Artist/Millie’s waiter Aaron Donovan and Pac Bell operator/Spaceland doorgirl Patricia Castillo saw a need—an unpretentious place where artist could show—and a space—a turn of the century storefront in need of restoration. One sold ’64 Galaxie station wagon and countless tips later, Delirium Tremens was born. To settle an argument on the name, Donovan and Castillo chose one by a blind opening of the dictionary (a method used by countless bands in the same neighborhood). And yet Delirium Tremens—the formal name for the DT’s, or the shakes and hallucinatory visions drunks suffer upon withdrawals—fits perfectly with the duo’s vision of aesthetic provocation.

I really like art that people love or hate—nothing lukewarm,” says Donovan, whose hard luck getting his own show led him to open his own space. “I was taking my slides around, kind of frightened, and the galleries were so pretentious. They’d glance at the slides, look you over, look at their watch, and boom! You’re outta there.” An Art Center College of Design graduate, Donovan realized that many of his former schoolmates were likely undergoing the same experience.

He finally got a break last May when Ojala Fine Art, located next to the DTs space, opened its doors and gave him a show.

“There’s a lot of talent, but no venues,” says Jesus Sanchez, the proprietor of Ojala. Sensing a wealth of untapped talent in Echo Park, Silver Lake and Chinatown, Sanchez is committed to showing work for those communities. And so is Fototeka, a photography gallery that is set to open nearby before the end of the year.

“We want to bring people in, not be a snobby presence,” says Robin Blackman, one of three people launching Fototeka. As for Delirium Tremens’ niche in this mini art zone, the concept is to explore the fine line between illustration and fine art. “Think brain damage,” Donovan suggests.

glue style and action in los angeles is the new fashion and arts magazine busting out of Los Angeles, covering the trendsetting East Side of town. This is the world of Beck, indy film, cheap rent, affordable designer clothes, boutiques selling Mexican love potions, web geeks on crank, the Darby Crash Memorial Punk Rock Museum, and a million bands that will never get signed. Glue sees it all and takes pictures! Glue magazine is available at all major newsstands in LA, and at the following stores:
Squaresville, Amok, NYSE, The Swell Store, Eduardo Lucero, Retail Slut, Rojas, and Melrose Music.

The most notable feature of the intersection of Echo Park and
Morton avenues used to be Magic Gas station. Now, the same area is emerging as the neighborhood’s gallery row. By late September, three galleries are expected to be open in side-by-side store fronts on Echo Park Avenue.

In other news while I was away:

Longtime local and Reggae historian Roger Steffens is profiled in the Orion, Cal State Chico’s online magazine.

In the New York Times the Insurance Premiums Take a Toll tells the story of Pioneer Markets recent closing.

9/11 Tribute at the Fire Department Academy adjacent to Elysian Park, where the largest steel portion of the WTC serves as a memorial.

The LA Times Calendar Live (unavailable without paid subscription) ran another bohemian, hipster, softer-kinder-gentrification article that at least focused on all the great shops and clubs in Echo Park.

Speaking of new shops, Masa is now serving breakfast and Chango at Chicken Corner is now up and selling coffee, ice cream and other baked goods.

On another note I’ve posted some photos of the beast that is the new Caltrans Building, affectionately referred to as the Death Star, on Archinect where I’m a contributor. You can also find my comments on an article that ran recently about the architect Harwell H. Harris in the Los Angeles Times Home section. Harris’ 1935 home still stands in Echo Park.

Also still available at the NY Times website is Elliott Smith’s Uneasy Afterlife. *I completely missed that Echo Park neighbor and Los Angeles Magazine writer R.J. Smith wrote this article. I’ve also updated the link to another site where this article now shows up.