Jason Schwartz with Artist/Author DAVO – with new Book. —“Davo: Pop Art & Neo Pop Art : As I See It – As I Feel It” Decades long friendship between Jason & Davo unfolds an exciting remembrance of Davo’s career & stories from a colorful life, unfolding in this beautiful compilation of many of Davo’s favorites. 9-16-2024
Summary & Full Transcript
The video features an engaging interview between host Jason Schwarz and artist Davo, providing a rich narrative spanning decades of art, culture, and personal experiences connected to Maui and beyond. The conversation begins with nostalgic reflections on Maui’s cultural scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s, including memories of concerts, galleries, and the beginnings of Maui’s artistic community. Davo shares his journey as an artist, influenced early by his mother’s encouragement and marked by a deep passion for peace, love, and creative expression.
Davo’s art career evolved from experimental styles like abstract and cubism to embracing pop art and neo art, heavily influenced by his encounters with legendary figures like Andy Warhol and Peter Max. He developed a unique style featuring bold brush strokes and phosphorescent glow effects, creating a distinctive visual experience. The interview highlights significant moments in his career, including collaborations with celebrities, commissioned artworks, and his participation in major events such as the Grammys and the Oscars.
The discussion also touches on the devastating fire that destroyed much of Davo’s work and studio in 2023, yet he remains optimistic and grateful for his art and life on Maui. The artist emphasizes his commitment to using art for charity, promoting peace, and supporting the local cultural scene. They reflect on the challenges and changes in the art world, especially in gallery dynamics and the importance of showcasing Hawaiian art globally through initiatives like Gallery Without Walls.
Throughout, Davo’s humility, generosity, and dedication to his craft shine through. He recounts memorable stories involving famous personalities, his experiences traveling, and the impact of the internet and modern culture on art promotion. The interview closes warmly with plans for future projects, including a new gallery and works featuring contemporary icons like Taylor Swift, underscoring Davo’s enduring passion and vibrant creative spirit.
Key Insights
- [01:30] Roots and Cultural Connection: Davo’s introduction to Maui’s art scene is deeply intertwined with the island’s evolving cultural landscape, demonstrating how place and community shape an artist’s identity and work. His personal relationships and early experiences at concerts and galleries illustrate the tight-knit and supportive art community of the time.
- [10:25] Artistic Influence and Adaptation: Davo’s time with Andy Warhol highlights the importance of mentorship and artistic exchange. While Warhol influenced his entry into pop art, Davo’s work diverges through a signature use of bold brush strokes and phosphorescent effects, showcasing how artists evolve traditional styles into personalized expressions.
- [14:46] Resilience Amidst Loss: The destruction of Davo’s studio in the 2023 fire symbolizes the material vulnerability artists face but also illustrates his resilience. Ending his book with the fire reflects an acceptance of loss and a commitment to rebuild, underscoring the emotional and practical challenges artists endure.
- [22:14] Philanthropy and Purpose: Davo’s dedication to donating original paintings for charity emphasizes art’s role beyond aesthetics—as a vehicle for social good and community support. His refusal to participate in politics through his art reinforces his focus on universal themes of peace and love.
- [24:18] Globalizing Local Culture: The concept of “Gallery Without Walls” and the Maui Arts and Music Association’s vision to showcase Hawaiian art globally predate the internet’s cultural democratization. This forward-thinking approach illustrates how technology can amplify indigenous and local voices, creating new opportunities for cultural exchange.
- [37:23] ️ Changing Art Market Dynamics: Davo’s reflections on the decline of traditional galleries, especially in places like Los Angeles, signal shifting paradigms in art sales and exhibition. The rise of direct artist-to-collector engagement and alternative showcasing venues points to a more decentralized and democratized art economy.
- [52:59] Personal History and Spirituality: Davo’s account of the fire’s onset and his survival weaves personal, spiritual, and historical threads, revealing how deeply intertwined life events are with an artist’s narrative. The survival of the Elon Musk painting adds a layer of serendipity and symbolism about art’s enduring presence amid chaos.
