Saturday, December 18, 2010

Did Norman Rockwell Trace? & Dining in a Rockwell Painting

Book: Norman Rockwell: Behind the Camera
$40.00
NOW SHOWING
AT THE BROOKLYN MUSEUM
Norman Rockwell: Behind the Camera
During the first half of the 20th Century, radio brought news and music into American homes but the visuals, for adults, came through the mail, in the form of slick national magazines. The Illustrators who decorated these magazine covers were household names at that time. How many people can name a working illustrator today? One of the last celebrity magazine illustrators was Norman Rockwell (American, 1894–1978), who became mostly famous for his 47 years of Saturday Evening Post covers (332 covers total). 

For the first 10 years or so of these commissions, Rockwell would hire professional models to pose all day while he sketched and painted the preliminary art for his cover paintings. Sometime in the late 1930s Norman turned to photography to replace the live model. This freed him up in many ways, most importantly he was able to capture expressions and gestures which were impossible with life drawing. Also the black and white photographic images allowed him to choose his color scheme and more easily add details by combining many photo references to create one painting. These photos he would project onto the canvases to get the exact proportions.

Rockwell was never proud of this photo / tracing technique, he thought it was cheating, but as they say everyone was doing it and although he was a great draftsman, this process made for a better final product.

"Norman Rockwell: Behind the Camera" was organized by The Norman Rockwell Museum where they recently digitized and organized all 20,000 of Rockwell's negatives. The exhibition shows the exact photos behind the paintings. Most of the photos are fairly bland and have no sense of completeness or overall warmth, they are just pieces of a puzzle. Only the final paintings have a friendly glow and in many ways are more realistic. These photos were completely cast, composed and directed by Rockwell although taken by a professional photographer. The relatively quick photo sessions allowed him to use friends, neighbors and real people, who just looked right, to be the models for his paintings. 

First and foremost Rockwell was a storyteller. For most Americans who do not follow the art world or who seldom go to an art museum, Norman Rockwell is the ONLY American artist they really know and respect.

In this exhibition, his process is revealed and some of his "super hero" varnish is removed, but Norman Rockwell's paintings will forever be how American history remembers the first half of the 20th century. He thought America should be portrayed as nostalgic, friendly and positive but slightly awkward, and many people in his paintings have very thin necks - ie: "every painting is a self-portrait".

You can go to this exhibition to see these never before seen photos, but I think a better motivation for going is to see inside the mind of this talented storyteller and artist. Look closely at his original drawings and paintings, they are masterfully painted, often with very little paint applied to the canvas. Better yet, schedule a trip to Stockbridge, Massachusetts and The Rockwell Museum to learn even more about (most of) America's favorite artist.










Norman Rockwell, The Tattoo Artist, 
1944, Oil on canvas, 43 1/8 x 33 1/8 in. (109.5 x 84.1 cm
All Art © Norman Rockwell Museum is used as a courtesy to promote the exhibition at The Brooklyn Museum of Art

"Norman Rockwell: Behind the Camera" runs through April 12, 2011 at The Brooklyn Museum, Robert E. Blum Gallery, 1st Floor, 200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, New York 11238-6052 Hours: Wed.–Fri. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Sat.–Sun. 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Contact Telephone: (718) 638-5000  Admission / Suggested Contribution: $10 Students with Valid ID: $6 Adults 62 and over: $6 Children under 12: Free 

ARTWORKS 
AVAILABLE AT THE 
NORMAN ROCKWELL
MUSEUM STORE
The Famous Four Freedoms Prints are among the many custom Rockwell prints available from $20.00 to $75.00 depending on size.

Freedom of Speech Giclee Print

Freedom from Want Giclee Print

Freedom to Worship Giclee Print

Freedom from Fear Giclee Print

ARTS 
HD OPERA on YOUR COMPUTER

Give the opera lovers on your holiday list a full year of unlimited access to more than 300 great Met performances with a gift subscription to Met Player. Your gift can be sent immediately via email, or on one of the six new elegant gift cards in the mail. 

