A century of women’s cycling in photos. 

Cycling isn’t just a sport, a passion or a hobby. It’s a lifestyle. There is lots of talk of the rise of the bike movement, that it’s becoming more and more a part of the cultural consciousness. But cycling isn’t a trend; pedaling to get from point A to point B goes back many decades.

In many places, cycling isn’t a choice, it simply is. Bike capitals Copenhagen and Amdsterdam come to mind, cities where cycling is the norm, cyclists reap an array of infrastructural benefits and the cities themselves can devote to continuing to curb carbon emissions. In other places, bicycles are simply the most efficient way to get things done. Take the bikes on the streets of a country like Vietnam, where people push bikes overloaded with bamboo, chickens, vegetables or whatever else the owner is carting that day.

And yet in our industrialized country, a two wheeled lifestyle has yet to be the norm. We ride for fun, or to train, and maybe a few times a week we hop on the bike to bust out a commute, but the bicycle has yet to be an assumed part of everyday life.

So why aren’t more of us riding? In many places, cycling for women is affected by a serious gender gap. But women have been riding through the ages, changing gender stereotypes along the way.

As Susan B. Anthony once said, “I think [the bicycle] has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. It gives a woman a feeling of freedom and self-reliance.”

From the first woman to bicycle around the world, to using the bicycle to promote cultural change, biking has been an empowering tool for women throughout the ages. In honor of female cyclists, here’s a visual look at women on two wheels from the last century.

1900s:

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Images: University of Illinois, radlmax, Toronto History, Toronto History, Stylesight, Amsterdamize, UC Davis, Stylesight, Prolly is Not Probably, The Independent, Mikael Colville-Andersen, Copenhagen Cycle Chic, comrade foot

A step by step guide to upcycled velo style. 

When a friend’s tire went flat on a bike ride earlier this year, I asked her if I could keep the tube.

“You want my punctured tube?” she asked, with a slight hint of  ”are you nuts?”

“Yes.”

“What are you going to do with it?”

“I don’t know, earrings maybe?”

I had been mulling the idea over for quite some time. Alchemy Goods and Green Guru are known for their upcycled bike tube designs that I have fallen in love with numerous times, and I figured that if they could do it, so could I, at least on a small scale. A few samples later and several friends were outfitted with new earrings.

From afar, these bike tube earrings look like they might even be made from metal, but in actuality they’re flexible and incredibly lightweight, perfect for when you want a pair of statement earrings but want to forgo the weight that’s normally associated with them.

Where do you find bike tubes? Go the standard route and put out a call out to your velo loving friends – a Facebook request yielded about 30 used tubes that an old friend had been saving in his basement for a good project – or ask a local bike shop. Got a tube? Let’s get started.

Supplies

• Used bike tube
• X-Acto knife
• Scissors
• Paper
• Pencil
• 2 earring wire hooks
• Jewelry pliers

Begin by prepping your bike tube. Cut the tube open near the valve and then cut straight down the middle of the entire tube.

Because used tubes tend to be a little grimy, wash the tube with warm, soapy water and hang to dry. I find the best way to store tubes once you have prepped them is to roll them up and put a rubber band around them, this way you can easily cut of the right sized pieces for what you’re making and neatly store the rest for future use.

Draw your design on a piece of paper and use as a template to cut out shapes from bike tube.

Because the bike tube will naturally curl, make sure you cut lengthwise along the tube, i.e. in the direction of the natural ridges of the tube and not perpendicular to them.

Cutting lengthwise will keep the leaf from curling upwards and allow it to hang straight down instead.

Once you have cut out your leaf, use the X-acto knife to cut out the center sections. Be creative! Some of my favorite designs that I have ended up come from simply cutting freehand.

When you have cut the first leaf you can follow the same form to do the second one.

Use the X-Acto knife to make a tiny insert at the top of the leaf.

Use a pair of jewelry pliers to insert the earring wires into the hole.

And now you’re ready to sport your upcycled designs all over town!

