Sunday, December 28, 2008
ArtPact #77 - Jet Blue Art
So, after the initial delay of our flight, came Tuesday night, and we are on a plane to the East Coast.A red eye flight.
The plane is over heated. Way overheated. Like, way Way WAAAAAAAAY overheated.
And because we were transferred from a flight that got cancelled 2 days before, I find myself stuck in the middle of the 3-seat row, between two strangers. (The JohnnyB is stuck in the row in front of me, between two other strangers, only his strangers are nicer). . .
(to continue reading, click here)
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Labels: Art, ArtPact, Culture, Damn Technology, Holidays, People, Venting, WTF?
Friday, December 12, 2008
'Tis the Season #2
Sent by Myrna (thank you!!!) and had to be shared with the world.
So - what are you getting for the holidays?
Labels: Creativity of Others, Damn Technology, Family, Faux Pas, Holidays, Meta Bloggin', Ouch, People
Monday, December 08, 2008
'Tis the Season #1
It seems that everyone is running around in frenzy these days. The parking lots are full of killer drivers, stores are packed people on gift quests, family visits are in the horizon - and there's an edginess in the air, a higher susception to cranky sprees, and - needless to say - this cheery spirit is getting to us all.
So, I figured that as a service to the public, I'd remind y'all (and us'all) of these simple rules of survival.
The first one was sent to me by David (thanks!). I found the second one and added it for balance, harmony, contrast - name your favorite design relationship...
And the counterpoint:
Labels: Creativity of Others, Culture, Damn Technology, Family, Holidays, Meta Bloggin', People, Profoundness
Thursday, December 04, 2008
There's a Fine Line between Critique and Criticism...
...and today it was crossed.
Today was the last session of our figure class.No models, no drawing, no mess - it was critique time!
Now, I've been through a lot of critique sessions since I dipped my little cotton socks (yeah, that's for you, Val!) in the deep water of art. Most classes and workshops involve critique, and I am very used to having my work reviewed by a critique group for the past 3 years (wow, has it really been 3 years already???).
(to continue reading, click here)
Labels: Art, Ouch, People, WTF?
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Sentence of the Year 2007
The JohnnyB and I were having one of those conversations this evening, and it became quite profound and deep, dare I say on the verge of philosophical.
Bear in mind that when you have a true Minnesotan for a spouse, this kind of dialogue happens once in a blue moon. (And not just any blue, mind you; Manganese Blue!).
And due to that rarity, I was trying to get the most out of it.
At some point, I asked with sheer frustration, "So, I want to understand: why do you always have to be so damn logical???".
The JohnnyB replied, "because I don't like to lose control of my - - - "
" - - - emotions?", I interrupted (hey - I'm an Israeli. When we pledge allegiance, we make a solemn commitment to never ever let anyone finish a sentence!)
"No", he continued patiently, "I don't like to lose control of my state of mind", and - hesitating - he pondered, "Um... is that the same as emotions?"
And so, to y'all who wonder why so many of my paintings have women with this look in their eyes - I hereby rest my case.
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Labels: Art, ArtPact, Family, People, Profoundness, Sentence of The Month, Wonders of The JohnnyB
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
History in the Making
OK, so I admit I was skeptical. And I was one of them cynics who said it wouldn't happen, for so many reasons.
Well - I don't remember when I was so happy to be wrong!
Labels: Acculturation, Culture, Major Achievements, Making a Difference, Meta Bloggin', People, Wow
Monday, October 13, 2008
I'd Vote for "That One"...
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Incredible Story
Y'all know those touchy-feely email that vring to you all those cozy fuzzy wonder stories, right? We all get them, they go round and round and round.
Well, I got this today from Amir, who added "I decided you will appreciate this story".
He sent it to me in Hebrew, and I liked it so much I tried to find it in a langage y'all can read. And while at it, I discovered the incredible website of sickipedia (where I found this one).
In 1986, Dan Harrison was on holiday in Kenya after graduating from Northwestern University. On a hike through the bush, he came across a young bull elephant standing with one leg raised in the air.
The elephant seemed distressed, so Dan approached it very carefully. He got down on one knee and inspected the elephant's foot and found a large piece of wood deeply embedded in it.
As carefully and as gently as he could, Dan worked the wood out with his hunting knife, after which the elephant gingerly put down its foot.
