ONE ELEVEN SIXTEEN

JANUARY 11, 2016

Art.. in so many ways is on my mind this morning.  The images in the daily photo become more real to me. It's an earlier shot than the previous ones. I was awake at  4AM with art and Art and ART on my mind.  I wrote in a journal with a pen.. an activity that I've not given in to for a long time. I think I wanted to preserve the actual penmanship (if I have any) that I was once complimented on.  If I am brave, I may share it here.  

The business of Art is what I mostly wrote about. in a way..  an article in this week's New Yorker magazine that a friend encouraged me to read, "The Custodians" by Ben Lerner discusses the restoration of aging artworks at The Whitney in New York and poses some sticky questions about what to do with some works of art that are deteriorating.  I tend to say, "It's just part of the art."  But!  The question of ethics and what the artist wants or may have wanted is discussed in very interesting terms. 

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/onward-and-upward-with-the-arts

Copy and paste into your browser and you may be able to read it.  For people who are immersed in the arts, as I feel myself to be, it's worth a discussion.  It won't be a short discussion unless you are a black and white sort of person.

I've been accused by a dear friend of being that kind of guy: seeing things in 'black and white.'  All the while I see myself as seldom seeing anything as all one way or another. (Trump eats tuna out of the can! Can he be truly awful??? but...)  I hope that seeing things in shades of gray and the color spectrum as well, is who I am or am becoming.  I have been deleting many political references on Facebook just to not have that stuff in my home. It's an invasion that I am not interested in.  Of course, turning it off doesn't really make it go away, but... it's out of my sight which works for me right now.  

The death of David Bowie is a shock.  I was never a fan, but appreciated that he never stayed with one persona for long.  He wowed the staff at my agent's office long ago. I missed seeing him. A GIF on FB shows many of his sides in quick succession.  The man was 'out there' in every way. His artistry is the sort that every artist should aspire to.  Never be caught duplicating yourself?  Of course, "successful" artists are easily identified by their style and for those who love the arts, it's fun to recognize style. For me it's that comfort zone of Rauschenberg, for example. He had many different approaches to art making exemplified in his use of color and old stuff that draws me in.  I love his work.  

Richard Libertini has died as well.  And, Natalie Cole.  Libertini was a master of improvization.  I remember him from Paul Sills' Story Theatre and loved him in All of Me with Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin.  We do our work and when we die those left behind will miss us, if we are lucky.  Life goes on; if we are lucky, life goes on.

The journal writing I did early today was cleansing in a way.  I need serious help with changes here in my home.  Stuff on stuff that is blocking stuff that probably can find a new home, but I might make something with this old stuff:  New Stuff?  Art.  

Which brings me to the idea of getting attention for my work.  I tend to not be much into that.  The successful actors I have worked with over many years are not only very talented (Pebbles to my teen Bamm Bamm on The Flintstones and the current voice of Disney's Minnie Mouse: Russi Taylor comes to mind!) but these talents are also socially engaged and enjoy the spotlight.  I've been jealous of those folks because I know my talents are certainly in the same ball park, but my presenting as a 'hail fellow, well met' on the job or in auditions are not so big.  In fact, in the art world, I've been even further under the radar sometimes.  

This is a long ramble this morning. Condolences to the families of David Bowie and Natalie Cole and Richard Libertini.  We are enriched by their talents and thanks to modern technology can enjoy them again.   I've heard that analog / vinyl records may be coming back. And, Kodak is making a little 8mm film camera.   Analog is okay with me.  My fingers do the typing here, as my pen did the work this morning. I even have a couple of old manual typewriters. The keys stick a bit, but that typing is, in a way, the best. Clackety Clack...

january 11, 2016

michaelsheehan