Today's Artist - Sarah Perry

During a work visit today, one of our dynamic Trustees introduced me to "Bobo" - a giant, life-size replica of a gorilla made of scraps of tires retrieved from roadways. The gorilla was menacing yet alluring. The curvature of the tires were perfectly molded to mimic the strength and shape of a primate.

"One reviewer described her work in the following way: “Mummified bird parts, copper tubing, lizard heads, rubber tires, mice molars, steel, burned tortillas, cat hair, glass rods, twine, bone dust and clay — these and other quirky materials are seamlessly, even organically combined in Sarah Perry's sculptures, which [has been described] as ‘a marriage of Charles Darwin and P.T. Barnum.’ Perry's works explore the mysteries of life and death, decay and rebirth, using discarded junk that she finds in the Nevada desert. One of her best known works is Route 40: Bill, a remarkably realistic, 700-pound gorilla made from discarded rubber truck tires wrapped around a steel armature."

More of Sarah Perry's art...

  

Penny. Meet Gorilla.

A virtual stroll through a few 2011 exhibits

Tonight is a virtual stroll through a few highly acclaimed exhibitions from 2011...




Of these, I was drawn to Jane Hammond. "Her interest from the start has been in “how
meaning is constructed,” as she puts it, particularly if that meaning
is a private re-imagining of public information."

A fascinating approach to art, to obsession, to collections, to the picking apart of our history to create the montage of our present. http://www.janehammondartist.com/articles/aperture.pdf

Penny's Poetry Night

Klimt - The Kiss

 "If you can not please everyone with your deeds and your art, please a few" - Klimt

Artful April is underway! I'm creating art every day this month. Each day, I'll also learn something about art or experience it, observe it, live it, breath it in.

Today - I'm learning about.... Klimt's "The Kiss."  I saw this painting at LACMA during a special exhibition 6 or 7 years ago. It held me captive. It drew me in and held me there, as if the painting itself embraced me in a kiss. 

A few notes...

"Klimt was one of the most influential exponents of Art Nouveau, the movement which spread throughout Europe in the late 19th century. His approach was inspired by the ethereal atmosphere of work by artists such as Aubrey Beardsley, and by some aspects of Impressionist technique; it was also determinedly eclectic, borrowing motifs from Byzantine, Greek and Egyptian art....Gustav Klimt never married; never painted a single self-portrait; and never claimed to be revolutionizing art in any way"

"it does what a great piece of art is supposed to do: Hold your gaze, make you admire its aesthetic qualities while trying to discern what’s beyond its superficial aspects....In 1908, Klimt unveiled “The Kiss,” which depicts a man bending down to press his lips on the welcoming cheek of a lover, whose closed eyes and tight-lipped smile hint at rapture. Belvedere Museum curator Dr. Alfred Weidinger says the two people in the painting are the artist and his girlfriend at the time (he had several, apparently), Emilie Floge, and it’s set on a lake that’s only suggested in a swatch of blue and climbing reeds and flowers around the woman’s foot. What makes the painting special, however, are the auriferous flourishes and the blending of rectangular features on the male figure with circular counterparts on his partner. There’s a mix of east and west, like so much else in Vienna, as well as a hope for harmony. Beyond that, it’s stunningly beautiful."

Short Video on the kiss

I love the intensity, the passion, the two bodies intertwined.  The figures seem forever connected in an endless embrace. I appreciate the division between the male and female, their unique identities, their personal impressions- each distinctive but together even more impactful.

Artful in April - Day One - Introducing Penny

March into Money - Day 20

I "live chatted" with my cable company/internet provider today. I'm not yet ready to take the plunge and cancel all my cable, or move to straight internet/Hulu options. While I ponder that option (eeiiieee... not sure if I can let go of traditional cable, but I have a feeling I would love the freedom), I went ahead and cancelled some movie channels which will help reduce my monthly bill.

I'll still consider a complete drop... (maybe)...

March into Money - Day 19

Transferred my two credit card balances to new cards with 0% APR for 15 months. Found the cards through http://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards

And, more importantly, set-up a plan to have both cards paid off within 15 months!

Freedom is being free of debt.

March into Money - Day 18

Research update.... just starting on my list of things to do...

Need to do:
1. Call credit cards and ask for better rate
2. Cancel Economist recurring subscription. Read online instead.
3. Reinstate automatic savings transfer
4. Define financial goals - 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 24 months
5. Read the book The Total Money Makeover (ordered used copy)
6. Research more ways to avoid food waste http://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/
7.

Ideas for reducing spending:
1. Find a less expensive hair stylist
2. Review all expenses for last several months - find potential reductions
3. Evaluate insurance plans
4. Evaluate cable bill - consider going Hulu
5. Limit restaurants/eating out
6. 

"Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” 
 - William Morris

March into Money - Day 18

CNN recommends this, so I'm giving it a whirl.

http://www.mint.com

Oh my goodness. I just whirled it - in less than 10 minutes, I linked most my account and I have an instant overview of my entire budget, upcoming bills, and ridiculous amounts of data. I'm a little weary of how easy this was (is it really secure???) but I am equally impressed.

March into Money - Day 17

Today's project - finding a card that I can use for rewards. My current bank card suspended their rewards program. I came across this super cool website: http://www.nerdwallet.com/credit-cards






"This site, founded by a Stanford-educated hedge fund analyst, combs through 400 cards to find the best one for you. Enter the amount you generally charge each month, what kinds of things you buy, and your estimated credit score. Presto: a list of cards that will maximize your rewards."

Original source: http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2010/moneymag/1002/gallery.Best_money_websites.moneymag/5.html

March into Money - Day Nine

Taxes...

• Scheduled appointment with a tax preparer. I've done my own taxes in recent years, but I'm hoping an expert can save me more this year. 
• Finished a summary of all expenses for 2011. 

As a side note, I didn't stipulate a daily focus on finances thinking that I would just work on my goals throughout the month. But, time slips away so quickly that I'm thinking I would have been better off with a daily plan. Maybe 20 minutes a day - just to keep the momentum.

March into Money - Day Five

Finished sorting all 2011 receipts. Not very exciting, but important nonetheless. 

Looking forward to checking out HG's suggested website: http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/