Echo Park Film Center April Screenings

Phew! The Echo Park Film Center is wearing us out with all the stuff they’ve got going on next month! Here are the screenings that they’ll be hosting just during the first week of April.

Thursday, April 1 @ 8:00 PM – OPEN SCREEN
Our quarterly cinematic free-for-all dares you to share your film with the feisty EPFC audience. Any genre! Any style! New, old, work-in-progress! First come, first screened; one film per filmmaker; 10 minute maximum. DVD, VHS, mini-DV, DV-CAM, Super 8, 8mm, 16mm. FILMMAKERS GET IN FREE!

Tuesday, April 6 @ 7:45 PM – CINEMA SPEAKEASY: HILAROUS SLIGHTY RAUNCHY SHORTS
Cinema Speakeasy is totally stoked to present an evening of hilarious, slightly raunchy short films– so hilarious and slightly raunchy, in fact, that we’re calling the program nothing more than ‘Hilarious, Slightly Raunchy Shorts’. It’s truth in advertising. There are a lot of films in this program, and a full rundown of what to expect will be online at cinemaspeakeasy.com soon, but in the meantime, know that you can expect to laugh at (with?) former Vice guru Gavin McInness, LA-based comedians and writers Rebecca Addelman, Suzi Barrett, Dustin MacLean, Brian Shortall and more.

Wednesday, April 7 @ 8:00 PM –  REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS NIGHT
EPFC hosts a special night exploring reproductive rights and laws around the world through personal stories. German filmmaker Sarah Diehl is visiting LA to participate in The Ethics of Women’s Health conference at USC, and she will present her documentary “Abortion Democracy: Poland/South Africa,” which contrasts the changes in Poland and South Africa regarding abortion laws and their impact on the lives of women, here at EPFC. Also showing is “The Abortion Diaries,” a short documentary by Penny Lane featuring 12 diverse women who speak candidly about their experiences with abortion. Discussion to follow with FILMMAKER SARAH DIEHL IN ATTENDANCE!

Thursday, April 8 @ 8:00 PM – GEMS FROM THE ARCHIVES OF RUSS HARDEN III
Film collector Russell Harnden is back with another screening of GEMS FROM THE ARCHIVES, a film series devoted to obscure and outdated ephemeral films drawn from his personal collection of cartoons, educational, and industrial films. A sampling of these wonderful films from the 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s will be pulled from the vault and screened during an evening that’s sure to stimulate your mind and make you chuckle at the same time. Join us and watch as an entire community tries to “get along” underground (‘OCCUPYING A PUBLIC SHELTER”), a kid with an attitude searches for gainful employment (“HOW TO KEEP A JOB”), and you’ll be amazed at how the future of telecommunications is boldly predicted (“TALKING OF TOMORROW”). So be sure to join us for a fun and “educational” evening!

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DIY Gallery: Pretty Rad

Aaron Williams & Zach Taylor // Pretty Rad: New Collaborations
Closing Reception April 10 // 7pm (Valet parking available)

Pretty Rad is an eye candied Pop Art painting and cleverly industrial Textual sculpture collaboration between Aaron Williams and Zach Taylor.

The entire show is a result of total collaboration in which not one piece is a solo work, each one requiring up to 3-4 months of work to complete. The artists took turn adding to and/or taking away from the previous artist’s contribution, the last of which was finished as the show was being hung.

The duo, both MFA graduates from The Chicago Art Institute, shows the range of their formal technical skills, ability to break free from said abilities when needed as well as their strength as a creative team. The two have been friends and collaborators for almost 3 years. The gallery represents both artists.

After Pretty Rad’s closing reception, the show is headed to Art Chicago, The International Fair of Contemporary and Modern Art at The Merchandise Mart, April 30-May 3 2010.

The show also marks DIY’s move from their former space at 1218 Temple St to the new Sunset Blvd location, a space previously occupied by Bandit Gallery.

DIY Gallery 1549 Sunset Blvd, LA 90026 (213) 977-9602
Gallery Hours 12-6,  Tuesday – Saturday
http://www.diygallery.info

*** Bloggers Note: We have expanded our Guest Blog week through Monday because we had some technical issues this weekend and these posts didn’t make it out in time. We apologize if the blog slows down for a couple of days while we work things out. Echo Park Now would like to thank the wonderful and talented Dale Dreiling for pitching in last week. Go see his work at Chango and at The Echo Country Outpost during the art walk!