CicLAvia reminds us what city streets would look like without all the cars.

In early October, 10 miles of roads in East Hollywood, Downtown L.A., East L.A. and in between were closed down for regular traffic. Instead of cars and SUVs, cyclists, skateboarders and pedestrians took over the streets for a day of clean, fossil fuel-free fun. An estimated 130,000 people hit the streets for this third edition of CicLAvia, which has become a day of celebration for Angelenos from all walks of life. Even the city’s Mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa, put on his helmet and pedaled along, calling the event a good break for a city that’s “addicted to the single-passenger automobile.” All along the now-expanded course was music, food and games, like dodge ball and street chess. That certainly sounds like more fun than being stuck in traffic behind an angry SUV driver, don’t you think?

In a city so dependent on its ever-growing web of freeways CicLAvia serves as an important reminder what a future without cars may look like. Participants ranged from avid cyclists happy to be able to ride through their city without fearing for their lives to families who see it as an opportunity to have some fun-time together while getting some exercise. “This is so fun for us, being able to get out here on our bikes and enjoy the streets of our city without having to constantly be on the watch for cars and buses. The kids love it, and I feel good knowing that they’re safe,” said one father who was riding with his two kids.

I asked Joe Linton, Organizer for CicLAvia, why an event like this is important for the people of LA? “There are quite a few reasons,” he says. “Generally, CicLAvia is seen as promoting greener transportation choices and promoting public health through physical activity. It also promotes local business. The biggest reason is just getting folks to experience public space — bringing people together, where we can all look each other in the eye and interact with each other, all in the same egalitarian public realm.”

Joe also shared his best tip for Angelenos who are looking to use their bikes for transportation rather than pleasure: “Bicycling and walking, do both at once — it’s pleasure and transportation. I’d encourage beginner bicyclists to start small. Most of our trips are fairly short and very easy to bike — try biking a couple miles to get to a restaurant, a video store, or a movie theater.”

Speaking of walking, this event also marked the launch of CicLAvia Walks, a new initiative intended to “provide participants with opportunities to slow down and discover the many architectural, cultural, and culinary gems along the route.” Including walkers is a good step in the right direction, since it also involves people who may not have access to or be able to ride a bike. From the looks of the crowds yesterday, CicLAvia Walks seems like a welcome addition to the festivities.

So, were the streets being shut down or were they actually being opened up? That’s the big question here. I think we can guess what the 130,000 people who attended will say. Giving people access to the streets of their city is important not only to promote alternative forms of exhaust-free transportation, it also provides residents with a sense of community — well-needed in a city where most people spend a large part of their day alone in cars. What if every major city center was transformed into a car-free zone on weekends? “It’s already happening,” says Joe Linton. “Bogota, Quito, Guadalajara, Mexico City and others all do weekly events. Lots of cities in the U.S. and Canada are following suit.”

So what can we do to make that happen locally? “Get involved in your local open streets event — donate, volunteer, organize,” says Linton.

CicLAvia was inspired by the ciclovía (which means “bike path” in Spanish) movement in Bogota, Colombia, which began nearly 30 years ago and is now a weekly event with 80 miles of car-free streets. Los Angeles launched its first CicLAvia, which attracted an estimated 100,000 participants, exactly one year ago today. This third edition of the event was successfully crowd-funded through Kickstarter, which tells us that people are behind the car-free cities movement in a big way.

Bummed to miss it? The next CicLAvia event will be on April 15, 2012. Keep a look-out on CicLAvia’s events page for details and get those bikes ready.

Participant photos courtesty of CicLAvia’s Facebook page.

Eight of our favorite cities with bike share programs.

There are now almost 300 bike share programs around the world, from France to China, providing inhabitants with smart, environmentally friendly ways to get around.

So just where can you take advantage of  bike share? Here are eight bike sharing cities that we love.

Paris, France

Paris has been on the front pages of bike share news since it launched its popular Vélib system in 2007. Parisians and tourists alike take advantage of the program, making for about 50 million unique rides per year.

