"Good-night and big balls"

Art appreciation


Donald Lipski's The West is located on the University of Texas campus. 

We came across these humongous steel balls while walking the UT campus one spring afternoon. Of course, I had to take a picture with them.  And yes, these buoys represent more than just "big balls."   You can read more about the meaning of his sculpture at the following link: http://landmarks.utexas.edu/artistdetail/lipski_donald.

 

  Sources: http://landmarks.utexas.edu/artistdetail/lipski_donald; http://donaldlipski.net/

10,000 Maniacs - Candy Everybody Wants

Music Appreciation

Okay, I'll be honest.  I had -- and perhaps still have-- a crush on Natalie Merchant. 

10,000 Maniacs was introduced to me when I worked at SteinMart in the shoes department. 

The 22 year old girl in Childrens invited me over to her trailer and played Our Time in Eden.  I was hooked and became a Maniac; moreso after watching Natalie Merchant and 10,000 Maniacs on MTV Unplugged. 
So what do the lyrics mean? 

"If lust and hate is the candy, If blood and love tastes so sweet, Then we give 'em what they want."

The music video starts with an narration, "Living in Eden has its advantages. As a marginalized member of a spectator democracy, you choose your own dependencies. Lust, hate, blood, love.  Don't think of it as manufactured consent.  Think of it as the candy everybody wants."  The introduction ends with "Enforcer State Enforcer Taste."

Obviously, the music video and its lyrics speak of our dependency and reliability on everyday propaganda.   Industry sell their products by enticing us with glamour, popularity and false promises.  It still applies today.  But we has intelligent human beings can decide what to believe by researching and shopping before making our final decision. 




Sources: Wikipedia

Visit my blog at http://photographywritingandmore.blogspot.com/.

Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg

Art Appreciation

Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg, considered the Father of Danish painting, is best known for his portraits of Copenhagen's middle class. 

His paintings and teachings influenced painters during the first half of the 19th century, known as the Danish Golden Age.

Interestingly, in his teachings, he suggested ignoring defects so that perfection can be fulfilled.  Similar to how photographers today photoshop to remove unwanted blemishes.


Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg Femme à sa toilette, 1841


Sources: http://www.answers.com/topic/eckersberg-christoffer-vilhelm; http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/eckersberginfo.shtm; Wikipedia

Radiohead - Creep

Music Appreciation

I remember first watching Radiohead on MTV Beach House Party in 1993--yeah, the one hosted by Bill Bellamy.  It was the summer before my senior year in high school, and this song seemed to define my life.  I was a creep and a weirdo in love with an "angel". Ah! Young love.  

Source: wikipedia; youtube

The Driskill Hotel in Austin

Designed by Jasper N. Preston & Son in 1886, Col. James Driskill's hotel is perhaps the finest in Texas.

The Romanesque style building, which is located on the infamous 6th Street in downtown Austin, is considered a political landmark where politicians congregate for events.

It's also said to be haunted by Col. James Driskill, who lost the hotel in a poker game to his brother-in-law, Jim Day.  George Littlefield purchased the hotel soon after.

Sources: http://www.driskillhotel.com/; Wikipedia

Camille Hilaire

Art Appreciation

Considered a highly influencial French painter of the mid-twentieth century, Camille Hilaire was known to sketch his subject with tenderness and grace. 

Nu de Dos via blogerslorrainsengages

Sources: http://www.galerie-es.com/art.camille-hilaire.html; http://www.cambridgeprints.com/artists/h/HILAIRE.HTML;
wikipedia

Claude Debussy - Clair de lune

Claude Debussy composed "Clair de lune" based on a poem written by French poet Paul Verlaine by the same name. 

As we drove our newborn son home for the first time, I remember listening to Clair de lune as we drove into the neighborhood. 

Check out Stephen Malinowski's Youtube page at http://www.youtube.com/user/smalin.

The Littlefield House

ARCHITECTURE APPRECIATION

The Victorian architecture was built in 1893 by Confederate Officer, banker and philanthropist George W. Littlefield.  The Littlefield house, which is designated a national landmark, is located on the northern part of the University of Texas - Austin campus.

