The City of West Hollywood is celebrating the winter holiday season with art during the month of December! These include a specially commissioned artwork by artist Daniel Sulzberg that is on display on street pole banners and digital transit shelters throughout West Hollywood; and a holiday poem, writing workshop and Holiday Poetry Hotline by current West Hollywood City Poet Laureate Jen Cheng.

Since 2016, the City of West Hollywood, through its Arts Division, has commissioned artists to create visual artworks that celebrate the winter season and beautify the City on digital transit shelters and street pole banners. This year’s selected artist is Daniel Sulzberg, who was chosen through an open call for artists. Past artists have included Shag (also known as Josh Agle), Steven Rahbany, Mona Tanksley, Sophie Morro, and Joey Deruy. Street pole banners featuring the artwork from this year and former years will be on display along portions of Santa Monica Boulevard, Melrose Avenue, La Brea Avenue, Fairfax Avenue, and N. San Vicente Boulevard.

Artist Daniel Sulzberg is an award-winning illustrator who specializes in whimsical, colorful, and detailed illustrations that are a perfect match for his imaginative storytelling. He was a resident of West Hollywood for almost 2 decades before moving to Santa Barbara, and during that time fell in love with West Hollywood’s diverse mix of cultures and eclectic characters. In the past, he has been a screenwriter for shows like the CW's Smallville, a creative director for Red Bull Cartoon, and has worked with clients such as The New York Times, Google, Nike, Facebook, Dreamworks, Major League Soccer, and Sesame Street. He is a published children’s book illustrator and is represented worldwide by IllustrationX. Outside of his creative work, Daniel is a vinyl collecting mocha-maestro, and a soccer-loving father to two feisty children. More information on the artist can be found at www.danvillage.com.   

West Hollywood City Poet Laureate Jen Cheng will be hosting a Holiday Poetry Hotline and related writing workshop, and has written a holiday poem called ‘Winter Memories’.

• From Sunday, December 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024, call into the Holiday Poetry Hotline at (310) 853-3952 hosted by West Hollywood City Poet Laureate Jen Cheng. Recorded poems are available to listen to 24 hours per day, 7 days a week, during this Hotline period, featuring “poetry prescriptions” to respond to common ailments of winter blues. The Hotline will feature poems from former West Hollywood City Poets Laureate Steven Reigns, Kim Dower, Charles Flowers, and Brian Sonia-Wallace, in addition to poems by current City Poet Laureate Jen Cheng. Community members are encouraged to call-in during the live hotline hours of 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Time on Saturday, December 21, 2024 when callers can enjoy live readings from the curated list of “poetry prescriptions” or request a custom poem written for them.
• On Saturday, December 7, 2024 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., join Jen Cheng for a poetry writing workshop, drawing inspiration from curated “poetry prescriptions.” The workshop will be held at the West Hollywood Library Community Meeting Room, located at 625 N. San Vicente Boulevard. This free workshop is for adults, open to all levels of experience and ability, and RSVPs are required. RSVP info is available at https://www.weho.org/community/arts-and-culture/holiday.

‘Winter Memories’ – by West Hollywood City Poet Laureate Jen Cheng

Gather the shimmering songs, quiet and loud.

It is winter and our sunny neighborhood loves a million colors, proud.

Cozy up with scarves and sweaters warm with memories of love.

Walk along rugged oak trees and bright bus shelters.

Visit with a cuppa and hear the hum that might be the next meme.

Your feet wander along and discover old and new beats:

Our winter wonders sans snow woo us to listen and stay a while.

Let the polyphony dazzle and tingle our hearts with delight.

Winter Season Street Pole Banners 

Since 2016, the City of West Hollywood's Arts Division has issued an open call to artists to commission an original image to celebrate the holidays, West Hollywood style. The artwork is printed onto street banners which decorate the streets of West Hollywood. Artists have included Shag (Josh Agle), Steven Rahbany, Mona Tanksley, Sophie Morro, Joey Deruy, and Daniel Sulzberg.

2024 banners will be on display from December 2, 2024 to January 7, 2025.

