Los Angeles Downtown News 08/21/2023

‘C’mon, Sing!’

Urban Voices Project to hold Downtown festival

By Luke Netzley LA Downtown News Deputy Editor

Amid the joyous harmonies and radiant smiles of a singing crowd, Urban Voices Project co-founder and artistic director Leeav Sofer finds strength and healing. For the past five years, the organization has fostered a community within the walls of its rehearsal rooms and music therapy classes. On Sunday, Aug. 27, it will share their songs and spirit with the rest of Downtown LA through the second annual C’mon, Sing! music festival.

The festival was inspired by the success of Urban Voices Project’s Buskfest outings, open-mic-style events with pop-up tents and mobile sound systems that invited people on the street to sing alongside the organization’s professional music staff.

“We found that this was such a beautiful experience,” Sofer said. “People would come out of their tents or come down from the single-room-occupancy housings here out of their rooms to sign up to sing.

“What everybody loved about it is the way that it empowers someone to get on a microphone. Let’s be honest, so many people feel so invisible for so long. You get a microphone and a huge sound system, it’s really special. But then you also have live musicians behind you and you feel validated as an artist, even if you’re a beginner. So people would not only find it to be fun, but they find it empowering. They found it to be something that would bring them such purpose that day.”

Sofer recalled that the events drew diverse crowds composed of audience members ranging from nurses in clinics across the street to people “right in the gutter of what’s going on in their journey.” He said that he and the choir members’ dream was to spread this concept throughout the city.

This year’s C’mon, Sing! Festival will take place across seven locations in Downtown, made possible through seven venue partners. The destinations are the Japanese American National Museum in Little Tokyo; Los Angeles First United Methodist Church in South Park; Historic Downtown Farmers Market; Urban Voices Project’s previous Skid Row pop-up location at the intersection of San Pedro and Fifth Street; the DTLA Proud Festival at Grand Central Market; Arts District Brewing Company, where the festival will join in the brewery’s happy hour; and BMO Stadium, where

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there will be a 30-minute singalong ahead of Angel City FC’s game against OL Reign.

“You’re going to have LA community musicians (and) professional session players coming and teaming up with the artists in Skid Row. And the artists in Skid Row might have had a professional career or might still have a professional career as well, or they might be more amateur, beginner or tapping into their artistry,” Sofer said. “To have them work side by side at these stages and make music together is already going to model and exemplify people of all journeys coming together. So when you have someone come up on the microphone just off the sidewalk, hopefully that will feel like we’ll be modeling that solidarity for people.”

In moments where no one in the crowd feels confident to step on stage and sing into the mic, Sofer said the Urban Voices Project players will still lead the crowds in song with the help of free songbooks, which will be filled with lyrics to uplifting tunes and distributed to each member of the audience.

“We hope that people would just crack open a book and feel like they can sing along with us,” Sofer said. “When you’re doing music, it has such a healing power for the listener as well as for the provider. Here, I’m a music teacher and I’m healed. … It does the same effect for all of us when we’re there on Sunday. We are going to feel good providing the music and making the music just as much as we

PRESIDENT:

VICE PRESIDENT:

Chris Mortenson/Staff

Leaav Sofer conducts the Urban Voices Project’s Neighborhood Sing group through a series of uplifting songs and vocal exercises at Joshua House Clinic in Skid Row.

hope and know and trust that the audiences will feel good listening and engaging with it.”

While one of the primary aims of the festival is to unite people from all backgrounds and walks of life through song, Sofer said that he also wanted to spotlight Skid Row artists and shed light on the cultural contributions of the neighborhood.

“Historically, the Arts District or Bunker Hill, those (have) the elite cultural arts flagship projects and organizations,” he explained. “Skid Row’s not seen as the mecca of culture and arts. It’s seen as a place that’s like a human elephant graveyard for many people. But for us, in our neighborhood, there’s so much creativity here. There’s so much artistry. To be out on the streets in the first place, you have to be one of the most creative people in the world just to survive.

“For us to turn the narrative around, and instead of being like the ‘us and them,’ we become cultural arts leaders for the rest of Downtown. It was such a great response to fight colonialism and gentrification, but without calling it out. Instead, we’re calling

people in.”

Sofer said his hope for this year is that people who support the spirit of the festival will take part either as a volunteer, applying through the Urban Voices Project website, as a performer or as a fan who stays involved long after the stages have been taken down.

“At every neighborhood, we’re inviting commuters, residents, tourists. … It doesn’t matter who, it’s just about, ‘Let’s sing together,’” Sofer said. “The whole point of it is to get anybody from any socioeconomic background and whatever background to sing shoulder to shoulder, neighbor to neighbor — in this case neighborhood to neighborhood — and unite Downtown through song.

