Felix Gonzalez-Torres
Monday, September 9, 2013
back to it!
starting with the art of Japan. i learn so much when i'm preparing to teach!
"The Jomon period, which encompasses a great expanse of time, constitutes Japan's Neolithic period. Its name is derived from the "cord markings" that characterize the ceramics made during this time..."
"The Jomon period, which encompasses a great expanse of time, constitutes Japan's Neolithic period. Its name is derived from the "cord markings" that characterize the ceramics made during this time..."
Bottle, Late Jomon period (ca. 1500–1000 B.C.) Japan
Earthenware with incised designs. H. 7 1/2 in. (19 cm)
Storage jar, Middle Jomon period (ca. 2500–1500 B.C.) Japan
Earthenware, unglazed. H. 27 1/2 in. (69.9 cm)
Deep bowl with sculptural rim
late Middle Jomon period (ca. 2500–1500 B.C.) Japan
Earthenware H. 13 in. (33 cm)
Earthenware H. 13 in. (33 cm)
For more info from the met, go here
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
not like gary
this goes over in the "is it ok?" column where this clip below has been living:
2:35 and 4:40 are the key problems if you want to save yourself time and skip some language. it is tupac, guys.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
rae's guide
to teenagers. simple, but effective:
1. know about music. for some reason (and i think they may actually be on to something), when high school students are trying to figure you (and each other) out i've often been asked "what bands do you like?" play it up...even if they've never heard of the musicians you're talking about. most teenagers are into music, so if you're into music, even if it's not their music, they have a way to identify with you.
2. a friend from church taught me once that you can start a conversation with anyone by asking where they are from, what their family is like, and what it was like to grow up there. switch up specifics and you get down to the point that people, teenagers included, love to talk about themselves. let them and they'll understand that you care and are interested in their story.
3. don't let them intimidate you. at the start of my teaching program i thought high schoolers were close to insane. they stood up in a silent classroom and started yelling, one told me he wanted to commit suicide, plenty cried, they'd put their headphones in and pretend i didn't exist...but my dad explained that when you're in high school you act tough. high school (and being a teenager) is tough, so they try to act tough to get through it. be tough but honest, be tough but straightforward, be tough but "chill" as one of my moody high schoolers said of my teaching.
4. finally, never ever forget to challenge them. there are too many people who are intimidated by them, too many people who give them the satisfaction of the shock factor, too many who do their very best to stay away from their strange culture. if you're gonna be in their lives, challenge them to be better. challenge them to look ahead. challenge them to think beyond their overwhelming emotions. challenge them to challenge the world, to never give up, and to be even greater than they were planning on.
1. know about music. for some reason (and i think they may actually be on to something), when high school students are trying to figure you (and each other) out i've often been asked "what bands do you like?" play it up...even if they've never heard of the musicians you're talking about. most teenagers are into music, so if you're into music, even if it's not their music, they have a way to identify with you.
2. a friend from church taught me once that you can start a conversation with anyone by asking where they are from, what their family is like, and what it was like to grow up there. switch up specifics and you get down to the point that people, teenagers included, love to talk about themselves. let them and they'll understand that you care and are interested in their story.
3. don't let them intimidate you. at the start of my teaching program i thought high schoolers were close to insane. they stood up in a silent classroom and started yelling, one told me he wanted to commit suicide, plenty cried, they'd put their headphones in and pretend i didn't exist...but my dad explained that when you're in high school you act tough. high school (and being a teenager) is tough, so they try to act tough to get through it. be tough but honest, be tough but straightforward, be tough but "chill" as one of my moody high schoolers said of my teaching.
4. finally, never ever forget to challenge them. there are too many people who are intimidated by them, too many people who give them the satisfaction of the shock factor, too many who do their very best to stay away from their strange culture. if you're gonna be in their lives, challenge them to be better. challenge them to look ahead. challenge them to think beyond their overwhelming emotions. challenge them to challenge the world, to never give up, and to be even greater than they were planning on.
Monday, August 5, 2013
maybe this
is why my hands and brain work better in 3d. because i've been admiring this aircraft from childhood...
Sunday, July 28, 2013
recidivism
recidivism: the act of a person repeating an undesirable behavior after they have either experienced negative consequences of that behavior, or have been treated or trained to extinguish that behavior. It is also used to refer to the percentage of former prisoners who are rearrested for a similar offense.
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Kehinde strings
vs.
Kehinde Wiley
Mark Shavers, 2010
oil on canvas
48" x 36"
or:
Kehinde Wiley
Mama Ngagne Study II, 2010
oil on paper
46" x 36"
and Wiley goes back all kinds of strings. similar but different, as m would say.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Saturday, July 6, 2013
Lakey the Poet
"Lots of people have been questioning me about why I don't show in a gallery. I have a whole book of reasons why I don't, but instead of the negativity I'll keep things positive and tell you why I prefer the street.
