Real Creative Magazine

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Issue #3 2019

Including interviews with Julia Verdin, Cendrine Marrouat, Elena Ganjoula

THE MONA LISA TWINS : THE NEXT “BIG” THING”

Publisher

Lon Levin/Levinland Studio CalRE# 01965638 Editor/Contributing Writer

Atticus Scheindlin

Editor/Contributing Writer

April Snow

©2019 Lon Levin Real Estate All Rights Reserved

REAL CREATIVE MAGAZINE is a subsidiary of Lon Levin Real Estate (LLRE) CalRE 01965638. ©2018 Lon Levin Real Estate. All Rights Reserved. All content is the property of LLRE and cannot be copied or used without the expressed written consent of the publisher Real estate agents affiliated with PLG Estates Brokerage are independent contractor agents and are not employees of the Company. ©2020 PLG Estates. All Rights Reserved.

YOU CAN’T DO IT ALONE The Editor expresses his feelings about “alone time” versus “being alone”.

OUR FAVORITE DOG PARKS We present to our readers some of our favorite dog parks in LA. THE MONA LISA TWINS

From Youtube stars to top professional duo. We get intimate with the Pop Rock Duet and find out what makes them so popular.

MATHIAS HILLNER The Director of the Glasgow School of Art in Singapore talks design, art and education with us.

JULIA VERDIN Veteran filmmaker Julia Verdin is a multi-hyphenate.

Actress, producer, writer, director. She does it all.

LAURIE RASKIN Designer Raskin is now a very fine artist.

ELENA GANJOULA/RAISA LATYSH Elena is a celebrated musician with a Russian pedigree. Her mother Raisa is a master painter.

CENDRINE MARROUAT A unique and talented photographer.

ROLLI Born to think. Rolli is a poet, writer and artist who mixes insights, wit and delightful pen and ink art

Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.

He is rich who owns the day, and no one owns the day who allows it to be invaded with fret - Ralph Waldo Emerson Photography by Lon Levin

All You Need is Love.

Photo: Lon Levin

you can’t do it

ALONE

by Lon Levin

a·lone

I also needed to be more social. My wife helped me with that and once we had children we socialized with many of the kid’s parents. I also change my focus, I became an art director figuring it was better for me to direct artists than to have other art directors direct me.

adjective

having no one else present.

“The hardest part of being alone, is being alone.”

-Anthony T.Hincks

There are people who believe that “alone time” is a good thing. It gives you time to think and reflect on what you’re doing. Some people prefer to work alone and find themselves more productive when they do. This is not the “alone” I am talking about.

I once thought my illustration work was so good that I could do the piece, send it out and wait for job offers to come in. I attribute part of that thinking to going to an elite Art College and hearing how special anyone who graduated those hallowed halls was. After a lot of alone time I realized that I wasn’t going to be a success by myself.

I needed to interact with other creative and non-creatives, get their feedback.

I got a position at 20th Century Fox as an art director for feature films. I was forced into interaction with dozens of people from all parts of the entertainment business. My job could not be done alone, I needed help, support and co-operation from other workers. I learned then that to accomplish great things you have to be part of a team.

I spent 23 years in the entertainment business and at every stop I made it my business to stay humble and always look to be as helpful as I could to my fellow workers, no matter what level they were on.

My last position at Warner Bros was as senior director of the art department for worldwide marketing. I worked with a dozen or so people who very talented and fun to be with. But, for some reason I felt alone. I felt like I needed to do something different. Oddly, I needed to be alone.

“Sometimes you need to take a break from everyone and spend time alone, to experience, appreciate and love yourself.” ― Robert Tew

Photo: Lon Levin

I spent the next few years finding out what would make me happy, fulfilled and something that could benefit others. I illustrated children’s books, I did a daily cartoon for an online company, I bought, renovated and sold homes and I became a real estate agent. Then I decided to combine all of my goals into a magazine that celebrates creativity in all fields of endeavor, and allows me to meet and interview fascinating people. More than creating an interesting publication that gets intimate with it’s subjects I’ve created a community of people who want to learn from each because as I stated no one does anything of value without the help of others, because that’s what life and progress is all about.

Mixologists Holiday Drinks “Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.”

E. Sitwell

BUTTER BEER WWW.Delish.com

...And good holiday drinks that warm the body and soul. Here’s some of our recommendations HOT APPLE TODDY PORTA VIA/BEVERLY HILLS

INGREDIENTS

INGREDIENTS

6 cups water 2 (12 oz) cans cream soda 1 cup brown sugar 1stick (1/2 cup)unsalted butter 1/2 cup butterscotch syrup, divided 3 cinnamon sticks 1 tsp. Vanilla 1/2 tsp. Salt 2 cups spiced rum Whipped cream,for serving gold sanding sugar, for serving

Three oz Apple Puree 4 oz Hot Water 2 oz Oola Waitsburgh Bourbon Whiskey Garnish with thinly cut apple slices

DIRECTIONS

DIRECTIONS

1. |

1. | Make a puree by sautéing Mackintosh Apples with

water, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, ¼ cap of vanilla extract and a little lemon juice. Cook down the apples…takes about 10 minutes Throughly blend the cooked apples and syrup. Run through fine mesh strainer. Build the cocktail in a coffee cup

In a Crock-Pot, combine water, cream soda, sugar, butter, 1/4 cup butterscotch, cinnamon sticks, vanilla and salt. Cover and cook low for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, until warm and butter is melted. Remove lid and stir in rum.

2. | Pour remaining butterscotch syrup onto a shallow plate.

Dip rims of mugs in syrup before filling with butter beer. Top with whipped cream, sprinkle sanding sugar and serve.

Go to www.delish.com for these and other great holiday recipes

FIG SIDECAR BEVERLY HILLS HOTEL POLO LOUNGE

DIRECTIONS

1. |

Add ice to a mixing glass and add all ingredients.

Shake and pour into a chilled martini glass with a sugared rim. Garnish with a spiral lemon twist.

2. | For the fig infused Remy 1738 Cognac: Fill a 2 Liter

mason jar with the figs. Fill the 2 Liter mason jar with 90% Remy 1738 Cognac and the remaining 10% with Homemade Spiced Brown Sugar Simple Syrup.

3. |Cover lid and refrigerate for one week to allow flavors

INGREDIENTS 2 oz. fig infused Remy 1738 1 oz. Cointreau 1 oz. fresh lemon juice Lemon twist FOR THE FIG INFUSED REMY 1738 COGNAC: 1 black mission figs 1 bottle Remy Martin 1738 cognac Brown sugar syrup FOR SPICED BROWN SUGAR SIMPLE SYRUP: 2 c. Brown sugar 2 c. Water 3 cloves

to infuse. Strain through a cheesecloth or filter to remove figs, seeds or sediment. Pour contents into clean bottle and label.

3. | For the spiced brown sugar simple syrup: Put brown

sugar and water in a medium sized saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and add cloves, cinnamon sticks and split vanilla bean. Simmer for an additional five minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Strain through a cheesecloth or filter to remove cloves, cinnamon sticks and vanilla bean. Cover and refrigerate.

“Ho! Ho! Ho! To the bottle I go. To heal my heart and drown my woe. Rain may fall, and wind may blow and many miles be still to go. But under a tall tree will I lie and let the clouds go sailing by” ― J.R.R. Tolkien

My Favorite Dog Parks Photography by Lon Levin

I’m a native Angeleno. I grew up in Beverly Hills. I know the Westside area. I’ve lived in Beverly Hills, Silver Lake, Westwood, Santa Monica, Venice, Bel Air, Pacific Palisades and now Carthay. In every place I’ve lived there was always a dog park, even before they had that special designation. However now we have several parks that are specifically designed for our dogs enjoyment. Here are my favorites.

BARRINGTON DOG PARK

SILVER LAKE DOG PARK

There are a few trees which offer some shade and there’s a watering point. Plenty of trash cans and scoopers. The park is mostly dirt, wood chips, and a paved surface.

Everyone is friendly there and the dogs gets along.

The park is fairly large although it’s been cut down a little over the last year. Small and large dogs mingle together and there doesn’t seem to be any problem with that. I’ve gone at various times of day and it was pretty calm. No more than about 10 dogs at any given time unless dog walkers show up.

There’s a large free parking lot adjacent to the area so access is very easy.

