Back at the Factory…or in this case the cultural center…
Ramona, Mary in the middle and Me.
A group of us attended an art/film/book signing event for Mary Woronov; former muse to Andy Warhol. A muse by definition is a person or personified force who is the source of inspiration for a creative artist. However, Woronov has since become her own creative artist as actor, figurative painter and author. But getting back to Andy…
I’ve always had a fascination with Andy Warhol, going so far as once trying to locate him (at a relatively young age) at his studio in Manhattan that everyone referred to as “the Factory.” Unfortunately he wasn’t there and I’m not even sure what would have happened had I found him. Perhaps he’d have hired me as an assistant, perhaps he would have put me in one of his underground movies and I would’ve become his muse or maybe he would have just told me to scram…but I didn’t see it that way.
Art by Mary Woronov
Being a bit of a mystery, his work appealed to me and he was way ahead of his time having eventually predicted what is now happening with social media where an average person can become famous through avenues like YouTube or tik tok. It’s fascinating actually; the world is wide open and yet; it’s not really “real.” Reality TV, influencers and Art is everywhere. I remember Warhol’s “Interview Magazine”, nicknamed “The Crystal Ball of Pop”, featuring interviews with celebrities, artists, musicians, and creative thinkers. In 2018, the publication ‘folded’ and ended both its print and web publications. Times have changed. But sometimes it’s important to hear significant stories from the past.
with Claudia Reid of Palm Springs POV + variety show entertainer.
Which brings me to my recent meeting with former Warhol muse and cult star Mary Woronov. It was at the closing reception of her art series “the mystery of the red shoe” and a movie she starred in called “Rock ‘n Roll High School,” at the Palm Springs Cultural Center last Saturday night – the closing night of a MARY WORONOV MEGASPECTIVE presented by The Ebersole Hughes Company – the same documentarian duo who did “House of Cardin,” “My Name is Lopez,” “Mansfield 66/67,” “Dear Mom, Love Cher,” and others. I’m a huge fan of their work.
Sponsored by HELLTOWN Whiskey & The Cheetah Hotel (links below).
with Roy; creator & co-founder of Helltown Whiskey
Gathered around was an eclectic bunch, to say the least: An “in-the-know” crowd of documentarians, entertainers, musicians, whiskey makers and the odd blogger who remains curious.
L-R (Me, Mary Woronov, Ramona Huth, Roy Rogers Oldenkamp, P. David Ebersole, Kitty Joselle Gilvezan.
It’s clear that not everyone knows who Mary Woronov is. A major cult figure as an actress for her work with Andy Warhol and Roger Corman films, she is also an accomplished painter and writer, having published three books —Wake for the Angels: Paintings and Stories, her autobiography Swimming Underground: My Years in the Warhol Factory, and the novel Snake.
Kitty Joselle and hubby Dan Gilvezan
Woronov joined Warhol’s entourage after a class trip to the Factory and starred in a number of his underground films (Chelsea Girls for one), and she appeared as a go-go dancer in the Velvet Underground’s Exploding Plastic Inevitable shows. She left the Factory in the late 1960s and, after recovering from a heavy methamphetamine addiction, spent two years in Europe with a friend. It was during this time, Warhol was shot by Valerie Solanas, and thanks to the now altered Factory dynamic, “there was nothing to go back to.” She then supported herself with work in off-Broadway theatre, got married to director/producer Theodore Gershuny, appearing in three of his films.
Woronov is most famous for her role as Mary Bland in Paul Bartel’s black comedy Eating Raoul (1982).
She’s also funny as hell. It was a pleasure being in her company.
Speaking of hell….there was Helltown Whiskey where co-founder Roy Rogers Oldenkamp (an L.A. Art Dealer) gave my friend Ramona and me a little education on the making of whiskey as we sampled whiskey sours which turned out to be pretty darn tasty. The evening ended with us getting a lift to another bar called Truss & Twine with an entertainer who plays piano and sings Dean Martin tunes while his wife sings Dinah Shore oldies. The show is appropriately called “Dino and Dinah.”
I love observing how other people live. Very nice of the owners to open up their homes and let others take a peek inside and make them feel terribly envious by doing so. I was feeling very Bleue in this home…but in the most positive way.
This home is like stepping into a vacation. It’s a nod to the owners’ appreciation of beauty and being by the ocean with a modern nautical theme (despite being in the desert) as variations of water colors flow throughout, from vibrant turquoise to rich navy blues. It’s just gorgeous. I’m aware that I overuse this word but I just can’t think of another better word to describe this house and many others on the modernism open home tours.
Michelle Boudreau (pic below) recently re-designed the 1958 William Krisel originally designed Alexander Company home. She seamlessly merged materials and new spaces with modern technology while respecting the existing mid-century cherished design details.
“The philosophy of the renovation was to establish a good relationship with the existing structure as it had beautiful bones.” Boudreau states. I did notice that she herself has beautiful bone structure. Just had to add this tidbit of info.
To create a poetic home that embraces the Palm Springs lifestyle, Boudreau selected from brands such as Brizo, Dunn-Edwards Paints, Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting, Hunter Douglas & Tidelli.
