It's been a busy season

I've been so busy that I really haven't had time to blog.  I had hoped that by starting this blog I could post insightful, interesting, and thoughtful posts but it's been a mixed bag.  Oh well, as long as I keep enjoying it.  I hope to post a lot more once I get past these last few weeks of deadlines and projects.

That said, I've really enjoyed Netflix's extensive library of art documentaries and art films.  This is one I recently watched on Maya Lin - the woman who designed the Vietnam Veteran's memorial.  Ahh, such a great film and such an inspiring woman.  I'll have to write more on her at another time.

Randoms

I generally love Southern CA weather but one thing I do not look forward to are the Santa Ana winds.  The hot, dry wind drives me crazy!  I hate the feeling of hot dry wind on my skin and my allergies start to act up.  Yet on Saturday, in the midst of Santa Ana wind craziness, I found my apartment complex littered with branches--branches of every shape and length.  I went to town while walking the dog and picked up almost every branch I could find because they were just so darn sculptural and pretty (I'd actually like to learn the names of the plants and trees I see every day at some point but for now I will call them trees and plants).

I'm loving the curve of these branches.  It's a little hard to tell but the vase the flowers are in used to be the base of a hookah pipe.

There's always an occasion for fresh flowers!

In other news-- although most people know by now--I'm moving to Los Angeles in the summer.  I have lived in Orange County for the past 12 years so it's exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time to think about the big move.  I'll also be transitioning careers . . . there's lots of change going on in my life but I'm excited.  Change is good.

Back to the branches . . . this find was EPICally awesome.  I don't know what to do with it yet so it's on our porch for now.

I got this broken garden pagoda top for free on Craigslist and I want to make a table top out of it.  

This blog could be called "Things on Tables, and Things I've Found in the Street".  Here are some more lovely pics from the past few weeks . . .

My mom used to display onions in the kitchen when they'd start to sprout so that inspired me.

Tired of regular Greek salad?  Why not bake the ingredients?  I'd cut the feta into smaller pieces.

On my mind

Swift Things are Beautiful
Elizabeth Coatsworth

Swift things are beautiful:
Swallows and deer,
And lightening that falls
Bright-veined and clear,
Rivers and meteors,
Wind in the wheat,
The strong-withered horse,
The runner's sure feet.

And slow things are beautiful:
The closing of day,
The pause of the wave
That curves downward to spray,
The ember that crumbles,
The opening flower,
And the ox that moves on
In the quiet of power.

I love patterns!

It's no surprise . . . I am in love with patterns and interesting textiles.  I had entertained the thought last year to get a certificate in textile design at a local art school but we'll see.  It seems I have an ongoing list of things I want to do and it changes every month.

I created this pattern using hot pink duct tape and wall decals.

I found this traditional Korean origami paper at a gift shop in Koreatown.  LOVE!

The table runner was a gift from an old co-worker who brought it back from Indonesia.  The vase was from the good old Salvation Army. 

Learning more about Calder

*I would like to note that I wrote 'Jonathan Calder' instead of Alexander Calder in my previous post.  The error has been fixed.  I don't know why I get those two names mixed up so often.

Anyway, I went to the opening weekend of Alexander Calder and Contemporary Art: Form, Balance, Joy last weekend, and it was amazing!  It was a small show with a good collection of Calder's mobiles and three other contemporary artists' works who were very much influenced by his style.

I had always thought that Calder's sculptures and mobiles were hyper-modern and industrial given his use of sheet metal and wire, but this exhibit helped me see how organic and natural his forms and shapes really were.  One mobile in particular, "Nineteen White Discs," made me think of the sculptural leaves of an eucalyptus tree.

Alexander Calder, "Nineteen White Discs" sheet metal and wire, 1961

Image from www.plantoftheweek.org

One other piece of information I found interesting was that Calder's work was largely dismissed in the '90s by the art world.  I'm starting to learn that a piece of art is not in museums just because of its beauty or its strong statement, but as in everything else, politics, power, and economics come into play as to who and what gets wall space.  If you think about it, the people in power in the art world are still old, white men so there are stories, points of view, and experiences we can miss out on as a result. 

Don't get me wrong--I love what museums and galleries offer to the public, and my life has been enriched as a result--but if you had to think of five female artists and five non-white artists, who comes to mind?   

Well, one practical idea I had to address these questions was to write regularly about new artists I discover, especially those not in the mainstream for lack of a better word.  I already have a working list so I look forward to my future posts!  Thanks to those who have kept up with my posts!

Alexander Calder at OCMA

I caught an amazing exhibit at OCMA on Alexander Calder last weekend.  More on this exhibit soon . . .

Image from OCMA

New painting

I'm not sure how I feel about this one yet but it was fun to paint.