Making Art at the Met

The best part about yesterday was when Todd, in what he likes to call his benevolent dictator mode, insisted we all grab our sketch pads and go to the Met. It was freakishly warm for mid-November, so the four of us took a rambling walk through Central Park to the east side. Thanks to our never-returned McGraw-Hill ID cards, Todd and I still get free entrance to most museums in the city, and we took advantage it yesterday.

There are always plenty of people using the museum's art — sculptures, specifically, for us yesterday — as inspiration for their own work. I love to look over artists' shoulders to see what they're creating. My own sketches look like chicken scratch comparatively, but of the four drawings I did yesterday I liked three of them pretty well. I am no great talent, but I like the process of drawing, and I know the more I do it the better I'll get.

Art In My Office

I have a lovely new office to go with my new role at work. Right across from my desk is a wall that is crying out for a big photo, painting, or other work of art. What should I put there? Whose work would you want to look at day after day?

Art in Brooklyn

Todd, Sofia, and I went to Dumbo on Saturday to check out the Dumbo Arts Festival. Todd loves art. He's introduced me to a lot of galleries in Chelsea and festivals throughout the city that I never really explored on my own, and this was my first time going to the Art Under the Bridge festival (as it's officially called). Sadly, we didn't end up seeing as much actual art as we would have liked.

There were a lot of interactive and kid-friendly things to see right at the start of the festival, and we spent a good chunk of time at each. Sofia spelled her name with pillows shaped like letters, then she helped spell mine and Todd's, too.




We checked out a balloon-powered paper kite, and played in the playground. And, of course, there was much fun to be had throwing rocks into the water. By the time Todd's friend caught up with us, we were all ready for hot chocolate at Jacques Torres. Nearby was an incredibly patient and creative woman doing little girls' hair with every imaginable sparkly accessory. By the time she was done, each looked like a princess.


After that, we went and looked at some more actual art. It was a fun day, but more diverse and less specifically art-centric than I expected.

Weekend Plans

This weekend will be a mix of total work and utter fun. My summer class started a week late, so we have a make up class tonight. Yes, that’s right. My professor thought we’d all appreciate making up that three-hour class on a Friday night. He obviously has his pulse on the lives of his students. We’ve only met twice so far and the first session went by quickly. Tuesday’s class dragged beyond belief, though, and I’m suspecting tonight’s will be the same. Luckily a classmate / friend and I are getting together with our Todds (her fiance is also named Todd) for dinner after class, so at least there’s that to look forward to.

This weekend is Figment, which is one of the best art events of the year in NYC. It takes place out on Governors Island, which I adore. The whole island is transformed into a collaborative and interactive art space, and I can’t wait to see what New York’s most creative minds have put together this year. Unfortunately the weather will suck (NYC has recently turned into Seattle in terms of rainfall, overcast skies, and an inability to produce any sunlight), and I’ll be doing mad amounts of homework for my class. My first big paper is due on Tuesday and I was randomly selected to do my presentation (everyone has to present one paper this semester) in the first round, which means I have to put together a plan for that, too.

Tim Burton celebrated at MOMA

Since I have some Tim Burton fans as readers, I thought I should share this bit of news. The Museum of Modern Art will be holding a retrospective celebrating his work at the end of this year. It will run from November through April and will contain movie artifacts such as sketches, costumes, and puppets. There will also be some nonprofessional and early work that we’re likely less familiar with.

I'll definitely check it out and welcome anyone who wants to join me.

Trip to Red Hook

Todd and I went to Ikea today to pick up some stuff for our apartments. I wanted a vase and a cat bed for Camilla. I came away with both of those things (two vases, actually) as well as a whole mess of crap I never knew I wanted: napkins by the hundred, food and water dishes that match Camilla’s new bed (for her, of course), gigantic Christmas tree ornaments, and more. The most freakish thing, though, was how much time we spent there. How is it possible that hours and hours can go by without us even realizing? This trip to Red Hook seriously took the entire day!

After debarking the water taxi, we did explore Red Hook for a little while before starting to shop at least. We were surprised to find out that there’s something of an artists’ community burgeoning there. Our best discovery was the Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition; it looks like a great group and interesting way to meet other creative people.

Our marathon shopping spree at Ikea meant that we didn’t have any time in the evening to do art projects ourselves, which had been the original plan. My painting from a few weeks ago is still unfinished, and I had expected to make progress on it tonight. Soon it will be finished, though, and I hope to like enough to post a picture here.

Painting and Drawing

I'm very happy to have spent part of today painting. I'd like to do more art, and I love that Todd cares as much (or more) about it than I do. It prompts me to try new things and think about new ways to be creative.

Todd did some drawing today, and I busted out the painting materials I bought on Friday. I'm exploring making silhouettes by marking out my subject in masking tape and then painting over the whole canvass, pulling off the tape, and voila! If today's project comes out well I'll post a picture.

The Cloisters

Laura and Nate were kind enough to let me tag along on the first portion of the New York chapter of their vacation today. After a sushi lunch in my neighborhood, it was onto the subway to visit Fort Tryon Park and the Cloisters. After all my time in the city, the Cloisters is one museum I'd never been to, so it was nice to finally make the trip.

The most famous art at the Cloisters are the Unicorn Tapestries. My favorite, though, was a wood carving of the Virgin Mary's deathbed. She has eleven apostles around her mourning her passing. Missing is Thomas who, characteristically, doubts that she ascended to heaven until an angel drops the Virgin's girdle down to earth to prove it. The angel drops her girdle! Is that not the weirdest story ever?!

