How often do we judge something as being good or bad without fully understanding it?
We’re all human, so I would guess…too many times to count.
It appears Anthony Burrill agrees. The English illustrator and designer is well-known for his posters, videos and 3-D pieces.
Check out his print below.
I love this.
(What is it?)
Posted in Art, Comedy, Commentary, Design, Humor, Life, Museums
Tagged 3-D, Anthony Burrill, art, comedy, commentary, design, designer, Humor, I like this what is it, illustrator, life, museum, posters, videos
You probably know someone who’s had a nose job.
I know two or three.
All were trying to take their too wide, too long or too bumpy noses and make them look more like some perfect version they had seen on a model or actress.
Hey, if it makes them feel better about themselves, I say go for it.
But take a look at these ‘nose jobs’ that went in the completely opposite direction — achieving perfection by being as unique as possible.
These are airplane nose jobs, by the way, in an exhibit of the same name at the Eric Firestone Gallery in Easthampton, New York.
Airplane nose art dates back to World War II. Firestone purchased scrap government-issued airplanes– DC7s to F106s — gave them to 22 artists and let them have at it.
There is no standard for these nose jobs — no model perfection. Each nose in the exhibit is as unique as its artist.
I’m sure there is something to be learned from all this.
I just like looking at the artwork.
Posted in Airplanes, Art, Commentary, Design, History, Humor, Museums, transportation
Tagged airplane nose, airplanes, art, art exhibit, art museum, artwork, commentary, design, Easthampton New York, Eric Firestone, Eric Firestone Gallery, Humor, model perfection, museums, nose job, perfection, plastic surgery, transportation, World War II, World War II airplanes
I’ve lived in New York City for almost five years now, and people still ask me if I like it.
I do. But, surprisingly, not for the reasons I thought I would.
Yes, I like going to Broadway shows whenever I want. I like being able to dabble in TV and film work (translation: audition a lot, get cast very little, do extra work a bit). I like having access to lectures and writers and museums and all the culture that New York City provides.
But what I love most of all about this city?
The characters you find here…and the city’s total acceptance of them.
Case in point: Yesterday I was on the 1 train coming back uptown from a meeting. A guy got on, turned on his iPod — playing the Star Wars theme for some reason — and announced “The king is here!” Then he started showing large photos to the car; in each one, he was posed with a different celebrity.
He wasn’t trying to sell anything. He just wanted to show people his pics. And he kept saying “The king is here” in a very proud way.
The people in the car? They just ignored him or smiled. One women talked to him and was quickly dubbed “The queen of the car!”
When he left a few stops later — saying “The king is leaving!” — folks just went about their day. There wasn’t any drama. No one was clasping their child in terror or calling a cop. He was just another character in the city that accepts them as their own.
Yep. I like it here.
Posted in Commentary, Entertainment, Humor, Life, Movies, Museums, Television, TV
Tagged Broadway, commentary, culture, entertainment, Humor, iPod, life, Manhattan, Movies, New York City, Star Wars, Television, TV, writers
I could stare at this all day.
I took the photo myself — yesterday morning in fact — while I was walking Rory in the park surrounding the American Museum of Natural History.
(The one with the dinosaurs? Yeah, that one.)
The tulips in their border gardens are amazing this year. I’ve taken dozens of pics during our daily strolls. I especially like this shot because, in that particular flower bed, one lone lavender tulip has braved the red masses on the edge of the green.
Hey, it ain’t easy being lavender.
Of course, the color makes it stand out all the more, so he’s the one you notice out of all those flowers. Bet he never guessed that would happen when he was just a bulb….back when the red tulips wouldn’t let him play their “raindrop games.”
God, I’m a goof.
But it’s funny how a simple flower can evoke such memories of childhood. Being different — by choice or by design — and staying the course regardless of peer pressure or outside influences. And sometimes it’s nothing more than where you were planted in the first place. (I’m kinda liking this whole floral metaphor…)
So, let’s get out there today, and get our bloom on!
Posted in Beauty, Blog, Blogging, Blogs, Commentary, Dogs, Environment, Humor, Life, Love, Museums, Philosophy, Relationships, Walking, Writing
Tagged American Museum of Natural History, beauty, being different, blogging, blogs, commentary, dog walking, Dogs, flowers, Humor, inspiration, lavender tulips, life, Manhattan, museums, New York City, outliers, red tulips, Relationships, tulips, writing
I can’t drink beer.
I have a hops allergy, so even a single beer can give me a pretty bad headache, sometimes before I even finish drinking it.
I’ve never really liked the taste of beer, though, so it’s no hardship. But when people hear my tale of woe, they are inordinately upset. (The folks I met in Ireland were inconsolable.)
So I am especially excited to find a way to enjoy beer that does not involve drinking it.
The MF Gallery in Brooklyn is hosting “The 40oz Show,” featuring 40 ounce beer bottles customized by over 40 local underground artists. Prices start at $40. (I see a theme.)
The show kicked off March 18th with a huge opening night party.
I missed that.
But this Sunday, April 10th, the gallery is open for walk-ins from 2-5pm. I am definitely not missing that .