The elephant turned to face the man, and with a rather curious look on its face, stared at him for several tense moments. Dan stood frozen, thinking of nothing else but being
trampled. Eventually the elephant trumpeted loudly, turned, and walked away.Dan never forgot that elephant or the events of that day.
Twenty years later, Dan was walking through the Chicago Zoo with his teenaged son. As they approached the elephant enclosure, one of the creatures turned and walked over to near where Dan and his son Dan Jr. were standing.
The large bull elephant stared at Dan, lifted its front foot off the ground, and then put it down. The elephant did that several times then trumpeted loudly, all the while staring at the man.
Remembering the encounter in 1986, Dan couldn't help wondering if this was the same elephant.
Dan summoned up his courage, climbed over the railing and made his way into the nclosure. He walked right up to the elephant and stared back in wonder.
The elephant trumpeted again, wrapped its trunk around one of Dan's legs and slammed him against the railing, killing him instantly. . .
. . .
. . . Probably wasn't the same elephant!
Labels: Joke, Meta Bloggin', Nature, People
Monday, September 08, 2008
ArtPact #66 - Another Day
Opening the door, he stands in the main room, holding the keys. He is wearing his Tuesday tie, the one that matches his vest so well, and yet nobody has ever noticed it nor stopped to compliment him on his choice.
The only times they talk to him is when they cannot find something. Even then, they don't see him. Not really. He is merely an answering apparatus. They have no idea he won first place in that competition. They don't know he carries the certificate in his breast pocket, in case someone, some day, asks him.
27 years in the same place; day in, day out, 6 days a week. How many mornings is that?
He looks around him at the painfully familiar surroundings, and goes to unlock the cash register.
Perhaps today will be different.
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Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Sentence of The Month: August
It's been a while since I last had a Sentence of The Month post.
Well, time flies. Plus, some sentences have to be censored, this not being an anonymous blog.
Anyway.
I am still nursing my Plantar Fasciitis, rolling my foot on a frozen water bottle (Ouch!), nibbling on anti inflammatory pills, sleeping with a splint, wearing sandals at home (Naot sandals, as the good doctor said, are the best!), putting on those butt-ugly elastic bandages whenever I leave the house (yes, with closed shoes, yes, in the heat of August). never felt so elegant in my life... But, y'know, it's actually working!
Anyhow.
The JohnnyB and I were driving back from San Francisco on Saturday (we went up there for the Women Impressionists exhibit at the Legion of Honor Museum, which we saw at a record time of less than 20 minutes due to the JohnnyB's deep interest in art... but that's another story). After a visit to the art store and a wonderful dinner at one of our very favorite restaurants (an Ethiopian heaven that has some amazing dishes, with Kitfo being our ultimate #1 choice), we were heading back home.
I was examining with sheer disgust my excess weight that seems to have accumulated since we came back from our British Columbia trip.
"We really need to exercise more", I said to The JohnnyB.
"Yup", he agreed.
"And we need to eat healthier", I added.
"Yup", he elaborated.
"And cook more at home", I pondered.
"Yup", he surprised me yet again.
"And have more veggies", I promised, awaiting the next 'Yup' in the series.
"And more shopping", he said.
???
"More shopping", he explained to the slow-witted, "You don't do enough shopping. You really should shop more".
!!!
Ah - the dream of every material girl: a husband who wants her to shop more. Sorry, y'all gals, he is taken!
Quick to realize his fatal slip of the tongue as he saw the glint in my eyes, the joy in my face and my blissful smile, The JohnnyB turned greenish-white and shrieked, "No... I meant grocery shopping.... No..... Nooooooooooo!!!".
But it was too late.
He wants me to shop more, and being the obedient wife that I am, so I shall.
Anything to make you happy, The JohnnyB!
Anything.
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Labels: It's All About Me, People, Sentence of The Month, Wonders of The JohnnyB, Wow
Monday, August 11, 2008
ArtPact #63
A woman in her seventies. Her wonderful eyes emphasized by her penetrating, quiet beauty.
Waiting. For a friend, perhaps.
Well dressed with simple elegance, her hair perfectly done, save for some strands that took the liberty to get loose.
Natural and undyed, it had that silvery quality to it, which reminded me of my mom's hair that hairdressers refused to dye even when she asked them to. "There is no way I can make it prettier than it already is", they would always tell her. And they were right.
She sat there, austere, keeping to herself. Waiting.
I had to paint her.
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Wednesday, June 11, 2008
A Little Lunch For Thought (TM) #15
A recent study conducted by Harvard University found that the average American walks about 900 miles a year.