“We’re about bridging people together, so if anybody finds us on that day but then wants to come to a Wednesday (Neighborhood Sing session), they can come anytime. This is not just a Skid Row jam; this is a Downtown LA jam for anybody to come. We’re here in Skid Row for the community, small and large.”

e C’mon, Sing! Festival

WHEN: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 27

WHERE: Various locations across DTLA

COST: Free

INFO: urbanvoicesproject.org

Grandmaster Flash + Tierra Whack

East West Bank Plaza at The

Saturday, Aug 26. | 8–11 p.m.

Chris Mortenson/Staff

Tyson Stephens steps up and sings during an Urban Voices Project Neighborhood Sing session.

Covered California will help DT CONSIDER THIS

Crone Barbie

Reclaiming archetypes of the mature feminine

By Ellen Snortland

LA Downtown News Columnist

“What did you think of the Plus Size Barbie in the ‘Barbie’ movie?” I ask my friend Jenn Melyan, who doesn’t like the term “plus size.”

She says, “It’s a euphemism that keeps fat-shaming in place.”

Jenn has been expertly dissecting our culture’s obsession with thinness in her podcast “A Fat Perspective,” accessible at afatperspective.com. Regarding my question, she thought for a moment, then said, “It was good, considering Mattel never made a fat Barbie.”

“I also noticed there was no Crone Barbie,” I said.

Barbie is not only an icon for thinness; she’s an embodiment of perpetual youth — a youth supremacist, if you will.

Representation can be tricky. While I give kudos to Greta Gerwig and her team for including Fat Barbie, it’s a tease because fat girls can’t purchase a Fat Barbie. Jenn said, “Barbie manages to make fat people visible and invisible at the same time.”

The same concept applies to an Old Barbie, one that looks like her actual age of 64, as Barbie’s official birthday is March 9, 1959. She’ll finally qualify for Medicare during next year’s Women’s History Month!

How are kids supposed to understand and accept aging if we won’t allow them to see it in their dolls? I can envision playing with Old Barbie: having a professor, grandparent or older neighbor visiting their younger Barbie friends. I seriously doubt Mattel will create one, and fat chance they’ll make a Fat Barbie. Yes, in 2016, Mattel released a more “inclusive” body type with “Curvy Barbie” (that’s the actual name), even though in today’s world, she’s a size 10-12! We can dream, though.

As a child, I had a Tiny Tears doll with a hole in its mouth so I could bottle feed it, and it would — voilá! — urinate, a potent warning for future mommies. At 5, I distinctly remember an adult giving me a toy iron and ironing board. I was so insulted! “You want me to what? Go back and forth on this mini-ironing board, pretending to iron?” I threw the iron at the wall and haven’t ironed since.

When a teen Barbie doll came into my life in the early ’60s, I was more than eager to play using scenarios that didn’t include fabric care or changing wet diapers.

Back to the Barbie movie, which I adored

as both entertainment and art. I hate it when people say, “The movie should have … fill in the blank.” For example, the movie couldn’t veer into LGBTQ+ territory because Barbie’s world in both Barbieland and real-life trucks in binary. Nuance is not available in an either/or world, which is how Mattel created it, and Gerwig does her best to subvert it. The skill and intelligence of co-writers Gerwig and Noah Baumbach to make such a complicated, fun and existential movie is awe-inspiring.

Also inspiring is Gerwig breaking the billion-dollar box office mark, which adds more fuel to the destruction of the tired canard: women directors are box office poison.

For the screening, I wore a pink tank top I accessorized with my late mother’s gorgeous strands of pink costume jewelry. Many others in the audience had also dressed up. I laughed and, yes, I cried, too. I’m nothing if not an emotional bellwether; I’m a perfect focus group person as I’ve been known to cry at a well-executed anti-flatulence ad.

I was also touched that Gerwig had two — count ’em — two women over 65 in her film. Rhea Perlman playing Ruth Handler, the creator of Barbie and co-founder of Mattel, was poignant. And the older, nameless woman at the bus stop — played by 91-year-old Oscar-winning costume designer Ann Roth — was also a tender touch. Barbie says to her, “You’re beautiful.” The old woman replies, “I know.” After all, Barbie starts her existential journey by grappling with her mortality. She sidesteps aging except for that sweet nod toward the aging woman.

SMITH’S OPINION

Hey you! Speak up!

