The Young Shall Inherit the Earth

A huge crowd of teens exiting Union Station and heading to the Capitol to  call for action on gun violence pic.twitter.com/5VVWGFTGij

— Zoë Carpenter (@ZoeSCarpenter) February 21, 2018

Students at Maryland schools are walking out of classes today to take their message directly to the NRA sponsored representatives in Washington DC. As the Parkland survivors have demonstrated, now is the time for action against gun violence.

“Don’t Shoot” was created in solidarity with Saturday’s #marchforourlives and in response to the horrific, senseless gun violence in America. The youth have stood up against the NRA and I applaud them. I will be at the March on Saturday and then make it back for the Santa Monica Airport Artwalk. May we join in the spirit of nonviolence and togetherness. #art #artandsocialjustice

Jedediah Grady from Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring, Maryland: “I understand marching isn’t automatically going to change legislation...but it’s not just about change. Next year I’ll be able to vote.” pic.twitter.com/duvbBJoPU1

— Kara Voght (@karavoght) February 21, 2018

This is what democracy looks like. #GunReformNow pic.twitter.com/AMLVOSpaBY

— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) February 22, 2018

March for Our Lives Donations

George and Amal, I couldn’t agree with you more. I am joining forces with you and will match your $500,000 donation to ‘March For Our Lives.’  These inspiring young people remind me of the Freedom Riders of the 60s who also said we’ve had ENOUGH and our voices will be heard.

— Oprah Winfrey (@Oprah) February 20, 2018

George Clooney will March For Our Lives ... pic.twitter.com/HlA8U2K4xW

— Lawrence O'Donnell (@Lawrence) February 20, 2018

Please donate on the March For Our Lives' GoFundMe page. According to their mission statement, the campaign was started by Cameron Kasky, a student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. 

"Our team has been working hard since day one. The funds will be spent on the incredibly difficult and expensive process that is organizing a march like this. We have people making more specific plans, but for now know that this is for the march and everything left over will be going to the victims' funds."

Not including Oprah, George and Amal's donations, as of Feb. 20, the campaign has raised more than $1million towards its $1.5 million goal. 

Emma Gonzalez Calls Out the NRA!

Watch Emma Gonzalez burn down Donald Trump, the @NRA and lawmakers beholden to them during a scathing speech today in Fort Lauderdale.

Then join #StudentsDemandAction by texting STUDENTS to 64433. Or text ACT to 64433 to join @MomsDemand.#ThrowThemOutpic.twitter.com/XYyXqQCaZn

— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) February 17, 2018

Emma Gonzalez. A student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

An American Hero.

Watch This.

All of it.

The young people will set us free. https://t.co/yftQ2OeZfO

— Michael Skolnik (@MichaelSkolnik) February 17, 2018

Yuzuru Hanyu Wins Gold Again!

Yuzuru Hanyu wins gold for the men's figure skating long program. He's the first man to win back-to-back gold medals in this category in 66 years. Shoma Uno gets second. #WinterOlympics #figureskating #羽生くん pic.twitter.com/SMEpxM4gU8 "Yuzuru Hanyu"

— Gregg Chadwick (@greggchadwick) February 17, 2018

Yuzuru Hanyu earns gold!

He defends his title in men's figure skating one month after returning from injury. #WinterOlympics https://t.co/fmMl0C4Amf pic.twitter.com/8bZglSdgaR

— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) February 17, 2018

Happy Valentine's Day

Thom Kunz & Whitney Pearsall "Valentine's Day" (Bruce Springsteen) cover

Chloe Kim Proves That Immigrants to the US Bring Gold!

Chloe Kim has thrown down the HAMMER with her first run. #WinterOlympics https://t.co/D65Nuoyydu pic.twitter.com/r6UJ7df38X

— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) February 13, 2018

Barack and Michelle Obama's official portraits unveiled at the National Portrait Gallery.

Former first lady Michelle Obama's official portrait unveiled at the National Portrait Gallery. https://t.co/WxAWDpOwBi pic.twitter.com/4QcEHuoqTf

— ABC News (@ABC) February 12, 2018

Michelle Obama's official portrait, painted by Amy Sherald,
unveiled at the National Portrait Gallery.

 Pres. Barack Obama assists in unveiling his official portrait at Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. pic.twitter.com/zcWWGRmFnx

— KCTV5 News (@KCTV5) February 12, 2018

Barack Obama's official portrait, painted by Kehinde Wiley, 
unveiled at the National Portrait Gallery.

