Art Muse

If you have been to Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, you may have been overwhelmed by its formidable majesty. I know I was on my first visit. During subsequent visits I have come to appreciate some of the detail in the architecture, its placement in relationship to the River Seine and the crowds of people that swarm the place, including the Obama's (when I visited last fall). It is a wonderful place to people watch and to absorb the infinitely detailed interior and exterior. If you wait until near closing time there is little or no waiting. It is beneficial to walk through a few times as it is easy to miss the sculptural details. This photo was taken in front of the entrance… Continue reading… 1 comment

During a recent visit to the Museum of Art Moderne in Paris, I noticed that the street art and tagging painted on the exterior of the building was as interesting as some of the collections inside. The iconic "LOVE" painting (reminiscent of Love Story..the first time I read profanity in print, I was in fifth grade)was the first thing to catch my eye. There was a group of skateboarders navigating concrete stairs and ramps behind me when I took the photograph… Continue reading… 0 comments

The Gagosian Art Gallery in Chelsea is featuring a Calder Exhibition until April 10, 2010. This exhibition consists of four large stabile, mobile and sculptures by Alexander Calder (1898-1976). The artist's career spanned much of the 20th century, and he is considered the most influential sculptor of our time. Calder was born into a family of classically trained artists, and consequently decided to push the boundaries of traditional art in a innovative direction by pioneering a new method of sculpting: bent and twisted wire portraits. Calder accurately captured the essence of an individual while "drawing" the three-dimensional figures in space. Calder also dabbled in circus toys… Continue reading… 6 comments

While in NYC last week I visited the Agora Gallery in Chelsea to preview an exhibition of work by Nathan Sawaya. Sawaya has chosen a unique medium for his fine art, Lego building blocks. He cleverly assembles the rectangular colored bricks to form the natural curves of the human body. This is no easy task. When the sculpture is viewed from different angles it resembles a topographical map. Gazing at a sculpture from the front, the way it is intended to be viewed, the perspective is quite different. The gradated "steps" create the illusion of cheek bones, noses, pectoral and gluteus muscles. Each sculpture is monochromatic and most have Lego bricks spilling out on to the pedestals possibly representing the figure's internal organs in a literal and figurative manner… Continue reading… 2 comments

The Calder Game -- Not Just for Kids It's a mystery...How could a children's book could be so compelling? Perhaps it speaks to kid in all of us who, no matter how we dress ourselves up, still lives. Now and then a great mystery gets written and it is just plain enjoyable. No sex, no nudity, no romance, just simple code encrypting, mayhem and suspense. Author Blue Balliett is on to something. Chasing Vermeer, The Wright 3 and The Calder Game give the ten to twelve-year-old set an inside track on the art world, while speaking the language of intrigue. The characters, three emerging sleuths, are empowered by the adults in their lives (most of the time) to help solve different art thefts… Continue reading… 4 comments

Intrigued yet intimidated by film arts, I began attending the Manhattan Short Film Festival in 2006. I became addicted to film shorts and consequently independent films. I appreciate the short format because of my limited attention span. In two hours, I am able to view and experience 10 different artistic "voices." It shouldn't be a surprise that the opportunity inspires me and I commend the artists for the commitment it takes to produce something of this nature. Inspiration. Concept. Execution. When I look at a blank sheet of paper, I face a similar dilemma. How do I shape and mold a creative spark and present it in a form that is accessible to the viewer. There is something poetic about experiencing it in a different genre that makes it more direct and understandable… Continue reading… 1 comment

We have said goodbye to several great artists in recent weeks: Michael Jackson, Michael Mazur, Larry Knechtel, to mention a few. It makes me cognizant of the fact that artist's pay a price for the exposure whether they practice visual, performing, or literary arts. The risk of expressing oneself in any medium is of an existential nature. It is who we are. I can choose whether or not to share that vulnerable, expressive place inside me with others or I can isolate and never experience the camaraderie and satisfaction of having been seen and heard. There are pros and cons to each chosen path. But at the end of the day, if I have created something and no one sees it, no one sees me… Continue reading… 3 comments

