Playing Catch Up

It's no wonder I never go anywhere because it takes me so long to get back in the groove that it's hardly worth it (well, the conference is an exception). Anyway, here are some things that I wanted to mention before the conference and have just remembered as my brain sinks into its normal state of atrophy:

Stephanie Clayton's Salute to Aqua
Through my friend Pam Farrell, I heard about the online exhibition of works in or of the color aqua that Stephanie was assembling on her blog. You will recognize many of the artists' names in this grouping, including mine, in the several posts that Stephanie has made about aqua.

Could've sent this one - "Blue Skies", 12"x12", encaustic and mixed mediums

Or this one - "Island Dreams 4", 6"x6", encaustic and beads

Or even this one - half of "Thinking Sideways", each panel 16"x16", encaustic and mixed mediums.

Where does "aqua" start and "blue" end?

This exhibition follows that of Little Red Squares by Pam and Spring Greens by Joanne M. Wouldn't it be great if all these works could be seen in person in their respective shows? Where, oh, where are the gallerists who should be breaking down the doors?

What is "art" and how do you do it?
"Intriguing concept but doomed to failure" was my instant assessment from the moment I heard about Bravo TV's "Work of Art" that intends to be the Project Runway of the art world. Well, it's no Project Runway (which I love), that's for sure. Seeing as my wonderful local cable TV monopoly, Charter, fails to include Bravo in my station lineup even though I pay about a million dollars a month for the crap that's on all the miserable channels they do provide, I have to watch online. Here's the link to the show if you're interested.

Book cover design by contestant John Parot, winner of third show contest.

Yes, it's nice to think that someone (apparently Sarah Jessica Parker) cared to include artists in the line-up of garment designers, chefs, freaks, bachelors, survivors, etc., etc. that compete in these foolish reality shows (some of which I watch and like). HOWEVER, you know it's going to be crap because how can artists work by the clock? (And without solitude and privacy, I might add.) It's as hokey as I thought it would be and I only watched the first episode because I have a desk computer and can't lounge on the couch while watching as I normally would in front of the TV.

But, it is interesting to hear (read) what some people have to say about it because they comment on what art is about and how it's made off TV, that is, in the real reality as opposed to the fake reality. So here are some links if you want to contemplate:

Ross Bleckner, artist   (this link from Tim McFarlane's blog)

Ed Winkleman, gallerist

Paddy Johnson, Art Fag City, art blogger

P.S. Bravo is very protective of their images from the show. All I wanted was to show Jerry Salz, who is one of the show's judges and whose writing I really like, but nooooooo.

Speaking of TV
Last week was the series premiere of one of my favorite shows that provides the opportunity to laugh at people who fall in mud, get squirted with various substances, get punched in the face, trip, slip, get made dizzy, etc.- all without harm to them and with their doing all these amusing (to us) things for the possibility of winning $50,000 if they can get to the end of a fabulously ingenious obstacle course. Yes, it's Wipe Out, one of my faves and only on for the summer, I guess. Tuesday nights on ABC or online here.

Half of the Big Balls obstacle. There are four of these BBs that contestants have to run across to get to the other side. I can count on one hand the number of people that I have seen accomplish this feat. I love the Big Balls!

Speaking of Reality
It's finally happened. We've seen billboards that light up, move holographically, emit sounds, and so on. Now we have a billboard with a smell.

Clipped from my local paper:
Mooresville, NC (AP) - It's not just the picture of beef on a new billboard in North Carolina that tries to catch drivers' attention, it's the aroma coming from the sign.
     The billboard on N.C. 150 in central North Carolina emits the smell of black pepper and charcoal to promote a new line of beef available at the Bloom grocery chain. Bloom is part of the Salisbury, N.C.-based Food Lion chain.
     The billboard shows a fork piercing a piece of meat.
     A Bloom spokeswoman says the billboard will emit scents from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. every day until June 18.
     A high-powered fan at the bottom of the billboard spreads the aroma by blowing air over cartridges loaded with fragrance oil.

Why haven't we seen this on the front page of the Times? This is the kind of news I would much rather read about than the horrible BP disaster. Let's get those vegetarian protesters organized! We need carrots or broccoli next! Wait, hold the broccoli.