Author Archives: studiodeb333

Sweet Parking Job

Ok, so this photo has nothing to do with art.  It wasn’t Art Murmur and I wasn’t on my way to a cool creative performance happening or a show at the Fox.  I was just out walking around town. And I think it’s hilarious. And I wanted to give a little heads up that I do have some art-related posts headed your way shortly, about which I am very excited.  Yay!  see below…

tightest parking spot ever, parking in oakland, oakland parking

Later this week I’ll be not only featuring pics of the new West Oakland San Pablo mural, which is awesome, but also my first artist interview in over a year (yikes). Last one was the Few & Far Mural Project back in June of 2011. Where oh where has the time gone?!?

I’ve also got a great Guest Post coming up on 9th Floor Radio. And if you don’t know what that is, well then, stay tuned…

Hope

Today I am feeling hopeful.  More hopeful.  Perhaps it’s because my car’s driver-side door lock miraculously fixed itself after a few annoyingly troublesome weeks.  Perhaps it’s because the Supreme Court handed down some good decisions this week.  Perhaps it’s because I have a three day weekend ahead of me and summer is here and it’s Friday afternoon and I have a cool beer waiting in my fridge for me. Or maybe it’s just my own conscious decision to embrace optimism.

Whatever the case, I’ve been meaning to post this for awhile.  It’s a sweet little installation.  Wish I had posted it before it got tagged…

Have a great weekend y’all!

oakland mural, hope mural, 14th avenue mural
bird mural, hope mural, 14th avenue oakland

Laurel Summer Solstice Music Festival!

Tomorrow marks the 7th annual Laurel District Summer Solstice Music Festival.  It’s an all day event featuring 25 bands, DJ’s, artists, and kids activities, focused truly on the cultural & artistic microcosm that is the Laurel District.

Festivities begin as early as 9am (enjoy your morning coffee from World Ground Café over the acoustic bluegrass and bluesy/folksy stylings of the Clusterpluckers – you’ve gotta love that name!), and will run well past the official 8pm close of the festival as a few special acts move indoors (“King” Sunny Ade’s band will be featured at West African restaurant Miliki, and one of Todd Huth’s current outfits, The Knuckles, will perform at Lounge 3411, which gets nearly 5 stars on Yelp, and according to one Yelper, is “a secret magical place in the hood.”)

The festival is being hosted by the Laurel Village Association (LVA) with a great deal of support from Acme House of Music – a veritable institution to local musicians (check out my post from last year’s festival for a short download on Acme:  Support Local Music in Oaktown – bring your lawn chairs and dancing shoes!).

According to the LVA…

Unbeknownst to many, our neighborhood is represented by some of the world’s most well respected artist/bands within a myriad of musical genres including rock, electronic, soul, jazz, hip-hop, punk, metal, experimental, blues and beyond.  And so, this year the festival has a line-up composed solely of talent from our diverse microcosm of Oakland.  Believe it or not, the outstanding entertainment showcased this year is being provided by your neighbors!

From Carl Lockett (Bay Area legendary jazz/rock/funk guitarist), to Matt Payne of chiptune band The Glowing Stars (for those who don’t know, chiptune is a genre of music created using limited sound cards, usually from retro gaming machines such as the NES, Atari ST, and the original Game boys) to surf-rockabilly outfit Trivalve, to the alt-country stylings of The Rogers… the list goes on and on.  See full list of musicians here.

I’m not sure what else to say, except Go!

laurel district, summer music festival, laurel music festival

Art Murmur is cool. And it’s tonight.

Here are some shots from my last Art Murmur back in March.   Yes, March.  I know.  I’m lame.

In any case, this weekend is a big one for ART.  Art Murmur, East Bay Open Studios, the Temescal Art Hop and more…  Maybe I can redeem myself by cramming!  And actually tending to this blog for a bit.

Who’s in?
—
We came upon this gorgeous mural somewhere on 26th street. I think we were next to Uptown Body & Fender, or maybe this was part of Uptown Body & Fender… I’m not quite sure. But there was this incredible mural, which looks to me like a collaborative effort. I recognize the work of thomas christopher haag (I have shots of some of his other murals I’ve yet to post). I love his fantastical creatures and use of geometric building blocks that remind me of Chuck Close crossed with Piet Mondrian. Or something like that.


I love the diá de los muertos skull above, and the incredible four-eyed face below. I’m too square to read the tags on the mural, so if anyone knows who else contributed to this, please send some info…

oakland mural, thomas christopher haag, uptown mural
oakland mural, thomas christopher haag, uptown mural
Then of course there were the fancy cars…
vintage cars, uptown body & fender
vintage cars, uptown body & fender
And a nice Eddie Colla piece I hadn’t seen before.
eddie colla, like a sieve, vintage car, little red corvette
And lastly, the preamble from the Declaration of Independence, which begins, “We hold these truths to be self-evident…”
declaration of independence, preamble, right to revolution, despotism, we hold these truths to be self evident
And ends with “it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”

Deep.