Joan Didion

To the Editor:
It was evening of the third day of fires whipped by the infamous Santa Ana winds. It felt like sunset on another planet as I saw a truck drive slowly by with a driver staring up at the palm tree in our front yard.
Later, there was a knock on the door. I answered. It was the truck driver. He offered to buy the palm tree in our front yard.
There was an eerie silence as I stood there in the orange smoky haze, ashes falling like snow on Mercury, and blinked two or maybe three times.
By motivation, this had absolutely nothing to do with the fire — it just seemed like something that would happen in Southern California.
As I quietly closed the door, I thought about Joan Didion; she would understand this.

Tom Impelluso
San Diego, Oct. 24, 2007
New York Times

If it seems my blog is becoming a blog about palm trees - that may be the case but it is not my intention. The intersection of the fire, palm trees and Joan Didion in this letter was just too good to not post here.

Los Angeles

http://bldgblog.blogspot.com/2007/10/greater-los-angeles.html

try this article written about Los Angeles so true and we still love it

Wild Fires

View of my loft with the sun filtered thru the smoke on October 23, 2007

Devil Wind

Well it's been hot and smoky around Los Angeles this week, the sun filtered by smoke the region engulfed in flames and yet here in the middle for the city life has gone on as normal I guess whatever that is. It was everywhere in the news, the air and conversations ............ so I painted this scene which i think so captures the ying and yang of life here in Southern California.

Devil Wind 12"x12" oil on board

Fault line

Not the best photo of this painting, did it yesterday, paint is still wet - the board it's on was, well a little broken and smashed up I guess I got mad at something. Pretty sure it was not the board- so I glued it back together and painted over all the Fault lines and broken corners.

Fault line 12"x12" oil on broken/board

The week that was ............

Well this weeks Palm tree sketch needed a name. I did not have to try very hard

"Hollywood Values "



12"x12" "Hollywood Values"

HOLLYWOOD VALUES

US President George W. Bush ripped into "Hollywood values" on Monday, in a surprise attack at the entertainment industry that overwhelmingly backs his Democratic foes.Bush's rhetorical broadside came as he paid tribute to the new chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, US Navy Admiral Mike Mullen, noting that his parents were well regarded behind-the-scenes players in the US movie industry.

I'm in different parts of Hollywood almost everyday in fact I took this picture on Monday, the same day George Bush attacked our "values". If you drive up Beachwood Canyon drive and stay to the left - most don't know how- you come across great views of the sign, which back in the day as a real estate promotion actually said HOLLYWOODLAND.

I know alot of people who live and work in Hollywood they are very nice friendly people who work hard, love their families, their country, their pets and their city. Say what you will about them but I have yet to see any of them start illegal needless WARS at the corner of Hollywood and Vine .