A few brief meetings with artists: O'Marah, Arnold and Callaghan, and musician Mark Simon of "The Boyfriend"
This past week was chock full of solitude and its opposite. I met with Skip Arnold at the CFA to go over his progress, veerings and thoughts. He needs someone to help him construct the apparatus with which he will activate the action of his 'rice throw' and I say rice throw loosely.
He has a back-up plan, but I must say, it veers quite far from his personality and working style, that I hardly recognize it as his...but that's not to say its not a good idea. Its very romantic. Let's just put it that way. Its up to him ultimately which direction he takes. I didn't mean to steer him away from romance, but I must say I preferred the more 'Skip' of the two ideas.
Michele O'Marah and I met the next day at the site. Originally it was talked about that she might use the basement and elevator to stage her portrait studio. After walking through the event through with her though, the more interesting it became to have her in the center of the action - an after dinner interactive activity. I liked the idea of the guests going to the basement to have their picture taken, but right in front of the main window as it gets darker, upping the atmosphere with her backdrop and lighting more powerful, and more fun for all the guests. She want that spot too, so the stars are aligning.
Mark Simon came over to my studio and showed me a DVD of The Boyfriend performing two numbers. We hadn't met in an awfully long time, but I knew in my gut when he brought up the idea a year or so ago, that the trio of crooners, three older gay men singing " I just want to get married, would be an interesting and needed addition and balance to our group - and to address the very real very sad issue at hand, that gays in LA can not have each other's in marriage, YET. The two numbers I saw were remakes of 1950's songs of lovers gone to war. The trio sing so well, have a charming, atmospheric, fun and meaningful act.