I first discovered the Silver Lake Dog Park in 2012 when I moved to the Mt. Washington area. I got to spend hours and hours there with my two dogs Atticus and April, who were both very young. In fact April was no more than 4 months old when she first went there. She loved running around the park annoying other dogs and having them chase her. Amazingly all the dogs she and Atticus encountered were friendly and ready to play! Aside from the dog park itself there’s plenty of dog walking space around the reservoir. The trail itself is 2 miles. After a good walk you may want to stop at one of the local cafes that are close by.

Street parking is a must, however you can always find a spot. There are shaded areas for owners to sit while dogs play. All in all a great park!

“This dog park is excellent!

The fences are high, double gated. Tons of parking, haven’t had trouble parking here yet.”

- Cassie T./Barrington Park

“Dogs here are typically pretty playful! There’s a watering

area with big jugs to refill and bring to the other areas across the park or a big bowl right by the source for your pup to slurp!”

- Sabrini C./Silver Lake Dog Park

JOSLYN DOG PARK This park is a favorite of mine because of the terrain and the comfortable settings for owners. It’s a nice clean dog park that is part of a larger park that has an area with a field and basketball court. There’s a small parking lot and street parking is fairly easy to find. The park is well-maintained and there is an area for small dogs and for large dogs. Each area makes you enter through double gated entry points, making it safe so that none of the dogs run out. The park has water fountains, benches to sit at, and areas with and without grass for the dogs to run in. It was large enough that the dogs could run freely. I like that ther e was no poop on the ground , b ecaus e the patrons are diligent about cleaning up after their dogs. There were a good amount of trees so there is ample shade that you can sit in if you get hot. I Highly recommend this park if you’re looking for a good place for your dog to run around.

RANCHO PARK Rancho isn’t an official dog park but every day in the heart of the fields and courts that surround it, people bring their pets to a “dog designated” area. The dogs freely run the hills and valleys of this wonderfully equipped park.

Rancho Park was named by area boosters after World War II. There was a pioneer real estate broker who had established his office on Pico near Manning back in 1927. His name was Bill Heyler. Bill did as much as any other one person to develop the area. The honor of naming this community “Rancho Park” went to Bill.

TWINS

MONA LISA

Interview by

Lon Levin

I came by MLT on the internet a couple years ago and was blown away. I had to interview them and they agreed.

The MonaLisa Twins, with 25-year-old actual twins Mona and Lisa Wagner fronting the band, are one of the very few modern groups who continue the tradition of song-writing that took off in 1963. They bring back what has been started 50 years ago and write modern songs in the 60’s Beat music tradition, reviving the genre with a fresh twist without sounding pop-ish or trivial. Their signature features are their close harmonies and wirey, bright guitar sound, with a mix of humor and depth in their music that speaks to a wide range of international audiences.

On their debut album “When We’re Together”, which they recorded at the mere age of

16, they present finest Rock ‘n’

Roll and Beat music, skillfully venturing out in Psychedelic, Folk and Latin genres, inspired by the likes of The Beatles, Bob Dylan or Simon & Garfunkel.

You’ve been posting on YouTube for many years.

Who’s idea was it to do that? How does it feel now to watch yourselves as young girls singing and performing?

M: The very first 24 videos we ever posted were of a family concert we did when we were 13 years old. It was our first “real” performance outside of school (we were nervous as anything!). Since we put so much preparation into the show, our dad made sure to capture the whole experience on video.

Now, we’re thrilled to have a time document of the moment when, in a way, our musical journey truly began!

“Singing

harmonies comes fairly natural to us at this point. ” (Continued) L: How does it make us feel watching them now? Happy and cringy in equal parts - just like teenage years seem to feel for most people! :-) Overall, we absolutely love having these “time capsules”, seeing us grow up and develop over the years.

We primarily filmed this first concert to “capture the moment” and share it with our friends and family, but on a whim Dad suggested to put it up on YouTube afterwards. None of us really knew what to expect or if anyone would watch it.

It was 2008, and YouTube, and the internet in general with and all its possibilities for music and “building an audience” were still very novel and mostly uncharted territory.

When did you first think about music as a profession and when did you start writing music?

M: We grew up in a very musical household. Our dad owned a recording studio, so music was always around. The idea of making music for a living was never off the menu, though we became more intrigued by it as teenagers when we had to decide on education and future schooling. That family concert we mentioned kind of sealed the deal for us, and we knew that music is what we wanted to pursue.

We’ve been writing silly songs for as long as I can imagine. At the end of primary school we wrote a tune

for our teacher as a way of saying goodbye. Of course they were all terrible and it wasn’t until we turned about 13 and teamed up with our dad that you could call them proper songs.

How did that evolve into the popularity that you now have ?

Was it hard or did things go easy?

M: We just kept going! By continuing the writing, recordings, videos, practicing, learning and playing live gigs we consistently started building a bigger and bigger audience.

Once we had a vision, hard work, consistency and trying to carve our own way was what got us where we are now and will fuel us for the years to come. It’s now simply “what we do”, what we breathe and live for. It has become a cliché by now but we believe in creating our own luck.

As with anything in life that isn’t on “the beaten path” it wasn’t smooth sailing and certainly not easy. We took several wrong turns, life threw its fair share of hurdles at us and we all have to deal with personal challenges but there probably aren’t many people that couldn’t relate to that.

At the end of the day we are beyond lucky to be in the situation that we are in and grew up in circumstances that allowed us to focus on this passion from such an early age.

It appears like you’ve had tremendous support from your dad and mom. Did that give you the courage and confidence to perform?

L: We always worked and lived as a family going on this adventure together, so we always

had 100% support from our dad and step-mom. That was and still is huge. We definitely wouldn’t be near where we are now without their guidance and the team work, dedication and sacrifice of everyone involved.

chaotic but really positive and creative type. Having one chaotic and messy kid must be bad enough. Having chaotic and messy twins surely caused quite the headaches for our parents sometimes.

They certainly gave us a lot of opportunities to perform and to build our confidence on stage early on! We were lucky to go to schools that encouraged that a lot, too, but on top of that our parents let us go to extra music classes and even took us to the US to make our first “real” live experiences outside of school and in an English speaking country.

L: We had a great family that got somewhat shaken by the divorce of our parents but we were lucky to “gain” the most wonderful stepmother at the age of 7.

Austrian audiences are notorious for being reserved and preferring German lyrics, so when we were just 14 years old our parents decided to book a 1-month trip to California where we played our first open mics and small cafés and experienced the “American outgoingness” and enthusiasm for music. That taught as a lot and opened our eyes to how live performing can be!

Aside from what we can see online, What kind of kids were you? Where did you grow up?

What were your influences? Did you go to school?

M: We grew up in a tiny village just outside of Austria’s capital, Vienna. Think big fields with woods and lakes, few houses and lots of room. I have wonderful memories, especially of our early childhood.

I’d say we were really carefree, happy kids. Maybe a bit too carefree at times, looking back now. It got us in a fair amount of trouble at times, but it also meant that we were interested in absolutely anything, having an extremely optimistic outlook on life. We were the super

We went to high school in Vienna with music teachers and friends that fostered our passion for music. We were fairly good students but decided to finish after the mandatory 10 years of schooling (age 14) to focus purely on the music.

Your style and way of handling classic songs is very unique. I think part of that has to do with your unique harmonies and a hint of your accents. How did you arrive at that way of doing things and why?

M: Singing harmonies comes fairly natural to us at this point.

We’ve been doing it for so long and remember the endless car rides of us and our Dad singing our hearts out together when we were just little kids.

Harmonies made everything sound so much nicer, especially inside a car while doing 70 on the freeway. Lots of the music we’re into, like the Beatles or Beach Boys taught us a lot in that regard too. Their clever use of harmonies and interestingly arranged vocals is something that inspires us to this day.

L: The accents, well they just come with it naturally, too. ;-) But before we go into the studio, we like to kind of “deconstruct”

each song we are working on.

What are the essential bits that created the magic in the first place? What parts can be adapted to fit our style? What is sacred, what is not? We don’t like changing things for the sake of changing but we do enjoy playing around with the arrangement.

Sometimes more, sometimes less, whatever the song allows for.

One of the comments we get the most on our covers, and that we are very happy about, is that people feel we’re able to give songs a new, fresh twist while still staying true to and honoring the essence and integrity of those original classic recordings.

Who decided what instruments you’d play and who would sing and play lead guitar? Any interesting behind the scenes stories that happened?

L: Well, Mona started out on the drums at the age of 9, while I picked up the guitar first. So she was always a bit better at rhythmical stuff while I concentrated more on lead guitar.

So when we both started playing guitar together a few years later, she would usually play a quite percussive rhythm guitar while I struggled my way through the first guitar solos. Everything since is a natural progression. On the records Mona still plays the drums and most rhythm guitar while I have expanded my lead guitar skills.