Another study by the American Medical Association found that Americans drink, on average, 22 gallons of alcohol a year.
This means, on average, Americans get about 41 miles to the gallon.
Kind of makes you proud to be an American. Or at least live here.
(Sent to me by Adriana - Thanks!!)
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Labels: Acculturation, Culture, Damn Technology, Joke, Little Lunch for Thought, Meta Bloggin', People, Profoundness
Thursday, May 29, 2008
ArtPact #55
Among other activities, our watercolor organization arranges weekly paint outs (or, to be fancy, plein-air painting outings). I usually do not participate in them, as they collide with our critique group meetings, and I am not quite a landscape painter.
But today was an afternoon session. Plus it was held in a Japanese garden. Plus the organizer, PleinieJ, is a wonderful fiber artist (in addition to being a great plein air painter), so my sister - also a fiber artist - wanted to look at PleinieJ's work and show off with her own (after impressing the critique group with them this morning. Hey, one of the works had gallstones - which she incorporated into the piece after undergoing a gall bladder surgery).So we went.
It's a lovely place, as Japanese gardens tend to be: the token wooden bridge, a pond filled with koi fish, ducks, sculpted little trees, background rocks - and I am sure somewhere in the garden was hiding the inevitable bamboo thingy with water dripping through. Y'know, the thingy that makes this noise without which a Japanese garden is just not it. Painters with their easels were spread all around the garden, rendering the beauty with their brushes; my sister was taking photos as if she's never seen a Japanese garden before (well, she hasn't, actually); and I - I looked for something to sketch.
I tried drawing the ducks... the plants... almost attempted the koi - all with no success.
And suddenly - an adorable chubby little kid, accompanied by his mom and aunt approached the pond. He stood there fascinated, admiring the ducks and fish and water and little tadpoles and whatnot. The other painters frowned, as he blocked their view - but I was beaming, as I have found my subject!!
I skecthed his gesture quickly, as - being a little kid, he moved quite a bit, but I recalled what our incredible sketching teacher, Jim Smyth, used to tell us: "Little kids and athletes have a very limited repertoire of poses - if you sketch them, and they move, just wait till they get back to that pose again". As always, he was right.
So, I sketched the little guy, trying to capture his nonchalant yet curious pose. One minute - that's all I had, before he abandoned the ducks and came to see what I was doing. I showed him the sketch. He was utterly unimpressed, informed me his name was Freddie, and went back to the pond. They left, and I sat there, adding some colors and the surroundings. Then they came back. Freddie was very keen on feeding the ducks (by that time, my camera was ready!). While he was becoming popular with the ducks, his aunt approached me, and after a lot of hesitation asked if she could take a photo of my sketch.
"Sure", I replied graciously.
But then, I gave it another thought, and said "actually... let ME take a photo, and I'll give you the original".
She was quite surprised by the offer, and after I made sure she indeed likes it (and won't just toss it in the nearest garbage can), I insisted.
I took a photo, signed the sketch, and carefully tore the page out of my sketchbook. Again, Freddie came to see what the commotion is about. Again, he couldn't care less, showed me the bag of marshmallows he took out of his mom's basket, and exclaimed "Mine!".
His mom offered me one - and he tried to hide his anxiety. I politely said "No" (you don't want to upset the model!) but she insisted, so I carefully took one piece. By the time my sister was offered a marshmallow, Freddie's wide open eyes were showing increasing signs of distress. As tempting as it was, we rejected a second piece. After all, that would have been like taking candy from a baby...
We parted as friends, and after a while, I admit had some pangs of regret that I gave the sketch away, as I liked it quite a bit. But hey - a random act of kindness. Plus, I took so many photos of Freddie, that he might become a series one day.
Obviously, Freddie's own opinion was that a piece of marshmallow was way too high a price to pay for a sketch...
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Labels: Art, ArtPact, Nature, People, Time Out
Sunday, May 25, 2008
The Devil's in The Details
Last week, the temperatures were peaking at 100. Then it got nice and cozy, very spring-like. And today, winter is back. Gray skies, chilly - and even rain. Feels like California got into some crazy time machine that got broken.
But yesterday, before this sudden winter, my sister and I managed to go and visit the fair Filoli Center, with its flowers and greenery and sculpted gardens and all.
