Art and TV

I have a new painting instructor this semester who is challenging, very knowledgable... we have to do assignments even in the Advanced section. Our current assignment, which is just wrapping up, is to do a single-panel Expressionist painting. By Expressionist, he means: a piece that evokes some strong emotional response in the viewer. I will show all y'all the results in my next post.......

I have come to the conclusion (finally!) that I need to cut back on my TV viewing, especially RE:Ality TV. Oy Oy Oy! It was just getting to be too much. So I am just doing The Bachelor, American Idol, the end of Top Chef, and most likely SNL. Oh, and Survivor when it starts up again. Plus some brief TV news watching-- the national stuff mostly. (I heart Katie Couric ever since she took down Sarah Palin.)

So: no more Wife Swap, The Nanny, True Beauty, assorted sitcoms, Oprah, Dr. Phil. No Celebrity Apprentice! Sorry, The Donald!

How embarrassing are these lists? Sheesh!

Last night I listened to an opera music CD that a friend burned for me eons ago that was gathering dust in my Bachelor Pad. It was quite pleasant! Tenor Arias by Juan Diego Flórez.

A Renewed Sense of Patriotism

Wasn't Tuesday awesome? The new First Family is just too perfect; it worries me a little. I'm sure some flaw of Obama's will arise at some point. But for now, I'm savoring the first moments of his presidency. It was thrilling to say Buh-BYE! to Bush & Co after these past crappy eight years. And it was inspiring to see all the diversity at Tuesday's events. What a wonderful day for African-Americans and for all Americans. Plus, Aretha was great, Beyonce was great and Michele's "Lemongrass" outfit was great.

The only sour note at the Inauguration was that homophobe and Closet-Case Rick Warren. UGH!

I hope for a little balance in the coming days from the media-- because no one is perfect and there will also be situations beyond Obama's control... there are no magic fixes. That's my one pet peeve about all the coverage, reactions from celebrities, etc.

Last night I attended SF Ballet's opening season Gala. The last piece of the evening was an excerpt from George Balanchine's "Stars and Stripes," which is a witty and whimsical patriotic number with cavorting military men and ladies in bunting and pink and blue tutus, to the famous and well-known music of John Philip Sousa. Perfect for this week. Would that all military dudes could move with the same level of panache!

The accompanying picture is of Balanchine's own company, New York City Ballet, performing the piece.

The "Crazy Edit"

I sometimes wonder how I would be "edited" if I were on RE:Ality TV... more specifically: would I get the "Crazy Edit?" You know what I'm talking about: the crazy cast-member is rambling on and on about something insane, or is doing is something very foolish for an extended period of time, and the editors splice in some background music with a funky melody and a TUBA solo. And then directly afterwards there is a reaction "Talking Head" shot from a second non-crazy RE:Ality TV contestant going: "What the F?"

The latest example of this RE:ality show staple was on the first episode of "The Bachelor" which as you all must imagine, is one of my very favorite entertainment programs on the Boob Tube. There was this young lady who was all bug-eyed and was sitting on one of the sofas going on and on about how she creates these Vision Boards based on the book "The Law of Attraction" and how she cuts out all these words and pictures for her boards and then all her visions come true and how one of her visions is to marry the nice Single Daddy Bachelor, etc. etc. Some of the other girls listening to her were subtly rolling their eyes. You know that if a "Bachelor" contestant thinks you're crazy, then you REALLY must be crazy. And then when Jason The Single Daddy Bachelor heard the whole rap, he was like, "Um, okay..." And he promptly gave her the boot. They showed more of his reaction last night, which was "I don't get it."

I guess he doesn't have much of a chance to watch "Oprah."

The "Law of Attraction" (Snake Oil) authors/seminar leaders, as well as the manufacturers of Glue-Sticks must have been pissed to get all the negative publicity.

I hope to get back to posting about my life and art soonish. :-)