Met Player, a one-of-a-kind online opera destination, features spectacular productions from the Met's award-winning "Live in HD movie-theater transmissions", along with a wide range of other unforgettable Met performances—all available for viewing or listening on your computer. Enjoy the stars of today—including Plácido Domingo, Renée Fleming, Juan Diego Flórez, Elīna Garanča, and Anna Netrebko—and rediscover such legends as Luciano Pavarotti, Leontyne Price, Beverly Sills, and Joan Sutherland.

Every month, your present will bring exciting new releases on Met Player, including more Live in HD productions, like January's: Anna Netrebko in Donizetti's Don Pasquale.

And, you can always treat yourself to Met Player this holiday season as well. The Met invites you to try Met Player free for 7 days, choose from several subscription options for unlimited access, or purchase a one-time rental of any opera title.
FOOD
THE RED LION INN ACTUALLY
IS A NORMAN ROCKWELL PAINTING
Click To View Video of Executive Chef Brian J. Alberg talk about his food.

Red Lion Inn Mug, Stockbridge, Norman Rockwell, 1967
 Available at The Norman Rockwell Museum Shop   TROYM  $10
http://store.nrm.org/browse.cfm/4,1399.html
To actually dine inside of a Norman Rockwell Painting check out the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. In the Berkshires, this restaurant offers gourmet cuisine and New England hospitality. The Red Lion Inn (Hotel) is a destination in itself and only a short distance away from The Norman Rockwell Museum. The Restaurant's wine list offers more than 200 selections and has received the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for seven consecutive years. For a great mid-winter meal and escape for the weekend,  call 413-298-5545 to inquire about dinner reservations. For lodging availability go to https://booking.ihotelier.com/istay/istay.jsp?HotelID=17402

CHRISTMAS DINNER 2010 AT THE RED LION INN
$49 adults, $24.50 children (12 & under)
 * * * choose a starter
Scallop & Shrimp Bisque
Roasted Squash & Apple Soup  
Porcini Mushroom Gnocchi
Farm Girl Farm Heirloom Tomato Puree & Rosemary Toast
Hudson Valley Duck Confit
Berkshire Blue Risotto & Dried Cranberries
 * * * salad
Equinox Farm Field Greens
Ioka Maple Vinaigrette, Pears & Candied Walnuts
 * * * choose a main course
- Roast Pheasant Breast
Zehr Farms Braised Mushrooms, Anna Potatoes & Sautéed Spinach
- Grilled Filet Mignon
Rosemary Potato Cake, French Beans & Burgundy Reduction
- Pan Seared Organic Salmon
Lobster Mashed Potatoes, Buttered Asparagus & Creamed Leeks
- Root Vegetable Risotto
Rainbow Chard, Acorn Squash Puree & Parsnip Crisps
 * * * choose a dessert
Mascarpone & Ricotta Cheese Cake with Lemon Crust
Banana Bread Pudding with Maple Bourbon Sauce
Flourless Chocolate Torte with Espresso Cream
Pecan Balls with Vanilla Ice Cream & Caramel Sauce

NEW YEAR’S EVE 2010 AT THE RED LION INN

Early Seating - Adults $89, Children 12 & under $44.50
The Gala Event - Dinner, Dancing plus Midnight Toast $150
 Please call 413.298.1690 for reservations 

New York City Event at James Beard House

On February 4, 2011, the James Beard Foundation presents The Whole Hog, an evening showcasing the culinary talents and farm-to-table efforts of several of the most innovative chefs of the Berkshire region, led by the Red Lion inn Executive Chef Brian J. Alberg. The dinner takes place at 6:30PM at the James Beard House located at 167 West 12th Street. The price is $125 per person for James Beard Foundation members and $165 per person for the general public. For reservations, please call 212.627.2308.

http://www.redlioninn.com/rli/dining.html


Until Later,
Jack


© ARTS&FOOD, (ARTSnFOOD.blogspot.com) All rights reserved, © Copyright Jack A. Atkinson  2010 Under All International, Digital, Intellectual Property and Copyright Laws. Images © Copyright individual Creators, Lenders or Fabricators.