The roses were in blossom, generously spreading their perfume, the lavender pitched in the aromatic festival with its usual stunning purpleness, joined by other flowers in varying shades of purple and orange (whoever designs the gardens there has an exquisite sense of color!), and many more blossoms whose names I shall never know.
It really was lovely; a nice break from the shopping sprees we got into (in my defense: I'm still sick and thus cannot really drive around; the paradox is that standing for hours in stores does not make me feel any better... on the contrary).
We strolled through the beauty, enjoying the sights, smells and the fact that we do not need to water all these plants.
Eventually we went into the house (which is quite impressive if you are one of those fancy-house lovers, with chandeliers and carpets and heavy furniture and window treatments and a drawing room and a refectory and the China from which they used ot drink tea and a living room and another living room and - well, y'know).
My sister went to visit the rest room, and while waiting for her, I examined the artwork on the nearby wall. Two big paintings of sailing ships hung very high above the extra-high doors, and in between them a third piece that looked impressively three-dimensional. A close look revealed that it really was 3D, with plastic sails glued onto the canvas... I gazed at the paintings and the 3D critter with sheer boredom, filled with thoughts of how much I dislike this kind of art, when the docent approached me.
She smiled at me - and immediately frowned at my sister's big black purse which was in the carpet.
"Oh, I thought it was a cat!", she realized her mistake.
"Nope, it isn't", I assured her.
"So", she turned to me, wearing back her smile, "I see you are admiring the details in these pictures?".
For a moment there, I contemplated giving her a lecture about details having nothing to do with quality of art, about going beyond the obvious and reaching higher for expressiveness, about the elements of design being sacrified so often in favor of mediocre art - - -
But instead, I just smiled and said with my sweetest voice: "Oh yes".
Because sometimes, it's just easier.
Labels: Art, Creativity of Others, People, Time Out
Monday, May 19, 2008
Boilin'
As I mentioned in the previous post, a visitor from Israel is on her way to us as I write: my one and only sister, whom I haven't seen in a year.
First time in the US, she stopped in NYC to see the wonders of the Big Apple and get acquainted to Dr. Pepper (a discovery that made her very excited, and I believe by now she's hopelessly addicted to this red stuff).
She is our very first visitor who is not The JohnnyB related, but my own blood. It's about time, and yes, I am excited. She is coming for four weeks, and JimmyB (the JohnnyB's brother) totally freaked when he heard that number. He reacted by almost choking, then got into a chant, "Did you say four weeks? FOUR?? wow, four weeks... y'know, four weeks is a very long time. VERY long. Four weeks - I mean, three weeks is a long time, but four - whew, that's a long visit. Four weeks is really a very long time". Eventually, I somehow sensed that he is, kinda, trying to subtly hint that a four week visit might be long, but I'm not quite sure yet. I may have been wrong. He was so genuinely horrified, that I assured him that when we visit them, we'll only come for, say, three and a half weeks. I dunno why he started crying...
Anyway - it all depends who the guest is. Sometimes, a two-day visit can seem like an eternity in hell, while a month's visit can pass too quickly. And, since my sister is my best friend, I am not worried.
Would have been much better if I hadn't been knocked down most of last week with this miserable virus, because - as a result, The JohnnyB and I spent the better part of the weekend frantically preparing the house for her arrival. Whenever we have a visitor, we try to make the guest room as inviting and cozy as can be. Now, converting a den into a guest room is enough work as it is; but this time, we also had to slave in the kitchen.
Because my sister keeps kosher.
And because we, hmm... don't.
And the world of Jewish kosherness is oh so endlessly intricate.
For us, it started with a whole lot of shopping for pans.And plates.
And flatware (just learned this word yesterday!!).
Oh, and spatulas.
And wooden spoons.
Oooops - and cutting boards.
And knives.
And an additional set of flatware.
And containers for leftovers.
And . . .
The domino effect is extreme, as you keep realizing you need more and more stuff... you go through the motions of cooking one meal in your head in order to figure out what will be needed for the big production, and you just go nuts!
Now, add to it all the fact that you need two of everything - one for dairy, one for meat (*).
To prevent us from qualifying for the stimulus package, we stopped the shopping frenzy at pots. The JohnnyB spent 3 hours this morning baptizing all our precious Calphalon pots and a bunch of plates and utensils in boiling waters in order to make them fit for the non-shellfish eater - he even has the burns to prove it! (hmm... maybe baptizing is the wrong word under such circumstances?).
