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Painted Rooms: Chris Pastras and Josh Feldman
www.thelovestation.com
www.stereosoundagency.com
www.joshfeldman.com
Chris Pastras:
A native of New Jersey, Chris Pastras is known for a spontaneous creativity in everything he touches, primarily manifesting
itself in art and skateboarding. Cofounder and longtime art director for Stereo Skateboards, he has had a huge influence
on today’s skate and street art scene. His sketches bring together an imaginative, forward design and a whimsical touch
that can only come from a true original. His works have shown in exhibitions worldwide, including Stockholm, Vancouver,
London, Tokyo, Los Angeles and New York. Chris currently resides in Los Angeles.
Chris Pastras blessed the walls of room 410 with a life size painting of his dreamlike cityscapes and flowing cursive
handwriting which he dubbed San Francisco Love.
Photographer: Isaac McKay-Randozzi
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"I had a lot of fun creating the mural. All it took was
getting lost in it," Pastras says. "Once you tap into that passion for
what you're doing you can't stop whether it's skating,
painting, writing, or driving on the highway.
I lived in SF for most of my adult life and it's the
most inspiring city for me creatively. I'm in love
with the architecture, the weather, the hills, the
people, all of it. That's why I called the piece San
Francisco Love and walking around the city for five hours
was all I needed to get my inspiration."
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On Wednesday, October 26th, 2005, San Francisco Love was completed and celebrated with an open exhibition for all
attendees to see. Chris and his business partner, Jason
Lee, lined an entire floor of the hotel to a showcase of Stereo Sound Agency skateboards.
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Josh Feldman:
Though Josh Feldman has always followed creative channels—architecture, sound, motion graphics, graphic design, and film, to name a few—in the end, he decided that he simply needed to create his own genre of art.
“I call it ‘clusteral abstracts,’” he says. “It’s a visual approach I’ve been refining for last ten years. I use the computer to create textural backgrounds for web sites as well as fine art. Back in 1995 I was doing this type of textural, layered, organic imagery. I’ve been refining and working on it ever since. It’s simply what works for me. When I think of creating a new piece of art, this is what excites me.”
Feldman attributes his interest in computer-generated forms partly to his growing up in Bay Area, which he lauds for its “open adoption of technology” and “freedom to do anything I wanted: starting a company, or trying a certain strain of art.”
A design degree from Rhode Island School of Design and year-long stint in Europe also figure strongly into his aesthetic. But creating art that requires printing also presented a challenge as he envisioned his “Painted” Room.
“Because I’m not a painter, my thought was not ‘grab a paintbrush and start on the walls,’” Feldman explains. “I tried to figure out what works in that setting, but also what would be ‘me.’ The approach was an installation that used physical pieces as well as art. I used to do prop lighting, and have used light as an artistic medium for a while now. In the room I combined distinct pieces arranged on a certain way on a wall, with projections of light on the other wall that complemented the work”
As an added feature for people who stay overnight in his room, Feldman also installed an additional light switch next to the wall. At night, hotel guests can choose their own atmosphere, opting to view only the projections, if they like.
Feldman’s “clusteral abstracts” have earned him a far-reaching following. In the past two years alone, he has appeared in over 20 group and solo exhibitions, including shows in Toronto, Oslo, Annapolis and Philadelphia.
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