Really digging this art by Brian Lotti.   Great little video segment.   PEOPLE: BRIAN LOTTI from Monster Children on Vimeo.

Discovering Columbus

Hello Columbus.  Nice to see you all up close and personal.  

I went to see the Tatzu Nishi Discovering Columbus Exhibition by the Public Art Fund a couple weeks ago.  The exhibition is actually a room that has been built around the statue of Columbus in the middle of Columbus Circle.  Overall, I liked it.  It provided a different perspective on Columbus Circle and the statue.  It was surprising how large Columbus felt up close.  However, although there were some clever things about the decor of the living room Columbus entertained us in, I do feel they could have jazzed it up a bit more.  There was a little something lacking.

Regardless, the views from the top of the exhibition were stunning.

59th Street

Broadway, facing North

Central Park West

One fabulous thing about the exhibition is that it is free.  Although you have to reserve tickets in advance.  Originally it was supposed to close mid-November, but it is now scheduled to close December 2nd.  Check it out here.

I love how the woman in this shot appears to be self-consciously smiling at the camera...

I was there at the end of the week Hurricane Sandy hit.  Columbus Circle happens to be right nearby where the crane is dangling in Midtown.  Broadway South of Columbus Circle was cordoned off and so were many of the adjacent streets.

Inspired by...Maira Kalman

Rick Meyerowitz

Ok so everyone seems to be highlighting Maira Kalman this month.  See here in Lonny Mag and here on Design Mom.  And why shouldn't they (or I)?!  She's fabulous!  I loved reading her illustrated columns in the New York Times (now available as books:  "The Priciples of Uncertaintly" and "And the Pursuit of Happiness").  Illustrating the "Elements of Style"? Brilliant.  Her style (art and writing) is so direct and relatable, poignant and funny.  Thank you, Maira, for you all your loveliness.
Now I'm going to have to delve into her children's books with Fiona.

Some other interesting links concerning Maira Kalman:
Love this article, especially the story about her mother.  Just that small tidbit of information says so much about her.
She gave a TED talk
Julie Saul Gallery

 

Governor's Island Ferry Terminal Art

I love how this art installation by Lawrence Weiner stands against the Brooklyn Skyline on the ferry fender rack at the Governor's Island ferry terminal.

Governor's Island a/k/a Pig Island

We visited Governor's Island over Labor Day Weekend with some friends for the annual Pig Island Festival, a celebration of pig, sourced from local farms.  The day was perfect for an outdoor festival.  Friends, sun, good food, beer and music in the great outdoors.  It doesn't get much better than that!

Random NYC subway art...

Fun piece of subway art I came across on the wall of the 50th street 1 train subway station.  Hawaii...in the NYC subway.

In our neighborhood: Buddhist Statue...

A few blocks from our apartment building, between 105th street and 106th street on inner Riverside Drive, there is a statue of the Buddhist teacher Shinran Shonin located at the New York Buddhist Church.   It's always a great surprise to walk by the statue.  It is beautiful in and of itself, but it carries even greater significance because it survived the atomic bomb at Hiroshima, having been 2.5 kilometers away from the center of the attack.  According to the plaque that lies below the statue, it was brought to New York in 1955 'to be a testimonial to the atomic bomb devastation and a symbol of lasting hope for world peace'.

the MoMa (with Babe)

Joan Mitchell, "Wood, Wind, No Tuba", 1980

As part of the New York City Challenge, Fiona and I visited the MoMa last Friday afternoon during Free Fridays from 4-8pm.  I haven't been to the MoMa for a while, and we were going to go earlier in the week and pay full price.  But our previous attempts to visit were thwarted by a sick and tired babe so I decided we would just go during Free Friday.  I was itching to go but with Fiona not feeling great I didn't want to pay full price if she was going to be fussy and we would have to leave after a short time.

Free Fridays at the MoMa, can be, honestly, a complete madhouse.  If you really want to have any time and space to look at the art then Free Fridays are not the time to go to the museum.  But for a quick and free jaunt through the galleries and exhibits, it's not a bad way to go if you can handle the crowds.  

