Eva

I'm collaborating on an awesome project with my friend, Eva {with an E} ! x

C O M I N G   S O O N

photographs ©Ava Alamshah

your friend,

ava

Van Gogh, Remastered

  Can you imagine Van Gogh sitting for a portrait session in modern times?!  An artist by the name of Tadao Cern was able to bring Van Gogh to life. The details are amazing, from the texture of his suit (blue velvet), to the shine in his hair...his crazy, tortured eyes, and that crinkly paper back drop. Click here to see some of the process. I am in awe & also kind of enamored with Van Gogh himself. Not creepy at all.  

your friend,

ava

Arts & Sciences II

Surprise double exposure =  S C I E N C E !

  In my last post, I mentioned something about my friend Brian having a birthday.  Brian comes up with the best birthday themes.  One year wizards, the next year, jock jams...

  This year, artists and scientists gathered around Sync Space to compete in the ultimate battle.  Who came out on top, you wonder? 

 A R T   C O N Q U E R S   A L L

sorry, science.

 Though, without science, I wouldn't be able to take these polaroids that I have been so excited about.  

  Hello,  G O L D !   Thanks to Impossible Project.  I am in love, luv. 

L I F E   O N   E A R T H

Mother earth, a fetus, and a dinosaur smoking a cigarette.  Our tribute to Tree of Life, clearly.  

  Now I have my very own John Baldessari!  My girlfriends at ACO are beautiful and inspirational.  This image was featured on the second to last post for their site.  Check it out here.  They are moving away from ACO, but don't fret, they already started a new blog with tons of awesome eye candy!  Click here for details.  I love you Gilda, and Stefani! 

 

 ! ! !

your friend,

ava

 

 

Arts & Sciences

My friend, Brian Baughn, is having a birthday party.  

The theme is all about the battle between artists and scientists (sure, it happens). 

Two pursuits of truth. Two different kinds of knowledge. Two halves of the brain. They have competed, there has been friction– but also mutual support, even harmony. But they've coexisted for too long. Tonight only one will survive. Come dressed in support of the arts (as a favorite musician, painter, embalmed shark) or of the sciences (professor, mutant) and fight to obliterate half of human achievement. Brian,  2012

I'm thinking about going as this eccentric "artist" below. (Which one, you ask?)  I'm absolutely obsessed with her and think everyone should go out and grab a copy of Grey Gardens, stat!  Just glorious. 

Brian is a cool dude.  My friends at ACO did a great interview with him.  Check it out here. 

Stay tuned for photos from the party!  WHEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeee! 

your friend,

ava

My friend, Rio

2 0 0 3

2 0 1 2

I'll be turning 30 this Saturday, and that means my friend, Rio, has known me for 11 years.  He is an artist and has a solo show at UC Santa Barbara.  I was so pleased to get a sneak peak of his work.  Very bold, colorful images. The icing on the cake for me?  3D.  Yep, 3D.  You will have to see it to believe it.  Rad stuff.  If you happen to be in SB, the reception is tonight at 6pm. 

Holding up the classic Doggystyle

Seeing Snoop and Dre together at Coachella Valley this weekend.  It will be my g funk dream come true.  I remember those school dances when they would play the censored versions and teachers would tell kids to stop freaking.  I was never one of those girls, much too awkward and innocent (though secretly wanting to be "bad").  I have a fond memory with Rio, listening to this in my car, outside the CalArts Amonsen building,  and rapping along (badly) to every word.  We meant it, too. 

This is our loose (very loose) interpretation on "American Gothic".  Click on the the photo to enlarge.

Meeting Rio's girlfriend, Sarah, was such a treat.  She is a sweetheart.  

I don't know what this is.  Looks very conceptual.

I don't know what this is.  Looks very conceptual.

                                       
your friend,

ava


 

Photographic Practices

I recently told someone that I didn't want to be a photographer.  In my heart, I knew that wasn't entirely true.  I'm not certain I can make it my career, but I know that I want to enjoy taking pictures again.  

This was taken as a study for how I want to photograph this house.  I love how the light hits the structure at a certain time, and the soft colors.  That classic brick fire place makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.  I may go back one of these beautiful spring days and capture it again, using film. 

your friend,

ava

On Hiatus

To all my friends,


I'm sorry for my absence (from my blog), but rest assured, I will be back in no time. 


Mean while, I hope you enjoy these images. 




your friend,


ava

source

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A friend from work put Shelley Duvall on my mind

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Another discovery down the rabbit hole. Really digging on this girl's illustrations. 

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Shelley Duvall, some guy, and cotton candy 

The Drums - Money from Tim Heinrich on Vimeo.


My new favorite band, courtesy of my boyfriend.  This song rings true to our situation at the moment.  These guys are dreamy. High school crushing X infinity. 

Lydia! 

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Gonna go back to this hair

From Lula Mag, Issue 5

I thought this was really cute

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English Card Deck 1820

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also, thanks to my friend, Ema, for introducing me to the first two sources. 

circus showgirl, 1950

Hello we heart vintage, for the last three images! 

xoxoxxx

I N T E R V I E W numero dos!

My boyfriend has been on fire this year!  He is, after all, a dragon.  


I'm so proud of him for working hard and stoked that two of the coolest sites have featured him.  A Collection Of and Chubstr.  C H U B S T R  is an online fashion resource for stylish men of all sizes.   If you don't already know about ACO, I suggest checking it out.  You will not be disappointed. 


