I have one painting looking at me forlornly from the corner of the room - I say painting, since that is what it will eventually become, but at present, it's more like a hazy colour outline of what will be! I tried to do some work last night, but I managed to do one pot in the painting and that was it. I haven't really thought these colours through and I haven't worked on a painting for more than 3 months, so I'm really forcing myself to soldier on.
The thing about having a lull or block or whatever you might have, is that it seems to sort itself out if you just sit down and work. Someone once said to me that you have to produce bad art at times to get to the good art. (Anybody ever seen Leonardo's St John? It's supposed to be one of the worst paintings ever - you won't find it easily. I still think it's brilliant - so there goes that theory) Maybe it really isn't bad art after all - maybe as the artist, you're just so critical of what you do that everything you put down just looks bad. Actually, that pretty much describes a lot of what I do! Talk about being your own worst critic.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Good Movie
I have never been a Leonardo da Caprio fan - he just seemed to be a bratty little boy that squealed a lot - but I have to confess, my steadfast and immovable opinion of him is changing. It started with Blood Diamonds.
Imitating a South African accent without sounding really stupid is a feat very few actors have accomplished - even Denzyl Washington couldn't manage it. In fact, if I think about it, I really can't think of any actor who has pulled it off. I remember watching one of the Lethal Weapon movies with the SA baddies in it - when they spoke, the whole audience erupted in laughter - it was such a bad attempt... But ol' Leo got the accent down REALLY close. Richard and I looked at each other in amazement. The other great thing is the character - he's real and self serving - the true nature of man and he plays the part with gritty conviction. Even his "turn-around" - the process of him opening himself up to more than just looking out for himself is convincing - it's not the Hollywood unrealistic "I've seen the light even if it is just for the end of this movie" and usually that kind of momentary conversion just doesn't ring true.
So, when I got a movie for Richard yesterday, I noticed he was in it and thought, well, the last one wasn't so bad, may as well try this one.
The movie was called Body of Lies and the language is not for the faint hearted. The story is brilliant. Leo's character is once again a realistic portrayal of a man working in Iraq. He knows and understands the culture and is one of those poor abused men in the ranks - "working on the ground". He sees everything that his boss conveniently doesn't and he gets to do all his dirty work. It reminded me a little of the movie Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhaal acted in about the wive of a muslim who is falsely arrested and detained and tortured because he had a cell phone call with a man whose name was the same as a known terrorist. That movie dealt with the futility of torture, proving that a man will say anything if he is tortured. That's a really simplified summary, by the way. Body of Lies is pretty much about the Americans going into Iraq where they don't know or understand the culture and what they're dealing with. (Remember Black Hawk Down?) It touched on the efficacy of the Jordanian police or special forces. It's written by David Ignatius. He's been a journalist in the middle east for 30 years. He met with a top CIA official and asked him who was making a difference in the war on terrorism, the guy immediately said the Jordanians and he was told some stories which started him on Body of Lies.
The movie is by Ridley Scott, who I really enjoy.
So, between the movie and the normal Saturday run around, Emma's ear drum burst and she's rolling around in agony, Rachel has acclimitised to the bed (but won't sleep there in the day time) and I'm preparing a little get together to celebrate the exhibition and prize giving on 20th March. I'm thinking of having a Mexican theme for some or other unknown reason.
Imitating a South African accent without sounding really stupid is a feat very few actors have accomplished - even Denzyl Washington couldn't manage it. In fact, if I think about it, I really can't think of any actor who has pulled it off. I remember watching one of the Lethal Weapon movies with the SA baddies in it - when they spoke, the whole audience erupted in laughter - it was such a bad attempt... But ol' Leo got the accent down REALLY close. Richard and I looked at each other in amazement. The other great thing is the character - he's real and self serving - the true nature of man and he plays the part with gritty conviction. Even his "turn-around" - the process of him opening himself up to more than just looking out for himself is convincing - it's not the Hollywood unrealistic "I've seen the light even if it is just for the end of this movie" and usually that kind of momentary conversion just doesn't ring true.
So, when I got a movie for Richard yesterday, I noticed he was in it and thought, well, the last one wasn't so bad, may as well try this one.
The movie was called Body of Lies and the language is not for the faint hearted. The story is brilliant. Leo's character is once again a realistic portrayal of a man working in Iraq. He knows and understands the culture and is one of those poor abused men in the ranks - "working on the ground". He sees everything that his boss conveniently doesn't and he gets to do all his dirty work. It reminded me a little of the movie Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhaal acted in about the wive of a muslim who is falsely arrested and detained and tortured because he had a cell phone call with a man whose name was the same as a known terrorist. That movie dealt with the futility of torture, proving that a man will say anything if he is tortured. That's a really simplified summary, by the way. Body of Lies is pretty much about the Americans going into Iraq where they don't know or understand the culture and what they're dealing with. (Remember Black Hawk Down?) It touched on the efficacy of the Jordanian police or special forces. It's written by David Ignatius. He's been a journalist in the middle east for 30 years. He met with a top CIA official and asked him who was making a difference in the war on terrorism, the guy immediately said the Jordanians and he was told some stories which started him on Body of Lies.
The movie is by Ridley Scott, who I really enjoy.
