Museum of Fine Arts Houston

While my parents spent the day shopping at the Houston Galleria, I visited the Museum of Fine Arts (MFAH).

While there, I learned about Buncheong, traditional Korean stoneware, Chaturanga, an Indian strategy game board, and viewed a wonderful collection of Pre-Columbian gold from Houston philanthropist Alfred C. Glassell, Jr.

I also viewed a great exhibit by photojournalist Roman Vishniac who captured Jewish refugees in Poland before the start of World War II, which is reminiscent to today's Syrian refugees.

At the museum, there were paintings by Camille Pissarro, Eugene Louis Boudin, William Adolphe Bouguereau, Winslow Homer, Gilbert Stuart, Frederic S. Remington, Edward Hopper, Leon Kroll, and Georgia O'Keefe.

MFAH (November 2015) taken with an iPhone 5S

Sources:

http://www.mfah.org/

Dylan Lisle

Art Appreciation

If you follow my blog, you'd probably recognize my appreciation for paintings of a woman's nude back.

There is one particular painting that I recently came across while surfing one of my favorite art blogs, Art Odyssey. The name of the painting is Chorus and it's by figurative painter, Dylan Lisle.

Chorus features a woman in black panties exposing her bare back. In the background is a painting of a crumbled red fabric. The crumbled red fabric and white fabric frames to perfection the smooth curves of the woman's back.

Lisle, who is known for his female nudes, has many wonderful paintings on his blog, http://dylanlisle.blogspot.com/. 

Downward Spiral via tuttartpitturasculturapoesiamusica

Chorus via artodyssey1

Sources:

http://dylanlisle.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/dylan.lisle.50
https://twitter.com/dylanlisleart
https://www.instagram.com/villainousdylan/
http://www.uniongallery.co.uk/artists/dylan-lisle
http://www.saatchiart.com/dylanlisle
http://artodyssey1.blogspot.com/2009/11/dylan-lisle-i-am.html
http://www.tuttartpitturasculturapoesiamusica.com/2011/11/dylan-john-lisle-1978-england.html
https://gandalfsgallery.wordpress.com/page/25/
http://fonface.blogspot.com/2014/12/dylan-john-lisle.html
http://www.traceymcnee.com/index.php?page=lisle

When Harry Met Sally...

Film Appreciation

When Harry Met Sally... is perhaps my all time favorite Rob Reiner movie.

Released on July 14, 1989, the romantic comedy starred Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan as well as Carrie Fisher and Bruno Kirby. Harry Connick, Jr. provided the wonderful soundtrack, which is a must on my holiday music playlist.

Of course, the most memorable part of the movie is the restaurant orgasm scene where Sally proves that woman can fake an orgasm.




via The World of Trailers



Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_Harry_Met_Sally...

Cosplay... Is An Art: San Diego Comic Con 2015 Cosplay and Convention Overview

via Video Jouzu

Ricardo Celma

Art Appreciation

Perhaps it's the Klimt influence that caught my attention of Ricardo Celma's paintings. One in particular is his interpretation of Danae, a well known Klimt painting of a Greek mythology story of divine love.

Ricardo Celma is an Argentinian artist known for his hyperrealistic paintings. You can see more of his wonderful paintings HERE.

Danae via sociedadedospoetasamigos 

Solo Pienso En Ti via iamachild 

La Despedida de Eros via artodyssey1 

Sources:

http://ricardocelma.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/ricardo.celma.3
https://www.facebook.com/ricardocelma.arte
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNNbZrGgH5o
https://vimeo.com/74215412
http://artodyssey1.blogspot.com/2009/07/ricardo-celma-ricardo-celma-was-born-in.html
http://beautyloveandsoul.blogspot.com/2012/02/ricardo-celma.html
http://sociedadedospoetasamigos.blogspot.com/2013/06/ricardo-celma-artista-plastico-argentino.html
http://muchascosasenuno.blogspot.com/2013/03/ricardo-celma.html
https://iamachild.wordpress.com/2012/09/06/ricardo-celma-1975-argentine/

David Seymour

Photography Appreciation

David Seymour, also known as Chim, was a Polish photographer and photojournalist. He was the co-founder of Magnum Photos with Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Capa, George Rodger and William Vandivert and is best known as the first international photographer commissioned by the UNICEF to travel and document WWII refugee children.

You can see more of his wonderful photos HERE.

A Disturbed Child in a Warsaw Orphanage (1948) 
via wikimedia

Pablo Picasso In Front of Guernica in Paris (1937) 
via nga

Sophia Loren posing in her home, Naples, Italy (1953) 

via icp

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Seymour_(photographer)
http://www.unicef.org/emergencies/index_69785.html
http://www.magnumphotos.com/Catalogue/David-Seymour.html

Cosplay... Is An Art: Dallas Comic Con 2014

via Nerd Ninja

Politics: Video that may explain who is ISIS

It's rare that I post something that relates to politics. I mean, come on, this blog is about art and photography, right?

In the past few days, however, we have been exposed to stories and images of the terrorist attacks in Paris. The Islamic State (formerly ISIS or ISIL), the Jihadist militant group in Syria, claimed responsibility for the attack. But how did this all begin and who is the real threat? This video may provide answers to these questions:



via VOX


VOX further explains why the Islamic State would attack Paris HERE.

Cosplay... Is An Art: Heart of Texas Comic Con 2014

via Nerd Ninja

"Where do we draw the line between art and pornography?"

Definitions

Art: "Something that is created with imagination and skill and that is beautiful or that expresses important ideas or feelings" Merriam-Webster

Pornography: "Movies, pictures, magazines, etc., that show or describe naked people or sex in a very open and direct way in order to cause sexual excitement" Merriam-Webster

This is a topic I have followed for years. If art is created to show beauty and express a feeling, then wouldn't pornography be considered art? Or as Stephen Colbert asked in the video below, "What is art? Where do we draw the line between art and pornography? And what if that line looks like a butt crack [Shows close-up of Picasso's Les Femmes d'Alger, Version O]?"




Source: The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Jeremie Fleury

Art Appreciation

I'll be honest, it was Wonder Woman that caught my attention and drew me to learn more about illustrator Jeremie Fluery. The French artist is known his illustrations of comic book and graphic novel heroines.

You can see more of his work HERE.

Wonder Woman via pinupcartoongirls

Daenerys Targaryen via treflerouge

Sources:

http://www.trefle-rouge.fr/en/
https://twitter.com/trefle_rouge
https://www.facebook.com/jeremie.fleury
http://trefle-rouge.deviantart.com/
http://treflerouge.tumblr.com/
https://www.artstation.com/artist/treflerouge
http://drawcrowd.com/treflerouge
https://www.behance.net/treflerouge
http://themafucage.blogspot.com/2012/02/jeremie-fleury.html
http://www.pinupcartoongirls.com/2014/02/jeremie-fleury.html
http://treflerouge.tumblr.com/post/91929068852/treflerose-daenerys-targaryen-game-of

Cosplay... Is An Art: Austin Comic Con 2014

via The Daily Texan

Cosplay... Is An Art: New York Comic Con - NYCC 2014 Cosplay

via beatdownboogie

Steve Harris

Art Appreciation

As I've stated in previous blogs, I usually spend a couple of hours surfing my favorite art blogs and blogging about artists that catch my attention. One such artist that caught my attention recently is Steve Harris, a self-taught painter from New Zealand. He is known for realistic still life paintings of objects such as toy cars and things we take for granted.

You can see more of his amazing artwork HERE.

Chalkboard via artodyssey1

Sources:

http://therealsteveharris.com.au/
http://robingibson.net/artists/steve-harris
http://www.firstartgallery.com.au/artist-profile-steve-harris
http://www.withoutpier.com.au/gallery/SteveHarris
http://www.fernergalleries.co.nz/default,3284.sm
http://www.paintboxfineart.com/artist.php?id=85&profile=true
http://gallery-one.com.au/exhibition/steve-harris/
http://artodyssey1.blogspot.com/2013/11/steve-harris.html

Cosplay...Is An Art: MOMOCON 2015 - Cosplay Celebration

via beatdownboogie

Carrie (1976)

Film Appreciation

Based on Stephen King's novel, Carrie is a horror film directed by Brian De Palma. The movie, which was released on November 3, 1976, starred Texas native Sissy Spacek.


via SuperUnknown




Sources:

http://www.cinefania.com/movie.php/31586/en
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrie_(1976_film)
https://youtu.be/VSF6WVx_Tdo

Brian LaSaga

Art Appreciation

I came across a painting of a young girl walking along a weathered fence titled "Afternoon Stroll." The painting is by Newfoundland native Brian LaSage. He is known for his realistic paintings of Newfoundland's rural and nature scenes, and is considered by many as being Canada's finest realist painters.

You can see more of his beautiful work HERE.

Facing the Element (2011) via artodyssey1

Sweep Away (2003) via jfelker

Afternoon Stroll (2011) via iamachild

Sources:

http://www.brianlasagarealism.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Brian-Lasaga/468189106637031
https://www.linkedin.com/company/brian-lasaga-realism
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtPHRQ8PaoY
https://artsy.net/brian-lasaga
http://canvoo.com/artists/brian-lasaga
http://faso.com/fineartviews/19090/brian-lasaga-intricate-detail-bringing-captivating-realistic-paintings-to-life
http://emptyeasel.com/2011/05/25/brian-lasaga-superrealistic-paintings-with-a-simple-heartfelt-beauty/
http://www.mutualart.com/Artist/Brian-LaSaga/3DE1A2D71752D06B
http://www.butlerframing-gallery.com/newfoundlandArtists/BrianLaSaga/default.html
http://raymarartcontest.com/artist/15020
http://artodyssey1.blogspot.com/2013/05/brian-lasaga.html
http://iamachild.wordpress.com/category/lasaga-brian/
http://jfelker.blogspot.com/2011/12/nature-home-land-sea-beautifully.html