Keith Haring

I hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving. How about the Keith Haring float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade? What a great choice for a visual artist- perhaps the artist to best represent New York City, perfect style for a parade, his foundation continues to fund childrens' programs across the country, he was a social activist- great choice! I was just excited to see that an artist had a float.

What a cool artist, I've always been a fan. I'm so glad to see him recognized. If you're not familiar with his work- look him up. His work is just a high dose of happiness wrapped up into a visual language.

Taliesin

What a nice surprise I received yesterday- my friend Mary Margaret and her very cool daughter Cristina recently visited Taliesin, the home and architectural school of Frank Lloyd Wright - and they thought of me while browsing the gift shop! (I am a museum gift store junkie by the way, I love them!). So I now have a very cool, signature cherokee red Frank Lloyd Wright coffee mug.

I was just talking about architecture recently on one of my blog posts. What I love most about Frank Lloyd Wright is his philosophy that people are most content when living in harmony with nature rather than imposing themselves upon it. His designs reflect that philosophy.

I am amazed Hollywood hasn't done a movie on Frank Lloyd Wright. Most famous architectect in history- his family was murdered by one of the house staff members and Taliesin was nearly burned to the ground. Wright vowed to rebuild, and he did. He considered Taliesin his masterpiece. Amazing story, no? And just when everyone had sent Wright off into the sunset, he produced Falling Water for the Kaufmann family. Could that story be any more dramatic?

Anyway, my coffee tastes better today in my new Frank Lloyd Wright mug.

Have a great Thanksgiving!

Life

Thought of the day:

Today is the first day of the rest of your life.

Metropolitan Museum

I've been in New York for the last few days. I just love the city- love it. I had a pretty busy schedule, so I didn't have time to do a whole lot. I would have liked to have met up with a few friends and to have had time for coffee with Antonella (artist website review on previous entry). I did spend some time in China Town (which I love) and had time to hang out with friends Beth and Susan. They are both so upbeat and good natured - it's important to surround yourself with people who have positive energy. They made me laugh quite a bit- it was a good time.

On Friday I visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art and saw the Art and Love in the Renaissance exhibit. I'll sum it up in one word: disappointing.

The Renaissance had so much passion. Love is a prevailing theme in both art and literature, but this exhibition featured too many paintings about sex and physical relationships. It misses the mark. Perhaps to appeal to a broader audience? Alright, so perhaps in the presence of true love, a sexual relationship can grow into Divine Love, but this exhibit didn't present it in that manner. I thought it cheapened the passion behind the art of the Renaissance.

I still had a great time in New York, and how can you not love the Met?

Everyone is Beautiful

Everyone is beautiful. Aren't they? Aren't you? Certainly. There is something truly beautiful about every person. The word beauty is often times reduced to a superficial representation or abbreviation of what the word truly represents.

Beauty comes from the heart, from the soul, not from reconstructive surgery or calorie in-take.

Life is good. Find something beautiful in everyone you meet.

Wear Sunscreen

Take a moment- go to this site and listen to the song. It will improve your day. Trust me. Everybody's Free (to Wear Sunscreen) by Baz Luhrmann. I love it.

http://www.karmatube.org/videos.php?id=12

Hero Worship

Okay- I don't get it. The hero worship that goes on in this country. Why? Why are so many people obsessed with the speed and strength of a professional athlete? Why are so many people obsessed with the lives, success and failures of athletes? It's entertainment, yes, but the odd way in which people worship those people just baffles me. People decorate their houses with the images of teams and players.

If I were to make a list of the most important people in history (good topic for a new post), I would include Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed, Confucious, Einstein, da Vinci, Mozart, Shakespeare, Lincoln, Jefferson and Washington. I would also include Michelangelo, Freud, Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.

There are others that could be included in an extended list such as Newton, Franklin, Gates and Guttenberg. I don't think an athlete would ever make the list.

Here's a question. How many people in the country can tell you what sport and what team either Michael Jordan or Peyton Manning play/play for? Now- how many people can tell you why Newton is on my list?

Have a nice day.