Saturday, October 29, 2016

Day of the Dead on Olvera Street

"Day of the Dead on Olvera Street No. 1" 2015



Last year I observed Dia de los Muertos on Olvera Street, the oldest part of downtown Los Angeles. The home made alters constructed featured framed photographs of loved ones decorated with candles, papel picado and flowers. Offerings of sugar skulls, breaded bones and water where carefully laid in out to nourish their departed souls. Although they were remembering their dearly departed, the mood of the celebration was anything but somber.

The mariachi band in the square's rotunda kept the beat for the dancers who's faces were painted like fanciful calaveras. Traditionally, Mexican and Aztec cultures used to wear skeleton masks. The more modern approach is now see in the painted faces.

I was fortunate enough to befriend a family that were elegantly dressed for the occasion and they agreed to pose for me in the Avila Adobe, the oldest residence still standing in LA. Its thick 3 foot adobe brick walls, tar sealed roof, covered porches and the courtyard, where cooking used to take place was a perfect backdrop for these calaveras. 

The immortality of our souls and the celebration of the dead is a beautiful and positive way for all of us to overcome our fear of dying. The symbolic memento mori of this Mexican tradition reminds us all that we are all destined for death one day but that is it only a natural progression and one not to be feared.

Larga vida a los muertos!

Julie Green
October 29, 2016


"Day of the Dead on Olvera Street No. 2" 2015

"Day of the Dead on Olvera Street No. 3" 2015

"Day of the Dead on Olvera Street No. 4" 2015

"Day of the Dead on Meridian Street No. 1" 2015

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Her Majesty's Sticky Wicket Croquet Club

"Her Majesty's Sticky Wicket Croquet Club No. 1" 2016

It was a late summer's afternoon when Lady Christiane Cegavske paid us a visit. It had been some time since last we met and when I saw her raven hair, and her wry smile - I knew she hadn't changed a bit. Years before she left Los Angeles, Christiane had gathered a group of croquet enthusiasts and had inaugurated Her Majesty's Sticky Wicket Croquet Club. The games were usually played on rough terrain and preferably up hill in an unorthodox pattern.

Wikipedia states that "in the game of croquet, the phrase "sticky wicket" may refer to a hoop (wicket) that is difficult for a ball to go through because of the narrowness of the opening. This usage is confined to the United States." And in true form, each sticky wicket in Her Majesty's Sticky Wicket Croquet Club was strategically placed in a most difficult spot and bent into its proper shape.

Along with Lady Cegavske, who herself is unmatched in her creative outpouring of animated films and costumes, Her Majesty's Sticky Wicket Croquet Club was attended by the glorious mess of magic, Mr. Christopher Wonder and by Dr. Paul Koudounaris author of several books on burial chambers and resting places of the dead from around the world. 

The game itself was enjoyed throughout the late afternoon and it was quite dark outside when I left the club playing in the failing light. There was a soft breeze blowing but you could tell the season was turning, reaching towards the darker nights ahead.

All ways here you see, are the Queen's ways.

Julie Green
October 22, 2016


"Her Majesty's Sticky Wicket Croquet Club No. 2" 2016


"Her Majesty's Sticky Wicket Croquet Club No. 3" 2016


"Her Majesty's Sticky Wicket Croquet Club No. 4" 2016

"Her Majesty's Sticky Wicket Croquet Club No. 5" 2016


"Her Majesty's Sticky Wicket Croquet Club No. 6" 2016

Saturday, October 15, 2016

Goofing Off with The Flakes!



The Flakes live at Pickwick Gardens


I'm a huge FLAKES FAN! These guys are like family to me and it was a thrill to see them do their stuff all over again a few months back. At the Pickwick Gardens in lovely Burbank, CA, The Real Boss Hoss rolled out another great show with an amazing line up including the amazing vocal stylings of Tiny & Mary, instrumental magicians Mercury Futuregrade, SpongeBob himself: Tom Kenny & The Hi-Seas and East LA 1960's Garage Rockers The Premiers!

Front man Peepin' John McDonald was in fine form as was drummer extraordinaire Russell Quan. Guitarist Greg Fenwick and JT on bass kept the goof balls jumping, while Sir Brett Stillo showed us all how it's was really done.

I was recently able to pull out a slim interview with these flakey fellows. A few of the members filled in the blanks but overall these FLAKES stayed true to their name. You can catch them doing an amazing cover of "You're Gonna Miss Me" here.

It it with great pleasure I share with you San Francisco's finest!

