The Insider: Buck Damon
Buck Damon‘s resume is stacked with Grammy Awards and platinum-selling soundtracks from his 20-year career as a music supervisor. But today, his experience reads a bit more diversified with a second career devoted to interior design–one of his passions from an early age. “I was hooked,” Damon says, describing how he felt after taking design classes at UCLA. He recently opened his new studio and atelier in the burgeoning Mid-City neighborhood known as Pico Great Street, where he offers an eclectic mix of furniture, art and decorative objects, along with his debut fabric line. With his finger on the beat (Damon still takes select music projects), he shares his thoughts on the best of Los Angeles.
Design must-sees: Our Pico neighborhood between Hauser Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue has great furniture shops, an art gallery and amazing cafes. Architect Ric. Abramson of Workplays Studio is currently converting a 1950s Gregory Ain building into housing that brings live-work-play spaces to a commercial corridor–a new growth concept for the city.
Favorite retreat: Japanese gardens help me recharge. My favorites are SuihoEn in the San Fernando Valley and the historic Japanese Garden at The Huntington.
One to watch: I’m fascinated and intrigued by artist Allison Schulnik‘s goopy oil style and how she uses it to maximum impact. I also enjoy seeing the contrast and evolution of her subjects. They’ve grown from her original flower series to more macabre spirits, cats and landscapes.
