Hiromi Paper

by Laura E. Alvarez

Where am I? Hogwarts? Japan? No, I have entered yet another portal in Santa Monica. A little jem of a place bursting, yes, bursting with papers. My three favorite kinds of shops to get lost in are the following:

1) Book stores.

2) Art supply stores.

3) Stationary shops.

What do these three stores all have in common?

Paper.

Easy.

Hiromi Paper has been going since 1988 on the west side of Los Angeles. Their reach is international. You can find them at paper conferences all over the world. You can find the papers they have collected in art books, prints, installations… and more – all over the world. They actually know the people who make these papers. Washi. The “wa” means Japanese. The “shi” means paper. Hiromi Paper. You can order their products online. Yes! I follow their facebook page. They also have a lovely blog here. It’s a whole world of Washi.

This represents my Martha Stewart obsession for organization that accompanied my first pregnancy. Good times. I’m not like that anymore, but this little shelf of stationary cubbies does make my heart sing a little.

It’s a slice of cedar tree. That you can write on. I’m not making this up.

A sheet of blood oranges to make a grocery list on. See what I mean? It’s another world.

Pop, pop, pop. There’s a little secret notebook. And pencil.

Okay, now. Here’s the story. My boy decided he would make a book. So he chose the above paper in the middle for the cover. Handmade in Nepal. You can’t go wrong. He loved this photo so much that it is his home screen on his ipad mini.

Next, he chose the above paper for the pages of his book. It’s pretty thick, kinda green, Chu Tsharsho, naturally dyed from Bhutan.              

Joanna and Yuki are part of the Hiromi Paper team. They are super nice, knowledgeable and helpful. They told my boy he could try drawing on a sample of the Chu Tsharsho, naturally dyed from Bhutan. 

The drawing on the sample worked out.

It’s all wrapped up so pretty. Stay tuned for Hiromi Paper, Part Two where you see how the book gets made!

Also, check out photos here from when I actually got to teach a printmaking workshop at Hiromi Paper. That was SO fun.

 

rogue parenting – playing hookie

Deviating, renegade, playfully mischievious?  Yes.   Dishonest, to destroy, knavish?  Of course not.  To cheat or no longer belong?  Well, here it gets a little fuzzy.

Rogue.  It’s exciting.  It’s adventurous.  It’s “a handsome rogue.” It’s “She’s gone rogue!”  Oh my goodness, what is she going to do next!  It questions the norm in its actions.  Typical artists… to love this word.  However, rogue is for everyone.  It’s unplugging from the matrix.  It’s connecting.  Are we stretching the definition a bit?

This little cutie has gone rogue.  We know.  You didn’t think that this is what rogue looked like.  Stretch your mind a bit.  It’s a wonderful rainy school day.  These children have made a lovely morning tea party… on a school day.  Yikes!  Rogue!  I warned you.

For the moms – green tea.  For the kids – chocolate chai (decaf).  For all – black berries and rasperries on top of coconut cream.

Requisite contemplative rainy day photo.  Just couldn’t resist.

Our magical destination for going rogue today?  Disneyland?  Six Flags?  Build a Bear?  No.  Atwater!!

This or Die.  A place where you can see art, feel hip AND get your hair cut.

And like, that really cool tattoo artist kind of art.  All fantasy and delicate.

Even the rain boots are celebrating this rogue outing with their purple and gold colors.

No, the salon is not enough.  While the haircuts commence, we need to go buy coffee… and tea… and hot chocolates so we can have a haircut party.

The excitement of the hairbrush!  So many beautiful colors on one head of hair.

Here’s something we do when going rogue.  Going on adventure?  Throw a sketchbook at it.  Oh, and don’t forget the drawing tools like we did.  There is no perfect in going rogue.  No map.  Sometimes you have to wing it and borrow a number two from someone.  And we just want to say the grown ups were drawing, too.  Just have to say.

