Who is Byron Werner
Remember the Nuart's lobby statues? Of course you do, if you've ever been to the Nuart they are prominent figures, greeting the cold and lonely Angelino. Two Saturday's ago I was at the Nuart for Rocky and they were back; they had been removed for the remodel and I was afraid they weren't coming back. Actually I was really angry that they might now be in the possession of theater manager Jim, and I thought I might have to go kick his ass. But all is now right with the horrible remodel now that Lobby Kitty and Snakey are home. Oh, I don't know if they really have names, but for photo naming purposes I call them that.
He's the artist who did them. That Saturday I discovered what I had somehow missed in the last 19 years of going to the Nuart, weekly for 14 of those years - the signature!
I looked him up and no, he is not the film maker of the same name, he is a really cool artist type guy who is a follower of the Church of Sub Genius, and he makes a hell of a mandala.
http://www.rockseye.com/werner/
He is also a vinyl historian of sorts and coined the phrase 'space age bachelor pad music', which he now makes ( I think) because I found this on Myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/ruralwarroomrecords
So I wrote him yesterday and I got the story of Lobby Kitty and Snakey from him! How exciting, and such a nice guy.
Dear Marilynn-
Indeed I am the same artist involved in the creation of the Nuart
statues. I am most relieved to learn that they have not been evicted
but still grace the lobby of the Nuart.
I was first contacted by Doug Martin (twin brother of Steve Martin
who made the Theremin documentary) when he worked for Landmark
Theaters. He had seen a painted statue of mine when he was visiting a
mutual friend, artist Nancy Levy. This was in 1981.
We chose the statues from a couple of places (there was a statue
place on Melrose across from Fairfax High and another in Tarzana I
believe). I had one month to paint and coat them (cel-vinyl animation
paint and a 2 stem resin coating) and I got $400 to do the both. To
make matters more hectic, I was also working a 40hr/wk doing animation
painting at the time. Originally they were supposed to be in the
bathrooms (!!) but I lobbied (no pun intended) very hard to move them
to the lobby as I was convinced that they would get trashed in the
bathrooms. As it is, they are showing some wear. I was in there last
in 1999 (I think) to try and clean them up a bit.
Not sure what else I can tell you. I have pretty much switched from
painting to collage, using gift wrap paper mostly (see
http:www.rockseye.com/werner/) and still do an occasional statue.
If you have other questions, please feel free to write me. I am now
in Little Rock, AR.
Thanks you very much for your interest in my work. You are very
sweet.
Byron Werner
He included his address and phone number, what guy! I know that at least one person loves Lobby Kitty even more than me and that's Robert B. You know, he is deathly allergic to cats but he *loves* them, and is always asking about other people's pussys. When we took photos for I.D. badges one year he insisted on taking his photo with her.
More of Lobby Kitty and Snakey
He's the artist who did them. That Saturday I discovered what I had somehow missed in the last 19 years of going to the Nuart, weekly for 14 of those years - the signature!
I looked him up and no, he is not the film maker of the same name, he is a really cool artist type guy who is a follower of the Church of Sub Genius, and he makes a hell of a mandala.
http://www.rockseye.com/werner/
He is also a vinyl historian of sorts and coined the phrase 'space age bachelor pad music', which he now makes ( I think) because I found this on Myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/ruralwarroomrecords
So I wrote him yesterday and I got the story of Lobby Kitty and Snakey from him! How exciting, and such a nice guy.
Dear Marilynn-
Indeed I am the same artist involved in the creation of the Nuart
statues. I am most relieved to learn that they have not been evicted
but still grace the lobby of the Nuart.
I was first contacted by Doug Martin (twin brother of Steve Martin
who made the Theremin documentary) when he worked for Landmark
Theaters. He had seen a painted statue of mine when he was visiting a
mutual friend, artist Nancy Levy. This was in 1981.
We chose the statues from a couple of places (there was a statue
place on Melrose across from Fairfax High and another in Tarzana I
believe). I had one month to paint and coat them (cel-vinyl animation
paint and a 2 stem resin coating) and I got $400 to do the both. To
make matters more hectic, I was also working a 40hr/wk doing animation
painting at the time. Originally they were supposed to be in the
bathrooms (!!) but I lobbied (no pun intended) very hard to move them
to the lobby as I was convinced that they would get trashed in the
bathrooms. As it is, they are showing some wear. I was in there last
in 1999 (I think) to try and clean them up a bit.
Not sure what else I can tell you. I have pretty much switched from
painting to collage, using gift wrap paper mostly (see
http:www.rockseye.com/werner/) and still do an occasional statue.
If you have other questions, please feel free to write me. I am now
in Little Rock, AR.
Thanks you very much for your interest in my work. You are very
sweet.
Byron Werner
He included his address and phone number, what guy! I know that at least one person loves Lobby Kitty even more than me and that's Robert B. You know, he is deathly allergic to cats but he *loves* them, and is always asking about other people's pussys. When we took photos for I.D. badges one year he insisted on taking his photo with her.
More of Lobby Kitty and Snakey