Fashion is DEFINITELY Art: Louis Vuitton Cruise 2024

Artistic Director: Nicolas Ghesquière

via Louis Vuitton

The Only Guy in the City with a Milkman

We've always heard the joke about the milkman. Usually it implies an affair that resulted in the woman giving birth to a child that isn't her husbands. 

Of course, the joke is one-sided because it focuses on the woman's infidelity.  However, unfaithfulness works both ways, and according to the General Social Survey (2023), men are more likely to cheat than women. 

But we all still get a chuckle when joking about a child that looks nothing like their biological father as the milkman's. 

 

Buck Brown, PLAYBOY (November 1994)

Dave Matthews Band - Stay (Wasting Time)

Music Appreciation

I have a summer playlist I created on a music streaming service that I titled "Dave Matthews Band Radio," and as you may guess the playlist is mostly Dave Matthews. It's a great listen, especially while outdoor grilling.

There are many songs I enjoy listening to but this particular one provides a carefree summer vibe, celebrating living in the moment. Dave Matthews Band's song "Stay (Wasting Time)" was released on June 28, 1998 as a single from their third studio album Before These Crowded Streets. The song features The Lovely Ladies (Tawatha Agee, Cindy Myzell, and Brenda White King) on background vocals.

The song showcases the band's signature fusion of rock, jazz, and folk influences, with an upbeat tempo, and infectious guitar riffs. The lyrics is about enjoying life and embrace the simple pleasures of life. 

Directed by Dean Karr, the music video captures the essence of the song. The video intersperses scenes of people, mostly Blacks, enjoying various activities exemplifying the carefree spirit of the song during summertime.  

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://songmeanings.com/songs/view/1005/

https://www.songfacts.com/facts/dave-matthews-band/stay-wasting-time

Album Cover: Bon Jovi - These Days

Album Cover 

Album: Bon Jovi - These Days

Released: June 27, 1995

Photography: Mark Seliger

Art Direction / Art Work:  Margery Greenspan

Design: Frank Harkins

Models: Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, David Bryan, and Tico Torres

Dance: Chris Brown - Juice

Choreography: Jungwoo

via mu:tudio 

Eleanor Norcross

Art Appreciation 

Eleanor Norcross was an influential American painter, best known for her paintings of Impressionist portraits, still lifes, and genteel interiors. She is said to have made significant contributions to the art world in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. 

Born on June 24, 1854 in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, Norcross afforded a privileged education, graduating from Fitchburg High School, then attending Wheton Female Seminary. She went on to study at Boston's Massachusetts Normal Art School, where she earned a teaching certificate. She taught drawing in the Fitchburg schools.

In 1878, Norcross studied art in New York City under William Merritt Chase at the Art Students League of New York. A few years later, she moved to Paris and became a student of Alfred Stevens. He would have a huge influence in her art. An impressionist, Norcross developed a distinct style using vibrant colors, delicate brush strokes, ability to portray reflections and textures, and an emphasis on capturing the play of light and shadow.

Her father provided Eleanor a comfortable living, with the agreement that she not sell her paintings. He felt women should give their works away and not enter into the male dominated art business. 

A generous philanthropist, she donated some of her works to Wheaton College, she established the Norcross Foundation, which funded scholarships for art students and contributed to the preservation and promotion of art institutions. Additionally, the art she collected and the paintings she made became became part of the Fitchburg Art Museum. 

Woman in a Paris Garden

Still Life with Parrot

My Studio (1891)

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://fitchburgartmuseum.org/eleanor-norcross/

https://freedomsway.org/story/eleanor-norcross/

https://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/2013/07/31/salute-to-women-eleanor-norcross-artist-leaves-enduring-legacy-in-fitchburg-museum/

https://www.jstor.org/stable/23929956?seq=1

Milt Hinton

Photography Appreciation

Photography documents important moments in history. Something Milt Hinton realized after going through the 60,000 plus photos he took while traveling with jazz bands across the country and recording with renowned jazz musicians in studios. 

Born in Vicksburg, Mississippi on June 23, 1910, Milt Hinton (aka "The Judge) was an American jazz bassist, bandleader, and photographer. He played with some of the most prominent jazz musicians such as Cab Calloway, Benny Goodman, and Lionel Hampton. 

At the time, blacks in the south experienced extreme poverty and racism, and lynching was common as blacks were targeted by white racists. To escape this, Milt was sent to live with extended family in Chicago, at a very young age. This provided him the opportunity to encounter diversity among blacks and experience the abundance of music, especially jazz.

For his thirteenth birthday, he received a violin. While in high school, he played violin in the school orchestra and learned several brass instruments. After graduating high school, he attended Crane Junior College and received work as a freelance musician around Chicago. 

