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Archive for the ‘Favorite Things’ Category

T. Enami

Posted in Favorite Things, Photography, tagged , , , , on July 13, 2013| 2 Comments »

BOATS UNDER SAIL---Image of japanese Junks ca 1898 T. EnamiThis is an image of two junks that was taken in the late 1890’s by the great Japanese photographer T. Enami .  It was produced in the period as hand tinted  slide to be viewed in the popular stereopticons of the time.  The image was forwarded as a black and white photo to the National Geographic  magazine in the the 1920’s along with other photos of Japan from Enami.  They didn’t use the photo at the time, instead opting for the more traditional images of Japanese farmers and Geishas in a story on the island nation.  However, in the 1980’s the magazine took another look at the image and it really struck a chord with them.  The artistic beauty of the image was evident to them and they ultimately named this image as one of the best photos from their holdings of over 100 years.  It was used on the covers of one of their books and a catalog for a show of their best photography.

T. Enami - Japanese Boys in a Lively Quarrel stereopticon slide 1905I was immediately taken with this photo when I saw it.  It’s just such a beautiful composition and the harmony of the color and atmosphere make it sing.  I decide I should look at some other images from this T. Enami who was born Enami Nobukuni in Tokyo ( actually Edo at the time) in 1859 and died in 1929.  There were many images of Japan from the time, all beautifully captured with a sublime eye.  Some were surprising such as this 1905  image of 3 boys scuffling, an image that was sold in a series of slides by Sears.

But for me his images of  Mt. Fuji were the highlights.  They captured the dramatic presence that the mountain holds and are just incredible compositions, powerful and serene.  There are several of my favorites below.  T. Enami is probably not as well known here as his work deserves.  There is a site,  T-Enami.org, devoted to his work that is worth a look if only to take in more of his wonderful work.

T. Enami Mt Fuji and the Boatmen of Kashibara ca 1900 T. Enami- Mt. Fuji's Summit T. Enami- FOUR_MEN_ON_A_BRIDGE_AT_TAGONOURA_in_OLD_JAPAN.224130134_std T. Enami MOUNT_FUJI_SEEN_FROM_THE_MARSHES_OF_KASHIWABARA. ca 1892

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Michael Mattice Live at the Principle

Posted in Favorite Things, Music, tagged , , on July 10, 2013| 1 Comment »

Michael Mattice bw 2013I just wanted to remind any readers in or near the DC area  that there is a free show in support of his new CD , Comin’ Home, from singer/songwriter Michael Mattice tomorrow night, Thursday July 11th, at the Principle Gallery in Alexandria.  It is a great chance to catch a rising talent in a really intimate setting and I urge you to come on out if you can make it.  If not, pick up a copy of his CD — you won’t be disappointed.  It is gaining steam and has been sitting at the top of the Hot New Releases on Amazon for some time now.

His acoustic  guitar work on it is impeccable, creating rich, complex  textures for his songs.  I was expecting that, having watched his guitar prowess  through his years at Berklee.    The guy can outright play.  But it’s the songwriting that caught me off guard.  I wasn’t expecting such a cohesive set of songs with choruses that I find myself singing along to and melodies and rhythms  that hang with you long after you stop listening.

This is a strong and consistent effort that excites me from a creative standpoint.  There’s a real purity in Mike’s work here, a genuine and confident voice that has evolved  as he has voraciously absorbed everything around him.  It’s what you want to see in any artist but it’s  a rare thing to find.

This is a wonderful CD but , moreover, it is portending a future- it is not a culmination.  It is a giant first step in what I see as  a creative arc that stretches high and far, a truly impressive debut that sets a really high baseline for his future work.  A baseline that I have no doubt he will exceed time and time again.

So, if you can, see Michael Mattice at the Principle Gallery Thursday.  The event starts at 6 PM and Mike is expected to begin around 7.

Check out his site for more info and to preview the CD.

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The Chapel Oak

Posted in Favorite Things, Neat Stuff, tagged , , , on July 8, 2013| 5 Comments »

chapel-oak-allouvilleMaybe it comes from painting so many trees but I find myself with a number of books about trees.  One of my favorites is a set from Thomas Pankenham containing Remarkable Trees of the World and Meetings with Remarkable Trees, containing  pictures and descriptions of some truly beautiful and astounding  ancient trees from around the globe.  There are some magnificent specimens that choosing a favorite would be impossible.  But one that always makes me stop as I leaf through is the Chapel Oak in Normandy, France.

Legend has its age as being 1000 or 1200 years although scientists estimate it at about 800 years.  It began its career of note in the the 17th century when lightning struck the already old and grand oak, sending a bolt down through its center that smoldered and burned until it had hollowed out a large cavity within the tree.  The village priest determined that there was some divine intent in the lightning strike to this tree and built a chapel in the hollow of the tree along with a small room above it suited  for a hermit.

chapel-oak-allouville-bellefossePerhaps the priest’s belief in the tree was deserved because, though badly wounded by the lightning and inner fire, the tree still leafed and maintained year after year until the present day.  Of course, it has been lovingly nursed and reinforced through the ages.  It has cables and straps and two steel supports that give it the look of a creature on two crutches.  The large section of the trunk damaged by the lightning lost its bark ages ago and the tree’s caretakers covered the exposed wood with shingles and a spire roof, giving the look of a fairy tale castle.  The inner chapel and the room above it have been renovated in recent years, refitted with paneling and mirrors to create more  light with the dark hollow.