Check out that wall paper!
The 2,400 square foot artful interior space boasts four bedrooms & four bathrooms. And lots of gorgeous attractive coffee-table books which I adore. The home and the books are inspired by the owners’ colorful personalities and passion for sailing and travel.
Check out that bedding and wall paper!
The home is nestled below the San Gorgonio mountain range in Vista Las Palmas, Palm Springs.
Simply breathtaking!
All photos: d. king
Modernism week is on until February 27th. Get tickets for events while they last here:
Welcome to the start of Modernism week here in Palm Springs…home to the largest concentration of Mid-Century Modern architecture in the United States.Modernismweek is an annual celebration and appreciation of all things midcentury modern. Think design, architecture, art, fashion and culture. This is one of the busiest times of year for tourism in Palm Springs when hundreds of events take place that include the modernism show & sale, fabulous signature home tours, films, lectures, premier double decker architectural bus tours, nightly parties, live music, walking and bike tours, fashion shows, classic cars, modern garden tours and even more. Of course numbers to events are a bit more limited now and keeping a safe distance is still in place, however it feels like things are getting back to normal.
Today I toured the stunning 1975 Palm Springs residence referred to as the “Seventies Sackley” home, as it was designed by noted architect Stan Sackley. The home was recently reimagined by interior designers Michael Ostrow and Roger Stoker of Grace Home Furnishings who purchased it in 2012.
Located in the prestigious Indian Canyons neighborhood, the house boasts deep mid-century roots and a distinctive architectural style. Situated on nearly a quarter acre lot, the 3,044 square foot home contains three bedrooms, three bathrooms and a beautiful saltwater pool and spa. It has brilliant mountain views, high ceilings, clerestory windows and walls of glass. The formal entryway is expansive and the dining area leads to a step-down living and media room, while walls of glass line the back of the house that open to the pool with a wondrous view of the San Jacinto mountains.
A favorite feature for the couple is the combo living room and media room which is separated by one of Sackley’s signature touches, a see-through fireplace with stacked stone detail.
The house’s custom glazed floor tiles were another coveted element, as they’ve believed to have been designed for the house by Sackley himself.
Stan Sackley is described by Ostrow and Stoker as an architect who left a great body of work but has remained somewhat under-appreciated until recent years. Ostrow shared that following Sackley’s death in 2001, his work archives were sold at a yard sale. “Soon after, someone would go up and down the street asking people if they wanted to buy the floorplans to their house,” he says. “We’re lucky to have it so we can see how the kitchen was configured.” When they gutted the kitchen, they located a piece of laminate that was from the old cabinet and found the old countertop, a walnut laminated material and a matte white glazed tile. “What we put back in makes it almost look like the original kitchen,” Ostrow says.
When it came time for an update to the home, Stoker and Ostrow decided to implement changes that remained sensitive to the architect’s original design. Eventually, the pair decided on a modest renovation of the kitchen and bathroom with no structural changes. Luckily, the couple got their hands on Sackley’s original furniture floorplan.
The interiors now feature a classic modern take on Palm Springs style, with a bold green and blue color palette. Vintage pieces are used throughout the home alongside contemporary pieces from Ostrow and Stoker’s own Grace Home Furnishings Collection and showroom lines.
We enjoyed the newly expanded outdoor market/fair and shops in downtown Joshua Tree. I’ve narrowed down from the plethora of pictures taken.
Starting with “THE END” – that’s the name of the boutique. Art by owner Kime Buzzelli.“Beauty Bubble” – an operating beauty salon and museum.
This unique vendor-run weekly outdoor artisan market is located in downtown Joshua Tree right off Highway 62 at the Hi-Desert Cultural Center. Started Labor Day weekend and runs every Saturday and Sunday from 10am-4pm. We had so much fun perusing the showcase of locally handmade goods, arts, clothing, and many more awesome desert creations as only Joshua Tree can bring you!
Reminds me a little bit of Nelson, B.C.
I bought a hand painted linen blouse & soft hoodie from this vendor.
My neighbor Mindy here in Palm Springs owns this unique boutique – “Kama Clothing.”
Try to contain yourself as you have a browse through some luxury lifestyle homes for those who like to think “outside the box” for price souring housing solutions.
Numerous shipping containers are artfully arranged in a starburst pattern for this Joshua Tree Home – the brainchild of London based Whitaker Studio.
These home are made from shipping containers. That’s right. Some ranging from small “tiny house” structures featuring a single container to larger, more ambitious projects that combine numerous containers that result in opulent luxury homes. These shipping container spaces offer something for every budget and lifestyle.
Affordable Housing – two shipping containers built on a low budget.California-based Kubed Livingoffers multiple different shipping containers such as this 160 sq. ft. studio built from one container.
I just spent a little time in a winery built out of two shipping containers with windows cut out large enough to have a view of the vineyard. I couldn’t believe it!
Canadians looking for a chic container home can contact Alberta based Honomobo. Built from rigid steel to provide durable, efficient living space.Toronto based Storstacis in the business of selling new and used shipping containers. This one is made from two containers.The main floor includes two shipping containers that saddle bag a wedge-shaped space . I’m still trying to wrap my head around this one.
