were emerging at the time this home was built, giving  Schindler ample design possibilities.   The International Style, represented by the living room, features open interior spaces with a visually weightless quality, achieved by the use of cantilevered construction. The Streamline Moderne style, represented in the dining area by the frosted glass partition as well as other features in the home not shown, is defined by the repetition of horizontal lines with curving forms. 

If you’re interested in leasing this home, contact Scott King at deasy/penner&partners, 323.828.2049. or visit www.homeasart.com

Colourscape Sculpture

Photo: Vicki Fulcher

Colourscape Images Courtesy eyemusic.org

Can you imagine walking through a series of spheres, surrounded by color and sound in an outdoor setting? It would be a contemporary 3D art experience… this is the purpose of the Eye Music Trust. By creating new environments in public spaces, the trust hopes to reach the widest audience possible, adding new dimension to the publics perception of contemporary music and the performing arts.

Visit their interactive web site at:  www.eyemusic.org.uk

This Saturday is the Miracle Mile Art Walk. The event includes:  artist lectures, live demonstrations and performances,  live music, self guided tours of over 30 Galleries on both  La Brea Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard, free admission to LACMA and the Peterson Automobile Museum, La Brea Tar Pits, and the Craft and Folk Art Museum.  The festivities begin at 11:00 a.m. and go until 8:00 p.m.

Download map and get more info at:

www.lacma.org/muse 

www.midcitywest.org

Dropline, 2009, Mixed media on drafting film, 30x 22 inches

Candyland, 2009, Mixed media on drafting film, 30 x22 inches

Glimmer, mixed media on drafting film, 22 x 30 inches

New York gallery owner Kathryn Markel, of Kathryn Markel Fine Art, is welcoming a new artist to her gallery, Heather Patterson. There are so many things I love about Patterson’s work: her broad use of the color spectrum, the line work, the compositions, the overall ethereal quality of the work, and the sense of a story being told through the progression of images. These works are very well priced at about $1500 each, especially when considering Patterson’s resume. 

If you’d like to learn more about how to collect original art, Ms. Markel has an excellent section on her web sight entitled: the art lady - everything you need to know to buy contemporary art. 

To learn more go to: www.markelfinearts.com

Artist: George Colombo

The New York Times recently ran an article about artist George Colombo, who created the cover of The New Yorker with his iPhone. Standing on the corner of 42nd Street, Colombo used the $4.99 Brushes application to create his image. Beginning with the building’s structure, he layered on the taxis, neon lights, hot-dog stand and people. The romantic dreamy quality of this image looks like something akin to a watercolor painting instead of digital art. If Colombo keeps this up, he may define a whole new era of digital art. 

To see a video of this process go to www.newyorker.com

1. Water Reflection

2. Flower and Tree reflection

3. Ant on Yellow Flower

Photos: Romi Cortier

While relaxing pool side at my home in Palm Springs, I found myself obsessed with photographing as much as I could during the ‘magic hour’ as the sun dipped behind the San Jacinto Mountains. These are just a handful of the 800 images that I snapped during that evening… what a luxurious evening indeed. 

Ceremonies by Artist Kill Pixie  (aka Mark Whalen)

May 30th marks the opening of Australian artist Kill Pixie’s solo show,  I’ll hit You Up Tomorrow, at the Merry Karnowski Gallery,  hosted by actor Tim Roth. 

Having also shown in London, Australia and Berlin, Pixie was recently awarded the Sydney Music, Arts & Culture Award for Best Visual Artist, by his native Sydney. Once a graffiti  artist from the streets, Pixie’s current ink and acrylic humanoid characters are like puppets compelled to enact roles prescribed by powers beyond their control… at least that’s what the press release says.  I have to say, I think it goes deeper. When I look at this image, I see a cross of two mediums from the turn of the 19th century: Pointillism and  Viennese Secessionism, with  Egyptian overtones. The Viennese Secessionist worked almost exclusively in bold black and white geometric patterning, while the Pointillist used ‘points’ or ‘dots’ of overlapping colors to create tonal hues. This image looks to be an  Egyptian ceremony, with naked followers  making bloody sacrifices to a god or deity. This could represent a multitude of things in our current 21st Century… our devotion to facebook or myspace, where in a trance like state we waste hour upon hour of precious time, ignoring the very real demands of our daily lives to build an online world that is ultimately intangible. Isn’t that in itself a ceremony, an act of sacrifice to the internet gods? I’m looking forward to seeing what the other images in the show have to say. 

Opening reception Saturday, May 30, 8-11 pm.  

Merry Karnowsky Gallery

170 S. La Brea Avenue, in the ART 170 Building

Los Angeles, Ca.   May 30 - June 27, 2009. 

www.mkgallery.com 

‘Jayne Mansfield‘ 

Photograph: Jo Ann  Callis

To compliment the work of Jo Ann Callis, currently on view at the Getty, the Craig Krull Gallery is presenting their sixth exhibition of her work.  Sexual innuendo, domesticity and metaphorical imagery are some of the major themes Callis has explored during the last 30 years. In this current exhibit, she’ll build on that theme with a series of small paintings of clouds..  be sure to look for something more within their shapes and movements.

Opening reception: Saturday, May 30th, 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.

May 23 - June 27

www.craigkrullgallery.com