Hangzhou, China

Bike share has been available in Hangzhou since 2008 and with more than 50,000 bikes it’s the largest bike share system in the world.

Boulder, Colorado

Boulder just launched its B-Cycle program this spring, but in a college town with an avid crowd of outdoor enthusiasts, it’s no surprise that it has already been successful.

London, Britain

London’s bike share program is relatively new compared to many other European capitals, but that doesn’t make it any less noteworthy. With an interactive map available to users, you can get real-time information on the bikes available and where they’re parked.

Barcelona, Spain

Since launching in 2007, Barcelona has seen 11% of its population sign up for its bike share system, Bicing. In fact, the British Medical Journal reported that the program itself prevents 12 deaths a year. That may seem like a small number, but it’s an encouraging statistic for cities looking for more than environmental and transportation reasons to install programs.

Washington D.C.

With access to over 1,000 bicycles in Capital Bikeshare, there’s no excuse to show up to that meeting on The Hill on anything besides two wheels.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Bike sharing and investment in bike infrastructure is leading to cycling in the Argentine capital. The system launched a year ago and riders get to take advantage of improved bike paths and bike parking throughout the city.

Dublin, Ireland

When Dublin’s bike share program launched, it quickly became so popular that the city voted to expand the program from 500 bikes to 5,000.

Images: Jon & Alison, Payton Chung, Mr. T in DC, drinksmachine, Jsome1, IDTP, Mr. T in DC, infomatique

VideoCurb Appeal takes to the streets to show you what’s chic and unique with real women in real time.

What’s hot and haute across the pond? Be inspired by the most fresh and edgy looks snapped by Europe-based correspondent Abigail Wick biweekly. From the Left Bank to the former Eastern Bloc, EcoSalon’s exclusive Curb Appeal video series hones-in on what’s en vogue on city streets across the Atlantic. This week, Abigail hits the sidewalks of trendy, gritty East Berlin in search of bike fashion during the final, lush days of late summer.

Kombucha, organics, whole grains, kale – there’s a lot happening in the underground food movement that relates directly to living a healthier lifestyle – except for maybe cupcakes. Foodies have long understood the value of living a balanced lifestyle, and having an appreciation for good food is often teamed with being more conscious about everyday lifestyle choices. Which might be why there’s been an influx of bike influence when it comes to food. Think about it: opting for food that’s delivered by two wheels instead of four certainly makes a statement, and it’s one that plenty urbanite foodies are happy to make.

But every foodie has a weak spot, and a lot of us are well versed in the realm of caffeine addiction. Which means that no matter how many kale chips and sweet potato fries we may commit to, we’re always going to make room for that morning double americano. So what’s a conscious coffee-lover to do? Take advantage of the sustainable lifestyle trend that’s taken a hold of the food movement and get your beans delivered by bike.

Who’s doling out coffee beans a la velo? Lots of people.

If you’re already familiar with coffee bike-delivery, chances are you’ve heard mention of Peace Coffee. They’ve been delivering their beans by bike (wherever appropriate) in the Minneapolis area since 1999, well ahead of the trend. But this isn’t the only Midwest region that gets to enjoy the benefits of bike-delivered caffeine; Madison is home to Just Coffee Cooperative, who employs bikes for most of their local deliveries.

In San Francisco you can take advantage of Bicycle Coffee Company who provides organic, fair trade beans roasted in the San Francisco area to a variety of vendors including one of my favorite foodie destinations, Bi-Rite.

Coffee capital Portland is home to Courier Coffee Roasters, who deliver their home-roasted beans to plenty of cafes around and even offer home bean delivery, all by super cool looking cargo bikes. And the home delivered beans are served up in mason jars. This operation is so popular that they’re soon going to open a coffee bar in downtown Portland, where I am sure we can expect ample bike parking. Not to be outdone, fellow Pacific Northwest java central, Seattle, has Small Cog Coffee.