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Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Think Small at The Whitney & Dinner Party, No Cooking!

Charles LeDray   Mini - Sculpture at The Whitney
ART - NOW SHOWING 
AT THE WHITNEY MUSEUM OF ART

“workworkworkworkwork”  
by Charles LeDray

One day last month I walked into the Whitney Museum on Madison Ave. in NYC, without knowing what I was going to see.  I stepped off the elevator into the giant foyer of a gallery and in front of me was a line of miniature hats hung uncomfortably high on the wall. Forty-five minutes later I left the "whole floor" exhibition with my jaw on the floor. I was flabbergasted and exhausted by the amount of work that went into the "work" of New York artist Charles LeDray. 

Originally from the Seattle area, the fifty-year-old artist makes small objects, mostly clothes. He constructs everything completely by himself including all of the accessories which accompany the clothes, like the hanging rack, the clothes hangers, the wall hooks, work bench, tools, etc. all perfectly recreated. Many pieces are constructions made up of multiple pieces of clothing, looking to make a statement. The artist himself is reclusive and explains nothing about his art. 

Charles LeDray learned to sew at age four and the foundation of his art all started when he wanted an antique stuffed bear and just made a miniature replica for himself. So impressive are his constructions, that his break in the art world came while he worked as an art handler for a gallery, he simply showed a curator one of his pieces and she immediately put that piece in a group show and his career took off.

At the Whitney Bookstore http://www.shopwhitney.org/
There are literally thousands of objects in this Whitney exhibition. LeDray throws ceramic pots the size of a baby's little finger tip. He creates complete military uniforms, including the shiny hat brims, metals, buttons and belts for Lilliputian soldiers. Mixed into these pieces are not so subtle statements regarding gender and purpose of life, all conveyed by the clothes people wear. Another direction of his work are delicate objects carved out of bone, like a shaft of wheat!

It speaks volumes that what many consider a "craft" like "sewing", essentially doll's clothes, brought the very picky curators of the Whitney to mount this major exhibition. There is substance and commentary in every one of his handmade "fabric sculptures" and to fill a whole floor of this museum with so much art production of miniature objects is beyond impressive. The title of the show “workworkworkworkwork” is appropriate. In a time when many of the most important contemporary artists are acting only as conceptual directors with their studios doing the actual painting and sculpting work for them, it is refreshing to see so much precise and difficult art being done by one set of hands, especially since the essence of this work is conceptual. 

Most people are impressed by this show but if you are the type of person who is fascinated by words being written on a grain of rice, this show is a must see for you!  When you think about it art is often about scale, either extremely large or extremely small.
“Charles LeDray: workworkworkworkwork” is on exhibition until Feb. 13 at the Whitney Museum of American Art, 945 Madison Avenue, @ 75th Street; (212) 570-3600, www.whitney.org 




ARTS / MUSIC



Joy to the World!
Enjoy High Brow Classical Christmas Music this Christmas Season Anywhere in the World!

New York' s WQXR is streaming uninterrupted classical Christmas music just for you. Go to www.wqxr.org click on Pop-out audio player then click on Special in the Upper right corner of the blue box and you will arrive at WQXR's Holiday Channel -  a 24-hour stream dedicated to classical Christmas favorites. You can have this playing in the background of your computer while you work, keeping your spirits bright.