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Echo Park Avenue Art Walk

Echo Park Ave. Art Walk is back! Join local businesses, artists, and musicians on Saturday, April 3 from 12 noon – 6:00 pm. Participating businesses are located from Blue Collar to Fix Coffee on Echo Park Avenue.

While we don’t have a complete list of businesses, vendors and activities yet (check back later for details) there will be quite a few activities, including art, performances, music, sidewalk chalk, and more. This time, all business are responsible for booking artists and entertainers, so anyone interested in submitting artwork should contact Echo Park Avenue businesses directly.

What: Echo Park Avenue Artwalk
When: Saturday, April 3, 2010 from 12 noon – 6:00 pm
Check out the Facebook page for contact info

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New Painting (part 2)

Echo Park, El Carnal (pt.2) Acrylic on 7.5″ x 10″ panel.

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Record Release Show at Echo Country Outpost

Echo Country Outpost is hosting the Amanda Jo Williams Yes I Will, Mr. Man Record Release Show on Saturday, March 27 at 6:30 pm.

5 Bands, $5 at the door, free tequila!

It’s a romp in the woods with moonshine-soaked hillbillies fighting for love and the American dream. A banjo this time, a dancing percussionist next time, Amanda Jo notably has a musician surprise or two at each performance. For March 27, she’ll have two stand-up bassists, a rhythm section, and, as always, the inimitable guitarist 5-Track, whose guitar howls and coos like a wolf on opium. The show gets even better with glam folk band He’s My Brother She’s My Sister, story-telling dreamer Henry Wolfe, as well as Woodstock folk artist and legend Paul McMahon, who taught Williams to play guitar, and the wild stomping Matthew O’Neill.

For more information about the bands, click below:

Amanda Jo Williams
He’s My Brother, She’s My Sister
Henry Wolfe
Paul McMahon
Matthew O’Neill

Presented by: L.A. Record & White Noise & Metl Reserva Especial

Click here to RSVP on the Echo Country Outpost Facebook page.

Echo Country Outpost is located at 1930 Echo Park Avenue

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New Painting of Glendale Blvd

Glendale Blvd (Los Corredores) acrylic on 14.5″ x 13.5″ panel. This is my most recent painting, the second I’ve done since 2010. Before my guest blogger spot is up (ends this Sunday), I plan to get one more painting completed. Enjoy!

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L’Keg Backyard Benefit

Some of you might remember the fire at Tigeorges’ Chicken the other month. Well the popular Haitian restaurant wasn’t the only business to suffer damage. Smoke from the fire and water from the firemen made their mark on the underground art and music space, L’Keg. A benefit is being held this Saturday to raise money so that L’Keg can reopen their doors as soon as possible.

Here is the deal: you have to RSVP on Facebook to find out the secret location. You can do that at the event page here. Those of you without Facebook will need a friend to help you out. However, this event is geared towards a scene familiar with Facebook so I bet if you are interested in this you already have an account!

Saturday, March 27th
12pm -5pm

The Bands:
DOS (Mike Watt)
SIGNALS
BLUE JUNGLE
AUDACITY
+ DJ Keith Morris (Black Flag, Circle Jerks)

The Activities:
“face painting, photo booth, sidewalk chalk, collaborative movie-making, hula hooping contest, and much more. bring your DOGS, and feel free to bring your own fun (within reason).”

The Cost:
“well, it depends. FIRST 100 RSVPS ARE ON VIP $3 list. everyone after is $6. dogs get in free. no cats or ducks allowed.”

According to the Tigeorges’ Chicken website they will be reopening within the next two months.

L’Keg is located at 311 Glendale Boulevard (just south of Temple).

Tigeorges’ Chicken is located at 307 Glendale Boulevard.

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Open Art Drop At Echo Curio

Echo Curio wants your art for it’s April show. This time there is no theme so you can bring whatever your imagination can whip up! Bring your pieces to Echo Curio on Tuesday, April 6th between 7 and 10 pm for inclusion in the show. Don’t worry; if your piece doesn’t sell you do get it back. Echo Curio is located at 1519 Sunset Blvd.

Here is what the folks at Echo Curio have to say: “Ok, ok… tired of all that thinking, all that cramming your round ideas into our oval holes.  Well, this show is for you. Bring what you want, bring what you got, hell, make something new.  We don’t care.  We won’t ask what it is. We just have to be able to hang it or put it on a shelf, and we’re good to go.  Free and easy.”