When it comes to who does the lead vocals/backing we usually try it out both ways and then go with whatever suits each song best. I have a bit of a higher register but Mona is a lot better at the “raspy” rock tunes. We serve the song and go with whatever it commands ;-)

I noticed in real early videos that Lisa had strips of red in her hair that eventually turned into her trademark flaming red hair (which I love) What was the reasoning behind the hair color choices? To me besides carving out individual identities it is a brilliant way to stand out and market yourselves. Can you elaborate?

M: Oh yeah, after that it got a little out of hand, didn’t it ;-) We were about 12 when we were allowed to dye our hair a little bit - just a small streak at first. I think it was after a particularly good report card when we all went for a trip to the hairdressers.

We both still had natural brown hair but I went for a little blonde and Lisa for a little red streak of dyed hair in our fringe. Not sure where the idea came from, but I guess it marked the beginning of me gradually turning blonder and blonder and Lisa really falling in love with having red hair.

L: We were never really into dressing the same or trying to look alike. While we share lots of traits, hobbies, interests and friends, we still have quite different characters.

It might sound a bit silly but having vastly different hairstyles was one way to sort of define and express our individuality. We get referred to as “the twins” often enough, and we didn’t want to add to the possibility of people thinking about us as one and the same person by looking too alike.

You’ve been writing and performing your own songs now for a few years and the influence of The Beatles, Sebastian and others is apparent yet somehow your songs are unique. How do you come up with your original songs. What’s the Process?

L: Ooof, that’s a big question and the answer changes with every song and every new project. Writing music is never straight forward, at least not to us. Inspiration comes in its

most unusual forms and while ideas sometimes start out with a song title, a chord progression, or bass line, what triggered the initial spark is sometimes hard to pinpoint.

M: It could be a distinctive conversations we overheard or an article we read but sometimes ideas originate from a thought that’s been lingering in our heads for a while or a feeling we feel the need to express.

We all have different song writing approaches, too. We write together with our Dad, and we all have different life experiences and ideas to draw from. We share the same taste in music though, which is important, so we can bounce ideas off of each other and always find something we all are happy with.

How does it feel to perform at the Cavern Club where the Beatles became so famous. Is it fun? Do you feel a need to perform at your best when you’re there? Do you feel their presence? Have you tried to contact Paul or Ringo to perform with you?

M: We loved playing there. We had a Saturday night residence at the Cavern Club and played well over 100 shows at the “cellar of all cellars”. It was a privilege and perfect practice ground where we grew tighter as a live act and honed our stage skills.

It was just as sweaty and crowded as you’d imagine (maybe even sweatier) and we loved playing there week in week out to an enthusiastic audience.

However, we decided to quit the residency there a few years back. We wanted to concentrate on the next step in our musical life, writing own songs and making more videos again.

We also didn’t want to run the risk of getting boxed into the “Beatles Tribute act” category too much, which can easily happen.

L: We’ve never directly been in touch with Paul or Ringo but if we have a good enough reason, we might give it a shot one day!

You are two very attractive women, how can you or is it possible to have a social life dating etc when you constantly performing?

L: I wouldn’t really say that performing is the thing that ever got in the way of us living a more social lifestyle. Actually, when we were gigging more frequently we went out a lot more, but we have never been fond of socializing or dating just for the sake of it.

We feel blessed to be surrounded by people that share our goals and aspirations. Our little tribe. If we pick up Mr. Right along the way, awesome, but as they say “you can’t hurry love” and we still have so much of our lives in front of us. Until then, we’re married to rock n roll :-) Why do you think you’re not known in America?? Do you want to be known in America?

Have you made efforts to come here to perform?

M: That depends on how you define “known”. Statistically most of our audience online is located in the USA but it is such a vast place that those people are still fairly spread out. The great thing about the internet is that people from all over the globe can listen to our music but that also means that despite the places we’ve lived in, there isn’t much of a central point where everyone knows who we are. Our focus has never really been on reaching the biggest audience possible but rather to connect with the people that really enjoy our music and grow a tight fanbase. Obviously, the more the merrier but not at any cost. We’d love to come over to the States at some point.

L: At the moment we’re still of the opinion that playing shows for a couple hundred people a night isn’t more effective than making a new video that will be watched by thousands of new eyes each day. So for us touring would be more “part of a bigger project” or because we really enjoy it or want to

turn it into a DVD or something.

We don’t see it as a way to become well known, not in comparison to focusing on our online presentation. We definitely plan on hitting the road again at some point but at the moment we’re still in another chapter of the book.

Do you think that performing classic songs on Youtube has helped your credibility as unique artists or hindered it? It seems like it could be both.

Like you say, it swings both ways.

Overall, it definitely helped us grow an audience. So many people have found us through our online covers but decided to stick around for the original music. We get “advice” from both sides, people telling us we should ditch the covers, others say it’s what they like best.

Personally, we do it for fun, to learn from the greats and to get inspired.

But in the end our original music matters most to us and I hope that’s what comes across.

You both have such great stage presence, Have you considered films or TV?

That’s something we’d absolutely love to try eventually. Are we particularly good actors? Not a clue but we’d give it our best shot. We’d love to explore acting more at some point down the line.

What’s the future hold for you?

Any ultimate goal? Are you interested in having a family, children, dogs, etc?

You mean after we reached world domination? A dog would be nice.

Matthias Hillner Supreme Educator years, I forced myself to push my typography and layout skills. Connecting typography with multimedia and digital technologies was just another step for me. Animating type on screen allowed me to explore aesthetic experiences which static information could not produce. Using means of animation, and through the orchestrated fluctuation of visual ambiguity, I tried to emulate the aesthetic impact which good quality photography can produce through atmospheric means such as light, depth, selective focus, obscurity.

How did that evolve into the position you hold now?

When did you first think about design as a profession and writing about design and typography as something you wanted to do?

To begin with, I was simply looking for ways of using my creative capabilities as much as possible.

My art teacher in school warned me not to become an artist, because earning a living was thought to be far from easy. When I asked him about design, I was told that this would be a much better option. In retrospect I also realized how important design is for culture and society, for innovation and for creating sustainable futures. My problem was that to study design in Germany requires having an internship. As I could not secure any, I decided to train in advertising photography first, before embarking upon my design education. I did not know anything about typography and of its cultural significance until I was half way through my under graduate studies. However, I am generally attracted to the unknown, and I felt that excelling in typography might be the only way for me to prove myself worthy a graphic designer. I did not want to rely too much on my photography skills to succeed with my studies. It is ever so easy to turn an ordinary layout into an impressive spread or poster using stunning photography. Through working without photographic elements for a couple of

This was a long journey. After publishing my first book entitled as ‘Virtual Typography’ in 2009, I was regularly invited to speak at conferences and to give visiting workshops.

Thus I learned how to share my skills and knowledge with design students of different caliber and cultural backgrounds, and this inspired me to think a little bigger. At the time I was working at a range of British design institutions in and around London. Here I taught numerous exchange students from Singapore who impressed me not only with their extra ordinary commitment to their studies, but also with their proficiency, design knowledge and experience. When I gave a workshop in Kuala Lumpur in 2015, the opportunity to lead a few design programs in Singapore emerged, and I decided to emigrate to Asia. The progress that can be made here within a short period of time is extraordinary. This is partially due to the continuously growing range of development opportunities and partially due to the working mentality you typically find here in Singapore. In half a year ago, I received the offer to join Glasgow School of Art Singapore as the local Director of Programs, and I could not have wished for more. Through this role, I joined one of the world’s top-ten art and design institutions, and also a very seasoned team of research-active academics. From 2012 to 2019 I carried out a PhD study in innovation management, and GSA provides me with the p erfect en v i ro n m en t t o b ri d g e d es i g n a n d

"Myths become dreams, dreams become goals, goals become reality."

(Continued) innovation within a very wellestablished academic framework. So now I am back with a British employer, but at the same time located in a country which will most certainly be one of the world’s future frontrunners in design and innovation. Thank you for the kind words about my books. There were quite a few in 35 plus years. I grew up in Czechoslovakia which always had (despite the politics) beautiful children's books. I was helped by wonderful people who made my books possible –

respectful of my career choice. I think to explore unchartered territories, one must be self-motivated, and be able to rely on one’s own perseverance and stamina, perhaps follow one’s inner vision.

External support and inspiration do not suffice here. As James Dyson puts it in the subtitle of his autobiography: One must be able to defy the odds every once in a while.

