The Los Angeles street art community is likely aflame with the news that British graffiti phenom Banksy is planning a mid-September warehouse show in Los Angeles. Not entirely surprising as, judging by a recent spate of work, he’s been spending quite a bit of time here on the Left Coast hanging out with fellow artists.

Banksy’s last show, “Turf War,” featured vandalized police vehicles and live, painted farm animals, and caused quite a stir in London. The location for the Los Angeles event, titled “Barely Legal,” will be kept a secret until September 15th, the opening night of the show.

I’m totally excited and looking forward to check out what Banksy has up his sleeves for the LA audience.

I just happened to come across the site of the artist who illustrated one of my favorite Flaunt magazine covers. Sam Weber is an amazingly talented artist living in New York with a very impressive client list. It’s easy to get lost in his dreamy illustrations.

websites as graphs

For years I’ve been saying to friends why is it that we don’t have an H&M here in Los Angeles. I’ve been a fan of the stylish and very affordable Swedish based clothing retailer for many years. And now, FINALLY, I don’t have to wait for a trip to Europe or New York to get my H&M fix. Driving on La Cienega last night, I noticed a huge billboard outside the Beverly Center with Madonna and the H&M logo with the tagline “Coming to Beverly Center Fall 2006″. I nearly jumped out of my seat. I found out there will be one opening in Pasadena as well. Oh yeah…I’m ecstatic!

Joana Linda has kept an on going self-portrait project for the past 5 years which initially began as ’somewhat of a joke’ and has now become a very important part of her life. In her own words:

“It’s a documentation of moods, required and un-required love stories, lucky days and rainy ones. It’s also a form of psychoanalysis, catharsis and self-knowledge. This is my way of dealing with problems, indecisions, impossibilities. Each person has its own universe, its own imaginary, more important than the mundane day-to-day routine.”

BRIGHT WHITE LIGHT

The Urban Forest Project is a design-centric socially conscious event and exhibition. A collection of 185 tree-themed banners that will be on display in Times Square from September 1st to October 31st 2006. The banners represent work by a who’s who of the creative community. “Each banner uses the form of the tree, or a metaphor for the tree, to make a powerful visual statement. Together they create a forest of thought-provoking images at one of the world’s busiest, most energetic, and emphatically urban intersections.” All of them can be seen on The Urban Forest Project site.

After the banners come down they will be made into tote bags and sold at an auction. Proceeds will be given to arts-related scholarship funds.