Eggs! Lamps! Crystal!

Eggs! Lamps! Crystal!
Pretty things: “Artistic Luxury: Fabergé, Tiffany, Lalique” at the Legion of Honor Museum in San Francisco, CA beginning February 7. Peter Carl Fabergé (eggs), Louis Comfort Tiffany (lamps), and René Lalique (crystal) were rivals in the creation of decorative arts in the years before World War...

At the Movies: at home

At the Movies: at home
Albert Finney as John Newton Keri Russell - The Waitress Seems this is the time of the year to get caught up with all the movies you said you would see and didn’t. This habit is related to the Academy Awards, basically because I have difficulty in being judgemental (a sin, but like chocolate a...

Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Gabriel Garcia Marquez
I found an old copy of one of the most fascinating fantasies ever – “100 Years of Solitude” by Colombian author Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Written in 1967, the book recounts the history of a family that presides over a South American town called Macondo. It is the perfect “did it happen or didn’t...

Not Another “Miami Vice”

Not Another “Miami Vice”
The TV series “Burn Notice” on the USA network takes place in Miami. The male stars wear pretty pastel colored or floral shirts and the scenery is filled with images of ocean, sand and palm trees. But don’t confuse it with “Miami Vice” – the 1980’s cop show that made aqua and tangerine...

President Barack Obama!

President Barack Obama!
I can breathe again. It is official. “President Barack Obama”. What an amazing occurrence this is! Yes, I had my “Obama in 2008” button taped to my office desk 12 months ago. Yes, I watched TV as the states turned blue on Nov 4th and listened raptly as he made his thank you and God Bless...

Old Movies: A Reflection Of Our Times

Old Movies: A Reflection Of Our Times
“My Man Godfrey”, a 1936 black & white classic film starring William Powell and Carole Lombard, targets the wealthy and labels them as being out of touch and morally depraved, a little like now. While this movie is a romantic comedy it’s message is anything but comedy. I’ve...

Tips On Pencil Portrait Sketching – The Six Elements Of Portrait Sketching

Tips On Pencil Portrait Sketching – The Six Elements Of Portrait Sketching
Tips on Pencil Portrait Sketching – The 6 Steps of Portrait Sketching Sketching in general entails 4 distinct steps: line, tone, texture, and shape. In the special case of pencil portrait drawing we can refine the list of steps to six: shape, proportion, anatomy, texture, tone, and planes. Sketching...

“Venetian Style” at MFA, Boston

“Venetian Style” at MFA, Boston
Titian, Tintoretto, Veronese: Rivals in Renaissance Venice Sixty paintings by 16th century “Venetian style” artists will be on view beginning March 15: Titian (1485–1576), Tintoretto (1518-1594) and Veronese (1528–1588) Venetian Style – “painters from Venice were not as concerned with...

“Decoding Identity: I Do it for My People”

“Decoding Identity: I Do it for My People”
Starting January 23, 2009, MoAD presents a group of 20 artists that go to the edge to break stereotypes of religion, race, and gender. Their intentions are to question and challenge beliefs with art: Lorraine Bonner, Ed and Linda Calhoun, Christopher Carter, Lalla Essaydi, John Yoyogi Fortes, Chaz...

No One Gets Away Clean

No One Gets Away Clean
I revisited the Steven Soderbergh movie  “Traffic” this week and still enjoyed it. I was not surprised. I had originally followed the TV mini series “Traffik” which was about 6 hours long and wondered how the movie would do. Besides the texture, plot, direction and performances...

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