So, between the movie and the normal Saturday run around, Emma's ear drum burst and she's rolling around in agony, Rachel has acclimitised to the bed (but won't sleep there in the day time) and I'm preparing a little get together to celebrate the exhibition and prize giving on 20th March. I'm thinking of having a Mexican theme for some or other unknown reason.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Heat Wave Continues
Holy cow it is so hot. I don't know if it's just me, but I do notice a marginal drop in the temperature of the wind or hot breath that follows you around like an over eager dog... I am so ratty this morning! It's hardly noticeable, I know... Unless you're my family, of course.
We put Rachel in a bed last night. What a daft idea. I woke up growling at everyone, snapping at them and asking irritably whose bright idea it was to put the baby in the bed. Actually it was mine, and rather have sleepless nights now than in 6 months time when she's sleeping through the night. Who am I kidding? This kid will NEVER sleep through the night... Well, that's the way it feels right now anyway.
So, when she finally fell asleep with Rich at 8pm last night, I thought - oh great! that wasn't so bad... Ha! By 10.30 - 11.00 she was up again, walking around with her 4 essential items: the bottle, the blanket, the furry cat (not the real one) and the dummy that everyone tries really hard to pry from her mouth. I eventually got out of her room at 1.30am - and I felt like those guys from WWE must feel like the morning after. Now I know why there was so much banging going on in the bedroom at night! That kid is like a puppy who can't find a comfortable spot... You know how they scrape the blankets and make circles for hours before they eventually collapse? Well this kid was rolling around, kicking her legs up and down, kicking me in the back and flapping her legs over me as though I were the edge of a swimming pool and she had her feet in the water. The best was the occasional head butt as she sat up and then threw herself down. She really loves doing that - I'm amazed she hasn't broken her nose yet. At one point, I'm convinced she was lying there, squeezing the teet of her really worn out bottle and squirting milk in my face. Like the kicking wasn't punishment enough for wrenching her from her little safety cocoon in the cot.
Sigh! So, this morning I was a gruesome sight (I really feel sorry for the people I work with...) with a temperament to match. And then a friend sent me an email of the shark in the harbour... Yes, this is the same harbour that Emma swam in 2 weeks ago. Oops - I'd better ensure that Emma's Nanna doesn't read this... I have a sneaky suspicion the shark is a great white. Gulp. So much for sailing lessons...
Did I mention I also forgot my friend's birthday? Unforgiveable!
My hair is reacting strangely to a couple of bad dye jobs - Rich keeps looking at it and shaking his head. Then he asks ever so politely: Can't you do something about that eastern european look?
Growl.
We put Rachel in a bed last night. What a daft idea. I woke up growling at everyone, snapping at them and asking irritably whose bright idea it was to put the baby in the bed. Actually it was mine, and rather have sleepless nights now than in 6 months time when she's sleeping through the night. Who am I kidding? This kid will NEVER sleep through the night... Well, that's the way it feels right now anyway.
So, when she finally fell asleep with Rich at 8pm last night, I thought - oh great! that wasn't so bad... Ha! By 10.30 - 11.00 she was up again, walking around with her 4 essential items: the bottle, the blanket, the furry cat (not the real one) and the dummy that everyone tries really hard to pry from her mouth. I eventually got out of her room at 1.30am - and I felt like those guys from WWE must feel like the morning after. Now I know why there was so much banging going on in the bedroom at night! That kid is like a puppy who can't find a comfortable spot... You know how they scrape the blankets and make circles for hours before they eventually collapse? Well this kid was rolling around, kicking her legs up and down, kicking me in the back and flapping her legs over me as though I were the edge of a swimming pool and she had her feet in the water. The best was the occasional head butt as she sat up and then threw herself down. She really loves doing that - I'm amazed she hasn't broken her nose yet. At one point, I'm convinced she was lying there, squeezing the teet of her really worn out bottle and squirting milk in my face. Like the kicking wasn't punishment enough for wrenching her from her little safety cocoon in the cot.
Sigh! So, this morning I was a gruesome sight (I really feel sorry for the people I work with...) with a temperament to match. And then a friend sent me an email of the shark in the harbour... Yes, this is the same harbour that Emma swam in 2 weeks ago. Oops - I'd better ensure that Emma's Nanna doesn't read this... I have a sneaky suspicion the shark is a great white. Gulp. So much for sailing lessons...
Did I mention I also forgot my friend's birthday? Unforgiveable!
My hair is reacting strangely to a couple of bad dye jobs - Rich keeps looking at it and shaking his head. Then he asks ever so politely: Can't you do something about that eastern european look?
Growl.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Good News from the US
I got the news that my work has been selected for a purchase award last week - although thrilled, I was a bit disappointed when I got the instructions on where to go for the opening of the exhibition! I don't even have a passport!
I have to chuckle when I consider that my paintings travel more and see more people than I do! Other than that, life continues in the sweltering heat (what happened to February being the hottest month???) and with the insane politics in the background. I heard an economist say the next quarter for SA is looking more positive - I have to wonder if that's his way of saying the glass is half full... We'll have to wait and see.
Emma might be sailing in a regatta next weekend. She really seems to have the knack for it. Thanks dad for passing that along!
I have to chuckle when I consider that my paintings travel more and see more people than I do! Other than that, life continues in the sweltering heat (what happened to February being the hottest month???) and with the insane politics in the background. I heard an economist say the next quarter for SA is looking more positive - I have to wonder if that's his way of saying the glass is half full... We'll have to wait and see.
Emma might be sailing in a regatta next weekend. She really seems to have the knack for it. Thanks dad for passing that along!
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