Whatever Wednesday - Walk with Me

Walk with me in the Dallas Museum of Art sculpture garden.  I enjoyed a lovely Sunday stroll, and now I share it with you today

Dappled sunlight streamed over very cool sculptures

Sphere in sunlight

 Geometric delight. 

It's so nice  to emerge back  into the world.  Go see some art - indoors or outdoors. There is always something to delight the eye.

Monday Moments - Virtual Author Talk - Texas Bound

 Friday night I enjoyed a virtual author talk sponsored by the Dallas Museum of Art.  It was Texas Bound - stories by Texas authors and read by Texans.  I enjoyed the 1-1/2 hours but, I have to say, the live version was always more fun.  Virtual is handy. But live - you get the reactions of the audience - the chuckles, the inhale of breath, etc. You don't realize how much you might miss in a story without a crowd. 

I shall be ready for live shows when they do happen again. Meanwhile, this was an excellent program. 

Hosted by Tina Parker - Kitchen Dog Theater.  She was really good and you'd recognize her from various TV shows including Better Call Saul.  Fun and effervescent. 

"Separation Notice" by Jenny Bhatt   Performed by  Maryam Obaidullah Baig

"Window Seat" by LaToya Watkins   Performed by Kenya Flippin   (really good)

"Uncle Rock" by Dagoberto Gilb   Performed by Chris Ramirez  ( a bit long)

"Women and Horses" by Elizabeth Wetmore  Performed by Marcia Gay Harden (dang....she's so good)

"Excerpt from Greenlights" by Matthew McConaughey  Performed by the man himself...he's awesome. I reviewed this book awhile ago - quite an excellent memoir. 

So - enjoy arts from your local museums, etc.  Seek out what's offered and with virtual you can watch when you want, with your own snacks. and adult beverage. 

Culture for the mind!

Virtual Author Talk - Esther Safran Foer

5/18/20 - I signed into a virtual author talk sponsored by the Dallas Museum of Art and the Dallas Holocaust Museum. The guest author, Esther Safran Foer, was born in a displaced persons camp. Only her mother and father had survived the Holocaust from her whole family.  Her memoir, I Want You to Know We're Still Here, is about growing up in the shadow of the Holocaust.

Her goal in writing this was the history and  to remember - whether happy or sad - but to have it on paper. She learned her father, in Ukraine, had a previous wife and daughter who were killed. Her mother in Poland, as Nazis arrived, grabbed her winter coat, socks, scissors (she could sew). And Esther writes that as a survivor, her mother always kept a ton of sugar, flour, and cereal in the pantry. The mother always wanted to be prepared for dire circumstances.

p. 100 - Esther realized she was the "hinge" between generations of the family - the link. She herself did not experience the Holocaust, and growing up a bit in the displaced camp was fine for a child - kids to play with,  food, etc.  Once out of the camp, Esther did see the toll the war took.Her mother was strong and survived. Her father committed suicide when Esther was eight.

Quite a story, and in hearing the author speak, she said she knew she had to become a writer and preserve the stories, put the memories down on paper for herself, for her sons, and for posterity.

I miss live events at the museums,  but the power of virtual viewing is better than nothing. I enjoyed hearing Esther Safran Foer speak. Her strength, humor, and family view of history was compelling.
It was worth an on-line ticket ($25.00) and I consider it a donation  to the arts. Helps keep my brain from becoming mush.

Virtual Arts and Letters Live - Sue Monk Kidd

Arts in the new Era - a Virtual ticketed event to hear Sue Monk Kidd give an author talk.

Totally worth the price of admission. Thanks to the Dallas Museum of Art and their Arts and Letters Live program, I was able to enjoy an hour long outdoor fireside chat with Sue Monk Kidd. Her new book is called Book of Longing.  I have not read it yet - a copy is being sent to me as part of the ticket price. Nonetheless, it sounds intriguing and I enjoyed hearing the author's comments on her process, concerns, and efforts to bring this book alive.

"You put yourself out there, " she said.  She decided to write a book about Anna, her creation - the wife of Jesus.  As her husband said, "What could go wrong?"  She approached it with trepidation, but felt there was a story there. It's fiction, but she believes writing is " a fight of courage."

She did a year of research and then took over four years to write the book. She wants the novel to "inspire our longings, our largeness." It was a feminist quest, a concern for freedoms, and to give a voice to a strong woman.

Sue Monk Kidd said, "My writing is a prayer."  She's seventy years old now, began writing at age thirty - a tad late to the game.

