Natural Expressions: A Student Curated Exhibition

Yesterday afternoon my husband and I drove to downtown Columbus to see the Natural Expressions, Student Curated Exhibition that was on at the Riffe Gallery (near the statehouse). My artist friend, Amy had told me about it (she may have also helped install the art; I can’t remember). As usual, her recommendation was spot-on and we’re both glad we visited.

One thing that was nice was the fact that so many of the artists are from Northeast Ohio, and one (Taryn McMahon) is even an assistant professor at Kent State University (my alma mater).

The art was a mixture of sculpture, prints, and one piece that would be difficult to classify:

These were our favorite set of prints:

Artist is Jolene Powell

This one was my favorite, if for no other reason the novelty value:

Heavy on my House by Roscoe Wilson

Andrew said he thought it was interesting that the same artist (Char Norman) had several pieces here

(the installation is made of bark and homemade paper)

as well as at the Dublin Arts Council, which we visited earlier in the week at the opening of their new exhibit.

Next on our agenda is the Ann Hamilton, Jenny Holzer & Maya Lin exhibit at the Wexner Center (on display until 12/29).

"Downton Abbey" movie

This weekend my mom, my sister, a mutual friend, and I all went to see the newly-released “Downton Abbey” movie. We’ve all seen every episode (or at least most of them I think) and are definitely fans of the show. In fact, our friend told me that she heard there’s even a “Downton Abbey” fan cruise you can take (which wouldn’t surprise me). Which actor(s) would I most like to cruise with? I think Laura Carmichael (Edith) seems like she would be nice, and Allen Leech (Branson), friendly as well (and nice to look at too). Any of the actors who play the downstairs staff would also be interesting to talk to.

I’m lucky enough that I’ve even gotten to visit Highclere Castle many, many years ago. Sadly, no filming going on then, so no celebrity spotting that day.

Unlike at some theatres, the AMC didn’t have any special dress-up night serving cocktails or anything, though I am told that my cousin and her mom attended one. That’s not to say no one in our showing dressed up. There were two women – the older in an outfit more in line with perhaps what Isobel or Violet might wear, while the younger lady wore a sleeveless black dress of the sort Mary definitely would have had in her wardrobe.

I have to agree with the critics who said the movie is long (122 min.), but dedicated fans probably won’t mind. Not once did I want the movie to be over, but there were certainly places where it could have ended and I wouldn’t have felt disappointed. I also give Julian Fellowes credit for writing a story providing so much closure for each of the characters, but yet, left it open so we could always pick up on their story lines later (though there are no plans to ever do another movie or television series).

Having heard a review on NPR earlier in the day, I wasn’t completely surprised by the “tom foolery” that erupted when the Downton staff took matters into their own hands after being dismissed by the royal staff who accompanied the king and queen on their tour. It almost felt like one of those situations where a parent tells a child not to do something, which then just plants the idea for the child to do precisely that. Still, every movie needs a little comic relief, and there were certainly moments of that in the television series, on occasion.

The movie was a nice mix of action and intrigue (the parade through the village), 

romance (my favorite pair was Thomas and Max,

but Tom and Lucy made a cute couple too), and comedy (Violet definitely gets all the best lines and has perfect comedic timing).

I also agree with the critics who said you don’t have to have watched the series to enjoy the movie, but it probably helps, and would be advisable to watch the series first.

Summer Highlights 2019

Another summer has come to an end, and what a wonderful summer it was! Here are just a few of the highlights that made it memorable.

Wine and Arts Festival (Grove City) June 14-15, 2019

This was our second year attending because we had enjoyed it so much last year. Last year we ran into my cousin and her husband who live a bit closer to the venue than we do, so we weren’t surprised to see them there. This year that same cousin and her sister, my other cousin were there, so we spent most of the evening walking around with them. It was fun comparing our tastes in wine, most of which we agreed on. Maybe next year I’ll get my sister to join us. After all, the more the merrier!

An ‘Otherworld-ly’ Visit June 23, 2019

Wishing to get away from buying too many material gifts that my husband neither wants, nor needs, I read about this really cool new place they were building on the other side of town (that’s really in another county and a bit of a drive, but never mind) and thought the purchase of a voucher might be both a nice way to support a new business and provide a unique gift for my husband’s birthday. We ended up spending at least a couple hours there, and definitely thought it was worth the drive and wouldn’t mind visiting again (and maybe next time invite some friends and family). My niece and her boyfriend also stopped in one day and said they enjoyed it too.

The premiere of the third season of “Stranger Things” on Netflix July 4, 2019

After waiting perhaps a year or so after season 2 ended, we were all in eager anticipation of what surprises season 3 would hold. All I knew is that the cast had certainly grown up a little and were now teenagers with teenage feelings and teenage interests. Since quite a lot of the scenes took place at the Starcourt Mall, it was fun getting to relive my own teen years a little with glimpses of stores now just a memory (Waldenbooks, Sam Goody, Orange Julius, Benetton, etc.). I also love the chemistry between the various teens – especially Steve and Robyn. The heart-to-heart in the bathroom was truly touching. The last episode left me in tears wishing we could have had maybe one or two more episodes in this season, but always leave ‘em wanting more. I will definitely be counting down the days until season 4 (whenever that will be).

