art-sy things happen here, Public Works
Saturday my love and I went to the Noise Pop Culture Club event at Public Works. It was a beautiful day—as it has been almost every day since I arrived…San Francisco? You’re welcome!—and this turned out to be a really cool way to spend it.
There was a lot going on that sounded fun but I was hooked by this particular sampling o’ artists because there was a variety (filmmakers, musicians, writers), it didn’t last all day and wasn’t late at night, it was inexpensive ($10) and Kid Koala was there spinning “Music to Draw To.”
I confess that he was the main draw (get it?!) for me. I was introduced to him when I lived in Japan and the YouTube video for Basin Street Blues from Some Of My Best Friends Are DJs was getting a lot of love on the underground hip hop/turntable scene. I have not followed his career; I just think he’s really creative and seems like a quiet, unobtrusive sort of genius that I would like to hang out with.
And what a cool idea, right?! Music to draw to.
should've taken a peek at his drawring. starstruck i guess!
Every time I move or rearrange my spaces and realize how much art stuff I have lying around, I tell myself that I’ll make time at least one weekend day a month to just sit and draw. I’ve certainly dedicated most all of my time at work in ‘meetings’ to being creative, some call it ‘doodling’; it’s just a matter of dedicating my own time to doing it.
Now, I would wager you a brand new sharpie and an unmarked sketch pad that Darrell came along just to humor me (older guy, younger girl and all that means I have the advantage of his feeling obliged every now and again). BUT! Once we got there, he fell right in, as I knew he would being a former designer and current design teacher: “I always tell my students to draw, but I haven’t done it in years.”
The music (mostly recognizable—some Cat Power, some Radiohead—not the crazy scratching he’s known for, but this day was a different kinda thing) provided mellow inspiration and a steady backdrop to support the creativity in the room. We were given (by mistake?!) a free hot chocolate when we got there which was delish and there were precious baked goods for sale on a table at the back. It was like sitting in a friend’s living room. A friend who happens to be a great DJ with really cool records, a really cool bar, lots of comfy chairs and tables and lots of drawing supplies to share.
he spins, he sketches...he's kid koala
Kid Koala is a doll. He sat there and drew with us, in the ‘living room’ part of the space even though there was a stage set up, presumably for him. I caught his eye as we were leaving and mouthed ‘thank you!’ and he grinned and waved. Totally adorable. He imparted a really chill but encouraging vibe; check out our sketches below as proof.
Later that afternoon we had lunch outside and the ice cream man came by with…wait for it…FREE ICE CREAM!!! Classic sammiches, strawberry shortcake and chocolate éclair bars and popsicles. All free. I heard the following conversation happen about seven times in the 40 minutes we were out there:
“Hey, is it really free?”
“Yeah, it’s free ice cream.”
“Holy shit! Thanks, man!”
“You’re welcome.”
One girl asked why it was free. “To make people happy,” said the kid in the truck. Good times.
my shorty with his strawberry shortcake. you made us happy indeed, mr. ice cream man!
After sustenance, we wandered back in to see Wesley Stace aka John Wesley Harding read from his new book “Charles Jessold, Considered as a Murderer” and Nick Zinner from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs along with Stacy Wakefield and Zachary Lipez performed “Please Take Me Off The Guestlist”. Photos played on a screen, 1001 images by Zinner, while the three played along to spoken word by Lipez. The pics were also displayed in a room beside the stage. Taken on tour, they captured crowds of fans, slept-in hotel beds and a resilient rodent about to escape from a toilet. Wakefield beat out percussion on an old typewriter and Zinner played with a broken thumb.
It was well worth the time and minimal money spent. I am reminded of an ambition I once had to recreate the salons back in the day where all the artists, both major and aspiring, seemed to meet and be influenced by each other. Stay tuned. Maybe we’ll start hosting music to draw to on a regular Saturday each month. Maybe we’ll even have free ice cream!
thanks to the donation of an accidental espresso, i am, in art as well as in life, a brunette (for now)
exit by the sketch artist
"my shoe" by dsan
"dsan's shoe" by me
and this is my "ordered galaxy"
i call this one "bespectacled lady with snail"
dsan draws the bake shop!
sketches of sketchers, another by dsan
AMuWoFo'Fi 
Your shorty says “That was a fun, productive day in a lot of ways, and I still think the kid on the bus was the koala just being coy. And I still don’t know why I got the strawberry shortcake. It actually wasn’t bad, but what could I have been thinking?!”