Walk: JCC, Trader Joe's, Fillmore Street
Distance: 4 miles and take yoga class
Just mailed in my tax money which means it is now the time of year I budget for next year. Fortunately for the past few years I've had an opportunity to include the category: "Extras, Luxuries."
In 2012 my Absolute Favorite of those were my K. Libbey Nash* art works. They have such presence and add enormously to my life around the home front. The aspect's of Nash's art that especially call to me are two. The first is her color sense which is amazingly sophisticated. She is able to work in muted tones, rich, earthly tones or clear, vibrant colors, and, no matter what her palette, there is a boldness in the number of colors she works with and her ability to lay them on a single canvas (or other surface) - often in very close proximity - so that each continues to hold its own but still derives energy from the adjoining or surrounding colors. (Hard to articulate - suffice it to say she does not come up with mud).
And then there is that Energy. Each work has it strongly, and, most importantly, truly. There is integrity in her vision and in how she conveys it. This is tricky business because there are many artists whose works exude what appears to be energy - vibrant colors, squiggles, intense lines, emotional imagery - and yet their energy does not ring true. It is all facile surface excitement. You see so much of that there is no need for examples. Then there are artists who somehow kill the energy even in their true desire to make a statement. Again, we've all seen finely rendered landscapes which, sadly, are dull to the eye and senses. The beauty portrayed clings to the paper or canvas and doesn't energetically reach out to the viewer.
Happily there are the true artists who can take an ordinary scene - think of the Impressionists - and convey it in such a way that you are struck with joy or tenderness or compassion or some other deeply felt reaction. These artists/their works make you think and feel; energy is released in you, the viewer. K. Libbey Nash is in this category. The bar has been set high for this year's "Extras.."
* For more on K. Libbey Nash, check out these past entries: Days 154, 272, 274, 2/41, 2/42, 2/44, 2/45 and 2/66. Or you can check out her website:
Monday, April 8, 2013
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Lillys --- Day 2/92
Walk: Around Home, Back/Forth/Round/About Doing Chores
Distance: ? and 1 hour yoga home practice
Everyone who was a Lilly person has her own Lilly memories. Mine concern a store on Main Street of our town - which was about 8 blocks long at the time. As I recall, the name of the store was Marion Nellermoe, and it was the only one in town - or maybe in the whole metropolitan area - that carried Lillies. And they only arrived in the summer in one or two large shipments.
As summer neared, my friends and I might drop in daily to see if the new Lillys had arrived. Or our mothers or aunts would do it and tell us what they'd learned. When the Lillys were in there was a virtual parade to the racks where they hung, and we'd all spend a good part of the day trying on dresses, commenting on each others' try on's until everybody had exactly the right lime green or hot pink or aqua flowered print for her.
I guess this was our comparable to a sewing circle or all the Italian women in the kitchen cooking. There could be as many as four generations assembled at Nellermoe's because Lillys were for everybody: grandmothers, mothers, daughters, grandchildren. Throughout the summer we all floated into and around the multi-generational 'tea dances' (another ciwt entry on those) like flower figures from Disney's Fantasia.
And we all looked like complete frumps in the boxy, stiff shifts - but we didn't know that at the time.
RIP - Lilly Pulitzer (1931- today, 2013)
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/08/fashion/lilly-pulitzer-socialite-turned-designer-dies-at-81.html?hp
Distance: ? and 1 hour yoga home practice
Everyone who was a Lilly person has her own Lilly memories. Mine concern a store on Main Street of our town - which was about 8 blocks long at the time. As I recall, the name of the store was Marion Nellermoe, and it was the only one in town - or maybe in the whole metropolitan area - that carried Lillies. And they only arrived in the summer in one or two large shipments.
As summer neared, my friends and I might drop in daily to see if the new Lillys had arrived. Or our mothers or aunts would do it and tell us what they'd learned. When the Lillys were in there was a virtual parade to the racks where they hung, and we'd all spend a good part of the day trying on dresses, commenting on each others' try on's until everybody had exactly the right lime green or hot pink or aqua flowered print for her.
I guess this was our comparable to a sewing circle or all the Italian women in the kitchen cooking. There could be as many as four generations assembled at Nellermoe's because Lillys were for everybody: grandmothers, mothers, daughters, grandchildren. Throughout the summer we all floated into and around the multi-generational 'tea dances' (another ciwt entry on those) like flower figures from Disney's Fantasia.
And we all looked like complete frumps in the boxy, stiff shifts - but we didn't know that at the time.