On the streets I get to share my art, passion, and philosophy indiscriminately. I speak to whoever takes the time to appreciate my sign or art. Sometimes it's homeless people that stink to high heaven, sometimes it's business professionals, sometimes it's Anarchy patched train hoppers, sometimes it's cute sorority girls, sometimes it's 5 year olds, sometimes it's grandmothers, sometimes it's cowboys, sometimes it's red bandannas and sagging blue jeans, and that's just the tip of the ice berg. I'm happy to speak to, learn from, and sale to anyone. I'll take a compliment from a crack head just as happily as I'll take one from an art professor. I love a job that will allow me to do that. This would not happen in a gallery.
When I sale an original on the streets (3 this year, literally on the streets, for $300-$400 and several less expensive) I get to appreciate the person buying my art. I know they are not buying my artwork simply because a gallery, or a curator, or a critic said it was good. They are buying it because they say it is good. I didn't need to pay a marketer to convince them it was good, I didn't need to TRY to sale it to them, I didn't need to put on airs. They're just that bad ass, self-confident, and well off. I love having customers like this.
I was born in Corpus Christi (Body of Christ) and named Joshua (Yehoshua aka Jesus) and I grew up in the church. So even though I stopped going to church almost a decade ago I've got mad respect for Jesus. I fall short in several other ways but I'm very comfortable sharing the same company as Jesus. I'm shy when it comes to talking to "normal" people. (BECAUSE YOU GUYS ARE FREAKING MEAN!) Homeless people/street kids/train hoppers whatever, I feel comfortable sparking up a conversation with. On top of that most beggars really just want someone to talk to, someone to treat them like they're a human. It's easier to hold a sign saying "give me money" than it is to hold one saying "Treat me like a human so I don't kill myself" though, so most people just dismiss them as lazy or crazy. Being on the streets makes me available to speak to any of them.
Lastly, I get to challenge stereotypes, culture, and counter culture. I proudly wear the business man's attire, sitting at the homeless man's business desk, while creating art. I suggest the business man rethink his actions, I urge the homeless to help themselves, and I show artists another path. I protest against society because I know the government will never REALLY change until society REALLY changes.
Eventually I will pursue a gallery show in Austin, TX. A massive one with 50-100 pieces of framed art, prices double or triple what they are on the street, with the whole gallery packed. Until then I'll do my street thing, travel occasionally, and maybe make exceptions to further my street cause when opportunities arise." -6.22.13
https://www.facebook.com/LakeythePoet
Monday, July 1, 2013
for the fam
Ry & Rae feed 5...
You'll need:
4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
raw organic honey (it's super cool...consistency of peanut butter, but rich delicious honey taste!)
mustard (we use dijon, cause we're fancy like that)
unrefined coconut oil
sliced mushrooms
sliced carrots (get the real thing, not the baby ones)
chopped rosemary (preferably from the garden, but the store stuff won't kill ya)
mixed greens
avocado
grapes
lime
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Wash and dry your chicken, then set aside.
2) In a large mixing bowl, combine 1/2 cup mustard with 2 tablespoons raw honey. whisk this together, then place all chicken in that yumminess and coat each piece generously. place on baking sheet and cook for about 30 mins or until cooked through (but still juicy!)
3) while chicken is cooking, half most of your grapes and place in mixing bowl. squeeze lime juice on them and let that stew at room temp. good stuff, thanks A for the awesome tip.
4) heat about a tablespoon of coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. cook carrots until just a bit before desired softness, add mushrooms, salt and pepper. cook for 2-3 mins, add rosemary, and cook until heated through.
5) assemble your salad, we did greens and avocado and the lime grapes on top. serve this with your hot chicken and veggie mix...voila!
aboriginal
"...early in the Aboriginal art movement, the People were concerned that non initiates may be able to understand or learn the sacred, secret or restricted parts of their stories. Drawing a painting in sand had previously posed no problem because it was generally smoothed away after the telling, or if left on the ground, it was done so only in their own lands, safe from prying eyes. But the permanent quality of acrylic paints gave birth to a concern about inappropriately revealing secret information and the subsequent practice of 'overdotting' served to obscure the sacred or 'classified' information beneath..." (more here)
Thursday, June 27, 2013
maps & art
Jasper Johns Map (1961) encaustic, oil, & collage
Tim Wallace, Bogus Art Maps series
Analogue Art Map? need more research...
