Category Archives: Art

Dec23

The Rules of the Art Model

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The Rules of the Art Model

There are those for whom art
is a calling, a particular life path that makes it more than a hobby. For most painters, or most people learning the craft of it in a painting class, it’s a hobby that could one day turn into a calling. It’s better to investigate first, however, and take as much time, and as many classes, as possible, before making any decisions.

There’s no question that it offers innumerable rewards for everyone, including a sense of well-being, along with a great opportunity to learn some skills that apply to any art of making one’s surroundings more beautiful. Beginning artists are always concerned with these lofty things, but there are other, more basic questions, and one of the most common one is: what are the protocols, if any, for being in the same room with a live model ?

For any student artist, then, of any life path, there will be encounters with live models if the studio is genuinely committed to learning. The first encounters with a human being disrobing in front of a class are almost always uneasy, or even a little disarming. Even people who are completely comfortable with the idea will have a little bit of anxiety when it comes to the actual practice.

It’s no question that the quality of the work takes on a new level, and the essence of drawing or painting people deals with anatomical principles. These principles can only be hinted at with clothes. That part of it is fairly straightforward, but what are the rules?

Basically, what the student needs to keep in mind, are three simple things. Be polite, look at the model, and draw (or paint). Beyond that, any questions should be directed at the model coordinator . If the student needs a better view, or if it looks as though the pose has changed when it’s not supposed to, the coordinator is the one who makes the call, and the final judgments.

Never make unsolicited comments, especially at the very beginning. Some models like to establish a good repoir with classes, and some don’t, so let them be the guide. But never make inappropriate comments.

There may be some classes where the student might want to continue the work on their own. Some models will allow photographs, and some won’t. Best to ask the coordinator, and always tip the model in that situation. Allowing a photograph means that they are potentially losing income they could be earning by posing, so compensation is a good rule of thumb.

Good models are very hard to come by, and an attitude of mutual respect is one that will keep the good ones coming back. Every studio understands that. And every artist, whether it is their calling or their hobby, comes to learn that.

Jan5

The Florida Highwaymen

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The Florida Highwaymen

Whether it’s Andy Warhol in New York, or Richard Diebenkorn in Southern California, the artists of an area or a city, tend to define that city.  Such is true of the Florida Highwaymen.  From the desks of the Miami luxury hotels, to the roadside diners, a group of African-American artists left their mark on the state of Florida.  In a southern state, it was a bewildering and a beautiful time, the 1950′s.  Twenty-six artists took their creativity, and their destinies into their own hands when they began to sell their landscape and seascape paintings out of the trunks of their cars, along the highways that criss-cross the state of Florida.

Their colors were vivid and vibrant, and their compositions exemplified life on the coast in a way that moved all of those who were lucky enough to come across them and their works as they made their family road-trips and holidays.  Palm trees bent by the tropical and forceful winds, calm sunsets and the blossoms of the poinciana bushes were their subject matter.  They had no fancy warehouse studios in New York City nor formal training, they painted what they saw and what they felt, on the side of the road or in each others’ garages…loaded up their vehicles each weekend and sold their work to unsuspecting tourists.

The original “highway man” was Alfred Hair.  He gained confidence under the tutelage of A.E. Backus and soon found that he could actually make a living selling his artwork, a momentous discovery for any painter, in those days, and in these days as well.  Unsuspecting in the meaning of or the reason for these landscapes, people bought them up like crazy.  And unsuspecting in that these paintings are worth a substantial amount of money now.  They represent not only a time period, but an artistic movement.  And back then, in the 50′s, these brilliant painters sold their work for around twenty-five dollars a piece.  There are art collectors now, willing to spend much more than twenty-five bucks a piece…much, much more.

Dec14

Art in Berchtesgaden

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Art in Berchtesgaden

A beautiful place offering splendid vistas from nearly every angle, Berchtesgaden is a haven for nature-lovers, as well as for skiers, and anyone criss-crossing the complex lifelines of history.  Today it is a place for rock-climbers and anyone looking for time to spend enjoying the solitude of nature, where splendor is everywhere.  Some of the most stunning mountain drops in  Bavaria are here, and the Berchtesgaden hotels are specially designed to highlight the magnificent views along with the comfort and hospitality of nature.  It has a very complicated and rather fascinating history, and some of the pieces of the 20th century have only recently come together.

But Berchtesgaden is much older, having been mentioned as early as the beginning of the 12th century as a place famous for salt mines.  As the centuries passed, and history passed through it, more nations became interested in it, and it had a name for being a kind of painter’s paradise.  It certainly is that today, attracting wildlife and nature artists from all over for its spectacular imagery, and calm atmosphere.  It also attracted one of the most infamous painters in history, Hitler himself, who had a summer home here during the war.  It’s hard to know what attracted that painter here, but we do know what he liked in art, thanks to the heroic efforts of John Pistone, who was with the U.S. military when they came through here at the end of the war.

