LA trip.

The roses on the temple grounds.

This post is mainly going to be about The Brewery, which is an artist community located in an old warehouse. It is very expensive to live there, the waiting list is ten years, and most of the apartments are fairly small (with the exception of Cliff Nielsons, which was a warehouse in and of itself). 

The tracks leading up to The Brewery http://www.thebreweryartistlofts.com/brewery_website_002.htm

The following pictures are from Cliff Nielson's home. He lives in a warehouse that was built by Thomas Edison, and was originally used for Edison Electric. Prior to the Nielson's owning it, it had also been used for numerous music videos, including for Slip Knot. 

 It had fallen into serious disrepair, and the owner-- right before Cliff-- bought it and fixed it up for motorcycles-- for the purpose of fixing them up, etc.-- hence the giant heavy duty ramp leading up the kitchen. The living areas are tiered, starting with the kitchen and then the living quarters above that. There is even a basement. I apologize for how dark and murky the photo's are, the lighting was poor for picture taking with my modest digital camera, but I hope you can get the general idea. 

Cliff is a well known illustrator, who attended BYU-I back when it was Ricks. He's done such works as Chronicles of Narnia and X-Files. I'm certain most reading my blog have seen his work, even though you are unaware of it. http://www.shannonassociates.com/artist/cliffnielsen

 Cliff showed us a program on his computer that allows you to "sculpt" objects out of "clay". This is a great tool for artist to do 3-D studies for their paintings. I fell in love, and some day I want this program.

Now on to Dave Leftner...

 These pictures are of the loft and work of an linoleum block artist, Dave Leftner. http://www.skidmorecontemporaryart.com/dave-lefner.htm

 I loved his loft the most out of all the artists we saw. On the floor in the above picture, you can see the thin lenoleum pieces he carves. I loved his work, but I especially loved his work area, which was very well organized.

Dave's wife is an aerialist, so that is what the black sash is that is hanging down to the right of the stairs in the above picture. 

Their kitchen. I loved the suspended windows. 

 The above picture is in Vanessa Stubbs loft/studio. She is a photographer.She has done photography for commercials, you may have seen her work (though I can't find a link for her).

 This is the "jive" that the Brewery artists all go to eat. I didn't think it was quite worth the hour+ long wait in line for a french dip sandwich... :)

 This is the studio of Vanessa's neighbor and friend, Kelly Reemsten. She has three galleries-- two in the US, and one in Europe. She is pretty well known in the art community, and I've seen her work before. She starts out with an orange background for every painting. http://www.skidmorecontemporaryart.com/kelly-reemtsen.htm

She buys her own dresses for her models to wear for her paintings. They are designer, and therefore very, very expensive. (she is the blonde in this pic). 

I loved the trip, and we went to museums as well, but the highlight was definitely The Brewery.