Bouillabaisse and Art

The couple at the table next to us were from Des Moines, Iowa. They came to to admire the architecture, as Richard Meier had designed their art museum, too. We were glad we took their recommendation and ordered the bouillabaisse...exceptional!

Against the South wall is a part of the installation done by California artist, Alexis Smith. It is entitled "Taste" and covers the walls at the Restaurant at the Getty Center.


This is a detail of the same installation that appears on the East wall.

"Buck"

"Buck," is the true story of a man who turned his childhood pain into empathy with and, thus, an understanding of horses. The techniques he uses in training horses are so subtle as to seem zen-like. His story was the inspiration for Robert Redford's film called "The Horse Whisperer."

A Beautiful Day at The Getty Center

A trip to The Getty Center now includes sculpture gardens in the usual and new unexpected places.

The stainless steel sculpture by Puryear has been there from the opening. Then came the magnificent bronze by Maillol. Today the painted fiberglass sculpture by Ray surprised visitors as they exited the tram. Entitled "Boy With Frog," it was loaned by the artist and his gallery.





Jan and I had fun with this reflective surface.

The sign cautions to not touch the sculpture.

We didn't and neither did this restful couple.

Independence Day 2011

David Smith at Los Angeles County Museum of Art

This sculpture is entitled "Bec-Dida Day," to honor the artist's beloved daughters.

Painted on steel, it incorporates Mondrian's limited palette and demonstrates Kandinsky's signature forms.

Currently being exhibited at LACMA, it is owned by Yale University.

A Powerful Woman

I just finished reading the epic biography of the multi-faceted Madame Chiang Kai-Shek. It was totally absorbing; while this dynamic woman was revealed to me in a whole new light. Equally impressive is the writer, Hannah Pakula, the author of this, "The Last Empress, Madame Chiang Kai-Shek and the Birth of Modern China."

Seeking Solace

Frank Stella's, DAMASCUS GATE I, is one of my favorites at the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena.

The beautiful garden is a mix of landscape and art. Pictured is Aristide Maillol's MOUNTAIN, made in 1937.

Marie-Laure is enjoying Amadeo Modigliani's, PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST'S WIFE, JEANNE HEBUTERNE, an oil on canvas, from 1918. The portrait head was sculpted by Wilhelm Lehmbruck in 1911 in plaster.

Pablo Picasso painted this oil on canvas entitled WOMAN WITH A BOOK in 1932.

This morning's sunrise

Just a sliver of moon was still there when the sun came up this morning.

The tragedy of first position

Roy Lichtenstein

Malibu's Weisman Museum is hosting the first solo show in Los Angeles since the artist's untimely death.

"Interior with Nude Leaving," from 1997, is from a private collection. The exquisite colors invite the viewer to enjoy while trying to decipher the painting's visual puns.

Roy Lichtenstein is pictured at his easel. I was fortunate to have visited this revered Pop Artist in his Chelsea, New York City, studio in the early 1980's.

"Collage for Sower" is from the first brushstroke paintings. They are wry comments on Abstract Expressionism. The gestures seen here are a translation of Van Gogh's famous painting, marrying the two techniques through his unique style.

Good Food and Art

Again, I was lucky enough to share my appreciation of art with others when visiting the studios of a ceramicist and a painter. It is so thrilling to see the art as the artists discuss their visions. It was especially meaningful, as the painter was one of the recipients of the scholarship funds we raise.

Having lunch at the Palmeri Ristorante topped off the stimulating day.

Books, books, books

---Just finished Steve Martin's, "The Object of Beauty." He is so busy being an artistic genius that he doesn't waste any spare words in telling of the heroine's escapades in the glittering New York City art world during it's heyday. It is direct---just like her.

---Having won the National Book Award and being on the NY TIMES bestseller list, "The Mayflower," tells the real story of the Pilgrims. I am really looking forward to reading all the details.

---I love the city of Venice, Italy. "Lucia," is a love story, emerging from the pages of history during the time of Napoleon, placed in that wondrous city.

---This will be a re-read of "The Snowball." The author was given total access to Warren Buffet's life . That access, coupled with extremely good writing, proves a fascinating look into the world of "elephant bumping" with warts and all.

Kayaks at Rest

These kayaks seem to be blossoming from our hillside overlooking the beach. Sunny weather has been attracting the kayakers and paddle boarders who favor milder waters. The surfers are waiting for the promised high surf.

A Beautiful Day

From the window, I can see the Channel Islands on the horizon. Off the coast of Santa Barbara, the islands are 60 miles from here as the crow flies.