While he was boiling the hell out of everything, we also created separate areas to assure that dairy and meat never ever meet again in public (for the next month, that is), and invested quality time in more riveting activities (such as trying to find kosher chicken and figuring out what fish are OK and which are unmentionable. No sturgeon, and alas - no clam chowder in San Francisco. Can you imagine visiting Pier 39 without trying this mandatory dish? or a crab salad?).
For two atheists (actually, only one; The JohnnyB claims to be an Agnostic), doing all this seems, well, y'know... but we are still doing it, as my sister is one of the very few people who actually deserves this kind of pain-in-the-butt preparations (Yes, she is this amazing!).
But hey - I reserve the right to whine about it... and my friends here are having a field day on my account. The always-supportive MembieK assured me that my entertainment value has increased significantly in the past week or so.
And so, after this laborious weekend, The JohnnyB and I had the last supper (well, sort of) of his signature pasta and shrimp. So long, sweet pink critters - till June 16th...
(*) For those of you who are befuddled by the dairy-meat thingy, here's a little story (which I am sure is true) of what was the original humane intent, and how it got overanalyzed and complicated. And, while you're enjoying this little bit of invaluable information, I'll continue to do the last minute cleaning and stuff. She lands in less than 3 hours!!!
God: "Moses, do whatever the hell you want......."A dialogue while Moses is at the top of Mount Sinai:
God: "And remember, Moses, in the laws of keeping Kosher, never cook a calf in its mother's milk. It is cruel."
Moses: "Ohhhhhh! So you are saying we should never eat milk and meat Together."
God: "No, what I'm saying is, never cook a calf in its mother's milk. It IS cruel."
Moses: "Oh, Lord, forgive my ignorance. What you are really saying is we should wait six hours after eating meat to eat milk so the two are not in our stomachs."
God: "No, Moses, what I'm saying is, don't cook a calf in it's mother's milk. IT'S CRUEL!!!"
Moses: "Oh, Lord! Please don't strike me down for my stupidity! What you mean is we should have a separate set of dishes for milk and separate set for meat and if we make a mistake we have to bury that dish outside...."
And so, that is how it all started...
Labels: Culture, Desecration, Family, Food, People
Sunday, May 18, 2008
A Little Lunch For Thought (TM) #13
I moved here over six years, and never had a visitor.
Sounds like an inmate in a high-security prison, I know.
Now, don't get me wrong - we've had quite a few guests in our house, but always from the groom's side. When I wanted to see my family - it was me who got on a plane and made the endless journey to the holy land, being rewarded with a jetlag and a growing sense of all-over-again detachment every time I boarded the plane back to the US.
Complaining?
Moi??
Well, yes.
There is a painful catch in visiting your homeland once a year, as everything seems to depend on that short visit. Family, friends, places - the smallest thing that goes wrong casts a dark shadow; incidents that could be laughed away over a cup of coffee the day after (if you had the luxury of meeting the people you love on a regular basis), get overblown, and - unless mended immediately - cause damage; if someone is having a bad day when you visit - you cannot always set another day to meet, so you either give it up or have a bad experience that gets burnt in the memoirs from that trip.
Also, when you visit, you are the one on vacation (allegedly). You are all excited and full of good will to see and meet and spend time and - - - and soon enough you realize that others do not necessarily share this goodwill, as they are not on vacation. They work, they have a headache, they need to take the car to the garage, they have their daily things to attend to, they may be in the midst of a crappy time at work or in life, or they just don't have the time and mental bandwidth for you. And although they kept chanting "when-are-you-coming-when-are-you-coming-when-are-you-coming-when-are-you-coming-when-are-you-coming" - they actually can't be bothered right now.
That is when frustration strikes.
Like, you broke your own routine, put aside your own activities in order to go visit at a time that's convenient for everyone, spent all that money, went through those endless lines in security and all, did all that traveling (24 hours door to door, if you really wanna know) - and whatever for?
Yup, it sucks.
Distance in mileage and time changes perspective, for better or worse. I now know which relationships will last even if we keep meeting only once in a while, and I am learning to accept that others were just not strong enough, maybe conditioned on time and availability. It's painful, and the sense of loss keeps accumulating with every relationship that switches to the past tense - especially since you do not really get a replacement. Y'see, it's not easy to be the new kid when you're over 40. Everyone is already set in their own lives and families and friends, and you are the one seeking new connections. Add to that not fully understanding the culture and the cryptic dance of "soooooooo nice to meet you let's do lunch sometime" (I admit - I still don't get it!) - and you are set for many, many disappointments. Even if you were a social butterfly with a ring of truly incredible friends back home, you are not guaranteed to replicate it when you immigrate. Far from it.
