The Brief

Tucked inside a gallery space at the Glendale Central Library is artist Shepard Fairey's latest exhibit, Peace is Radical.

Fairey is best known for his iconic design of the Hope print for Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign. His work first gained international attention in the 1990s — with his Obey Giant street art campaign featuring the image of Andre the Giant.

I spoke with Fairey about his exhibit, including a limited edition library card he designed for the library that's currently available. Here are edited excerpts from our conversation:

Why collaborate with the Glendale Central Library

“ I love doing things that engage civically... spaces like the library are very democratic. And [it shows] that government can support the arts in meaningful ways."

Limited edition Glendale Library card designed by Shepard Fairey

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Courtesy of the Glendale Library

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The meaning of 'Peace is Radical'

“I have done a lot of work over the years about promoting peace, harmony, diplomacy and used a lot of different symbols. But the peace sign with the peace fingers is something that's been a recurrent motif because I think it's understood across many cultures and nations. It's especially relevant right now with what's going on in the Ukraine and in Israel and Palestine.

The whole concept of peace being radical to me is that too many people take the reactionary path of resorting to violence rather than taking a deep breath and putting their ego in check for a second and finding a compromise that avoids violence. That is a more unfortunately radical [way].”

Glendale, CA: opening reception of Peace is Radical

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Glendale Public Library

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Glendale, CA: Shepard Fairey mural, Peace is Radical exhibit

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Stacey Meineke

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Glendale, CA: Shepard Fairey's Peace is Radical exhibit

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Stacey Meineke

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Why screen printing is Fairey’s preferred medium

“Screen printing has been the cornerstone of my practice for over 30 years because it is so effective and efficient in making graphic images that can be fine art, or they can be put up on the street. They can be disseminated. They can be sold inexpensively.

So screen printing really aligns with my philosophy that art should be accessible. It should be democratic. And when I say accessible I mean, experiencing it firsthand outside of just elite spaces like galleries and museums, but also accessible pricewise.

And it's not a super difficult technique. I started to learn how to do it in middle school. So I know from my own experience how empowering it is so I’m using it as part of a template of empowerment for other people.”

How he conveys a message with an image 

“If you can impact the audience emotionally — that the intellectual side of the message will be something that their emotional side wants to reconcile and justify if it gives them a positive, strong feeling — then that can break through predispositions, any sort of barrier they might have put up because it doesn't align with the way they identify politically or socially.

And so I'm always looking for what is the imagery? What is the text? What is the color scheme that's going to achieve that? It is not a precise science at all. A lot of it is based on feeling and trial and error. And sometimes I have an idea and after I render it, I realize it's not succeeding and I keep pushing. I keep tinkering and experimenting until it's giving me the feeling that I hope it will give to other people.

We are not a monolithic species so it will never have the same desired effect on everyone. But I do trust that we as humans have a lot in common. And that if it moves me, that it will at least move some other people. I'm not a person driven by faith generally but I do have faith in that principle.”

Fairey’s new work

"I'm working on a lot of pieces to promote civic engagement and voting. I think civic engagement means more than just voting but I am very concerned about the preservation of democracy. So this is a big focus of mine between now and the election.”

Shepard Fairey’s Peace is Radical is at the Glendale Central Library’s ReflectSpace through April 14th, 2024.

If you’ve noticed more wildlife visiting your yard in recent years — maybe digging up your vegetable garden or even drinking from your pool — you’re not alone.

A recent study from UCLA found that larger predators like mountain lions and bears are more likely to interact with humans and travel closer to population centers in drier years. To determine this, the researchers analyzed state data collected on reported property damage, nuisances, conflicts and sightings.

“It kind of runs the full gamut of how people interact with wildlife around their neighborhoods and their homes,” said UCLA postdoctoral researcher Kendall Calhoun, the lead author on the study.

It's not just P-22. Mountain lions across the whole state are forced to leave their habitats for survival.

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Courtesy Kendall Calhoun

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Different motivations for different animals

As you might expect, different animals might have different reasons for entering populated areas. But in large part, Calhoun said, it comes down to animals’ survival instincts.

The primary motivator for many herbivores is likely to be food. That’s because with less precipitation, there’s also less plant material for them to eat. (Don’t forget: even with all the rain we’ve had recently, much of Southern California is still in a drought.)

“ Deer and elk might be pushed to find those food resources in places that they normally wouldn't go, like agriculture, crops, things from people's yards, persimmons from your tree,” Calhoun said.

And as herbivores get pushed toward humans, the animals that prey on them are too. In fact, the species that saw the highest increases in clashes with humans were omnivores and carnivores, specifically mountain lions, coyotes, black bears and bobcats.

But even these animals have varying reasons for getting close to people.

“Mountain lions might be more inclined to look for supplemental food in livestock — that might be a sheep or a goat,” Calhoun said. “Black bears may be more willing to go into your trash to look for food to help supplement what they're missing in their resource-scarce natural areas.”

Meanwhile, animals of all kinds might enter a yard even when they have enough food to look for standing water.

About the data

Researchers analyzed data from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife that were reported over the last several years as part of a citizen science initiative.

One important caveat is that the researchers primarily looked at conflicts between wildlife and residents, and there may be differences in how these interactions are reported.

For example, you might not report a deer eating fruit from an overloaded tree as a nuisance, but even a peaceful black bear digging through your trash could raise alarm bells.

 "People also really value having wildlife living alongside them," Calhoun said. "It really is important for us to try to strike that balance where there's pros for both sides, without some of the negative interactions that come with living in close proximity with wildlife species."

Learn more about human-wildlife interactions

There’s more background on the research on UCLA’s website, and you can find the full study here.

You can also learn much more about interactions between humans and wildlife in LAist’s Imperfect Paradise podcast series, “Lions, Coyotes, & Bears.”

Low-cost internet service will soon roll out in parts of L.A. County at the end of this year, and organizers say eligible households can sign up for alerts when the service becomes available.

The service — a partnership between L.A. County and internet provider WeLink — is the latest project from the county’s “Delete the Divide,” an initiative meant to bridge the digital divide in underserved neighborhoods.

Major funding for the project comes from the American Rescue Plan Act, as well as a grant from the California Public Utilities Commission.

It’s badly needed

About 23%, or more than 20,000, households in the East L.A. and Boyle Heights area don’t have home internet, according to Delete the Divide.

The service will also soon be coming to South L.A., where more than 40,000 households were identified as lacking home internet.

What you need to know

There will be different plans available — including low-income, market-rate and small business options — at fixed prices. The low-cost plan will start at $25 per month for qualifying families. Those who don’t qualify could also purchase plans starting at $65 a month. Monthly rates are fixed until at least September 2027.

Every plan includes unlimited data, a router and parental controls.

Low-cost internet service will soon roll out in South L.A. at the end of this year.

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Courtesy of L.A. County

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Low-cost internet service will soon roll out in parts of East L.A. and Boyle Heights at the end of this year.

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Courtesy of L.A. County

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How it works 

WeLink will install a Wi-Fi router inside a home and a 4-inch radio on the roof to connect the household to the internet.

Interested households can sign up for updates and be notified by WeLink when service is available here.