UCLA Arts Gift Guide
Gift Ideas from the UCLA Arts Community
If you’re looking for last minute holiday gifts, consider supporting the UCLA Arts community of artists, scholars, makers, and entrepreneurs:
The Jungalow Shop: Justina Blakeney ’01 (B.A., World Arts and Cultures/Dance)
Artist, designer, and author Justina Blakeney is known for her plant-filled, bohemian, “Jungalow” aesthetic, about which she published her New York Times bestselling book titled The New Bohemians and its companion, The New Bohemian’s Handbook. She designs products for and collaborates with top brands and companies including Target, West Elm, Hygge & West, Schoolhouse Electric, Loeffler Randall, and many more, and offers a plethora of gifts for the home through her online shop.
Coolhaus: Natasha Case ’08 (M.Arch., Architecture and Urban Design)
Natasha Case founded LA’s coolest ice cream truck in 2008—the same year she earned her master of architecture degree from UCLA. Today, you don’t even have to be in Los Angeles to pick up some of these sweet treats for your friends and family: Coolhaus now distributes in 6,000+ grocery stores ranging from the UCLA Store, to Whole Foods to Safeway to Publix markets, has two Southern California-based storefronts, and 10 mobile ice cream trucks and carts in Los Angeles, New York, and Dallas. And, you can order online from almost anywhere in the United States.
30:11 by Jade Charon: Jade Charon Robertson ’18 (M.F.A., World Arts and Cultures/Dance)
In addition to developing her choreography and dance company, Jade Charon Robertson has founded a mentorship program for young girls of color, produced a dance festival for women of color to showcase their artistic projects, and created an inclusive and affordable line of dance clothing. Her line, 30:11 is available on her website.
Massx: Neil M. Denari Architects - Precise Form For An Imprecise World: Selected Things 2000-2017: Neil Denari, professor in the Department of Architecture and Urban Design
Department of Architecture and Urban Design Professor Neil Denari is principal of Neil M. Denari Architects (NMDA), a Los Angeles-based office dedicated to exploring the worlds of architecture, design, urbanism, and global cultural phenomenon. NMDA works internationally at all scales with award winning projects such as l.a. Eyeworks, the Alan-Voo Residence, the Endeavor Talent Agency, built projects in Japan for the Mitsubishi United Financial Group, and for HL23 in New York, a 14-story residential tower. This fall, Neil published his anthology, MASSX, which offers both a rich history of projects and an in-depth examination of the firm’s practice.
2016 in Museums, Money, and Politics: Andrea Fraser, professor and chair, Department of Art
This year, Department of Art Professor and Chair Andrea Fraser her book 2016: Museums, Money, and Politics, which examines the intersection of electoral politics and private-nonprofit art institutions in the United States at a pivotal historical moment. Read more about Fraser's latest book.
Joni Margaux: Kristina Garnett ’13, (B.A., World Arts and Cultures/Dance)
Department of World Arts and Cultures/Dance alumna Kristina Garett founded her clothing line Joni Margaux in 2014. The brand features movement-based designs that are size inclusive. Find her designs in her online shop or at OTHERWILD in Los Feliz.
Coyote Doggirl: Lisa Hanawalt ’06 (B.A., Art)
Portrait via the Guardian Credit: Kim Newmoney
Lisa Hanawalt, the acclaimed illustrator behind Netflix’s Bojack Horesman and the forthcoming animated comedy Tuca and Bertie, which will feature Tiffany Haddish and Ali Wong, just released her latest book, Coyote Doggirl. The graphic novel follows the adventures of half-coyote-half-dog, Coyote, and her horse, Red. You may have seen Coyote Doggirl excerpted in The New Yorker and widely endorsed by prestigious outlets including New York Magazine, Artsy, and The Guardian.
Kai and the Magical Machines: Verlena Johnson, student affairs officer, Department of Architecture and Urban Design
This year, AUD Student Affairs Office Verlena Johnson published her first children’s book, Kai and the Magical Machines, about a young boy’s relationship with his grandfather and the importance of science, imagination, and play. As an author, Johnson is “interested in creating transformative children's literature that affirms, empowers, and inspires children and promotes love and possibilities.”