Figure skater Mirai Nagasu is the first American woman to land a triple axel at the Winter Olympics

Figure skater Mirai Nagasu lands a historic triple axel

"HOLY COW!" You just witnessed a historic triple axel from Mirai Nagasu. #WinterOlympics https://t.co/NsNuy9F46h pic.twitter.com/jCMTb4LtXv

— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) February 12, 2018

Figure skater @mirai_nagasu is the first American woman to land a triple axel at the Winter Olympics. #PyeongChang2018

Adam Rippon's Olympic Debut Is Glorious

ADAM RIPPON. Because he slays. #WinterOlympics https://t.co/fmMl0C4Amf pic.twitter.com/fkG1KgiTb0

— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) February 12, 2018

He Called Her "Lightning"

Gregg Chadwick

Lightning (Edith Desch)

36"x 24" oil on linen 2018

Jersey Memories - Grandma Desch

by Gregg Chadwick

When I was little and my dad was off in Vietnam during the war, we lived in a small, rented carriage house behind a big estate. On the way to school each morning we would walk by the train platform full of commuters waiting for their ride into the city. I knew my Grandpa Desch drove trains and I often wondered as we passed over the tracks on the bridge on Ridgewood Avenue whether he was in one of the engines down below. It's only thirty minutes by train from Glen Ridge, New Jersey, to Penn Station in Manhattan. Yet, there seemed to be a world of difference between my town with its quiet gas-lamp lit streets and the bustling avenues in New York City. The train was the artery between those two worlds and I never forgot it. 

The kitchen in Garwood was where Grandma Desch would spread her warmth. 

In a similar fashion, the quiet evenings at the house where my dad's parents lived in Montclair were a world away from my mom's parents' boisterous home in Garwood. Being one of eleven children, my mom was thrown into a swirl of hugs, greetings, questions, and desires the minute we walked through the door of the Desch home. Small in size, but full of warmth, my grandparents' house was a neighborhood gathering place. A black and white TV was usually on in the living room with a ballgame playing or often on weekend afternoons a pulpy science fiction film. Grandpa would often hold court here on his days off from the railroad. I remember Grandpa mussing up my hair when we arrived in a warm hearted gesture that implied get comfortable and join the fun. I was considered shy as a kid in this environment, and with my Southern California accent, I wasn't quite a true Jersey kid either.  If the living room was Grandpa's domain, the kitchen in Garwood was where Grandma Desch would spread her warmth. Usually wearing an apron, Grandma's world extended from the stove, to the sink, to the screen door leading out to the second story porch. Her meals were hearty and reflecting our Irish/German roots ranged from corned beef and cabbage to sauerkraut and sausages. My favorite breakfast at her house was a plate of browned potatoes fried up in her cast iron pan. 

"What's your exit?"

I remember Grandma giggling one morning when I spread mustard on my bread instead of butter because of a billboard I saw along the New Jersey Turnpike that depicted buttered bread with such a mustardy yellow that I thought it had to be a French's condiment ad. The New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway run the length of the state and at first meeting folks from Jersey often ask,"What's your exit?" Grandma and Grandpa Desch lived off of Exit 136 in Garwood, New Jersey. When we drove there from Exit 148 in Glen Ridge we would often detour through Irvington to grab an Italian hotdog or sausage at Jimmy Buff's. 

Gregg Chadwick
Jersey Rain (Jimmy Buff's)

30"x 40" oil on linen 2016

There are a few classic New Jersey staples: pork roll sandwiches such as Taylor Ham, saltwater taffy at the Jersey shore, and Italian hot dogs at roadside restaurants up and down the state. But, it is the smell of Taylor Ham cooking on a griddle that always brings me back to Grandma's kitchen.

An accumulation of memories

After painting my grandfather in Jersey Central Engineer (Arthur Desch), I was asked by my Uncle Jake to paint a companion piece of Grandma Edith Desch. His wish to honor both of his parents with my paintings of them was of great interest to me. In artworks such as these two portraits, venturing back into my childhood memories is an essential part in crafting a painting. Sadly, my grandmother passed away in 1976 and time has faded even the photographs we have of her. I would have to dig deep and remember the woman that my grandfather nicknamed Lightning. Hearing my extended family's stories of their times with the Desch clan helped me settle upon an idea for my portrait of Grandma Desch. She needed to be in her kitchen and she would need to have a warmth of spirit. Her painting would be built from an accumulation of memories. 

Gregg Chadwick (center), his brother Kent Chadwick,  and a group of Desch cousins in Garwood, New Jersey  Gregg Chadwick Jersey Cantos 16"x 20" oil on linen 2016

New Music to Chase the Blues Away - Dominique Fils-Aimé | Home

Nameless, Dominique Fils-Aimé's new album of contemporary soul/R&B (influenced by Billie Holiday, Etta James & Nina Simone).

Watch Live - Falcon Heavy Test Flight

What Martin Luther King Actually Thought About Car Commercials

Please listen as Martin Luther King Jr pours shame on Dodge RAM.

So Martin Luther King Jr. can be used to sell Ram trucks but not a single NFL player can #TakeAKnee to fight the very injustice Dr. King dedicated and sacrificed his life to fight. #SuperBowl

— Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) February 5, 2018

The Resistance Revival Chorus' cover of Leslie Gore's #YouDontOwnMe

For those who refuse to be silent, we sing for you.#YouDontOwnMe #MeToo #TIMESUP

— Women's March (@womensmarch) January 30, 2018

For those who refuse to be silent, we sing for you.

