Is Drawing Still Relevant? Ink & Brush Drawings at Beacons Art Space + Delano Peach Delight

Dragonfly - Ink & Brush Drawing by Jack A. Atkinson

ART

Drawing

Although drawing has been the beginning for all art processes from Cave Painting until the 20th Century, it is a skill seldom shown in galleries today.

With the onset of "Modernism": abstraction, automatic writing, distortion, non-objective art, found objects, installations, performance art and photography - the need for drawing talent in art production has faded, but it is still "the skill" at the heart of many figurative and landscape painters and sculptors. Based on much of the art in NYC galleries over the past ten years by young emerging artists, drawing seems to not be a skill which is emphasized by today's art educators in the many art instructional institutions around the world.

Drawing with Ink 

and a Brush is the 

Keystone of 

Jack Atkinson's Art!

"Freehand Drawings

- Ink & Brush"

Jack Atkinson

Beacons Art Space

Denver, Colorado

Exhibition through August 24, 2012

(EDITOR'S NOTE: Although this article is taken from the promotional material at the gallery and written in third person, these artworks are indeed mine.)

All of Jack Atkinson’s artworks (drawings, paintings, digital works, blow-ups & sculpture) start as ink and brush paintings, executed freehand and usually from life (drawn in real time, as they happen in front of him). Simply put, instead of "photographs" he takes snap shots the original way, by drawing them, and in the unforgiving medium of ink.

Gallery View at Beacons Art Space.

Because life is in constant motion, many of his brush paintings are created in seconds and many of the people he draws are not aware they are being drawn: at social situations, in public places, at events and on public transportation.

He also enjoys re-interpreting masterworks, drawing them while viewing the same in museums.

Below are some examples of Atkinson's drawings in the exhibition at Beacons Art Space.(When viewing these drawings, consider the moment they are created freehand from life - in seconds or at the most a few minutes, because life does not stand still. If these were not done quickly, the opportunity to capture them would be gone.)

Young Fancy Dancer, at a Pow Wow.

At an Art Party, NYC.

At the New York Historical Society, after John James Audubon. 

At an Art Opening.

At a Museum, two patrons from South America.

Jeremy

Halloween Costume.

At the Pool.

Mutton Bustin' at the Rodeo.

Very Proud, Young Native American Dancer.

Light Brahma Hen - Stock Show

Artist's Model

Panda, from life.

Rabbits huddle at the Stock Show.

Shoe Shine?
On the street in NYC.

Writing in her diary, at the MoMA Sculpture Garden.

Chinese hostess at a restaurant.

House in the trees, after Rembrandt

Atkinson has studios in the NYC area and in Denver, CO, USA.

(Contact information: JackAtkinson.com • <jackatkinsonstudios@me.com>)

FOOD

Delano Peach Delight

The Delano name is most famous in America for our president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. This peach dessert also carries that name as do the other descendants of the Delano family name. Here is an OLD, recently found, recipe and to our delight it is beyond delicious. 

This dessert is perfect for late summer, when peaches are at their best.

INGREDIENTS

Fresh Peaches (one for every two servings)

Vanilla Ice Cream

Good Port Wine

DIRECTIONS

Pit and peel the peaches

Cut the peach-half into bite-sized pieces and place in a bowl

Scoop some vanilla ice cream and lay on top of the peaches

Pour the Port wine over the ice cream and let it pool around the peaches

Serve and enjoy!

Delano Peach Delight is simple and tastes NEW, although it's a very old recipe.

Until later,

Jack

ARTSnFOOD, is an online publication dedicated to "The Pursuit of Happiness, the Arts and Food." ™ All rights reserved. Concept, Original Art, Text & Photographs are © Copyright 2012 Jack A. Atkinson under all International intellectual property and copyright laws. All gallery, museum, fair or festival photographs were taken with permission. Images © individual artists, fabricators, respective owners or assignees.

MARVIN HAMLISCH - Music Man for a Generation - In Memorium 1944 - 2012

Photo courtesy of Marvin Hamlish Official Website

"I have to keep reminding myself that 'A Chorus Line' was initially considered weird and off the wall," ... "You mustn't underestimate an audience's intelligence." -Marvin Hamlisch

One of America's most talented musical artists, left us suddenly this past week. Marvin Hamlisch was also one of only two people to have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, a Tony and a Pulitzer Prize (the other person was Richard Rodgers). Plus he also won Golden Globes.