Were you encouraged or discouraged by family, friends, teachers, mentors?

I do not remember much of my childhood.

Maybe too much happened since. I grew up in a small town in South Germany spending a lot of time wondering how big the world really is.

I had very limited exposure to art and design practices. What drove me more than anything was my curiosity and ambition. When I took my first job in advertising photography in Ingolstadt, the town where Audi Headquarters are based, there was talk in the studio of this person who invented his own photographic lighting system, and then secured an exclusive contract with Audi, and subsequently set up his own open air photo studio in Greece. I was amazed by this story. It seemed somewhat mythical.

About three years later, I would work for that very person, Manfred Rieker. I remember him telling me his story over a gin-and-tonic when we were on a

I would almost say the contrary. My parents were very skeptical of my career choice, until I received my first few awards. Soon after, one of my mentors in advertising photography, Manfred Rieker, who was based both in Stuttgart and in Greece, was rather disappointed when I told him that I would go on to study design instead of accepting his employment offer (although I did carry on working for him freelance for a couple of years whilst studying). My first design mentor, Rolf Müller, now deceased but at the time AGI* president, was equally disappointed when I told him that I would go to the Royal College of Art (RCA), instead of joining him in Munich.

Again, we stayed in touch and he was very * Alliance Graphique Internationale

What kind of kid were you? Where did you grow up? What were your influences?

shoot in Greece. Myths become dreams, dreams become goals, goals become reality. But then it is time to watch out for new opportunities. Even adventurous advertising campaigns can become a routine affair, unless you introduce something new from time to time.

Your style and way of handling design & typography is very unique. How did you arrive at that way of doing things and why?

I was trained in a very modernist way at the College of Design, Schwäbisch-Gmünd, Germany, an offspring of the famous (or infamous?) Ulm School of Design. Everything was logical, had to be rationalized, intellectually analyzed and justified.

But how do you rationalize atmosphere and poetics without suffocating it. The Royal College of Art in London, UK, was the polar opposite of Gmünd: liberal, student-led, non-dogmatic. It shares a lot of characteristics with Glasgow School of Art, actually. I felt quite lost half way through my MA. I had lost track of my agenda. I remember traveling to Paris in my summer break to meet Gerard Paris-Clavel from Ne Pas Plier in order to talk to him about my dissertation subject. But the meeting was canceled. So I went to the Centre Pompidou instead to see a Picasso exhibition. There was one piece of work that puzzled me, a sculptural sketch

aimed at a piece of work in tribute to Guillaume Apollinaire. This was very different from Picasso’s other works. When I sat in the museum café afterwards, I felt inspired by Picasso’s three-dimensional assembly of mostly straight lines, I started scribbling a font, imagining it to be three-dimensional.

This was the typeface I later called Futura. I first created physical prototypes cast in resin, and then rendered it digitally. I did not do it for any purpose other than to demonstrate that it is rather easy it is to do something out of the ordinary. But I remember Gert Dumbar, who was Visiting Professor at the RCA at the time, being really fond of this interim project of mine. So creating three-dimensional typefaces became a bit of a hobby. When I worked for Pentagram Design, in 2001-2003, I would spend the days in the office, and return home to fiddle with three-dimensional fonts during the evenings and during weekends. A commission to create a music video provided an opportunity to explore possible applications of the typography work in 2003. This was the start of my independent, perhaps slightly unusual, typography art and design practice.

(Hillner/Continued)

I have always striven towards a universal language.

Therefore my work is usually not very location specific. For the students that is a little different because they are encouraged to engage with topics of local relevance. We help them to understand their cultural heritage, and to contemplate Singapore’s future. Both London and Singapore are interesting cities which provide plenty food for thought. But Singapore is developing at a rapid pace. So it is comparatively easy to make new discoveries every day. Both cities are creative hubs, but Singapore seems a little more transparent, and it feels easier to engage with the right sort of networks.

Why should a student consider your school as opposed to other great art schools around the world?

GSA has been founded in 1845. As an art school, it carries unique history and heritage. But interestingly it is not hindered by that: GSA is guided by an underlying ethos, but there is no dogmatism. There is a liberal collegial working culture which impacts equally classroom practice, research, and management styles. Having worked at quite a number of colleges and universities, I have never encountered anything like it. There is a positive supporting atmosphere everywhere you go. Learning is by and large student-led, and programs are kept intentionally small. GSA attracts a very large number of student applications, which results in strong cohorts, which in turn enhances the peer learning.

What’s the future hold for you? Any ultimate goal?

I am very grateful for the position that I am currently holding. I want to support Singapore in their ambition to become an innovation-driven nation. I want to help connect design and innovation meaningfully and effectively. Overseeing GSA’s provision of design education in Singapore is likely to play an important role here. Introducing competencies developed within GSA’s Innovation School in Glasgow to design teaching and learning in Singapore can make a significant difference to the performance of Singapore’s creative industries.

Since summer 2018, I have begun to support the development of a startup incubator, Rockit Venture, which has emerged within Singapore’s investment scene. So I hope to help establish clarity about the synergies here, to build bridges between the stakeholders, and foster creative collaboration. We need to think beyond design here, and also beyond

institutional and geographic boundaries. My continued work in the field of fine art is mentally liberating, it allows my mind to breath from time to time, and to be open to emerging opportunities.

Being a full-time artist will perhaps be my retirement occupation. I will then have come full circle and look back at my art teacher’s comment and ask myself: Was he right? Was he wrong? Chances are that won’ t matter anymore.

Matthias Hillner became the Director of Programs at GSofA Singapore in 2019.

He oversees undergraduate programs in Communication Design and Interior Design.

Previously an Associate Lecturer at Royal College of Art, London, Matthias then became Program Leader in BA(Hons) Design Communication and in Diploma Design Communication at LASALLE College of Art, Singapore, following which he become Head of School, Design Communication in 2016 before starting at GSofA Singapore in early 2019.

Authoring multiple peer-reviewed papers, Matthias’s research interests include typography, digital communication, media design, intellectual property, design entrepreneurship and innovation management and has completed two postgraduate research inquiries both of which were nourished through conference papers.

JULIA VERDIN

“Veteran filmmaker Julia Verdin is a multi-hyphenate – she is known as an accomplished Producer, award-winning Director and has written a number of screenplays.”

Julia Verdin is a British independent film producer and founder of Rough Diamond Productions,[1] established in 1993. She has produced over 30 feature films and is best known for Stander, starring Thomas Jane, The Merchant of Venice (2004), starring Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons and Joseph Fiennes, and 2 Jacks, starring Sienna Miller and Danny Houston.

Verdin has been serving as a director on the board of BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts)[2] since 2006. In 2015, she received The Executive Achievement Award from the La Femme International Film Festival.[3] I met Julia at a local bistro called Cecconi’s in West Hollywood. I was there with my business partner John Campbell-Mac. John knew Julia over the years when he was acting in Britain. She struck me immediately as someone who was oozing positive energy and very personable. When I learned a little about her I asked if I could interview her for RCM. She agreed. We met one more time at her home above Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood. She was a delight to talk to. Here’s the result...

When did you first think about performing, writing and producing film as something you wanted to do? Were you encouraged or discouraged by family, friends, teachers, mentors?

My mother was an English teacher and loved theatre, when I was young we went to the theatre a couple of times a week and I saw many wonderful productions. I initially wanted to be an actress. After university, I trained at the Drama Studio in England. My parent’s weren’t keen on me going into acting as they did not think it was a very stable profession. I was very passionate about it so didn’t take their advice and paid my own way through drama school. I am happy to say that I managed to reach a certain level as an actress and was able to support myself.

What kind of kid were you? Where did you grow up?

What were your influences.

I was an avid reader and loved all types of literature. We didn’t have a TV in the house until I was 15 years old. I felt like I was missing out at the time but later was super grateful as it enabled me to sail through high school and college as I had already done so much of the required reading. I grew up in Oxford which is a university town and very academic and

was an idyllic and safe place to grow up. We lived right by the river Cherwell in a beautiful environment. I enjoyed great theatre, watched a lot of old movies and witty conversation there. My mother liked to entertain and would invite a lot of playwrights, writers and poets over to the house.

How did you get started?

I started in the business as an actress and fell into producing. I loved reading scripts for friends in the business and they always liked the notes and feedback I gave them. This turned into paying jobs and was something I enjoyed doing between acting jobs. This later led to being offered a job as a creative development exec at a new production company.

I found that I loved developing stories and got a lot of what I enjoyed most about acting from that and so got more and more involved in the company and ended up running it.