2023		Joey Deruy created a series of 8 paintings highlighting iconic West Hollywood buildings and landmarks including - Lloyd Wright House and Studio, Pacific Design Center, Plummer Park Community Center, Sal Guarriello Veterans Memorial, Schindler House/MAK Center, Sunset Tower, West Hollywood City Hall and Automated Garage, West Hollywood Gateway, West Hollywood Library, West Hollywood Park Aquatic and Recreation Center (ARC). A video showcasing the banners and 2023 winter season poem by Jen Cheng, West Hollywood City Poet Laureate was created. Joey Deruy was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico; was raised in Kenya and Montana; and is currently based in Palm Springs, California. A self-taught painter, Deruy has forged a specific, line-driven, figurative style all his own. Deruy’s artwork combines the playfulness of late 20th-century Street Art with the geometric, African-inspired abstraction of Cubism, often with witty references to pop culture and geographic places. More information https://www.instagram.com/joeyderuy.
2022		Sophie Morro created an artwork that features images that celebrate West Hollywood including the City-owned Neon Diver sign (located on top of the new West Hollywood Aquatics and Recreation center in West Hollywood Park) and the historically designated building Sunset Tower located on the Sunset Strip. More Information https://www.sophiemorro.com
2021		Mosa Tanksley has illustrated several published children's books, freelances regularly for a local magazine, and enjoys taking on new and creative projects.
2020		Steven Rahbany is a West Hollywood resident and art director/graphic designer who has a breadth of experience, including 8+ years experience designing from concept to completion in print, digital, and social in areas such as branding, entertainment, cause marketing, B2B, and more. He has worked with various agencies for in house clients such as Urban Decay, Buzzfeed, IGN, The National Institutes of Health, and more. Steven created a banner during the pandemic celebrating connection through digital means. More info: www.stevenrahbany.com.
2016-2019		Shag (Josh Agle) is a painter, designer and illustrator working in Southern California. His distinctive artistic style draws from commercial illustration from the past five decades, but the work is imbued with an attitude and sly sense of humor which is unmistakably of our time. Solo exhibitions of Shag's work have been held in the United States, Europe, Japan, Australia and South America. More info at www.shag.com.

City Poet Laureate Winter Season Projects

Holiday Poetry Hotline

December 1 – 31, 24 hours a day, (Recorded Poems)

Saturday, December 21, 2024, 2-5pm, (Live Custom Poems) 

Free, (310) 853-3952

Call into the Holiday Poetry Hotline at (310) 853-3952 hosted by West Hollywood City Poet Laureate Jen Cheng.

Recorded poems are available to listen to 24 hours per day, 7 days a week, during the entire month of December, featuring “poetry prescriptions” to respond to common ailments of winter blues. The hotline will feature poems from former and current West Hollywood City Poets Laureate.

On Saturday, December 21, 2024, from 2 pm to 5 pm, callers can enjoy live readings from the curated list of “poetry prescriptions” or request a custom poem written for them!

Holiday Poetry Writing Workshop with Jen Cheng

Saturday, December 7, 2024, 2-4pm

Saturday, December 21, 2024, 2-5pm (must attend first workshop to participate)

West Hollywood Library Community Meeting Room, 625 N. San Vicente Blvd.

Free, RSVP Required

Inspired by The Poetry Pharmacy, West Hollywood City Poet Laureate Jen Cheng will host a two-part poetry writing workshop ahead of the winter holiday season. In the first part, find your spark by looking at poems that address certain “conditions” and workshopping your own writing. At the following workshop on December 21, participants will answer live calls and deliver “poem prescriptions” for callers. Attendance at the December 7 workshop is required to participate in the second event. No experience needed.

2023

In 2023, Jen Cheng, City Poet Laureate, hosted a Holiday Poetry Hotline that featured “poetry prescriptions” to respond to common ailments of holiday blues. The Hotline featured poems from former West Hollywood Poets Laureates Steven Reigns, Kim Dowers, Charles Flowers, and Brian Sonia-Wallace in addition to other curated poems. People were encouraged to call in during the Live Hotline Hours to receive live readings from the curated list of “poetry prescriptions” or request a custom poem.

Additionally, West Hollywood City Poet Laureate Jen Cheng wrote a holiday poem called ‘Joyous’:

‘Joyous’ 

Joyous tunes sing brightly

Orbits of lights string the streets

Yellow candles stir meditations with tea

Olive branches ask for peace

Upward arches forge iconic memories

Sweet glances swing love into the new year

-Written by West Hollywood City Poet Laureate Jen Cheng

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In 2020 and 2022, West Hollywood City Poet Laureate Brian Sonia-Wallace to wrote holiday season poems that were converted into an animated video.

Ode to Return

Winter mist hugs streetlights 

close, the murmur of strangers

under a red marquis, laughing

with the wind. I pack my shadow,

coax him home to feast. 

Time bullies her way to the gravy, 

babbling all our secrets: 

How a family breaks and how 

far cinnamon can go

in the absence of sugar.

The dog can’t stop barking. 

Me neither. I have nothing

to teach anyone about love

when you’re gone. I wrap

my time and attention, as gifts.

Gather the ragamuffin crew

of lost aunts and remembered friends.

Drain fear from our touch. 

This year, I promise to make 

no demands. Even of myself.

Sway each light to carry us

a little longer.

-Written by West Hollywood City Poet Laureate Brian Sonia Wallace 

For more information about the City’s Winter Season Art Banners or City Poet Laureate program, contact Mike Che, City of West Hollywood Arts Coordinator, at mche@weho.org. For more information about City of West Hollywood arts programs visit www.weho.org. @wehocity  @wehoarts