Outside The Lines at MOCA Grand Avenue Parents and children alert: MOCA Grand Avenue is hosting an event for you this Saturday afternoon, September 21: the launch of OUTSIDE THE LINES: An Artists’…
Outside The Lines at MOCA Grand Avenue
Parents and children alert: MOCA Grand Avenue is hosting an event for you this Saturday afternoon, September 21: the launch of OUTSIDE THE LINES: An Artists’ Coloring Book for Giant Imaginations.
Tapping into parental despair at the cutesiness of many coloring books, self-described “hustler of culture” Souris Hong-Porretta has created a coloring book featuring artworks by more than 100 artists and designers. The concept is so simple and clever one wonders why it wasn’t done before. About it, she writes: “Two and a half years ago, I conceptualized a coloring book with line drawings by our creative cabal made up of video game developers, comic book artists, illustrators, graffiti artists, painters, musicians, directors, photographers, and so much more after observing my daughter, Lulu’s preference for coloring books with artwork by contemporary artists.”
Personal experience (my daughter, Summer, coloring, below) suggests kids LOVE this book, while inadvertently learning about contemporary art. One buyer enthused on Amazon: “I am not an expert on the contemporary art ‘scene’ (I am not as hip as I once thought I was) but this book is a great primer for what is happening right now in art.”
Kids – and their parents – are invited to come color, and buy, the books, and get them signed by Souris and many of the artists; 51 are promised to be in attendance at the event, including LA’s own Gary Baseman, Shepard Fairey, Steve Harrington (designer of the book’s cover), Clare Crespo as well as designers/inventors Emmanuelle Bourlier and Andreas Froech and the amazing artist Laurie Lipton. Shepard Fairey and JEGA will provide the music sets.
The event is free to the public (though you pay for the books), and takes place this Saturday, 3 – 6 PM at MOCA Grand Avenue.
Below, from left to right: Nicolas colors “Underwhelmed Posse” by Steven Nereo; “Controllers” by John Freeborn, colored by Summer.
It’s Elemental at Parachute Market
Also in downtown this weekend, the second edition of Parachute Market, a seasonal design mart, takes place all ths weekend on Mateo Street in the Arts District. It is curated by set designer Coryander Friend and showcases many of LA’s designers worth watching (several who have been covered by our DJs on DnA, most recently Matthew Sullivan, designer of the market’s flyer, below). She gives each mart a theme; the first was “”Psychedelic Summer,” referring to “postmodern design with roots in psychedelia” (the acid-free versio); the second is “Elemental”, described as being “rooted in the periodic table of elements that comprise our earth.”
Participating designers and curators include; JF Chen, A Current Affair (Richard Wainwright), AQQ Design/BOTA, Reform Gallery, Bari Ziperstein, Nina Savill Jewelry, Brook&Lyn, Rex & Penny, The Window, Kathleen Whiteaker, Ishi Glinsky, Victoria Morris Pottery and food by Kinfolk Magazine.
Since Coryander Friend has a wonderful eye, expect this to find striking collectibles and gifts at this mart, which also gives a percentage of its ticket sales to the great arts school for LAUSD kids, Inner City Arts.
VENUE: 405 Mateo St., Los Angeles 90013
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 21, 12:00 – 7:00 pm; Sunday, Sept, 22, 12:00 – 6:00 pm.
ADMISSION: $6.00 online; $8.00 at the door.