Downtown News wants to hear from people in the community. If you like or dislike a story, let us know, or weigh in on something you feel is important to the community.

Participation is easy. Go to downtownnews. com, scroll to the bottom of the page and click the “Letter to the Editor” link.

For guest opinion proposals, please email christina@timespublications.com.

As a society, we make aging shameful for women. Even ardent feminists I know still lie about their age! I’m turning 70 on Aug. 27 and am surprised I’ve lived this long. People also routinely lie about their weight. Age and weight, I would argue, are the driving forces behind most elective surgeries in the U.S. I have friends who seem addicted to facelifts; similarly, I have a high percentage of friends who have done drastic surgeries for fat “eradication.”

A caveat: Not everyone accepts the words “fat” and/or “old.” It’s a nomenclature minefield out there. If you call someone “fat” rather than “ample” or plus-sized, prepare to have a limb blown off. It’s the same with age: Referring to someone as an old woman is often an insult. This is complicated!

We could make significant inroads toward inclusion if we were honest about our ages and sizes. We need to reclaim the authentic spaces of our lives and accept each other for who we are, just as we are. You know the chestnut: “Nothing in life is certain except for fat, death and taxes.” I just slipped “fat” in to see if you were paying attention.

2023 marks the 30th year that Ellen Snortland has written this column and was one of three winners of the LA Press Club’s Journalist of the Year. She also teaches creative writing online and can be reached at ellen@ beautybitesbeast.com. Her award-winning film “Beauty Bites Beast” is available for download or streaming at vimeo.com/ondemand/ beautybitesbeast.

Ellen Snortland

‘Best in Class’

California Hospital Medical Center honored for consumer loyalty

By LA Downtown News Staff

NRC Health named Dignity Health – California Hospital Medical Center to its annual Consumer Loyalty Best in Class list, the only loyalty-based hospital rankings, recognizing the top U.S. health care facilities.

The Consumer Loyalty Awards recognize health care organizations that consumers rate the highest on an equally weighted combination of net promoter score (NPS), brand perception (overall image and reputation) and NRC Health’s proprietary “human understanding metric.” The 100 top-scoring organizations are included in the ranking, but only the top 10 of those receive Best in Class designation.

“Patient loyalty is the result of the trust earned through valued relationships, exceptional experiences and high-quality medical care,” said Alina Moran, California Hospital Medical Center hospital president.

“This designation recognizes our dedicat-

ed staff who work hard to provide an environment that always puts the patient first.”

California Hospital Medical Center was selected based on results from the NRC Health Market Insights survey, the largest database of health care consumer responses in the country. To qualify for consideration, organizations must have received at least 150 “Top-of-Mind” mentions on NRC Health’s national market insights study between April 1, 2022, and March 31, 2023. Market insights measures the opinions, behaviors and profiles of 310,000 people annually.

“Our 2023 Consumer Loyalty Best in Class Award winners are truly in a class by themselves,” said Helen Hardy, chief growth officer at NRC Health. “California Hospital Medical Center has worked to build patient care experiences that inspire loyalty. Their work is an inspiration to us and hospitals and health systems across the country.”

Fueling Talent

World of Racing provides premier sim racing

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski LA Downtown News Executive Editor

Car racing is an expensive sport. Understanding that, race fan Donovan Janus wanted to give everyone a more affordable way to experience the rush of real racing.

“With the advance of tech sim racing, there is a new form of motorsports,” said Janus, who hails from the Netherlands.

He opened World of Racing, LA’s “premier sim racing center,” in Pasadena in May.

“We have 13 high-end, state-of-the-art car simulators,” he said. “You really experience what it’s like to be a race car driver. This is true car simulation. It’s a fun way to experience the different cars and the different tracks.

“This is a very affordable way for people to get into racing. And unlike gokarts, drivers can experience a wide variety of tracks and cars. With each simulator being the same in terms of performance,

the winner is based on driving skill — not who got lucky with the best kart.”

All the simulators at World of Racing are equipped with motion, meaning the driver will really feel the car’s movement. Even small bumps on the track can be felt.

“It does a great job of feeling like you are right there on track. It’s an experience like no other,” Janus said.

The surround sound headsets add to the experience, making it sound as if the engine is next to you. The headsets also have an AI Crew Chief, who keeps participants up to date on the progress of other drivers, as well as tire temperatures and other important information.

“We can hook up all the different simulators together so you can race against each other,” he said. “Headsets allow people to talk to each other, which adds another dimension to it. Especially as people bump into each other and actually feel it, the trash talking can get intense!”