And don’t think that bike-delivered coffee is something that’s solely taking place in bike-centric metropolises. In Flagstaff be sure to check out The Coffee Pedaler, who not only delivers coffee by bike, but also has an espresso bar and full service bicycle shop all under one roof. What more could you ask for?

Editor’s note: This is the latest installment of Anna Brones’s column at EcoSalon, Foodie Underground. Each week, Anna will be taking a look at something new and different that’s taking place in the underground food movement, from supper clubs to mini markets to culinary avant garde.

Image: Anna Brones

Green travel isn’t just about buying carbon offsets and choosing resorts that serve local, organic fare, it’s about crafting an itinerary that’s built around more sustainable options. That’s especially true when it comes to transportation. Buzzing around a city and racking up cab fare certainly isn’t the most environmentally friendly option, but it also doesn’t allow you the ability to truly explore a place.

Conscious travel is about respecting the places that you’re venturing, and that means taking the time to truly enjoy them. That doesn’t mean you need to commit to three-week long stints in an Italian villa a la Slow Travel, but thinking about how you can better connect with a place on your next extended weekend is a great place to start. And what better way to explore a place than by bike?

Plenty of cosmopolitan cities offer excellent bike share programs, and with them, the opportunity to get to know a city just like a local while at the same time opting for a smarter, more sustainable method of travel.

Here’s a short list of cities with great bike share programs to get you started:

Montreal

The French Canadian metropolis is home to the much loved Bixi, a cutting-edge bike share system that incorporates a bunch of cool technologies including solar power and wifi-enabled stations. You can get everything from a 24-hour to a year-long pass, and the Bixi website helps you easily navigate between the many stations located around the city.

Paris

Maybe the most well-known of bike share systems, Vélib has been putting cyclists on the streets of Paris since 2007. And let’s be honest, what’s more French than a leisurely bike ride along the Seine with a baguette and round of Camembert in your basket all set for an afternoon picnic?

Washington D.C.

A couple of years ago, the U.S. capital unveiled the country’s first fully automated touch-and-go rental program. SmartBike DC has been so popular that now the city is planning to expand, replacing the program with a bigger and better version based on Montreal’s Bixi system. The new system will have 1,100 bikes at 114 different stations.

Copenhagen

The ultimate of cycling capitals, it’s no surprise that Copenhagen offers up its city bikes practically for free. Through the ByCyklen program you can get a bike for a mere 20 DKK deposit, approximately $3.30. The city has 2,000 bikes and 110 city bike racks, meaning you can pretty much explore just about any part of this Scandinavian capital on two wheels.

Melbourne

Melbourne just recently launched its bike-share program, and so far so good for the Australian city. A daily subscription will only cost you $2.50 (plus a little extra depending on how long you use the bike), and if you’re unsure of your cycling skills, you can even take brush up course offered specifically for bike share riders by the local program Bikes@Work. In conjunction with the program’s launch, a third party site, bikeshare.tel, was also set up, letting you identify station locations from your mobile phone.

Taipei

European capitals aren’t the only ones boasting bike share programs. In Taipei you can take advantage of U-Bike, which rolled out in 2009.

Big on bike sharing? Check out the Bike-sharing Blog which has a wealth of content and information on cities around the world that are incorporating programs like these.

Happy travels and safe riding!

Images: solylunafamilia, LWY, M. V. Jantzen, umebike, jon_lin, davidreid

My parents moved from Nebraska to Hollywood in the fifties, having heard the land game was booming in the San Fernando Valley. My developer father built us a home on a cul-de-sac in the suburb of Woodland Hills. The valley was still rife with small farms, ranches, undisturbed orange groves and only a handful of strip malls. We even played in a bog – a gated open forest located right across the street from my low-slung Mediterranean manse.

