Gucci Osteria da Massimo, Beverly Hills, Ca., Rolls Royce Silver Shadow, aka Rutherford RollsCoco, aka Malibupom, posing with the Rolls Royce Silver Shadow on a palm tree lined street in Beverly Hills.Rolls Royce Silver Shadow, Beverly Hills, Ca.Interior, Rolls Royce Silver Shadow, Beverly Hills, Ca,Binge Network TV, Host Romi Cortier, When a car’s more than just a car.
This beautifully restored 1976 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow is a rare bird. For starters, the color palette makes the car hard to miss when rolling down the road. While the color scheme isn’t new for Rolls Royce, it is striking and dramatic with the highly contrasting color selection. I’ve seen this color scheme used on Rolls Royces over several decades, and it always makes a statement.
The car has belonged to the same family for over 40 years, having passed from one generation to another. There’s something very special about handing a prized possession from one generation to the next. Having them value it so much that they’re willing to restore it, is a whole new level of respect… because when you’re talking about a vintage Rolls, it won’t be cheap. And you’ll also need to find someone who specializes in that. Fortunately here in Los Angeles, that isn’t a problem.
This car has been featured in two episodes of Artful Living. The first episode, the original 28 minute pilot, is about the mid-century movement, which does include this luxury car from the mid 1970’s. The second episode is a stand alone segment telling the very personal story of this car. You can watch the segment below, or click on this link for BINGE NETWORK TV, to see this and other videos with host Romi Cortier.
If you’re an Instagramer, you can follow the Silver Shadow at @RutherfordRolls, Romi at @RomiCortier, and Artful Living with Romi Cortier at @Artful Living with Romi Cortier.
Mirror Glass by Michael Panetta, Beverly Hills At Show, 2019, Photo Romi Cortier
Mirror Glass by Michael Panetta, Beverly Hills At Show, 2019, Photo Romi Cortier
Mirror Glass by Michael Panetta, Beverly Hills At Show, 2019, Photo Romi Cortier
Mirror Glass by Michael Panetta, Beverly Hills At Show, 2019, Photo Romi Cortier
Mirror Glass by Michael Panetta, Beverly Hills At Show, 2019, Photo Romi Cortier
Mirror Glass by Michael Panetta, Beverly Hills At Show, 2019, Photo Romi Cortier
Mirror Glass by Michael Panetta, Beverly Hills At Show, 2019, Photo Romi Cortier
Mirror Glass by Michael Panetta, Beverly Hills At Show, 2019, Photo Romi Cortier
I discovered the breathtaking mirror glass of Michael Panetta at the recent Beverly Hills Arts Show. His work is beyond stunning, and his use of color is absolutely spot on. The subtlety of his tones, especially when paired with complimentary works, completely resonated with my sensibilities. If I weren’t paying for a wedding in Venice Italy this fall, I would have bought one of his pieces.
One of the things that I enjoyed most about meeting him at the art show, was his willingness to discuss his mirroring technique. It sounded very complicated, but the end result is smooth and intoxicating like a fine wine. He was also a bit apologetic that he didn’t have more work to show me, because he’d sold so much over the course of the weekend. Nothing could make me happier than to hear that others were appreciating is art, as much as I was.
Michael is based in Laguna Beach, California. His trajectory through the world of blown glass began when he was 6 years old at the Sawdust Festival of Laguna Beach. His interest in glass was further piqued when he visited the famed glass blowing island of Murano, Italy. After local glass apprenticeships in California, Michael returned to Murano for specialized training under renowned glass blower Pino Signoretto. Now his work can be found in galleries and art shows up and down the west coast.
This youtube video will let you witness firsthand how he creates is mirroring technique.
Takashi Murakami. His work speaks for itself. It’s big. It’s bold. It’s beautiful. And it won’t be ignored.
On February 21st, Gagosian presented ‘GYATEI 2‘ new works by Takashi Murakami, as the 2019 “Oscars show”, a much anticipated annual fixture on the Los Angeles cultural calendar. And anticipated it was… I stood in line for over 40 minutes to get into the gallery on this particular 49 degree night, hoping they wouldn’t close the doors before myself, all of the other clamoring devotees of Murakami’s work could enter.
If you understand Angelenos, then you know any temperature below 60 degrees might as well be considered a major snow storm, because we don’t do cold. But we were committed. We huddled together en masse outside the sleek gallery space on 456 North Camden Drive, watching the cameras flash through the slotted window of this very crowded exhibition. Apparently I wasn’t the only one who saw the sponsored ad on Facebook, so yes, those things do pay off sometimes.
