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Tuesday, May 17, 2011

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

Sunday, May 15, 2011

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

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

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/).  




Monday, May 9, 2011

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.

Sunday, May 8, 2011

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/.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

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)
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;

Sunday, May 1, 2011

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