Full Timestamped Transcript
00:00
[Music] wow we had so many announcements of station I didn’t know when to start the show Aloha everyone I’m your host Jason Schwartz we’re here at the neutral zone we’re on K KU 88.5 FM the voice of Maui and Sim will cast on akaku Maui Community media TV to old people like me channel 55 and we’re up on YouTube and Maui neutral zone.com you can see all of our shows we have an archive and my guest was here with me when we were doing another series called Mama presents which was
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Maui Arts and Music Association and we were in the gallery on Dickinson Street at a little Gallery uh which was great because it featured at the time two friends of mine Marlana River who did pottery and Davo. davo I am so thankful to have you back here on the show my goodness you look younger than ever oh here let me give you your $ Five Doll now oh thanks well you know it’s great to see you you are an artist of amaz in my mind when just as the timing when I think of Maui and my introduction to Maui
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remember I lived in Thea too you know that’s right he was in the and I met him when I went to a Bob Dylan concert at the Royal Lahaina tennis stadium and there online it was a long wait waiting there was someone that walked up and through and with and he was so colorful and we hit it off immediately I guess two kids from New York you from New York too me no my dad and mom are from New York but no I’m from La I mean La I spent a lot of years in La Po in New York is and so I when I met you I
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thought you were great and then you doing art and it was like I don’t know it must have been like 89 or 90 it was back there when Royal Lahaina tennis stadium was a big deal cuz otherwise there was no Cultural Center yet that’s right and so that was the space I remember seeing third world there but when when I saw Bob Dylan what I remembered most clearly of that night was you yeah I mean these were it was great actually a great thing to watch in that tennis St Stadium really intimate kind of a beautiful
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space yep you know sort of like I want to call it a soft McCoy theater the Malon Cultural Center has a little 500 seat theater so this tennis Stadium maybe it had that maybe a little bit less yeah but it meant it was really terrific and the backdrop was like wow this looks like paradise and here I was a a young kid do you know that in in 1988 and ’89 I was a young you got to talk my friend because I I’ll just keep talking Dava how are you doing I’m doing great cons all all things considered I mean it is
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up and down well you know we’re in the year 2024 and um I saw you because this last year and for a number of years but you were the prize Giver for the international Maui International Peace poets poem still am remember I’m started there and I was the rep and the council um C culture of the Arts way back for Linda lingle that was there’s lots of story with all this stuff oh yeah yeah and that’s when I met you know again there there’s this guy davo wow who is this guy he’s great and then I got to see you
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and then when I was doing that interview with you on our show that was already that was great that was while afterward I still look at that sometimes it’s uh really was well done and Ariel was in it and and she’s just an angel I love her that’s 20 years ago can you imagine we were actually 20 years ago that sounds unbelievable and that was already 10 years and more I’ve been on Maui since uh 1988 you probably right before me right somewhere 73 oh that’s right before me wow yeah 73 have you always been
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interested in art yeah uh my mom I think my I have to credit my mother amongst other women who have helped me in my life but my mom always wanted me to be an artist and so that’s how I ended up and fortunately before she died she was able to go to a big exhibit of mine on Rodeo Drive in a limo and I bought her a a purple purple sequin dress that she was not going to wear I said Mom you have to wear this dress which he did and everybody said oh Mrs Sherman you look wonderful and so she she saw me have a
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measure of success before she passed away and uh she never called me Doo she always called me David and uh I actually got a video uh in her old Buick uh saying thank you to lynu and thank you to all these people and then at the end she goes and as for you davo and I went uhoh she goes son I’m very proud of you that’s great yeah and that’s all a child really wants to hear wow was the Rodeo Drive thing tied to Lyn Shu no that was tied to Luchia Kaiser which some people in Honolulu will recognize that name uh she
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was married to the into the Kaiser family and Luchia was my agent in New York and so she opened a lot of doors for me Luchia did she knew everybody in New York well Maui was happy to get you in 73 you were in the middle of your art career then oh no 73 I was a surf bum uh and pretty good at it actually 73 I was in the jungles of colala to escape the Vietnam War I had my choice of going to the Vietnamese jungles or to the Kawaii jungles I chose the Kawaii jungles was that when the Taylor Camp was up yes
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yeah so you probably know a lot of the same people of all these years that I know from oh yeah oh yeah yeah yeah I would have stayed on Kawai if I didn’t meet a a beautiful local girl who wanted to move to Maui and thank goodness we did because then the Hurricanes started coming and wiping out the island so isn’t that funny it was like a decade and then a decade later exactly yeah yeah but m Maui is truly no Koo to me because Maui I lived on the big island I I lived on Kawaii uh so I love those
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Island but Maui get a little bit closer okay just say your voice okay it’s more present okay is that Clos but Maui is special it’s no COI it really it really is uh Maui oh here’s a story when I was a child and paint paintings with my mom’s lipstick inside her drawers I remember one of them was a volcano that had two Summits and it was erupting and there were palm trees and I’m I’m doing this at a very young age and my mom said what are you doing with my lipstick and she say she say I got to
