WE LOVE OUR LOCAL Artists & Makers
Written by Jessica Varone
NELSON MAKAMO
"The second I saw Nelson Makamo’s painting of the young girl with enormously oversized glasses on the cover of Time Magazine, I was captivated! She seemed larger than life, full of wonder and hope. Somehow, I was determined his work be displayed in Beverly Hills. It took about a year to find the appropriate atmosphere and location. Nelson’s majestic painting now graces the hallway walls of the Maybourne Hotel. Placing art in a hotel or vacant storefront window seemed like a no-brainer. It wasn't a far cry or much different than when I worked for Disney in their product placement division for films. I met Nelson’s manager Matsela Moshoka at his first LA exhibition. Our visions aligned, and an introduction was made to Eugene Leonard, the General Manager of the Maybourne Hotel. Eugene is a big supporter of the Arts and wants the Maybourne Hotel to reflect relevant issues, along with fine art from various mediums. Next time you are dining at the hotel, make sure to check out this magnificent painting!” —Deborah Frank
LANCE CHANG
Artist Statement
"Inspired by the mysterious and ever-changing Aurora Borealis (northern lights), I use distortion and blur to enhance the movement and dreamlike quality of my images. Through this distortion, I allow viewers to tap into their own fleeting and familiar recollections to shape the story behind the image. My art is sometimes beautiful, sometimes dark, and often evokes memories of childhood fairy tales. My watercolor-like prints are included in the permanent collection of the National Museum of Dance. I earned degrees from Pomona College and the Brooks Institute of Photography and work in Southern California." —Lance Chang
Chang_AB7441 (image created with a dancer from Luminario Ballet)
"My surrealist images showcase dancers’ graceful fluidity with the undercurrents of raw power and tension required to balance, turn, and jump. Traditional dance photography offers the audience an orchestra pit view of dancers holding a pose, or at the apex of their leap on stage. I want the viewer to experience more than that millisecond, frozen in time under the stage lights. I use distortion and blur to capture the ethereal movement and bold emotion of dancers, creating an intimate experience closer to watching a performance from backstage. My background in painting heavily influences my practice, even down to the brushstroke-like swaths of color and the choice of watercolor paper or canvas for the prints." —Lance Chang
Chang_Odile6116 (image in the permanent collection of the National Museum of Dance in New York)
Photo credit: © 2012 Lance Chang, changstudio.com, all rights reserved, represented by ACCA Beverly Hills.
MELODY EMRANI
Melody Emrani is a Beverly Hills local whose art is a contemporary representation of Mid-Century Modern Landscapes on hand stretched unprimed cotton. She started painting studies in 2010 with classical oils and has developed her acrylic mid-mod collection in 2021. “When it comes to my mid-mod landscapes I am inspired by the balance of negative and positive space. I create these pieces to live amongst a home's vertical and horizontal spaces and earthy tones,” says Emrani. Her work has been featured in two art shows thus far, one solo show in which she sold all of her mid-mod pieces and the Beverly Hills Art Show in which she won first place in the painting category.
Learn more about Melody Emanri at Melodyemrani.com or @melodyemrani_art
— Arielle Harris
Emrani’s landscape piece 'Cresent'
Photos provided by Melody Emrani
BEVERLY HILLS
TEUSCHER
Crafting the perfect piece of chocolate is a challenging feat. Owning the sweetest, most decadent chocolate shop between Beverly Hills and Zurich, the champagne truffle power couple Tom Gallop and Tara Margolin take their love of fine Swiss chocolate and each other to new levels! In 2015, the chocolate lovers became the new owners of one of 15 global locations of Teuscher Chocolates, the #1 chocolatier, according to National Geographic. The teuscher family began hand-crafting fine truffles and chocolates in the heart of the Swiss Alps. Keeping with a 90-year tradition, Beverly Hills teuscher offers extraordinary truffles made
in Switzerland. Both Tom and Tara’s families had long-standing traditions and memories around Beverly Hills teuscher and wanted to continue serving the teuscher family chocolates to their local community.
Learn more at beverlyhillsteuscher.com or @beverlyhillsteuscher — Arielle Harris
Tara Margolin and Tom Gallop posing with world-renowned chocolatier, Mr. Teuscher (center)
Photos provided by Manos PR