When and How did that evolve into writing, producing and directing ?

After making a couple of films for the company I was running in London, I moved out to LA and set up my own production company. I was lucky and got my first project up relatively quickly and that encouraged me to stick at it.

LA has been good to me and I have managed to produce 36 films. I always loved the idea of directing but it took me awhile to get my courage up to actually believe that I could do it. About 6 years ago, I decided to do a couple of directing courses and an online MA in film with a focus on directing before I jumped in to actually doing it. I took industry advice and started with a short film and loved the

whole experience. I wanted to write a story about a topic that I was passionate about and through volunteering at a shelter for runaway teens, I had met a number of very young girls who had been rescued from traffickers and seeing the level of trauma they had to cope with had become very passionate about the issue of child trafficking. I did a lot of research and talked to many people working in the field including detectives, survivors and NGO’s fighting against child trafficking. This short ended up being used by a lot of non- profits as a fund raising tool and also for education. Seeing the success of this was what inspired me to found the non -profit Artists for Change and continue to create media to provide education and awareness on child trafficking and other key social issues.

You’ve worked with quite a few talented actors and actresses. Who is/was your favorite one to work with?

I have been lucky enough to work with many talented actors and actresses and have made a lot of great friends along the way. I love each and every one of them.

When you make a film, especially the smaller budget films, when it is all hands on deck to get the film made, I think everyone involved has a better time as they all feel really part of the process. On bigger budget films when you have a huge crew and all your cast has big star wagons, assistants and drivers, it is often not so much of a personal experience for all involved.

You’ve been in LA a long time now. How has that affected your work as an someone who grew up in the smaller town of Beaconsfield?

I love LA, I love the weather, the positivity, and the healthy life style. I actually grew up in Oxford. LA is a very spiritual place. I do a lot of Kundalini yoga and meditation and that helps my creative energy and positivity. I love being around people with positive attitudes too and there is very much a “Can do anything “ attitude in LA. How did Artist for Change start? What’s the main mission?

The short film “Lost Girls” about child trafficking that I directed ended up being used by a lot of nonprofits as a fund raising tool and also for education.

Seeing the success of this was what inspired me to found the non-profit Artists for Change and continue to create media to provide education and awareness on child trafficking and other key social issues.

Was it hard as a woman to break thru some of the “old boy” barriers of the film industry ?

Yes it was. When I first started producing it was very much a male dominated profession, this has changed in recent years I am happy to say and there are now many talented female filmmakers and more opportunities are now being provided for women.

Your work is serious and content driven, How have you managed to keep working when there is so much demand for commercial hits?

I think you have to be passion driven and find creative ways to get social impact films made. My passion has always pushed me to find a way to make films I really believe in happen and it is often a question of finding the right people to support you.

Artists for Change is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a mission to create high impact film, television, and multimedia projects to inspire individuals, organizations, and communities to bring about positive social change.

The next film is a narrative feature film Lost Girls: Angie’s story also about child trafficking and the goal is to engage with narrative and then once engaged, we will also have an educational short documentary available too for people to get more facts and info on trafficking and what to watch out for.

We were involved in putting on a successful arts and media festival to raise awareness on trafficking too, showcasing a variety of artists work, films and educational panels which was a big success and we will be involved in doing another one in 2020. We also put

on educational workshops to encourage, educate and support other filmmakers in social impact film making. We also help other non -profits to showcase the work they do through visual media which can be a very effective fundraising tool for them.

How did you come to writing a book on film? Is that something you want to do more of?

From Scratch and Seasonal, Using the Freshest Ingredients.

I had so many filmmakers constantly coming to me for advice on filmmaking that I finally thought the easiest thing to do would be to create a simple guide on how to make an indie film from start to finish, going through each stage in detail and suggesting ways of doing things to ensure the best chance of success. It’s called “Success in Film” and avail on Amazon - https://www. amazon.com/Success-Film-Funding-Finishing-Independent/dp/0692462775 When I can carve out some time, I plan to write a book on social impact filmmaking to serve as a guide for filmmakers interested in this area.

What are your plans for the future? Any special projects in the hopper?

I have so many issues that I am passionate that I would love to tackle. Every time I drive around and see how many homeless people there are living on the streets at the moment, it breaks my heart. I am formulating thoughts and story ideas around that. I have just finished another screenplay which is a darker and a more tragic story on trafficking involving the Stockholm syndrome that often goes on between traffickers and their victims. I also have a film about Honor Killings that I want to direct and an inspirational story about a hearing impaired teen who wants to be a dancer and finds an unlikely dance partner to enter a national dance competition with. I am about to start writing a film about the refugee crisis too.

My biggest problem at the moment is not enough hours in the day and so much I would love to accomplish. I am really excited about Artists For Change and hope to bring many other filmmakers on board and enough funding to raise awareness on many different issues through media as I am a great believer that together great things can be accomplished.

“I found that I loved developing stories

and got a lot of what I enjoyed most about acting from that and so got more and more involved in the company and ended up running it.”

548 Palisades Drive • Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 TheKBakery.com • 310.573.9900

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Laurie

RASKIN . .A very fine artist Laurie and I are friends. I'm not sure when that started but it goes back a ways to high school. This has given me a great perspective on her achievements. Her progression to master artist has been steady and carefully nurtured. The result is spectacular. She has elevated a cut n' paste methodology to Matisse-like level and has had great success. Yet still she is the same smiling, exuberant woman I met years ago.

When did you first think about art as something you wanted to do? Were you encouraged or discouraged by family, friends, teachers, mentors?

I always wanted to make art. I cannot remember a time that I did not think of myself as an artist. As a child, my parents sent me to take art classes for children at LACMA and at UCLA extension. I also took drawing classes for kids at Art Center College of Design, and I had a little art studio set up at my house. My mother was very encouraging and she actively took me to Museums.

When I got into high school I had fabulous art teachers and I also had a darkroom in the basement of our home. I identified myself as an artist and never thought not being in the arts when I grew up.

What kind of kid were you? Where did you grow up?

What were your influences?

I loved and appreciated art and design growing up.

I was always aware of the visual world around me.

I grew up in West Los Angeles and ended up at Beverly Hills High School where they had an excellent art department. When I was in High School, there was a large Bauhaus Show at LACMA and in Pasadena. That show changed my life. I wished I could go back in time and have been a student there. When California Institute of the Arts was just opening in the early 70's, they came to my High School to give a presentation. I was enchanted and also recruited by them in my senior year. I thought Cal Arts was going to be the closest thing to the Bauhaus. They had a school of Art, Design, Theater, Music, Film and Writing. I was in heaven. When I graduated from Cal Arts, I went to work as a Graphic Designer. I worked for years creating album covers, books, murals, and packaging designs. In 1984, when the Olympics came to Los Angeles, I was one of the 12 artists chosen to do one of the official Signature Series Posters for the games. At the same time, someone saw the house I was living in and asked if I would design their offices.

She took four of my existing art works and turned them into luxury area rugs. Viola! It was a dream come true. They premiered the carpets at The Cube Art Fair last October in Brussels and there was also a two-page feature story at that time in Paris Match magazine about our collaboration.

In answer to the question of how it started to come about.

I just worked for several years at my art and then posted it on Saatchi Art- an online gallery. In 2012, Saatchi did a feature story on me and other things followed. I think you just have to go for it and not be afraid to put yourself out there.

I figured that I was visual and I could translate my design sensibility into 3D design. I did that office and other jobs followed. I inadvertently began a career as an interior designer that spanned 25 years. It was 10 years ago that I realized how much I missed doing art.

I decided to go for it and do my personal art work again.

I feel very blessed to be having a late term career creating my own art and doing what I love.

What markets does your work appear in? Newspapers, magazines, galleries? How did that come about?

My work appears in galleries, magazines, murals, clothing design, carpets, hotels, public places, art fairs and private collections around the world. I am represented in galleries in Los Angeles, Brussels, Paris, Miami, and Las Vegas. One of the most exciting things that happened to me this past year is my collaboration with Didden and Co. in Belgium. That came about because the owner of my Brussels gallery was in LA a year ago and we had dinner. He asked me what I would really like to see happen with my art. I told him that I always wanted to have my art be on carpet design. I think much of my more abstract work applies itself really well to that application. He said he knew someone in that business and before I knew it, I got a call from Nathalie Didden telling me that she wanted to collaborate with me.

"I always wanted to make art. I cannot remember a time that I did not think of myself as an artist."