Artist Date: Lost in the translation. I am in Yokosuka, Japan. When I arrive the air is steamy with humidity -- much more intense than the steam I am used to in New England. There is something psychologically jarring about looking down a street, decorated with beautiful, colorful signs and not being able to read any of them. Not even the characters are recognizable. I am surrounded by the conversation of people walking in the streets who are speaking a language that I don't recognize. No "oui madam," no "como estas?" and no "danke schen," to be heard. Even the attempts that are made to speak in English are barely recognizable. The language is music, it rolls of their tongues with such confidence and passion. It makes me wish all the more that I knew what they were saying… Continue reading… 0 comments

I recently observed some children riding on a double-decker carousel on the pier in St. Tropez. Wiggling as the carousel wound to a stop, having spent the better part of the last ride deciding which horse or animal they would ride on, they determinedly jet out to the beast of their choice. Some of the children prefer the pretty ponies, painted in vibrant colors, dawning a feather in their mane. Others rush up the stairs to the second level, spying a stationary giraffe, light blue with painted florescent flowers on it. A few of the boys prefer the yellow motorcycle on the first level to a fantasy horse, still others set down on a porch swing meant for adults who are too large for to ride the animals… Continue reading… 1 comment

Last year I met a woman who modeled for a figure study class after having a mastectomy. She explained to me that agreeing to model became a step in her long healing process; she wanted to look at the stark reality of breast cancer and refused to "hide behind pink ribbons." To her credit she had never smoked, her diet was always well informed, yet she still was diagnosed with breast cancer. Modeling gave her an opportunity to get used to the physical changes in her body as a result of her operation. A short time later the course instructor asked if he could paint her portrait. He completed a beautifully rendered painting of this woman that now hangs in the Springfield Museum of Fine Arts in Springfield, MA… Continue reading… 2 comments

Art: the Unique Holiday Gift Whether you are looking for a unique gift for a grab bag or trying to buy something for the person who has everything, think about giving art for the holidays. Art comes in all shapes and sizes, all mediums, a variety of colors and price ranges. You also won't have to worry about someone duplicating your gift. Art galleries, museum gift shops, and open studios are all great places to find unusual gifts in your area. There are many different ways that you can buy art for friends and family. First, you can purchase an original work of art directly from an artist at an art show or open studio. Second, you can buy an "art experience" by purchasing tickets to a concert, play, museum exhibition opening or dance performance… Continue reading… 0 comments

Contemporary Glass Artist, Josh Simpson Natural glass forms when specific kinds of rocks melt as they are exposed to extremely meteor hits the earth. Once cool, the liquid rock solidifies. This phenomenon has been happening since the beginning of time. Primitive human beings are said to have used glass made of obsidian and tektites (naturally formed glass, volcanic or extraterrestrial in origin) as cutting tools. Ancient Romans discovered glass when cooking in the sand. The intense heat of the fire melted nitrate blocks which were used as a resting place for cook pots. The blocks melted and mixed with the sand underneath them to form an opaque liquid, known today as glass. Soon people began experimenting with this substance and a craft was formed… Continue reading… 0 comments

I recently curated a contemporary art exhibition. It is interesting to witness the different reactions people have to art which was created during this time period. I have over heard many conversations in the galleries as museum visitors grapple with what they are viewing. Some comments have included, "It's too abstract for me," "It is colorful," "It's weird," "It is certainly unconventional," "I don't understand it," "My four-year-old could do that!" (Often children feel freer to express themselves) and finally, "Why is this considered art?" Contemporary art can be defined as art that has been recently created. It is sometimes more adventurous and "cutting edge" than work made by traditional artists… Continue reading… 1 comment

What's An Art Blog? When I first heard the word "blog" in a conversation among colleagues, I had trouble conjuring up a visual image of what it might mean, so I simply nodded as the conversation continued, hoping I wouldn't give away the fact that I was completely out of the loop. At the end of the day, I went home and asked my 20-year-old musician son what a "blog" was. Was it some strange bodily function people didn't usually speak of? He laughed and shook his head and then gently explained it to me. … Continue reading… 1 comment

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise there of; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people to peaceably assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." --First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution … Continue reading… 6 comments