Paradise was not yet lost. It was still lush and green and hopeful. It had a culture, distinguished by great pockets of open space in the rapidly built-up jungle. Somehow, Ahmanson Ranch was spared from a sub-division fate when Washington Mutual gave up the fight to develop the refuge in 2003 and it was sold to the state of California, preserving its undeveloped status as a natural park. It’s located near my brother’s home in the Hidden Hills, and he often explores it on horseback, encountering a rattler or coyote now and then.

But that kind of wilderness isn’t the norm. Uncorked commercial development and urban sprawl greatly changed the rural childhood picture as I knew it with grid-locked, smog-producing freeways linking inhabitants to three car garage homes with massive gas barbecues and pools, and mostly, endless monstrous retail centers in Tarzana, Reseda, Encino, Sherman Oaks, Van Nuys, Canoga Park and North Hollywood. Sure, there are canyons and mountains and open terrain, but usually it is visual experience with very little access.

Meantime, most cultural centers (museums, theater, concert halls) are located downtown in “the city” and you have to subject yourself to the stress of traveling there to show your children there is more to Los Angeles than markets, fast food joints, gas stations, nail salons, car washes and dry cleaners. The strip malls and shopping center are now the culture of the valley. And they beckon us to buy and use more than we need.

I think of this because my youngest daughter is housed up in the valley for a week, initiating her summer vacation and celebrating a well-deserved break from the strains of 5th grade. She is spending “quality time” with my family members who all still reside in the valley.

My mother, sister and brother are hard pressed to keep Lauren entertained. I guess their ages and the fact they are childless must be factored in. But I also believe it is the culture of the outdoors being dramatically outstaged by retail blight.

The other day, my mother dragged the kid with her on her errands to the market, the cleaners, the car wash, the gas station. I was dragged on errands too, but also driven to the beach on summer days when it took a mere 20 minutes to traverse the canyon in her station wagon to Zuma. It also took 20 minutes to get to Westwood or Century City or Beverly Hills, but cars have ruined it and now the hour commute is too much for my mom to handle most days. Mom also spent a few hours with Lauren at the local 20,000 sq-foot strip mall, The Commons, where they saw The Karate Kid and had a bite.

The Commons has become a common destination for my daughters when visiting grandma. Hey, you can keep up with the Kardashians who have a shop called Dash across the street. Ain’t that culture?

My brother took my daughter with him to look at properties and to the office. She likes to color, so being indoors for a few hours isn’t all that boring. After, he took her to lunch and to Nordstrom, where they bumped into my mother at the jewelry counter. It was a funny coincidence that I’m sure added some interest to the week. My sister, who is the most innovative in the group, did arrange a swim day for Lauren with a friend and her child at a pool with some kind of crazy water features.

Swimming has always filled the summer days of valley kids, but it was never enough for me and my cronies. We also spent countless hours exploring those open orange groves and various fields which were interspersed between the developments. We hopped on our bikes or cruised around on foot, never fearing some lunatic would snatch us up if we dared venture into the green without grown ups. At times, the destination was the only strip mall (Corbin Village) but along the way we picked oranges and pomegranates and stopped to climb trees.

Boredom is an okay thing for kids during the summer break. It stirs the imagination and makes them resourceful. Build a playhouse out of an old cardboard box. Play beauty shop in the pool. Build castles in the sand. Sew clothes for those Barbies out of rags.

Sometimes the down time from camps, vacations, Disneyland, parties and parades can be the most memorable time of your childhood. Only, when you are completely surrounded by commercialism during that down time – block after block after block of  stores and businesses, it can be hugely oppressive. It helps to have a little green. And I wish more remained.

I suppose the only upside, which is also a downside, is the recession’s effect on the strip mall – forcing many tenants to abandon their leases and close their businesses. As a builder’s daughter, I empathize with the loss of income from the vacancies. Everyone is hurting. But it makes me wonder if the behemoths could be replaced with absolutely nothing.

Raze the properties. Return the land. Leave it alone. This could restore the valley to a hopeful green place, again. Mom and dad believed development of the valley was the future. Lauren’s mom and dad believe it is now about creating more undeveloped space – the kind a kid on a bike can explore on a boring, summer day.