Every time I see a container now I envision what the inside would look like if I wanted to make it into a home. The way things are going you just may see them becoming more mainstream.
Is your house lighted or a dark prison? Are you living in every room or only one? Are you living on a small level or listening to the call of your soul?
These are words from Jan Maccormack, a talented artist friend who resides in Sechelt, Sunshine Coast, B.C.
I’m so impressed with Jan’s colorful and soulful paintings that truly come from the heart. If I had to select only one, I’d have a tough time choosing. Jan’s creativity results from her obsessive, experimental & restless nature. She paints using many different styles. They’re all so beautiful and uplifting...just had to share them with you.
The Gateway in & out of this Incarnation (Series) by Jan Maccormack
The more lit your Soul, the more clearly you’ll see through illusions. Allow yourself an inspiring glimpse of the bigger picture. Capture your creative visions, dreams, insights and intuitions as they are amplified. Paint them, draw them, write them, dance them, cook them, pour them, sew them, mind map them, sculpt them ….. whatever embeds and imprints them into your heart, your psyche, your soma and your memory banks.
As of now… commit to lighting ‘all’ those rooms in your psyche.
You have the genius of heightened perception, seeing things, knowing things, and being there. The blessings, the grace, the heart’s wonder are full. As this way of being ripens and matures, you draw the same kinds of marvels and wonders from others which makes it possible for the vibrancy to spread, grow and effortlessly bring this world alive!
I am thankful for existence today. I am grateful for where my life is, at/in this moment.
Here is where the specific categories I’ve created for this website keep getting blurred.
Where do you put coffee and eye candy?
Photo: d. king
Unique, unexpected, creative, inspiring…Art with a side of Coffee.
An establishment like Café Portrait in Vancouver’s West End is so much more than just a place to grab a coffee or croissant. Sidenote: the pistachio croissant is the best I’ve tried. It’s also a breakfast/brunch spot and an art gallery unlike any other. The entire café is filled with original portraits on the walls, tables…even in a corner with hoodies and coffee cups available for purchase.
Once upon a time in Arles I found myself sitting in a Café Terrace along with my late husband Don. It is a memory that I will treasure forever. It was as if we were in a dream. On that starry night it became clear to me how someone could be so inspired to paint. It was here in Arles, a city on the Rhône River in the Provence region of southern France (once a provincial capital of ancient Rome), that Vincent Van Gogh famously found inspiration to paint.
Yes; it was exactly as in the famous painting. Except for the plumbing, nothing had changed.
IMAGINE you are in a dream, and in that dream you find yourself surrounded by the most breathtaking scenery you’ve ever envisioned while listening to hauntingly beautiful symphony. And as you move along, the scenery keeps changing and you’re engulfed by images that transport you to another time and place. A place you would prefer to stay in for as long as you can. A place with sunflowers, sunshine, cafes, color, possibilities and extremes.
This, in so few words, pretty much sums up Imagine Van Gogh that is now taking place at the new convention center in downtown Vancouver. An exhibit unlike any other.
On this page you get a glimpse of the works (all photos taken by me – d. king) although it’s much better to be there in person for the total sensory experience.
After a tremendous success in Paris, Imagine Van Gogh opened in Montréal in 2019 followed by Québec and Winnipeg in 2020, and Vancouver, Edmonton and Boson in 2021. Visitors discover more than 200 of Van Gogh’s paintings, including his most famous works, painted between 1888 and 1890 in Provence, Arles and Auvers-sur-Oise.
I love observing how other people live. Very nice of the owners to open up their homes and let others take a peek inside and make them feel terribly envious by doing so. I was feeling very Bleue in this home…but in the most positive way.
Michelle Boudreau (pic below) recently re-designed the 1958 William Krisel originally designed Alexander Company home. She seamlessly merged materials and new spaces with modern technology while respecting the existing mid-century cherished design details.
To create a poetic home that embraces the Palm Springs lifestyle, Boudreau selected from brands such as Brizo, Dunn-Edwards Paints, Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting, Hunter Douglas & Tidelli.
Modernism week is on until February 27th. Get tickets for events while they last here:
Modernism week is an annual celebration and appreciation of all things midcentury modern. Think design, architecture, art, fashion and culture.
were sold at a yard sale. “Soon after, someone would go up and down the street asking people if they wanted to buy the floorplans to their house,” he says. “We’re lucky to have it so we can see how the kitchen was configured.” When they gutted the kitchen, they located a piece of laminate that was from the old cabinet and found the old countertop, a walnut laminated material and a matte white glazed tile. “What we put back in makes it almost look like the original kitchen,” Ostrow says.
This unique vendor-run weekly outdoor artisan market is located in downtown Joshua Tree right off Highway 62 at the Hi-Desert Cultural Center. Started Labor Day weekend and runs every Saturday and Sunday from 10am-4pm. We had so much fun perusing the showcase of locally handmade goods, arts, clothing, and many more awesome desert creations as only Joshua Tree can bring you!
Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION. 
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