At World of Racing, the race experience

rookie package is $39, qualifying plus one race. Race experience pro is $59, and that includes practice, qualifying plus two races.

World of Racing also offers race nights from 7 to 10 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays for $125 per driver. All 13 simulators will race against each other on three different tracks, and a champion will be crowned at the end of the night.

For those who want to take their skills to the next level, World of Racing offers a monthly Race Academy. This where guests can learn more about high-performance driving skills that help on the simulator but also in real life on track.

Since opening, World of Racing has hosted a wide range of drivers — from hardcore professional racers training for their next race to three generations of a family to couples on dates.

“This is exactly why we created World of Racing — for everyone to experience great racing together in a very accessible way,” Janus said.

For kids to participate, they must be 52 inches tall and 12 years old, unless they’ve had go-kart experience.

To schedule a race experience or join Race Night, visit WorldofRacing.com. Walk-ins are welcome, though reservations are recommended on the weekend.

World of Racing

WHEN: 2 to 8 p.m. Mondays to ursdays

2 to 10 p.m. Fridays

Noon to 10 p.m. Saturdays

Noon to 8 p.m. Sundays

WHERE: 2245 E. Colorado Avenue, Suite 101, Pasadena

INFO: worldofracing.com

Chris Mortenson/Staff

Originally from the Netherlands, Donovan Janus opened World of Racing in Pasadena in May.

Chris Mortenson/Staff

Pasadena’s World of Racing is home to 13 high-end car simulators.

DTENTERTAINMENT

‘Buy Art Save Kittens’

Local feral cat rescue Kitty Bungalow partners with Corey Helford Gallery for art fundraiser

By Leah Schwartz

LA Downtown News Staff Writer

Angeleno cat lovers rejoice. Corey Helford Gallery is partnering with local feral cat rescue Kitty Bungalow Charm School for Wayward Cats to produce a cat-centered exhibit featuring some of Los Angeles’ most renowned contemporary artists.

“Buy Art Save Kittens” is set to open on Saturday, Aug. 26, at the Downtown gallery with a complimentary public reception, closing on Saturday, Sept. 30. All proceeds from the exhibit will be reinvested back into the South LA-based nonprofit to secure food and medical care for the city’s feral cat population. This show marks the fifth iteration of “Buy Art Save Kittens” and the first showing at CHG.

The feline extravaganza will feature new works from over 40 local and international artists, including local mainstays like cartoonist Gary Baseman, sculptor and painter Albert Reyes, mixed-media and digital artist Coldie, and graphic artist John Van Hamersveld.

“Because I have an insane love for cats, and they play an important role in my life and my art, I find it important always to support Kitty Bungalow if I can,” Baseman said. “A sincere, caring and authentic organization, I like how they created a special rescue home to help wayward kitties find permanent adoption.”

Kitty Bungalow is California’s only 100% feral cat rescue, socialization and adoption facility. With the help of over a hundred volunteers each week, the organization offers lifesaving services to the city’s abandoned cats and kittens, using force-free socialization techniques to turn street cats into pets. Nonadoptable felines are fixed through a trap-neuter-release program and released or given work on wineries, farms or artist studios, providing natural pest control.

The fundraiser will satisfy the tastes and budgets of a broad scope of collectors with graffiti, street art, prints, illustrations and paintings, all featuring, unsurprisingly, cats.

The show will also feature artists Alison Friend, Sage Vaughn, Stephanie Inagaki, Catgods, Mat Crumpton, Atlas, Praxis, Javier Mayoral, Phobik, Analy, Marina Yermakova-Timm, Kalon Fowler,

Ferris, Jazie, JD King, Michael Delahaut and Cats Rule All.

More than just a fundraiser, the show is a groundbreaking exhibit in its own right. For many artists, this will be their LA debut — or, in Vietnamese illustrator Xuan Loc Xuan’s case, their U.S. debut.

All artwork featured in the show is donated directly by the artists, spurred by a love for catkind. For renowned LA artist Reyes, joining the show was a simple decision.

“I participate in the ‘Buy Art Save Kittens’ show because I love cats, and they need our help,” he said.

“The artists are excited to be a part of because they know exactly what their donation will go to,” elaborated Shelley Leopold, the exhibit’s co-curator and Kitty Bungalow board member.

Leopold, who works as a creative director by day, began volunteering with Kitty Bungalow six years ago, cleaning cat boxes and feeding kittens. Similarly, co-curator and Kitty Bungalow volunteer Lauren Raquel discovered the organization in 2014 after finding a litter of kittens behind her office in the Arts District.