Images: front door, Calabasas Real Estate, ebay

Google Maps released a feature that gives turn-by-turn biking directions in 150 American cities this week, as it has previously for driving, public transportation and walking routes.

According to the company’s own blog, bike directions were the most requested feature by Google Maps users. Pro-bicyclist, and environmentalist groups like Austin’s GoogleMapsBikeThere.org had created petitions and lobbied Google to develop this tool as early as 2007. Their petition scored more than 51,000 signatures.

Others, like RideTheCity in New York, worked to develop their own bike route mapping tools online, with specific, insider knowledge of each metro area.

The new Google feature delivers information about bike trails that have no motor vehicles, and the streets and routes recommended for cyclists, avoiding motor vehicle traffic, and steep hills. So far, the green and bike loving blogosphere has reacted with mixed reviews, deeming Google Maps for Bikes a good start, but not quite there yet.

We hope that Google’s Bike Maps feature will encourage car commuters to go green and get fit. Biking where you might have driven before can prevent tons of carbon emissions each year, while burning hundreds of calories an hour.

Basic Reading:

“Motor vehicle emissions represent 31 percent of total carbon dioxide, 81 percent of carbon monoxide, and 49 percent of nitrogen oxides released in the U.S. A short, four-mile round trip by bicycle keeps about 15 pounds of pollutants out of the air we breathe.” – Top environmental reasons to bike not drive from BikeLeague.org

“Google worked with the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, which advocates for the creation of biking and walking paths throughout the United States, to gather trail-map data. “˜The demand for trail maps and information has never been higher, especially as more people recognize biking as a viable, inexpensive and healthy alternative to driving,’ Rails-to-Trails President Keith Laughlin said in a statement.” – A news item ‘Google Maps Your Way to the Bicycle Path,’ via Silicon Valley Mercury News

“Avid bicyclists, who have long demanded they be treated as equals on the city’s streets, suddenly felt the pain of every driver who has taken a wrong turn after getting glitchy Google Maps directions… Some [cyclists] said the site wanted them to backpedal away from official city bike routes, often adding 10 or 15 minutes to their usual commutes. One regular rider said Google was trying to kill her – directing her to get on Interstate 5.” – A mixed review for Google’s Bike Maps feature by Portland, Oregon cyclists via Oregon Live

“My guess: Google’s bike maps feature will be mostly neglected until they are vastly improved. One suggestion, Google needs a better system to accept crowdsourced input. If cyclists get behind the project, however, Google’s bike maps could become really helpful.” A tough review of Google Bike Maps, by David Coursey for PC World

Further Resources:

“I burn about 66 carolies per mile on my bicycle. My car emits .932 pounds of CO2 per mile”¦” – A by-the-numbers post at CarFree blog

Wired’s Autopia blog seeks readers’ opinion for a “crowdsourced” review of Google Maps new bike feature

A post by Jason St. Amand about the most affordable and best bikes via WalletPop

The website of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which tracks safety issues around driving, mostly, with some cycling and walking studies too

This is the latest installment of EcoMeme, a column featuring eco news, tech and business highlights by columnist Lora Kolodny.

Image: Pixel Addict

My old college bud, Kenny Scharf, is arguably the original green artist – a brilliant guy from L.A. who began his career nabbing trash from the streets of Manhattan and embellishing old appliances with his phantasmagorical, Fifties-inspired, squiggly creatures and symbols.

Working alongside East Village graffiti muralists like Keith Haring and Jean Michel Basquiat, his uproariously spacey icons were quickly embraced by Andy Warhol and other enthusiasts with clout. He quickly rose to the ranks of artist superstar.

Scharf  conveyed his erumpent celeb status to me when I caught up with him back in 1984. I was covering festivals and parades during my first big break as a TV reporter in Central Pennsylvania.

“I’m really big now, Luanne,” he informed me. “I mean really big.”