When he was 21 Hamlisch wrote Lesley Gore's song “Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows,” later, the pop hit “Nobody Does It Better,” sung by Carly Simon,  Aretha Franklin's “Break It to Me Gently” and Barbara Streisand's “The Way We Were.” 

Hamlisch wrote the film scores for:  the James Bond film “The Spy Who Loved Me," "The Sting", “Ordinary People,” “Sophie’s Choice” and, most recently, “The Informant.” His theater scores included: “The Goodbye Girl” (1993), “Sweet Smell of Success” (2002) and “Imaginary Friends” (2002) and his greatest theatrical hit "A Chorus Line."

A CHORUS LINE: (a synopsis) At an audition for an upcoming Broadway production, the formidable director and his assistant choreographer put the dancers through their paces. Every dancer is desperate for work. The director tells them he is looking for a strong dancing chorus of four boys and four girls. He asks the dancers to introduce themselves and talk about their pasts. The stories generally progress chronologically from early life experiences through adulthood of each career.

His comment about writing music, "It’s easy to write things that are so self-conscious that they become pretentious, that have a lot of noise. It’s very hard to write a simple melody. ”

MARVIN HAMLISCH MOVIES: 

1968 THE SWIMMER

• 1969
  TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN
• 1969 THE APRIL FOOLS
• 1970 MOVE
• 1970 FLAP
• 1971 SOMETHING BIG
• 1971 KOTCH
• 1971 BANANAS
• 1972 THE WAR BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN
• 1973 THE WORLD’S GREATEST ATHLETE
• 1973 SAVE THE TIGER
• 1974 THE WAY WE WERE
• 1974 THE STING
• 1975 THE PRISONER OF SECOND AVENUE
• 1977 THE ABSENT-MINDED WAITER
• 1977 THE SPY WHO LOVED ME
• 1978 SAME TIME, NEXT YEAR
• 1978 ICE CASTLES
• 1979 CHAPTER TWO
• 1979 STARTING OVER
• 1980 SEEMS LIKE OLD TIMES
• 1980 ORDINARY PEOPLE
• 1980 GILDA LIVE
• 1982 SOPHIE’S CHOICE
• 1982 I OUGHT TO BE IN PICTURES
• 1983 ROMANTIC COMEDY
• 1984 A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE
• 1985 D.A.R.Y.L.
• 1985 A CHORUS LINE
• 1987 WHEN THE TIME COMES
• 1987 THREE MEN AND A BABY
• 1987 THE RETURN OF THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN AND THE BIONIC WOMAN
• 1988 SAM FOUND OUT: A TRIPLE PLAY
• 1988 LITTLE NIKITA
• 1988 DAVID
• 1989 THE JANUARY MAN
• 1989 SHIRLEY VALENTINE
• 1989 THE EXPERTS
• 1990 WOMEN AND MEN: STORIES OF SEDUCTION
• 1991 SWITCHED AT BIRTH
• 1991 FRANKIE AND JOHNNY
• 1992 MISSING PIECES
• 1994 SEASONS OF THE HEART
• 1996 THE MIRROR HAS TWO FACES
• 2009 THE INFORMANT!

MARVIN HAMLISCH BROADWAY PLAYS:

• 1973 SEESAW
• 1975 A CHORUS LINE
• 1978 THEY’RE PLAYING OUR SONG
• 1983 JEAN SEBERG
• 1986 SMILE
• 1993 THE GOODBYE GIRL
• 2002 SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS: THE MUSICAL
• 2002 IMAGINARY FRIENDS
• 
  

His funeral visitation in NYC is open to the public and will be held August 12 & 13 at the Frank E. Campbell Funeral Home, 81st and Madison.

(source: Marvin Hamlish website and wikipedia)

Until later,

Jack

ARTSnFOOD 

An online publication focused on The Arts aNd Food.

All rights reserved. Concept & Original Text © Copyright 2012 Jack A. Atkinson under all International intellectual property and copyright laws. Images © individual artists, fabricators, respective owners or assignees.

London Summer Olympic Games 2012 + Homemade Noodles in Broth

ART

The Summer
Olympic Games,
London 2012
Exciting!

(PS: The logo forms the numerals 2012.)

England issues their

Official Olympic Royal Mail Stamps

Visual art is hard to find at these London, Summer Olympic Games: stamps, the logo, the color light show on the exterior of the stadium, the Anish Kapoor Tower and the "installation" style of Olympic Cauldron are about the limit, as far as I can tell. Oh, I forgot those silly mascots that the public and the souvenir stands always demand.