Getting our garden whipped into shape

After talking about it for many years and making only half-hearted attempts to do it ourselves, we finally hired someone to help us get our garden back into a respectable state. After about a month or so of twice weekly sessions ripping out weeds (filling at least a dozen and a half brown bags), a few trips to local nurseries and garden centers followed by the planting of lots of colorful additions to our back corner, we finally have a garden worthy of showing off. Our gardener is certainly a miracle-worker and we’re eternally grateful for her help.

Seeing the animal kingdom up close and personal

Even though we have a garden and plants that we would rather not be eaten by the local deer population, we still have a soft spot for these gentle creatures that roam our neighborhood on a daily basis. We’ve seen several bucks, does, and even a pair of fawns that look like something straight out of Disney. It’s gotten to the point that I don’t even bother taking pictures anymore because I’ve already been spoiled with more photo opps than I probably deserve. I also know to keep a clear distance and respect their space.

A Family Vacation out on Put-in-Bay July 28-31, 2019

My parents had their 50^th wedding anniversary coming up and decided they would rather just gather the entire family and go on vacation together in lieu of a party (which is what we did for their 40^th anniversary). The venue of Put-in-Bay (one of the islands in Lake Erie off the northwest coast of Ohio) was selected, and my sister chose the hotel (as she regularly visits with some teacher friends of hers). Three carloads of family met up at the ferry port and we all rode over to the island on a gorgeous sunny Sunday afternoon and spent the next three days partaking of much the island had to offer enjoying the time spent in each other’s company.

The 50^th Anniversary of the Moon Landing & Woodstock Festival

Though I wasn’t yet born when either of these events occurred, I enjoyed watching documentaries and countless hours of footage taken of both of them (thanks WOSU/PBS!) and certainly learned a lot, and was even entertained a little (more with Woodstock rather than the Moon Landing). Not sure if there will be any more big celebrations of either in 10 – 25 years, but I am glad I took the time to immerse myself in the festivities as much as I could this time (including a visit to the Neil Armstrong Museum in Wapakoneta).

Hopefully someday we’ll get a chance to visit the Woodstock Museum in upstate New York at Bethel Woods (with a little better planning we probably could have done that this year, but it was probably crazy busy there).  

I hope you all had a fun-filled and memorable summer. Have a Happy Labor Day everyone!

The Burning Man Festival

My husband Andrew and I recently visited the Cincinnati Art Museum to see the installation of No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man. I had read about it in the May 2019 issue of Ohio magazine. Since we were planning on heading down that way anyways to attend my company summer outing being held at the aquarium in Newport, KY it seemed like killing two birds with one stone.

If you’re like me, you may not have ever heard of The Burning Man Festival. The only reason I know a little about it is because a character from one of the sitcoms I watch visited there during one episode. I do not quite recall which sitcom or which character, but I found it interesting all the same. Honestly, I cannot imagine ever visiting this festival (the desert heat being one reason), but I admire the spirit behind it as it’s nice to know there’s still a bit of peace and love in this post-Woodstock world 50 years later.

photo from Art of Burning Man book by NK Guy

According to Wikipedia, “Burning Man is an event held annually in the western United States at Black Rock City, a temporary city erected in the Black Rock Desert of northwest Nevada, approximately 100 miles (160 km) north-northeast of Reno. The late summer event is an experiment in community and art, influenced by ten main principles: radical inclusion, radical self-reliance, radical self-expression, communal effort, civic responsibility, gifting, decommodification, participation, immediacy, and leave no trace. The event takes its name from its culmination, the symbolic ritual burning of a large wooden effigy ("The Man") that traditionally occurs on the Saturday evening of the event.

First held 33 years ago in 1986 on Baker Beach in San Francisco as a small function organized by Larry Harvey and Jerry James who built the first "Man", it has since been held annually, spanning from the last Sunday in August to the first Monday in September (Labor Day). The 2019 event will run from August 25 to September 2.

At Burning Man, the community explores various forms of artistic self-expression, which are created to be enjoyed by all participants. "Burning Man is about 'why not' overwhelming 'why'," one "Burner" said.^[6] Said NPR, "Once considered an underground gathering for bohemians and free spirits of all stripes, Burning Man has since evolved into a destination for social media influencers, celebrities and the Silicon Valley elite."^[7] Participation is a key precept for the community; selfless giving of one's unique talents for the enjoyment of all is encouraged. Examples of creativity include experimental and interactive sculptures, buildings, performances and art cars, among other media. These contributions are inspired by a theme that is chosen annually by the organizers.”https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burning_Man

The first item we saw from Burning Man is a paper arch that is like one giant collage of monochromatic photos and two secret dioramas inside that you can view from peepholes in the sides of the arch. 