Look at these bottles! They are such incredibly creative works of art! There is literally something for everyone’s taste. It is really going to be hard to choose.
No one can drink just one…
Posted in Art, Crafts, Design, Entertainment, Humor, Life, Museums, Travel
Tagged 40oz Show, art, art gallery, art show, beer, beer art, Brooklyn, commentary, design, entertainment, Foods, hops, hops allergy, Humor, Ireland, life, MF Gallery, museum, New York City, Travel, underground artists
We may not have a royal family in America, but that doesn’t mean we don’t like the idea.
What else explains the attention, devotion and dollars we lay at the feet of celebrity couplings like Brad and Angelina? Ben and Jennifer? Beyonce and Jay-Z?
They’ve been as close as we can get…until now.
Jennifer Rubell, a New York City-based performance artist, is bringing us commoners up close and personal with the royal family in her latest solo show “Engagement,” at Stephen Friedman Gallery in London.
A detailed wax sculpture of Prince William has been placed off-center on a low pedestal. Visitors to the exhibit are encouraged to stand next to ‘he who will be king,’ take his arm, and try on the replica of Kate Middleton’s engagement ring, which lays conveniently in wait on his coat sleeve.
Photo op, anyone?
The back gallery contains a series of drinking paintings featuring real spigots that dispense port, sherry, madeira, gin and rum. Visitors are encouraged to help themselves. (Paper cups included.)
Rubell was a food writer before she turned to participatory art, so the inclusion of spirits — which is a nod to a portrait that was hanging above William and Kate when they made their announcement — is also more in keeping with her previous installations.
A padded room made out of pink cotton candy. A series of self-portraits made out of cheese. A giant pinata shaped like Andy Warhol’s head.
Now, I know we have had wax sculptures of celebrities for years. Madame Tussauds has showrooms around the world bursting with dull doppelgangers.
But likenesses of royalty — British, American or whoever — concocted out of food and drink?
I’ll throw some money at that.
Posted in Art, Business, Celebrities, Commentary, Crafts, Design, Entertainment, Food, Foods, Humor, Life, Movies, Museums, Music, Television, Travel, TV, Vacation, Weddings
Tagged Andy Warhol, Andy Warhol pinata, art, Ben and Jennifer, Beyonce and Jay-Z, Brad and Angelina, celebrities, cheese, commentary, cotton candy, Engagement solo show, entertainment, Humor, Jennifer Rubell, Kate Middleton, life, London, Madame Tussauds, Movies, museum, New York City, participatory art, performance art, Prince William, Prince William wax sculpture, royal engagement, royal family, royal wedding, solo show, Stephen Friedman Gallery, Television, Travel, TV, wax sculpture
The December 20th issue of New York magazine chronicles “Reasons to Love New York.” The editors compile the list annually, and it’s one of my favorite editions. They never seem to run out of unique reasons to heart my adopted hometown.
I concur.
Reason #16 caught my eye this year…
We’re home to not only the publishing industry, but also to a woman who spends her days smelling books.
The headline is a bit misleading. Rachael Morrison’s full-time job at MOMA is artist, not book sniffer. That became her lunchtime habit six months ago when she became concerned that the smell of books — one of her favorite things — would eventually die away in this increasingly digital age.
So, she made smelling books and recording their scents her personal quest. Her list of 150 books to date includes sense memories like “armpit,” “dog poop,” and “cigar smoke and tea.”
Rachael has always loved the smell of books. I have to admit, I hadn’t given the subject too much thought. Now I wonder — has the smell of a book ever subliminally affected my enjoyment of it?
Did I read it faster because it smelled good…or bad? Did I stop reading it altogether and blame the author, when it was actually the pages’ odor that was the culprit?
I should start a new book today. With my cold/flu/sinus infection — whatever it is — I can’t smell a thing and will be objective about what I’m reading.
Book critics of the world, take note.
Posted in Art, Books, Commentary, Education, Humor, Life, Magazines, Museums, News, Travel, Writing
Tagged book editors, book smell, books, commentary, digital books, Humor, life, magazines, MOMA, MOMA artist, museums, New York City, New York magazine, news, publishing industry, Rachael Morrison, Reasons to Love New York, Travel
Lady luck
When it comes to bugs, I earned my wimp card years ago.
I’m not a fan.
But the ladybug? That’s one very different beetle. It’s cute, it eats a lot of harmful insects and it’s lucky. (That’s a scientific fact.)
Look at that face.
And you might stop reading right now. Because the rest of this post on ladybugs will freak you out. It did me.
Hungarian Artist Gabor Fulop also likes ladybugs. A lot. So much so that he created 20,000 and hand-painted them.
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Posted in Animals, Art, Commentary, Design, Humor, Life, Museums, Shopping
Tagged animals, art, artist, beaded ladybug nightlight, bugs, commentary, design, Gabor Fulop, hand-painted ladybugs, Humor, Hungary, insects, ladybug sculpture, ladybugs, life, luck, museums, New York City, sculpture, shopping, Stoopher & Boots, Upper West Side New York City, wimp card