MOMA Moments (Everyday Life as Art)

In the 1960s my Mom would take me to "happenings" which were often dancers, poets and musicians performing a "site specific" performance piece amidst a museum or gallery exhibit. Today the more appropriate name for these type pieces is "performance art."
My artsy family members and I were fortunate enough to experience Marina Abramaovic's "The Artist is Present"at the MOMA in 2010.

We had to pass through a human "doorway" of two nudes to enter the show. That reminded me of the time I saw our nude model from drawing class in the grocery store with his clothes on. I knew I recognized him, but couldn't place from where, til later on, which made me laugh. I wonder if those doorway people get recognized out in the world in that same way. It felt like that nude entryway was preparation to know "baring our soul" was going to be explored in the exhibit.

It's easy to feel what Marina was doing in this performance piece took little art talent to execute. But Marina is a highly trained artist and performer, lecturer and teacher. To see this show in process it may look like "why is this considered art just to sit there in front of onlookers?" The intriguing thing to see in this film of the last day of her show...is how just sitting in silence and looking deeply into anothers' eyes brings out whatever is inside of the people involved. We truly do project what's going on inside via the energy we put out.  Whether aware of it or not.

 This is a clip of the first day of the show when Marina's long ago lover returned to participate in "the Artist is Present."


And here is what Lady Gaga has to say about Marina...


"The Maybe" is the current art performance piece randomly exhibited at the MOMA...


And if life as art isn't enough to get an art observer entertained...there's always the scientific perspective...


Any thoughts?

Who are you wearing?

Why do I watch the Oscars?

• It keeps me in one spot long enough to organize tax receipts.

• I like to see what and "who" the stars are wearing while guessing what the Fashion Police will really say about the outfits later on.

• I enjoy how spontaneous (or not) the nominees are when interviewed on the spot.

• I like the creative ways winners express their gratitude (or forget to.)

• I enjoy comedy bits and musical numbers that qualify as award-show worthy.

• I like to see who has the malfunction and who has the touching moment of the show each year.

• It's exhilarating to hold my breath when each host is the moving target of the year trying out jokes and numbers and skits that may make or break them. What a tough job that has to be!

A more exclusive fashion showing, that even famed celebs miss out on, is on the white carpet and messy porch in my world. This show is special because the designers wear their own designs.

Here our designer/model makes his way down the catwalk with a long, flowy number.

Only pro models know to keep a blank expression on their face to let the outfit remain the focus of the show. This design serves both as a flamboyant cape...

and a long train which is big this year on the white carpet.

And here is the other stand out of the show...a more summery number, this Grecian-style draped gown.
Next year we must keep up with the Oscars and also add a manni-cam to the festivities.

Awards were given too....a nice big scoup of tuna for the gifted designer/models. And a little swag package of catnip. And of course, my reward...getting my taxes started while watching talented and beautiful stars all around me.

Another Art Instructor in my Life

I've been crazy busy with art all month. I prefer art to be a thing to be crazy busy with. Even though there are all kinds of other things needing attention in life right now too. Kinda tough to sit down and post blog entries right now. And I have to be fair to the other instructor kitty I have who I neglected to mention in the last post about teachers in my life. Here Eckhart Tollecat teaches about color blocking. Speaking of which...I'd like to congratulate Anthony Ryan for winning Project Allstars with his colorblocked designs. Mondrian would've been proud of both you guys.

Teachers Are Gifts That Come in Different Packages

Lesley Riley's Compose+Yourself online course is quite a fascinating experience! Each lesson aligns with lessons about life which makes each area we learn about sink in even deeper. Ever notice how a concept or perspective in life is introduced to your awareness and suddenly you start to notice it all over the place? This is how this course is affecting me. Here my grandkitty has helped me better understand the Fibonacci Spiral composition awareness just by taking a nap! Thank you, Lesley...and Pixel!

Happy Holidays! And may all your days in 2013 be wildly creative ones (that include naps)!

Starved for Some Comic Brilliance

I don't know about you, but with all the political fighting going on and Mother Nature making her statements pre and post-Election Day..I'm starved for some comedy. I went on an internet search for some and found this lovely creative gem that I'm posting before Election Day just to lighten up moods during the worldly craziness. Happy Election Day. Please vote. And many prayers for safety during the tests Mother Nature is sending.

Lady Gaga's Been Wearing Babyshoes!

In fashion school we were taught that a trend goes to the extreme before it disappears. Can this type shoe evolve any further? When the wearer has to take ballet lessons on pointe to be able to wear these, I wonder. 

What an interesting walk the wearer has when wearing these shoes!!!! Can you imagine how attractive that walk would look at a party or if someone were making an entrance in a crowded room or on a stage in these? How would they be running to catch a train or driving a car?

Another thing discussed in fashion school...how the state of the world is expressed through each design. What does the way these shoes make the wearer walk say about the state of the world!???!

Any thoughts?

************
10/13/12
I just wanted to thank the many who have shared their thoughts (offline) about the statement these shoes made to them! Thank you to the commenter who sent me this link update that was posted after this blog entry posted. It's about the designers of these shoes and the meaning behind them!
http://shine.yahoo.com/the-thread-how-to/scariest-shoes-time-173900092.html;_ylc=X3oDMTNtOHVmMnFkBF9TAzk4MDc1MTA1MARhY3QDbWFpbF9jYgRjdANhBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi1VUwRwa2cDNTg3NzhkN2UtMWUwNC0zOGVkLWEyNmUtNzBjODRkNTEwZjQyBHNlYwNtaXRfc2hhcmUEc2xrA21haWwEdGVzdAM-;_ylv=3

The Thomas Ashman Dremel Experience

A very brief stopover to take a class at CREATE this past summer.  There is an art gene we share in my family, so 3 generations of us like to take certain workshops together.  We all had Dremels, but didn't know how to use them that well, so we decided to take "Have a Dremel Day" taught by an amazing instructor who will remain on the top of my list as one of the best instructors ever! 

His name is Thomas Ashman. The first thing that jumped out at me was his passion for art and his deep gratitude that we chose to take his class out of the limitless multitude of workshop choices on the planet. He didn't just talk about his gratitude, but truly showed it by getting down in the trenches with each of us beginners to help us make sure we understood every detail of using a Dremel.  No beginner question was too unimportant to respond to either. It felt so safe to ask whatever crazy question arose.

We brought projects we were stuck on or materials we were curious about transforming with our Dremels.

I always study the energy of participants and their body language in any group setting. It's all that coach training, I guess. Note the lip-biting here....revealing a creative brain being stimulated to figure out how to problem solve using the new skills just learned. We three honestly walked out of that workshop feeling, "What can I put a hole in, polish, cut or sand/grind smooth now? Watch out, world. I've got a Dremel and I know how to use it!"

 Thomas' parting words to our class were so touching and heartfelt about how much he appreciated our participation in his class that tears came to many. I highly recommend the Thomas Ashman learning experience. You will not feel invisible in his class, but truly empowered and psyched-up to play with all the new skills that were so thoroughly explained in detail. Thomas knows his stuff and it shows how much he loves what he does. Check him out here:
http://www.blacksheepartist.com/home
As for we three....no knitting around the fireplace this winter....we'll be cozying up to the fireplace with a Dremel, some safety glasses and some Dremel attachments.