He grabbed an album in the house of the fuhrer, which has since been demolished, thinking that it was a photo album.  Recently it’s been discovered that it is one of the 13 volumes of art planned for a museum in his hometown in Linz, Austria.  That particular museum had an awful lot of plans, none of which came to light, and today, visitors in Linz can take underground tours where they will occasionally exhibit incredible installations of art curated to remember the holocaust, underlining the way the angel of history can sometimes pause for a moment of grace, like a moment of reflection in a forest in Bavaria.

Sep27

New York City’s Franklin Furnace

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New York City’s Franklin Furnace

There is no other city on earth like New York. It’s a place where everything in the world happens every day, and twice. There is an energy to the place that is palpable and always changing, behaving like a molecule that refuses to behave. The pace of culture here is impossible to gauge, and harder to capture than mercury, because everybody seems to be looking to make or discover the next big thing. And despite or perhaps because of this searching, it’s one of those places that is simply magnetic, drawing the best minds and talents in the world into its folds. There is little question that for the best hotels, New York City can compete, because in many ways, New York invented the idea.

Our hotels are selected from the finest New York has to offer, so that you’ll be enjoying gorgeously relaxing nights in rooms decorated with real metropolitan style. You’ll wake up refreshed and ready to discover what the city has in store for you that day. Shopping and people-watching are always popular, and they can reveal many splendid and baffling things about the city. These activities can also keep your days very pleasantly full. At night, New York City doesn’t exactly come alive, since it never sleeps in the first place, but a lot of the great art happens at nighttime. Franklin Furnace is a fantastic place to check for what’s new in experimental performance.

They’re an organization that’s been around for more than thirty years, begun by Martha Wilson in 1976. It was started with the intention of supporting avant-garde artists who were falling outside of the genres and content specified by institutional art. This noble beginning has produced some magnificent results, and has helped to launch and support the careers of artists who fall outside of the mainstream. These artists include such visionaries and recognized geniuses as Allan Kaprow, Nicolas Dumit Estevez, Annie Sprinkle, Vito Acconci, and Carolee Schneemann. It’s an organization with a small and intimate space, and a fantastic reputation among art-lovers, and especially artists, who keep seeing things that we can’t.

Sep2

Melbourne’s Painters and Dockers

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Melbourne’s Painters and Dockers

When looking for an Australian boutique hotel, Melbourne is a treasure chest.  It is one of Australia’s largest cities, and home to some of the best artistic and scientific minds on the continent.  It is fiercely individual, holding uniqueness in very high esteem, and our boutique hotels continue in this unique tradition.  Offering an alternative to the chain hotel, with all the luxury and splendor that meets the highest standards of the industry, we specialize in attention to detail.  Sleek design and contemporary style meet with the best of classical standards to provide an ambience that is inviting and relaxing.  With excellent cuisine prepared by world-class chefs, and a host of extras, there is a world of splendor at your fingertips.  After a cozy night’s stay, you’ll be ready to explore the wonders of Melbourne.

As a cosmopolitan center, Melbourne is a heady blend of cultures and traditions, and there are lots of exciting activities that will be fun for the whole family.  People watching, world-class shopping, sight-seeing and festivals are all on the menu.  The night life here is really fabulous as well, and the Melbourne pub scene is famous.  It has quite a fascinating history, too, seeing the birth of punk rock in the region.  One of Melbourne’s all-time favorite pub bands is Painters and Dockers.  This satiric and rowdy band began in 1982.  Their favorite pub was frequented by the Painters and Dockers’ Union, and as the band didn’t have a name, they adopted it.

The Painters and Dockers went on to record six albums and a sizable following, both in Melbourne and the international punk scene.  Their funny and biting social satire earned them a reputation for causing trouble.  To this day, the band’s mainstay, Paul Stewart attracts attention as he plays with the press while bringing attention to a number of social causes, from hepatitis awareness to East Timor.  Their legacy is still keenly felt here, and it’s worth a trip down music history to visit the pubs here and see what the next generation is up to.

Aug17

Irena in New York

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Irena in New York

I was in the city for business and had time to see a Broadway during my stay. While I was standing in line to by New York Broadway Tickets, someone suggested I should see Irena’s Vow. So, I purchased tickets for the show for a Sunday matinee. I hadn’t heard a thing about the play, but, the person suggesting, well I never met a person who was more convincing.

After attending the play, I was never more thrilled with taking up a suggestion; this play far exceeded an expectations I had. I was so impressed with the star of the show, how she was able to play both the younger women and the older women, as well as the other characters with an easy and grace I’ve never seen before, and I’ve seen many a Broadway shows. The story of Irena’s Vow was wonderful and I the message is a much needed one for just how fast paced and stressed out our world is today. A rare thing in today’s Broadway fare.I found myself thinking about the play throughout the following days while conducting my business here in New York. Even when I left the theater, everyone I passed was talking about how wonderful the play was and how they had never seen anything like it. They all felt like me, challenged to live each day differently.

