Bob Baker Marionette Theater

This is a place I used to drive past when I lived in Los Feliz to go into Downtown L.A. 

I mean, for years I would drive past it and I was always curious but somehow never made it inside. It's funny how that happens. Time flies by and we can so easily miss the treasures in our midst! It makes me think of those people you hear about who live in California but have never seen the Pacific Ocean!

Anyway, after living in L.A. for more than 2 decades, I was invited to a birthday party at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater. I was so excited to finally be going! Wouldn't you?

I'd heard something about developers turning the property into condos and that the theater would be closing at some point. Then I heard maybe they would have the theater somehow incorporated into the condos or apartments. At another point I read that there was perhaps going to be a little "dedication" to the theater somewhere in the new development. Hmm.

I know they have another show up right now and hopefully they are still trying to save it. And save it they should! In June of 2009 the Los Angeles City Council gave it its historic monument designation. 

Bob Baker himself passed in 2014 at the age of 90. So much joy and laughter he's given to our city since 1963!

Below, the birthday boy Jacamo is mesmerized by all the activity before the show. ... So sweet!

One of the virtues of being very young 

is that you don't let the facts get in the way of your imagination.

~Sam Levenson

This is the birthday party room! So fun!

At the beginning of the show they called all the birthday kids on stage. This sweet boy had no problem going up in front of everyone!
"How old are you turning?"
Clear and loud enough for the entire audience to hear, he said "2!"

Here he is on stage, in front of a huge crowd of people in his cute overalls, checking out the puppets!

The show was funny and cute with lots of tongue in cheek humor for the adults in the audience.

These are some great short videos about the Theater and the puppeteers!

This particular show's theme was about the history of Los Angeles and was called "Hurray L.A." I guess they bring back certain shows.  The hand crafted puppets pretty incredible!

Here's one more video with some cute clips from the shows, some of the history of the theater, and a peak back in the storage area where all the puppets hang out when their not being ... puppeted? 

Isn't she cute?!

Jacamo had a great 2nd birthday celebration at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater. Although, what do you do for your 3rd birthday?! Maybe go back!

For more information about the Bob Baker Marionette Theater, click here.

I've gotten so busy painting and running around I haven't been posting or visiting my blogging friends but I'll make it around soon! Hope everyone is having a lovely summer and surviving the heat!

Many blessing and light!

In every real man a child is hidden

that wants to play.

~Friedrich Nietzsche 

Solo Show September 18th

In memory

everything seems to happen to music.

~Tennessee Williams,

The Glass Menagerie

I am someone who needs a deadline. I have been told this is normal for an ENFP. (Personality type) Anyway, it's something that instead fighting, I am finally learning to work with or at least work around. If I want to get something done I join a group, take a class ... or set a date.

With the exception of painting tiny demonstrations for the students at my work, I hadn't really focused on oil painting since I'd gone through some health problems back in 08/09. The fumes freaked me out, then I got involved in the pastel group, but I started really missing it! Then I decided that I would be like Lucien Freud and do tons of oils and live to a ripe old age, like him. (He even used flake white which is known as lead white.)

When my bosses kindly offered up the studio for me to do a solo show, I said yes and set a date. Perfect! A deadline! All of the sudden I'm productive again and much more disciplined, though my painting "schedule" is all over the place. I go in fits and starts, but when when I really get going I easily end up painting until 3 in the morning!

The show is based on memory. Cellular memory, genetic memory, experiential memory and physical "body" memory. It's about all these different things that contribute to who we are. It's also about what is passed on to others, but I'm not going to get into all that at the moment!

My dear, dear Friend ...

in thy voice I catch

The language of my former heart ...

~William Wordsworth

Most of the pieces I have so far, are works involving my ancestors.

These are unfinished details of 2 of my pieces. (I am not ready to share finished pieces yet.)

Anyway, that's what I have been up to! 

I hope you all had a happy 4th of July! I went to the Ventura Street Fair, then headed back home so I could start painting again today! I will do a little post about that later!

Music does something nothing else can, when it comes to memory. I have specific memories (that I won't go into right now) in regards to this song, but this is a different version with Jason Mraz playing along with the amazing guitar player Sungha Jung, from Korea. After 5:30 it gets into the main guitar portion.

The past is never dead, it is not even past.

~William Faulkner