NewarkMuseum hosts“Glass Beads of Ghana” thru June 15, 2009
The making and the use of decorative beads has been a tradition in Africa for over 400 years. The same styles have been maintained and updated in the west African country of Ghana.
To explore this art form, the exhibit uses video and photographs to show how the Krobo people of Ghana melt powdered glass into bead molds. And, there are also tons of examples of the beautiful beads themselves. Pretty and colorful!
The Newark Museum 49 Washington Street, Newark, NJ, 973-596-6550
Came across a review in Times Online where the critic goes on about Hammershois repetitiveness of gray and somber tones in all of his paintings, like, where is the color, why so depressing etc.
Back in 1998, the NYC Guggenheim Museum had a showing of Hammershois work and I remembered liking them. I thought of “I Remember Mama” - Edward Grieg’s music was used for the 1950’s TV show (not Danish but Norwegian, close) and “Dagmar” (Robin Morgan who I met while working at N.Y.P.L.) the little girl that everyone seemed to love. It was a ritual, our family and sometimes our neighbors would join us to watch this program, which was about a family that on the surface looked to be very different from ours. I don’t remember any of the story lines, but what Hammershois paintings did was to recall for me something that our family did and enjoyed doing together.
Go see art, listen to music, watch dance and make up your own mind. Don’t let some one decide for you what is not worth seeing.
The Hammershoi exhibit got some unfavorable reviews at the time and it would have been a shame to have paid attention to them and missed out on memories that the show brought up.
Going back to those days of hanging out in caves, wall paintings and banging on rocks just looking to tell a good story. A story about ourselves, what we wanted and what we could use a little less of. We also told story in dance, except we didn’t call it dance, it was just talking with our feet.
He knows how to move bodies in space, how to layer his phrases and, above all, how to make dancers look good.GIA KOURLAS NYTimes
Earlier this month Rennie Harris Puremovement preformed in NYC Central Park and in reading the NY Times review along with this photograph of Mr. Harris, I was intrigued. Out here in the desert, during the summer there is no Central Park. Central Park and the free shows, concerts and the park itself are all reason to miss New York every once in while.
I’m asked “Why did you give a certain name to a painting” and I don’t know. Sometimes it just shows up in my head. Nothing deep or heavy, it just sounds right.
This painting was done this morning, mostly with a pallet knife and some glazes. The edges reminded me of glass. That is about as close as I can get to “why” this name.
In this age of email and text messages, every once in awhile you need a stamp! Why not choose one that is pretty, historical and a celebration of black movies?
Ms Josephine Baker’s 1935 movie, “Princess Tam-Tam”, is one of only 4 films she made.It is included in 5 presented on a sheet of 42 cent U.S. postage stamps released on 7/16/08 to highlight black cinema of the 20’s and 30’s. The images are copies of the posters used in black only movie theaters back in the day to announce the coming attractions.
Other stamps in this 42-cent group are:
“The Sport of the Gods”, 1921, the poster proclaims, is based on a book by Paul Laurence Dunbar, “America’s greatest race poet,” and it adds that the film has “an all-star cast of colored artists.”
“Black and Tan”, a 19-minute film released in 1929 featuring Duke Ellington and his Cotton Club Orchestra.
“Caldonia”, is another short at 18 minutes, which was released in 1945. It showcased singer, saxophonist and bandleader Louis Jordan.
“Hallelujah”, a 1929 movie released by MGM. It was one of the first films from a major studio to feature an all-black cast.
The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in NYC will have some special exhibits thru the summer until mid- September highlighting art from their permanent collections.
“New York In the 1940s”
European artists escaping the turmoil of World War II came to New York during the ‘40s to work and exhibit. A lot of their paintings, some in the Surrealist style, were collected by the Guggenheim and are shown here.
“Thannhauser Collection”
The vast art collection of Justin Thannhauser, son of an art dealer, was acquired by the Guggenheim and includes works by Cezanne, Manet, Monet, Picasso, Renoir and more.
“Vasily Kandinsky: Beginnings”
Guggenheim started to collect Kandinskys paintings and water colors in 1929. Those will be on display along with samples of the artists graphic arts and print making styles.
An extensive collection of work by Winslow Homer, (1836-1910), is on display at the BostonMuseum. The exhibit includes paintings, water colors, illustrations (from “Harper’s Weekly” – a political magazine published from 1857 to 1916) and some etchings.
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Avenue of the Arts 465 Huntington Avenue Boston, MA-(617) 267-9300
Music, dance, film, theater, poetry, literature - all presented here, all celebrating the vibrant life and art of people of color.
There will also be special tributes to Gladys Knight, minus the “Pips”, and Judith Jamison of Alvin Ailey American DanceTheater (did you ever see her perform “Cry”?, Stunning).
“The mission of NBAF is to engage, cultivate and educate diverse audiences about the arts and culture of the African Diaspora and provide opportunities for artistic and creative expression.”
This past weekend, Venus Williams won her 5thWimbledon Ladies Single final (she defeated Serena this time – Serena has won Wimbledon twice) and together, Serena and Venus just won their 3rdWimbledon Ladies Doubles titles.
Between the 2 of them, the sisters have won an amazing number of Grand Slam titles - 16 singles, 7 Doubles and 2 Mixed Doubles. These are not easy accomplishments – you might win one, but to pull together all of the mind and body skills you’ve got to win power tennis tournaments again and again is awe inspiring – at least to me.
Talking it over with a friend, it seems to both of us that the Williams sisters feats of tennis magic aren’t appreciated as much as they could be? So, I’ve decided to take time out and say:
CONGRATULATIONS Venus & Serena!
Job well done, again. Best to you both representing the United States playing Doubles at the Beijing Olympics 2008. (They won the Gold medal in the 2004 Sydney Olympics)
The Phoenix Metropolitan area has been about creating different ways to lure its citizens into not traveling during the summer heat wave. The steady increase in the cost of gas has added new incentives. Here is a cool thing to do if you are in town.
Family Fun Day celebrates rich arts and cultural environments in local communities and encourages increasing community engagements for valley families year round. Free to the pubic, this year’s Family Fun Dayprovides hands-on activities, such as making dream-catcher and other dream-inspired arts and craft; it also entertains families and visitors with dance, music and theatrical performances suitable for all ages. CONDER Dance, AZ Opera in a Box and other local groups and volunteers will showcase their best performances throughout the day, spreading all the fun and joy across gallery spaces.
Channel Eight, Arizona PBS (KAET), brings Sister Bear of the Berenstain Bears for photos with children and offers children a fun activity to do. Rocky and the Puckpatrol from the Phoenix Roadrunners will also be here! China Mist offers free refreshments.
The Annual Family Exhibition and Fun Day are made possible in part through an investment by the ASU Art Museum Advisory Board, IKEA, Changing Hands Bookstore, China Mist and the Friends of the ASU Art Museum.
Agora Gallery Contemporary art gallery established 1984, located at the center of the New York Chelsea fine art galleries district. Art consulting services are provided to corporate and private art collectors. Collective exhibitions feature diverse contemporary art of various genres including painting, drawing, sculpture, photography and mixed media. Artist portfolios are reviewed.
Came across a review in 
Going back to those days of hanging out in caves, wall paintings and banging on rocks just looking to tell a good story. A story about ourselves, what we wanted and what we could use a little less of. We also told story in dance, except we didn’t call it dance, it was just talking with our feet.