I DID NOT KNOW THAT!
While researching this story, I heard an interesting little advert before the music started on WQXR, which showcased Julliard's adult music classes. I didn't realize adults could study music at Julliard (Julliard Evening Division). It is never too late to follow your passion! 
Julliard, as you probably know, is considered one of the best music conservatory educations for classical music in the world.  For undergraduate and masters degree students, it is one of the most selective and sought after schools for musical instruction. http://www.juilliard.edu/about/history.html

FOOD
NEED A MIRACLE?
A LAST MINUTE DINNER PARTY
for an impromptu holiday gathering.

Last night a group came to our home for a dinner / meeting. Hum, how to basically throw a small dinner party at the last minute?

Solution: a quick trip to the grocery to create a salad bar at home. To set up, get a large bowl, combine a box of spring mix salad with a box of baby arugula salad, toss and put to the side with serving tongs. Next place a stack of plates and around the edge of those plates put spoons in small bowls filled with shredded cheese, yellow cherry tomatoes, croutons, dried cranberries, ringlets of red onion, diced mushrooms, sunflower seeds and some cubed precooked chicken breasts strips. Dress up a bottled, but too thick, Asian salad dressing with some Japanese rice vinegar, olive oil and a splash of balsamic vinegar, mix well in a gravy boat. Buy a quality fruit tart for dessert, open a bottle of wine and you are done. People love personalizing this nutty, crunchy salad (it IS tasty) and you have a dinner party in less than 30 minutes, no cooking! Happy Holidays!

A few extra gift ideas:



Pollock No. 10 Tie
Item: 45230 Price: $48.00

Number 10, 1949
Former Title: Number 10, 1949
Jackson Pollock, American, 1912–1956
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Revere Silver Plated Coffee and Tea Set

After a hiatus in his silversmithing business during the Revolution, Paul Revere returned to his craft about 1780. Soon his shop began producing silver in the newest taste, using the latest technology. For example, the fluted teapot on which this tea set is based, is probably derived from similar English works in silver, fused plate (also called Sheffield plate), or ceramic wares, and it is made of rolled sheet silver. Bending sheets of thin silver, produced in rolling mills, into a desired form and soldering them together took less time and effort than the traditional, more laborious method of raising a vessel from an ingot with repeated hammer blows. Here, Revere decorated the teapot with dotted and bright-cut bands over tasseled festoons at top and bottom, all in the Neoclassical style. 
Museum of Fine Arts Boston.

$980.00
$960.00
$540.00
$700.00


Until Later, 
Jack

© ARTS&FOOD,(ARTSnFOOD.blogspot.com) All rights reserved, © Copyright Jack A. Atkinson  2010 Under All International, Digital, Intellectual Property and Copyright Laws. Images © Copyright individual Creators, Lenders or Fabricators.

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Sunday, December 12, 2010

Museum SHOPping #2 & Corner Grocery/Cafe of Your Dreams

At the Vesterneim Norwegian American Museum
Sølje Brooch #2 (Silver with Silver Spoons) 3032   $66.00
This Museum Shop Gift Guide has quite a number of pictures. Enjoy these unique gift ideas and share this link (www.ARTSnFOOD.blogspot.com) with your friends.
 At the Field Museum in Chicago
Lotus Slippers Red Cotton 
w/ Birds & Flowers / One of a Kind / Antiques This pair of unworn red slippers was sewn commercially in Zhejiang, China in the 1950's. More details available upon request. Overall length 4.5".The art of embroidery has never been more beautifully showcased than in the making of Chinese lotus slippers. $200.00








 At the Field Museum in Chicago

Sue Gold Plated Ornament  Made of 24K gold
-plated brass, this beautiful ornament catches the
 light as well as your attention. Comes with an
 attractive box to make gift giving effortless.  
5-1/2 inches long.  Your Price: $14.00


At the Chicago Art Institute

Renoir Two Sisters (On the Terrace) Large Matted Print
Artist: Pierre Auguste Renoir  
Item #7286    
In the painting Two Sisters (On the Terrace) Pierre Auguste Renoir (French, 1841-1919) conveys the radiant demeanor of his young subjects and an airy vista of river, boats and houses on the opposite shore, seen through blossoming trees. Our matted print is 16" x 19".  