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buy you art supplies she this has got to stop but when I got to Maui and hitchhike to the top top of Holly aala I looked out to the big gu and I saw monaa and monaa that’s what I was doing when I was a child so I got this real strong sense that I had been here before wow that’s a good you been here all this time well you know I’ve all been all through the South Pacific uh I really wanted to live the life and paint like Goan I ended up living the life but not painting like Goan and your style
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through the years has I want to say has changed we all of us you’re multi-dimensional probably multimedia artist aren’t you yes but when I remember the by the way he has a book out we’re going to talk about his book it’s called pop art and Neo art as I see it as I Feel It by davo this is the hard cover one what red red is a great color we’ll talk about this but what I think about here when I first saw your out I thought oh influence of like Peter Max Andy warhole is and I thought I wonder what story is
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and so maybe you’ll help us understand because then then I saw you when you didn’t have that as your medium you had a different but you always had a theme that runs through that’s you which you’ll sure well see it’s always been just peace and love I’m just an old hippie and uh I still feel that way and I wish the world of you would come around uh and I haven’t given up hope uh but I’ll tell you I tried abstract art I tried cubism uh I tried painting like Goan and
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Tahiti and all that but it wasn’t until I got a chance to meet War Hall back in the mid 80s and he took a liking to me uh he didn’t really show me how to paint I learned that from his assistants all of his young boys and it was an interesting time but the main thing about Andy is he was incredibly honest uh if you knew him if you didn’t know him he was Charming he well he was How can I say it diplomatic he he spoke very little to the to you know the thing is is off camera out of the way of the press he was a different
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person and so I knew him both ways but the important thing about Andy is is when I realized I wanted to try pop art the last time I saw him uh I said Andy I’m I’m going to try pop art when I get back back to Hawaii and he goes okay and I said I’m going to start with Marilyn Monroe and he said that’s a very good place to start and it was so H how would you describe pop art as you’re defining it and you were trying it but you were obviously different than him and unique by the theory and thought behind
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it by the Stu style I mean just how happens I open the book and who do I my my favorite my favorite uh matter of fact uh I’m going to try to stick to stories that are not in the book because they’re so many I went to maryn’s grave with my mom for the first time and Mom tripped over Walter matthos freshly drugg grave and she looked up and she Sayes I didn’t even know he died I come mom come on and we get to maryn’s grave Crypt or whatever and there was a a just Dead Flowers in her little ear
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and I said this will not do so I pull the Dead flowers out I see a red rose bush so I go over with my my mom’s car keys and I’m sawing this big thick I mean my my fingers were bleeding from the thorns and I put it in there and uh that was my first V visit of many to Maryland’s grave and a lot of people don’t know this but one of my collectors Hugh Hefner is interred right next to her yeah he bought the cryp next to her which was a wise move because nobody would go looking for his
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grave a few people but yeah yeah is so Rose you’ve been at the m iies and the Oscars and giving your pieces or however donating them as part of a whole campaign throughout your career tell tell us a little bit about it I know that a lot is in the book but I don’t want to not tell because you are a in my mind before I remember recognizing your pieces and when we sat those 20 years ago but right you’ve now continued on your career and you were a very noted Gallery uh then you switched
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and you did what you’re doing and you and then last year we had a fire yeah I remember that I know so the line of fire changed everything so did I’m really so thankful that this book is here me too because we started it only 3 months before the fire I had and literally the publisher said how do you want end the book I said the fire just ended it and that’s literally how the book ended was with the fire because everything was destroyed wow except for me in my car and you were mostly an artist that
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did Originals or every piece even if you were doing like I have JFK yeah one of my one of my favorites really truly even when I see the one of them and then I see the one in the book I notice different colors because each one is a unique statement and that that’s what I always appreciated about you but so now all the collectors in the world are going I like I have a friend Lyn he’s I know I just met I just met him uh I mean again sure and he told me about all the pieces that he has yeah so I mean the
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people in the world that have davo art like myself really appreciate and then you gave me a piece at last year’s International Peace poem correct yes and that again that’s your own unique you call it neop poop I guess if I’m going to Define correct describe it but was totally different nothing like the warhole or I say Peter Max only because well no Peter Max uh I relate to actually more than Warhol oh yeah Believe It or Not Andy opened the door for me Peter Max loved to use the screens but you see
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brush strokes big bold brush Strokes he loved to paint okay so he might do the Statue of Liberty but my God one next to the other you know and I said that’s the way I want to do pop art but then I extended it by adding the phosphorescent glow which makes it a unique experience yes I yeah I have two in the first one you gave me a few years ago I forgot what the you’ve honored me with a few pieces over the time well you’re getting one today really yeah you want to see it can we see let’s see
