Our Very Own Banksy

Yesterday I saw a blog post about how two new pieces of Banksy graffiti art have appeared in LA. I left a note on our Visual Arts Facebook page (did you know we have a Visual Arts Facebook page? We do!) saying that I would love to visit them if I only knew their locations.

Then one of our students (thanks Beth!) chimed in to say that, in fact, one of them was three blocks away. So I grabbed the camera and headed out onto the streets of Westwood.

I had to dodge the Unknown movie premiere, but I found it in the alley behind Urban Outfitters, on Kinross Ave. There was a small crowd taking pictures.

I know Exit Through the Gift Shop was just nominated for an Oscar, so maybe Banksy is soaking in some LA flavor before awards night. Whatever the reason, it was cool to see his work in person, sprayed on our very own humble walls.

Happy Artsy Valentines!

The Visual Arts is proud to announce that we are the winners of a prestigious design-your-own-Valentine contest here at Extension.

Here's the winning piece (and 1/2 of Karen's head). Each heart has a baby picture of an Arts staff member. That's just how we roll here...craftily AND cutely.

Spring Has Sprung!

It may only be February, but Spring quarter is on its way! The Spring catalog was just released. This quarter's cover is by Woody Pirtle.

You can view a PDF of the catalog here, and browse art classes to your hearts' content. We have some interesting new offerings on the schedule this spring.

The Four Icons Challenge

Designer Kyle Tezak gave himself an interesting challenge:

"Lately I’ve been working a lot with icons. Trying to capture the essence of an object or idea with only a few lines and at the same time maintaining its elegance is pretty much design in a nutshell. That’s what so great about icons, they’re tiny poems. I decided it would be a fun project to attempt to sum up some of my favorite books, movies, historical events, anything, with just four icons; the meat and potatoes."

Obviously I like 2001: A Space Odyssey the best, but they are all fun. I also like how the Great Gatsby car obviously just ran someone down.




Via Laughingsquid.

Twin Peaks Art Exhibition

Twin Peaks fans living in Los Angeles (in my opinion, the most Lynchian place to live) should mosey on over to In the Trees: Twin Peaks 20th Anniversary Art Exhibition at Clifton's Brookdale.

The web page is fantastic in and of itself, and the show will feature work by Tim Biskup, Chris Mars, Stella Im Hultberg, Glenn Barr, Ryan Heshka, and Jessica Joslin (pieces are inspired by David Lynch's classic show).

OPENING RECEPTION: Saturday, February 12, 2011

TIME: 8:00PM to 11:00PM

Clifton’s Brookdale
648 South Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90014
213.627.1673

Via Boingboing

Font Alphabet

The Alphabet from n9ve on Vimeo.

I like this video "The Alphabet," with each letter morphing into a representation of a different font.

Helvetica has a little crown. King of fonts!
Via Laughingsquid.

A Niemann for all Seasons

Let's say goodbye to 2010 with a Christoph Niemann piece! Always the best way to do anything.

Abstract City: Let It Dough! (NY Times)

This one has cookies!

Winter Closure

Please note that UCLA Extension will be closed from December 20, 2010 - January 3, 2011.

To enroll in classes, or for program information, visit www.uclaextension.edu.

Honeysuckle?

Every year, Pantone anoints a "Color of the Year." Then that color gets a little crown made of paint chips and tears run down its face as it waves to all the other color swatches from atop a slowly moving Epson printer on wheels.

No, really nothing happens, except a bunch of weird announcements and trend pieces are done. Last year's color was turquoise, which is already pushing it. This year's color is honeysuckle.

What now?

Let's investigate. Here is a picture of ACTUAL HONEYSUCKLE:


It looks white, right? But whatever, maybe this is just a deceptive picture. Maybe that's a rare albino honeysuckle.

Here's the color according to Pantone:


You're probably thinking to yourself, "I HAVE TO GET ON THIS HONEYSUCKLE TREND." Don't worry, we're here to help! Here are some ways to incorporate honeysuckle into your wardrobe and onto your body:
This lipstick is literally called "Honeysuckle." You can't get any more on the nose than that (unless you put the lipstick on your nose, HA!). Seriously though, Bobbi Brown make-up is good.


This pretty Michael Kors dress is a great wardrobe staple for anyone who is a secret lady ninja assassin who goes to fancy galas and then also has to do flying front-kicks into people's faces. If your right leg needs to go at a 170-degree angle at any point during your evening, this is the perfect dress.


Probably don't do this.

In conclusion, the more you write the word "honeysuckle" the funnier it looks and sounds in your mind.

Ami Davis Was on NPR!

Christmas Cottage, Thomas Kinkade

Our own Ami Davis, who will be teaching her first class this Saturday, was featured in an NPR story on Thomas Kinkade.

Ami wrote her master's thesis on Kinkade, and she gave some insight into the appeal of the "painter of light."

Her upcoming class will touch on Kinkade's work as a way of investigating the different between mainstream art and lowbrow, outsider art, and kitch. Also, field trip to La Luz de Jesus Gallery! It sounds like it will be a fun time.

It's not to late to sign up - details below.

Art beyond the Museum: Lowbrow, Kitsch, and Outsider Art
Why are some works of art exhibited in museums while others aren't? Who decides the criteria for an artwork's acceptance by the art establishment? Often exhibited in mall-based art shops and underground galleries, lowbrow, kitsch, and outsider art is rarely noticed by the mainstream art establishment and even more rarely exhibited. This two-meeting course examines works by popular "lowbrow" artists from Mark Ryden to Thomas Kinkade, comparing their visual devices to mainstream artists, such as Jeff Koons and Andy Warhol, among many others. At the second class, students meet at a local underground art gallery to explore lowbrow art and debate its aesthetic merits. Internet access required to retrieve course materials.

Reg# V8633B
Fee: $95
Westwood: 415 1010 Westwood Center
Sat 10am-1pm, Dec 4
Los Angeles: La Luz de Jesus Gallery, 4633 Hollywood Blvd.
Sat 11am-1pm, Dec 11, 2 mtgs
Ami Davis, MA in art history, San Jose State University; Education Specialist, J. Paul Getty Museum. Ms. Davis also has taught art and art history at the Orange County Museum of Art and the San Jose Museum of Art.