Meet Edem Elesh

We were lucky to catch up with Edem Elesh recently and have shared our conversation below.

Edem , we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?
Well, being offered this interview with Bold Journey Magazine is a good example of how. Thank you so much for another opportunity to, once again, shine and share my story. Overall, I guess I would have to say trusting my gut. Beginning as a musician in bands around Los Angeles and Orange County, from the start I found our music was receiving immediate notice from clubs and promoters. Headlining spots and regular “house band” appearances came quickly. To name a couple for history’s sake, my band in the early 80s “Landscape Of Sound” became house band at both the Concert Factory in Costa Mesa, and The Golden Bear in Huntington Beach. History buffs can look them up. After this, my current composing partner (and life long friend) Brett Smith and I formed “Drowning Pool (Music)” in about 1984. We garnered the attention of Independent Project Records , a coveted independent label home, in Downtown LA’s (now) Art District. To keep on the history train, the offices are still there on 6th and Mateo at the Nate Starkman & Son building, which is a landmark. Where am I going with this? I was always lucky. My albums covers were regularly featured in the premiere music magazines of the time. This album cover art eventually earned me a partial scholarship into Art Center in Pasadena. This was a bridge on my journey to art as career. From this moment my life blossomed. After graduating in 1994, I worked all over Hollywood. Being an Art Director for Roger Corman for 5 years was definitely a highlight. Also earning a Gold Medal from the Society of Illustrators Los Angeles in 1998. Many more great clients would appear. One in particular, Harley Rinzler, became my first fine art collector and his patronage allowed me to buy my first house in LA. From this moment my art career flourished. The Don O’Melveny Gallery took my in; Gloria Delson became my art representative; Lydia Takeshita of LA Artcore gave me a port; Kamol Tassananchalee, (the renowned Thai National artist) invited me on my first International Art Exchange with Thailand. I am furnishing this history to illustrate how, by following my passion and instincts, providence has repeatedly knocked on my door. Of course we all have doubts; I am no exception. But some how creating my art always brought me luck. Being true to myself and honest in my voice has always been rewarded, To circle back to music, a great Mentor in Art Center, Roland Young, insisted that I continue composing music. Since 2010 Brett and I have been working on our music project KinderCrowdControl. We have had the honor of being represented by BsquaredMGMT out of Nashville Tennessee, and because of them garnered the attention of a most influential figure in the music business: Michael Rosenblatt. Readers can look up his provenance. When this happened Brett told me “you were right”, meaning somehow, by following my path, great events unfolded. Through art exchanges all over the globe, I met two great music voices: Sandra Ban from Croatia (a famous artist from there), and last year, the amazing Michal Soltan who recently took a solid 2nd place on The Voice of Poland. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abUoxGwvCaU. So to wrap up, by following my gut and pursuing my personal vision, providence has smiled on me. So whenever I am in doubt, I “go-to-my-art” and this has always been rewarded. Confidently knowing this, is the key to my self-esteem.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am a world renowned and collected Fine Artist; a respected and streamed musician: kindercrowdcontrol.bandcamp.com; a Design Firm Owner: 56design.com; a Board Member of the IAA-USA.org. I love every aspect of my career. I am proud to be a Board member of the IAA-USA. In this position I am able to give back to the art community. We are hosting our first International Exchange with 2 artists from Vietnam in December 2023. This is extremely rewarding to me as an artist who has been blessed with being able to walk, and now share, his “path of bliss”. I urge artists to check out https://www.iaa-usa.org, become a Member, and enjoy the fruits of our labors. We are hosting a virtual art exhibit for World Art Day 2023 and also offering Members a chance to include their art in an International Art Exhibit in South Korea. I am currently (November 2023) exhibiting in the Gloria Delson Contemporary Arts Gallery with 2 amazing artists who have been on this journey with me for years: James Finnegan and Kathy Gura. The show may be over when this article is released, but check out my art by going to https://www.gdcagallery.com. I am very excited about my recent work.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Perseverance, faith, dedication. Knowing you’re on the right path can be difficult: trust your gut. Life will lead you, or place obstacles on, your path. See them for what they are and have faith that everything is where it should be. This knowledge is reflected in a recent painting of mine titled “Is”. I was given a glimpse of what I can only describe as “The Akashic records”. Praying for the return to health of a loved one, I dreamed I was in a hallway and holding, and then walking on, a bright page with a word, burning in gold. I could not read it, as it was written in a language I could not decipher. But the message I was given was “Everything is where it should be”. This takes some reflection to grasp the full meaning. Be aware of what’s going on, see things for what they can teach you, be dedicated in your resolve to achieve what you set out to do. Be as good a person as you can on the way. This is crucial too.

Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
Let’s go with books for several reasons. I am lucky to have an extensive library to draw inspiration from. In this age of digital censorship, malformation, disinformation, and whatever term is the choice of the day or platform, books exist physically and can not be altered to suit any particular narrative. I urge everyone to buy important works to maintain a semblance of reality. This is very important and will become a part of our collective history. Rather than any one particular book, I would have to say I am inspired by the work of the great Los Angeles poet and writer Charles Bukowski. His lesson? Hard work and dedication over “talent”. His words embolden my philosophy laid out in pervious answers to your questions. Shoot straight, be honest, be you. Jack Kerouac for his love of America and the dream of freedom. Ernest Hemingway for his diamond words. Jean Cocteau for his character, history, and art. Here an anecdote is in order. When creating a backdrop for the great ballet choreographer Diagelev, he was told simply “astound me”. Definitely words to live by.

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