Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Impressionism


Today I witnessed the exhibit The Age of Impressionism at the Kimbell Art Museum.  Fact: The exhibit features work of “superb quality, intimate scale and originality of vision.”  It was interesting to learn that when Impressionism first came out, the public’s reaction was unfavorable.  They viewed the paintings as sloppy, crude, childlike, uninteresting and absurd.  Did you know that Sterling Clark was the heir to the Singer sewing machine fortune?  I guess I never really thought those words would go together: sewing machine and fortune?!!  Back in old times though, I guess the sewing machine was the Lexus or BMW of clothes production.  I learned that Theodore Rousseau, like myself, attended Barbizon (however his Barbizon wasn’t a modeling school).  There was one painting called Seated Nude that featured a subtle juxtaposition of rock with fabric.  I can relate to that because my breakfast featured a juxtaposition of coffee with cream and a granola bar.  In Seated Nude, a young woman sat hugging her legs tightly to her chest.  Her skin was luminous.  In modern times, that young woman would have, more than likely, taken that picture on her cell phone.  There was one piece called Gooseherd.  It featured a flock of geese in action. It made me think of one of the songs from the Sound of Music “High on a hill was a lonely gooseherd Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo Loud was the voice of the lonely gooseherd...” I will admire anyone who can paint with technical assurance (whatever that means).  I think my new goal for tomorrow is to ‘create a compelling evocation of cold and solitude.’  Moving from painting to painting, I saw tulip fields, cliffs, banks, bridges and some still life canvases.  I was aware of the contrast between the landscape back then versus now.  Renoir said, “Painting flowers rests my brain.” His admission about his flower-brain-paint-rest makes him more human and therefore more lovable.  Renoir painted a portrait titled Pere Fournaise (no relation to Mayonaise).  It featured a swarthy man that looked as though he’d “smelled the fart” and it was not good.  According to Sterling Clark, Renoir is the best colorist ever.  Toni & Guy, Revlon, you’ve got nothing compared to him!  Did you know that Pissaro had a “brief flirtation with the pointillist style?”  (Now that’s a flirtationship that I’ve never experienced)  Attaboy!...In conclusion, this exhibit made me want to paint an oil on canvas using the impressionist style of a still life: a cell phone and car keys.  It would be groovy to see those common items, uncommonly portrayed.  Thank you and Goodbye.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Memorial Day


Memorial day is here.  I have never met a soldier that I liked, but I do recognize their contribution to this country and respect, admire their sacrifice. For all intensive porpoises, this federal holiday weekend was inundated with fired up grills and backyard slip-n-slides.  I’ve been celebrating, in my own small way, by being classy smashed.  You know where you giggle like you’re tipsy, but you can still quote Shakespeare or recite an epic poem at the drop of a hat.  I attended KellerFest on Saturday night.  The cool evening featured propitious carnival weather. I couldn’t have imagined being anywhere else: smiling faces, bright lights, and powdered sugar (leftover remains from consumed funnel cake) was everywhere. My favorite part of KellerFest was the petting zoo.  The petting zoo included lemurs, piglets, young goats, alpacas (all of whom were adorable) frolicking in the happy straw while Keller natives reached out their hands.  I was tempted to pull out my iphone and snap a picture, but instead ipaused, and enjoyed the moment without documenting it. Friday, I finished working at a local middle school.  It was bittersweet. I was happy about the newfound free time, but sad about leaving the kiddos.  My experience teaching there taught me a lot.  Teaching takes everything you have.  Before teaching, at work sometime a guy might tell me I look tired and it would ruin my day.  Once I was teaching if a guy said that, it did not phase me because I was simply too tired to care.  I hope I land a full-time teaching position before the end of summer.  Good things are on the horizon: my little sister will migrate back to Texas, my nephew grows cuter every day, and Pooh bear is soon to turn 8 human years (or 48 in dog years).  Party on Wayne!  In a while crocodile...