“The art shows are a great way to introduce people to Kitty Bungalow,” Raquel said. “We can create a connection with people on a level they’re comfort-

able with, through the thing they already do every day — their art. It also allows us to bring in people who might not otherwise know anything about animal rescue or TNR.”

The exhibit will run alongside a solo show, “Nurtured by Nature,” from urban contemporary painter, illustrator, character creator and comic artist Camilla d’Errico in the Main Gallery and a solo show by established Los Angeles art scene painter Luke Chueh, titled “Peering Through the Darkness,” in Gallery 2.

“Buy Art Save Kittens” Opening Reception

WHEN: 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26

WHERE: Corey Helford Gallery, 571 S. Anderson Street, Los Angeles

COST: Free admission

INFO: coreyhelfordgallery.com

Matthew Robinson, Fabez, Rachael

Corey Helford Gallery/Submitted

Corey Helford Gallery’s “Buy Art Save Kittens” fundraising exhibit will benefit local feral cat rescue Kitty Bungalow Charm School for Wayward Cats.

Covered California will help DTENTERTAINMENT ‘Nurtured by Nature’

Pop-surrealist painter Camilla d’Errico shows in Downtown LA

By Luke Netzley LA Downtown News Deputy Editor

After distinguishing herself as one of the breakthrough artists in the pop surrealism movement over the last two decades, painter, illustrator and comic artist Camilla d’Errico will unveil her newest major solo show, “Nurtured by Nature,” at Downtown LA’s Corey Helford Gallery on Saturday, Aug. 26.

Open to the public and free of charge, the collection of approximately 22 paintings, 10 drawings and 20 statues blends surrealist compositions with vibrant hues that burst with emotion. The body of work was inspired by d’Errico’s love and reverence of nature, particularly in the wake of a lifestyle shift she experienced during the pandemic.

From the city to the forest

D’Errico grew up in a small village in Canada after her family moved away from Ottawa, trading the buzz of the city for a slower, more rural lifestyle. As she grew older, she felt that she needed to spread her wings and leave home.

“You just never know what you have until you’ve gone,” d’Errico said. “I moved to a city and I lived in apartments, where it’s like you’re stacked on top of other people and you’re physically separated from nature. I lived like that for over a decade, and I would watch as the skyline would be filled with more buildings.”

As she settled into her new home city of Vancouver, d’Errico said she continued to feel severed from the natural world.

“Vancouver’s such a beautiful city,” she described. “You’ve got the ocean and you’ve got Stanley Park. There’s nature all around you, but there’s also a big disconnect. And I was feeling that a lot when I was living there.

“My husband and I, just before we got married, his parents renewed their vows on Vancouver Island. And I fell in love. The air was different. When you go for a walk or when you go on the beach and you’re just looking at the vastness of the planet … it’s hard to go back into a little box. … I literally lived in a place where I could hear my neighbors flushing their toilet.”

The onset of the pandemic and its ensuing lockdowns served as the final push for d’Errico to move away from the city and buy a house on Vancouver Island, where bald eagles and deer roam

through her backyard.

“Every day I get to just plant my feet in the grass and breathe,” she said. “It changed me as a person, and I felt more at peace. … I realize now the things I need to protect.”

Journey into art

D’Errico said she had always been an artist, and her mother once told her that she “wasn’t a pretty baby, but you had a beautiful hand.” She recalled watching the iconic cartoons of the ‘80s and ‘90s with wide-eyed fascination as a child and feeling inspired to create.

Her obsession with cartoons and comics followed her through high school, and she dreamed of becoming an animator until college.

“When I graduated high school, I realized quickly that I’m not an animator,” she said. “It’s such a precision thing. It’s like baking, you have to have a formula and be very, very patient. And yeah, that’s not me.

“I learned very quickly that art is a fluid thing and your passions can change and you can be inspired by things that you didn’t expect. I’ve kind of taken that to heart ever since I was young and let the universe guide me to where it wanted me to go as an artist. So while I was drawing comics and I was at university pursuing a graphic design career, I had designed some snowboards for RIDE, and they sent me one of each of the snowboards.”

The six snowboards could barely fit through the door of d’Errico’s studio

apartment, so she needed to offload them. One day, when she was on her way to watch a movie in Vancouver, d’Errico entered an art gallery that was holding a snowboard-themed show. D’Errico reached out to gallery owner Ken Lum, who told her that he wouldn’t sell her snowboards but that he would like to exhibit her art in the gallery.

“It kind of changed my perspective to have somebody want the original, and they got put into a show,” she said. “They actually sold before the opening … and I became a painter.”

