ASHES & ROSES

One of the most comprehensive films undertaken about the art project, as hub, and Skid Row spinning about it, was undertaken by Casey O'Neill Jones (Seajay Films Foundation) in 2004.

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Starting with an email sent to project founder, Rory White, by film-maker Casey Jones, an amazing odyssey began with Casey coming to the art project in Skid Row, virtually living there, for a good six months, before aiming camera towards subject, and then an immersion that lasted a half dozen years building an amazing body of footage.   A 25 minute vignette or work-product version put together quickly for a grant application, also views amazingly well as a film-within-itself.  (more later on all this!)

His first email:  Wed 7/7/2004 11:23 AM

"Dear Rory,

I was fortunate enough to come upon your website

a week or so ago, and I have explored it with immense appreciation and admiration many times since.
It is extremely well presented and a real beacon of light reflecting the power of the human spirit in an area which I realize knows far more than its fair share of darkness. It is truly an amazing body of work which the artists have created and which you have made available through the website.

Your site mentions that visitors are welcome, and I would very much like to visit, if at all possible, at a time that is convenient for you and the artists.

Perhaps you might suggest a time for me to come, or when it is best to call to make arrangements. Thank you very much.

Yours respectfully,

Casey Jones"

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The years of work Casey spent with us, bonding with all of us and creating massive volume of filmic material became a very beloved part of our Skid Row days and growth.  

While still in a, very long but not unheard of whatsoever, post production period, Casey produced a Vignette of the film, in a rushed 36 hours to produce a work sample for a deadline on a grant.  While never meaning to be a film for public viewing, even that work-sample vignette, has stood up well against the passing 15 years, as an, in fact, film-in-itself.   It's only been seen by a small handful of people, and had only one approved tiny-screening at a small social-justice advocating community church group in Santa Monica, (Risen), nevertheless "Ashes & Roses/the Vignette" 25 minute film has held up well as a strong piercing, but loving, look into not only our art project and its members, but to the lives of many in Skid Row.   

Casey followed individual lives in amazing, yet straightforward filmic narrative style, with the subjects themselves being both subjects-and-spontaneous-narrators.  

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Check back with this page for far more details and, hopefully, soon a link to the film Vignette, and updates on the entire film project's status.  

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IMAGES ON THIS PAGE: Below are handfulls of still images related to Casey's filming and involvement and that time in our history as the first decade of the original Skid Row Lamp Art Project, part of the ongoing Art Works Continuum.

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Soon we hope too have a link to

the vignette, or actuality, of the film:

ASHES & ROSES.