TOTTENHAM

Relationships between artists are a funny thing. It's like any human union, defined by the ever-changing scoreboard between love and hate. The Arts come with a green garden of envy.

Crowning my To-Read book pile, the novel 'Service,' by John Tottenham (Semiotext) has been topping my charts over the last 18 weeks. 19 weeks ago, I read the first chapter. I immediately put the book down. I knew that I could only continue to read in an environment that demanded my full attention and focus. That's hard to do in Las Vegas.

That first chapter was sublime. I laughed out loud several times. I knew I was reading something special. A new voice. A true wordsmith. My aesthetic ideals were squealing and tingling. All that sounds effusive, but I really mean it. This is the real deal.

The new book has been well-received, and the edition has sold out, demanding a reprint. A few celebrities have been touting the work. Long established as a poet in LA and a brilliant performer of such work, Tottenham has always been supported by a legion of vague and influential fans. His bright flame attracts the Los Angeles netherworld. His readings are SRO.

In today's issue, we present a new, short essay "Cincinnati in the Fall' by John Tottenham. He also painted the illustration.

I suggest you read it immediately. There is no point in postponing true pleasure. That's what the Arts teach us. These days we gotta grab Beauty every chance we get.

We're rooting for you, Tott!

Art Report Today .com

PLEIN AIR GOES HOLLYWOOD

This week on our Formerly Known As Cinema site, William Poundstone has written a fantastic piece about a relatively undiscovered facet of Los Angeles arts history. The story begs for more.

Little is known about the arts community created by the Golden Age of Hollywood. The film industry gave craftsman a living wage with which to support a family. Los Angeles weather is mighty pleasant. The studios attracted a pool of considerable talent from around the world.

Oral histories were few, and no longer a historical opportunity. Over the decades, few words have been written about these folks. The article's title "Plein Air Goes Hollywood" says it all. How did these studio artists spend their free time? Click Here.

A few, not many, collectors have focused on the era. Click Here, to see the exhibition catalogue from the exceptional Kennedy Marshall Collection. These artists are titans.

A shout out to our art historians: We want more.

Art Report Today .com

THE BIGGER PICTURE

I am working on a series of several essays, to tackle our moment in time. The history of the art world and resulting economies is young. Like a gawky preteen, the Arts are all out of sorts.

With the conundrum that is Las Vegas as my focus, I am finding that their arts community issues are national issues.

In my life, I have never seen such caterwauling in the arts. Everyone is uneasy. And yes, a confluence of disasters are creating a perfect storm before our very eyes.

In the first piece, published this week, Click Here, I am hoping to find a ground that the creative can think upon, a piece of fairly stable terra firma. The artist must live in the real world and speak that language—no matter how much we prefer our own.

The second piece, in progress, may hit a nail on the head. I have been struggling with these many art world issues, trying to find clarity in the fog, and, by Jove, I think I've got it.

Of course, solutions and results always fall upon the strong shoulders of the artist. That burden will never change.

Art Report Today .com