Did I mention it sucks?
And it takes several years to realize that you're trapped in this limbo: living here too many years to still belong in your homeland, and not yet feeling that you belong here. Actually, you start wondering if you ever will. The past year or two have generously provided me with some very cold showers to increase this sense of wonder.
It's a rude and painful awakening (allow me to cheerfully overuse the word sucks, yet again), but I guess it's part of growing up. Yet another lesson. I can only hope that I will find my niche here, even if right now it seems unlikely. Oh yes, some days, pessimism rocks!
Every visit back home used to throw me off track, emphasizing all the above again and again, and it gets harder to readjust every time I come back.
Until my mom passed away, exactly two years ago, I visited at least once a year, as she was not able to make the trip. But last year I decided that need to think of myself, for a change. I thus announced to my family that from now on, the sky is open both ways; amazingly enough, there are flights from Israel to the USA as well, and it's time for some reciprocation.
And so -
- - - - - - -- - - - - the first swallow is arriving tomorrow!!!
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Labels: Acculturation, Culture, Family, It's All About Me, Little Lunch for Thought, People, Venting
Thursday, April 10, 2008
ArtPact #52
Went to a demo on Sunday - by a serious watercolor master: Cheng Khee Chee. A real sweet, fun and funny guy, with a lot of wisdom to share and a masterful hand with the brush. He is giving a workshop here this week - which I am not taking, and I quite envy those who do, as the short lecture he gave before his demo was very inspiring. It was wonderful to listen to someone who spoke of his philosophy of painting rather than showing his technique. he spoke of the Tao of paint, of Yin and Yang - but did it in a way that was not pretentious or annoyingly vague.
Oh yes, some of the attendees gave him this "shut up and paint already!" look, but I was fascinated as I have not been in a long time. I loved his emphasis on the emotional contact with the subject and painting what your heart desires, and thoroughly enjoyed his message that although we do need our right brain to create, the left brain also plays a very important part. After meeting so many artists who seem to have given up on their left brain, well... 'nough said. You can read more about his ideas here.
Anyway - while Cheng Khee Chee was talking, I kept snapping photos of him, as he has a great expressive face. Once I was done capturing him in every possible pose, I let go of the camera in favor of a quick skecth of the master (top left), then chose my next victim: this guy in the audience who was kept falling asleep... I guess Sunday afternoon is not exactly the time when artists are at the peak of their wakefulness. It was fun sketching him, even if I had to change the position of his eyelids once or twice...
Oh yes, I do have some paintings to show, but I've been way too preoccupied and stressed about with our upcoming vacation (that got very close to being cancelled), so more on those when I get back.
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Monday, February 18, 2008
ArtPact#49
Forgive me loyal readers for I have, well - it's been a while since the last time I painted. In fact, I haven't painted since I took John Salminen's workshop.
Thing is, each and every time I take workshop, I get the post-workshop creative block that freezes me and disables me from painting. Not quite sure why. Perhaps it's my mind being overwhelmed by all the new information, needing some time to take it all in, process it, keep the things that will be added to my work and forget the rest. Perhaps it's because each instructor has his or her own style, which throws me off track.
It's frustrating - but I know that's how it is, so I am learning to accept it as yet another learning stage of the tortured soul of the artist (that would be moi). A bit like a larva hibernating in its cocoon in order to burst out as a much better-looking butterfly. Or somethin'.
So - last Monday I went to a demo in the other art club I belong to. It was given by an incredible artists named Jaya King, whose work I truly admire. While her paintings are mostly bleak and sometimes profoundly disturbing (which I absolutely love, as they are so emotional and full of content, rather than being pretty art), she is a very fun, funny and cool gal. I liked the painting she did, but what really got me was the amount of fun she was having while painting. She was enjoying herself soooooooo bloody much, that she caused me to miss this simple fun that comes from paining along without really caring about the result.
Came home, and announced to The JohnnyB that I am going to paint.
"It's 10pm", he informed his crazy-yet-lovely wife.
"So?", I said. "I'm gonna paint you! On Tyvek!".
