Sunday, April 24, 2011
Saturday, April 23, 2011
BEAUTY: Art--Jennifer Meanley
I am enraptured with the paintings and drawings of Jennifer Meanley. Her dazzlingly colored and kaleidoscopic compositions full of enigmatic and hidden narratives bring to mind Gauguin, Africa, Chagall, and circuses. They feel like one is peering into jungles where previously unseen rituals or spontaneous moments between man and animal happen with the grace of the earth looking on...
Top to bottom: Circus Rejects Under The Tanglewood Tree; Rapture; Recovery Of The Phantom Limb; Chromatic Cloud Conspiring; Those That Trespass; For The Love Of Birdsong And Incredible Heights
http://jennifermeanley.com/
Top to bottom: Circus Rejects Under The Tanglewood Tree; Rapture; Recovery Of The Phantom Limb; Chromatic Cloud Conspiring; Those That Trespass; For The Love Of Birdsong And Incredible Heightshttp://jennifermeanley.com/
BEAUTY: Painting--Rocco Normanno
Italian artist Rocco Normanno, b. 1974, paints breathtakingly realistic scenes of mythology, both classical and Biblical. He may paint like Caravaggio but his settings and people are completely contemporary (in Mercurio a riposo, one can see Mercury's caduceus on the ground, bottom left--and in the scene of Judith cutting off the head of Holofernes in Giuditta e Oloferne, all are wearing modern clothing) --and it is this contrast that brings the interest and tension to his work. He lives and paints in Massa e Cozille, Tuscany.
Top to bottom: San Sebastiano; San Matteo e l'Angelo; Regazzo con casco e tulipani; Mercurio a riposo; Medea; Marte a riposo; Guiditta e Oloferne
http://www.rocconormanno.it/
Top to bottom: San Sebastiano; San Matteo e l'Angelo; Regazzo con casco e tulipani; Mercurio a riposo; Medea; Marte a riposo; Guiditta e Olofernehttp://www.rocconormanno.it/
"Dream Recipe #1"
Dream Recipe #1
Bread
The first prepared food in the history of the world
Cradle of man
Bread basket
Hills and planes
Step One:
Granules
Flour: wheat hull husk half
Water: dough bubbly and alive
Glass: knead until smooth as.
shiny elastic
punch and giggle
Step Two:
Heat
©JEF 2011
Bread
The first prepared food in the history of the world
Cradle of man
Bread basket
Hills and planes
Step One:
Granules
Flour: wheat hull husk half
Water: dough bubbly and alive
Glass: knead until smooth as.
shiny elastic
punch and giggle
Step Two:
Heat
©JEF 2011
Friday, April 22, 2011
1964 New York World's Fair
On this day in 1964, the New York World's Fair opened at Flushing Meadows in Queens. With the world entering the "Space Age," the theme of the fair was "Peace Through Understanding" and was dedicated to "Man's Achievement on a Shrinking Globe in an Expanding Universe." It was this last idea that was the inspiration for the centerpiece symbol of the fair, the Unisphere, an enormous, 12-story high stainless steel globe. The earth is shown surrounded by three rings which allegedly portray the orbits of Yuri Gagarin (the first man in space), John Glenn (the first American to orbit the earth) and Telstar (the first active communications satellite).
The 1964 New York World's fair is remembered as the dry-run for Walt Disney's "Audio-Animatronics" system. In fact, the Walt Disney Company designed and created four entire shows for the fair. 1) "It's A Small World" at the Pepsi Pavilion (featuring dolls of little children from around the world and a maddeningly syrupy song written by the Sherman Brothers), 2) "Progressland" at the General Electric Pavilion (where people saw scenes of the progress of inventions in daily life) , 3) "Ford Magic Skyway" at the Ford Pavilion and 4) "Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln" at the Illinois Pavilion. All of these shows went on to second lives at Disneyland and subsequently, Disney World. Obviously "It's A Small World" remains largely unchanged, including the song. "Progressland" became the "Carousel of Progress" and is still in operation, "Ford Magic Skyway" became the People Mover and then later the Tomorrow Land Transit Authority, and "Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln" expanded to become "The Hall of Presidents."
Some of the New York World's Fair structures remain including the observation towers and, thankfully, the marvelous Unisphere, seen above in 2010.