Sharing her story

As an artist, d’Errico has sought to share her admiration for nature with others. She said that she feels humanity has become increasingly disconnected from the natural world as people flock to cities and live through phones and television screens.

Through her “Nurtured by Nature” exhibition at CHG, her mission is to share her transformational experience of reconnecting with the plants and animals of the Pacific Northwest.

“I’m doing something I haven’t done before, which is to paint for the sake of the animal,” she said. “With my pieces before, it was like a puzzle I would put together and every animal and every color would have a significance for the character, the human in the center of it. In this situation, I’m actually trying to bring all the different types of animals that people may not have even heard of or maybe have imagined and making them the star of the show.

“I’m painting everything from an orca to a bunny to a Japanese flying squirrel. For me, it’s exhilarating, and it makes me excited about life on this planet. My goal really is to pull people back from their screens or from the concrete and show them that you can explore, you can appreciate and you can be nurtured by what we have and be part of the natural world again.”

For a piece like “Northern Exposure,” an ode to Vancouver Island, or “My Lepidoptera Parade,” which depicts a girl being lifted through the air by butterflies, d’Errico said her process begins with research so each animal appears as realistic as possible. She’ll then turn to her sketchbook and, after drawing her initial vision with water-soluble colored pencils, she’ll

Corey Helford Gallery/Submitted

“Freebird” by Camilla d’Errico

use eco-friendly oil paints to transfer her sketch onto a birchwood board.

“While I’m painting, I’m always listening to audio books so that my body can go on autopilot while my brain explores,” d’Errico said. “Painting … is almost like a dance. I initiate and I have this idea of what it’s going to look like, but nothing really turns out the way I have it in my head. Sometimes the wood will absorb different colors … and then sometimes the expressions of the girls morph as I’m painting them.

“I used to fight it, I’ll be honest. I used to be like, ‘No, it’s not what I have in my head.’ And what would end up happening is I would sand off the faces because they wouldn’t look like I wanted them to. … I have to just let the painting develop. If the girl wants to smile, she’ll smile. If she doesn’t, that’s fine.”

One of the unifying features of d’Errico’s work is movement. She said the characters in her paintings mustn’t sit in perfection but spread their wings and breathe. In CHG’s 4,500-square-foot Main Gallery, she’s confident they’ll have sufficient space to do so.

“When you walk in, there’s going to be a huge photograph mural of the rainforest. It’s very beautiful and mysterious;

“This show really does mean a lot to me,” d’Errico said. “I hope that people can really — almost as if they were standing in a field — just approach one of the pieces like they’re approaching a flower, take it in, look at all the details and also feel that connection to the plan-

et … the powerful feeling of when you stand alone and you look at the vast sky or ocean or desert or forest, and suddenly you find there’s an appreciation and there’s this buzz of life that you feel around you.”

“Nurtured by Nature” by Camilla d’Errico

WHEN: Opening reception is 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26; exhibit runs through Saturday, Sept. 30.

WHERE: Corey Helford Gallery, 571 S. Anderson Street, Los Angeles COST: Free admission INFO: coreyhelfordgallery.com

WHEN DEEP CALLS TO DEEP JOURNEYS OF THE SOUL FOR A CULTURE IN CRISIS

it’s green and it’s alive. … So when you walk in, you’re going to get that sense of, ‘Wow, this is real. That’s a real photo,’” she said. “Then you’re going to step into my world and my reality, which is taking real animals and then making them surreal and blending humanity with nature.”

As visitors amble through the space and interact with different animals, a “Noah’s Ark” of paintings as d’Errico described it, her hope is people see the collection as both a love letter and a solemn reminder of what can be lost if humanity isn’t careful.

“A pivotal part of the show is in the back alcove, where I’ll have an immersive mural where you walk in and it’s all black and white,” she said. “It’s trees that are drawn and then on pedestals there are going to be statues of animals. The concept there is that if we don’t take care of these living, real creatures, then all we’re going to have left is stone. … It’s what will happen if we don’t take care of our planet.”

The “Nurtured by Nature” exhibition is set to debut on Saturday, Aug. 26, from 7 to 11 p.m. in CHG’s Main Gallery. It will be an entirely new series of work and a collection d’Errico said she is proud to share with the world.

The challenges of our times are demanding more than just political reforms. They are compelling us towards journeys of the soul that will ask not only for great courage, but new understandings of power and inclusive leadership, new mythologies of collective heroism, more diverse communities and organizational models that are more sustainable ecosystems than hierarchical power pyramids. We invite you to engage with contemporary issues and the latest in depth psychological thinking and practices, join interactive learning sessions on the cutting edge of practice and theory, and explore all that Pacifica Graduate Institute has to offer for your personal and professional journey.