Contemporary art but no apples

We woke up this morning to some rain and general dreariness outside. We had a half-baked idea to go apple picking that didn't come together since the weather wasn't cooperating. I realized it was all for the best when I thought about how heavy all those apples would be to carry home, anyway.

Instead we hit MASS MoCA, Massachusetts' museum of contemporary art. I find contemporary art pretty hit or miss. I want to be able to have a reaction to a piece of art on my own before the write-up, audio guide, or tour guide tells me what it's supposed to all mean, and there are times when I just have no reaction at all to modern art. There were a few pieces that left me cold at MASS MoCA, but mostly it was excellent. There was an amazing light instillation that I feel would be impossible to describe but was really, really amazing. And we really enjoyed the biospheres. Very experiential! Check us out:

Democracy in America

I got back into town tonight and almost immediately headed out to meet Todd at Democracy in America, an art show currently at the the Park Avenue Armory. It’s incredible, and anyone who is in New York this week is encouraged to check it out. It’s highly political in nature and combines still art with documentary and other video art, performances, interactivity, and an opportunity to connect with other artists and concerned citizens.

It's also completely worth attending just for the chance to see the Armory. It's not usually open to the public and is an incredibly interesting space.

Here’s a description of the show from the website:

Creative Time is pleased to announce the largest public art initiative in its 34-year history, Democracy in America: The National Campaign. A multifaceted project on a national scale, Democracy in America travels across the country to take the temperature of artists’ relationships with and reactions to the historic roots and practical manifestations of the American democratic tradition. Creative Time will promote active participation and open discourse during the 2008 election season and beyond by engaging a diverse community of artists, activists, thinkers, and citizens to create spaces for dialogue, exploration, and congregation. The project includes: a 7-day exhibition at the historic landmark Park Avenue Armory, performative artist commissions from coast to coast and at the RNC and DNC, mobile projects visiting communities in Queens and Brooklyn, and a publication giving artists a platform to reflect on democracy in this country. Democracy in America: The National Campaign is curated by Nato Thompson.

Onward and Upward

If yesterday was all about Jen visiting after her recent move, today was all about getting ready for another friend to fly the coop. In just a few short weeks, Rena (who, for the record, I thought would stick around the city with me indefinitely) is moving on up, literally. She’s heading north to Massachusetts where she’ll move into an old mill-turned-artist’s-loft, commune with other artists, become more creative, and continue to wow us all with her jewelry.

I’m trying to see my friends’ moves as an opportunity for some fun road trips and weekends out of the city. I also comforted myself with two new pairs of Sundance Moods earrings.

My Lonesome Cowboy

Over the weekend, Todd talked me into schlepping out to Brooklyn (not really that far, really, since we were on the express) to see the Takashi Murakami exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum. I had no idea who Murakami was and went on faith but not out of a real interest.

Luckily, Todd was definitely on it with this one. The exhibit was a fascinating introduction to an artist I was ignorant of before. The exhibit only goes until the 13th, but anyone in or around NYC is definitely encouraged to check it out.

Figment

Yesterday Todd and I went out to Governors Island to check out an art event/festival taking place. Figment brings together artists and art appreciators for a participatory day of creativity. We saw everything from museum-quality (to this untrained eye, at least) sculptures to a collage of sharpie-drawn self portraits, to which we added our own. There was also a performance aspect, but we mostly missed that. As we were taking the ferry over we saw the first bolts of lightening. After only a few minutes on the island the skies really opened up. We, and all the other art patrons, hid inside for the worst of it. Lucikly many of the exhibits were in the old military residences on the island, so we were able to go from dry spot to dry spot and still enjoy the day.

The goal for next year is to actually contribute something to the event, which means I better learn how to do something artistic in the next twelve months.

Playing the Building

Todd and I took advantage of our day off by heading downtown to an old abandoned building that used to be the launching pad for the Staten Island Ferry. David Byrne of Talking Heads fame has turned the place into a public art space: by rigging an old church organ to the pipes, columns, and motors in the building, visitors are able to literally play the building. The pipes were, for me, the best part. The sounds they emitted had an other-worldy quality that I loved.

Check out Todd playing the building:

Public Art: The Waterfalls

During my time off, I had the chance to take a look at NYC's newest public art project: a series of waterfalls in the East River. Below is a pic of one visible under the Brooklyn Bridge from near South Street Seaport. Sadly, it was pretty underwhelming. I thought the Gates that peppered Central Park not so long ago were much more wonderful. Maybe it's because you could walk through the Gates and only just look at this waterfall from across the expanse, but I didn't feel much of a reaction to it.

A naked disappointment

There is never a shortage of things to do in New York City. So what am I doing home on a Saturday night? Ok, truly, I am a bit of a homebody. But that's not the reason I'm home tonight. Todd and I, typically poor planners for weekend outings, actually did a bit of mid-week research this week. We found what looked to be a unique way to spend the evening, mixing our high-brow love of art with our low brow love of all things naughty: XXX Drawing Party. Adult film actors and actresses model for slightly drunk wannabe artists in the most provocative of ways, at least from what I could gleam from the advertisement. Unfortunately, the listing suggested it was both Friday and Saturday nights at 9:00 pm. Only tonight did we realize that the event really started on Friday at 9:00 pm and ended at 1:00 in the morning on Saturday, thus showing up on both Friday and Saturday's listings. Boo. So instead of trying my hand at actually drawing some porn, you'll all have to settle for this: