Filed under: Fleeting thoughts..., painting, Photography | Tags: Porfirio DiDonna
Has anyone out there signed up for a CSA? We just did. I may have made a grave mistake. This is what I’ve been told that we’re going to receive on Saturday:
Lettuce, bok choy, broccoli,cauliflower, spinach, peppers, kale, escarole, tomatillos, arugula, napa cabbage, parsley, radicchio, leeks, salad turnips, celery, 6# carrots, 4#potatoes, 2#beets, kohlrabi, cabbage, fennel, garlic, onions, 3# sweet potatoes.
Are. You. Kidding. Me?????
WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH THE ENTIRE PRODUCE SECTION OF WHOLE FOODS IN MY KITCHEN????? SIX POUNDS OF CARROTS??? I really think that this is going to be a disaster. We can barely fit three people in our kitchen, never mind sharing that space with 20 pounds of produce. Ack! If anyone out there has some words of wisdom for me, let me know. I’m thinking vats of soup…forever…
My son and I have continued on our shrinky-dink kick. Here are the latest creations:
What I love about these is that they become PERMANENT drawings. I seriously think they’re indestructible. What’s not to love? He even makes them double sided, so that they’re drawn on both sides…brilliant!
I did manage to see some art this week. WOO HOO! I went to Danforth Art in Framingham…I love that place… They have an exhibit now of the work of Porfirio DiDonna and the New England Photography Biennial. Nice! Here are a few of the highlights…
Porfirio DiDonna, Egyptian Gold, 1979, Oil, gesso and graphite on linen
Gorgeous color…
Porfirio DiDonna, Untitled (PDN 86), 1971, Acrylic and graphite on canvas
I love how dark this is. The dots make me think of Aboriginal art. I like how it’s both orderly and chaotic…
Porfirio DiDonna, Red Hook (PDN 224), 1977, Oil and gesso on linen
This painting makes me think of a piece of lacquered furniture, with the dots being tiny nails. Beautiful!
Porfirio DiDonna, Untitled (PDN 353), 1971-72, Acrylic and graphite on canvas
Minimal and mesmerizing…She also had more colorful paintings and also drawings, but I somehow gravitated towards these works
The photography biennial was also great. I loved how many things there did NOT seem like photographs (nothing against photos…mind you.)
Noritaka Minami, Facade, 2011, Archival pigment print
Ahh…so cool. Actually, I love this building, so what’s not to love about its photo? This building is the Nakagin Capsule Tower in Tokyo, built in 1972. Here is an image of the interior:
Noritaka Minami, B1004, 2012, Archival pigment print
Pretty cool, right? I hear that it’s slated for demolition, which would be TRAGIC. I was lucky enough to see it in 1997, but I didn’t get to see the interior. No one invited me into their capsule. Probably for the best.
Steve Duede, Evanescent I, 2013, Photograph, C inkjet print
I love this image. It obviously makes me think of my own series which uses thrown about food. The colors are gorgeous, and you can practically feel the humidity from the rotting veggies, fruits, flowers, etc. The color of the grapefruit rind is amazing. I wish that my trash looked this good. (Right now, I’m fighting a cold…so my picture would be mostly of wadded up kleenex. TMI?)
Andy Anello, 90 Worms From My Father’s Garden, 2013, 90 silver gelatin prints
Yes, all of those delicate little squiggles are worms. I LOVE how these prints look:
Andy Anello, 90 Worms From My Father’s Garden (detail), 2013, 90 silver gelatin prints
I apologize for my bad photography of what are very beautiful B&W images of worms with grainy bits of earth still stuck to them. Unlike typical photo paper, this paper looks like it has an actual tooth to it. Lovely.
Samuel Quinn, Untitled, Archival inkjet print
This is from his series, “A Houses Echo.” PLEASE look at his website to see the photos in this series. I love this image. While the landscape is just a projection on the wall (I think), I imagine instead that the hallway has been transformed into a camera obscura (even though the image should be upside down…) The natural beauty transposed onto the garment and the decaying interior is really compelling and haunting. Brilliant!!!!
Samuel Quinn, Untitled, Archival inkjet print
Another amazing photo…I want this one. I love the color palette, the composition, the emptiness, the space…GORGEOUS. I think that this image by Quinn might be my favorite from the show.
