Exploring LA

We have met so many great people from writing blogs for the last 14 years.  Kind of remarkable how many years that this medium has become part of my life.

I posted over a month ago about the annual LA Contemporary Art show in Venice.  A reader reached out mentioning to me that his girlfriend happened to be represented by one of the galleries.  Small world or perhaps not surprising that his girlfriend is an artist who we have collected.  He suggested we all get together for lunch while we are in LA and go see her studio.  Sounded like a fantastic plan.

We met at P.Y.T. for brunch/lunch downtown.  The owners of this place also own several others up and down Main Street.  Light airy restaurant with a nice vibe.  Fred hit up the pancakes, lemon ricotta with a coconut butter and maple syrup over the top.

I went for the chef’s salad of the day…aka the entire farmers market.  Really delicious.

Afterward, we went over to Vanessa Prager’s studio in Boyle Heights.  It is truly a treat meeting an artist that we have collected and will continue to collect.  In our early days as collectors we met many of the artists of the work we purchased but as time passed it became harder to do so.  It is insightful hearing the artist talk about their work, their process and how they themselves have evolved.  Just like I am curious about an entrepreneur’s journey, I feel the same way about an artist.   Vanessa started out drawing.

Love the cart of paints.

A great studio with a small backyard and an upstairs loft allowing for a soaring ceiling.  Pretty great space.

I just love this new body of work.

Her other pieces that look very different from wherever you are standing.  I can see the face in this piece.

We made our way back to the westside stopping at M+B on the way home to see an installation of Hannah Whitaker’s work. The wall into the gallery is filled with honeysuckle.  It is everywhere now and the smell is intoxicating. It is her second exhibition with the gallery.  An analog work mixed with film, cut-outs, and sketches.

It is Whitaker’s second exhibition with the gallery.  An analog work mixed with film, cut-outs, and sketches.

This is another of her pieces.

Hit up the movie The Salesman that evening before stopping for a late dinner at Bottlefish for a round of oysters.

Such a great day although I admit I am hankering to return to NYC but looking at the 20-degree temperature there is keeping me here for a few more weeks.