Google Art Project

Google's newest project if you haven't seen it is the Google Art Project. This amazing site gives anyone with Internet the ability to "Explore museums from around the world, discover and view hundreds of artworks at incredible zoom levels, and even create and share [our] own collection[s] of masterpieces." [Google’s wording] the features of this service are incredible, especially if you're an art lover.

Here's the link to an explanatory video, found on Gizmodo: 

And here's the project itself: Google Art Project.

California Center for the Arts, Museum Store

Our Museum Store merchandise gets changed and added to ever time a new exhibition comes around.  Sometimes it has to do with the exhibition’s content and sometimes not.  This round Beth (our Store Manager among many other things) is doing a great job at bringing you – and me – lots of fun things to buy!  I already have a little Tara stack of things that I have purchased, sorry I know you had no chance because we are closed but hey that’s a perk I will take.  Above you can check out some Tara treasures and other things that will be available in the store as soon as we open on the night of February 12^th !

An interesting note about shopping, specifically impulse buying [thanks to 94.1 FM this morning] is that people with last names near the end of the alphabet are more likely to be impulse buyers.  “They” did a study and found that end of the alphabet last namers make up the dominant amount of impulse buyers.  You can thank your elementary and middle school teachers for this as you were the last one called when waiting to: pick partners for a project, leave for a field trip, get up to get supplies etc… Supposedly this gave all of us with last names starting with Q – Z a compulsion to buy things right away so we don’t have to wait.  

Natural Beauties

So, I don’t know about you guys, but driving is very comforting to me. I have two jobs on opposite parts of town so I’m spending a lot of time in the car constantly leaving one place and going to the other. With that being said, I try to utilize this time as “me” time—time to think, time to breathe, time to listen to music, zone out, pick my nose, whatever. While driving west on the 78 the day after a rain storm around sunset (and rush hour traffic) I looked up and saw the most beautiful sky. It looked like an amazing painting with the richest oil colors, and I couldn’t help but realize how often these types of natural scenes are overlooked. Working in the arts keeps our eyes on the lookout for colors and paintings and artworks that are created by artists, but sometimes we forget that the inspiration behind such works is all around us every day. There is no richer green than that of grass or natural moss or clovers. There is no brighter blue then that of the sky and there is no truer pink than that of my Snapple pink lemonade. What I’m getting at is this—take some time to lift your head up out of the grind and enjoy the natural artwork that is all around you.

Listen to this song while driving, walking, biking, hiking through nature next time. It’ll make everything go slower. J

Arcade Fire- "Suburban War"

x Carissa

Library Thing

After my last post on Steve Martin’s new book, An Object of Beauty, I got to thinking about just how much I love to read.  Life is beautiful but sometimes you just need a little escape, which a good book can always be.  Another one of the books I am currently reading is The Participatory Museum by Nina Simon.  In it, as she is an avid reader [context clues, I do not personally know this fact], when discussing ideas behind personalized experiences through technological engines she mentions LibraryThing. LibraryThing is an online site that catalogues and recommends books to its users, like a facebook only about the books you read.  I recently started a page of my own and am really enjoying entering in all the books I can remember reading.  Each entry is a little trip down my book memory lane.  Become a LiraryThing-er yourself and see what the ‘Unsuggester’ recommends for you!  The ‘Unsuggester’ suggests books to you that based on your book profile, you would never read.   

Tara

Hate to See it Leave, But Love to Watch it Go.

Tara mentioned it before, but we are now in the full throws of turn-around time and it’s an emotional sight to see! I too enjoy this time of year and all the perks that come with it, most important being allowed to dress casually, but along with jeans and sneakers comes the heartbreak of letting go of the exhibition that everyone lived for the past 5 months.  Leveled was the first exhibition I had seen in its entirety, from start to finish, while working here at the Museum; and it was also Tara’s first exhibition as Curator here-- so there is a lot of separation anxiety going on in the museum admin offices! But, alas, Leveled had an amazing run and we are looking forward to the upcoming Patricia Patterson exhibition and all the other promising shows we are already working on for the future. I would like to formally say “Goodbye” to Leveled and “Congratulations” to its artists and Curator for such a touching exhibition. For all you old-schooler’s who came to Leveled looking for traditional paintings but were instead met by a mysterious fort and some oversized vegetables, NEVER FEAR! We have some beautiful, colorful pieces coming your way.

Here are a couple more photos of Leveled getting stripped. Enjoy. . . or be sad about it, like me.

x Carissa

Marisol's avocado, saran-wrapped and ready for the 'fridge. 

