The City of Angels, the sequel

All photos by the charming and adorable Marcus!

The days before the event were jam-packed with errands, of course: order large prints of our most beautiful images of Calvi and the monastery, have them mounted, purchase frames, pick up the prints, make object labels and bid sheets for the silent auction, have the ubiquitous long and involved session at Kinkos, find a great deal on printing postcards overnight, upload the order, pick them up, trim the drawings, figure out how to hang them, buy the hardware, find out we can’t hang anything in the space… My intention was to take a photo at each errand location- but in the end the charm of running around LA getting ready for an event is just not the same as the charm of running around Rome trying to find your car.

So, how did the LA event go?

The entertainment line up was positively killer. I mean, this is LA afterall. Our headliners were Moira Smiley, Kristen Toedtman, and Kerry Walsh, woven together by the ridiculously smart and funny Bennet Jones. Of this group, I know Moira best and I have always adored her. I mean, she lives up to her last name, so I know she’s my people. But her voice is hypnotic, lilting, lovely, and combining her voice with Kristen’s was alchemical. Really great.

Kristen & Moira

Kristen, Moira, and the incredible Ed Levy

Kerry is a real live diva, belting out opera tunes and making me see that she could fill a much larger room. My favorite song performed was Agnus Dei from Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle. This was a sneak preview into the work that inspires the Art Monastery Project’s Petit Cirque Solennel, where Kerry sang the part of the tattooed lady (this is a startling image all in itself (let’s cover this commandingly feminine body with tatts!), backed up by a chorus of twelve, including Mystophur and his wonderful friend Temmo. Seeing this semi-staging of the act in the project that I have read, and heard, and discussed with Mystophur & ShellyBelly, was so satisfying. The whole thing came to life and I can feel the power the final staging of this could have. Some of that power comes from the juxtapositions– tattooed mezzo, etc.

The performances of these top musicians, serious and profound, were woven together by “Benèt”, our MC, an international pop star wearing skin tight 80s fashions and touting his upcoming film, “Knife with Legs.” I don’t know what the rest of the audience was doing, but Mystophur and I were rolling in the aisles.

Benèt in action

Ed, Jean, & Moira

In the middle there is our gracious and wonderful host. Our dear friend who puts us up whenever we come to LA, has hosted Art Monastery presentations and aperitivi, helped us with the organization of this event, and on and on and on. Thank you! You are such a wonderful support in so many ways!

Also, big thank you to Marcus who captured these moments with his camera.All photos by the charming and adorable Marcus!

The days before the event were jam-packed with errands, of course: order large prints of our most beautiful images of Calvi and the monastery, have them mounted, purchase frames, pick up the prints, make object labels and bid sheets for the silent auction, have the ubiquitous long and involved session at Kinkos, find a great deal on printing postcards overnight, upload the order, pick them up, trim the drawings, figure out how to hang them, buy the hardware, find out we can’t hang anything in the space… My intention was to take a photo at each errand location- but in the end the charm of running around LA getting ready for an event is just not the same as the charm of running around Rome trying to find your car.

So, how did the LA event go?

The entertainment line up was positively killer. I mean, this is LA afterall. Our headliners were Moira Smiley, Kristen Toedtman, and Kerry Walsh, woven together by the ridiculously smart and funny Bennet Jones. Of this group, I know Moira best and I have always adored her. I mean, she lives up to her last name, so I know she’s my people. But her voice is hypnotic, lilting, lovely, and combining her voice with Kristen’s was alchemical. Really great.

Kristen & Moira

Kristen, Moira, and the incredible Ed Levy

Kerry is a real live diva, belting out opera tunes and making me see that she could fill a much larger room. My favorite song performed was Agnus Dei from Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle. This was a sneak preview into the work that inspires the Art Monastery Project’s Petit Cirque Solennel, where Kerry sang the part of the tattooed lady (this is a startling image all in itself (let’s cover this commandingly feminine body with tatts!), backed up by a chorus of twelve, including Mystophur and his wonderful friend Temmo. Seeing this semi-staging of the act in the project that I have read, and heard, and discussed with Mystophur & ShellyBelly, was so satisfying. The whole thing came to life and I can feel the power the final staging of this could have. Some of that power comes from the juxtapositions– tattooed mezzo, etc.

The performances of these top musicians, serious and profound, were woven together by “Benèt”, our MC, an international pop star wearing skin tight 80s fashions and touting his upcoming film, “Knife with Legs.” I don’t know what the rest of the audience was doing, but Mystophur and I were rolling in the aisles.

Benèt in action

Ed, Jean, & Moira

In the middle there is our gracious and wonderful host. Our dear friend who puts us up whenever we come to LA, has hosted Art Monastery presentations and aperitivi, helped us with the organization of this event, and on and on and on. Thank you! You are such a wonderful support in so many ways!

Also, big thank you to Marcus who captured these moments with his camera.