Cultura Madre, 3-11-11, DeYoung Museum

It started when Dulcinea asked if I would like to screenprint at an event she was hosting at the Deyoung celebrating the Olmeca show.

I had no idea what I was in for....

So I started on the art.

Found this image then emailed a graphic artist friend, Mike Burns and told him to make it a thumbprint.

He worked his magic and..

I used this to start with and then thought I might as well make an art print while I was at it.

Ten colors later...

Now back to the shirt design and event at the Deyoung.

I set up and starting to print at 6pm and man was I slammed.  There was a huge line and a grip of my friends had showed up to show support. 

The carnage contiued.......

Non stop printing for 2 1/2 hours.

You may be asking yourself, what the shirts looked like.  Here is a happy customer.

A friend, Megan son Arlo rocking his new

Taco Truck Industries Omeca Head.

Thanks to Dulci from the Bay Guardian, The DeYoung, the DeYoung Interns, all my friends and all the new art lovers I met last night.



Litto Damonte, the Pope Valley Hubcap King

"Pope Valley is one of the state's most serene, pastoral enclaves, with its oak groves, vineyards and gently rolling hills.  "The small town in eastern Napa County is home to one of the country's oddest roadside attractions, the Hubcap Ranch, where the third generation of the Damonte family exhibits their staggering collection of hubcaps [YouTube link].

"It started with Mike Damonte's grandfather, Litto Damonte, an Italian marble mason who bought the 360-acre ranch in 1930. In those days Pope Valley Road was so potholed that hubcaps would routinely pop off passing vehicles, and the elder Damonte would place them along the fence in case the motorists came back searching for them."

"Alas, few motorists returned, and the hubcap collection only grew and grew. Neighbors eventually started bringing him hubcaps, and Litto discovered he had a fondness for shiny discs. Before long he was also stringing up pie tins, cut-up beer cans and thousands of pull tops.

"'Anything that hit the ground and broke, he made into art,' said his grandson. 'But he really liked anything that was shiny.'

"In 1987, two years after Litto died, Hubcap Ranch was named a state historic landmark, complete with a plaque proclaiming it an 'exceptional twentieth century folk art environment."

So if your anywhere near Napa, Solano and Sonoma Counties this is a must see.  Pope Valley is a cool place to road trip through.  This is what Napa Valley (over the hill) must of looked like before the wine industry took over the valley.

Sacramento AutoRama 2-12-11

Dazzled by the metal flake

All in all a good day at the Sacramento AutoRama, caught up with some old dear friends.

Grand National Roadster Show - 2011

All flicks by Long Beach Correspondent, Mike Colacion