Fiona Apple - Shadowboxer

Music Appreciation

The 19 year old from New York City released her debut album, Tidal, which contained several big singles including Criminal, Sleep to Dream, and Shadowboxer, on July 23, 1996.

Here's a story I've never told. I use to receive a music catalog where I would order CDs for one penny. The catch was that you had to order so many more CDs in future purchases for full price. 

I remember ordering her CD, not because I had heard her songs, but because of the CD cover. Her gorgeous blue eyes captured my attention. I would listen to her album from Sleep to Dream to Carrion staring at her blue eyes.




More: Fiona Apple - Criminal

Source: Wikipedia

Dennis Wojtkiewicz

Art Appreciation

Chicago born artist Dennis Wojkiewicz is known for his oil painting of fruits and flowers.

Yes, these are not photographs but paintings. His photorealistic paintings presents the subject in detail through the use of translucence.

via pinterest.com

via butdoesitfloat.com

via whatsalouawants.blogspot.com

Sources: http://www.evanluriegallery.com/artist.aspx?id=51; http://www.cuded.com/2012/01/fruit-and-flowers-paintings-by-dennis-wojtkiewicz/; http://trendland.com/dennis-wojtkiewiczs-fruit-paintings/#; http://www.glassgaragegallery.com/lib/frameset1.php?artist_code=DWZ&id=14


 

Pet Shop Boys - What Have I Done To Deserve This

Music Appreciation

In 1981, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe collaborated together to form the English pop duo The Pet Shop Boys.

After the success of their first album Please, Tennant and Lowe introduced us to their second album Actually, which is listed as one of 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Released in 1987, What Have I Done To Deserve This featured British pop star Dusty Springfield and reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100.





Source: Wikipedia

The Virgin Mary

ART APPRECIATION




This photo was taken on May 27, 2012 using an HTC PH44100.

Adrian Gottlieb

Art Appreciation

Adrian Gottlieb is a young American painter and portraitist known for using Verdaccio and classical oil painting techniques. His subjects are depicted using the naturalist style that makes paintings look almost life-like.

You can see more of his work HERE.

Dormir (2010), via conchigliadivenere

Sources: http://www.adriangottlieb.com/; http://www.gottliebstudios.com/; http://www.waterhousegallery.com/Gottlieb.html; http://www.figurativedrawing.com/; http://artodyssey1.blogspot.com/2009/10/adrian-gottlieb-adrian-gottliebs-works.html

George Tooker

Art Appreciation

George Tooker was an American artist known for his paintings that captured social realism. The majority of his paintings were of people living in poverty and struggles in society. His paintings were somewhat mythical and poetic with a sense of haunting and apprehension.

Perhaps a good example of a painting that expressed that sense of dread and unease is "Government Bureau" where people wait to speak with pale looking bureaucrats behind frosted-glass partitions. Or the haunting image in "Landscape With Figures" where masklike faces poke out from individual compartment boxes.

The English Lit graduate from Harvard, received the 2007 National Medal of Arts for “his paintings that combine realism and symbolism, transforming scenes of American life into iconic images. His metaphysical works reveal man’s journey from despair to triumph.”

Government Bureau (1956) via Weimar

Landscape With Figures (1965-66) via Dreamers Rise

The Subway (1950) via Weimar

Guitar (1957) via Bajo el Signo de Libra

Sources: http://www.nea.gov/news/news07/medals/Tooker.html; http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/29/arts/design/george-tooker-painter-capturing-modern-anxieties-dies-at-90.html; http://weimarart.blogspot.com/2010/11/george-tooker.html; http://bajoelsignodelibra.blogspot.com/; http://weimarart.blogspot.com/2010/11/george-tooker.html; http://dreamersrise.blogspot.com/; http://www.progressiveliving.org/artists/tooker/george_tooker.htm

Will Smith - Men in Black

Music Appreciation

Fifteen years ago, I remember being excited about watching Men in Black. It paired Tommy Lee Jones, best known for his role as Marshall Samuel Gerard in The Fugitive, and Will Smith.

Will Smith was fairly new to film; although he did have two hit box office movies (Independence Day and Bad Boys). Before he became a movie star, I was a fan of his music and the TV series, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

SIDEBAR: Check out DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince's Rock the House album.


The coolest thing about the movie, which was also incorporated in the music video, was how they brought to life aliens with use of CGI.


And, yes, I did buy Ray-Ban Predator 2 sunglasses and dressed in black after the movie came out.


Source: Wikipedia