In 1936, Hinton joined the Cab Calloway Orchestra. During his time with the Orchestra, he took part in recording sessions with renowned jazz musicians.  

Around that time, he began taking photographs. His first camera was a 35mm Argus C3, a low-priced mass-produced camera. He would later move to a Leica, then a Canon 35mm range-finder, and Nikon F. 

Throughout his career, Milt captured many iconic images of jazz musicians and other celebrities. He is considered one of the most important photographers of jazz musicians and his photographs have been featured in many books and exhibitions.

Cab Calloway with kids and winner of the 

'Calloway Quizical,' Providence, R.I., c. 1938

Dizzy Gillespie, Grande Parade du Jazz, Nice, France, c. 1981

Louis Armstrong, Seattle Hotel Room, c. 1954

Billie Holiday (last recording date), 

recording studio, New York, 1959.

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://casualphotophile.com/2020/01/17/four-lessons-learned-through-the-photography-of-jazz-bassist-milt-hinton/

https://putthison.com/jazz-style-behind-the-scenes-photographs-of-milt-hinton/

https://www.npr.org/2005/04/10/4583452/keeping-time-the-photos-and-jazz-of-milt-hinton

https://milthinton.com/ 

Album Cover: Robert Palmer - Heavy Nova

Album Cover 

Album: Robert Palmer - Heavy Nova

Released: June 22, 1988

Photography: Terence Donovan

Design: Henry Marquez  

Model: Robert Palmer

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://www.discogs.com

Summer Time!

 

Yoga: SarahBethYoga - 10 minute Morning Yoga for Beginners

via SarahBethYoga

"Hallowed be thy Condom" by Asa Barber

Literature Appreciation

These past few months, I've been going through old PLAYBOY magazines. 

I came across an article that I remember reading back when I was a college freshman. "Hallowed be thy Condom," read the headline. The article was by Asa Barber, American author and columnist for PLAYBOY.

Although, I wasn't sexually active, when I was young, the fear was ever so present of the possibility of catching AIDS. AIDS was a fairly new and unknown thing. So, I share Asa's fears in his article: 

"But at the top of my list of manly trepidations are two items that can move my lecherous little heart into genuine arrhythmia. First, I never want to get a woman pregnant unless we both agree to it. Second, I do not want to die of AIDS. (It's common knowledge that AIDS is also a problem in the heterosexual community.) Those are probably my two biggest fears, and I have had frightening and enlightening experiences with both of them."

Reading this as a middle aged man, the article still somewhat resonates. After my divorce, I started dating. Sex was plenty and I was doing quite well for myself. But the first few years, my fear was AIDS and getting a girl pregnant. 

Like Asa, I had first hand experience sitting at my physician's office waiting to be tested for AIDS and other STDs after whoring myself, sleeping around with multiple unknown partners. And like Asa, I cried when results came back negative.

"When I was told I was HIV-negative, I felt like crying. I have dodged lots of bullets, but this was one of the biggest."

At the age of 40, I got in a relationship with a girl I was very much in love with at the time. It turned out she was mentally ill, and I knew a child with her would be the wrong thing for both of us. Yet, we had several close calls.

Like Asa, an unwanted pregnancy, which almost became a reality was a "major-league fear."  

I thought it through and made the decision to go in for a vasectomy. It was a decision I made on my own. Naturally, my girlfriend was upset. But I explained that I didn't want a child and wanted to focus on "us," leaving out that I felt she would be mentally unfit. Needless to say, the relationship didn't work out. 

Although impregnating someone was now impossible, I still had that fear of catching not only AIDS but other sexually transmitted diseases. Ironically, my current girlfriend, who I hope to be engaged with, had a hysterectomy, and has HSV. Go figure. 

But I will finish with sharing conclusion about the wonderful invention of the latex condom: 

"When you think about it, the latex condom is a marvelous invention. But most of us often fail to use it. We assume the interruption is not worth it. But I have learned, in two terrifying incidents, that the few seconds it takes to fit Mr. Happy with good protection can make all the difference in the world between responsibility and foolishness. So let this be your first commandment for the rest of your sexual life, amigos: Hallowed be thy condom."

Source: 

Wikipedia

Barber, Asa. "Hallowed be thy Condom" PLAYBOY, vol. 41, no. 11, November 1994, p. 36.

Dance: James Arthur - Naked

Choreography: Soonmi Ha (Mia)

Dancers: Jinwook Lee, Moon, Yena Park

via GNI Dance Company

Carl Van Vechten

Photography Appreciation 

American writer and artistic photographer Carl Van Vechten was known for his portraits of famous figures during the 1920s and 1930s. 

Born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on June 17, 1880, he developed a passion for music and theatre. After high school, he attended the University of Chicago to study music, art, and opera, but as a student, he became interested in writing.