She was classy, well spoken, sincere, had a super sense of humor.  This program was a delight to watch. It would have been more fun live, but this could be the new norm and I am happy to pay for a ticket.

Sue Monk Kidd - author and neat lady.

Wordless (Almost) Wednesday - More Dior

 Marilyn Monroe in Christian Dior

 A breathtaking gallery of gowns worn by some famous folk - Rhianna, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lawrence, and Marlene Dietrich.

Need something to wear to a picnic?   ha!

Nifty exhibit - fantasy clothes and prices.  But sooner or later - haute couture design makes its way in many iterations to the racks of Wal-mart. Color, buttons, wide belt, or skinny - as we learned in the movie  "The Devil Wears Prada", it may seem silly but then it comes to the masses.

Monday Moments

A Monday moment after a Sunday at the Dallas Museum of Art. The featured exhibit is Dior: From Paris to the World. 

This is a wow showing of haute couture. Christian Dior founded his fashion house in 1947 and brought an elegance to a world still reeling from war. He died in 1957, but his work lived on  with designers appointed to continue his vision - Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferre, John Galliano, Raf Simons, and now Maria Grazia Chiuri. All stayed true to the Dior image and legacy "to make women happier and more beautiful.

Yes, there are some crazy designs, but the structure, detail, and seamstress skill is astounding.

Really cool exhibit.

M = Morisot, Berthe

She was known throughout her life as a "woman artist". Nonetheless, Berthe Morisot ran with the big boys in the world of impressionism, garnered respect, and broke glass ceilings before such a term was used.

This exhibition of her work at the Dallas Museum of Art is very thorough and stunning in its presentation. The seventy two paintings are hung in themes - leisure and plenty, mothers with children, seascapes, and life in general. Her skill  is masterful. As a matter of fact,  her husband Eugene Manet (brother of  artist Eduoard Manet) gave up his artistic career to manage hers.

The colors, brushstrokes, and vision are apparent. I've been to the museum twice and appreciated these paintings. They are lovely.

Alas she died from pneumonia at the age of 54, but her work lives on and is getting greater appreciation by museums with retrospectives of her career.

F = Flowers

F = Flowers.   This was cool at the Dallas Museum of Art.  Local florists designed arrangements as inspired by art work.  Other than the Turner, I did not take a photo of each pic.  But trust me, the works echoed the art.

Nifty perspective

Wednesday Wonders

The latest exhibit at the Dallas Museum of Art is  The Power of Gold: Asante Royal Regalia from Ghana.  It features over 200 fantastic pieces of ceremonial furniture, state swords, head gear, and other pieces in the world of gold trade. Wealth in this area began in 1701 and the Asante region reigned with prosperity and sophistication.

The pieces were glorious and some of the short film pieces showed ceremonies. Very interesting. I also got a kick out of some Asante folk wisdom and sayings.

My favorite:  One should never rub bottoms with a porcupine     
(i.e.  Don't get into a fight with someone who can hurt you more. )

Arts and Letters - Artful Musings on a Sunday afternoon

Enjoyed a Sunday afternoon program at the Dallas Museum of Art. The theme of Artful Musings was Fame.  It consisted of letters about fame from the famous. Four performers - Todd Beadle, Jamie Maschler, David Quicksall, and Jen Taylor presented a program with letters, a slide show, and an accordion accompaniment. It was all quite entertaining, amusing, and enlightening.

The show was in four parts - the struggle, fame, stardom, and fleeting aspects. It began with a letter from a 14 year old to a magazine, hoping for acceptance. The author...Stephen King. Other letters included David Bowie writing back to his very first fan letter from America  - his response was incredibly gracious. Another letter read aloud was from a young Bruce Springsteen to his landlord explaining why he was late.

There was quite a variety - some from authors to their publishers along with a response (sadly a rejection or two). There was a very funny letter response from the Monty Python troupe - John Cleese wrote, then Michael Palin did a follow-up, along with Eric Idle. It was a hoot.

The program flowed and the performers read with verve. This was a well curated collection and performance piece. Fame - quite a concept.

Arts and Letters Live - Selected Shorts

 When you are a kid, you enjoy being read to out loud. Well, turns out - it's a joy as an adult, too.
The latest Dallas Museum of Art's program Arts and Letters Live featured three selected short stories read aloud by three known actors. Truly inspirational. The theme was Surprised by Love, and yes, each story had a twist.

