The Best Paper Store For Artists In Los Angeles: Part 3

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  Any customer of McManus & Morgan will agree that there is an overwhelming amount of interesting materials to discover in such a small shop that it might take days to uncover it all. With this blog post I will attempt to reap a few of this historic shop's intriguing features from it's surface. Trust me there is much more to explore than this blog can hold.

A: The Paper Selection

  When approaching the counter you will see unique paper from many different countries hanging on the near-by wall, but that paper isn't even the beginning of the stock in back or the paper that can be ordered from the store's vendors. I think I over-heard the shop keeper say once that he could literally offer thousands of different papers from around 25 different countries. The owner's name is Gary and he specializes in helping each artist find the perfect paper for the specifications of their projects. Describe to him what you want to accomplish and he will find the right paper for all of your creative needs. He can also show you countless examples of what other designers and artists have done with each paper. There is no other paper source like this in all of Los Angeles.

B: The Vintage Table and Shelves (All pictures from here on taken by Leo Jimenez)

  I am impressed by this shop's willingness to sell paper in as many forms as possible including books. There are a lot of more current books to be found within these walls, but the ever fluctuating and expanding vintage section is one of those gems that sticks out among the rest. Each visit is a grab bag. I have found everything from 1950's sci-fi novels to British stamp books from the 20's. Books and documents from the 1800's have also surfaced here. In talking with Gary I found out that many set dressers and prop masters from the film industry shop for books here. Some books have even graced the set of Mad Men. For those who love things like book scouting this is a prime spot to do so, and a portion of the proceeds go to a local redistribution collective of students and artists called the Los Angeles InnerChange Book Collective. Take a look- there's always a mysterious book to be found.  

C: Art Trading Cards Trade Post and the Art Cards Sales Rack

  Local artists have started trading their miniature works at the trading card post pictured above. All artists are invited to trade cards as long as they leave a 2.5" x 3.5" original art piece to replace the one they took. This is a great underground movement in the art world and one of the few trading posts in the area. 

  On the shelf next to the trading post are supplies to make and collect your own ATCs as-well as Art Cards for sale by local artists. Of course I trade at this post and I sell my ACEOs on this shelf. The more artists active in this movement the better. Join us!

D:Packaged Ephemera

  Pictured above is the ephemera section of the store. Members of the LAIC Book Collective mentioned earlier recycle books that are falling apart by cutting the interesting images out of the pages. These images are harvested to provide scrapbook, collage, and decoupage artists with materials for their work. Each package features themed illustrations, and they are reasonably priced. This section has quickly become one of the more popular sections of the store. Where else can you get stuff like this? Seriously. 

Part 1
Part 2

New Original ACEOs Up For Auction 3-11-2012

(ACEO portrait of Catholic philosopher Jacques Maritain)

I have created a new batch of original ACEOs (Art Cards Editions and Originals) from my own hand. They are up for auction. Follow the large "AUCTIONS" link at the top of this page to see the rest of the ACEOs. All of the paper I use for my pieces are from Los Angeles' oldest art store McManus & Morgan.

Toon Tuesdays: ACEO #001

ACEO comic #1

  This comic was constructed out of a short set of ACEOs (Art Cards Editions and Originals) I made. I'm hoping to make more of these on a monthly basis. These toons might be in comic format or even a short animation. I will auction off each set in my AUCTIONS page up above. (ACEO #001 is the first comic I've ever done in this format, and is up for auction on the a-fore mentioned page)  

Best Paper Store For Artists In Los Angeles: Part 2

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  Back in October I wrote about my two favorite shops in Los Angeles McManus & Morgan and Aardvark Letterpress. (Best Paper Store For Artists In Los Angeles: Part 1) As divine forces would have it, film maker Ben Proudfoot made a short documentary about these two shops recently, and I found out that the final version is posted on his Vimeo page. Watch the full short film above.
  I can't tell you how amazing these two shops are especially when they work together on their client's creative projects. You should not take my word for it at all. You must go visit them. They are next door neighbors on 7th and Carondelet Street in MacArthur Park. I stop in quite often and talk to Gary, one of the shop owners, about business. It astounds me how many artists don't know about this incredible resource. As you can see in the video above they are struggling to survive. What a tragedy it would be if we ever lost either, or both, of these establishments. Go check them out only if you want your creative limits to be blown apart and splattered all over the floor.

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My MC

We take ownership of our favorite specialists. "My barber", "My lawyer", "My tailor", "My publicist" - Shad K is my Hip Hop MC
These are the specialists in our lives, but for me the list doesn't seem to be complete. This got me thinking- Hip Hop is very important to me. If I were to call someone "My MC" who would it be? This MC would have to have skills with free-styling, battling, recording, performing, writing, playing instruments, realizing their words must speak into the past present and future among many other things. Who would my MC specialist be?
Gil Scott Heron has the historical vote. KRS One pretty much has it all (but the kids these days aren't ready for him). Who is the Hip Hop MC that has it all for today's day in age? Shad K is that MC right now for me.

Bid on my original ACEOs featuring Shad K here

Shad has the Punch-Lines, here's proof:

Shad has profound lyricism down:

 

This MC even tips his hat to the old "Boom Bap" days of Hip Hop (like Drop from the Pharcyde)

He's got his freestyles on lock too

 

No doubt he has a great stage presence as-well

Ok, that's enough said. Appreciate your MCs whoever they are.

Sign Up For My New Mailing List

  Today I'm announcing my brand new mailing list. Take a look over at the right side bar. You'll find a simple sign up field for the newsletter. If you sign up you receive e-mails regarding updates on...

My latest prints

original

 ACEO/ATC auctions

vintage book sales

Graffiti pieces

ATC trading posts

hidden art installations

art shows

and caricature events

You will be updated on everything having to do with my art. This is all valuable information for those of you who have invested in my work already and have been following my brand. Please join me in all of the fun!

My Second Self Portrait ACEO Auction

  The tired face you see above is mine. This is a genuine expression of how I feel at the moment. I posted this ACEO up for auction yesterday and titled it 1% (Self Portrait). "1%" is partially a reference to the current Occupy movement happening in various places including Wall Street and London. While I am very grateful for the people speaking up for all of us I will still argue that almost all of us in the U.S. are the 1% in relation to the poverty that 99% of the world faces every day. I do officially support the masses speaking out against Wall Street though. 

"1%" also refers to the amount of energy I have left in the face of not having a job, but having a broken car, and possibly nowhere to live. Estoy muy consado.  

Please take a look at this auction along with a few others. Be quick because they only have a few days left, and this is only my second self portrait for those of you following my line of ACEOs.