Jim Nickelson, Pyrotechnic #53, Archival pigment print
The deep umber color of this image is gorgeous. Look at the detail of it:
Jim Nickelson, Pyrotechnic #53 (detail), Archival pigment print
Aren’t those delicate and smoky marks stunning? SO beautiful. I suppose this is a negative of the actual image? I have no idea, as I’m not a photographer. This also appeared to have been printed on a matte, toothy paper. Love it. Please check out his website…there are more in this series.
So, wish me luck with this CSA pick up…send me recipes…let me know if you want a carrot or two…we’ll have plenty. Carrot soup…carrot stew…carrot muffins…carrot cake…carrot puree…carrot au gratin…carrot pancakes…
I may be a lovely shade of orange by November’s CSA pickup.
Filed under: Fleeting thoughts... | Tags: art, artist, carving, halloween, newspaper, pumpking
I had NO time to see any art these past couple of weeks (save for the stuff that my son makes, but more on that later…) I have, however, rediscovered shrinky dinks in the past week, which I am now OBSESSED with. The only negative is that I’m convinced that by baking them, toxic vapors are released into my home. Is this irrational? This is the reason why I haven’t bought any of those “melty beads,” that kids love so much. (well, I also don’t feel like sweeping up spilled beads for the next six months…)
That’s a whole lot of plastic. How in God’s name did they even do that? Maybe they used a hairdryer? I thought that you had to use an iron to fuse them? More importantly: why do I think that “shrinky dinks” are less toxic that these “melty beads?’ Who knows.
In an effort for your mind not to go completely numb, I did find some art online that I thought looked pretty amazing. Check out this FANTASTIC artist whom I thought I should share…MYRIAM DION.
That started out as a newspaper page. NEWSPAPER. She takes newspapers and turns them into beautiful lace. Is this not mind blowing? Don’t you think it’s phenomenal????? Look at the detail of her work:
Is that not completely gorgeous? Her work is sooo breathtaking. Please check out the links that I provided to her website. She’s from Montreal, so the website is in French. Here are many of her pieces together, with the paper scraps below:
Look at the papers draped together on the floor! AMAZING. I am in complete awe. I would LOOOVE to see these in person. What are the chances that she’ll come to Boston? Hmm. Well, it’s slightly warmer here…but then again, we have less fashion sense and most of us don’t speak French. Hmm. Yes, WHY would she come here? Sigh. Nevermind.
What’s also incredible is that I can’t imagine that these pieces will last, as newspaper is so fragile. She has created beauty of what is normally depressing and dirty. (Why does this immediately make me think of my lack of housekeeping skills???) I should get inspired to pick up around here. Or not.
Speaking of paper…my son has taken it upon himself to make Halloween decor for the house. Sigh. Clearly, my string of pumpkin lights aren’t enough. He felt the need to make THIS:
That’s a zombie.
And THIS:
That’s a mummy.
And THIS:
That’s me. (just kidding!!! Sort of…) I helped him a bit with this one, I confess. My arms and hands aren’t really that big, though…BTW…
He also convinced me to buy this pumpkin carving kit:
Do NOT be tricked into getting this. Yes, it is “safer” than using a kitchen knife. It becomes less safe, however, when your five year old keeps wanting to point out with his little fingers where you should be cutting WHILE you are cutting. They should have provided a set of handcuffs for the kids. My beef with this project is this: carving a really detailed pumpkin, while impressive, is A TOTAL PAIN IN THE TUSH. Here’s how ours turned out:
I know. This isn’t even THAT detailed, but it felt like it took aaaaages. Probably because I was frantically trying to work on it whilst making dinner. I’m a mommy who multitasks. My son was also interested in somehow doing the QR code, as shown on the kit:
No joke. I tried to explain to him gently that carving this would likely cause mommy to want to perform hara-kiri with the pumpkin knife. I’m sure that if Myriam Dion did a pumpkin, it would be pretty phenomenal. I’m just going to settle for “happy that I didn’t cut off anyone’s finger.”
Halloween is still 20 days away. I’m not sure I’m going to make it with my sanity, and fingers, intact…
slightly wonky 