‘Paper Arch’ commissioned specifically for the Renwick, expands the pair’s (Michael Garlington and his partner, Natalia Bertotti) canon into secular architecture and evokes the symbolic threshold participants cross as they enter Burning Man. Exploding into a plume of paper flames that rises to the ceiling, the piece also suggests the ritual conclusion of the weeklong event and calls attention to the sculpture’s ephemeral nature.” https://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/burning-man/online/michael-garlington-natalia-bertotti

I could have easily spent all day studying the various black and white photos trying to decipher where they were borrowed from, but there were plenty more exhibits to see.

Between the staircases on the second floor is a beautifully sculpted dancer called ‘Truth is Beauty’ and was designed by Marco Cochrane. “In 2007, Marco Cochrane’s first trip to Burning Man inspired him to enlarge his work to monumental proportions. Together with his wife and partner, Julia Whitelaw, and with the help of dozens of volunteers (the Bliss Crew), he embarked on a series of three colossal sculptures of singer and dancer Deja Solis for the playa—Bliss Dance (2010), Truth is Beauty (2013), and R-Evolution (2015), collectively known as The Bliss Project. For each sculpture, Solis chose her own pose and expression.

Cochrane first sculpts his pieces by hand before constructing them from steel triangles at grand proportions. Built using a mold of the original clay sculpture, the version of Truth Is Beauty in the gallery is one-third the size of the fifty-five-foot tall figure that appeared at Burning Man in 2013.” https://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/burning-man/online/marco-cochrane

Though most of the pieces were scattered throughout the museum, there was one room with multiple items, the star attraction being ‘Tin Pan Dragon’ which was designed by Duane Flatmo. “…Flatmo has since created more than thirty-three mutant vehicles, usually from recycled scrap metal and other found objects, including several entries for Burning Man… The pedal-powered Tin Pan Dragon (2008) was the first contraption Flatmo brought to Burning Man.” https://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/burning-man/online/duane-flatmo

I like ‘Tin Pan Dragon’ because of all the collage work as the piece was constructed of various common objects like a cupcake tin, cookie cutters, hub caps, etc. Again, I probably could have spent all day studying the detail, but had to move on.

In another room there are several delicately created steel orbs – one of which can accommodate up to six (adult) people. As the light constantly changes, so does the feeling of these orbs, so they’re somewhat mysterious and beautiful. I love them because they’re also very photogenic.

“In 2014, the duo, Yelena Filipchuk and Serge Beaulieu, brought their first collaborative installation, Hyperspace Bypass Construction Zone (HYBYCOZO), to playa—three steel polyhedral sculptures that, by day appear solid and, at night, cast otherworldly patterns of light and shadow on the surrounding earth. Soon after, they took the name HYBYCOZO for their continued collaboration, focusing on installations that reflect patterns drawn from mathematics, science, nature, and culture. The moniker comes from Douglas Adams’s classic sci-fi novel, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, for which the artists share an affinity, and the titles of several subsequent works by the pair are drawn from that same source.” https://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/burning-man/online/hybycozo

Probably the most whimsical of all the pieces are the paper mushrooms, or ‘Shrumen Lumen,’ designed by the San Francisco-based collective known as Foldhaus. These mushrooms expand and contract when a visitor stands on a circle under the shroom, once the circle turns green. You better believe there were a lot of group shots and selfies taken under these shrooms (someone asked us if we would take their picture, and they were happy to oblige in return). Yes, some of these exhibits are definitely hands-on.

"The elements of this sophisticated, interactive cluster of fungi each has its own particular character and all delightfully respond to human interaction. As participants step on the footpads located beneath each cap, the mushrooms gently grow and ‘breathe.’ In daylight the grouping appears ethereal white, while at night, it magically transforms with embedded LEDs that glow through the translucent outer skin to bring the installation to life.” https://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/burning-man/online/foldhaus

One of the most entertaining structures, and definitely one of my favorites that I could have easily spent a lot longer at was ‘Capitol Theater.’ It was a mobile movie theatre showing the silent film, “The Picnic.” Andrew and I boarded and watched about five or ten minutes of the film before exiting the theater to allow more guests to sit down in the velvet plush seats (which I’m sure were taken from an actual cinema). I love the idea of a little mobile theater, especially in the age of tiny house living and more and more people living in converted campers and buses.

“Commissioned for this exhibition, Capitol Theater is Five Ton Crane’s latest large-scale work of art; it is a 1920s-30s art deco movie theater on wheels, replete with bespoke silent films. Like all of Five Ton Crane’s pieces, it has been conceived, designed, and fabricated with audience interaction and playfulness in mind, and displays a focus on craftsmanship down to the smallest detail.” https://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/burning-man/online/five-ton-crane

There’s definitely a lot more I could say about this exhibit and festival, but go check out the exhibit (or the festival) for yourself. The exhibit is currently on display at the Cincinnati Art Museum until September 2^nd, but may travel to your local art museum in the future.