How has the advent of the computer affected your work? You work traditionally and digitally, which do you prefer?

Actually, I never work digitally. I am a dinosaur when it comes to the computer. I hand cut all of my images, I hand print them and paint. The computer has only aided me in getting myself out there. I have a web page, I’m on Instagram and I’m on Facebook as Laurie Raskin Fine Art. Actually, my Las Vegas gallery found me on Instagram. I don't have that many followers, but it shows you the power of social media.

I never paint digitally. I use Gouache, Acrylics, Inks and Colored Pencils.

Your work appears all over. What is your favorite venue to work in?

I like to work in all venues. I would love to do more fashion. My art works very well on fabrics and it would be really fun to see my work on the outside of an airplane. Literally, the sky is the limit.

It appears as if gallery shows are on your agenda right now. Is that where your focus is?

My focus is on making the work and where it ends up is a surprise to me. Galleries of course are always a focus.

My work is currently showing in 3 different galleries around the world. I just got back from Paris where I had my first solo show at Galerie 55 Bellechasse. It was an amazing experience. My work is very well received

in Europe. They connect to my influences and I think I am more exotic there as a California Girl.

What does your process entail? Start to Finish. Can you give us a short step-by-step?

I am a collector of images – postcards, books, brochures, newspapers, photos, etc. I am a total visual junkie. My collection spurs ideas. I also frequent libraries and used book stores. I like to Xerox images from my sources, blow them up, reduce them down, cut them up and create new images. I use the cut images, I move them around paper and then create new works. I use a Xerox machine that uses toner ink that transfers to paper. I transfer images backwards onto a paper and then I really go to work with paint and inks and sometimes collage again. I am very process oriented. I start with an idea, but I work in the moment and allow the works to come through me.

What do you do to promote yourself?

I am actually not very good at promoting myself. I have been very lucky that the works themselves have taken me to wonderful places. I mentioned that I first put my work up on Saatchi Art. I think that is a good idea for most artists. They have a wonderful online presence and they've also started producing art fairs around the world for emerging and established artists. They had their first LA fair this last March in Downtown called The Other Fair. I participated in that one. Through that fair, I met a wonderful man who has a company called Visual Contrast that supplies art to designers and hotels. He is making limited editions of my work in his new collection. I am also on social media, but besides being in galleries and being online, I have a hard time making cold calls or promoting myself.

What's the future hold for Laurie? Any ultimate goal?

Mine is to have a barn studio in a rural area where I can paint on large canvases, have no idea what I am going to paint and drink white wine all day. You? I want to live right where I live. I love my house and I love LA! I want to travel, travel, travel and make art. I am actually living my dream life right now. That is why I am grateful everyday. Right now is the best time in my life. I could not have imagined that starting making art again at an older age would be this satisfying and fun. I do dream of collaborating with a fabulous fashion designer and seeing my work on a runway. And I mentioned the airplane. Who knows where my work will end up?

See more of Laurie's work at www.laurieraskin.com

by Lon Levin

ELENA

GANJOULA

Elena V. Ganjoula was born and raised in Moscow, and has spent a lifetime in music. At the age of four, she was chosen to study at the prestigious Gnessin School of Music, a Mecca for musically gifted children, studying piano and music theory as well as academic subjects.

I met Elena in a bar. Ok, that bears some explanation. Elena was actually an invited guest to our monthly client appreciation party at Crustacean in Beverly Hills. My real estate partner John Campbell and I like to mingle with friends, clients and people we want to know at these get togethers. I spotted Elena in the bar area and recognized her immediately. She’s hard to miss. I introduced myself and within minutes we were fast friends. She’s striking lady and very smart. After a delightful twenty minute conversation I asked her if I could interview her for RCM. She agreed but insisted I write above her mother as well, who I later learned was a very accomplished artist. Her green eyes flashed and I realized I was had. Here are the two stories of a talented daughter and her talented mother.

When were you first introduced to the piano? Were you encouraged or discouraged by family, friends, teachers, mentors?

It started because my Grandma bought an ornate looking AUERBACH piano in Germany. After World War II they stayed at Joseph Goebbels ( Reich Minister of Propaganda for Nazi Germany ) house for 7 years. She wanted to make sure her first grandchild will play piano and that was me!… and that’s how my life was decided.

What were your influences?

I grew up watching my mom painting, oils on canvas.

My childhood books were Goya, Raphael, Rubens, Renoir and other master artists.

Later on, I traveled all over the world. I was especially impressed by the Prado in Madrid. I was like a kid in a candy store, I saw large collections of Goya , Rubens, Raphael and El Greco paintings. I also love Photography.

I studied in Santa Monica for two years.

I learn how to work in Photoshop. My love of photography started in my childhood, thanks to my mom.

We spent lots of hours together in a “Dark Room” (our apartment bathroom ) developing photos!

One more thing I really enjoy drawing caricatures. It started with my mom, when she worked as an illustrator in German newspaper NEUES LEBEN .

Perhaps the greatest influence on me was traveling all over the world ! I spent time on the Island of Majorca, Spain, where Chopin spent harsh winters with George Sand (French feminist, novelist ), Bonn, Germany - I was at the house where Beethoven was born, Zalzburg, Austria - Mozart ...etc What kind of kid were you?

When I was little, living in Russia, Moscow, I loved watching blockbuster hits TEXAS Chainsaw , DUMB AND DUMBER - later on , living in LA, by some luck I

met producer of these movies and we are staying friends for a long time.

Elena did her first public performance when she was five years old. In 1984 she won 1st place and the grand prize in the Moscow National competition of music schools.

Later she performed as a soloist with various distinguished orchestras.

I studied at Gnessins school and Institute - home of world famous composer Aram Khachaturian. I was in the same class with world renowned pianist Evgeny Kissin. We sat at the same desk and he had a crush on me when we were 11 years old.

Believe it or not I took private lessons with 61 teachers, some of them were famous Russian pianists like Sviatoslav Richter , Emil Gilles, My professor Oleg Boshnyakovitch ( from K. Igumnov class ) and many more followers of famous Heinrich Neuhaus pianist/ teacher/piano style founder.

What kind of work do you do now?

I’ve played on 3 Spiderman soundtracks. I’ve worked with Sharon Stone’s kids, Bob Marley‘s grandchildren, John Tesh’s daughter, Marvin Davis’ grandchildren, Richard Sakai ( The Simpsons ), and Christopher Young- composer of Spider Man 3. I did an album which was produced by John Tesh.

At that time I worked at a ballet company as accompanist , when John Tesh came to me and gave his phone number written on a napkin with the offer to record my first solo record at Tim Heintz studio. The

album she recorded with Mr. Tesh was “Classical Music for a Prayerful Moment”, released on Mother’s Day under Tesh’s Faith MD music label. The remarkable performance features the romantic works of Russian composers Rachmaninoff, Borodim, Lyadov and Tchaikovsky, Elena’s outstanding career has included performances for royalty. In 2009, she was engaged to play for The Grand Dame of Japan, Princess Susan of Croatia, Princess Stephanie of Belgium, Prince Paolo of Brazil, Prince Farouk of Egypt, Prince Hugo of Russia among other dignitaries.

Tell us about your involvement with the Michigan football team.

I was also involved with the Michigan Wolverines Football program thru my ex fiancé (contributor to Michigan Athletic Department - he built Michigan Stadium, the second largest stadium in the world ) I met every athletic director and coaches including recent one -Jim Harbaugh. It was exciting.

Elena lives and works in Beverly Hills, her statement about music is simple and elegant. “Music is a lifelong joy, as natural and necessary as breathing.

MUSIC ART

Mother and Daughter

RAISSA

LATYCH Captivating flights of fancy and symbolism propel the surrealism of Raissa Latych into an exhilarating plane of aesthetic regard.

Born in Stavropol,Russia, Latsych graduated from the Industrial Art College of Moscow and received her Masters Degree in Art from that city’s Stroganoff Institute of Art. During her student years she worked as a graphic artist for Pravda and the German newspaper Neues Leben; also illustrating for a film company. Latych became known for her work with the famous Doll Theater and as a designer of camera bodies and toys. She was commissioned for a trio of thirty square foot murals by a scientific research company and for the design of the stone statuary which graces the city of Krasnogorsk, where she presided as general manager of that municipality’s principal gallery.

Presently an instructor at the School of Art in Moscow.

She has presented her work at numerous exhibitions in Russia and the United States.

“In my motivation for painting, I am continually enveloped by the natural world and our responsibility to it’s ecology. My love for nature is rooted in a childhood spent in a simple village in the countryside where I learned to respect nature and strive to live in harmony with it.