Indulging in the soft light on a fresh cut.

Indulging in the soft light on a butterfly earring.

Glorious.

Atwater.  And the sun came out.

Bon Vivant Market and Cafe.  A site of riches. It’s like we are on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride!

See, it is a ride.  Hiding monsters.

Not doing that right now, but it’s really pretty.

Hey, maybe this is someone else’s rogue parenting moment.

by Laura E. Alvarez

rogue parenting – taking kids & teens to an art museum

by Laura E. Alvarez

Next Gen.  It’s not just about the next generation of art lovers, it’s about the next generation of parents.  Thus, rogue parenting.  It’s about:  Guess What?  You get to keep having fun.  Yes, even after having kids.  More fun, actually.  You actually like some of the same music and play it really loud in the car.  That kind of says it all. No “Made for Kids Music” here.  There is a meeting ground.  You let there be a meeting ground.  And sometimes it’s a David Hockney installation that your teenager says he can sit and look at all day or a picnic on the hill by the museum where hopefully, your 12 year old rolls down the hill before ingesting their homemade tacos while you drink coffee from a thermos… but sometimes it’s after.  Fine.

First of all, some kids like to dress for their cultural outings.  Encourage this. It’s just more fun. We are the art.  Of course, not all children agree with this. Fine.  More on that later.*  Here, we have Dr. Who meets Richard Serra.  The colors love each other.

Band, by Richard Serra, collection of Los Angeles Museum of Art, 2006

Eight Bit sunglasses, Burnside shorts, American Apparel shirt, Sanuk shoes.

Tote full of snacks, aforementioned coffee, sketchbook, picnic blanket.

Youngsters are also handy for taking your outfit photos.  You can do silly poses in front of them in public places.  They often take direction really well  because they are not particularly excited to take over the whole photo shoot.  See, their whole life is a creative outlet.  That’s what being a kid is about, right?  But do not, I repeat do not have a child for the exclusive reason of taking your outfit photos. You’ve got to think these things through!

Kirkland sweater (yes, Costco), H & M pants from Crossroads Trading Co., boots unknown (Holly’s sister’s friend’s closet). Art is Metropolis II by Chris Burden, Los Angeles Museum of Art.

Necklace is concrete rings on suede cords from Tortoise, bag is soda can tabs by Escama Studio. Art is florescent tubes by Robert Irwin.

This looks posed, but it is not.  This is also not a paid advertisement for artist, Robert Irwin since here I am sitting in another Robert Irwin… sculpture (or garden?) at another art museum.  Okay, you don’t have to sketch with your kid (or your friend’s kid) but, there’s a lot of things that are worth trying once in this life or in any life for that matter.

More micro fashion.  Indian textiles with cowboy boots.  I might not have thought of that.

Some teens might draw at art museums.  Its active and exciting.  Also, invite another teen on the trip.  Teens are social creatures.  Remember this time in your life?  An outing with your parents can go from boring to fun if there is another person your age who you can make fun of stuff with.  Also, most important with teens… food. Bookend the trip with food.  Start with food and end with food.  I just read that last part to my very own teen and he said, “That is so true.  If there’s no food, it’s hell.”  Do you see how important food is to them?

*Shoes by Sanuk, shorts by Old Navy, t shirt by… London Games 2012.  This outfit says, “Ready to switch into some Asics and run five miles.”  Pretty cool.

So, we bookended the end of this art museum trip with Balconi Coffee Company.  See, you can even go somewhere you want to go… as long as there’s sugar.

Everyone happy?  Everyone happy.

Re-cap:

1.  Attitude:  Everyone is having fun.

2.  Dress for the outing… More fun!

3.  Meeting Ground.  Find some art everyone might like.  Or almost everyone.

4.  Balance with outdoor time. (i.e. rolling down hill)

5.  Add friends.  Especially if there is a teenager.

6.  And most important… bookend with food.

This photo by artist, Evan Hartzell.