Minutes

Had another event downtown with some of my art, opening tonight, called Chocolate and Art. I went with another K, who was standing in there for me, while I had to goto Jeff Hamilton's for the second night of his Street Art event. Tonight Cherish Waters and India Gants came by the event to see me. And later Taylor Chung, AKA DJ Wenzday, and a very talented music video director, Vicente Cordero joined us. Afterwards I went to pick up Other K from Chocolate and Art, and went to meet Cherish and Taylor for late night sushi at Sushi Enya in Little Tokyo. This place had really great atmosphere, with Chopinish music playing in the background. Afterwards Other K came over and we watched Sid and Nancy. 

Went with K to the Street Art event at Jeff Hamilton's studio in the fashion district downtown, where I am showing some of my paintings. As we got there around 7pm we realized we wanted to go get food and then come back. It was also because barely anyone was there. We drove to the arts district and ended up at Hauser & Wirth. They had a really nice opening event for Mark Bradford. The place looked wonderful and the courtyard was flanked with food and drink stations that offered the finest of everything! And the had servers walking around with au d'oeuvres too! So when K and I filled up our plates, (hers with vegetables and salad, mine with meats) and sat down to eat, food was still being constantly offered to us. I was accepting everything, until I could no longer breath. After we finished eating we walked around, and I figured I didn't know a single person there. When K went to the bathroom, I noticed Adrien Brody chit chatting with Mark. When K came out of the bathroom, we went inside the gallery to see the art - only a handful of people were there, and Mark standing in the middle by himself. I started by saying "great to see you!" and Mark reacted as if he already knew me, since I was so convincing in my delivery. But there's really nothing worse, than having to pretend like this - me and my awful memory, unfortunately practice this quite often. But we very quickly moved on to taking pictures and that was just something because Mark is so tall. He laid his chin on my head and I really didn't know what to do, so I laughed - maybe also because K, who was taking the picture, laughed too. K and I had to hurry back to Jeff Hamilton's, because Charan Andreas and Levi Stoke were on their way to meet me there. And then also Jamieson Hill showed up. I got really tired, probably because of all the food and drinks I had, so we left a little after 11 and went home.

Twenty months ago I started to paint in this studio without knowing where this road would lead. In a couple of weeks I'll be leaving here and move to a new place with new roads opening up. It's been the most exciting time of my life and I'm looking forward to what's ahead. This great experience is a constant reminder to be daring and foster changes. That when you feel too comfortable, then something's wrong. My dog, Sunset, on the other hand, always wants to feel comfortable.

Photographed: Nick and Sophie Simmons, Captain Jack and Courtlyn Cannan, Kendall Bernota, at Black Rabbit Rose in Hollywood.

Photographed: Zane Mende, Gian Marco Flamini, Elle Dawson, Ty Joseph, and Tauhid Price at Bronson Bar in Hollywood.

Went with Kendall to Black Rabbit Rose for Fred Durst's jazz night. We really tried not to make a night out of it, and leave early. But then, whenever I go to those places, it becomes harder then it seems at first. We were seated with some old and new friends, and I we just had a couple of beers. But then, when the band took a break we went to wonder around and given more drinks at Dirty Laundry. A couple of the new friends, Elle Dawson and Kevin Hayeland, suggested we go to adults only. Courtlyn Cannan suggested it too. And I didn't object because it's on my way home anyways. So we ended up making a night out of it. We met more new friends at table, Madison Paige, not the fictional character, but the model, was one of them.

