In Little Osaka A Year Ago

Above, people waiting for the call to be seated. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It is amazing how fast time flies, or seems to.

It was a year ago this evening that Asya and I met up at the Kula Revolving Sushi restaurant in the West Los Angeles area dubbed "Little Osaka" for photographs to be taken of me for the portrait painting.

Above, the sushi conveyor belt. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It was about a 45 minute wait to be seated, so we took the opportunity to do the photographs while there was still sunlight.

Above, yours truly during the photo shoot. Photo by Asya.

The food at Kula Revolving Sushi was very good and it had a fun atmosphere. There are several in Southern California, including Torrance, Little Tokyo (L.A.), Irvine, Brea, Laguna Hills and Rancho Cucamonga. Go to their website for more locations and menu details. I highly recommend it!

Above, Asya working on her sketch book. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It was here that I introduced Asya to Asahi Super Dry beer. She is currently in New York working on several graphics projects.

Evolution of the Painting

Above, Asya and Armand with the unveiled painting at the Odyssey Restaurant. Photo by Lori Thornhill.

Back in late-June/early-July, I commissioned Asya to do a portrait of me after seeing her work. I've been wanting to have a painting done for quite a while, not out of vanity, but out of curiosity. I wanted to see how an artist would interpret me in a painting.

Above, one of the photos of Kinkaku-ji used for the background. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, detail of Kinkaku-ji in the painting's background.

Above, from the photo shoot.

We met up in Little Osaka (in the West Los Angeles area) to do a photo shoot of me for the painting.

Asya took many photographs. We went to dinner at a revolving sushi restaurant and she "weeded down" the photographs to about six of them.

Before she got down to work, we disussed the background and I suggested a Japanese background. So, I sent her several photos that I took in Japan and we decided to use Kyoto's Kinkaku-ji "Golden Pavilion" as a background image.

I told Asya at the start to "have fun with it" and go with what she felt comfortable in doing. She went with a 19th Century French impressionist style. No deadlines or any other kind of pressure were put on her as she proceeded to paint. She used her apartment building's 3rd floor meeting room as a studio. Many of her neighbors came in to admire the painting as it progressed.

Above one of the rough sketches.

When she finished, I met up with her at a sushi restaurant near Pico Blvd. and Robertson Blvd. She brought the finished painting.

Above, my first look
at the painting.

She then unwrapped it and presented it to me. I liked it immediately!

After about a week, in order to let the oils dry thoroughly, we went to U-Frame-It in Tarzana to select a suitable frame for the painting. We spent about 2 1/2 hours looking over many frame styles. We tried frame styles of all kinds. Some would work with one section of the painting, but not in others. We had to find one that would work with it all around.

Around that time, I got the idea to throw a party to unveil it before friends, family and art gallery people (so Asya can network and get exposure) at the Odyssey Restaurant in Granada Hills. I wanted to make the party a light and fun event. I decided to get a package which included wine and hors d' oeuvres. I've always liked the Odyssey, which is perched on a hill overlooking the San Fernando Valley. I used to attend the annual San Fernando Valley Claim Adjusters Association Christmas parties there.

Above, at the frame shop.

Last Sunday, the unveiling party took place and those who attended had a great time. The portrait was very well-received and Asya got a lot of congratulations. She brought along three other paintings that she did with a cigar theme. (Those are available for sale, by the way.)

It had been a fun and interesting experience. I think everyone should have a portrait painted. It felt almost like being in a time period before photography had yet been invented.

She expressed an interest in painting a portrait of my daughter Amber. We'll have to look into that.

Portrait Unveiling Party: Room For 4 More

Above, Asya in Little Osaka in L.A. during the photo shoot
for the portrait project back in July. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Today's the day that I will be heading to the Odyssey Restaurant to give them the final count and payment for the October 2 portrait unveiling party.

I spent part of last night tabulating the R.S.V.P.s (and watched Godzilla vs. Biollante) and I found that we do have room for 4 more people. So, if you wish to attend, email me within the next 3 hours.

If you have received an invite already and haven't yet indicated that you're coming, now's the time to do so!

Getting Started

Above, Asya with one of her abstract paintings.

Last night, I met up with Asya, the artist who will be doing a portrait of yours truly and we came to an agreement on the work that I am commissioning, including size, medium (oil), price, etc.

I asked her which medium she feels most comfortable in doing a portrait and she chose oil. I was pleased by that. We are planning to do a traditional portrait, but with a Japanese-themed background. I have to send her some photos I took in Japan to give her some ideas.

She (kidding, of course) asked me if I wanted to be painted as Batman, after I showed her a sketch of Batman I did last weekend at my cousin's.

We are going to meet up again in the "Little Osaka" (or Sawtelle Japantown) tonight for a photo shoot, sketches and dinner to get the ball rolling. "Little Osaka" is a Japanese enclave in the West Los Angeles area bordered by Santa Monica Blvd. to the north, and Olympic Blvd. to the south. It is several blocks long along Sawtelle Blvd. I am very familiar with the area. My grandfather lived on Sawtelle Blvd. until his death in 1966 and I have frequented the Japantown area many times during the past several years. Asya lives in the Olympic/Robertson area.

The Los Angeles City Council designated the area as "Japantown" last year by a unanimous vote.

I am looking forward to this as I have been thinking about having a portrait painting done for quite a while. It's not an "ego thing", but a curiosity about seeing how an artist would see me in artwork. Asya estimates that the whole process will take about a week or so to complete. 

This is getting me "fired up" again to want to break out my art equipment and start drawing again.

The Day

Above, The Beast had its floor cleaned today. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Today started out with breakfast with Jessica, my former roomie at the Lamplighter Restaurant in Canoga Park. She had a craving for blueberry pancakes. I settled for chorizo and eggs.

Following that, we made a quick stop at a local Target store so she could pick up some vacuum bags to store some stuff.

After dropping her off at home, I headed home to sweep and mop The Beast's floor before the ungodly heat of the San Fernando Valley takes hold, making any chore in a RV uncomfortable.

After resting up a few hours, I will be meeting up with an artist I recently met. I am considering commissioning a painting. That's something I've been thinking about doing for a while. Up until now, I just haven't found an artist that I would consider using, since Sam Evans* is no longer available. She does very nice work (one of her sketches is below). She did a series of paintings with cigars as the subject that look almost like photographs.

Later, I'll probably be headed to West L.A. in the "Little Osaka" area of Olympic and Sawtelle.

*Sam Evans (David Ford) was an artist and the father of Maggie Evans (Kathryn Leigh Scott) in ABC-TV's Dark Shadows. He did the portrait of Barnabas Collins that hung over the fireplace at the Old House.