This item cannot be gift boxed.



$15


















At NY's New Museum
http://www.newmuseumstore.org
Christie's Auction Paddle Ball Game  
Item #: 10019620 Price: $50.00
Nevroz Level Ball
Item #: 10020010
Yann Lestrat is a French artist whose work is articulated around reflections on notions of psychic, individual and collective balance. Nevroz, Turkish word for neurosis, is a mobile sculpture of which the precarious balance, playful metaphor of the notion of psychic balance, will allow you not to find the level you look for.
Tamawa; 2010; bakelite; approximately 2.75" diameter  $150.00
















More gift guide after food
FOOD
Jeffrey's Grocery and Oyster Bar
In NYC there are superstores and celebrity restauranteurs but every once in a while you come across a mom and pop business that competes on a completely different level. A personal, comfortable, corner store of a business, where every customer is made to feel like a friend. 
If its suppertime and you are on the subway in NYC (the 1/2/3/ A/C/E/ B/D/F/M or PATH) heading towards Christopher St. or W. 4th., jump off and head one block over to Jeffrey's Grocery on the corner of Christopher and Waverly Place for a meal or take out. For take out, pick up some flowers, a bottle of sparkling water and two cookies in the front and some first class food in the back. "Voila", you have the beginnings of a wonderful evening with the one you love. If you are dining in, there are about twenty communal seats in this turn-of-the-century space, newly decorated, complete with exposed brick, pressed tin ceilings and ceiling fans.
The front-end grocery sells organic produce grown on Manhattan rooftops and looks for regionally produced sundries and food products. Whether you call the back-end a cafe, luncheonette, neighborhood pub or raw bar, the food is top shelf. Fresh oysters on the half shell with a selection of varieties plus seafood towers, poached salmon salad, lobster rolls, beet salad, roast pork sandwiches, braised brisket sandwiches and warm chocolate chip cookies. If they could keep it real, it would be great to see one of these on every neighborhood corner in the USA.
Jeffrey's Grocery & Oyster Bar, $$ 172 Waverly Place at Christopher St., New York, NY 10014. (646)398-7630. Accepts all major credit cards, Dress is casual, serving Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Wine and Cocktails. Tues - Sat 8 am til 2 am. Sun. 11am til midnight. www.jeffreysgrocery.com
FOOD EXTRA
Anyone can order Epicurean Delicacies online or by phone from anywhere through DEAN & DELUCA'S VIRTUAL CATALOG. Check it out.
Holiday Museum SHOPping Guide Continues:
Sølje Brooch (Silver)
 [3481]  $53.00
















At the Vesterneim Norwegian American Museum

















At the New York History Museum
New York Historical Society  OWNS ALL 
of the Original John James Audubon bird paintings. 
above Ivory-Billed Woodpecker
Custom print made from original
38" x 25"    item # 20326            $2500.00

At New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art
AUGUSTUS SAINT-GAUDENS: DIANA
Met Museum PRICE:  $575
http://store.metmuseum.org/books+media/icat/booksmedia/













Diana, the artist’s only female nude, originated in the gilded bronze figure he designed as a weathervane for the tower on Madison Square Garden. 
During the 1890s Augustus Saint-Gaudens (American, born Ireland, 1848–1907) created 3 reduced variant editions of the 13-foot Diana sculpture. The Metropolitan Museum’s statuette is one of the rare second types depicting the elegant figure posed on tiptoe on a sphere set on a two-tier base. Its matte patina, composed of gold, copper, and zinc, was applied by the electroplating process. The Museum’s Diana sculpture is a reproduction of the original work on view in the Museum's American Wing.
Bonded bronze. Hand patinated. 15 1/4''H x 5 1/4''W x 11 1/2''L including base.