RIP - Lilly Pulitzer (1931- today, 2013)
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/08/fashion/lilly-pulitzer-socialite-turned-designer-dies-at-81.html?hp
Saturday, April 6, 2013
A Place Beyond the Pines --- Day 2/91
Walk: Mindful Body, Sundance Kabuki Theater (The Place Beyond the Pines), Trader Joe's
Distance: 3.5 miles and teach yoga class
Just off of The Place Beyond the Pines which I enjoyed for three main reasons: 1. 1 hour looking very closely at close ups of Ryan Gosling, 2. the next hours looking very closely at close ups of Bradley Cooper, 3. gorgeous wide angle cinematography of upstate New York.
Starting the with last, the town (Schenectady) was often shot from a long distance at either sunrise or sunset so the sky was filled with the beautiful pink, lavender, and orange hues of impressionism. Impressionism and the Hudson River Valley school of painting with enormous romantic vistas of Perfect America with its rock cliffs, rivers and thick forests. These are all in Out of the Pines - along with the steeples and spires of small, New England churches. So here is Perfect, Pristine America in its updated very imperfect context: mindless births, absent/even unaware fathers, police and political corruption, the list continues.
And all the items on the list are carried largely by Gosling and Cooper: each with the camera right up next to their chiseled bodies, handsome faces and clear blue eyes. The slightest bit of over acting or self-consciousness or being the tiniest out of character would have been caught and recorded. The actors were completely vulnerable - you almost got anxious for them. They were deeply and personally walking on eggshells the tension this brought to watching them added to the profound but understated and tragic tension of the entire movie.
It is not a movie for everyone - at all, and especially if you don't find long looks at Gosling an engrossing treat . And it is much less than perfect. But it drew me in, held me, had much to say and (much it was trying to say).
Distance: 3.5 miles and teach yoga class
Just off of The Place Beyond the Pines which I enjoyed for three main reasons: 1. 1 hour looking very closely at close ups of Ryan Gosling, 2. the next hours looking very closely at close ups of Bradley Cooper, 3. gorgeous wide angle cinematography of upstate New York.
Starting the with last, the town (Schenectady) was often shot from a long distance at either sunrise or sunset so the sky was filled with the beautiful pink, lavender, and orange hues of impressionism. Impressionism and the Hudson River Valley school of painting with enormous romantic vistas of Perfect America with its rock cliffs, rivers and thick forests. These are all in Out of the Pines - along with the steeples and spires of small, New England churches. So here is Perfect, Pristine America in its updated very imperfect context: mindless births, absent/even unaware fathers, police and political corruption, the list continues.
And all the items on the list are carried largely by Gosling and Cooper: each with the camera right up next to their chiseled bodies, handsome faces and clear blue eyes. The slightest bit of over acting or self-consciousness or being the tiniest out of character would have been caught and recorded. The actors were completely vulnerable - you almost got anxious for them. They were deeply and personally walking on eggshells the tension this brought to watching them added to the profound but understated and tragic tension of the entire movie.
It is not a movie for everyone - at all, and especially if you don't find long looks at Gosling an engrossing treat . And it is much less than perfect. But it drew me in, held me, had much to say and (much it was trying to say).
Friday, April 5, 2013
Roger Ebert --- Day 2/90
Walk: Fillmore Street
Distance: 2 miles and personal yoga
Like many of us movie buffs I remember Roger Ebert first as the pudgy guy in the Shetland sweater sitting 'in the balcony' with his film critic partner, Gene Siskel. I remember knowing I'd probably disagree with almost all of his selections because they would be 'All-American' and simplistic and his reviews would be based on facile things like 'Aww' or 'too depressing.' (During this time, by the way, he was the first film critic Ever to be granted a Pulitzer prize for his film writing - so you might take my assessment of his film assessments with a grain of salt. But still I believe I was right).
But, oh my, did he grow over the years - as a critic and as a deep human being. (Also losing weight for sad reasons). The growth was gradual, but I began to think his analyses were more reasoned and deeper than his supposedly 'more intellectual' partner. Probably Gene Siskel's death at a young age deepened Roger Ebert more. He'd lost a sparring partner and, by then, a respected friend. Theoretically, with the passing of Siskel, he'd probably also moved into complete intellectual freedom and sole stature. There were guest critics trying out for Gene's place on the balcony, but they were Roger's guests, not his equals.
Then it was announced he had cancer. There was 'time off' for him to recover, and for a short moment he did. But then almost immediately there was a disastrous complication from which he never recovered. I believe his whole jaw bone was removed and he lost his abilities to either speak or eat.
But he didn't lose his ability to write. And with his writings and the whole amazing way he led his life from this point on, he moved into the ranks of nobility. And so did his film activities, blog and reviews. To the end, he grew in depth and every one of his reviews became a profound, educational treasure. From his mind, his heart and, apparently, his soul he would evaluate the acting, the film techniques, the historical context, the moral context and more in such a manner that the reader would sit at his feet and learn. All in the prescribed space of a newspaper review.
