This is the first of a three part
series.
The email came as a forward
from the Chief Editor of the
Culver City News; would you
like to take this assignment?
The story at the time seemed
like the usual entertainment
piece easy to do. We live in Los
Angeles, second largest city in
the country and a major player
in the capitals of entertainment.
Upon a closer read of the
email, in fine print, I saw the
name Carolyn McDemas, the
mother of a local although
legendary multi-dimensional
artist, James McDemas, had
called the paper wanting to tell
James’ story. James McDemas
had so much talent, and on so
many different levels, it is a surprise
that he could express all
of it in just one short lifetime.
On August 3, of this year,
James would have been the tender
age of 48. Carolyn has set a
private party for that day in his
honor. This wonderful mother
and guardian of rights had
something deep and profound
to say because she had seen talent
at its best.
McDemas had staked a
claim to fame with an original
piece he called, ART. The
Los Angeles Times featured
ART on numerous occasions
and MONA, Museum of Neon
Art, plans to purchase it.
ART appeared in the videos
of famous hip-hop artist like
David Guetta, Nicki Minaj, and
Flo Rida, in 2012. Celebrities
Brad Pitt, Angelino Jolie, and
Tom Ford had begun to make
James McDemas, the go to for
unique and flawlessly produced
pieces. Up until that moment,
there was no mention of James
in my world, I had recently broken
into the art world from a
selfless place of a child come
home. Not knowing or caring
for that matter.
This story would prove to
be emotionally stimulating and
provide an entirely different
view. Carolyn, as she politely
asked to be called, gave me the
rundown on the many dimensions
of the McDemas collection.
Upon hearing her speak, I
could not help but wonder if she
herself had extended a special
brand of talent to the McDemas
boys, James and Sam.
We talked about her finding
photographer Larry Underhill,
who is a perfect fit to shoot
the many visceral and colorful
shades of James’ work. Larry
and James had become friends
by chance and as fate would
have it, Underhill had the eye
to capture the purest essence
of an original McDemas piece.
A few of James’ closest
friends rescued me in my
search for answers as they
spoke openly and honestly
about how they came to know
this talented individual.
According to Carolyn, James
exhibited from childhood a
tremendous ability to see art
in everything. He was quite
the organizer, the planner and
brilliantly adaptive at gathering
what to most would be local
rubbish and making it functional.
His private collection of
the goodies that little boys love
included memorabilia of Los
Angeles, neon light fixtures,
toys, original castings and vintage
clothing. www.mcdemas.
com/biohtml.
With a mind already pointed
towards success, James instinctively
knew how to polish up a
piece of metal, turning it from
scrap to a table, a frame or
some other identifiable relic.
Friend, entrepreneur and
sometimes play dad, Ralph Herman
describes a young James:
“Tino (James’ father)
brought him over to do some
work for our original ranch
home site. James was meticulous
with his work no matter
what it was. I was the first
person to see what James was
attempting to accomplish with
his first major piece he called,
ART. He had to be around 16 or
17 and rode a crummy rusted
bicycle he had purchased for
around $10. If I recall correctly,
he biked all the way from Santa
Monica to my home on the Tarzana
Ranch. In his backpack
was the first basic concept of
a one-piece aluminum rocking
chair. He had produced an
initial model in steel, crudely
welded although showing adequately
what he had in mind.
We sat on our patio, discussed
for several hours the making
of this piece and included conversation
on the philosophy of
being an artist.
We talked refinement, from
his concept, not mine. He purchased
his first car at this time.
He had dreamed of owning an
impressive green BMW. More
importantly, at our next outing,
he brought with him the second
model of the rocking chair
he had envisioned before, but
this model had taken on substantial
refinement.
We discussed the car, which
he saved money for from an
early age and the rocking chair.
He had obtained quotes to produce
the chair. One of the most
impressive events I attended at
the invitation of James was in
Santa Monica on Main Street
where he was an exhibitioner
in a gallery with several pieces.
Those pieces included the rocking
chair, and an ironing board
converted to a chair that was
magnificent and carried out in
perfection.
In later years, I would invite
James and his girlfriend to
MOCA. James and I seemed
to like the same kind of art
and gravitated towards pieces
that had more of an interest to
us than they did to others. For
some reason he would disclose
his ideas to me and no one else
either through lack of trust or
some other understanding.
I attended more art shows
that James was featured in.
They ranged from work at the
Neon Art Museum MONA to
small community events. For a
number of years, he was fairly
sufficient working at ‘Marmol
Redziner,’ producing everything
from light fixtures, door
handles, cabinet knobs, you
name it, James could produce it
and with perfection.”
James used a lot of Blues and
vibrant Reds in his creations.
This is the end of Part I of a
three-part story. Part II we discuss
James in NEON.