Went to a few art openings at Pacific Design Center by myself. I knew about one, at Laurent & Martin Gallery, which was Laurent Proneur's show. The gallery is very large and most of the people were behind a partitioned wall at the very end, so when I entered the main area was completely empty, and those Picassoisque paintings made it look like a museum in the off hours. In the back area I didn't know anyone so I looked at the paintings (which most of them I was already familiar with) for a bit, and ventured off to the other galleries. I entered the vibrant  Sur Le Mur galley which, among other artists, was featuring some of Jeff Hamilton's new creations. There I saw an artist a recently met at the LA Art Show, Meghan Hall, and after a little while she started to spread this rumor that I am this great artist. So, once this rumor got around all kinds of people started to talk to me. I ended up getting a little tour of the gallery from the gallery director, Megan Phillips. She seemed to like my art when I showed it to her on my phone and very hands on with everything that goes into her gallery. She mentioned that artists often call her for advise with their art - and she seemed like a person who gives good advises. Afterwards I was talking to Jeff Hamilton, who I met for the fist time. We hit it off very well, and he just loved the stuff of mine that I showed him. The next morning I woke up to 30 likes from him on my Instagram pictures. He is doing a little art fair show of his own in February, and invited me to participate in it. After the galleries I went with Isabelle Holman (a girl I briefly met at Delilah's the other week and just showed up by herself to Sur Le Mur) to Fred Durst's jazz night at Black Rabbit Rose. Johnny Houston was getting me a drink, so I asked for Jameson rocks, but it took so long, so I went to the bar where he was getting some more people drinks, and it turned out that they went to get a new bottle from the back. Instead, the bartender lady offered me alternatives and that gave me a good excuse to choose my favorite scotch, Johnny Walker Black Label. She poured me two and a half shots I think. After the jazz show I took some provocative pictures of Isabelle in the passage between Black Rabbit Rose and Dirty Laundry, and from there we ended up at the latter.

Went to Delilah with Kendall for Nick Simmons' birthday. It is always harder to take pictures there, because it isn't allowed, but I was able to take a few until one of the bouncers objected by putting his hand in front of my G (that's LG without the L) right when I was about to take a great picture of Nick and Skylar Benton. Initially we were sitting very far from the stage, but then we moved tables and more people joined. Pictured below Fred Lamarche, Michelle Rodriguez, Anna Tepper, Johnny Houston, and Obiageliaku Anusionwu.

Met with my Grace Guo for dinner at Black Rabbit Rose in Hollywood. She sent me a very nice card for Christmas and for the short amount of time that we worked together, she did a great job. We talked about our plans for the new year. She seemed interested in helping out, and I would definitely be glad to work with her again. I told her about the interest of the Houston brothers to put up a unique art show that I would be involved with, and the opportunity that it will present to me to work on much larger scale paintings. We also discussed the option to tap into the Chinese market where she would play a major role, helping facilitating my PR there. I think it would be great to show my art in China and see what kind of feedback it would receive. I am always interested in finding out more about my art. BRR was packed with people I know. An old friend, Meya Jones, who I met on my birthday last year was giving her going away party there, and many mutual friends were there. Mark Houston was sitting with Adrian Grenier at the table across from us. After the dinner part, we went into the theater part to see the jazz show which is now one of the most sought out place to be on a Thursday night in LA. We were a little bit late to make the move and the only seats that were available to us were in the very back. Next to Grace sat this girl who works at the Chanel store on Rodeo Dr. which neighbors Grace's galley - Gallery Michael. They were discussing rents. Chanel pays $150k per month, and Gallery Michael doesn't pay Grace enough for her to care about how much the rent is. We only stayed until 12:30 and left and went home. 

Went with Monica Weldon and Sunset to Runyon Canyon for a brunch time hike. Saw Ian Passmore there starting his second round. And when we finished, he started his third round. Later before I went out I dyed my hair because my roots are failing me again. But they were not they only this that was failing me that night. When I turned on the water to take a shower, there were no hot water. I then turned on the water in the kitchen, and no hot water again. I waited a few minutes, and still no how water. I put on my robe, flipflops, took a towel, a soap bar and conditioner and went to the shower at the gym in my building. But also there, there was no hot water. I then called Monica who lives a couple of buildings away to see if I can use her shower, but she told me in her most apologetic voice, that she just left her place to go to a birthday party. I then call another neighbor from across the street, and finally got lucky. I went and took a shower at his building's gym. I was ready in time for K and a few other friends to meet at my place and go to Cloak and Dagger. 