Chris Ofili, Afrodizza(second version) 1996
Acrylic, Oil, Polyester Resin, Paper Collage, Glitter, Map Pins and elephant Dung on Linen
my lesson wasn't working out, because iphoto doesn't have the option to edit photo hue. so i asked my kids about computer programs and Adam taught me how to download free apps on my computer. then he watched youtube tutorials until he found one that explained how to do what we wanted. then he taught me how to do what i wanted to teach them to do.
what an amazing day of constructivist education ;)
(not quite what I had in mind for Oz 'green self portraits'...but it'll do! Warhol, pop art, digital photo editing and programs, etc.)
what an amazing day of constructivist education ;)
(not quite what I had in mind for Oz 'green self portraits'...but it'll do! Warhol, pop art, digital photo editing and programs, etc.)
the time has come...
to stop doing what i'm supposed to do, and start doing what i'm meant to do.
made to do, built for, excited about...what i love to do.
made to do, built for, excited about...what i love to do.
(Pollock was supposed to paint like everyone else,
but he did what he was meant to do instead,
got hell for it..still gets hell today for it...
but he had to do it because he loved it)
got this print at a craft show...beautiful design and i took a horrible picture.
see her work at LittleThingsStudio.com
Monday, June 24, 2013
"Same Love" | Macklemore & Ryan Lewis from JON JON AUGUSTAVO on Vimeo.
Dear future students,
Whoever you are, wherever you come from, whatever you believe...I'll fight for you. It'll probably take all my energy and to tell you the truth I'm really not ever interested in fight or confrontation...but for you I will do almost anything.
Love always,
rae
Sunday, June 23, 2013
some days, most days, it is a blessing to be a creative person.
some days, like today days,
it is not such a blessing when your wonderfully gifted brain just won't stop making great ideas in the middle of the night. c'mon, let's save those for the day time! for when normal people function best! for when you can actually work on the ideas rather than just write them down in hopes of getting more sleep!
sigh. first world problems, bm. for sure :)
check out the lovely lady's work here
some days, like today days,
it is not such a blessing when your wonderfully gifted brain just won't stop making great ideas in the middle of the night. c'mon, let's save those for the day time! for when normal people function best! for when you can actually work on the ideas rather than just write them down in hopes of getting more sleep!
sigh. first world problems, bm. for sure :)
check out the lovely lady's work here
NEW! Paleo!
I've been debating since beginning paleo diet to start a new blog for these delicious recipes, just keep them to myself, or take the time each awesome meal to e-mail family and friends (who may or may not want the input). And originally this wonderful blog (which came in as an AWESOME teaching resource today, hurrah!) was meant to be just about art...then it became about art and teaching...and today it expands yet again to include delicious paleo recipes, tips, tricks, and so on.
Enjoy! (And if you don't, then don't read it, silly!)
You'll need:
some asparagus
1 head of cauliflower
salmon (we used about a pound, but adjust as needed)
organic, virgin coconut oil
salt and pepper
a little nutmeg if you're feelin' spunky
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Wash salmon with cool water and pat dry. (side-note: Dad taught me today that when you forget to wash your salmon before cooking, it gets that weird white stuff on it. That's fish fat he says! Which is good, but not very photogenic.) Rub your salmon (skin on, of course) generously with coconut oil and place on cookie sheet with sides (so you don't make a mess!). Cook for 15-18 minutes. Done when flakes easily, or so they say ;)
2) Meanwhile, wash and cut up your head of cauliflower. Steam it on the stove (you know, one of those steamer pots that fits into a pot holding boiling water underneath?) until it is super tender to fork-touch. Throw all the cauliflower in your blender, food processor, or whatever other magic tool you use to blend and puree things (this one may be a tad too hot for the 'ol stomping with bare feet method). Add a spoonful or so of coconut oil, salt and pepper, and if you're feeling spunky a tad of nutmeg. Oh, and throw in some of that water you used for steaming...1/2 a cup to start and more if necessary. Blend until smooth.
3) Cook the asparagus...we steamed this as well. Whatevs gets the job done in your house will do. By this time, the salmon should be done if not close, and the cauliflower has just been hangin' out in the blender with the lid on...still hot and tasty and perfect.
4) Plate and enjoy!! This recipe was good enough (and I wanted to share it enough!) to change my blog to art + teaching + cooking...isn't that (along with the gorgeous picture taken with my crappy old iPhone) enough to make you want to try?! Do it!!
Enjoy! (And if you don't, then don't read it, silly!)