Sources: Wikipedia; http://www.utexas.edu/features/archive/2002/littlefield.html

University Baptist Church in Austin, TX

ARCHITECTURE APPRECIATION 




Designed in a Spanish Colonial style, the University Baptist Church, which is located on Guadalupe Street (pronounced Gwad-a-loop) in Austin, Texas, was built in 1921.  Architect Albert Kelsey designed the church to match the nearby University of Texas buildings.

Sources: Wikipedia

DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince - Parents Just Don’t Understand

Music Appreciation

I was thirteen when I first saw the Parents Just Don't Understand music video.  To the me the song couldn't have come at a better time.  I had just become a teenager and to me my parents were becoming an intrusion towards my quest for independence and identity.

Of course, fast forward 12 years later and you have a man whose son probably feels the same way about his parents.

"Well parents are the same no matter time nor place, So to you all the kids all across the land, Take it from me; Parents just don't understand."

Source: Wikipedia

Morgan Weistling - Reflections

ART APPRECIATION

Considered one of the greatest living American painters, Morgan Weistling began his career as an illustrator for movie studios, such as Disney, MGM, 20th Century Fox, and many more.

You probably remember the movie poster for the Last Action Hero starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.  That was done by him. 

Recently, Weistling has received numerous recognition and awards for his paintings that depict American life of yesteryear, such as this painting of a young girl looking at her reflection.

You can see more of Weistling's paintings and read about his history on his website (http://www.morganweistling.com/).  

Sources: http://www.morganweistling.com; http://www.greenwichworkshop.com/weistling/; http://www.motionpictureart.com

Visit my blog at http://photographywritingandmore.blogspot.com/.

Jennifer Lawrence

ACTING APPRECIATION

Update



Photographer Nino Muñoz

Fashion Photographer Nino Muñoz captures Academy Award nominee 20 year old Jennifer Lawrence in a black bikini.

Jennifer Lawrence is best known for her performance as a 17 year old family caretaker in Winter's Bone.

She'll be appearing as Mystique in this summer Marvel Comic's X-Men: First Class. 

GQ revisited Jennifer Lawrence in their May Issue.  Check it out here:
http://www.gq.com/women/photos/201105/jennifer-lawrence-x-men-winters-bone.

Billy Idol - Cradle of Love

Music Appreciation (A Retrospect)

Cradle of Love came out at perhaps the worse time for me--puberty. I was 12 or 13 and watching Betsy Lynn George rolling around on satin covers, with downs flowing and her crawling on the floor was indeed an adolescent's dream video.

The song and music video hit MTV during Spring 1990.  It was also used in
The Adventures of Ford Fairlane starring  Andrew Dice Clay.

So, the music video is self-explanatory.  It's about a gentleman who is seduced by a teenage girl--although, her age is unknown--who wants to listen to her Billy Idol cassette tape. 

via emimusic

Source: Wikipedia

Visit my blog to view the video at http://photographywritingandmore.blogspot.com/.

Jean-Gabriel Domergue

Art Appreciation

Born in Bordeaux, France, Jean-Gabriel Domergue was known for his art deco portraits of Parisiennes.  Self-proclaimed inventor of pin-up, Domergue was also an aristocrat known for his contributions to Parisian fashion.

A pupil of Edgar Degas and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, he received the Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur, the highest decoration in France.



Woman with Greyhounds (1930) by Jean-Gabriel Domergue

Sources: Wikipedia; http://www.artlistings.com/art/d/antiques/2100/jean-gabriel-domergue-1889-1962/; http://www.domergue-paintings.com/artiste/index.php?langue=US;

Erasure - Take a Chance on Me

Music Appreciation

I'm taking a chance here. 

I was first introduced to Erasure by my high school bestfreinds.   Being the naive 16 year old boy, I thought the pop duo Erasure sang great tunes that were fun to sing and dance to.  Nothing more.  It was perhaps in college or even after that I realized Andy Bell, the lead singer, was considered a gay icon. 

I haven't stopped listening since, and I even find myself lipsyncing to their songs every change I get.  Yes, my inner-drag queen comes out--watch out sistas!

Okay, so for historical purposes, Take a Chance on Me was first recorded by ABBA in 1978.  Erasure's cover came out in 1992 and topped the UK Singles Chart for five weeks.

Sources: Wikipedia