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Things Change

As it is probably common knowledge in Echo Park that this vacant Pioneer Chicken location on Echo Park Avenue is becoming a Little Ceasars as we speak. I walk by this sign every day, and in some nerdy and random way, I will miss this sign if the new owners tear it down. To the future…

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“Waved Out,” Two-Room Festival in Echo Park

Aquarium Drunkard is teaming up with Spaceland Productions to present WAVED OUT: an all ages, two-room festival at The Echo and Echoplex on Saturday, March 27th.

The first of more to come, WAVED OUT will showcase the best of new music with performances by:
Surfer Blood
Best Coast
Turbofruits
Active Child
The Coathangers
Dirt Dress
Gamble House
The Po Po
and more to be announced.

Plus, KXLU, Origami Vinyl, Hit & Run, and Ice Cream Man will be on site with popcorn, ice cream, cotton candy and pinball.

Echoplex is located at 1154 Glendale Blvd. Doors open at 3:30 pm

Click here to purchase tickets ($10 each, all ages).

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Echo Park Film Center Presents “Hooray for Edendale!”

For those of you who are interested in learning a little bit about Echo Park’s history, the Echo Park Film Center will be presenting Hooray for Edendale! this Saturday, March 20 at 8:00 pm. The film is a documentary that tells the story of Echo Park at the beginning of the 20th century and the film studios that helped to create Los Angeles’s film industry.

A celebration of the birth and early growth of the movie industry in Los Angeles that happened right here in our neighborhood! Award-winning film editor, writer and film industry historian Robert S. Birchard presents over 100 images and some early films exploring the Selig, Keystone/Bison, Pathe, Mixville and Norbig studios that constituted L.A.’s first “Studio Row” in the 1910’s.

The screening is FREE and open to everyone. The Echo Park Film Center is located at 1200 N. Alvarado St.


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E.P.I.C. (Echo Park Independent Co-op) Opens It’s Doors

Readers, you will be proud to know that I ingested one too many caffeine and guarana infused vodka drinks on Friday night all in the name of bringing you in the inside scoop on the Echo Park Independent Co-op. You’re welcome. Of course, I didn’t do it alone. Kelly and Faith and I all put on our Friday night best and headed down to the swanky affair that was their grand opening.

The Echo Park Independent Co-op (E.P.I.C.) is the creation of Tristen Scott and Rhianon Jones. It’s located in a big beautiful space on Sunset within the confines of the Jensen Recreational Center Building. The interior design of the store is stunning. Very grand and elegant but simple enough in it’s decoration to let the artwork and the clothing really stand out. Admittedly, it is their goal to present everything in the store in “a gallery-like setting.”

Half of the store is dedicated to one-of-a-kind clothing pieces created by L.A.-based designers. I’m not going to lie about the prices. They range from $60 to $1,000 and on average are somewhere between $100 and $300.  When I asked Tristen about this, he admitted that this was not affordable to most people. His goal is not to provide cheap, ready-to-wear fashion to everyone but to support local artists many of whom have no other venue in which to display their work. They also eventually plan on “taking artists and designers under their wing to create in-store products that are unique to the market place.”

The other half of the store is to be used as a gallery space. On Friday there was Post-It Note art on display created by a variety of artists and friends. Each display was priced at $10 and all of the proceeds went to Million Trees L.A. In addition, 10% of all the proceeds from Friday night’s sales went to the same organization.

The Echo Park Independent Co-op is located at 1712 Sunset. Their website (http://www.shopepicla.com/) is not fully-functional yet, but we’ll be sure to let you guys know when it is.

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Learning about (and playing with) Piñatas at the Machine Project

via The Machine Project website

On Thursday, March 18 at 8:00 pm, the Machine Project is hosting “Piñatas: a Lecture” with Sarah Bay Williams.

She will be presenting a talk about “the short history, process, materials, resources, human nature, and meanings behind piñata-making. With live demonstration of a piñata in use (and full of candy).”

It’s unclear if you have to RSVP for the event, but you can contact the Machine Project with questions by going to their website.

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Art and Music Sunday At Chango

Chango is currently hosting the art of Dale Dreiling (from March 4- April 4).

Tomorrow (Sunday, March 14) at 5:30 pm, the cafe will be featuring a special musical guest, Jack Wilson Jr.

Chango is located at 1559 Echo Park Avenue

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