A few of y’all have asked me, recently: “So, what is Saturn Bound?”, and I thought I’d explain.

For most of my youth, I wanted to be an astronaut.

There’s something about the idea of outer space that captures our collective imagination, more so than ever. Even now, as the government continues to cut funding on space exploration programs, there is a renewed cultural fascination with space: an incredible influx of art, music, design, and fashion inspired by the stars. How many fashion designers have featured Hubble image prints, android-inspired collections, holographic materials, lately? We’re looking towards the future.

Space is a metaphor for the places we could go, and the beauty of what we don’t yet know. It’s the thrill of discovery.

Saturn Bound is my project and ode to the creators working out there, at the boundaries of their medium, forging a path into the future.

About Autopilot

Since November, I’ve been throwing a party called Autopilot, which focuses on electronic music that I love, music that falls into that genre-less grey area, but leaves plenty of room to move. It’s been an incredible experience thus far; to watch friendships (and crushes) form on the dancefloor, people dancing long past last call as we pulled down the gate. I’ve watched DJs connect and learn skills from one another, artists who formed alliances for new collaborations.

It’s reminded me how essential nightlife is to creativity; it’s where we strip off the daily grime and finally get a chance to play. And it’s that space to play and let down barriers that allow us to create new neural pathways, new connections, new ideas.

I’ve always said that the dancing is a form of meditation. There’s a headspace like no other I’ve experienced, where you’re in the middle of the dancefloor, drenched in sweat, un-self-conscious and overwhelmed by sound. It’s a space where you can look at the person next to you and connect with them in your shared experience. Music is an equalizer (pun semi-intended).

Tonight, Autopilot is back again at Sullivan Room, and I’m completely nervous and excited, because we’re going hard. The lineup is really incredible, featuring artists from Brooklyn and Montreal.

We’ve got our very first international guests from Montreal, Sibian & Faun, who played the Red Bull Music Academy stage at MUTEK this year. Not to mention the Brooklyn-based co-founder and resident at the monthly Broke City party, Figgy. And two of our Autopilot favorites, Your Move and Blacky II.

Autopilot #007: Thursday March 7th

Sibian & Faun

(NUMBERS / Infinite Machine)
https://soundcloud.com/sibianandfaun

Figgy

(Symbols / Broke City)
https://soundcloud.com/figgy

Blacky II

(Rinsed)
https://soundcloud.com/rinsednyc

Your Move

(end fence)
https://soundcloud.com/arkady

Sullivan Room NYC – 218 Sullivan Street (NYC)
10pm – 4am
$5 cover all night ✦ 2-for-1 drinks from 10-11PM
Photos by VJ Doctor Mojo

Hope to see you there.
With love & lasers, 
LJ

Photography by Najva Sol

In an attempt to update and unify my photos on my site (and social media) I put out a little “call for collaboration” on my Facebook page, a few weeks ago. I figured it would be fun to get out, work with photographers, do a little concept development and just generally get some nice photos of myself. I’m not rebranding so much as further honing my personal aesthetic, now that I am really finding  what works for me as a designer and as visual human being.

My personal style is definitely condensing itself, as I start to better recognize patterns, colors and shapes that I am consistently drawn to – I think as I get older, I’ve learned to trust my instincts much more, and take more chances. I’ve also learned to appreciate my brain’s facility with pattern recognition: it somehow manages to catch onto social and cultural touchpoints before they reach a certain level of saturation. It’s hard to explain, but it’s a knack I’ve always had.

Last weekend, I did my first shoot in awhile, since earlier in the summer (which I, unfortunately never received images from). Modeling is sort of a weird thing. It’s something I’ve been doing for awhile, since I was eighteen. It took me a long, long time my in my life to even begin to consider myself “pretty”or accept my body, but modeling was one of those things that has helped paved the way. I would collaborate, dress up, and pose nude (on occasion) for photographers and found myself strangely grounded in front of the camera. It gave me a perspective on how, perhaps, other people saw me. Or how I could shape myself to be seen in certain ways. Or how to remove all layers and be, at the core, essentially human, when I often felt like I was anything but.