 Look at all the knowledge that was housed in Wes' fort!?

The Fort's guts. Most of its insides now out in the hallway.

Detail from Doris' installation. I think "HEART" is a good word to sum up the show.

St.Orlan vs. Bridalplasty

CNN breaks down Bridalplasty for you.

 

I don’t have a television. Actually, I have a TV, but no cable. I get only 10 channels that allow me the local news and football games. But after a night at my girlfriend’s house of watching a hilarious Twilight marathon and making moonshine, we flipped to E! and that’s when I realized why only having basic cable is a blessing—Bridalplasty! I can’t explain in words the feeling of nausea that set in, but I will say that it was significant. I couldn’t believe my eyes/ears/stomach/society, and it made me think of artist, Orlan.

Orlan used plastic surgery as a medium for her performance art pieces, and everyone thought she was completely nuts. People were outraged. But then this show comes along, in which women are competing to have this done to them before their weddings (to these men who supposedly love them the way they are) and we glorify and celebritize it? I’m not following. I’m imagining Orlan, smiling smugly at this (or totally frustrated), because I think this was exactly the type of madness she was trying to draw attention to. Anyways, I’ll let you make your own conclusions about the implications of this trainwreck. . . I’ll be at my friend’s house watching Bridalplasty.  . .Don’t judge me!

If you’re interested in further reading about Orlans work, (which you should be) here are a few interviews and articles! 

Orlan's Website 

Interesting Opinion Blog about the subject.

An Interview with Orlan.

x Carissa

I MET JUDY CHICAGO!

Okay, in reality, that’s a lie. But I did get very close! Beth, Museum Coordinator (friend), and I went down to SDMA to see Artist, Judy Chicago give a lecture about the new book she wrote with Art Historian, Frances Borzello called: Frida Kahlo:Face to Face. It was an awesome lecture and very well-attended. I think the most exciting parts were:

1. Seeing Judy in person. I’ve had a total girl-crush on her since college.  
2. Being in the midst of many other art historians who were speaking a lingo that, Beth and I agreed, we don’t hear enough anymore.
3. Viewing such a broad body of Kahlo’s work in one lecture. Chicago had studied many stages of Kahlo’s life, beginning with the most basic portraits, and followed it all the way until the end. Every struggle was represented. And Judy was very good about relating Kahlo’s work back to other women in art, both past and present.
4. Having two of my favorite artists being presented and presenting at the same time was such a treat. I was on overload. Women in art, ROCK!

To read/hear more about the book check it out here and here.

xx Carissa

Channeling Mondrian

Has your Mom ever told you your birth story? My Mom never shies away from the subject. I think she just likes to make me feel guilty. The birth story I love the most is the one my co-workers tell me regarding how I got hired here at the Center Museum. It has all the fun, feel-good elements—minus the gory details. Here’s a peek at one of the reason I got hired: my vintage, Mondrian inspired shoes! Beth, the Museum Coordinator, got me a ring to match for Christmas. It’s been the highlight of my holiday season.

Also, look out for photos of Security Guard Joe’s car that we will be painting soon, inspired by this photo below. His 1990 Geo Metro will never look better!

PS. I want to be this lady!

x Carissa

Notes from the Front Desk: Our Inner Psychologies Regarding Ms. Augustine Greane

Here are my two cents on Wes Bruce and Ms. Augustine Greane; because I know you’re just dying to hear what I have to say!  Sitting up at the front desk, day in and day out, observing patrons and their interactions with Wes’ fort has been interesting, especially watching the difference of opinions. The majority of which range from positive to OVERLY ENTHUSIASTIC! Most days people come out of the curtains with a smile and a kind word or two to say about the space, while others come out streaming tears of joy!

There are also some that have breached the barrier between the fort’s sacred dwellings and the rest of the world, and felt feelings of fear, sadness, and for some, just plain confusion. While the feelings of fear often come from small children who haven’t made peace with the dark yet, there have been adults that have explained that it made them feel joyless.

A piece can mean so many things to different people.  It represents not only the feelings of the artist, but it serves to harbor the personal projections of its viewers. While there are many very whimsical child-like elements to the fort, there is also a very somber, subdued, mysterious, yet strangely familiar quality within the space. A quality that makes us smile while at the same time wanting to shed a tear.  And that’s all one can really say about The Secrets Surrounding the Mysterious Life of Ms. Augustine Greane, no matter what emotion it summons from you, you’re sure to be entertained. Come see it (and me!) before it’s gone, December 31^st. 

xx Carissa

PS. I hope you guys liked the music vid above. Here is more from A New Normal Music. Enjoy.