For those who refuse to be silent, we sing for you.#YouDontOwnMe #MeToo #TIMESUP

Video directed & animated by Raphael LaMotta pic.twitter.com/UWjWAkxIjQ

— Resistance Revival Chorus (@ResistanceRev) January 30, 2018

#YouDontOwnMe #MeToo #TIMESUP Video directed & animated by Raphael LaMotta

The Resistance Revival Chorus' cover of Leslie Gore's #YouDontOwnMe is streaming on all platforms. Download it for free & please consider making a donation to support @MeTooMVMT. Download it here: http://bit.ly/YouDntOwnMe  Donate here: http://metoomvmt.org  Art: @AshleyLukash

Walk-through of "Points of Departure" at the Arena 1 Gallery, Santa Monica

Points of Departure 
(An exhibition curated by Maurizzio Hector Pineda) 
A film by Collin Stark

"These studio artists offer a visual mediation of time, site, and process. In this time of maelstrom and uncertainty, Points of Departure offers a visual respite for viewers to depart from the daily noise of contemporary life." - Maurizzio Hector Pineda, Curator

Participating artists; Janine Brown, Stephanie Cate, Gregg Chadwick, Claudia Concha Perea, Lola del Fresno, Wendy Edlen, Judith Golden, Deborah Lynn Irmas, Christiane Johnson, Sheila Karbassian, Sally Lamb, Jackie Nach, Maddy Le Mel, Luigia Martelloni, Susie McKay Krieser, Malvina Milliron, Shae Rocco, Paula Rosen, Melinda Smith Altshuler, Gwen Samuels, Rebecca Setareh, Elham Sagharchi, Diane Silver, Pamela Simon-Jensen, Doni Silver Simons, Collin Stark, Joan Wulf, Karen Woo and more.

Please Join Me today - January 28th at stARTup Art Fair in Venice CA for a Panel Discussion

Artist as Entrepreneur: 
Becoming the CEO of Your Life
(Panel at stARTup Art Fair)

Please Join Me today - January 28th at stARTup Art Fair in Venice CA as I chat about artistic goals and strategies. Moderated by stARTup Art Fair Founder Ray Beldner, this panel discussion will feature 2018 Clark Hulings Fund Business Accelerator Artist Fellows Juliana Coles and Gregg Chadwick, with CHF board member Steve Pruneau. Sponsored by the Clark Hulings Fund we will delve into what it takes to move an artist’s goal from theory to already accomplished. The Clark Hulings Fund (CHF)  helps professional visual artists compete in an increasingly complex marketplace by providing them with strategic business support, training, and targeted financial assistance.
More at: Artist as Entrepreneur - Becoming the CEO of Your Life

What:  Artist as Entrepreneur: Becoming the CEO of Your Life (Panel at stARTup Art Fair)
Where: Kinney Hotel, 737 Washington Blvd, Venice, CA 90292.
When:  Saturday, January 28, 2018  at 2::30 pm         
Website: https://www.startupartfair.com/la/programs/
Link to my recent Clark Hulings Fund podcast with Daniel DiGriz.

 

#MeToo- Art and Feminism Now (Full Video)

Krista Suh and Yareli Arizmendi get to the heart of the matter at #MeToo- Art and Feminism Now
photo by MarySue Heilemann

On Saturday, January 27th 2018 a vibrant panel discussion on #MeToo - Art and Feminism Now was held from 1-3pm at the Santa Monica Art Studios. 

We gathered as artists, writers, musicians, actors, filmmakers and more to help discuss ideas on how to build a path forward. 

Kathleen McHugh, Chair Department of Film, Television, and Digital Media at UCLA, Moderated the panel discussion.

The panelists included:

Actress/Writer Yareli Arizmendi (Like Water for Chocolate, A Day Without a Mexican) More at: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0034976/.Artist/Activist 

Michele Pred (Represented by Nancy Hoffman Gallery) More on Michele Pred at: http://michelepred.com/home.html.“Ms Pred's work is an important offering for its relevance to the times."- Supreme Court Justice, Sonia Sotomayor 

Krista Suh - Krista is a feminist, artist, Hollywood screenwriter, and co-creator of The Pussyhat Project. She's based in Los Angeles. Her new book, DIY Rules for a WTF World: How to Speak Up, Get Creative, and Change the World will be released in January. Krista will be selling and signing copies of her new book after the panel discussion. More on Krista Suh at http://kristasuh.com/.

Kim Schoenstadt Contemporary Artist "This event was an opportunity to take a snapshot of all the female and female identifying working artists in the LA contemporary art community. It was an opportunity for us to capture a moment where we stood with each other in all of our diversity." More on Kim Schoenstadt at http://www.kimschoenstadt.com/about/ and https://www.nowbeherela.com/.

Organized by contemporary artist Gregg Chadwick http://www.greggchadwick.com/.

Kathleen McHugh, Krista Suh, Yareli Arizmendi, Michelle Pred, Kim Schoenstadt with her daughter at #MeToo - Art and Feminism
photo by MarySue Heilemann