Chola with out a cause

Chola with out a cause is dedicated to all the beautiful and misguided cholitas sin barrios. I went to school with a lot of these girls and had countless crushes on them. They used to listen to Art Laboe on Sunday nights and always had "Smile Now-Cry Later" art work decorating the outside of their three ring binders. The only chance you had at a chick like this is if you where a bald headed knucklehead and god did I hate those muthafuckers.

I went to school with this chick, we'll call her Panchita. Panchita was a good looking girl, there was nothing wrong wither that some Thrifty make up couldn't fix. Her 3 Brothers where cholos, all of them had at least 2 bullet holes to speak of, and constantly stole shit from their own neighbors. Panchita was the only girl in the family, her pops was an alcoholic who hardly worked and her moms was constantly working. So Panchitas biggest influences, naturally, where her 3 hell bent brothers.

In High school, Panchita was sort of the leader of her pretty girl crew that she used to kick it with. That girl had full lips and those eyes that where stretched just a little it made her look like one of those china dolls.How can you not have a crush on her? Every mutha in high school wanted to get at that but panchitas man was some thug ass foo' who was like 20 years old and used to wait for her after school in his Montecarlo. That dude had a goatee and all these jailhouse tattoos, I think he was from East Side Paramount or some shit. That punk ass bumped into me on purpose one time at Tams burgers and tried to pick a fight. I should have at least tried to sock his ass, I knew I had no chance but still, I shouldn't have just taken it, I shouldn't have let him get away with it. People have more respect for a man who has fought and lost than a man who has never fought at all.

After my junior year I only saw panchita a handful of times, she ended up going to a continuation school and having a kid before she was 17. After that I kind of forgot about her until a few weeks ago.

I sometimes do my laundry at this "open 24 hour" Laundromat near Manchester and prairie in Inglewood. Its right down the street from The Forum. I usually go around midnight because their is hardly anyone there. I didn't have change for a twenty so I went to ask the attendant for some change. sitting behind the counter was Panchita. I didn't expect her to recognize me after all it took me a bit to recognize her and pretty girls didn't pay attention to me back in high school. She is 24 but looks 42 and about 20lbs heavier, she had badly died hair and a tattoo tear under her right eye. She tattooed her lip liner in and her mans name in licorice letters across her neck. I got my change, washed my dirty laundry, and played some videogames. I was folding my clothes and watching the rebroadcast of the 11 o'clock news when she said, "you still look like you did in High school." I wish I could say the same for her. Her story was she had 3 kids from 2 different dudes, her last man was locked up, and she was planning on going to nursing school as soon as he got out. Fuck. But then again, what more can you expect?

the Voodoo Bunny

The Voodoo Bunny is a collaboration between me and a talented artist named Jason Jacenko. I enjoyed working on this project because I don't normally do this type of work. Jason lives in Australia check out his site at www.Jacenko.com I just think its so fucken awesome how two people, in two different parts of the world can, collaborate on such a cool project.

Ruby

Since I took this picture I have added a skirt and further defined Ruby. She is currently laying in a clay bed awaiting, "sufficient funds", to be molded.
Ruby is a stripper who works south of downtown LA at the Alameda strip club and bar. I dig that place 'cause Budweiser's are 2.50 a piece as opposed to the 4 or 5 bucks you pay at other joints. Ruby gives lap dances for 10 bucks and they are full songs too. One night I got there at about 1am and got some dances from her. She gave me 3 lap dances for only $20, being that they where the last three songs of the night. They turned on the lights meaning we all had to leave, so as I got up from my lap dance Ruby told me that 200 bucks got me whatever I wanted, as long as I gave her a ride home after. I was tempted, but being that my ass is always broke I had to pass. Someone once told me that women take rejections a lot harder than men. Maybe its true. The following week I went back and sat down like a big man, thinking Ruby would remember me but she just kept walking by. Finally, when I got the chance to wave her down, she came over and our conversation went like this,
"Hey, remember me, the RedRooster?"
"No, but that's a funny name"
"I'm the dude from last Thursday"
"oh, yeah....Hey, I got to go dance, but Ill talk to you later"
She never came back or bothered to look over for the rest of the night.....Ouch.

Camilla

This is a work in progress of Camilla. She is based on the character from John Fantes novel ask the dust. The reason I chose to sculpt her was because ,if you read the book you would know, that Camilla was sort of a loose cannon of a woman, a wild woman who wore her heart on her sleeve. Well,I too new a girl like that once, and like Arturo Bandini I fell hard for her.

I would never forget that girl. A ghetto baby who was addicted to coke by the age of 20, Had more men in her stable than Heidi Flies, and looks that would get away with murder. The funny thing was that she got with me 'cause she thought I was loaded with cash, and she actually did get me for 40 bucks to pay for her coke once. But the joke was on her 'cause little did she know my ass was broke and still livin at home but at least "I got mines".

P.S.
There's one thing I always wondered, you know how when you donate blood and they ask you , "Have you ever had any sex with another person for money or drugs?" Does it count, if you went out with a chick, dropped a crap load a cash on her, and then got laid? Shoot, she probably slept with more guys than a hooker. I always answer with, "shit man, I'm giving you my blood for free, you got no right to be picky."

Mr. Green

Mr. Green was a sculpture that did not survive the molding process, his remains can be found at my bro's house. I've been thinking of re-doing him for my next show but that's still up in the air. The inspiration comes from Jazz music and the night life. I wanted him to feel cool and smooth. This was the first of my sculptures done in this style, by far one of my favorite pieces.

Whatabum

I saw this man in downtown LA. He was homeless but I spuced him up a bit by sculpting him in a suit and tie. He was drunk off his ass not a care in the world. He looked so damn happy and peacefull...........I envy that man.