Noted California artist and Culver City Artist Laureate Alexey Steele will launch a series of technology powered portrait sessions showcasing Culver City neighbors, beginning with long time Culver City resident Dr. Janet Cameron Hoult.
“Culver City has always been the heart of arts and innovation on the Westside, and with this project, Alexey Steele demonstrates both. His recent efforts to share artwork with our Culver City Emergency Food Drive have brought joy to our most vulnerable. Now with his live drawing sessions, he has met the challenge of social distancing and found a creative way to continue his work and share it with us all,” said Culver City Mayor Göran Eriksson.
In an expansion of his Love My Neighbor project, Steele will select 6-8 Culver City neighbors to capture in portrait. For the first portrait, Steele has chosen long time Culver City resident, poet, teacher, and Honorary Artist Laureate for Culver City, Dr. Janet Cameron Hoult. Dr. Hoult has a rich history of civic service and contribution to the cultural life in Culver City, and she was instrumental in establishing its Artist Laureate Program. As a senior citizen, Dr. Hoult is in a high-risk category for contracting COVID-19.
On three separate dates, Steele will live stream remote portrait sessions with Dr. Hoult, who will remain in self-isolation in her home. She will maintain visual contact with Steele via video conference transmitted onto a TV screen in the artists’ studio in Long Beach. There, Steele will be working on the portrait as if his model was sitting right in front of him. Each drawing session and his interaction with the model will be broadcast via Facebook Live. Viewers will be able to watch the portrait come to life, listen to Alexey’s commentary about his work and his conversations with Dr. Hoult, and even ask questions. The sessions will also be recorded and available for later viewing.
“As we celebrate National Arts and Humanities Month in October, we want to recognize not only the leading role the arts have played in Culver City’s history, but the starring role that arts can play in the city’s long-term economic and cultural development. And, as this current health crisis has reminded us, the arts perform a vital role in maintaining the physical and mental health of the city’s residents. Alexey’s project exemplifies the creativity and community spirit to be found in Culver City,” said Tania Fleischer, Chair, Culver City Cultural Affairs Commission.
Tuesday, October 6, 2020 at 2 PM;
Thursday, October 8, 2020 at 2 PM; and
Saturday, October 10, 2020 at 12 PM
Watch Artist Laureate Alexey Steele live or view recorded events at /www.facebook.com/ArtistLaureate/live/
Alexey Steele Courtesy LA Times
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