Well, aside from getting engaged last night ( best Halloween ever! ), the second most enthusiastic news I can share is that we visited the SFMOMA today and I was mighty delighted by the multi-media works of Candice Breitz. With ‘Mother’, six different video screens orchestrated clips of 6 famous actresses in roles portraying the often difficult mother/child relationship. It was funny, disturbing, and totally engaging.
Plus, I had a really handsome fiance by my side. 
Vancouver BC-based photographer Dina Goldstein has created the ‘Fallen Princesses’ series – a collection of dark and funny photos of all the major Disney princesses, living less than happily ever after.
As she explains, “As a young girl, growing up abroad, I was not exposed to Fairy tales. These new discoveries lead to my fascination with the origins of Fairy tales. I explored the original brothers Grimm’s stories and found that they have very dark and sometimes gruesome aspects, many of which were changed by Disney. I began to imagine Disney’s perfect Princesses juxtaposed with real issues that were affecting women around me, such as illness, addiction and self-image issues.”
'Snowy' by Dina Goldstein
Yesterday I visited the Ansel Adams/Georgia O’Keefe exhibit at SFMOMA. I found great peace in learning how these two artists found so much worth noticing in nature. I endeavor to foster such focus and reverence in myself, to spend time alone with the elements, seeing with the heart….
There was one particular set of 3 photos by Adams called ‘Snow Sequence I, II, and III.’ He captured 3 different close-ups of snow receding from the earth, and the particular patterns the melting snowline created that mirrored the ground beneath. These images more than any in the exhibit reminded me that there is beauty everywhere, even (and especially) in the death of things. I couldn’t find a copy of these images to share here, so instead have inserted ‘Frozen Lake and Cliffs’ – a stunning, subjective, almost unreal image, also of retreating winter. Joseph thinks this photo would be an amazing backdrop for a theater production.
Frozen Lake and Cliffs, by Ansel Adams
If you get a chance, check out this exhibit through September 7th. Also of great interest is the exhibit of Robert Frank’s ‘The Americans’ – all eighty something photos that made up his groundbreaking book.
Gotta love art.
My friend Jennifer McNeely is an incredible sculptural artist, and her latest installation is featured this month in Exhale, ‘A Literary Magazine for Intelligent People Who Have Lost a Baby or Can’t Figure Out How to Make One in the First Place’.
Her courage to experience the pain of losing a pregnancy and to give the loss new life as a work of art is so inspiring. Jennifer makes many tactile, resonating artworks, and I am proud to own a few.
Sorry Business by Jennifer McNeely
Last weekend my mom and I drove into SF for some Sunday girl time. We viewed the Women Impressionists exhibit at the Legion of Honor (which is a gorgeous museum, and has some of the lovely grounds I’ve ever encountered), and the Frida Kahlo show at SF MOMA. It was a sunny, perfect day in the city, and we cruised the streets looking for a good place to have lunch. I was hungry for Mediterranean, so we used the GPS system in mom’s new convertible. I have a hard time with GPS systems…..with anyone telling me where to go….and this system led us from one neighborhood to the next, with no recognizable route….we wound up in the Mission, and ‘Truly Mediterranean’ looked good, but only had take-out. Across the street was a white walled facade with bright blue doors and window frames. We figured it was Greek and crossed the street to check it out. And I am here to tell you about Ti Couz in the Mission District!
3108 16th St
(at Valencia St)
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 252-7373
As Geoff C said on Yelp, “Having another crepe elsewhere will never be the same (including most of France). Bohemian atmosphere, cheap prices, and diverse clientele make this my favorite casual spot in The Mission.”
Yes, the crepes were amazing, the best I’ve ever had. The art on the walls was cool, and my mom bought a t-shirt with artwork on it by Armelle Gourvennec. Alas, I can’t read or speak French (yet!) but her website has some really cool, quirky portraits, like the one pictured above.
Next time you’re looking for a great, casual dining experience in San Francisco, remember this place!
Joe and I had an amazingly rejuvenating Labor Day weekend. We drove 3 hours north and camped in Richardson Grove State Park, amongst the giant Coastal Redwoods. Then we drove home via Highway One along the ocean.
We read about the Sea Ranch chapel, a non-denominational sanctuary for prayer, meditation, and spiritual renewal, and stopped to take a peek. I can honestly say I’ve never been in a more beautiful structure. World class artistry, and also, intimate enough to make me imagine it was my very own retreat. There are seashells embedded in the ceiling, and throughout the interior structure. Though I’ve not yet seen Gaudi’s work firsthand, I imagine there are many similarities in how organic the design is.
Sea Ranch Chapel - interior
The chapel was designed and built by internationally renowned San Diego artist and architect James T. Hubbell. Hubbell has received numerous awards for his work in design, sculpture, wood, glass, stone, and metal. Among them, a 1985 “Special Award for Excellence in Craftsmanship” from the California Council of the American Institute of Architects particularly recognized his work on The Sea Ranch Chapel.
exterior of chapel
I look forward to a chance to visit this place again. You can read more about it here.
It’s so good to be back in New York! The first thing I always want to do when I get here is visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I don’t know of a place that makes me feel safer, more graceful, or more human. Usually when I visit, I dedicate myself to a few rooms where I pore over each and every piece of art, and its title. Titles have inspired SO many of my song lyrics.
But this time, my approach was different. I did not look at a single title, and I simply roamed from room to room, waiting to see what would catch my eye. I found myself most fascinated by my fellow viewers this time. So many people taking pictures of themselves in front of the Impressionists! They inspired the following line which popped into my head, and which is already on its way to being a complete new song.
Take my picture with the painting
To prove that I was here
I have seen the vibrant strokes of the man without an ear
I am off to explore more of this fine city today, and wonder what words will come today…..
I’m really fond of this artist I discovered at an open studio weekend in Berkeley. Salma Arastu was born in India and describes her paintings this way:
“I am attempting to create a world through my art work in which the magic of communion plays a central role.”
This painting in acrylic is called ‘The Story Teller’.
Find out more at http://www.salmaarastu.com/
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