Though I’ve spent my adult life in Moscow, my heart belongs to those faraway fields of green and summer streams.

All of my youthful feelings and impressions of life are what urge me on to paint.

I find that symbolism is the closest thing to freedom of a child’s unspoiled outlook of life and so it is also my chosen form of expression.”

Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase. .

.

CENDRINE

Marrouat The Beauty is in the Details

When did you first think about photography as something you wanted to do?

Originally from Toulouse, France, Cendrine moved to Winnipeg, Canada, in 2003.

She’s a photographer, specializing in nature, black-andwhite and closeup images. Her photography seeks the mundane to capture the fleeting, but true beauty of life in its many forms.

She approaches photography in the same way as she writes poetry. It’s not about the tools. It’s about the moment when her eyes catch a story that needs to be told. What happens next, is a spiritual yearning to describe the scene with her camera. However, it is during the editing process that her poetic background comes into play. Every photo must achieve two goals: simplicity and serenity. She uses the pure black and white format to convey timelessness. Occasional tinges of sepia are for added depth. Finally, colors stand for romanticism.

It was in 2010, after my trip to Vancouver for the Winter Olympics. There was one photo, taken in Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, that I really liked.

I decided to use it on the cover of my fifth poetry collection, titled ​Five Years and Counting: A Journey into the Mind of Soul Poetry.

People kept commenting positively on the photo, asking me if I was a professional photographer. Magazines even offered me money to give up my rights on it. After a while, I realized that photography may become a viable option for me.

Were you encouraged or discouraged by family, friends, teachers, mentors?

Members of my family and old friends have always been indifferent to my work as a poet and photographer.

So, they never tried to discourage me. But they never really encouraged me either. Encouragements and support came from friends that I made during and after my four years of self-study on photography.

How did that evolve into books, poetry and your marketing position?

I have been a poet and author for many years. My work as a social media coach and instructor started at the end of the 2000s, when I saw many independent artists struggle to promote themselves properly online. Word of mouth helped trigger interest from small businesses and solo entrepreneurs shortly after.

My passion for photography came late in my life. But my work as a poet and writer has definitely shaped the way I take photos. And now that I have started to dive into black and white film photography, the way I compose for shots is changing again.

What kind of kid were you? Where did you grow up?

What were your influences?

I was born and raised in Toulouse, southern France, but lived in Surgères, a small town on the Atlantic Coast, for my first 10 years. As an only child, I was quite secretive and enjoyed playing outside on my own. I had a best friend very early on. She and I are still in regular touch despite my living thousands of miles

away for more than 16 years now. I do not remember my influences from that time. I just remember reading a lot, watching TV on Sundays (Benny Hill was all the rage!) and spending my Wednesday afternoons with my friend.

Your style and way of handling your photo business is very unique. How did you arrive at that way of doing things and why?

Why, thank you for the compliment!

I have always considered myself a doer. Despite the fact that I am a writer, I dislike wordiness. I am all about proving what can be done rather than making a big fuss about it. So, I let my actions speak for themselves.

I guess it comes from the way I was raised. As a kid, my dad taught me that the way you value yourself will eventually be the way others see you. He repeatedly talked about the importance of politeness, respect and empathy when dealing with others. My mother was a very passionate and successful maths teacher. It all had to do with her hard-working stance and professional attitude. My grandparents were the same. So I had good

“I always wanted to make art. I cannot remember a time that I did not think of myself as an artist.” examples to follow. When you are passionate about something, you do everything in your power to master and perfect it. You have energy and enjoy sharing your passion with the world. People can feel it and it makes the experience more enjoyable for them.

Tell me about your book of poetry and photos. How was it like to put that project together? And how do you distribute it?

After releasing my fifth book of poetry, in 2010, I went through a period during which I thought I was done with poetry. I felt that I had nothing to prove the world in that area anymore.

And then, when I decided to take my photography to the next level, my passion for poetry resurfaced. Initially, I thought it was just a passing phase. For a few years, I wrote a poem here and there. But, poetry eventual got the better of me and triggered my desire to mix it with photography. Since I had already written the poems and

taken the photos, I just went through my archives to pair words and images. The project was very interesting and rewarding at the same time.

When the Mind Travels: A Poetic Journey into Photography​ has been out for four years and I still look I still look at the book quite often. I distribute it through Lulu (paperback) and Blurb (coffee table version).

What subject matter do you like to delve into most and why?

Life. Life is the most precious thing. Nature is beautiful. It is our closest link to the divine above. When I photograph nature or write about it in my haiku and sixku (my poetry form), I feel so alive, so fulfilled!

“As

you age, criticism does not affect you as much as before. ”

What’s the future hold for you? Any ultimate goal?

This will sound cliché, I know. But I will say it anyway.

The future is now. I build it every minute of every day. :-) How has using the computer affected your work?

I love my Mac and the software I can use to edit my photos or write my poetry. Without Google Docs and Lightroom, I would not be able to do anything. However, I still find it very hard to read a computer screen. I cannot focus as much as when looking at paper. So, while technology allows me to be very productive in a shorter amount of time than years ago, I still love my notepad and pens.

I’m fascinated by the fact that you have a position in marketing and communications and you are doing so much poetry and photography. How does that work, where do you find the time for them all?

My position as Head of marketing and communications at ConnectionFranco.coop makes me super busy! So, poetry and photography have been a little on the backburner lately. I write and take photos when I have an hour or two of free time. But I love my job. I get to connect with people all over the world. I have been my own agent for 15 years and have acquired specific skills. Re-using them to benefit a great company is awesome. Many artists don’t understand that success is dependent upon your willingness to build connections with others. Talent is such a small part of the equation! You have to spend more time promoting yourself (the right way) than actually creating.

Does living in Canada give you a certain tone to your work that you couldn’t achieve living anywhere else?

Canada is not perfect but it is one of the most welcoming countries in the world. Most Canadians are kind, empathetic and open-minded. As a woman and former immigrant, I feel safe. I am free to experiment ideas, work on any project, and release the books I want without any fear of rejection or people threatening me.

So, I can certainly say that my surroundings have an impact on my work. While I could do the same things in France, I find people more judgmental there. As you age, criticism does not affect you as much as before. However, it’s a relief to be able to avoid any kind of negative energy to focus on what truly matters -- creativity.

Do you prefer photography or poetry...or are they on an equal plane?

They are both part of me. Don’t ask me to choose between my children. ;-)

My ultimate goal remains the same as always. As an artist, I want to help people re-learn to enjoy life.

They are missing so much because of their search for acceptance and their focus on negative things. If after looking at my work, some folks start taking time to smell the roses, then my job will be done. :-)

“When you are passionate about something, you do everything in your power to master and perfect it.”

ROLLI

by Lon Levin

I grew up on the Canadian prairies. Roughly in the middle of nowhere. On a little farm, a grain farm.

Wheat fields, flax fields. I was asthmatic, not much help to anyone, and left mostly to my own devices. As children will, I made my own fun. Drawing, reading, daydreaming… I lapsed into imagination.

I’m not sure what influenced me and what didn’t, but I’ve always enjoyed old school cartoonists like Chaz Addams and James Thurber. Cartoonists are a dime a dozen, but stylists are rare birds. Dodos, almost.

The first poet I loved was Poe. He’s still a favorite.

I like Shakespeare quite a bit. And Agatha Christie.

Your style is very unique. Did you work on developing a style or is that what naturally came out of you?

It reminds me a lot of John Lennon’s work. Any connection there?

When did you first think about art as something you wanted to do? Were you encouraged or discouraged by family, friends, teachers, mentors?

I don't know. Somehow it turns out that such images arise in my head. It will be necessary to go to the doctor.

I didn’t begin to draw in earnest, or write, until my mid-twenties. This was during a long convalescence. I was a scribbler before that, a practiced doodler - - - and many other things, besides.

I don’t remember ever receiving a word of encouragement. As I’ve always written (and drawn) to please myself, that didn’t dissuade me.

If teachers saw potential in me - - - perhaps they did - - they kept it to themselves.

What kind of kid were you? Where did you grow up?

What were your influences?

I was a solitary child. A daydreamer. A manufacturer of mischief. I haven’t changed much, I don’t think.

I’m not deliberate. Not about anything. Intuitive. I’m an intuitive person. For better or worse, my style is a natural one, and my own.

I like Mr. Lennon’s music very much. The Beatles, very much. The White Album - - - that’s a good one.

I don’t know much about his artwork, I’m afraid. I’ll look into it.

