Saturday, April 28, 2018

A Rave-up with Ron and The Reapers!



I caught a few sets by Ron and The Reapers at The Famous Barkley Restaurant and Bar last month and couldn't stop dancing! These musicians are the finest around. Their selection of music from the 50's and 6T's unveiled their wealth of knowledge and taste. From a beautiful cover of "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying" by Gerry and the Pacemakers to making the unforgettable "Thirty Six Twenty Two Thirty Six" by Bobby Bland their very own, they kept the place jumping all night long. 

Headed by Ron Silva on vocals, guitar and bass, this band consists of rock 'n' roll royalty from Dave Fleminger on keys and guitar, Richard Larson on drums, Peter Miesner on guitar, bass and vocals and Chris Davies on guitar and bass. We were also treated to the amazing vocal stylings and range of Chloe Lou who is a perfect complement to these impeccable musicians.

I recently caught up with Ron and below share a brief interview I did with him to accompany this blog post. Be sure to check this sextet out!! It's guaranteed you will be dancing all night long!

Julie Green
April 28, 2018





Julie Green: How did the band come together? 

Ron Silva: I wanted to put together a group with Chris Davies and Pete Miesner. I've known Davies forever but never was in a band with him and yet he's one of the best musicians around. Miesner, on the other hand, I've been playing with since he was sixteen (he also is excellent)! The idea was mostly to have fun, play our favorite songs, and make some extra money while doing it. 

JG: Why the Reapers? 

RS: The Fellini Squadron was taken.



JG: Is it primarily a cover band? 

RS: No, it's completely a cover band--in the grand Pub Rock tradition.

JG: What other bands have you been in? 

RS: The Hitmakers, the Hedgehogs, the Termites, the Earwigs, the Ben Wayne Combo, the Saturn V featuring Orbit, the Black Diamonds aka Nashville Ramblers, the Wickershams, the Crawdaddys, and of course Ron Silva and the Monarchs!



JG: Have you ever played on a river cruise? 

RS: No, but that would be awesome. 

JG: When did Chloe Lou join the band? 

RS: About five months ago. We signed her on the spot. Chloe Lou is so good, in fact, that we've started a separate musical enterprise expressly to back and feature her. Chloe Lou and the... Well, we haven't figured out the rest of the name yet. 



JG: Who makes your groovy flyers? 

RS: My groovy wife Kim! 



JG: Tell us a story about the bust at The Barkley a few months back... 

RS:The nice thing was they were kind enough to barge in at the very end of the night and not the beginning or middle. It was a tad surreal, I must say. No animals were harmed, a good time was had by all.

JG: Who is your biggest musical influence? 

RS: Well, the Beatles, of course!



JG: Where will you guys be playing next?

RS: The Field Irish Pub in San Diego on Cinco de Mayo. Makes perfect sense!

Saturday, April 21, 2018

Flora as Fashion: Elise Wille

Flora as Fashion: Elise Wille


Deviating from following the exact line of the vegetation surrounding my model, I constructed a floral patterned high-waisted skirt instead. I suppose it was the architectural element of the building behind Elise that inspired me to come up with a different approach to this image. 

It was also the vertical nature of the Bird of Paradise she was standing in that hindered construction of a skirt. I just didn't see how I could build apparel that would come up from the ground and still look like something she could wear. I played around with shapes and forms until I loosened my self imposed restrictions of only working within the framework of the surrounding plants and ended up fabricating this lovely tropical sarong.

The color choice was certainly inspired by the vibrant flowering heads of the fan shaped crown. A native to South America, Bird of Paradise has thrives in warm climates and coincidentally is the official flower of the city of Los Angeles.

I will be taking a break from stitching for a few weeks to turn my attention to interviewing local bands I fancy but will return again with a new batch for this Flora as Fashion series.

Julie Green
April 21, 2018

Saturday, April 14, 2018

Flora as Fashion: Erin Anderson

Flora as Fashion: Erin Anderson



I thought a lot about camouflage while pondered how I would approach this weeks image. Flora has always been a place for birds and animals to hide, as cover and protection from the outside world. Cloths can do the same thing. They can explain our mood, make us feel safe and comfy or help provide a barer. In fashion, we can either blend in or stand out. Applying camouflage into the fashion world has brought this utilitarian design to a new level.

The abstract print was designed for military use back in the 30's to allow personnel to blend in to their enviroment, away from enemy detection. But in the fashion world camouflage-inspired prints are a perennial trend and a fashion staple that returns, like leopard print, in various incarnations. Rarely do these interpretations blend in as their military counterpart do.


The non-representational pattern is a mass-produced visual language that is immediately recognizable. In development of the print, designers took in to account how the human eye perceives color, shape, and texture to help shield and disguise.


Andy Warhol is often credited with pushing camouflage into everyday fashions. By repurposing camouflage with ’60s pop colors, he obliterated the original function of  the print. His 1987 camouflage series consists of 8 screen prints and  self portraits with the pattern across his face. Collaborating with fashion designer Steven Sprouse, they ended up using Andy's patterns on a line of clothing. This body of work would sadly be Andy's final works published before his death later that year.


Today's Flora as Fashion entry features Erin Anderson, a fashion rep who runs Good Friends Collective, a lady with style and grace for days. 



Julie Green

April 14, 2018



Saturday, April 7, 2018

Flora as Fashion: Loryn Molina

Flora as Fashion: Loryn Molina
Fashion has always taken a cue from nature. Organic forms lend themselves to the artist's eye and can become a starting point for design and inspiration. Mimicking the curvature of natural flora, this piece today slowly emerged from the background. I didn't see the cloak at first but after studying the image for several days, it suddenly presented itself and I was quickly inspired to craft this lovely garment.

Symbolically, cloaks are mysterious. They hold intrigue and help disguise its owner. It is a blanket of protection from physical elements and spiritual harm. With this in the back of my mind, I chose a darker palate to accentuate this feeling and I am delighted with the results.


Julie Green
April 7, 2018