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it wow now this is very very special to me because one of my collectors knew that they were going to do the 50th anniversary of the moonwalk and he says da are you coming to NASA for it I said yeah right he goes no you are coming to NASA and he booked me put me up in the suite in the Hilton had a chauffeur for three days and a VIP pass so I did go uh so for example this is for you Jason it’s one of my favorites it’s small but it’s very potent you could read a book to this when you turn the lights off I
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was going to say I have one of Elton John years ago out in John oh a nice healthy frame oh yes wow you guys are going to see more and it says giant leap July 20th 1969 so I am thank you very much you’re very welcome thank you so the glow in the dark so I will see this just like I see Elton lighting up correct also that big heart with love and peace correct I liked at the bottom where you lab that this is the day no politics is that what that is yeah yeah yeah wow no politics I’m I I told myself no politics that’s a good
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thing to say yeah you know and Liz James Brown’s husband Paul was in the and he actually gave me that little bit of advice just sitting there in the in the waiting room and I went I’m going you know things come to you and you don’t know why okay and then later on you go oh that’s why Liz James that’s a long time ago but see because we’re here a long time the name Liz James Liz James Brown correct great lady and very influential to my career because she used to write up columns on me especially when I would
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go to the Grammys and I would I would be in the limo going or coming from the Grammys and I would call her on the phone and give her a report by the time I got back to Maui I had a beautiful article in the paper wow so she really those were the days bi I before internet yes yes when being in a paper was meaningful yes where we understood promotion means look somewhere right now it’s gotten crazy I can’t relate to it I I don’t do do any of those Facebook Tik Tok I do nothing I mean literally I
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don’t even do email okay the gallery my Representatives do that for me uh what I do do is if somebody does a commission I talk to them on the phone about what they want and and and everything and that I do and then of course once it’s completed in the case of some clients they want me to deliver it to them right like in Chicago and then put me up at the Four Seasons oh boy yeah yeah that’s I have the like matter of fact I’m going to mention a name please Don Phillips fantastic man Incredible family
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he’ll be here in December and I can’t wait wow yes and that’s all I can tell you about him because he’s I I can’t say anymore he’s just a great guy and a great collector well what meaning if you know Don Phillips you know Don Phillips exactly if you don’t you won’t exactly I got you yeah isn’t it amazing mean over your career you’ve you’ve not only done com like you say commissioned art yeah but I just kept seeing your presence in these award shows yeah and how many of the
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celebrities were very honored that you use them as part of your pictoral you know what I want to say announcement and expression of where are I here comes Tony hey Tony here’s your painting oh look at that awesome okay can you take it on camera it’s on camera there it is oh are you there here it is that’s for you in the studio awesome so remember when you turn off the lights it’s going to Glow I bet you turn the lights off right now but we don’t want to do that we’re in the studio no no thank you Tony you
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oh great thank you Mahal what beautiful gifts you’ve given us well you know what I I just feel so honored to be given the gift of art because uh it’s been said that if you do what you love you know you’re I was going to say you’re going to be a success and and it’s true I that’s what I do I do what love and I I am a success I’ve never wanted wealth or fame okay I just wanted to make a living and and be able to live on Maui and I’ve had a little bit more than that but uh not by Design okay uh
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and as long as we’re on this subject I want everybody to know out there that if you have a some kind of a benefit or an art auction or something like that to generate money for charity please get in touch with me and you will not get a poster you will get an original painting you’re a generous man well you have to pay back you know you just have to you know you know you’re singing to the choir that’s right yeah can you imagine how many years we’ve been talking about peace we’ve been talking
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about environment we’ve talked about cooperation and love and how much music and and the Art of these times and the Hawaiian culture I’m sure you’ve been immersed especially living on uh the west side there I know I love my I was going to say you’re wearing sort of is that a doctor’s Smock do I call that this is because I wasn’t sure this is as political as I’m going to get today okay okay but there is there it is Maui strong Maui strong aren’t we and Momi kiah and your family
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and your son and your grandson thank you very much that’s the family right there well you know we’ve gone through a change here uh you know I guess you’d say of global proportions to us it’s a whole world now this may sound a funny thing to say but here watch how it fits years ago I said before as the internet was just getting started we have the Maui Arts and Music Association mama if we all brand there and in this Banner showcase art and music and the culture of these islands and raise money for
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Environmental Solutions we can get money and input from all around the world to help us create Paradise here Elevate the Hawaiian culture and showcase the world through a central Hub mama and papa now how long have I been saying that and know I and I the reason I bring it up is now the world has heard Maui and right now the whole world in discovering what’s going on here and re-energizing the culture that idea of showcase online I started it years ago and called it Gallery Without Walls and