I

You do a lot of whimsical art. How did that happen?

I’m beginning to suspect that I must be a whimsical person. I really do try to draw things as I see them.

Has the computer affected your work? Do you work traditionally and digitally?

I draw the old fashioned way - - - that’s ink on paper - - with minimal digital touch-ups.

The difficulty is… Digital illustrations look wonderful. They also, to my eye, stylistically, look identical.

Magazine illustrations in particular have never looked better - - - or more homogeneous. I expect that, in ten years’ time, everything will be AI-generated, and look phenomenal.

As far as writing goes… I used to scribble everything

down in beautiful notebooks then lose the notebooks.

The novelty of that wears off. Everything goes onto a laptop now. Those are somewhat harder to lose.

What’s going on in your head when you work on a piece? Your fears, anticipation, confidence, etc. How do you know something is finished?

I work on something until I get bored of it. If the piece is still unfinished, I toss it. If it’s finished, I’ll either toss it or, if I like it well enough, keep it. Most everything gets tossed out. I’m not easily impressed by anything on this planet, and that extends to my own work.

Nothing particularly goes on in my head when I’m working. “As we suspected,” said the critics, nodding in unison.

"Cartooning was an arduous climb up the ladder. Several rungs were missing."

Do you prefer writing/poetry to art or vice versa or are they on equal footing?

keep the best one. The rest I incinerate. I don’t recycle them, unfortunately. It’s not cathartic.

I enjoy both - - - most of the time. Writing and cartooning, they’re tricky businesses. Trickier still, if you aren’t mediocre.

Writing involves a lot more daydreaming, and less incineration. On a good day.

Maintaining enchantment is key. If I find myself growing disenchanted with one field, I switch to the other.

Once I’m disenchanted with that one, I switch back.

It helps keep things fresh.

I’m curious about how you choose what to work on.

What does your process entail? Start to finish. Can you give us a short step-by-step?

Well, as far as cartoons go… I daydream until I come up with something. It isn’t very scientific. I have a phobia of pencils, and work exclusively with ink. I’ll redraw a given cartoon up to 24 times, and

What do you do to promote yourself and get work? Do you work worldwide or exclusively in the States?

Cartooning was an arduous climb up the ladder. Several rungs were missing. Once my work started appearing in bigger outlets… It may sound strange, but I was contacted by an elite group of cartoonists who share market information and opportunities. It’s a secret society of sorts - - - I can’t say much more about it - - - but that association has made things easier. And now that I’ve teamed up with Cartoon Collections, my published work can be viewed and licensed by anyone on the planet.

I mostly work for U.S. magazines and newspapers - - that’s where the market is - - - but I also publish a fair bit in the U.K. and Australia, and sporadically in Italy, India, China and Canada.

What’s the future hold for you? Any ultimate goal?

Who can say? I’m fortunate enough to have had a number of books published. Over a dozen, though, are still unpublished. A story collection, a poetry collection, ten-or-so children’s books. Virtually all of my best work has never been seen. Finding a home for it… That’s my immediate and ultimate goal, always. My dream.

I’ve done an enormous number of cartoons, too. For The Wall Street Journal, Reader’s Digest, The Harvard Business Review and others. I’d like to put out a collection of those one day.

I’d enjoy, also, trave+ling from country to country, sampling desserts. I’m a great fan of cake. Chocolate in particular. A Grand Dessert Tour. It would be wonderful.

If you could meet anyone in the field you’re in, who would it be and why?

James Thurber. For his cartoons and humorous writings, both. The Years with Ross - - - that’s a good one. My Life and Hard Times - - - that’s even better.

His literary style is elegant. His drawing style crude and beautiful.

But he isn’t much read anymore, Thurber. Of course, he’s been dead for ages. I liked The New Yorker a lot better when it was a humor magazine. There’s already an Enquirer, a Time. Tragic masks are the fashion.

Perhaps that will change one day. Perhaps not.

A MOMENT IN TIME

The Beverly Hills Hotel.

If it seems like the Beverly Hills Hotel has been there forever, it’s because it has... or at least since the birth of Beverly Hills.

On May 14th,1911, the Los Angeles Real Estate section of the Los Angeles Times announced a huge Mission-style hotel to be erected by Margaret J. Anderson in the Beverly Hills area. Anderson had experience in hotel management as the owner of the Hollywood Hotel.

The Beverly Hills Hotel Signage

Anderson’s motto was that her guests were entitled to the best of everything regardless of the cost. She fell in line with the Rodeo Land Company’s plan to bring in a new resort hotel. Margaret and her son Stanley had perfected their marketing and presentation to an unparalleled excellence and saw the opportunity to do everything bigger and better at Beverly and own the land, which they did not achieve at the Hollywood Hotel Development.

“The first five bungalows of the hotel were built in 1915. ”

On May 1,1912 the hotel opened it’s doors. The majority of the Anderson’s clientele from the Hollywood Hotel came with them. There were many unique features of the hotel, including the bungalows for guests that would return every year with their staffs and children to escape the harsh northern and eastern climates.

The western face of the hotel had a trolley-stop pavilion in front of the hotel on Sunset Boulevard that was for guests and visitors to use. The hotel had a Sun room where guests could relax with a view of the Pacific Ocean and a Crystal Room that was an elegant private room where small dinner parties could be held. Numerous business moguls and movie stars frequented the hotel when in town on business. Local celebrities like Charlie Chaplin, Will Rogers and Harold Lloyd would gather poolside or at the various lounges available. This started a long tradition of important movers and shakers and movie star sightings over the last 100 years highlighted by visits from President John Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe, Muhammad Ali and numerous others.

In 1919, Douglas Fairbanks and his wife Mary Pickford bought and expanded a lodge above the hotel, which they named Pickfair.

What is now Will Rogers Park, on Sunset Boulevard just south of the hotel grounds was originally part of the hotel. The Anderson family donated the land to the city in 1915, creating the first municipal park in Beverly Hills.

The barren landscape that encircled the hotel in the early years of it’s existence was barren. The Burton Green mansion was the only prominent home in the area just west of the grounds. As the first decade of the hotel’s history closed more estates would dot the hillside to the north. The development of the land behind the hotel in both Benedict Canyon and Coldwater Canyon started in earnest as the population of Beverly Hills soared throughout the 20’s and 30’s.

Editor: I want to thank The Beverly Hills Historical Society, Phil Savenick for his help and Marc Wanamaker for supplying the historical information via his book “Early Beverly Hills”.

More to come in the next edition and on our Instagram feed at levin. lon

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RESTAURANT PICKS

Grilled O’Henry sweet potato, creamy almond, Chile morita and cilantro at the EXCHANGE, the Israeli-leaning restaurant from chef Alex Chang in DTLA’s Freehand Hotel

Yakimiso and sausage porridge, numbing spice braised pork sausage, chayote in black bean sauce, rose-geranium baby onion pickles, celery pickles, seasonal edible flowers, and negi rice porridge at Porridge + Puffs.

(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

THE EXCHANGE

PORRIDGE + PUFFS

VIBRANT FLAVORS, LOCALLY INSPIRED

CHEF MINH PHAN IS WHERE SHE WANTS TO BE,

Freehand LA’s restaurant, The Exchange, pays homage to the 12 story vintage blade sign (the largest in LA) under which its entrance proudly sits.

She’s on the cusp of opening up her first standalone location for Porridge + Puffs, a popular popup previously run out of a space in Hollywood.

Phan is also happy to make her home Historic Filipinotown, a continuously growing neighborhood.

The restaurant is led by the team behind Bar Lab, who brought us the beloved 27 Restaurant at Freehand Miami, and Angeleno chef Alex Chang, best known locally for his Paladar dinner series.

Similar to 27 Restaurant in Miami, where dishes explore the city’s many flavors through a Latin lens, the menu at The Exchange explores the multi-cultural flavors of urban LA through an Israeli lens.

This is the first restaurant in California from the design team Roman & Williams.

For more information, please email TheExchange@ thefreehand.com

Reviews courtesy of the LA Times

Phan is happy to be back in the kitchen — this time the one that used to belong to Thai East Wind restaurant, on the corner of Beverly and Occidental. The restaurant space itself has been completely peeled back, with a minimalist aesthetic with a long black banquette,and light blonde wood touches.

She’s been positioning her menu of porridges to be offered at or near $12 a plate, with room to add on side dishes at will.

Daytime hours from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. to start, Tuesday through Friday, 2801 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA

The journey starts with the first step

www.lonlevinrealestate.com CalBre#01965638