Art News Blog: Turner Prize Shortlist“The prize that has made itself famous or infamous for shock and controversy has thrown in another surprise : Traditional still life oil painting!”Hopefully this represents a turn in the tides for artists such as myself. I have seen trends shifting back towards realism and painting a little but this seems to me to be the first clear sign. Even if it isn’t a real sign – it is a welcome change!
Every time I look it gives me advice that always seems to relate directly to my art. This is from the Tarot services (like the last one I posted)The Present:Any project, transaction or enterprise you’re pursuing will not only be a success but will increase your worth substantially.and I thought that was pretty cool.. Definitely reassuringthen I read The Future: The Serious side of the arts will bring you hours of pleasure, so immerse yourself in anything from opera to ballet. Any enterprise or venture based on your own talents is destined for success.ooooOOOOooo!hey, I will take anything at this point!The Simpson’s episode where Homer sells a ‘sculpture’ is on right now.
1“ Newman worked as a Freelance photographer for many of New York’s most notable magazines before becoming one of the most recognized portrait photographers of the 20th Centuries most renowned Photographers.Although he dislikes the phrase, Newman pioneered the style ”environmental portraiture.“ This style captures the personality of the subject by placing them in a setting that shows their personality and profession.Newman uses very carefully planned portraiture with strong lighting, his portraits appear to highlight the character of his subjects…. An excellent example of this is his Marilyn Monroe portrait.Newman’s attitude to portraiture and art in general is summed up in this quote from his book ”A Life in Photography“ ”The truly innovative artists create ideas and images unrelated to anything we have experienced or seen before, new ways of seeing and thinking about our own familiar worlds.
Pricing, prioritizing, gallery services everything is on the web – except how to wrap art for delivery!!or at least not that I could find.Officeworks used to sell big bolts of bubble wrap so I started there…. About half the size I need.So I made it up and fought with bubble wrap and packing tape. The results are ok now – I think they will survive the trip at any rate.I am excited about the show – but between the nightmares of mangled artworks and the fear that something will go wrong now that I have told people about it and my work will not end up on display- I am very nervous.I have good reason to be worried – lots of gallery owners are going to be there and one in particular is coming specifically to see my works.
Ok I am quite afraid of jinxing things here but I am going to risk the wrath of the powers that be and post the details of the show in which I have entered works.Discovery Art ShowI am quite excited. it all feels very real with my pieces framed and the labels and everything…. Believe it or not but I am actually quite nervous about schmoozing even though it is something I used to do quite well.
This couldn’t be more ideal so I decided to try them out for the show I have entered. Well, not only were their prices some of the lowest I have seen but their work is excellent and the consultations on the frames was ideal. My pieces look wonderful!This all feels real now, I haven’t been writing about the show because I didn’t want to jinx it – but I am dropping the works off on Monday and the opening night is on next Saturday.I have received my labels which is an indication that I have been accepted in. But I guess I am still afraid that something will go wrong and they wont be shown!anyway the Show is the Discovery Art Show, I will post some details very soon.
I am writing an essay on a internationally reknowned photographer that I admire and I have chosen Arnold Newman (cue Seinfeld reference – I hate the show and yet it gets in my brain…Newman…) and I have come across this quote that I find particularly inspiring:“The truly innovative artists create ideas and images unrelated to anything we have experienced or seen before, new ways of seeing and thinking about our own familiar worlds…. I chose this artist because I like his portraits of artists but I am really getting into him after reading some of his thoughts and looking through lots of his works.Its a short essay so I may put it up here…
It has a nice combination of humor and sweet personality.Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is a great concept for a musical and I enjoy some of the songs, but I have to admit that some of the songs seem a little incongruous (Like Great Big Stuff – which is very Syncopated and wanders between rap and jazz and several others) usually I like incongruity, and I cant debate it gets in your mind…. The best bit on the Dirty Rotten Scoundrels album without a doubt is the message from John Lithgow that tells everyone to go out and buy tickets because he wants the money.The Light in the Piazza took out almost all the Technicals. It was the only non humorous musical on offer really and sounded quite pretty – but not really very original (IMHO) I thought it sounded very Derivative of Sondheim – nothing wrong with that, it was pretty – but I didn’t think it was anything to write home about.Speaking of Sondheim, they celebrated his 75th Birthday at the Tonys with a duet between Hugh Jackman and Aretha Franklin.
I have backslided majorly this week being in some of the worse pain I have felt since the accident. I am still here, I have not been painting because of the pain but my current piece is going well.I have realized that my goal of painting at least an hour every day is not particularly possible all the time so I am amending it to trying to do at least an hour of Art things every day…. I will make an effort to post more as I enjoy writing about the wacky world of art so I am planning to include more of my inspirations, more shows (as I have a goal of attending more openings) and the occasional nugget of arty farty crap that reaches my eye…
I have been expanding my musical theater collection even more – I now have over a day of music just in musicals and have started sorting them into separate sub genres (like my metal collection)I like sub genres.I have been particularly appreciating Company (1970 – Sondheim) which has some brilliant comedic songs and typical Sondheim lyrics. I particularly like the song ‘the little things’ which is a brilliant look at marriage and relationships and divorce that still gives me tears in the eyes from laughing.Tick Tick BOOM! (2001 – Jonathan Larson) is a great rock style musical with a brilliant homage/filk/takeoff of the Sunday song from ‘Sunday in the Park with George’ this is worth listening to just for the drool line.
Jennie's Palette 