Corey Helford Gallery/Submitted

“Rosalina” by Camilla d’Errico

501 N.Main

Los Angeles CA 90012 | 213 542-6000

DTENTERTAINMENT

Intimate Performance

Grammy Museum’s in-person public programs thriving

By LA Downtown News Staff

Courtney Barnett is among the performers who will hit the Grammy Museum’s stage late this summer.

Barnett recently announced the release of the instrumental album “End of the Day,” the improvisations of which were created as part of the score to her documentary “Anonymous Club.”

The Grammy Museum event at 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 28, will start with a screening of “Anonymous Club,” after which Barnett will be joined by collaborator Stella Mozgawa onstage to play several instrumental compositions live. The two will then be joined onstage by Devendra Banhart for an interview discussing their approach to making the score and the process involved for turning that into “End of the Day.”

The Drop: Christine and the Queens

7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 29

“The Hope of My Soul: A Powerful Evening with Major”

7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 30

Grammy-nominated artist Major will host a soulfully inspiring night of love, laughter, reflection and dancing to celebrate the release of his new EP, “The Hope of My Soul.”

Spotlight: Blondshell, moderated by Yasi Salek

7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 6

The rising artist and songwriter will discuss her creative process and latest music, followed by a performance.

Spotlight: The War and Treaty

7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 7

Barnett recently scheduled a short tour. During the jaunt, the first set will see Barnett and Mozgawa perform instrumental songs and improvisations from the soundtrack; the second will see Barnett performing songs and singing from her catalog.

Other Grammy Museum events

“A Conversation with Idina Menzel”

7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 22

“Let’s Get It On: Celebrating Motown ’73”

7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 23

Smokey Robinson, Jimmy Jam and Marvin Gaye biographer David Ritz will discuss Motown Records’ first full year in LA, including the 50th anniversary of “Let’s Get It On,” moderated by UME’s Harry Weinger.

The critically acclaimed husband-and-wife duo will discuss their latest album, “Lover’s Game,” and perform.

Spotlight: Raye

7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 11

Rising artist Raye will discuss her debut album, “My 21st Century Blues,” and perform.

Gracie Abrams with Aaron Dessner

7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 13

Gracie Abrams will discuss the making of her latest album with producer Aaron Dessner (of the National), followed by a performance.

For more info and tickets, visit grammymuseum.org.

Theo Ehret (1920-2012), Mil Máscaras and Ernie Ladd at the Olympic Auditorium, c.1970s, black and white photograph, courtesy of Theo Ehret Estate©Theo Ehret Estate. Used with permission, all rights reserved.

Courtney Barnett will appear at the Grammy Museum at 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 28, with collaborator Stella Mozgawa and Devendra Banhart.

Back in the Limelight

Poolside performs at The Bellwether

By Luke Netzley

LA Downtown News Deputy Editor

As part of The Bellwether’s inaugural concert lineup, LA-based “daytime disco” band Poolside recently performed at the new DTLA nightlife

hotspot. Accompanied by DJ Travis Holcombe, host of KCRW’s “Freaks Only” music program, and electronic duo Classixx, it was the seven-piece ensemble’s first return to a U.S. stage since 2019. Photographer Chris Mortenson was there to capture the moment.

Poolside brought a seven-piece live band to The Bellwether’s 1,600-capacity main room.

LA-based producer and singer-songwriter Alton Allen started writing music when he was 14 years old. He currently sings and plays guitar for Poolside.

Jeffrey Paradise formed Poolside with Filip Nikolic in 2011. He sang and played the guitar and synths during the band’s show at The Bellwether.

With its neon-blue sign radiating across S. Boylston Street, The Bellwether sits perched on the cusp of Downtown LA with sweeping views of the city skyline.

General manager Casey Lowdermilk said performing at The Bellwether should feel as comfortable to artists as performing in their own living rooms.

Travis Holcombe, DJ and host of the “Freaks Only” music program on KCRW, opened the show.

Classixx hyped up the crowd before Poolside took the stage on a warm summer night at The Bellwether.

Covered California will help DTSPORTS Making Waves

Lakers rookie Maxwell Lewis ready for the NBA

By Jeff Moeller

LA Downtown News Contributing Writer

The moniker is pretty similar. The location is rather familiar. Beyond that, basketball rookie Maxwell Lewis is experiencing a whole lot of new.