Only I did not paint him. That day, I received a photo from Dinush, who's a great friend of my sister. We are now having this crazy multiple email correspondence that started when my sister finally got a computer in her house (yup, the 20th century has finally arrived!), and Dinush sent us a photo of herself acting in a play called 'Monologues', in which several actors did famous monologues from plays. I loved the photo, loved the light pattern - and it kept lurking in my mind. WackieM once told me "Paint what excites you right now - even if you have other photos in the queue, don't wait until its turn arrives, as the enthusiasm will fade". Smart gal, WackieM - so I followed her advice and went for it. I just did it for fun, just for myself - I knew it's not going to a show (a matter of art ethics: I did take the photo, thus it's not mine). I simply had fun with it, worked and reworked it (Tyvek is soooooooooooooooooo great!!) - - -
- - - when I proudly showed the end result to The JohnnyB the morning after, he exclaimed "That's not me!". Yup He's a very perceptive guy.
I like it, Dinush liked it - and most important: I'm back in my studio, cheerfully painting along, trying to not over-analyze what I'm doing and what will be the outcome.
One thing that definitely stuck from the Salminen workshop: the white shape is starting to show up in my work. Not necessarily white, but light, And I do try to let the mouse run free...
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Thursday, February 14, 2008
The Definition of Distress
I believe y'all remember Tal, the cool dude who captured The JohnnyB in a heartbeat. We now call him Taltul, as he is so incredibly adorable. Oh yes, he's still cool. Very. He is now 15 months old, chasing his older brother (Nitz) all around the house and acting like a real dude.
Until... last week Nitz got his revenge, once and for all.
First, bear with me while I present a short cross-culture lesson.
Here we go: in Israel we do not clean the floor with those fancy spongy mops that pop up here in Target every day. Y'see, we simply do not believe in smearing the dirt all around... Instead, we pour water with detergent from a bucket (most floors in Israel are tile) and then collect them with a big squeegee (called magav in Hebrew). Once this is done, we dry the floor with a clean floor cloth. When I just arrived here and gave this TLC to our kitchen floor (it also works on vinyl), The JohnnyB was stunned to see how clean and bright it actually was underneath all the layers of, well, mopping. Sadly, you can't get a magav in the US, so it's a good thing I listened to the movers and brought one with me when I shipped my stuff here.
End of lesson.
Last week Nitz decided to act as if he is cleaning the floor, grabbed one Magav and started dancing around with it very happily.
Being the sweetheart that he is, he thought he should share the joy with his younger bro, Taltul, grabbed a second Magav and gave it to him - - -
- - - and perhaps for the first time in his life, Taltul the mini-Lionheart got scared out of his mind.
My sister who was lucky to witness this, reports that he just stood there forever, looking at the thing all the way up and back down, not daring to move his feet even an eighth of an inch, and wearing the most distressful expression on his face.
He had no clue what to do with this baton - and yet felt obliged to hold on to it as if that is the last straw; as if once he lets go, global warming will instantly commence and all species would become extinct in a second. (except for ants and idiots, that is. Those will thrive forever). Alas, so much responsibility on the shoulders of such a little guy.
And so he stood like that totally freaked out and scared shitless for a minute or two, and soon came to the inevitable brilliant conclusion he'll have to spend his whole life holding on to that strange thing that was bestowed upon his custody for guardianship until someone else steps up to take it from him - and what are the odds of that happening? (hmm... that's exactly how I feel sometimes since I became the president of our art organization. I fully and absolutely relate to his agony!!!).
Eventually, realizing he is doomed to a fate more tragic than Sisyphus' and heavier than Atlas', Taltul burst into (very manly) tears.
Of course, being related to me, my sister (the loving grandma) and my niece (the loving mom) did not rush to help him. No way. My sister hollered for my niece to come out of the shower and grab a camera, and thus it was documented. Knowing them, I am sure they were also laughing their heads off (hence the blurry photos).
Apparently, the one who came to his rescue was Nitz, who took the magav and set his little brother free. Only then could he breathe again. And I am told that later, when Nitz tried to deposit the magav in his hands, Taltul shook his head and his body in the most expressive 'NO WAY' ever recorded in the history of mankind.
After days of begging, my niece agreed to share the photos, and I just had to create this slide show to commemorate it.
Taltul is too young to be embarrassed by this, but one day, when he grows up...
Labels: Family, Movies, People, Profoundness
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
(Im)mortal Creativity...
Creativity has many faces - here's one I find quite intriguing.
Now, that's what I call a series!!
Labels: Art, Major Achievements, Meta Bloggin', People, Wow