The 1964 New York World's fair is remembered as the dry-run for Walt Disney's "Audio-Animatronics" system. In fact, the Walt Disney Company designed and created four entire shows for the fair. 1) "It's A Small World" at the Pepsi Pavilion (featuring dolls of little children from around the world and a maddeningly syrupy song written by the Sherman Brothers), 2) "Progressland" at the General Electric Pavilion (where people saw scenes of the progress of inventions in daily life) , 3) "Ford Magic Skyway" at the Ford Pavilion and 4) "Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln" at the Illinois Pavilion. All of these shows went on to second lives at Disneyland and subsequently, Disney World. Obviously "It's A Small World" remains largely unchanged, including the song. "Progressland" became the "Carousel of Progress" and is still in operation, "Ford Magic Skyway" became the People Mover and then later the Tomorrow Land Transit Authority, and "Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln" expanded to become "The Hall of Presidents."
Some of the New York World's Fair structures remain including the observation towers and, thankfully, the marvelous Unisphere, seen above in 2010.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Happy Birthday, Hubble
Today is the 21st anniversary of the Hubble Telescope in orbit. NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day celebrates this with the below image and information.
Happy Birthday, Hubble!
Peculiar Galaxies of Arp 273
Credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI / AURA)
Explanation: The spiky stars in the foreground of this sharp cosmic portrait are well within our own Milky Way Galaxy. The two eye-catching galaxies lie far beyond the Milky Way, at a distance of over 300 million light-years. Their distorted appearance is due to gravitational tides as the pair engage in close encounters. Cataloged as Arp 273 (also as UGC 1810), the galaxies do look peculiar, but interacting galaxies are now understood to be common in the universe. In fact, the nearby large spiral Andromeda Galaxy is known to be some 2 million light-years away and approaching the Milky Way. Arp 273 may offer an analog of their far future encounter. Repeated galaxy encounters on a cosmic timescale can ultimately result in a merger into a single galaxy of stars. From our perspective, the bright cores of the Arp 273 galaxies are separated by only a little over 100,000 light-years. The release of this stunning vista celebrates the 21st anniversary of the Hubble Space Telescope in orbit.
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day site:
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
Happy Birthday, Hubble!
Peculiar Galaxies of Arp 273
Credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI / AURA)
Explanation: The spiky stars in the foreground of this sharp cosmic portrait are well within our own Milky Way Galaxy. The two eye-catching galaxies lie far beyond the Milky Way, at a distance of over 300 million light-years. Their distorted appearance is due to gravitational tides as the pair engage in close encounters. Cataloged as Arp 273 (also as UGC 1810), the galaxies do look peculiar, but interacting galaxies are now understood to be common in the universe. In fact, the nearby large spiral Andromeda Galaxy is known to be some 2 million light-years away and approaching the Milky Way. Arp 273 may offer an analog of their far future encounter. Repeated galaxy encounters on a cosmic timescale can ultimately result in a merger into a single galaxy of stars. From our perspective, the bright cores of the Arp 273 galaxies are separated by only a little over 100,000 light-years. The release of this stunning vista celebrates the 21st anniversary of the Hubble Space Telescope in orbit.
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day site:
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Naps With Lions
Over the last several years, I have seen many stories about and pictures of Kevin Richardson and aside from having a crush on this extremely handsome man, I have always been fascinated by what he does. As an animal behaviourist, he has developed close relationships with not only a pride of lions, but many other big cats as well as hyenas and other predators. He does this at the Kingdom of the White Lion outside of Johannesburg, South Africa. It is an awesome and emotional thing to watch him roll around, romp, swim, and nap with creatures as magnificent as lions.
Take a look below at this remarkable footage from Sky News as well as a film about Kevin called "White Lion: Home Is A Journey."
And visit his site, The Lion Whisperer for more information about Kevin, the Kingdom of the White Lion and conservation projects in Africa as well as more fantastic pictures and videos.
http://www.lionwhisperer.co.za/
Take a look below at this remarkable footage from Sky News as well as a film about Kevin called "White Lion: Home Is A Journey."
And visit his site, The Lion Whisperer for more information about Kevin, the Kingdom of the White Lion and conservation projects in Africa as well as more fantastic pictures and videos.
http://www.lionwhisperer.co.za/
Blooms In The Wreckage
A cherry tree blooms among the tsunami wreckage in Natori, Japan. Photo taken April 18th, 2011 by Yasuyoshi Chiba, Getty Images.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Ghost/ Sleepwalk
"Ghost of Love" by David Lynch from "Inland Empire," 2006.