Many of his readers were either film buffs or critics themselves. But he wasn't particularly after them and really didn't have ego by the end. He knew he was the best but didn't care because larger than him were Movies which he revered and which he dedicated his life to bring to buff and the 'common' movie goer alike.
I learned a lot from him - as a film lover and critic and as a person. I will miss him.
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/
Distance: 2 miles and personal yoga
Like many of us movie buffs I remember Roger Ebert first as the pudgy guy in the Shetland sweater sitting 'in the balcony' with his film critic partner, Gene Siskel. I remember knowing I'd probably disagree with almost all of his selections because they would be 'All-American' and simplistic and his reviews would be based on facile things like 'Aww' or 'too depressing.' (During this time, by the way, he was the first film critic Ever to be granted a Pulitzer prize for his film writing - so you might take my assessment of his film assessments with a grain of salt. But still I believe I was right).
But, oh my, did he grow over the years - as a critic and as a deep human being. (Also losing weight for sad reasons). The growth was gradual, but I began to think his analyses were more reasoned and deeper than his supposedly 'more intellectual' partner. Probably Gene Siskel's death at a young age deepened Roger Ebert more. He'd lost a sparring partner and, by then, a respected friend. Theoretically, with the passing of Siskel, he'd probably also moved into complete intellectual freedom and sole stature. There were guest critics trying out for Gene's place on the balcony, but they were Roger's guests, not his equals.
Then it was announced he had cancer. There was 'time off' for him to recover, and for a short moment he did. But then almost immediately there was a disastrous complication from which he never recovered. I believe his whole jaw bone was removed and he lost his abilities to either speak or eat.
But he didn't lose his ability to write. And with his writings and the whole amazing way he led his life from this point on, he moved into the ranks of nobility. And so did his film activities, blog and reviews. To the end, he grew in depth and every one of his reviews became a profound, educational treasure. From his mind, his heart and, apparently, his soul he would evaluate the acting, the film techniques, the historical context, the moral context and more in such a manner that the reader would sit at his feet and learn. All in the prescribed space of a newspaper review.
Many of his readers were either film buffs or critics themselves. But he wasn't particularly after them and really didn't have ego by the end. He knew he was the best but didn't care because larger than him were Movies which he revered and which he dedicated his life to bring to buff and the 'common' movie goer alike.
I learned a lot from him - as a film lover and critic and as a person. I will miss him.
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Tomorrow Probably --- Day 2/89
Walk: de Young
Distance: 8 blocks
I had several ciwt topics in mind but taxes, art lecture, phone conversation with Match person have sort of wiped me out. So, maybe tomorrow....
Distance: 8 blocks
I had several ciwt topics in mind but taxes, art lecture, phone conversation with Match person have sort of wiped me out. So, maybe tomorrow....
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
President Up the Block -- Day 2/88
Walk: Union Square, Fillmore Street
Distance: 1 mile
The President was up the street again tonight. But what I don't understand is why the Secret Service goes to elaborate lengths not to reveal the President's plans but the local paper runs articles on the places he'll be enough ahead of time so protesters can come from all over to demonstrate. Oh well, it is exciting to have him so near and sense the commotion and energy that surrounds power.
Distance: 1 mile
The President was up the street again tonight. But what I don't understand is why the Secret Service goes to elaborate lengths not to reveal the President's plans but the local paper runs articles on the places he'll be enough ahead of time so protesters can come from all over to demonstrate. Oh well, it is exciting to have him so near and sense the commotion and energy that surrounds power.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Processing Again --- Day 2/87
Walk: Mindful Body, Los Altos
Distance: 18 blocks and teach yoga class
Met up with a grade school best friend I haven't seen in many, decades. Very touching. Letting it sink in.
Distance: 18 blocks and teach yoga class
Met up with a grade school best friend I haven't seen in many, decades. Very touching. Letting it sink in.
Monday, April 1, 2013
No details please --- Day 2/86
Walk: Mindful Body
Distance: 2 miles and teach yoga class
It's between taxes and Match for topics. Both kind of a grind (Match sends and sends and sends and sort of traps you into responding in some way triggering more sending and sending and sending. I'll figure it out). So, I'll spare ciwt readers and be back tomorrow.
Details (or Aka, skull):
Distance: 2 miles and teach yoga class
It's between taxes and Match for topics. Both kind of a grind (Match sends and sends and sends and sort of traps you into responding in some way triggering more sending and sending and sending. I'll figure it out). So, I'll spare ciwt readers and be back tomorrow.
Details (or Aka, skull):
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