As I posted on Twitter, last night: “Modeling is a form of meditation in some way – an exercise in introspection, reflecting, focus, nuance, subtlety. Such a specific mindspace. The most interesting part, as photographic subject, is watching at close range how another person concepts, shapes and generates their art.”

I like watching how others make their art.

This shoot was a really interesting one. I have to say, it’s not exactly easy shooting with your best friend – but I always enjoy a challenge. Najva and I have known each other from the very first day I’ve moved to New York City, over 7 years ago. She and I have wildly different tastes in fashion – while I am more pared down, futuristic and materials-oriented; she is a maximalist that takes her style cues from dramatic patterns and silhouettes, from every era.

Amusingly so, we were both kind of nervous about the shoot. I am a ruthless critic and editor at times (and if I take the time to critique you, it means I care enough for you to improve your work) which can sometimes come off as mean, if you’re not used to it. (Thanks, Art School, for thickening my skin!) And Najva has been on the receiving end of this critique, before. I was nervous because I’m definitely not Najva’s typical subject and she is very specific about how she likes things to be styled, so, that was a bit of a struggle. It ended up being to both of our benefit because it pushed things in a way that I didn’t anticipate, but ultimately really like.

The weather was icy and damp that morning, but the clouds were the perfect overcast light, diffusing everything. The rooftop felt sort of strange and elemental, and I ended up channeling a witchy vibe towards the end of the shoot when I relaxed a little bit (and was feeling less awkward).

Check out the rest of Najva’s portfolio (some images NSFW!) here: www.najvasol.com

It’s been a wild few weeks, bittersweet but beautiful. I can’t even figure out where to start.

Most saliently, I found myself waking up last Friday to news of a horrific mass-shooting in the town where I grew up. A town that, up until a week ago, if I had told you the name, you would have shrugged your shoulders and I’d have to wave my hands and explain, “sort of, like, in the southeast corner of Connecticut”. It’s weird that a single word can suddenly change to become a loaded shorthand for so many things, instead of just a point on a map, it is a cultural touchstone. It’s been hard, surreal, enraging. I find myself with a sudden uncomfortable insight at how parasitic much of mainstream media can be, and watching it from afar in New York has been challenging. I want to write more about it at length, but, perhaps, this isn’t the proper venue. Or maybe it is. After all, our beliefs and experiences are what shape our creation of art, no?

Speaking of art, I’ve been feeling pretty unstoppable, a momentum that I sometimes find hard to tap into. A flow state, if you will. And it feels wildly exciting, like I’ve found a facile shortcut towards my dreams.

Working on my weekly party, Autopilot, has also been a huge part of that. Nightlife is something I’ve been involved with for a pretty long time now, through various aspects: door girl, performer, go-go dancer, decorator, promoter, flyer girl, stage manager, etc. And every single time, I tap into this flow state where my mind feels sharp, reflexes responding, where I can respond and solve problems fluidly. After things sort of organically wrapped up with Lowbrow Society earlier in the spring, I felt like I was ready to get started on my own venture. So, Saturn Bound is my new project, which has been going surprisingly well. All these years of work and learning are starting to pay off. So grateful for my “Party Mentors” I’ve had over the years.

And, one of those mentors is Mr. Kevin Bracken, the mad genius behind those pillow fights in Union Square as well as the up-and-coming Speakeasy app, which I’ve been beta testing and consulting on the UI/UX and design. I’m digging it a LOT, and I can’t wait to see it in action.

This week, I wrote and illustrated a guest article, “Walk of Fame: Going to Work [or Class] the Next Day with Your Dignity Intact” for their “Party Science” series on the blog! Check it out, tell me what you think and if you have any tips of your own to add! Apparently, I’m “hilarious”, which I find genuinely awesome and surprising.

And, yep. Lots of things in the works. Doing some more ice cream girl paintings and collaborating on a photography vs illustration nude portrait project for Brooklyn Wildlife’s “12 Days of Art” coming up in January. And throwing more parties. And working on secret projects.

2013 is going to be a fucking awesome year, I can feel it already.