Here is the handsome Jeaux Janovsky and some of his beautiful art.  I almost forgot to mention that he was featured on Chubstr once before. Click here to see, its pretty awesome. 

This photo was taken by yours truly at The Madonna Inn!  Click here to see more images.

your friend,




ava

I N T E R V I E W

Jeaux was featured on A Collection Of!  He answers some interesting questions, and got to create this portrait of Stef and Gilda as Simpson characters.  Here are some more of his Daily Dohs. 

Thanks to my friends!  The most lovely ladies on the planet. 

Click here to see the interview. 

your friend,

ava

Vivian Maier

When sifting through pages of the LA Weekly during a break at work, I came across this little tidbit about the photographer Vivian Maier.  I remember seeing something about her almost a year ago.  

I'm excited to see these images knowing that they were hidden for so long.  It's like unlocking the pages of a diary. This is exactly the photographic style I've always been drawn to.  Stylized images of every day.  William Eggleston is my favorite example of this. 

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The opening reception was tonight.  Hosted by Tim Roth.  Is that the Tim Roth I'm thinking of?  Oh, , ,pumpkin.  

The work will be up till January 28th at Merry Karnowsky Gallery.  

your friend,

ava

Henry Darger

Source

January 1, 1971. I had a very poor nothing like Christmas. Never had a good Christmas all my life, nor a good new year, and now…. I am very bitter but fortunately not revengeful, though I feel should be how I am…’

—H.D.

(Art: Cat-Headed Blengin, date unknown.)

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Another thing on my wishlist is a book on Henry Darger's work.  I can look at his creations forever, and I'm always finding something new.  There is so much of his work that when I look up his images, I end up discovering a piece I've never seen before. Amazing. What a story this man had. 

Here is more about him here.   I've mentioned before that his work would make really interesting tattoos.   I still dream about getting something done, but I have to limit my options.  That is going to be tough.  If you still haven't seen In The Realms of the Unreal, you must make that one of your resolutions.  It is one of the most beautiful documentaries. 


Sad he never had a good christmas.  Lets all try to have a joyful one, and a happy hanukkah + new year! 


your friend,


ava

empty

Copyright Ava Alamshah, 2011.  Ink, markers, colored pencil.   

Here's a piece I did for a little employee art show we are having at my workplace.  I work at Trader Joes.  Jeaux thinks my drawing has a hopeful feeling.  I think it is kind of melancholy sad.  What is your interpretation? 


Stop by the Silverlake store to check out the original starting on December 20th.  It will be for sale, along with limited edition prints of the same image!  Email me at ava.alamshah@gmail.com for more information.  




your friend,


ava

Boris

Things that make sense in your dreams, don't seem to make any sense in reality.

 

Copyright Ava Alamshah 2011

your friend,

ava

Mari Naomi's Kiss & Tell

I was first introduced to Mari Naomi's art through my good friend, Rio, who was curating a show a few years back at SomArts Cultural Center in San Francisco.  Mari's art stood out immediately.  They were large water color images of sumo wrestling clowns, softly painted with bright colors and simple white backgrounds.  Beautiful paintings with such whimsy and humor, depicting the clowns throwing up (..and farting?) a rainbow assortment of balloons!  I remember wishing I had money to buy every single painting of hers on the wall that night.  I truly admired her vision so much and it stuck with me. 

Some time later, I got to connect with her on the social networking extravaganza known as Facebook.  I would check out a drawing of hers every now and then, and left a comment about this one here...

Copyright MariNaomi 2010

I think I told her that this was my favorite image of hers, and to make a long story shorter, we ended up making an old fashioned art trade (her watercolor, for one of my photos).  I was so excited when I got it in the mail, along with one of her zines!  I finally got to hang it in my former apartment.  Thanks Mari! 

See it on the wall, to my right?! :)

I recently ended up cruising her website and found out that she currently has a graphic novel published.  It's called "Kiss & Tell: A Romantic Resume Ages 0 to 22".  This is what inspired me to write this post about her and about the relationships (romantic or otherwise) we come across in our daily lives. Before I reconnected with my man, Jeaux, I had an assortment of tales to tell about my dating trials and tribulations. The good, the bad, and the oh, so ugly.  I always wanted to write about these experiences, but never knew how to start.  A year ago, I finally created a small zine about my last break up, which was both cathartic and liberating. In order to truly move on, I had to jot down my feelings, like the pages from my diaries. I felt exposed, but it was alright because these are experiences we all go through. I have yet to pick up Mari's memoir, but it details her dating history up until her early 20s.  From those first loves, to scandalous rendezvous, to heart breaks.....

I always admired artists who can laugh at themselves and add humor to their creations.  I also respect when life imitates art. I am a huge fan of non-fiction. When artist's tell stories from their own lives, whether its through writing, or visual art. Lately, I've been getting into Bukowski.  I know he was the cliche, alcoholic, & womanizing writer, but there is something so pure and refreshing about his honesty. Believe me, there were times when I would read something from his novel, "Women", and had to put the book down because it was so blunt and outright misogynistic.  Though I can respect that, and commend his late ability to put it all out there.  

I love this kind of honesty, good or bad, it's relatable. How people come in and out of our lives.  Losing and gaining connections.  It's so inspiring. 

Thanks Mari, for giving us a woman's point of view and for being so awesome! 

I can't wait to see your memoir! 

Check out her site at www.marinaomi.com 

your friend,

ava