Oh, yeah? Well, I just downed my 10th funnel cake at another Keystone country shindig, so there!

A few decades later, the prolific, globally-acclaimed pop star is still doing what he does best: painting, scavenging beaches for trash for his sculptures, performing at his recycled Brooklyn live-work space and enjoying the fanfare of a new retrospective book, Kenny Scharf by Rizzoli.

Oh, and another thing he’s still doing – riding his bike instead of driving whenever possible. It’s been his favorite mode of transport for the past 30 years. In fact, he was riding with cell in ear when I caught up with him, yet again, huffing only so slightly. Quite admirable for 51.

“I ride my bike everywhere,” he says. “I live in Brooklyn and ride over the bridge and back, sometimes twice a day. Why drive a few blocks when you can walk or ride?”

His biking is admirable not only for cutting fuel emissions, but also for keeping him as fit as the new crop of young artists who form his entourage in New York. They include Daniel Heidkamp, who encouraged Scharf to lend his magic to one of the many empty commercial storefronts hit by the recession.

Landlords have been luring in artists to keep up appearances in the darkened spaces with that edgy, gallery feel. According to the New York Times, the goal is to deter crime while attracting tenants who can afford the rent. Scharf agreed to be part of a group show in one of these pop-up galleries, finding it exciting to be part of the scene.

“I said I didn’t have work I could donate, but I could do something directly on the wall like a spray painting,” he told me. “I will do that pretty much anywhere. So I did my spray painting and there was a photographer and a reporter from the New York Times waiting for me there.”

The unexpected coverage boosted the opening of the show, entitled ‘Too Big to Fail: Big Paintings’.

“I went and it was nice, like a bunch of 20-something artists,” he says. “I liked the work and to be part of the youngsters [scene].”

I assured him he’s still a youngster, too. After all, I still sense a wide-eyed wonder in his current work that merges organic earth elements with sensual, knobby creatures in the perspective of a damaged Cable Guy way over-exposed to TV Land stimuli. The familiarity of his fantasies make us laugh as we drink in the irony and nostalgia.

,

Today, the high-energy Scharf divides his time between homes in Brazil and NYC.

He enjoyed a recent show of his paintings (above) and sculptures at the Honor Fraser Gallery in Venice, Ca. At home in Brooklyn, he lives in a basement studio called the Cosmic Cavern A-Go-Go, which moonlights as a psychedelic nightclub for parties and performance art.

“I have been working with garbage and refuse for all these years, and the Cavern is made out of found objects from the street that I pull in and decorate,” he explains.

The Cavern attracts a following of young visionaries (like the space Cadette with Kenny, below) eager to talk trash with the painter and celebrate his lighthearted sensibilities.

“We have actual performances when the music stops playing,” Scharf tells me about the club. “People appear as art objects and they go all out. It’s about being inclusive and everyone being allowed to be a part of it.”

The lucky patrons who come unadulterated get a quick Scharfian make-over.

“I just paint their faces,” he says. “Then they sweat it off dancing.”

Guess we can’t really call that sustainable craft, but the artist himself is enduring longer than most of his peers, many of whom passed on years ago from AIDS (like Haring).

“I miss my dead friends very much, but I’m used to not having them around,” Scharf says.

Instead, he surrounds himself with their art (he used to trade his for theirs) and his golden memories, while forging ahead in a brave, new and green world. A world where the resourceful painter is as much at home in Orbit City as George Jetson.

“I’ve been an eco-artist for a long time,” he tells me. “Though I’m not some puritan. I use spray paint; I take airplanes; I make sculptures out of resin when I need to, but I’m very conscious of it.”

I believe you, Kenny. You are really big and you are really conscious. Anyway, it’s not easy to spray paint with vegetable dye and ride a bike to Brazil. But if you could, you would.

Main Image: New York Times

Image One: Kenny Scharf

Image Two: RizzoliUsa

Image Three: Honor Fraser Gallery

Images Three, Four, Five : Kenny Scharf