Looking for something to do on Wednesday night? Well, I’m getting my hands back into event production, again. And I’m psyched to be doing my pilot night in my favorite New York neighborhood. Check it:

Saturn Bound presents: AUTOPILOT #1

Mondays can be rough, but by Wednesday we’re in a groove, on autopilot, going through the motions until we can make it to the weekend.

Break up your midweek monotony and get back to basics with cheap drinks, good people, and blissed-out beats. Get sexy and get your dance on.

LINEUP:

Miss Sabado (Resonate | NYC)
soundcloud.com/misssabado

SHVLFCE (NYC)
soundcloud.com/shvlfce

Adi (Disorient | NYC)
soundcloud.com/plasticadi

Check out Miss Sabado’s most recent mix, while you’re at it:

Deep house, tech house, and a little bit of everything in between.

Arrow Bar has a great $6 beer & a shot special, and if you feel like coming afterwork, you can catch their 2-for-1 happy hour special. An open basement, plenty of space, and a new soundsystem.

Simple.

NO COVER! FREE! Because we love you.

RSVP Here on Facebook.

Sometimes, I doodle little comics about dumb things I think are funny. Or about things from my life. And here and there, I clean up the doodles and make ‘em into graphics. I want to try and do this more often because people seem to dig ‘em, and it’s good to stretch my narrative drawing muscles, right? Just fun, and y’all can see some of the other things that I do. I’ve been thinking for a year now, that I want to do a semi-autobiographical series of comics, but I’m still working up the nerve, because there are a lot of things I want to say. But hey, if I can out myself as a naked-lady drawin’ artist to much acclaim and little effect, I think I can push the limits a little further.

So, hey, watch this space.

Hope you have a good weekend. All of you, you’re awesome. Thank you to those who read this and tell me that you dig it, it really amazes and humbles me that these warblings impact and amuse y’all, in some small way.

Quick and dirty post to show you a little bit of what I’ve been up to, behind the scenes. A lot of new work is in the process.

Last week, halfway through my week of hurricane unemployment, I finally moved into and got keys for my new studio workspace! I have a desk! And a wall! And a place to paint! And exclamation points! Was nervous about spending the money but it has totally changed up the way I work, and definitely upped my productivity. It’s sort of a quiet sanctuary, where my brain automatically slips into a creative space. It’s magical. And I can’t be in a bad mood when I’m there and producing work.

Have a lot of thoughts about this whole hurricane experience, but I definitely want to put out there how grateful I am for the extra time to make art, spend quality hangouts with friends, connect with people, help my community, see others mobilize to do the same, and also reconfirm the importance of local businesses and services in my life. And the election, well, definitely has sharpened my sense of civic awareness and working from the bottom up.

Amazing. I love this city, even more than I thought possible, even with the good and the bad.

Get your weekend in, kids. See you next week, same bat time.

Halloween has always been a favorite holiday of mine, though, over the years, my excitement and planning invested in it has waned a bit. When you run in a circle of people that are extravagantly talented costumers (who dress up for almost every occasion, and then some) – Halloween becomes a bit of an “amateur’s night”. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, of course.

Also, I’ve always found it kind of strange that costumes have to specifically reference a specific person, thing or pop-culture phenom. I think of costuming a little bit like drawing, where I’m constructing an persona that doesn’t exist yet – that’s half the fun! “… so what are you supposed to be?”

This year, I’m doing a reprise of my space assassin costume from two years ago, mixed with some Ghost in the Shell influences, and general futuristic android-girl styling. Hopefully I’ll get some proper photos to show y’all. Brooklyn-based, Saturn-bound!

This week’s NSFWF is a sexy catgirl, inspired by various superheroes and the miracles of black latex. I’m feeling a little shaky on the anatomy on this one and I am reminded that I need to get back to the basics and start drawing from life again. I played around this time with doing a softer linework (and ooooh, I almost considered just posting the lines because I liked them so much) with a 70% opacity, low-flow brush in Photoshop. Playing with a more comic-book influenced coloring style, which was an interesting challenge for me, since I’ve been way more into the flat, bright colors. But, it’s always an asset to be able to work in multiple styles and mediums, so I’m always learning and growing.