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I only had one real visitor that I can remember and that was the IRS they audited me because they figured man this thing is probably slamming and doing business never had a single anything but that’s when I felt okay I’m now certified but it’s that idea of showcasing art and music to the world right and through that portal and even now more than ever and elevating the things that we can show you are an artist because you did original you you don’t have as many copies but in what you’re showcasing here you have an
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I say an opportunity to help be one of those artists to lead this kind of effort now think of all the artists here on the islands and all over the world but and all the cultures that we could showcase and a word like Maui strong and and you know they just started this little place in wuka little place place they uh the Hawaiian culture the new Hawaiian Cultural Center and they named it do you know that name of that place no I do not I’m sorry no that’s okay don’t be sorry neither do I because
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because it’s it’s Hawaiian which there’s nothing wrong with Hawaiian obviously but if it doesn’t translate easily it’s going to be the word mama that’s why Maui Arts and Music Association is meant to be an inclusive model to be able to Showcase groups like that and others under a banner we don’t want to steal the light we want to focus the light you know and that peace and love that you feel that we feel so strongly here in Maui yes we’ put out to the world and have have them Reach back in
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love especially we have such amazing talents here here you know over the years you probably I could name names I think we all could name names but here on Maui you remember any special musical people and events that have happened in Maui over your time or art shows remember Elton John remember the tiger Elton John uh I believe it was his last uh two performances at the Mac uh the first one I got the VIP ticket then they decided to do a second show so I bought the cheapest ticket and went to that well I’m glad I did because it was
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the second show that the shuttle went overhead and he did an 18-minute version of Rocket Man directly to the shuttle that was their wow yeah that W so I almost missed it but I said nope I’m going to get a cheap ticket I went and then I wore my my davo coat which is like a Technicolor coat is it in there in the book it’s in there and the thing is um I’m wearing the and after the show before Elton leaves the stage I go Elton I want to go to your party because he was going to LA because after the
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Oscars he has a famous Oscar party I said I want to go to your party and he looks down at me goes wear that coat well I didn’t go uh I didn’t have enough time to prepare that that was one that I missed because I if I’d got on a plane and and flown there I could have gone to Alton John’s Oscar party and that that would have been a blast but I I can say this I have laid Elton John and of course with flowers and uh and that was an interesting story that’s in the book I so I won’t tell you that but uh Elton
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tease us teas us well I I gave him Malay the year before and this this is at a music hairs event which is uh the fundraising armor of the Grammys and I presented a uh my lelay to to sting and he goes thanks for the bushes I go what a brat man and I turn around instead of giving my plumer to his wife I turned around and there selting with his boyfriend I said Elton do you mind if I lay you and he says please and so I have a great picture of me right after I gave Elton the L and he’s I’ve met him so many times at the
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Hyatt Regency and just all I don’t know I keep running in ton John which I think he’s a great talent and and a really he’s been very nice to me everyone should be nice to you you are just a I agree with that yeah I do too yeah you’ve been a just like a real I don’t know when I think of of Art and I think of Maui and I think of people that have added and contributed I always said I’m not going to want to come here and take from this place I want to come here and give and that’s
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what I’ve always noticed about you you’re just a just a giving loving guy and that group out there with the Poetry I want you to know they have really had some years where you know the there are even more reasons for the kids to write about peace amen my goodness but your art has been there I remember years ago I had uh Richard Fields may he rest in peace you know he just pass yeah no I did not know that in this last year oh yeah and George Allen and George Allen yeah George Allen thing coming up
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he was a great guy when you walk into the cult Cal Center and there are all his little pieces right now I think it’s 100 paintings all just gifted to the cultural center uh his wife Janet really was interested in Hawaiian plants and col my brother and her they’d get together and up at you know George’s house and they’d be out in the garden just talking about Hawaiian plants and I’d be in there you know with George and those those are really wonderful days and I I really do miss George a lot and
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Janet yeah yeah and uh you know um when the there’s an old blues song when the Lord gets ready you gots to move and that’s so true so when I think of George I think not only as just a humble beautiful guy wa you know from Lina days Absol but I remember the cultural center he told me that everything he does is with a pallet knife and so that’s something to really when you go there and see all his pieces and realiz the different techniques that people have that Cultural Center Bo they still have a lot of the original
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art that they had from way back way back 1993 they opened yeah they got a big mural by dor and I love her work d d it’s just yeah I hi Debra and Tony wallhome at the top of the stairs that gigantic and see I Dan kikuyama with those sculptures yes with the metal absolutely they should have a davo no I don’t think so no no because how are they going to turn off the lights to show people oh that’s true as this show it looked like the exit sign in the I I need a very special venue for my art and to show it and then uh once