It ended up being the perfect way for us to visit the MoMa this time.  With Fiona strapped in our BabyHawk baby carrier, we visited ever floor.  Fiona was quite the sport during our whirlwind tour and I took a few pictures of a some of the highlights for me this time around.   We ended our tour in the sculpture garden where I let Fiona walk around.  She was pretty much in heaven there.

Interesting exhibit on re-imagining suburban space after the 2008 housing crisis. 

Felix Gonzalez-Torres, "Untitled" (Placebo) 1991

Mark Rothko

Mr. Jackson Pollack of course

Baby Carrier Shot

Sculpture Garden

Discovering dry leaves....

the museum of arts and design

Last week, as part of the New York City Challenge, Fiona and I visited the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) here in NYC.  The Museum is located in a newly renovated building on Columbus Circle that used to be a real eyesore but now looks absolutely fantastic.  I have to admit, I was a bit nervous about taking my 11 month old daughter to an art museum.  How long would her attention last?  Would she cry out or yell?  How much of the museum would I be able to enjoy?  Well, with these questions running through my head I bravely wrapped Fiona to me and set off on the subway to find out.

The museum has a great feel to it and uses the location of Columbus Circle as one of it's installations, showcasing the location through the windows inside that act as a frame.  And the feel of the space is airy and open without feeling overwhelming.  It's just a great space to show art.   The permanent collections were nice, but it was the special exhibitions that really caught my attention.   We first visited Swept Away: Dust, Ashes, and Dirt in Contemporary Art and Design, part of a series of exhibitions the museum has had that explore unusual mediums.  The art made with these ephemeral materials introduces many interesting questions about permanence of objects and materials.  Much of the work is grey and has a somber tone which seems to emanate from the nature of the mediums.

This work is called Unfurling Splendor (Adaption IV) by Catherine Bertola.   At first glance it appears to be a lovely damask stencil or wall paper, but the patterns are made with dust over PVC glue.  You can see the dust bunnies as you get closer!  How unexpected to use dust this way to show something so intricate from something so ordinary.

I loved this piece called Murder by Maskull Lasserre consisting of ravens made out of burned wood.
The artist wrote of the piece that "I only make work that I don't understand.  Relationships that are easily harmonized, ideas that have completeness in my mind, don't need my intervention in the material world."  This sentiment really resonates with me - the idea of the artist exploring things they don't understand.  However, I also find I understand things in a new way as I explore them even if I think I have an understanding of the work.

Isn't the view north on Broadway stunning from this window?

Javier Perez's Carrona, 2011. 

The Glasstress New York exhibit had some fantastic glass pieces from the Venice Biennales.

Mike + Doug Starn's Untitled, 2011. 

Jaime Hayon's Testa Mecanica, 2011. 

Beautiful stained glass - but I missed the artist's name!  Let me now if you know who this is by!

Fiona was an absolute angel during our whole trip.  And I think we were there almost 2 hours.  She was quiet and seemed to be engaged.  Once we were done we took a trip up to Robert, the restaurant at the top of MAD to check it out.  Of course, the views were fantastic.  I hope to be coming back for a date night at Robert!!!

Hello Sunshine!!

How cute is this happy print by Yoke?! I'm considering purchasing it to hang above Fiona's crib. What a lovely little way to be greeted upon waking. It reminds of the song 'You are my sunshine...My only sunshine...'

Claire Desjardins

I am completely taken by the work of artist Claire Desjardins after noticing a few of her paintings for sale at Anthropologie.com the other day. Her play on colors and shapes is so vibrant and interesting. So inspiring and exciting.

Since, sadly, I can't afford the real thing right now, I want to buy one of her prints via Saatchi Online. That is as soon as I can decide which one I want! Paintings like this inspire me to paint... Maybe I need to dust off my brushes!

West Elm Wall Art Inspiration

When I saw this fabulous new collection of art prints offered through West Elm in collaboration with 20x200 I was inspired to create my own art for our apartment with a similar theme of colors and geometric patterns. It will be a fun challenge to use different types of media to achieve a related look. If it is any good I will post the results on Green Shoots and Sparks. I have been challenging myself to make some art for our walls and this has given me the motivation to start creating. However, it is definitely tempting to just purchase these prints from West Elm. They are super affordable, fabulous looking and come already framed. You really can’t go wrong! …but I love a good art project!