"Sleepwalk" by Santo and Johnny, 1959.
"Sleepwalk" by Santo and Johnny, 1959.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Currently listening to...
..."In The Dirt" by S. (Sean) Carey. It is a curious mix of pensive, tender piano and polyrhythmic percussion and clapping that is striking me just right this evening.
"Don't leave
'Cause I believe
We were meant to sleep
In the dirt..."
http://www.scarey.org/
"Don't leave
'Cause I believe
We were meant to sleep
In the dirt..."
http://www.scarey.org/
Friday, April 15, 2011
Knock, knock, knocking...
“I have lived on the lip
of insanity, wanting to know reasons,
knocking on a door. It opens.
I’ve been knocking from the inside!”
--Jalaluddin Rumi
“Do not think you will necessarily be aware of your own enlightenment.”
--Dogen
"How To Get To Los Angeles"
How To Get To Los Angeles
Step 1. Wake up before the sun rises. Place your bags, carefully packed, in the trunk of your car. Bring a bag of beverages and snacks. Start your engine and drive away from your home.
Step 2. As you drive, notice the oil pressure light on the instrument panel blinking. Pull over and look under your car. See motor oil bubbling out like honey. Turn around and drive back to the garage that changed your oil and checked your engine only yesterday. Show them the problem.
Step 3. Wait for an hour in a grimy room with nothing to look at but “Field and Stream” and “Sports Illustrated”. Search for cups near the water cooler. Find none. Just as you nod off, be startled by the mechanic who worked on your car yesterday. Listen as he tells you that he made a mistake, he didn’t put the filter on properly, he just put in new oil and put on a new filter, he’s really sorry, he didn’t mean to do it, he wants to make amends because he’s in a twelve step recovery program and a Vietnam vet. As he begins to cry, tell him that everything is fine now.
Step 4. Drive very fast to make up for lost time. Find your way to Interstate 5, the chute, the column that connects north to south. It is filled with butterflies. They will splatter onto your windshield every minute or so. At a rest stop, look at the grill of your car. It will be smeared orange and yellow and black. You have to kill a lot of butterflies to get to Los Angeles. Once on the road again, it is advisable to monitor the road ahead and your rear view mirror for police who drive cars in odd colors—candy pink, sea green, sky blue—in order to fool drivers like yourself. Reach central California in the afternoon. Begin to sweat.
Step 5. Start to climb the Grapevine. Pass Angeles State Park. Notice the low twig bushes that cover this bizarre landscape like mold. Pass Knott’s Berry Farm, Six Flags, Magic Mountain. Do not be impressed…hold out for Disneyland. Descend into Los Angeles. See Universal Studios nestled into a craggy hill to your right. Fantasize about the sound stages and the actors who are there right now. Yearn to act there until you feel like crying.
Step 6. Check into the Dunes Motel on Wilshire. Marvel at the glass slat windows, the brick wall painted white and the framed paintings of flamingoes, all there since 1957. Invoke the spirit of Raymond Chandler. Sleep on the bed and try not to imagine how long it’s been there. Get lice. Spend the rest of your time itching.
Step 7. You must shop on Melrose. Pretend it’s a bazaar at the end of the world. Admire the steel gloves, the medieval dresses and suits made of copper and alligator. There will be a kind of music you have never heard before. It is important that you listen and let it alter your consciousness.
Step 8. Take a drive up Sunset, past Tower Records and have dinner at La Mediterraneé. Watch people eat while wondering what they do and how much they’re worth. After dinner, venture into Beverly Hills. You will be dressed for weather in the valley and it will be very cool in Beverly Hills—almost cold—so be prepared to shiver.
Step 9. Late in the next day, say goodbye to L.A. As you drive with your back to the city, wonder when you will return and if you will ever work there. You’ll be tired from your trip and the oncoming headlights will hypnotize you. You must roll down all windows and turn on the radio. When it’s very late and your only companions on the road are truckers, you will begin to hallucinate. You will see overpasses and freeways that aren’t there. You will see office buildings and whole towns that aren’t there. Do not be alarmed. This is normal. Sing as loud as you can. You will careen into the butterfly zone again and they will smudge the windshield. Remember to bring paper towels and glass cleaner because the wipers alone won’t do the job. You have to kill even more butterflies to get back home.
