This Weekend's Art Ventures

The academy awards have come and gone and the awards have all been passed out. I'll save my analysis for after I see all the pictures nominated. But until then, check out this flick.

If you know me at all, you know that DeNiro is my #1 acting favorite and so, I look for anything he is in. His ability to play really bad guys and make me love them anyway is something that other actors should observe. Anybody can love a good guy, but make a gangsta loveable -- well, that takes a skill most would kill for, pun intended.

The movie that I most recently watched is "What Just Happened" starring Sean Penn, Catherine Keener, John Turturro, Robin Wright Penn, STanley Tucci (yeah!!!), Kristen Stewart, Michael Wincott and Bruce Willis. It is a story that plops you right down in the middle of Hollywood and all its egos and tells the story of all the big guys living on the edge in a city and industry that devours its own.

If you like shoot 'em ups and explosions, then go snag a copy of Good Fellas. But if you love subtle acting, rather skillful dialogue and what can actually be called a plot, then this is a movie you gotta see. Directed and Produced by Barry Levinson and Art Linson (writer), this is a movie that gives you nuance over trendy action shots. Thank goodness. I loved it, loved DeNiro and laughed my head off.

Since I still had half a bottle of my favorite wine

I decided to watch one of the Oscar's winners,

"Changeling". I have every reason to really

dislike Angelina Jolie...she is beautiful, skinny even after having kids and of course, she snagged the Bradelino, so therefore I dislike her. It is shallow and juvenile I admit, but its tough to like someone with so much -- and she wears killer shoes, so there you go.

But I loved her in this film. She played the part beautifully and again, here is a movie that actually has a story -- a good story even, and that my friends, gives me hope for Hollywood after all.

Art Show, Car Show

This sign is special to me because my grandfather worked at Mobil Oil for over 30 years. Everytime

I see the flying horse, I think of him.

This is a shot of a Chevy Olds interior. Not surprisingly, I liked the interiors the best and found some inspiring new color combos that I can use with new designs for game rooms, media rooms and other places where men like to hang out.

I tried a new venture this weekend as I looked for innovative places to find ideas for designing men's rooms (not the bathrooms, mind you, but men's spaces -- offices, rooms, etc). Where does one go to see what men really want? Ok, besides that, what do men want in a room besides a big screen TV, beer cart and a super large remote? To help me answer this question, I sought ideas at the local car show.

I had ulterior motives. Many new trends feature a heavy emphasis on metallic and unique colors, so again, the car show seemed a likely place to visit.

I've never been to a car show, cannot tell you a V-8 engine from a V-6 (although now, after a bit of instruction from a friendly dealer, can indeed tell you), and drive my fuel efficient honda to get my from point A to point B. In other words, cars and their designs are not things I think much about.

I was challenged to rethink that, with some great concepts from many a talented vintage car enthusiast. I am posting some pictures here to share some of my favorites and yes, indeed, I think more about the gadgets on my car now than ever before.

Art News This week

First, an apology. I have been a reluctant blogger and a bit of a fickle one as well. Writing is my first love and I've been unfaithful. Using my creative energies in building a new aspect of a business can do that to you, I'm afraid, but today, I'm making a new committment to post regularly (as I define it) and to do a more visually appealing job of it. Inspired by other artful bloggers I feel that I must do a better job of this, so here goes.

In this week's news, check out this week's Arthaus event, February 27, 5 - 7 PM featuring one of our artist, Cindy Parsons. Am posting the postcard to main page, come and see what we're building with local artists.

Now for a more national view. Today in Boston, Shapard Fairey opens his new show, titled "Supply and Demand". Fairey is an LA street artist (read: graffiti) and his work is now popular because of his iconic image of President Obama. His work is part of a guerilla effort to make art for the everyday person, an amibition I completely support.

Still not sure how I feel about a celebrity for a president. After all, no rap songs were written for Reagan, no songs penned in honor of JFK and certainly no images of presidents have been more widely demanded than those of Obama. Is this cult celebrity or true statemanship?

From the NYTimes Sunday:


UPDATE: ICA Boston 20 Year Retrospective
The SUPPLY AND DEMAND Exhibition opened today in Boston. The exhibit and Shepard’s outdoor work has been well received with tons of press and media as well as lines of fans. Below are some links to some local media sources about our trip!
http://www.boston.com/ae/theater_arts/articles/2009/02/06/street_smart/?p1=Well_MostPop_Emailed3
http://www.projo.com/art/content/wk-shepard_fairey05_02-05-09_EID6O3G_v12.271853a.html
FIRST MUSEUM SURVEY OF INFLUENTIAL STREET ARTIST SHEPARD FAIREY OPENS AT THE INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART/BOSTON
SHEPARD FAIREY: SUPPLY & DEMANDFEB. 6 - AUG. 16, 2009
Boston, MA – On the 20th anniversary of the Obey Giant campaign, the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston opens the first museum survey of Shepard Fairey, the influential street artist who created the now iconic Obama poster. Stickers and posters of the artist’s work have appeared on street signs and buildings around the world as part of a guerrilla art campaign of global scale. Featuring over 80 works, Shepard Fairey: Supply & Demand traces the artist’s career over 20 years, from the Obey Giant stencil to screen prints of political revolutionaries and rock stars to recent mixed-media works and a new mural commissioned for the ICA show. In complement to the exhibition, Fairey will be creating public art works at sites around Boston. On view at the ICA from Feb. 6 to Aug. 16, 2009, Shepard Fairey: Supply & Demand is accompanied by an expanded, limited-edition version of Supply & Demand, the retrospective publication of the artist’s work. FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT THE ICA WEBSITE.