This wasn’t my first time seeing Murakami’s work. My first exposure to Murakami was at his MOCA retrospective in 2007. Room after room of larger than life works, left me spellbound. Last week I attended FRIEZE LA opening night at Paramount Studios, and was drawn to a massive circular piece that I didn’t realize was his, until I read the placard. And once I’d looked closer at some of the details I thought, of course it’s his.
Takashi Murakami, ‘Red Kraken, Blue Kraken’ 2018, Acrylic on canvas, mounted on wood panel, 59 1/16 inches, Perrotin Gallery
Once you learn the visual vocabulary of an artist, it’s hard to miss their work. The ethereal brush strokes of Renoir, the crayon like short strokes of Cezanne, the bold thick raised paint of Van Gogh, Warhol‘s screen prints… every successful artist has to find their voice. That’s what makes them stand out in a crowd, and it’s how you’re able to spot their work from across the room. This is why it’s so important to spend as much time as possible at art galleries and art museums. Your eyes begin to learn a new language that your mouth may not have words for, yet. Murakami clearly has found his voice, so go see this show. At the very least, it’s a happy show with bright primary and secondary colors, paying homage to emoji’s and the highly coveted gold Oscar statue.
Louis Vuitton, Christmas on Rodeo, 2018, Photo Romi Cortier
Tory Burch, Christmas on Rodeo, 2018, Photo Romi Cortier
Hermes, Christmas on Rodeo, 2018, Photo Romi Cortier
Louis Vuitton, Christmas on Rodeo, 2018, Photo Romi Cortier
Dior, Christmas on Rodeo, 2018, Photo Romi Cortier
Tiffany, Christmas on Rodeo, 2018, Photo Romi Cortier
Versace, Christmas on Rodeo, 2018, Photo Romi Cortier
Tiffany, Christmas on Rodeo, 2018, Photo Romi Cortier
Gucci, Christmas on Rodeo, 2018, Photo Romi Cortier
Christmas on Rodeo is one of my favorite times of year, and November 15th, 2018 was the official kick off of Rodeo Drive’s Holiday Celebration. A three and one half hour event complete with food trucks, stilt walkers, and of course musical performances, led up to the official lighting ceremony.
Every year the theme is a little bit different, and this years look featured vertical lighting on all of the palm trees. These LED lights change colors, so every photo you take is just a little bit different. The overall glow makes for a magical visit, especially with the piped in holiday music. I love dropping the top on the convertible in the middle of ‘winter’, cranking up the heat, and enjoying the full experience, especially when friends are visiting from out of town.
Christmas on Rodeo, 2018, Romi Cortier & Recio Young
Some of my favorite window displays include Tiffany & Co., with their intimate window box insets. Each window is completely different and builds on a theme. Gucci featured a fun party atmosphere with lots of pink sparkles. And another favorite was Louis Vuitton. I was so excited when I saw their Christmas Tree covered in Louis Vuitton branded ornaments, because I knew exactly who I’d be buying them for… but wait, they’re only for display? Why why why? I know Coco’s mom would go out of her mind for a few of them, sorry Melanie. Maybe they’ll come to their senses next year.
Christmas on Rodeo, 2018, Romi Cortier & Coco, aka MalibuPom
I also loved the ‘step and repeat’ that was set up for the big opening night celebration, complete with fantastic lighting to make each and every one of us look and feel like a celebrity. Did you know that the brighter the lighting, the more flawless your skin looks? Keep that in mind when you’re taking fun family photos during the holidays. #AlwaysUseYourFlash
If you live in the area, or your’e visiting from out of town, be sure and check out these fun and free experiences on Rodeo Drive.
Swarovski Crystal Sculpture, Richard Lee (Blink Group), 2018 Beverly Hills Art Show, Photo Romi Cortier
Faces were the theme for the 2018 Beverly Hills Art Show which took place on the weekend of October 20th. I love attending this twice yearly event, usually in the spring and fall of each year. The weather is fantastic, and Angelenos come out in full force to support this chic art exhibition in the heart of Beverly Hills. Personally I’ve been attending this event off and on for nearly 20 years, snapping up works for my personal art collection.
This show is a juried show, which means that applicants need to apply to be accepted. Each season a theme is chosen, and this year the theme was Faces. Overall I find the quality of the work presented to be pretty amazing. The snapshots above are a few of my favorite finds from the exhibition. I love seeing the variations on the figurative works, such as the image created with Lego’s or the skull made from Swarovski Crystals. And of course you can never go wrong with traditional techniques like oil or acrylic paintings on canvas.
If you’d like to sign up for future events, click here: BeverlyHills.org
I’m also listing links to the artist web sites in their respective order, in case you’d like to learn more about their work or make inquiries.