I have never sat in an audience before and witnessed grown men cry. Irena’s Vow cuts one to the quick with it being a true story and an excellent performance. I appreciated that there was no intermission for entire 90 minute of the play. The actress Tovah Feldshuh should get a Tony for her portrayal of the real Irene Gut Opdyke. I can honestly say that this was the best theater, the best experience I’ve had.

Aug6

Borders Gardens

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Borders Gardens

Before I left England and went to Scotland, I decided to book a room at a Borders Hotel and take a few days to explore some gardens located on the border of England and Scotland. I thought I would first check out Harmony Gardens, then Dawyck Botanic Garden and last, Abbotsford.

Well, the name really does describe Harmony Gardens. It’s a garden surrounded by walls and hemmed in by trees. Once I entered the Garden, I was immediately overwhelmed with a sense of tranquillity and peace. I leisurely strolled along the lush green lawns strewn with herbaceous and a good mixed border. The fruits and vegetable areas were in bloom and there was a rich display of bulbs. The Garden even offers a magnificent view across Melrose Abbey.

The next day, I made it to Dawyck Botanic Garden. It’s a much cooler environment located right in the heart of the Scottish Borders. Trees at the Botanic are over 300 years old, truly one of the finest arboretum I’ve ever seen. Some conifers date back to 1680′s, like the unique Dawyck Beech tree which are some of the tallest trees I’ve seen in the UK. They have a good collection of lichen, mosses and fungi which is located in the world’s first Cryptogamic Reserve. I loved walking through carpets of bulbs and a splattering of snowdrops which mark the arrival of Spring.

Now, the garden of Abbotsford is the product of Sir Walter Scott. Scott did a smash up job with the aesthetics and composition of the landscape. I walked through three gardens: the Morris Garden, the Entrance Court and the Walled Kitchen garden. Then there was a little walk way beside the River Tweed which went through a woodland. Extremely well done, beautiful in it’s design. Being Spring I walked through a display of daffodils and bluebells. Some many other spring flowers all along the borders were so numerous I couldn’t even begin to figure out what they all were. All I know is I was in garden heaven.

Aug5

Space Needle Events

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Space Needle Events

The Space Needle in Seattle is one of the city’s major cultural landmarks and visual icons. It is a must needs stop on almost every visitor’s agenda, and the views of the city, Puget Sound, and the surrounding region are unsurpassable. It is also the choice location for many people to experience celebrations centered on traditional cultural events. To enjoy a New Year’s Eve dinner and party or watch fireworks on the Fourth of July from this high tower and it’s panoramic restaurant are once in a lifetime opportunities. Tickets for events that are centered around a specific holiday or special festival at specific times of the year may vary from the standard fees associated with the Space Needle.

In addition the Space Needle is available for private oriented special engagements and events. The Skyline level is specifically suited for this purpose and presents the perfect space for wedding receptions, rehearsal dinners and private parties of all kinds. There are standard menu selections from the Needle’s catering services that can be tailored for all needs and tastes. There are breakfast services, lunch, brunch and event appetizer selections available, as well as full dinner services. The focus is on great food, great service and great views, which greatly contribute to the perfect private event.

The Space Needle is located in the Seattle Center and was originally constructed for the 1962 World’s Fair. At its highest point, the Needle reaches 605 feet, or 184 meters. At its time of completion it was the highest building on the west side of the Mississippi River. The observation deck at the top provides the best views of Seattle that are available. Viewers can also see the Mount Rainier, the Cascade and Olympic Mountains and Elliot Bay. The restaurant offers a great selection of fresh food and actually rotates and entire 360 degrees which offers patrons the opportunity to view the full panoramic scene while they dine.

Aug4

The Globe Theatre Returns to The United States

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The Globe Theatre Returns to The United States

The Globe Theatre in London will resume performances in the United States after having abstained from this for the last four years. This fall it will bring performances of Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost to universities and college towns in various parts of the country. The last time they were here was in 2005 and they brought a production of Measure for Measure, which included a sold out run at St. Ann’s Warehouse. Prior to that, Twelfth Night toured the United States in 2003, though it did not include a New York performance. This is a much anticipated return of the famous theatre company, with a long standing tradition of excellence and focus on the works of its founding writer, William Shakespeare. Theatre tickets will be available locally and also on the Internet. The upcoming tour will conclude its performances at Pace University, which is located in Lower Manhattan.

Measure for Measure if one of Shakespeare’s early comedies and is believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1604. Its first performance on record occurred in 1604. Although it was originally called a comedy, and many people continue to categorize it as one, it has recently been included in the selection of his plays that are called problem plays. The other main categories of his plays are the tragedies and the histories. Some of the themes it deals with include those related to honor, truth, justice and mercy. It deals with the various complexities of politics in relationships, family and social justice. The term problem play generally refers to a category of drama that presents a protagonist who is up against various social factors and oppressive situations. Other problem plays of Shakespeare include All’s Well that Ends Well and Troilus and Cressida, though sometimes The Merchant of Venice, A Winter’s Tale and Timons of Athens are also included.