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somebody acquires it they can figure out what to do with it I mean I love I mean when at night when I see it light up and it’s in my bedroom so I got a couple of them in there well that’s a good place for them bedroom is good I got to tell you can I this is a quick story oh yeah please big collector in Malibu uh her she calls me I’m in LA with my mom she goes Dava did you bring any pain pings I said yes my Dad’s here bring him over so I drive on out to Mal and my mom’s old Buick and I go down
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this windy driveway tennis courts all this go in spiral staircase marble you know just a palace and her dad looks like Jackie Mason he comes out of the bedroom goes oh so you’re the artist I said yeah yes he goes and these are your paintings I said yes okay how much is that one I go well in the gallery it would be 3,000 so for you it’s 1,200 I made sure everything was less than half even less than half he said okay I’ll take it he goes down the line five paintings takes them okay finally there’s one painting
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left and he goes he doesn’t say anything about it I go um Mr kcom what about that painting he goes okay how much and I pick it up I said no this one’s on me and he wrote me a big fat check and uh yeah so then Vicky sold that place that’s his daughter and now she has a penthouse on Wilshire I’m going if I had that Malibu place no way in hell I’d be in a penthouse on but I guess she just need to be near IM magnet and and Rodeo Drive I don’t know is IM magnon still open uh no I don’t think so
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the world old school no retail pry sure there won’t even be a Macy’s anymore I mean the galleries we’re lucky that the galleries are staying open aren’t they what do artists do when they don’t have a gallery do they do like I was thinking Gallery Without Walls they do it all themselves now but a central location to Showcase all of Hawaiian art would that be an outlet some of these artists be interested in showcasing I would right I would like you say and uh well we’ll talk
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about again we’ll talk about that offline yeah you’re going to lunch with me you got we’ll talk we’ll talk about it over lunch okay it’s either Marcos or the lemongrass we’ll see both good choices do you want Italian or do you want Vietnamese oh boy yeah what do you want I think because Marcos is so close okay we’ll take maros yeah and plus I haven’t been there in a long time okay that’ll be fun yeah yeah just seeing you is fun thank you and you bring back all
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those you make me feel younger and happier and someone who is I want to say innocent like a child I don’t know if you’re innocent like a child but not anymore you’re childlike cuz peace and love take us you know into a real beautiful loving space you know and when I think of neoart and pop art I don’t know how to really describe it except you capture just a really good time in my life you know as I’m going it just brings incidentally Marilyn’s been very good to me you know who’s going to be good to me
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in the future how about Taylor’s Taylor Swift you better believe it I’m working on her now oh okay and uh we are going to be open a new gallery and I can’t tell you anymore but Taylor Swift’s going to be in there along with the Statue of Liberty and a few other surprises good good good yeah so I am I’m working I I work I worked last night on a big painting so you know sometimes I just put it on the bed and paint sometimes I you know just all what a pleasure to be doing what you love isn’t it amen amen
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yep no put it on the bed and paint oh yeah well see I’m not an easel painter what I would do is paint most of my paintings flat and then take them into the gallery put it on an easel and do fine tuning and then of course it was always great to sign it right there in front of the clients they always love that you know because it’s Show Business you know it really is you know it’s what do you think’s happening there in L you think there’s going to be a gallery anytime in the next I’ve been hearing
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I’ve been hearing rumors but it’s not up to me to spread them I’ll just keep them to myself until they come to fruition but I I hear that there are people uh people I respect that are getting ready to open there are buildings still around and available to do that I believe so so it’s going to change the complexion of how it might be out there I was wondering I mean Lina is not replaceable anywhere near to be in the same way as that intimate cloistered art Mecca you know I what were we were number God knows three in
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the world of art sales or six or something that’s what the salesman that’s what the salesman would say I don’t I don’t I don’t go there meaning that we were a we were a mecca for art for a little town art a little a lot going on we we did we did and um and still can you know that Center that you were talking about one day I was just walking down uh Front Street and as I passed the door out the corner of my eye I go I couldn’t have seen that and I look it was the Battle of tetan by Dolly
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13 ft High 20 ft long the original was on the wall I said I’m hallucinating I mean you know I must be nope they had it there and it was for sale wow and I thought that was pretty darn amazing pretty amazing yes and those guys I think it’s aren’t the sener guys the guys that got in trouble uh yeah Jim killet was his name no no Jim killet Jim Andy kill it no they were good oh then they were good they were good but who was the other one that got in trouble the GU the guys that were selling the phony dolles and uh oh
