We sneered. We jeered. We cheered. No, it wasn’t a sporting event. It was Reality TV – with fourteen artists at the starting line, three down to the wire, and one who took home the prize. Who would have thought that Work of Art would spark so much interest? Who would have imagined that Abdi […]
Scare Tactics
Scare tactics in recessionary advertising? You bet!
Buzz
Buzz over a celebrity engagement. Buzz over bad behavior. Buzz over a new gadget, or political scandal. Hello Levi and Bristol? Mel Gibson? The iPhone4? Mark Sanford, or maybe even Al and Tipper Gore? Buzz over our favorite television shows, like reality TV. Buzz over Erik and Miles, name calling on Work of Art. Controversy […]
Winning (when it counts)
Winners and losers. Isn’t that how most people view the world? And usually, the “win” involves money, a title, and stuff. Along with the spoils of winning come reassurances that the basics in life will be taken care of, and a great deal more: satisfaction in your accomplishments, the realization of a dream, and maybe […]
Work of Art: When Shock Meets Schlock
Guest judge and controversial photographer Andres Serrano said it: “It isn’t easy to shock on demand.” So how did the participants fare in last evening’s Work of Art, given the challenge of creating a piece intended to shock? With few exceptions, they did about what I would expect, resorting to childish interpretations of adult world […]
Why We Sweat the Small Stuff
When the small stuff adds up…
Al and Tipper Gore: What do you think?
Al and Tipper Gore Unless you’ve been living under a rock, by now you’ve heard the term gray divorce, likely in conjunction with the news that Al and Tipper Gore are splitting up after 40 years. Of course, the original announcement was followed by a claim that Al Gore’s marital defection was in fact the […]
Guerrilla Artist, Guerrilla Writer
Guerrilla Artist By her own words, artist Lavanna Martin stares at people. At times she refers to herself as a “Guerrilla Artist,” setting up in one of several local coffee shops in Austin, Texas. A possible subject of interest catches her attention, and she creates a quick portrait – a sketch or painting – achieving […]
How to recognize value
It’s been a lovely afternoon of wandering the flea market, enjoying the crowd and the diversity of antiques and vintage curiosities. You pick up a small silver fork and wonder why its tongs curve outward so delicately. You turn it over, note a hallmark of some sort, feel its weight in your hand, then glance […]
“I can’t change. I am who I am.” Say what??
Do you believe you can change? Do you want to change – if not in a major way, then subtly – for instant gratification or something more enduring? Let’s see. There’s my messy kitchen. My disastrous closets. Oh yes, I can think of a few things I’d like to change. May I borrow from the classics […]