After graduating from college, Van Vechten accepted a job as a columnist for the Chicago American newspaper in 1903. He then incorporated photographs with his gossip column. 

In 1906, Van Vechten moved to New York City and was hired as the assistant music critic at The New York Times. 

Although he gained fame as a writer, it was his keen eye for capturing the spirit of his subjects that caught attention. He started taking portraits of his friends and associates in the artistic and literary communities. 

He was drawn towards the music and art vibe of Harlem and was excited it generated from black writers and artists. He helped promote the develop the Harlem Renaissance in his writings and photographs.  

Some of his most famous portraits included Gertrude Stein, Langston Hughes, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Bessie Smith, Paul Robeson, Charlie Chaplin, and Josephine Baker.

Today, his portraits are treasured for their insight into the personalities and cultures of the 1920s and 1930s, and for their timeless depiction of the human spirit.

Frida Kahlo (1932)

Josephine Baker (1949)

Truman Capote (1948)

James Baldwin (1955)

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/josephine-baker-1906-1975-carl-van-vechten.html

Fashion is DEFINITELY Art: Dua Lipa & Versace La Vacanza 2023 Fashion Show

Co-creators: Donatella Versace and Dua Lipa

Debut in Cannes, South of France, May 23rd

via Versace

Travel + Leisure: Tuscany, Italy by @postcardsbyhannah

If you have time to look through some amazing travel photography, check out Hannah's Instagram (@postcardsbyhannah). 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Travel + Leisure (@travelandleisure)

 

Julia Leigh Nicoletti

Art Appreciation

I came across a video by body paint artist Roustan of a beautiful person named Julia Nicoletti. As mentioned in his video, Roustan knew Julia as a model and artist. She passed away unexpectedly at a very young age. To preserve her memory, he used VR footage to create a memorial of her in the metaverse. Watch his video HERE.

Julia Leigh Nicoletti, was born on June 14, 1994 in New Haven, Connecticut. She was a multi-talented artist and model who is remembered for her free spirit, outgoing personality, and unique creativity.

After graduating high school, she attended a few colleges and universities to pursue her interest in the arts. She moved to the West Coast to focus on her art and photography and began a career in modeling. 

Julia passed away at the age of 25 on November 2, 2019 due to what may have been a Fentynal overdose.

Sources:

https://www.wsclancy.com/obituaries/Julia-Leigh-Nicoletti?obId=8921483

https://opensea.io/collection/juliasgift

https://www.behance.net/julialeighd26b?locale=en_US

Album Cover: The Cars - Candy-O

Album Cover

Album: The Cars - Candy-O

Release: June 13, 1979

Cover Art Designer: Alberto Vargas

Model: Candy Moore

Source: Wikipedia

Body Art:The Atlantic Ocean /Camouflage by Vilija Vitkute

via Vilija Art 

Dance: Noah Kahan - False Confidence

Choreography: Sean Lew

Filming: Jon Hernandez

Dancers: Sean Lew and Kaycee Rice

via Sean Lew

Bell Biv Devoe - Do Me!

Music Appreciation

If I may borrow from a Garth Algar quote, watching Bell Biv Devoe's Do Me! on MTV when I was in my teens made me, "feel kinda funny, like when we used to climb the rope in gym-class." 

Released on June 10, 1990, Do Me! embodies the essence of early '90s R&B, with a blend of R&B, hip-hop, and new jack swing. Produced by Bell Biv Devoe and Carl Bourelly, the track is characterized by its pulsating bassline, infectious drum pattern, and catchy synth hooks. 

The song, which revolves around the pursuit of love, passionate desire and sex, reached number three in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and remained there for 22 weeks. Proving that there were a lot of us who felt kinda funny and liked it; more so with the music video.

The music video, which was directed by Lionel C. Martin, created a captivating visual experience showcasing the trio's choreography talent, and urban hiphop fashion of the '90s. 

Source:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_Me!

https://www.discogs.com/release/574912-Bell-Biv-DeVoe-Do-Me

https://genius.com/Bell-biv-devoe-do-me-lyrics

Fashion is DEFINITELY Art: Gucci Cruise 2024 Fashion Show

Creative Director: Sabato De Sarno

via Gucci

Urge Overkill - Sister Havana

Music Appreciation

Released on June 8, 1993 as a single from the album "Saturation," Urge Overkill's Sister Havana is a standout track with a cool guitar riff that represents the band's unique sound that combines elements of punk, glam, and garage rock. The song's lyrics tell the story of a man who is infatuated with a woman named Havana.

The music video, which was directed by Paul Andresen and George Dougherty, features the band driving and playing in various locations around Little Havana, Miami. There is even a scene of them riding in the Everglades. 

In an interview, band member Eddie "King" Roeser implied that the song may have had an unintentional political statement, "In hindsight, you can see it as Urge's first foray into geopolitics. The protagonist, Urge, or the US, is trying to woo the woman, who could be Cuba."

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://imvdb.com/video/urge-overkill/sister-havana

Robina Nicol

Photography Appreciation

Robina Nicol, born on June 7, 1861, in Shetland, Scotland, was a remarkable figure who left an indelible mark on New Zealand's history as both a photographer and a suffragist. Her family emigrated to New Zealand in 1874.

She developed a passion for photography at a time when the medium was still in its infancy. She captured images of local people and places, including her family. She had a keen eye in capturing images that conveyed the beauty and essence of her surroundings. 

Although she was considered an "amateur" photographer, her dedication to the craft established herself as a well-known photographer. Additionally, she played a significant role in the suffrage movement, being a signer of the 1893 Women's Suffrage Petition, which ultimately won women the right to vote.

Robina Nicol leaning against bank. Taken ca. 1895 - 1916

Woman with cat. Taken ca. 1895-1916

Interior with hebe, primula, daffodils on dresser. Taken ca. 1895-1916

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://natlib.govt.nz/

https://www.photoforum-nz.org/blog/2019/10/2/the-roundness-of-life-domestic-spaces-and-photography-in-aotearoa-new-zealand-essay

Album Cover: The Cars - The Cars

Album Cover 

Album: The Cars - The Cars

Released: June 6, 1978

Photography: Elliot Gilbert

Art Direction: Ron Coro

Design: Johnny Lee

Models: Nataliya Medvedeva

Body Art Movement ~ To Ocean Ma with Jovinna

 

via Jovinna Chan

Dance: James Arthur - Recovery

Concept & Choreography: Janelle Ginestra

Directed, Filmed and Edited: Tim Milgram

Dancers: Zach Venegas, Macy Swaim, Emily Crouch, Alex 'Sparkles' Lund, Chiara Gonzalez, Monika Felice Smith, Sam McWilliams, Cat Cogliandro, Catalina Moore, Kira Leach, Idaliz Cristian, Deanna Jenkins, Sam Holmberg, Audrey Lane-Partlow, Liv Simone, Caleb Brauner, Carly Lawrence, Janelle Ginestra, Savanna Kubat, Amari Smith 

via Tim Milgram

Riley Evans

Acting Appreciation 

Born on June 3, 1986 in Zephyrhills, Florida, northeast of Tampa, Brittney Neal Ellebracht was best known by her fans as Riley Evans.

Riley was noted for her blonde hair, blue eyes, and large augmented 34DD breasts. The 5'6 blonde entered the porn industry in 2005, at the age of 19, and was featured in over 130 adult films.

In 2013, Riley announced she was retiring from performing to begin a new chapter in life. Unfortunately, Riley was diagnosed with breast cancer in late 2017. She passed away on March 27, 2019.

Sources: 

https://www.boobpedia.com/boobs/Riley_Evans

https://www.babepedia.com/babe/Riley_Evans?utm_source=boobpedia&utm_medium=referral

https://www.indexxx.com/m/riley-evans

Fashion is DEFINITELY Art: Luisa Spagnoli - Fall Winter 2023

CEO, President, Creative Director: Nicoletta Spagnoli

via FF Channel

Dah Len

Photography Appreciation

Taiwanese born photographer Dah Len is a well-known photographer who has made a significant impact in the photography industry. 

At a very young age, he left Asia to study abroad in the UK. There he found an interest in photography, "I always loved creative endeavors, and got started with photography at the age of 16, which I found to be an exciting new art form for me."

He started with street photography before moving onto fashion and advertising. His studies in architecture while at the University of California - Berkeley, influenced a unique approach to photography blending traditional techniques with a contemporary style. 

Dah has worked with various publications such as Vanity Fair, W, New York Times magazine, Interview, and Details. He have worked on advertisement campaigns for Guess?, Giorgio Armani, Kenneth Cole, Sony, and many more. 

Perhaps some of his iconic photos are of Madonna in 2000. It's evident that he has dedication and passion for photography.

Madonna (2000)

Madonna for MixMag & Tatler Magazines (2000)

Lenny Kravitz for Vanidad

Naomi Campbell (1998)

TLC for HITS Magazine

Laetitia Casta for Guess? (1997)

Sources:

https://dahlenstudio.com/

http://sinotique.blogspot.com/2007/12/photographer-dah-len.html

https://tadan30.wixsite.com/fashographyscans/post/laetitia-casta-adia-coulibaly-dah-len-guess-1998-ads-x-3

https://mdnarevolution.tumblr.com/post/619479629272596480/dah-len-2000