Mr. Merz Textiles: Shawn Merz ’12 (B.A., Art)
In 2015 Shawn Merz started Mr. Merz, a creative studio featuring responsibly made wares. Merz collaborates with artisans based in Burma and Turkey to create beautiful handmade textiles that reflect their makers’ cultural heritage. You can shop his collections online, at Jenni Kayne stores, or find him at creative markets across Los Angeles.
Modernism’s Visible Hand: Michael Osman, associate professor and the director of the critical studies and M.A./Ph.D programs in the Department of Architecture and Urban Design
Associate Professor Michael Osman is an architectural historian whose research centers on modernism with an emphasis on the buildings and cities of the United States. In his new book, Osman draws on a range of previously unexplored archival resources to examine the increasing role of environmental technologies in building design from the late nineteenth century—from cold storage and scientific laboratories to factories. Osman broadens our conception of how industrial capitalism shaped the built environment as well as the role of design in dealing with ecological crises today.
Passion Planner: Angelia Trinidad ’12, (B.A., Art)
The year after Angelia Trinidad graduated from UCLA, she created the Passion Planner, a tool that helped her begin to move forward and shrink the space between where she was and where she wanted to be. Then it went viral. The Passion Planner is more than just a planner—it's a tool that helps you break down your short and long-term goals and incorporate them into your daily life. It is designed to encourage you to plan, reflect on the past, and, most importantly, act on the present.
Pottery: Lena Wolek ’12 (B.A., Art)
Lena Wolek is a sculptor working in ceramics and the creator of functional pottery objects like the mugs pictured above. Each piece is unique and features one of Lena’s drawings of animals like cats, horses, and dogs to reflect on the imperfection of human nature. The mugs are beautiful, humorous, and available at Gjusta Goods in Venice and Stone Age store located on west 3rd Street.
Maya’s Brigadeiro Brazilian Sweets: Maya Zellman ’05 (B.A., World Arts and Cultures/Dance)
Maya Zellman’s sweet shop is inspired by the Brigadeiro—which she describes as a fusion between a truffle and a caramel—that she grew up eating while visiting family in Brazil. After graduating from the UCLA Department of World Arts and Cultures/Dance, Zellman brought the Brazilian treat to her native Los Angeles, opening a shop in Sherman Oaks that offers online ordering, delivery, and a robust catering business.
A–Z West Works at the Hammer Store: Featuring Department of Art Alumni
This summer, the Hammer Museum launched an A-Z West Works pop-up by Joshua Tree-based artist Andrea Zittel. The shop features a selection of works generated from A-Z West, the artist’s compound that serves as her home and testing grounds for living prototypes, and by High Desert Test Sites (HDTS), an arts nonprofit that promotes experimental exchanges in the High Desert. Contributors to the pop up include UCLA Department of Art alumni Jedediah Caesar, Ry Rocklen, Gabie Strong, and Elena Yu, whose bags (pictured above) are available in the pop-up. Pop-up dates extended through the end of 2018.
UCLA Arts Merch: now available at the UCLA Store
This fall, the UCLA Store launched a collection of UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture merch featuring water bottles, hats, mugs, t-shirts, and license plate holders. Available in the Luvalle store on campus and online here. ***Check back Jan. 2 for merchandise***
Support the future of the arts: Scholarships for UCLA Arts students
Support the education of young artists. Your gift will help to make a UCLA Arts education accessible to any student with the drive to pursue their passion in the arts, regardless of their economic circumstances.
A Year of Art: Memberships to UCLA’s Center for the Art of Performance, the Fowler Museum and the Hammer Museum
Support UCLA’s art museums and performing arts center and give friends and family the opportunity to connect more closely with some of the best arts programing in Los Angeles. And don’t forget: the Hammer and the Fowler have two of the best museum stores in the city. Stop by in person, or shop the Hammer’s store online.
Are you part of the UCLA Arts community and making something that belongs on this guide? Let us know! @uclaarts
Stay engaged. Use #UCLAarts to stay connected.
