Elephants with Guns at Soul Cafe

Elephants with Guns at Soul Cafe

I went to see my friends Elephants with Guns perform at my other friend Mark Anthony Benson's Soul Cafe. Great food at the Industry Jazz Cafe and some cool art by Hakim Wilson, John O. Nelson's Hood Tales short films, DJ Tray Boogie and a birthday party made for a fun night. I managed some watercolor sketches of the band when the Elephants took the stage. Thanks to Mark for taking the time to connect interesting artists and share it all with us, and to the Industry Jazz Cafe's awesome staff and owner Aaron (who joined EWG for a last song) for hosting. We celebrated my friend Bobby's birthday and had completely forgotten to bring paper plates and forks, but the cafe staff were so sweet to help us surprise her with a cake. Thanks everyone!

Manisha Shahane, Chirag Katti and Highway Down at the Mint

Chirag Katti and Manisha ShahaneHighway Down

I had the pleasure of seeing my friend Manisha Shahane perform some songs from her amazing new album "When Parallel Lines Meet" at the Mint.  Her cousin Chirag Katti opened up with some beautiful music on the sitar. A really fun band called Highway Down came up after them.I did some quick pencil sketches during the performances. I was trying out some cheap watercolor pencils on top of that. Basically, they are similar to colored pencils, except you can take a wet paint brush and blend it in like watercolor paint. I wonder if the colors in higher end watercolor pencils are more saturated and vibrant. I used thin paper, not really meant for watercolors, which is why it is a bit wrinkled from the water.

Highway Down performs at the Mint.

Sri Lanka Tsunami Relief Tea Party

I went to a tea party...no not that one. So, often times when disasters hit, they have long term affects that require assistance much after the actual event. I went to a charity tea party put on annually by the Sri Lanka Tsunami Relief Fund of North Hollywood. This group has been working to sponsor a group of children orphaned during the Tsunami since shortly after the disaster. My friend Supun's mother, who is an incredible cook puts this and other fundraisers together throughout the year for great causes.

Two of my other friends, Jayson Joseph and Nisha Mathew Mani performed with their band performing Bollywood and regional Indian movie songs as well as a popular Sri Lankan number, and you can see the sketches I did of them.

There isn't really much to be found about this wonderful grassroots effort online, but here's a PDF about their inspiring work.

Tuesday Night Cafe Taz and Jayson

Now that I'm back in LA, I had a chance to visit the Tuesday Night Cafe in Downtown. Tuesday Night Cafe features community supported art. I love doing sketches of the performers. Here are some sketches of the performers.It was great to see the community come together and support music and poetry. It gave me a chance to get back into some quick and live watercolors.Here's one I did of Wes Gabrillo:

Forgotten Musician

Sometimes I do a watercolor sketch and just forget about it. This is from a live music show, but I don't remember who and where.

Fair and Kind

Saw Fair and Kind perform in Chinatown in LA and knocked out some quick watercolor sketches.

Motel in Culver City

Went watercolor painting with my friend Terry and came up with this based on a motel in Culver City.

The Kominas and Sarmust in Los Angeles

So, I had a couple punk bands stay with me a few days while they were in town in LA. It was like an 11 person camp in the living room. Here are some sketches of the Kominas and Sarmust as they performed at Silver Factory Studios in downtown LA.

Hilltop Culver City

Went to a hill top in Culver City and created this watercolor sketch with many shades of green.

Hyderabad Musicians

 

  

Here are some Musicians I sketched in Hyderabad. I met them while searching for folk musicians for my short film "Gul" (flower).

Los Angeles Forest

Went to the Los Angeles Forest on an overcast day and created this watercolor sketch.

Jamshoro, Sindh

 

  

Here are some small sketches I created in Jamshoro, Sindh. I was there looking for the musicians who eventually recorded the music for my short film "Gul" (flower).

China Sketches

 

  

Here are some sketches created during travels in China last summer.

Culver City Sketches

 

My friend Terry lives in a condo complex with beautiful gardens in it. We went painting there one day and here's what I came up with watercolors. 

Holy Sites in Pakistan

 

During my travels in Pakistan last year, I went to Data Darbar in Lahore, Nankana Sahib and Panja Sahib. Here are some small sketches I created there. The ones of Nankana Sahib and Panja Sahib were created in the morning as people worshiped inside. I waited, and watch as the morning flow of people going to work, and children off to school passed me. I was not allowed to enter until the morning prayer was over and everyone had left. I bide my time by drawing the front gates and fielding questions from passing kids on their way to school with backpacks bigger than them.

Venice Beach

Venice Beach Watercolor Sketches

Sketches from Mongolia

 

  

 

  

 

  

Here are some sketches I made in Mongolia last year. The first is a band at an Irish pub in Ulanbataar. The next 3 are Mongolian and Korean musicians playing out in the planes during the Nadam Festival. Then there are two landspaces painted out in the beautiful country and lastly some wrestlers also from the Nadam festival.

Elephants with Guns

 

Here's a sketch of Elephants with Guns Performing at Seva Cafe in Long Beach. The second sketch is of band member Andy Bauer.

Who dis?

  

Okay...I don't remember who these bands are...but I have scanned and uploaded my backlog of sketches. Been working on animation only lately..but I think I'll be sketching again soon!

Saul Williams

Saul Williams at the Troubadour.