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yeah yeah yeah as a matter of fact they flew me over they flew me over to Lulu to you know be part of their staff and I just partied party party and the guy goes Hey listen you want to stay with us you got to cut this out and I said I don’t want to stay with you and they went to jail so I’m glad I didn’t wow yeah they they were they were not good art people wow so through these years have you had any um highlights that you want to I know you say you don’t want to be pointing out in the book the book is a real good
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overview is it can I Bob Dylan I love Bob Dylan which incidentally I love his newest album It’s called U rough and rowdy ways but anyway I think Bob Dylan’s one of the greatest songwriters and musicians a lot of people don’t like his V voice I love it but anyway at the last music ha’s dinner I went to uh the cheapest seat was $1,500 and that’s what I bought so I was way back in lower covia okay fortunately I and I mean I got really wasted okay but fortunately I I needed to go to the restroom at the right time
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here it’s all timing Here Comes This Texan who had just bought a $10,000 B B Dylan of mine and he goes davo where are you sitting and I said way back there he says no you come with me he had a table for 10 $115,000 a seat whoa one seat was empty he says no you’re sitting there oh good W and shortly after that Bob Dylan came out and again I was so wasted the only thing I can remember he did a 35 minute speech I heard it was really something uh when he got to Bob Dylan he said I mean when he got excuse
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me to Jimmy Hendricks he said Jimmy I wish you were here tonight and for Bob to say that amongst living people and dead people to focus on Jimmy Hendricks and say Jimmy I wish you were here tonight I just started crying I’ll never forget that wow and then we just did this wonderful tribute to Jimmy Hendricks right at the mac and it was amazing wow yeah that was my last music ha’s dinner and I really don’t think I’m going to be doing any more award shows unless they’re on Maui yeah I just uh I
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like that idea let’s do one on Maui yeah yeah that that’s fine I just don’t want to well for one thing I just have no desire to go back to LA at all and very little desire to go back to New York for that matter uh no no been there done that there’s other places to go any places in mine well um I I think I’m going to be going to Thailand pretty soon oh yeah strangely enough because I like an animals that they have like they have things like tigers that you can pet and elephants that you can ride and boa
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constrictors that you can wear on your around your neck that don’t kill you and how do you know the one those that live right through the experience I love those are the good ones I just I I love animals so you know if you’re in if you’re in h the Middle East you ride a camel I’ve done that well you’re getting excited you’re going to think you’re going to do your art there or just yeah visit yeah I’m going yeah because I can do my art anywhere and I can roll it up
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put it in a tube and it’s you know it’s in on the I meant subject matter wise oh yeah yeah uh well the last time when I was in Bali believe it or not I did a really cool Jimmy Hendrick oh while I was in Bali and uh unfortunately it burned up in the fire before it could get sold but uh it was really really quite good I not sure if it’s in the book or not you know Jason believe it or not I haven’t really read the book yet myself I’ve uh I’ve kind of been waiting I don’t know what I’m waiting for but
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people have called me and from all over the world and said they really enjoy the book they really think it’s it’s quite quite nice and it really you mean here’s Bob Marley Michael Jackson Jim Morrison President Obama oh Carlos Carlos used to come by the gallery quite often and matter of fact at first he came by with his wife then he started coming by with his girlfriend who is now his new wife oh Cindy Blackman is also his drummer and uh Carlos and I have had some really nice he would come in and he
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just liked to you know hang out until all the people realized he was in the gallery and then it was yeah goodbye y he disappear well I can understand you know I’ve never had that kind of agulation nor would I want to but I I hear the Bob Dylan really dislikes it okay that’s why he doesn’t he just doesn’t allow it but I’ve been told by people that have sat next to him on a bench and at first they didn’t knew know who he was and he carried on a full-on conversation with them and then all of a
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sudden they said wait a minute you’re Bob Dylan he’s gone because he knows what happens next I love everything you’ve ever done you know and it’s a broken record it’s that kind of stuff it’s not that he doesn’t appreciate it’s say same when you go to a Bob Dylan concert leave your expectations at home because Bob’s going to give you what he wants to give you take it or absolutely yeah same with you true you’re you’re a master of disaster uhoh oh all right Ariel doesn’t
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realize she’s on the air with us can she can she hear us I a I could pick her up yeah pick her up she would probably I would love it I love it she’s gone already a we could call her back hey we’re calling you from the air yeah call her back I don’t know uh let me see I’ve got these goodies in here uh do you need a doo cap by any chance I I have a davo cap but you look so good without a cap on I I mean what do you think you want it yeah okay you got to wear it for the rest of the interview that’s the
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only okay and you got you got your book okay and oh Stevie Wonder what we’re in a different does express our times John isn’t there a studio that has like a little raggedy and doll in it is that another Studio there was a you mean it might have been back on some picture yeah in here it was either here is there another Studio where they no huh huh I don’t see it anymore well Tony keeps changing it to what may be going on okay well anyway I brought this this is for was to be for raggedy
