Last night I watched the film The Wrestler with Mickey Roarke and Marisa Tomei; filmed in Jersey and perhaps Philly. The movie was photographed and directed subtlety and so wonderfully revealing, that I went from being embarrassed by Roarke's ugliness and sadness of character to loving his candidness, beauty and carriage. It is a very quirky film, raw, crude, seedy, and gritty. The director walks you through the hyper wrestler world; frank honesty makes this film expression almost appear like soft porn while only emphasizing the cheesiness of the true mentality of this life. Not only is this film about tough love but about tough everything. Roarke is great, courageous and wonderful. Kudos to his artistry.
I don't know about you, but half the time I roam about my beautiful environment of nature and don't realize what I have.....so many things and luxuries, conveniences, ample food, clothing, shelter, comforts of space and transportation, places to go that are free, positive learning tools - books, libraries and institutions and not to mention the services of technologies seconds or minutes away from our fingertips. We are spoiled people whether we know it or not; most of us don't even want to admit to this factor. Just by living in this country we have become privileged beings. I am not sure if this is such a great thing.I remember traveling to the Philippines and encountering Filipino Americans. They too realized that they could never go back to their native land. We are disabled in another way. We have become isolated with our riches and impervious to the hardships of the outside world even though we read, think we inform ourselves and rear a compassionate heart. In the meanwhile, I was looking into relief services in Burma and sent a note asking what I could do to help out, also stating that my husband and I were interested in doing this type of work in the future. I received a prompt email back. Money. Of course, what did I expect? Honestly though, I do not treat these services as a game but perhaps I do treat the notion of helping in a romantic, ideal way. I am kidding myself and if the opportunity arose, could I really do this type of work? Would or could I go through the rigors? Something to think about.
Yesterday while working in the studio I tuned into NPR and caught up on my news fix. Also, I was impressed by Obama's visit to Egypt, his speech and how it touched Muslims around the world. During my visit to NY, there was an extra sense of patriotism and realized when I got back to AK and viewed my photos, how often the American flag appeared. Above is located by the Plaza Hotel near Central Park.
This is the hustle and bustle I experience at Penn Station when I catch the NJ Transit back to the shore points in New Jersey. It takes about an hour and twenty minutes on the train to get back to where I grew up; a modest ranch home located close to three miles from the Atlantic Ocean. Sometimes I would ride my English Racer to the coast and hang out on the boardwalk, absorbing all the sights and ocean sounds, smells, and local character. Below is one of the shore points called, Avon by the Sea. From what I understand, many a writer and poet frequented this area. When I visit the east, I take long runs on the boardwalk that stretch for several miles dotted with huge mansions, Victorian homes, along with some small shanties and cottages. This area has an abundance of color.
Above is pictured a rooftop sculpture at the Metropolitan Museum in New York. Maelstrom, meaning restless and disordered, is made from welded metal and created to resemble giant roots. It filled the huge courtyard. I thought it very appropriate since I always had a restless spirit growing up along the east coast (and still possessing this energy to this day, I am afraid to admit.) On that particular day, it was a sunny and beautiful Wednesday, with little humidity, only peppered with wonderful breezes. Another scene I caught, shows the energy of the city absorbing the long forgotten sun. The mood was very high; people strolling happily with their coffee drinks, guys with loosened ties, and I got to check out the latest fashionable Grecian sandals too. More to come on the next post! I spent over ten hours on the flight back to Anchorage yesterday, and almost feel it is easier to fly to Asia. There has to be a better way to go back to my roots.........
It's a new start for me, a summer bringing elated optimism of doing new studio work. Pictured above is a painting completed last year called fresh paint peppered with a minimal ground and fabric ties. It is a contemporary landscape and probably not too understandable but to artists of my kind and network. Today's contemporary artists are the most misunderstood of art makers. Contemporary means the now, the present and the work is too current for acceptance from mainstream audiences. As the summer months approach, I look forward to creating another three art works; stretched canvasses are gathering energy in my studio and ready to be pounced upon, scraped, bullied, painted, destroyed, recreated, loved and despised. I enjoy the challenge; the adventure of doing something better than what I have created in the past (or possibly not.) Painting is a psychological game to me, a cause, a break, a misery, darkness and light. My yoga practice encourages and teaches me to do some of the poses without struggle. I will try to employ this theory to my art making, but I still believe that without some struggle, some pain attached, some sweat, the works don't resonate and speak out. As one student once commented during a lecture I was giving, who cares?
Everyone knows that Yin and Yang are complementary opposites within a greater whole in which these forces constantly interact. Above is my painting she loves him, she loves him not. It is oil on canvas, 60" x 50" and my first art piece completed this summer.
Also pictured above is the painting called Flight Arrows; part of my Yin and Yang series. Spiral headed arrows pointed downward perhaps cast a dark point of view but the piece can also be looked upon as birds in flight; take on a work of calligraphy and mark making, part of my signiture style. It is an oil painting,60" x 32". 
For the birds was completed last Sunday. It is a oil painting; the size 60" x 50" on canvas. It is more representative than my other work; the moodiness carries a painterly expression though and I am trying to be more image oriented. It is a stuggle for me to stay fresh in the studio; a tug of war and a constant accessing of aesthetics.