Ry and Rae's Awesome Sunday Night Dinner :)
You'll need:
some asparagus
1 head of cauliflower
salmon (we used about a pound, but adjust as needed)
organic, virgin coconut oil
salt and pepper
a little nutmeg if you're feelin' spunky
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Wash salmon with cool water and pat dry. (side-note: Dad taught me today that when you forget to wash your salmon before cooking, it gets that weird white stuff on it. That's fish fat he says! Which is good, but not very photogenic.) Rub your salmon (skin on, of course) generously with coconut oil and place on cookie sheet with sides (so you don't make a mess!). Cook for 15-18 minutes. Done when flakes easily, or so they say ;)
2) Meanwhile, wash and cut up your head of cauliflower. Steam it on the stove (you know, one of those steamer pots that fits into a pot holding boiling water underneath?) until it is super tender to fork-touch. Throw all the cauliflower in your blender, food processor, or whatever other magic tool you use to blend and puree things (this one may be a tad too hot for the 'ol stomping with bare feet method). Add a spoonful or so of coconut oil, salt and pepper, and if you're feeling spunky a tad of nutmeg. Oh, and throw in some of that water you used for steaming...1/2 a cup to start and more if necessary. Blend until smooth.
3) Cook the asparagus...we steamed this as well. Whatevs gets the job done in your house will do. By this time, the salmon should be done if not close, and the cauliflower has just been hangin' out in the blender with the lid on...still hot and tasty and perfect.
4) Plate and enjoy!! This recipe was good enough (and I wanted to share it enough!) to change my blog to art + teaching + cooking...isn't that (along with the gorgeous picture taken with my crappy old iPhone) enough to make you want to try?! Do it!!
Friday, June 21, 2013
life lessons
dear future students,
In my short 22 years of life...I've gathered (and continue to add to) a reasonably sized list of lessons I have learned. They all have a story, if not many, to support them...but my hope is to share these things with you, have you absorb them, and then have them resurface one day when you need 'em.
so, without further babbling, and in no particular order...here is the list thus far:
1. often, not getting what you want means that you get something you want even more, later. try to be patient.
2. just be groovy to everyone. you never know who you are talking to, and how they might help you in the future. be kind and polite and just plain groovy to everyone.
3. in addition to being groovy to everyone, remember that there is something to learn from every person, interaction, and experience you have. maybe you'll learn something about a joint interest, maybe you'll observe a characteristic you'd like to aquire, maybe you'll learn something about yourself, or perhaps you'll learn something you don't want to do or be. but it's all an opportunity to learn and grow.
4. try to be strong when you are in pain, because it will be useful to you one day. it'll make you tougher, it'll let you relate to people down the road and help them get through that pain, too.
5. when someone's mad at you, stay super calm. do not let their emotions become yours...what other people say and do is their karma, how we respond is ours. in addition, when someone is angry at you try to understand where they are standing. you don't have to agree, but you do have to understand where they're coming from before you can begin mending. and usually, you have to make an effort to understand their side before you can even think about explaining yours.
when it comes time to make your case, be honest...even if it's hard. people usually appreciate honesty, and they appreciate and are often very responsive to a heartfelt and simple "I'm really very sorry about this, I see where the problem is, and would really like to take time now to solve this...would you help me to do that?"
6. be confident in yourself. if you are in a position where you have to downplay your strengths and play up the things you don't enjoy doing so much, it's not the right place for you. be confident that there is a place for you, a specific place, where you belong and are needed and can give back from all the experiences and knowledge you have gained.
In my short 22 years of life...I've gathered (and continue to add to) a reasonably sized list of lessons I have learned. They all have a story, if not many, to support them...but my hope is to share these things with you, have you absorb them, and then have them resurface one day when you need 'em.
so, without further babbling, and in no particular order...here is the list thus far:
1. often, not getting what you want means that you get something you want even more, later. try to be patient.
2. just be groovy to everyone. you never know who you are talking to, and how they might help you in the future. be kind and polite and just plain groovy to everyone.
3. in addition to being groovy to everyone, remember that there is something to learn from every person, interaction, and experience you have. maybe you'll learn something about a joint interest, maybe you'll observe a characteristic you'd like to aquire, maybe you'll learn something about yourself, or perhaps you'll learn something you don't want to do or be. but it's all an opportunity to learn and grow.
4. try to be strong when you are in pain, because it will be useful to you one day. it'll make you tougher, it'll let you relate to people down the road and help them get through that pain, too.
5. when someone's mad at you, stay super calm. do not let their emotions become yours...what other people say and do is their karma, how we respond is ours. in addition, when someone is angry at you try to understand where they are standing. you don't have to agree, but you do have to understand where they're coming from before you can begin mending. and usually, you have to make an effort to understand their side before you can even think about explaining yours.
when it comes time to make your case, be honest...even if it's hard. people usually appreciate honesty, and they appreciate and are often very responsive to a heartfelt and simple "I'm really very sorry about this, I see where the problem is, and would really like to take time now to solve this...would you help me to do that?"
6. be confident in yourself. if you are in a position where you have to downplay your strengths and play up the things you don't enjoy doing so much, it's not the right place for you. be confident that there is a place for you, a specific place, where you belong and are needed and can give back from all the experiences and knowledge you have gained.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
.JPG)
Friday, June 7, 2013
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Monday, May 27, 2013
Friday, May 24, 2013
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
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