In other news, can I tell you how excited I am that I will be getting studio space in just a week’s time! I feel so lucky to be in a place (financially, socially) to finally be able to set aside a dedicated workspace to focus on my art. I think it’s going to amp up my work to not have to interrupt my process for various reasons and distractions, and just have a place to make art. I plan on picking up oil paints again, too. And getting models to sit for me. HOORAY.
Now maybe I’ll finally work up the nerve to sell my work, eh? I know, I know. I have designs on prints in the works, I just need to take the time and take the plunge. Constant hustle.

Anyway, I hope y’all are prepared for a fantastic, plastic, sugar-filled, decorated, debauchery-filled weekend.
Party smart, and I’ll see you on the other side.

Hihihihi! How have you been?
I’ve been busy making art, having midnight picnics under the Manhattan Bridge, planning parties, yelling at the TV during the first presidential debates, and just generally being up to no good.

I missed you! Did you miss me? Of course you did.

I almost had this NSFW Friday girl ready for you last week, but sometimes the real world gets in the way of the digital world. It’s better that way, I am already part cyborg so I need to keep at least one foot IRL.

Anyway, that’s about all I can muster for the moment. And if you’re in NYC, I hope you’re enjoying the fuck out of this warm day. Party for me. Love! Happy Friday!

Happy Friday! I’ve missed you!

It’s been a whirlwind of a few weeks, with me attempting to work like mad and get a lot of painting done for my open studios this weekend. I’m terrified and thrilled. But things look good. The other night I hung five of my paintings on the wall and stood back and felt wildly satisfied for the first time in ages with my work.

The “ice cream girls” series I’ve been working on for the past few months is my first ever attempt to explore and play within an idea to create images that fit together as a part of a whole. I think it’s been an important challenge to stick with one idea and develop it and see how I can push it, and my style and painting techniques have improved through the challenge. Also, my work ethic, strangely enough. I have a tendency to create in small, intense bursts rather than working in stages on a project , but I’m finally getting into the habit of taking time and working thoughtfully and over a period of days. Point is, I’ve seen a huge leap in how far I’ve come as an artist in the past year, and it’s hugely motivating. It makes me want to create MORE, in all mediums. Feels good.

This week’s illustration is a reprise of my first ice cream girl painting, done in Illustrator & Photoshop, of course. I’m pretty sure this is going to be the back of my new business cards. I personally think business cards are silly and sort of wasteful but I should have at least a few. With naked ladies on ‘em, just so people know not to take me too seriously. I prefer stickers a hundred times over, and have plans for another batch, soon!

Anyway, dear reader, I hope you are primed for a killer weekend and that you’re making the most of these last days of summer.
Happy motherfucking Friday. You’re beautiful.

New illustration work, and it’s not even Friday! I’ve been on a creative rampage lately for my upcoming open studio in September (more on that, later). And the side effect of that, is my need to create is spilling into various media including illustration, photography, writing and poetry. Sometimes an idea is too big (or too specific) for only one medium. I feel productive, though, which is a nice and rare thing.

Anyway, this drawing was inspired by a floor full of killer sneakers (plus, a pair of Litas for good measure). The image has stuck in my mind for over a year, and I finally set to work on it last week. I’d like to really do more work that reflects my passion for the underground electronic music scene here in NYC. I’ve been reading the book of Keith Haring’s diaries as of late, and I’ve been thinking a lot about how to reflect music, motion, light and dance in a visual way. I have far to go on honing this giant, nebulous idea but just making anything feels good. Brooklyn, we go hard, et al.

This was a tricky piece. Not to mention the challenge (for me) of drawing in perspective, creating a scene, developing depth, it was the COLOR that drove me crazy. I have 5 alternate versions of this saved, with a different color palettes! I kept hearing the Ghost of Art School Past whispering in my ear: “LIMIT YOUR PALETTE, LENORA.” I kind of did (oh hay, triadic color scheme) but the gradients seemed much more effective for implying light than flat color did. Next time! Think I want to explore this idea of nightlife and fashion, a little bit more.

Hat tip to Eat the Cake & NIGHT|URCHiN, whose photos I used for inspiration and reference.