©JEF 1997
Step 1. Wake up before the sun rises. Place your bags, carefully packed, in the trunk of your car. Bring a bag of beverages and snacks. Start your engine and drive away from your home.
Step 2. As you drive, notice the oil pressure light on the instrument panel blinking. Pull over and look under your car. See motor oil bubbling out like honey. Turn around and drive back to the garage that changed your oil and checked your engine only yesterday. Show them the problem.
Step 3. Wait for an hour in a grimy room with nothing to look at but “Field and Stream” and “Sports Illustrated”. Search for cups near the water cooler. Find none. Just as you nod off, be startled by the mechanic who worked on your car yesterday. Listen as he tells you that he made a mistake, he didn’t put the filter on properly, he just put in new oil and put on a new filter, he’s really sorry, he didn’t mean to do it, he wants to make amends because he’s in a twelve step recovery program and a Vietnam vet. As he begins to cry, tell him that everything is fine now.
Step 4. Drive very fast to make up for lost time. Find your way to Interstate 5, the chute, the column that connects north to south. It is filled with butterflies. They will splatter onto your windshield every minute or so. At a rest stop, look at the grill of your car. It will be smeared orange and yellow and black. You have to kill a lot of butterflies to get to Los Angeles. Once on the road again, it is advisable to monitor the road ahead and your rear view mirror for police who drive cars in odd colors—candy pink, sea green, sky blue—in order to fool drivers like yourself. Reach central California in the afternoon. Begin to sweat.
Step 5. Start to climb the Grapevine. Pass Angeles State Park. Notice the low twig bushes that cover this bizarre landscape like mold. Pass Knott’s Berry Farm, Six Flags, Magic Mountain. Do not be impressed…hold out for Disneyland. Descend into Los Angeles. See Universal Studios nestled into a craggy hill to your right. Fantasize about the sound stages and the actors who are there right now. Yearn to act there until you feel like crying.
Step 6. Check into the Dunes Motel on Wilshire. Marvel at the glass slat windows, the brick wall painted white and the framed paintings of flamingoes, all there since 1957. Invoke the spirit of Raymond Chandler. Sleep on the bed and try not to imagine how long it’s been there. Get lice. Spend the rest of your time itching.
Step 7. You must shop on Melrose. Pretend it’s a bazaar at the end of the world. Admire the steel gloves, the medieval dresses and suits made of copper and alligator. There will be a kind of music you have never heard before. It is important that you listen and let it alter your consciousness.
Step 8. Take a drive up Sunset, past Tower Records and have dinner at La Mediterraneé. Watch people eat while wondering what they do and how much they’re worth. After dinner, venture into Beverly Hills. You will be dressed for weather in the valley and it will be very cool in Beverly Hills—almost cold—so be prepared to shiver.
Step 9. Late in the next day, say goodbye to L.A. As you drive with your back to the city, wonder when you will return and if you will ever work there. You’ll be tired from your trip and the oncoming headlights will hypnotize you. You must roll down all windows and turn on the radio. When it’s very late and your only companions on the road are truckers, you will begin to hallucinate. You will see overpasses and freeways that aren’t there. You will see office buildings and whole towns that aren’t there. Do not be alarmed. This is normal. Sing as loud as you can. You will careen into the butterfly zone again and they will smudge the windshield. Remember to bring paper towels and glass cleaner because the wipers alone won’t do the job. You have to kill even more butterflies to get back home.
©JEF 1997
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Just watched...
..."Devil" written--but not directed--by M. Night Shyamalan.
Night had one good movie in him, and that was that. The rest has been dreadful, childish drivel. And this is no exception. A ridiculously laughable and predictable tale of the "devil" coming to earth to punish those who have done "bad things,"--all while trapped in an elevator--this film would have been better as a half-hour "Twilight Zone" episode instead of a full length feature. It is easy to figure out what will happen next every step of the way.
And the whole "devil" thing never works on me anyway. It's just fodder for eye rolling.
Recommend? DO NOT BOTHER.
Night had one good movie in him, and that was that. The rest has been dreadful, childish drivel. And this is no exception. A ridiculously laughable and predictable tale of the "devil" coming to earth to punish those who have done "bad things,"--all while trapped in an elevator--this film would have been better as a half-hour "Twilight Zone" episode instead of a full length feature. It is easy to figure out what will happen next every step of the way.
And the whole "devil" thing never works on me anyway. It's just fodder for eye rolling.
Recommend? DO NOT BOTHER.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
