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Exactly how it sounds. A standing invitation to step out for in person gatherings each month.
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Once per month, you'll receive an invitation via email — an invitation to connect through fueling the creative spirit.
Guided by the awareness that the best ideas come from being out in the world, I invite you to be part of a collective of practicing creatives; an inner circle of contemporaries that each bring their distinct expertise to the table and are united through gatherings spanning art, nature, design and learning through doing. Let's go experience those projects we read about.
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First rsvp, first serve and space is generally limited. No pressure to make them all, but try to make a few.
- Melanie Ryan
DEC
2024
The final Standing Invitation for 2024 was at The Wolford House in the east side LA community of Mount Washington. This entire street is filled with hidden architectural gems and panoramic views - it's a bit of an urban oasis.
Thank you to Lena for leading the tour of their current exhibition of group artists.
*The golden LIGHT for that sunset may have stole the show.
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NOV
2024
This month we ventured to Malibu to visit a gallery in residence at the famed Craig Ellwood designed Hunt House. Peter Blake Gallery (also the most stylish guy) has taken up residency for the month for this iteration of BLAKEHAUS series, featuring a group show of selected California light and space artists.
The home has also undergone an impressive and award winning restoration led by Architect, Diane Bald.
I especially enjoy when art, architecture and a stunning natural setting collide.
This was a special one. Thank you again to Peter and his team for hanging out.
OCT
2024
October’s STANDING INVITATION was at a new locals/ neighborhood spot @sunsetbeergarden.la aka Bia Ôm that has my 3 favorite elements of this invitational series: discovery, thoughtful design, and trees.
Thank you for the brewery tour Jens Hommert, who along with his partner Hieu Dam own and designed this wonderful addition to the community.
SEP
2024
September we gathered to experience the work WAVESPACE by Artist Lachlan Turczan located inside the Signal shops in DTLA's Arts District. This is a perfect example of art and design creating something to discover in an urban environment. This installation created a space for calm and connection. I wish these experience could be placed throughout the city. ​
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AUG
2024
August feels like the Sunday of summer, people are traveling and enjoying simple pleasures as they should - so we took it easy and had a slow morning gathering (and mobile work session after) at the newly opened Creature's Plants & Coffee in Eagle Rock.
Designed by Ann-Sofi Holst (Dunsmuir Institute) and Alex Ellien (fullBRANCH). ​
JUL
2024
July's Invitation is with Present Studio alongside their monthly Present Walks series, it makes so much sense to collaborate with them for a gathering...Standing / Walking...getting the creative community together, etc!
It's summer, so let's get outside and gather after our walk at this otherwise private and artful look-out spot designed to worship the sun.
I'm a long time fan of Terremoto - and for this special collaborative evening we'll gather after the walk at their Echo Park Monolith project take in the view and watch the sunset.
Light refreshments included.
JUN
2024
June's Invitation was a bit of a hybrid as I invited friends and invitees to participate on a few different levels.
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1. I was supposed to have an installation inside my home in Echo Park during the first annual LA Design Weekend however we had to regroup, and rather than compete with an already robust roster of events over the weekend - I invited invitees to meet me out.
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2. I offered to pick folks up in the Bronco as a "Design Safari" to spot and hunt design up along the way.
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3. I shared my top hits for the day and documented as best I could for some live design action.
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Big or small, inviting people out to something I'm already doing is part of what prompted me to start
Standing Invitation's easy breezy ethos of inviting interested people to experience cultural findings by design. I'm already planning on checking this out anyway, it's my actual job to meet new people, I enjoy it - so why not make it more of an organized thing? I'm halfway through the year of my commitment to this beta testing and it's already been very cool to notice all the new friends and discoveries along the way.
MAY
2024
May's Invitation is a recent discovery for me of the PDC Design Gallery (the brown/tan square building in the middle of the bolder red, green and blue buildings) and celebrating the colorful exhibition of Artist Jim Isermann, to also celebrate Pride Week and show support to our friends in the LGBTQ+ community while touring his bold and joyful works.
A pop in, a gathering within a reception within a citywide celebration.
*Note, this is also public event and not exclusive to Standing Invitation guests. We will meet on the second floor at 6:00pm. Self guided tour at your leisure. Ends at 7:00pm.
APR
2024
April's Invitation is a first look at a brand new studio installation designed by Isa Isa showcasing the raw natural plant materials used to create Twenty One Tonnes' unique homewares.
TWENTY ONE TONNES is a Los Angeles based studio that designs unique pieces for interiors, and produces them in collaboration with traditional craftspeople in Ghana, Mexico and Japan. Designers Chessa Osburn and Mary Jane Bolton are intentional with their choice to work with women's organizations, small family workshops, and indigenous communities. And they strive to do trade in a way that supports tradition and sustainability by working with artisans to create new designs with ancestral techniques and local natural materials.
ISA ISA is a floral design studio based in Los Angeles. With an emphasis on seasonal, often local and foraged flowers, branches, pods, and fruits, our desire is to create emotive, weird, and wonderfully inspired environments. Founded by Sophia Moreno-Bunge in 2014, ISA ISA is named after Sophia’s Argentine grandmothers, both of whom are called Isabel.
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FEB
2024
February's invitation is a collaborative gathering with the wonderful Eva Seta as co-host.
You're invited to a viewing and kickback on Sunday February 25th for a classic LA gathering for locals, with a cruise down the highway to arrive in time for a gradient sunset at the outdoor public skyspace installation. Bringing together architecture and public art. - Melanie Ryan
Bask in the awareness of light, sky, and perception on the eve before Frieze week commences. A new tradition of calm before enjoying the storm, set your intentions for the forthcoming cascade of happenings among friends and colleagues, new and old. In our city’s classic fashion, drive a while to see the exemplary example of public art. - Eva Seta
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JAN
2024
January's invitation takes place in Venice at Chromasonic - the perfect experience to kick off 2024 to help expand awareness and enhance connection, (which are also my main priorities with these monthly gatherings). Chromasonic is an immersive installation where guests essentially "hear light and see sound".
We'll gather before to hear the founder's intentions and plans for more installations at LAX and beyond. Calming mood enhancing beverages will be served.
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