Julie Green
October 15, 2016



Julie Green: What shampoo do you like the smell of most and why?

Peepin' John McDonald: I use Head and Shoulders!

Russell Quan: Brett knows these!

Brett Stillo: I use a combination of sage, linseed oil, champagne, and black tar. It makes my hair smell just like sage, linseed oil, champagne, and black tar.

JG: Do you consider yourself a flakey person?

BS: I do consider myself a flakey person, but I tend to be a little to critical and harsh on myself!





JG: When did the band form?

PJ: The Flakes started in the mid 90's I believe with myself, Greg Fenwick on guitar, a guy named Peter who I went to high school with on drums. Later on Brett joined as a second guitarist, and we got Russell on drums after Pete quite because we could never practice cause someone would always flake. Pete actually coined the band name but that's another story!

BS: Founding Flakes? Jeez... 1997? I don't think we actually played a gig until 1998. The whole reason the band got its name is that we kept postponing our first rehearsal for something like three months. The original drummer gave up on us and proclaimed us to be nothing but "a band of Flakes".  And thus a legend was born. A flakey legend, but a legend nonetheless!




JG: This was the first time The Flakes have appeared on state since 2008. What have you guys been up to?

BS: I've been doing less music and more video. Both Commercial and creative. Anybody out there need a music video?


Russell Quan with DJ Sue and Andy Carroll


JG:What is you favorite flavor bubblegum?

BS: My favorite flavor of bubblegum is bubblegum.


Agent Kari 


JG: Have ever thrown up on stage?

BS: I have never thrown up on stage, but there was this time that I went into the rest room right before we were gonna play. i was washing my hands, but the faucet was broken and sprayed water all over the front of my pants, so it totally looked like I had just wet myself. I had no time to try and dry myself off, so I just went with it. Hey, I just wet my pants. That's how much I love Rock n' Roll! How about you?

JG: Who did the fabulous cover of "Back to School"?

RQ: Chuck Berry's responsible for "Back to School" via JT!

PJ: You mean the album cover or the song? The album cover art is by JT, and the song lyrics were written by me and put to the music of "Dear Dad" by Chuck Berry.


Flakes fans Janet Housden and Mark Mastopietro


JG: Coke or Pepsi?

RQ: Pepsi Generation!

PJ: I don't like soda but would probably choose Coke if I was in the mood.

JG: Beatles or Stones?

PJ: Stones all the way!

Russell Quan - Drums

Brett Stillo - Guitar

Peepin' John McDonald - Vox

JT - Bass

Greg Fenwick - Guitar




Saturday, October 8, 2016

4th of July in Bungay

4th of July in Bungay,  2016



I look at my daughter constantly. She is my visual nectar and my thirst to observer and take in her essence is never satiated. As a photographer I have taken many, many photographs of her likeness but none have capture the details up close in quite the same way. There is an intimacy that is lost in a single portrait.

So I decided to construct an image I felt emphasized and exaggerated each detail I lingered on. By employing my weaving technique, I started with a portrait I recently took of her on the 4th of July. 

This year, we found ourselves visiting a friend in Bungay, a market town in the English countryside of Suffolk. There were no celebrations of course and her lovely red, white and blue dress, with its stars and stripes, did not register with the local townsfolk. Spending any holiday abroad feels different. But spending a very American holiday in the United Kingdom was a bit jarring. 

I feel that this woven portrait successfully captures the very feeling I had that day while at the same time capturing the details and drawing the viewers eye to areas of my subject which I wanted to punctuate.

Julie Green
October 8, 2016



Saturday, October 1, 2016

Alimento Exhibition Opening


Julie Green
"Pie" 2014 from Asia Muka: A Day in the Life of a Rock n' Roller
24 x 20" archival pigment print
© Julie Green


I have a piece in the upcoming exhibition "Alimento" at the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles in the Shatto Chapel in DTLA.

Please join me on Friday, October 7th for the opening reception from 7-9pm.

The Spanish word “alimento” can be translated simply as “food,” but it is much more than that when First Church and Art Division launch its second show this fall! Alimento speaks to the essence of food, to its soul, and how beautiful it can be to share the exquisite experience of meals with friends. 

Curated by Joan Agajanian Quinn, with assistance from Scott Colglazier and Dan McCleary, the exhibit will feature art by many of the students of Art Division as well as several well-known artists including Frank Gehry, David Hockney, George Legrady, Ed Ruscha, and Wayne Thiebaud. The exhibit opens October 7 in Shatto Chapel and runs through Nov. 6.

Julie Green
October 1, 2016