Park's Layers

WHAT IT IS LIKE TO PEEL JOHN PARK
It is one of those things, to get to know a painter through his or her work, but it is a whole other thing to get to know them outside of what they create. John Park, himself, is bold, gifted, and wise; a true complement to what he applies to chosen canvas. "We are the vampires of the world." Park says, with hope, in regards to the States. "... we've lost track of the notion that the pursuit of happiness should involve the greater good instead of self-indulgence." With those words he lit a fire inside of me. I wanted to dig deeper into his humanistic side and see beyond his painted layers.

Supreme: The Gentle But Deadly Kind

WRESTLING AT ITS BLOODIEST 
There are some things that even the most daring wrestlers in the competitive /entertainment circuit will not venture into. We know they aren't afraid of tight pants (which accentuates their girlish figures), cheesy shticks, and/or tacky stage names. Painful items like rat traps, barbed wire, staple guns, and glass are some of the items that they usually avoid. But in the case of wrestler Supreme while the others run he turns around and embraces it head on; literally. It's a good thing his wife is a nurse! For years he has been challenging his opponents in Death Matches; making sure that lots of blood is shed and titles are won. 

KCRW's Eric J Lawrence: A True Musicphile

ERIC J LAWRENCE 
Can you imagine having to keep track of all the music that gets sent to KCRW? Trust me when I say it looks overwhelming. But according to Eric J Lawrence, KCRW's music librarian, it's a dream job. A hobby on steroids. Here's a man who wanted to be an English professor and instead hangs out down in a basement with one of the most amazing music collections in town. His job is to keep it organized. Little does anyone know (except his family) Eric was featured on Solid Gold, a gloriously cheeky disco TV show , lip syncing to Joe Dolce's "Shaddup You Face" with his father when he was thirteen years old. Five bucks for anyone who can track that TV clip down. Seriously!

Once Polaroid,Then Fuji, and Now The Impossible Project

INSTANT PHOTOGRAPHIC PLEASURES

have been reborn, after the death of their mother company, Polaroid, a creation of Edwin H. Land in 1948, by a few other companies. Wanting to preserve the convenience, fun, and creative outlet that these photographs produced is a no-brainer because a Polaroid image has had an extensive, festive history. Providing artists, photographers, and shutterbugs with instant gratification its presences has graced the globe. In 2001 Polaroid went bankrupt and within 7 years sold off their equipment and formulas. One of them was the formula for instant film which was left it in the hands of another company: The Impossible Project.

Good Ear Candy: Gotye

GOTYE
Often an album sounds better than when you see the band play live. Last night, at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles, Wouter De Backer, better know as Gotye, walked out on stage and proved to the many fans anxiously awaiting the show that he had amazing musical prowess. His enthusiasm and skills translated relentlessly and his appreciation for odd instruments schooled an ignorant ear. Despite an absent Kimbra, he implored the audience's help. Without hesitation, they gladly complied: nearly every woman in that theatre sang along to "Someone That I Used To Know" (and quite a few men, too). It was amazing.

Some People Say It's The Tiny Details That Count

KRYSS SAPP 
As a two year old runs to the door in greeting, her father, Sapp, walks out of his workshop with a big smile. His trademark mohawk is relaxed and his demeanor soft; visually unmistakable punk. His family background is in vintage film posters and memorabilia, but he has a huge affinity for toys-- especially those of the Zombie nature. His love for World War II history and tiny soldiers has given him his niche in the art world. And, contrary to rumors of a quiet and shy nature, he has a lot to say-- whether it is about politics "I miss my country" or about the loss of his brother. He's the sweet sensitive kind.

An Intense Jazz Abstraction

INTENSE JAZZ DRUMMER ARI HOENIG
In all seriousness, what does a touring jazz drummer do with his laundry? He lives in New York, what else does he do with it; he sends it down the street for just a pinch more than the quarters most people use to do laundry. Nice!  Hoenig, the only child between his two musician parents, is just as comfortable spending hours practicing as he is hanging out with video games, sports, movies, and even boardgames like Stratego with his family and friends. His favorite thing to play on his kit is, "that which I have never played before. Anything that conjures up emotion."