Went to Dark Room on Melrose with Sunset to see Tonia Cascio, who I dated in 2015 and for the most part of 2016, at her farewell party before she and Isani Griffith take off to tour the world for a whole year. It would be very interesting to see if she would last. When she went to south east Asia for six weeks about a year ago, she had managed to get injured in a scooter accident and get her wallet stolen with all her money. Maybe better luck this time. I then went to Delilah's for Jazz Night. I was suppose to meet Natasha Basset there but right when I got in my car she texted saying that she is not feeling well and has to cancel. I went anyways because I was already in my car and already told Nick Simmons that I am coming. I arrive at the exact same time as Nick does, so at least I don't have to walk into the venue by myself. Once we're in and Nick gets his table, he sits single me on the love seat facing the stage. So far I'm the only one sitting at the table while Nick is standing chatting with people. But not a couple of minutes go by and a wonderful blonde helps herself to sit next to me to my left on the love seat while her guy friend sits himself on the chair to her left. They were both very friendly and saved me from an awkward situation - going to places by myself. Her name was Lauren Doyle and he was Jared Reichbaum (who is working on a documentary about him walking across America coast to coast - it took him seven months, average of 20 miles per day), both LA transplants from Pittsburgh, and I think they both liked me because I was giving an "Andy Warhol vibe". Her friend Erika Saxon was sitting across the table from me and we all ended up hanging together until I left. Lauren even managed to make me dance with her - I felt like I owed her, so I had no choice.   

Went to the LA Art Show with Paul Morris. It was my third time going there this weened and the first time I actually got to see some of the art. My strongest impression was from the Big Eyes booth. The gallery that is located in San Francisco, has been working exclusively with Margaret Keane for the past 30 years. I met with the owner, Robert Brown, who told me quite a good bit about his work relationship with Margaret. Her story is one of the most interesting stories in art history and so is her art. I couldn't stop thinking about taking home one of her originals, but just ended up taking a free print that Robert's son, Anthony, handed me. Later I dropped off Paul at his place in Hollywood and went to meet with Morgan Jensen at my place. We went to No Vacancy where she left me to go to Good Times at Davey Wayne's, and then I went to Breakroom 86 with Johnny Houston, Charan Andreas and a few other friends. 

Went with K to a last minute pop up show that featured two of my paintings at the Freehand Hotel in downtown LA. We also went to the LA Art Show a bit before - it was K's first time at an art fair. I found out about the Freehand show just yesterday when Jacob Ryan from Homme Gallery asked me to participate. He is in the process of moving his gallery to a new location in the Hollywood Hills, which is where I met him to drop of the paintings - a portrait of Warhol and a portrait of Haring. After I dropped off the paintings Wednesday evening, I went to the opening of the LA art show and there I saw Johnny Valenti and found out that he is producing the Freehand show. The Freehand show also featured paintings by Mickey Avalon, who's song was playing at my place just the other day - and K was there and wondered who that (man in a black sedan) was. But he wasn't there - He is in Miami at the Versace mansion, probably not thinking about a hotel in downtown LA. The show was on the rooftop of the hotel by the pool. Jacob erected a few large plywood panels which he painted white and placed the paintings on them. He was in the finishing stages when we arrived. For the most part we just sat, with people that came and went - artist Nick Hunt, Serge Serum, Paul Morris, Johnny Valenti. Lina Valentina showed up a bit later, and a few other friends. After the show I went with K, Claire Felske, and Jules Hamilton to a Korean Barbecue restaurant in Korea Town.

My purpose? Is to make my art relevant, inspiring and encompassing. But that's pretty much the purpose of any artist, isn't it?

Photographed: Cherish Waters, Alexa Lane, Merlin Kauffman, Jason Parry, Mark Houston, Laetitia Rey & Myles Hendrik.