The Waves and the Lakers. Malibu and Downtown Los Angeles. As the 40th selection in the recent NBA Draft, Lewis is looking to find his footing in the NBA, which is not the West Coast Conference.

The WCC was home the past two seasons, and now he leaps into the NBA on a glamour franchise with championship aspirations led by one of the most famous people in the world. Firestone Fieldhouse is not Crypto.com Arena.

“Being there that night, it’s the Lakers. Hearing my name, it’s surreal,” Lewis said. “My pops is from Inglewood, CA, and I have so many family members in Las Vegas who are Lakers fans. So much about the Lakers — the history, Kobe — it’s surreal to be part of this team.”

The 21-year-old Lewis was born in Vegas. He prepped at Pepperdine University, where he has already bucked some odds. He is only the sixth Waves player to have been chosen in the first two rounds and the fifth-highest selection in program history. Lewis feels his work ethic will help set him apart.

“I’m always in the gym, in and out. At Pepperdine it was a little tough to get into the gym, but I always figured it out.”

Maybe the Lakers can give Lewis a key to their training facility.

“I think the word around town was I was always in the gym. They noticed that hearing from sources at Pepperdine.”

In picturesque Malibu, the 6-foot-7 Lewis averaged 14.6 points while shooting 45.3% from the field and 35.4% from behind the three-point line. In his final college season, the 2022-23 All-WCC Second Team honoree averaged 17.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.

The Lakers, meanwhile, were reaching the Western Conference Finals, where they fell to Nikola Jokić and the Denver Nuggets, the eventual champs. Ironically, the deal to bring Lewis to the purple and gold came via Denver as part of a four-team trade on draft night.

It was also then when it hit Lewis he would be playing alongside LeBron James.

“Playing with LeBron James, literally that is all my friends talk about. Me being on the team, me playing with LeBron,” he said.

Lewis expects to be a sponge around James and fellow superstar star Anthony Davis.

“Those big-time veterans can coach me and make me a better player. Getting that feedback, watching what they do, (I’ll) learn from them.”

His admiration of Kobe Bryant began with his dad, Robert, who was born in the same city (Inglewood) the late Bryant began his Lakers career with (at the Great Western Forum).

“Well, first off, my dad put a Laker Fathead in my room of Kobe, so I always saw that,” Lewis said. “I’ve just always been around just Laker (stuff). He just always took me on the weekends just to go to LA and his old stomping grounds and stuff. Just his mentality. Just how much he works. I watch his motivation videos in the morning sometimes. Just little things like that to keep it installed in my head about how hard he worked.”

According to scouts, Lewis has a variety of strengths, especially on the offensive end of the floor where he is particularly adept at shooting off the catch and off the dribble. He is tall for his position — he measured the tallest among draft eligible shooting guards — and while he is considered a late bloomer, a lot of upside remains.

Shooting is what Lewis brings to his new squad. Head coach Darvin Ham will look for more.

“As a young player, the harder you play, the harder you compete, particularly on the defensive end, those are the ones who get the most (playing) minutes early,” he said. “The offense will catch up, but first it is about establishing a competitive tone along with buying in and knowing what we are doing defensively.”

Lewis, who needs to improve his playmaking and turn the ball over less, acknowledges the approach he takes with this challenge would not differ than if he was selected by any other team.

“It’s about the work. Even if I was on the worst team, it would not matter to me. You have to work,” said Lewis, who is one of two rookies on the team’s roster joining Jalen Hood-Schifino (first round pick, 17th overall, out of the University

of Indiana). Both of them played on the Lakers summer team this July.

The two college years the 205-pound Lewis enjoyed were under the watchful eye of Lorenzo Romar. A former NBA player himself, Romar has been head coach at the Pepperdine men’s hoops program since 2018.

“When I played at Michigan, I remember Lorenzo was on a travel team and he gave us 40,” said Rob Pelinka, Lakers general manager VP of basketball operations. “(I have) much respect for his game, for his story.”

Romar is a top college coach, some -

thing Lakers management is well aware of.

“I already know what’s been instilled in Max,” said Ham of Lewis, who reportedly signed a four-year contract with the Lakers and hopes to become the 19th Wave to appear in an NBA game. “Now the process keeps going and building to be a high-level professional.”

The 2023 Lakers preseason schedule begins on Saturday, Oct. 7. On Monday, Oct. 9, the Lakers play in Lewis’ hometown (Las Vegas) versus the Brooklyn Nets at T-Mobile Arena.

Los Angeles Lakers/Submitted

Maxwell Lewis is from Las Vegas but knows the Lakers inside and out. His dad is a native of Inglewood and has long admired Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant.

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