(below)AT MoMA Museum of Modern Art NYC


Teacup  MoMA Item# 83216  $250.00


Red Trio Necklace MoMA Item# 85132   $95.00  

Highway Bag   Item# 85962  $125.00
At The Dallas Museum of Art
http://www.dm-art.org/ShopDMA.org/index.htm Margot necklace has been faithfully recreated using original molds from the Margot de Taxco studio under the direction of Melecio Rodriguez. Margot de Taxco collar in sterling silver CA63N  $975.00


Children's Pilgrim Hat 
At the Plimoth Plantation Museum
SKU: 7661  $8.99


At San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
Tear-Free Onion Goggles keeps the eye-stinging 
vapors out when chopping onions. Storage case included $29.00


At New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art
















One of the best selection of art books in the world

















At the Plimoth Plantation Museum
"Early American" Sampler Kit
SKU: 28131 $9.99
beginners can try their hand at cross-stitch




"Dia:Beacon Riggio Galleries, Dia Art Foundation's new museum, presents one of the world's most distinguished collections of contemporary art. The museum, which opened in May 2003, occupies a 300,000-square-foot former industrial building situated on the banks of the Hudson... Book Price $60.00

















Natural History Museum NYC
African Baule Slingshots  Price: $199.99

















Baule slingshots are from the Ivory Coast. These are a traditional boy's toy. They are used to practice hunting and keep animals out of crops. Every figure is unique and hand carved, measuring between 11 and 16 inches tall and 3 1/4 inches wide. Please let us choose a style for you.

Natural History Museum NYC
authentic Tunisian dinnerware
Choose from a mug, round or square dish, or tagine.
Tabarka African Pottery
Price: $4.97


  • At the Museum of Contemporary Art LA        .mocastore.org/
  •  Robert Indiana’s Love sculpture makes a stunning gift for that special someone— or for yourself! Made from brushed aluminum, it measures 3 × 3 × 1.3-inches and comes gift boxed with informational card about the artist and the original sculpture. Additional colors available.    Price: 75.00

Individually handpainted Motawi Fuchsia Tile $60.00 

At Monticello 
Jefferson's Revolving Bookstand  item #110000 Price:  $618.00

Jack Ear Bud holders, keeps the cord from tangling.   $12.00
At San Francisco Museum of Modern Art   

















At the Plimoth Plantation Museum
Tea Brick
SKU: 10256  $18.95

















At the Plimoth Plantation Museum
Vous et Nul Autre (You and No Other)
SKU: 5053 $38.00
Extremely popular in the 17th-century, poesie rings bear thoughtful inscriptions of love and friendship. This ring, a reproduction in sterling silver of the antique original in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, is beautiful as a wedding band. Available in whole and half sizes 4-13. You can custom order this ring in 14k or 18k yellow or white gold or platinum. Due to fluctuations in the metals market, please contact us for price information. Made in the USA.
At the Smithsonian

Hourglass Desk Clock   Item #39171 Price : $45.00


Choose the Portrait you want created for you = Art on Demand

Through Art on Demand at the National Portrait Gallery you can create a fully customized reproduction of one of the iconic portraits from the Museum’s collection, including select American Presidents from George Washington to Ronald Reagan and historical figures from Pocahontas to Babe Ruth.
(http://npgportraits.si.edu/emuseumnpg/code/emuseum.asp?page=collectionNPG)
Your selected portrait may be ordered in a variety of standard sizes as a premium quality print or Giclee on canvas, and optionally may be framed in one of three elegant frames. The final customized artwork will be sent directly to your home. Purchases may be made in-store or over the phone by calling:
(202) 633-5450.

Until Later, Jack
© ARTS&FOOD,(ARTSnFOOD.blogspot.com) All rights reserved, © Copyright Jack A. Atkinson  2010 Under All International, Digital, Intellectual Property and Copyright Laws. Images © Copyright individual Creators, Lenders or Fabricators.


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