London 2012 Mascots: Whenlock & Mandeville

This year's Olympic Cauldron has the most clever design in the history of the Olympics, although it is understated in size and invisible except to those who have tickets to the events held in the main Olympic stadium.

The cauldron was created by Heartherwick Studios (installations & architectural elements) by artist/designer thomas heatherwick. The multi-coned design, is composed from 204 petals (one carried in by each competing nation), which were attached to levered stems that pump natural gas to each petal. The stems gently rose from the floor upwards and converged to form 'one great flame of unity' - representative of the transitory togetherness and the embodiment of the Olympic games. Images: Heartherwick Studios & LOCOG

The individual cauldron cones.

Below are some stamps issued for the London, 2012 Summer Olympics!

(Photo source for this article: www.london2012.com)

A color light installation, inspired by the flags of the various nations, was created by artist Sophie Smallhorn and can be viewed every night on the exterior of the main Olympic Stadium. The Olympic Stadium itself was designed by "Populous".

Olympic Tower designed by Anish Kapoor

The Olympics 2012 Tower, next to the aquatics center is scheduled to remain after the London 2012 Olympics end. It more or less has replaced the Olympic Cauldron as the outwardly visible symbol for these games. Designed by England's own Turner Prize winning sculptor, Anish Kapoor, the tower stands 115 meters tall and cost 19.1 million English pounds to build. It incorporates the 5 Olympic rings in distorted loops, is titled "Arcelor Mittal Orbit" and has an observation deck near the top.

Sculptor Anish Kapoor next to a model
of his "Arcelor Mittal Orbit" Olympic Tower.

The most photographed object - the freestanding Olympic Rings.

The Olympics may be the best event humanity has ever devised, with representatives from most of the nations of the world, peacefully gathered in one place - at one time, in freindly competition and getting to know each other on a personal level.
(Pictured) Decathlon winners Ashton Eaton (Gold) and Trey Hardee (Silver) pose in front of the Olympic Cauldron.
(For photos showing the many countries and events go to www.london2012.com/)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

in New York City posted this Childe Hassam Painting

in celebration of the London Games.
(Source Metropolitan Museum of Art)

FOOD

Homemade Noodles in Broth

You might ask, "Isn't this just a fancy Cup-of-Noodles?" (Which you have been trying to avoid ever since the last time your piggy bank was empty.) My answer is a resounding, No! This is gourmet comfort food with noodles that are silky and a real treat for the mouth. Now I am always making chicken and turkey broth and freezing it for times like this, but you can use canned broth which can be made better after 30 minutes of boiling with slices of onion and a few cloves of chopped garlic (strain and use this as your homemade broth.)

Ingredients:

36 oz. of homemade chicken broth

3 cups flour (+ flour for rolling the dough)

1/2 cup cool or room temp milk

1/2 cup cool or room temp water

Make the noodles:

- Have two bowls ready, put 1 cup of flour in one bowl and set aside.

- Put another cup of flour in the other bowl, add the milk and water, and mix well with clean hands, until the lumps are all gone. Add another cup of flour (2 cups total) and hand mix until the sticky dough holds together.

- Transfer this messy dough to the first bowl of flour and knead, incorporating flour into the dough until it forms a solid, workable and firm consistency. 

- Clean and "flour" a solid workable surface

- Roll the dough out until it is 1/8" to 1/16" thick.

- Wipe the surface of the dough with floured hands and let the dough dry for 10 minutes.

- Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a large pot. 

- After drying, cut the dough into 1" x 2" noodles, peel them up (if dough is still sticky on the reverse side, rub the sticky side in some flour) drop the noodles, a few at a time, into the boiling broth and stir to separate. Cook for 10 minutes.

- Taste broth for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed.

- Ladle the noodles and broth into individual bowls and enjoy.

+ If you add some cubed, cooked chicken to each bowl, you will have a new variation of Chicken and Dumplings, a kind of a Chicken and Noodles. 

(Source: Atkinson Family Cookbook)

Until later,

Jack

ARTSnFOOD, is an online publication dedicated to "The Pursuit of Happiness, the Arts and Food." ™ All rights reserved. Concept, Original Text & Original Photographs are © Copyright 2012 Jack A. Atkinson under all International intellectual property and copyright laws. All gallery, museum, fair or festival photographs were taken with permission. Images © individual artists, fabricators, respective owners or assignees.