Bad Bitch. Diane Keaton in “Annie Hall”
Below are photos of some of my favorite Actress Inspirations…
The Legendary Rita Moreno
The Always Lovely Marisa Tomei
**Girl Crush** You always steal my heart Eva Mendes
“The Happy Show”
Being an Artist has made me appreciate other people’s art. Today I was introduced to Stefan Sagmeister’s Art; His show, “The Happy Show” is showing at the MOCA at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, CA.
I was joined by my longtime friend/colleague Jen Alex Gonzalez. Now Jen and I met in an acting class over 8 years ago and have constantly competed against each other for different roles for many years. Now when I say compete I mean, most every time I have a commercial audition I go up against her. And she usually books the job! (But in her defense, she’s a really really good actress; so I’m more flattered to even be on the same short list (short list of actresses that get called into casting rooms) w her). Now most people would think that there is some competition or cattiness behind the scenes between us; But seriously, Jen is like a sister to me. An older, shorter, wiser, sister (lol, there’s the cattiness).
So today we made our way to The Happy Show. If your not familiar, Stefan Sagmeister is a graphics artist who advocates “keeping it simple”, which he believes has huge benefits and routinely takes a sabbatical break every seven years to recharge and reflect creatively.
How fucking genius is that! It got me starting to think…I have been working my lil tail off for about the same time. There are days that I wake up and look in the mirror and think “What am I doing?” or “What does it all mean?” Now I know everyone thinks like this or has days like these, but how does one deal? Like really deal? Not just some bullshit massage or some retail therapy…how do people deal?
In Stefan’s show I realized that from a scale of 1-10, my happiness number is a 6. That’s me being honest. I’m a 6. Not a 7, not an 8, but a 6. Yup. Then I asked Miss Jen Alex what she was, and come to find out she was also a true 6.
As competing Actresses (on a daily basis) who are also real true friends, we were on the same level of happiness. How can that be? She seems like she has a more exciting life than I do! This art show got my wheels spinning, how can I get to being higher on the happiness scale? More money? Better roles? More life experience? A location change? Maybe a relationship? (ok I’m talking crazy now).
Maybe I need a sabbatical just like Stefan! Do I walk away for a little while to come back to my craft fully recharged?
The Happy Show indeed made me Happy and when I left I was feeling like an 8. Or maybe it was the sugar high from the ice cream we had afterward. Whatever the case, Happiness is all in who you surround yourself with. I have amazing artist friends who get me and allow me to get to the creative places I need to go. They let me be the crazy neurotic artist I am, and I am thankful for that. I am also thankful to see the art that they create. Jen Alex is an example of someone who creates art that I get to learn from. She’s taught me countless lessons in this dog eat dog industry we work in. The biggest maybe being genuinely happy for someone else when THEY succeed. So many people in this city/industry want you to fail…like literally LOVE when you fail. I have made countless frienemies (oh you know who you are) who don’t root for you, who talk behind your back, who are super selfish, or can’t even hangout without there being competition. Gross, right? I call those people “Haters”…lol.
But for the people you do love, When they are happy, You are happy. Their successes become Your successes.
So maybe I don’t get every role I audition for, and maybe I am a 6 on the Happiness scale (not in looks; Bc I’m an 8 1/2 - 9 in that dept ;)) and maybe I will never take a sabbatical, but I did learn that “The Happy Show” is what you make of it. And at least for today, I am Happy :)) 😊💗
Yum Yum in the Bum Bum @jenalexg (at MOCA Pacific Design Center)
#TheHappyShow 👌 (at MOCA Pacific Design Center)
🎨 (at MOCA Pacific Design Center)
Strugglin Today ;((
The Struggle is Part of the Story…
Today is Monday and I’m under the weather sick :((
Even when I want to stay in bed under the covers laying in fetal position, I chose this acting life to pursue, so I have to put my “game face” on bc The Show Must Go On!! And even if I don’t book the gig, (which seriously you have to hear 100 No’s before you get 1 YES!), I have to remind myself that “The Struggle is part of the Story” ;)) ✌💗 😉