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an it’s her new boyfriend hello there’s Tony what happened to raggedy an Tony ah there right on that’s her new boyfriend Tony very cool thank you buddy uh do we still have a little bit of time because I got I got some people that I want to mention okay I want to say thank you to my mother because she was the real driving force when I was young to be an artist and she knew I was going to be an artist and that’s terrific mom was always right even though I didn’t realize it at the
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time she was always right and she she was a very conservative woman matter of fact she was total Republican and she said you know Dave when you’re young if you’re not Democrat you have no heart but she said Dave when you’re old if you’re not Republican you have no brains wow pretty profound huh uh I think i’ but anyway I’m young that’s mom’s quote okay we’re not supposed to be political today right we won’t well that’s that was my mom not me okay now then there was um Mrs lobe my art
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teacher in high school who told me when I got a not notice from the draft to rip it up and throw it in the trash the ignore the war it’ll go away and I did it and she was right and then of course Alexandra Morrow one of the founders of the art Society I remember she was a great lady she was the Grand Madame when did she pass away a while ago not too long before the fire I don’t think well she she had that house right there on Front Street yeah which is just the pool oh is that right yeah
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gone just gone wow uh Lyn Shu I have to mention Lynn Shu because Lynn I never forget gallery that was like a home huh I was underneath the banion tree and the birds were pooping on my paintings and you know I’m she came up and she says I’m opening a new Gallery I want you to come and be with it and I went oh my God you know so that I because of that Gallery that’s how I met the Grammys people they came in and bingo so and then after Lynn is Belinda Le I want to mention her Belinda was very good to me uh Cliff Bell is now
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my agent manager Gallery own owner and Cliff is a former Navy SEAL you don’t want to mess with him because he could kill you you wouldn’t know you were dead and then there’s Spiros Venus there’s the name from the past Spiros Venus John Venus W way back when when television was I I don’t want to forget speos what a name speos Constantine Venus do you think he’s Greek okay how many that’s 30 years ago 35 oh yeah all and he was he was a tremendous help to me and very supportive uh Bill Mitchell the
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publisher and ghost uh author of my book Bill Mitchell and a very fine abstract artist himself and I already mentioned Don Phillips who we we will not mention and of course there I think there’s this Jason Schwarz guy God you know this guy a long time yeah thank you for that than you Jason I don’t know I just um hold certain people special in my heart thank you and just nothing but good news thank you I I know well you know we’ve been through a lot we’ve been through hell literally um you know my mother was
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Jewish my father Christian and she wanted me to be raised Christian so uh I finally after I found out that Mom was Jewish I decided to research my Jewish side and oh and I have to say when that fire happened the fire was looking at my aoli but it was Jesus that reached down and grabbed me out of the Flames where were you when the whole thing started I was in my studio and the Man actually I was napping because I was going out to dinner to at the Lina Fish Company company for lobster that night well
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obviously that didn’t happen but the manager kept pounding on the door so I go to the door I go what she goes look and there’s this black cloud like I’ve never seen before so ominous and obviously the gas station must have blown up because it was like you know oil or something and the fire was literally at our apartment building where were you in the middle of I was W Weinberg Court Apartments on oh right there that three and the you know it was brick brick completely destroyed okay my
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jeep was out in the parking lot that was there that that got spared my scooters melted but anyway my Jeep made it my Jeep made it but I never went and picked it up I just left it because the car that saved me was Kevin from Salvation Army in lus sold me their old salvation an army van which I told Kevin when I saw him I said you know that van I’m going to be buried in that van it it it literally saved Our Lives wow and can you guess what painting was in the back what painting I drove out with no you can’t guess Elon Musk really
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it was a commission so Elon Musk made it wow so strange huh wow so was it for him or someone that wanted her it was somebody who wanted him but I have since decided not to sell it uh and I have a special reason for that which we won’t mention over the over the political Airwaves yeah yeah correct correct but I decided I’m going to keep that wow well I want to make sure that we we’ve got a couple of minutes just looking here okay in fact we got if I can see clearly I can’t see clearly looks like
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one and a half minut Tony will come in and tell you he’ll just tap on our head he’ll say is that four and a half or two I think it’s one and a half minutes oh well that’s okay davo thank you for coming on the show really and uh thank you you’re always welcome back here thank you at lunch you’ll give me a thing so I can put it on the screen so able to be inou whatever you want you’ve always been an inspiration and a true artist a true artist with a great loving open spirit and um I’m so glad to
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have been able to bring you back here in our newest Incarnation here at the neutral zone it is anything but neutral I’m going to say Mahala newo okay that and you know what that means thank you very much correct and Aloha to everybody out there and please remember if you need a painting for an auction what yeah you know cancer whatever just get in touch with great great great we’ll put the information up we’re getting ready to leave you okay we’re en thrilled thank you davo thank
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you we’ll see you guys next week thank you we’re here at the neutral zone blessings to everyone
