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The Velveteria Epicenter of Art Fighting Cultural Deprivation, or Velveteria (and formerly the Velveteria: The Museum of Velvet Paintings) is a museum located in Los Angeles, California, dedicated to velvet paintings. Originally opened in 2005 in Portland, Oregon, the establishment houses hundreds of paintings from Caren Anderson and Carl Baldwin's personal collection of over 2,000 pieces, and is reportedly the only one of its kind. The Velveteria closed in Portland in January 2010 due to financial difficulties and the couple's relocation to Southern California. It was reopened in Chinatown, Los Angeles in 2013.
The museum was established by Caren Anderson and Carl Baldwin, California natives residing in Portland. It opened in 2005 at 518 NE 28th Avenue with a $3 admission price.
During the month of May 2008, a collection of works were showcased at Powell's Books. The museum relocated to a larger space, located at 2448 East Burnside Street, in 2008, and increased the admission price to $5. However, rental costs were more than three times higher and in January 2010, Velveteria closed when Anderson and Baldwin relocated to Southern California. According to Anderson and Baldwin, they "never made any real money" from Velveteria, a name they trademarked. The couple wrote a book about the museum, titled ''Black Velvet Masterpieces: Highlights from the Collection of the Velveteria Museum''.
In December, 2013, Velveteria re-opened as the Velveteria Epicenter of Art Fighting Cultural Deprivation in Los Angeles. The cost of admission is $10 as of 2017. In 2019, the Velveteria was facing financial difficulties again.
Velveteria's official site
{{authority control 2005 establishments in Oregon 2010 disestablishments in Oregon 2013 establishments in California Art museums and galleries in California Art museums and galleries in Oregon Museums established in 2005 Museums in Los Angeles Museums in Portland, Oregon ja:ベルベット・ペインティング
History
The museum was established by Caren Anderson and Carl Baldwin, California natives residing in Portland. It opened in 2005 at 518 NE 28th Avenue with a $3 admission price.
During the month of May 2008, a collection of works were showcased at Powell's Books. The museum relocated to a larger space, located at 2448 East Burnside Street, in 2008, and increased the admission price to $5. However, rental costs were more than three times higher and in January 2010, Velveteria closed when Anderson and Baldwin relocated to Southern California. According to Anderson and Baldwin, they "never made any real money" from Velveteria, a name they trademarked. The couple wrote a book about the museum, titled ''Black Velvet Masterpieces: Highlights from the Collection of the Velveteria Museum''.
In December, 2013, Velveteria re-opened as the Velveteria Epicenter of Art Fighting Cultural Deprivation in Los Angeles. The cost of admission is $10 as of 2017. In 2019, the Velveteria was facing financial difficulties again.
Description
Velveteria was originally located in an "incongruously bland-looking storefront" on East Burnside Street. Leading to the museum were "hot-pink crushed" velvet curtains. The entrance had a sign describing the museum as "a life-changing experience! Without crawling over broken glass or walking on hot coals!" The museum housed 400 velvet paintings from the couple's personal collection of more than 2,000 pieces. No items were for sale. The first location included a "Nudes Room". Some works were displayed within ablack light
A blacklight, also called a UV-A light, Wood's lamp, or ultraviolet light, is a lamp that emits long-wave (UV-A) ultraviolet light and very little visible light. One type of lamp has a violet filter material, either on the bulb or in a separat ...
room. Handwritten comments from the couple were displayed throughout the museum.
Works depict blessed virgins, landscapes, sad clowns and "voluptuous" nude women. ''Unicorn Combover'' portrayed a unicorn whose mane morphed into a woman's hairdo. The museum included a shrine to Michael Jackson; other portrait pieces depicted Anderson Cooper
Anderson Hays Cooper (born June 3, 1967) is an American broadcast journalist and political commentator from the Vanderbilt family. He is the primary anchor of the CNN news broadcast show ''Anderson Cooper 360°''. In addition to his duties at C ...
, Jesus, Abraham Lincoln and Elvis Presley.
Reception
Velveteria was featured on '' The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'' in September 2006, '' Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations'' in January 2007, and ''CBS News Sunday Morning
''CBS News Sunday Morning'' (normally shortened to ''Sunday Morning'' on the program itself since 2009) is an American news magazine
A news magazine is a typed, printed, and published magazine, radio or television program, usually published ...
'' and MSN
MSN (meaning Microsoft Network) is a web portal and related collection of Internet services and apps for Windows and mobile devices, provided by Microsoft and launched on August 24, 1995, alongside the release of Windows 95.
The Microsoft Net ...
's ''Appetite for Life'' with Andrew Zimmern in 2009. In 2010, Kristi Turnquist of '' The Oregonian'' wrote that Anderson and Baldwin personified the " Keep Portland Weird" slogan and that the museum was "evidence of the city's quirky creativity". Anderson admitted to being tired of this association.
See also
* Glossary of textile manufacturing *List of museums in Oregon
This list of museums in Oregon encompasses museums defined for this context as institutions (including nonprofit organizations, government entities, and private businesses) that collect and care for objects of cultural, artistic, scientific, or h ...
References
External links
Velveteria's official site
{{authority control 2005 establishments in Oregon 2010 disestablishments in Oregon 2013 establishments in California Art museums and galleries in California Art museums and galleries in Oregon Museums established in 2005 Museums in Los Angeles Museums in Portland, Oregon ja:ベルベット・ペインティング