 

 

Jane Kaczmarek (known as the mother in Malcom in the Middle) read The Proxy Marriage by Maile Meloy.  She seemed touched by the story herself.

 

Mary Kay Place (from the Big Chill to Big Love) has a wry sense of humor and she brought her voice to Who Am I This Time? by Kurt Vonnegut. This was my favorite.

 

Rene Auberjonois (Broadway and Star Trek:Deep Space Nine) gave a rousing read of The Big Cat by Louise Erdrich. This story built slowly, but was rich in description.

 

This program turned out to be a very fun 1-1/2 hours. Check it out if Selected Short Stories comes to your area. As an author, I've read my own writing out loud - it makes you think about word choice, rhythm, and whether there is a flow.

 

 

July Junque: Day 19 Reflect on a Fri Night

Friday afternoon led to Friday evening at the Dallas Museum of Art. Here on a balcony overlooking the sculpture garden.  Inside, enjoyed "The Mind's Eye" featuring masterwork drawings. Very nice charcoals, pastels, etc - Degas, Manet, Delacroix, David, Renoir - all the biggies.

Chowed a sandwich in the café, then strolled over to Klyde Warren Park to people watch. Balmy temps for Texas - 80s. That's crazy talk.  Back inside to enjoy a new author talk with Daniel Silva. His book The Heist features the intrepid Gabriel Allon - art restorer and master Israeli spy. Looking forward to a great read.  Came out and the museum was going strong with their Late Night program. Folks were everywhere enjoying art, music, and other entertainment for families. Open until midnight. Yawn - we headed home, but were impressed.

July Junque - stay up late on a Friday night. Things are jumping.

Author Talk: Daniel Silva

 Saturday July 21st, the Dallas Museum of Art hosted a special Arts & Letters Live event with author Daniel Silva. I have not read his new novel The Fallen Angel yet, but I'm a follower of lead character Gabriel Allon's adventures and I look forward to an exciting thriller. However, the talk delved much deeper - Silva's research, travels, world economic and political chat, and his view of publishing today were all on the evening's menu. We enjoyed appetizing plot teasers as well as deep dish opinions.

Mr. Silva began writing as a Middle East correspondent. After returning to Washington and working for CNN, he began his first novel, The Unlikely Spy. It wasn't until his fourth, The Kill Artist, that he created Gabriel Allon - an art restorer and Israeli secret agent. Now with his fifteenth book, Silva still doesn't bore us. He blends art, smuggling, danger, and world threatening secrets. Espionage, intrigue, and fascinating characters are the hallmarks of Silva's novels.

When asked, "Which is harder - writing the book or doing the book tour?" Mr. Silva laughed, paused, and said, "Well......I like meeting the readers, but the actual travel is a beating." He proceeded to tell some funny travel horror stories from his current tour. It's not glamorous.

Because the publishing industry is demanding, he'll return after Labor Day and hunker down to work on the next novel with the expectation that it will be completed by March 2013. He writes seven days a week, full work hours. His research is thorough and his editing precise.

He personally is not keen on social network expectations and prefers paper to e-books.  He works alone and doesn't "understand the idea of writer critique groups. I'm not reading my work to a bunch of people." Silva does run words by his wife, but otherwise, he relies on his own ability as a writer to produce product.

Daniel Silva was a delightful interview. His sense of humor and his obvious intelligence gave the audience a well-rounded sense of a quiet talented man. If you haven't read any of Silva's books, seek one out now and you'll be hooked.

Fashion: Jean Paul Gaultier

Way out there exhibit at the Dallas Museum of Art - The fashion world of Jean Paul Gaultier. The man had a vision even as a young boy influenced by his grandmother in France, or digging through her drawers and creating a bustier for his teddy bear.

Whether it's futuristic designs for movies like The Fifth Element, or costumes for Madonna's Blond Ambition Tour, Gaultier's designs are unique, eyepopping, and distinctive. The couture aspect is demonstrated with the amount of hours noted to complete a piece. Sequins, feathers, lace, etc. are hand stitched, appliqued, or woven into intricate patterns for his seasonal themes.
I got a kick out of the cammo/wild hunter theme - oh yeah, I could see my husband in those outfits at his deer lease.

The museum exhibit is a fabulous experience. The mannequins' faces are animated - thus they pout, blink, and appear alive. It's disconcerting at times, yet fascinating. Step out of this world and into the future that is now - see Jean Paul Gaultier's exhibit through February 12, 2012.

C'est magnifique!