The centerpiece of “Queen Califia’s Magical Circle” by artist Niki de Saint Phalle - Queen Califia herself atop her griffin.
This October I had the opportunity to spend some time in Los Angeles - a town that was at one time my home, many moons ago. The trip was equal parts vacation, inspiration, and work. Joined by a couple of my besties who live in the area, I made the most of my 9 days there with a busy schedule of art, beach, nature hikes, architecture, music and more.
Among many things, I had the chance to view the opening of my friend Tomashi Jackson’s art show “Minute by Minute” at Night Gallery, which incorporated hand-embroidered and tatted textiles made by my own grandmother, Carrie Barcus, which I had gifted to the artist. Truly a special moment to see these complex, multi-layered (quite literally and figuratively), collaged works in person - they are POWERFUL! I could feel my grandmother’s utter awe and delight raining down on that gallery as well. You can read more about Tomashi’s show in this wonderful LA Times interview.
A piece from Tomashi Jackson’s “Minute by Minute,” which incorporated hand embroidery by my grandmother as the foundation for her canvas
Detail of hand tatting done by my grandmother Carrie Barcus, used in Tomashi Jackson’s piece
Another work by Tomashi Jackson in “Minute by Minute” at Night Gallery. This incorporates Carrie’s embroidery, as well as Tomashi’s mother’s photography, and the shapes of redlined districts in LA.
Embroidery detail by my grandmother
Tomashi Jackson’s piece, incorporating photography from her mother, and my grandmother’s embroidery at the bottom edge.
There is a wildly coincidental story from the day when I gifted Tomashi this textile… as we were chatting about my goldsmithing work and Tomashi’s collection of gold chains, we noticed that the edge of this pillowcase read “Cloth of Gold.” Funny how life works! I love that Tomashi then incorporated gold paint into the piece, as well as another piece that utilized Grandma Carrie’s handiwork.
Tomashi in the midst of performance art at Night Gallery
I also made a pilgrimage with my dear friend Tamara, to see my hero Niki de Saint Phalle’s installation “Queen Califia’s Magical Circle” in Escondido - one of the few existing sites of her art in the US. Magical indeed! I cannot even fathom the amount of time it took to cover this entire area in mosaics - much of which was made from semiprecious gemstones! The docent at the site told us that Niki and her team went to the Tucson gem show to buy the stones. I imagine they must have cleared out a lot of dealers’ bins to make this work!
A view of Queen Califia’s Magical Circle
Fragmented selfie at Queen Califia’s Magical Circle
Detail from Queen Califia’s Magical Circle, with mosaic malachite and what looks to be chrysoprase
There were so many details to discover around every turn at Queen Califia’s Magical Circle. Each one tells a story.
Back in LA proper, I had the chance to visit the Neutra VDL House in Silverlake with my friend Symantha. This onetime home and studio of architect Richard Neutra is a place I’ve long wanted to see in person, as a huge fan of mid-century modernism and Neutra in particular. Neutra shares a particular history with my mother’s lineage, who were Austrian Jews. While it may not seem so unusual today, the fact that the original structure for this building was made in 1932 is pretty mind-blowing.
Living room at the Neutra VDL House in Silverlake
Exterior of the Neutra VDL House
Another interior angle at Neutra VDL
Details at the Neutra VDL House - this color palette echoes my recent FW23 lookbook
Last but not least, the trip was capped off by a trunk show at the beautiful Kinship Station boutique in Topanga. I loved hanging with the shop staff, and getting to know their customers more. They’ve got such a gorgeous curation of decor, clothing and jewelry - definitely worth a visit.
Talisman jewels at Kinship Station in Topanga
Symantha and her mug at Kinship Station - a beautifully curated boutique of decor, clothing, jewelry and more
Shopgirl Nadia dons the Ra Signet at the Kinship Station trunk show
That’s a wrap! Until next time LA <3