Chapel oak interiorOf course, it is a place of great interest to tourists and pilgrims alike.  I am always torn when I look at the pictures of this tree.  Part of me is simply fascinated with the image and the way its caretakers have prolonged its existence.  There seems to be a grand reverence in this.  But another part of me wonders if the tree should be allowed to simply succumb in dignity to its natural ending without the assistance from humans.  I suppose it comes down to how one views all trees and this particular tree.  Perhaps, it’s continued life is proof that it desires to endure.

Whatever the case, it remains after enduring the many pages of history that have turned around it.  Interesting…

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All Gone to Look For America

Posted in Favorite Things, Music, Opinion, Video, tagged , , , , on July 4, 2013| 2 Comments »

Fourth of July Parade of ScoutsAnother Fourth of July.

Parades.  Picnics. Fireworks. Red, white and blue.  That’s the shorthand version of this day.  The actual meaning of this day is much harder to capture, probably more so for Americans than for those from other countries who view us from a distance.  I think we sometimes lose sight of the idea and ideal of America in our day to day struggle to maintain our own lives.  But even that struggle is symptomatic of the basis of our nation, reminding us that anything worth preserving requires work and maintenance.

For me,  America is not a static ideal, a credo written in granite that will always be there.  It is vaporous and ever changing, like a dense fog.  But it is an inviting fog, one that is warm on the skin and invites you in with hazy promises of possibility.  And maybe all America is– possibility.

Maybe it is the sheer potential of a better and safer life, the possibility of remaking one’s self, that defines our ideal America.  We are at our best when we are open and inviting,  offering our possibility and empathy to all .  We are a long way from our ideal when we close our doors and try to capture the vapor  that is  America all for ourselves.  It is not ours to hold– we are simply caretakers of an ideal, one that brought most of our ancestors here.

Maybe this doesn’t make any sense.  Since it is such a hazy ideal, we all see it in different ways.  This is just how I see it.

Here’s a video of the song America from Simon and Garfunkel, as performed by David Bowie during the Concert For New York City in the aftermath of 9/11.  This is not a flag waving , chest thumping anthem but it speaks as much to the ideal of  the American ideal in that simple chorus — all gone to look for America— as the very best Sousa march.

Have a great Fourth!

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She Slips Away

Posted in Favorite Things, Music, tagged , on July 3, 2013| 3 Comments »

GC Myers- Bluesunblues I was on the road yesterday, going out to Erie. The drive out there takes around three and a half hours, most of it on wide, empty highway going through some of the more sparsely populated parts of New York.  Many people don’t think of NY as having such emptiness and space.  It’s an easy drive, one that allows you to listen fully to music. I spent my drive listening to a lot of things, really taking them in. I listened a few times to Michael Mattice‘s new CD, Comin’ Home, that I have mentioned here recently.  It’s his debut effort and really showcases his special talents as a singer-songwriter  and a top flight guitarist wonderfully.  Mike creates an amazing full and deep sound with his playing on this CD  which has it gathering a lot attention as it’s #1 on Amazon’s Hot New Releases for Acoustic Blues.  I urge you to check it out.

I also listened to one of my favorites, guitarist Martin Simpson.  Like Michael, his work is marked by its full and rich texture.  Just great stuff.  Here’s She Slips Away, a song that I think really captures the essence of his playing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQELHWJTdRU

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Labyrinth

Posted in Favorite Things, Music, Neat Stuff, tagged , , on July 2, 2013| 3 Comments »

labyrinth_sketchI am on the road today, visiting my good friends at the Kada Gallery in Erie.  One of the paintings that I am taking out to them has a distinct labyrinth-like pattern in it, a twisting maze that always captures my attention.  I love the idea of  it as an analogy for many of us for the journey through this life, seeking an unseen, and often unknown,  goal.  We travel ahead on a path that takes twists and turns and often we find ourselves feeling as though we are within reach of that central goal only to find that the next turn has taken us as far away as we can imagine.  And vice versa, we often feel adrift and lost only  to suddenly find that the goal is suddenly there before us.

There’s something very balancing in thinking of life in this way.  You become wary of the highs and lows, knowing that one’s fortune  can spin on a dime.

Here’s an interesting video showing the constructs of several different labyrinths, all accompanied by a chorus with a basso profundo that gives the whole thing some real weight. Enjoy and make  a labyrinth for yourself!

 

 

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A Painting of Kingly Proportions

Posted in Favorite Things, Influences, tagged , , , , , , , on July 1, 2013| 1 Comment »

Embarkation_of_Henry_VIII at Dover- Basire PrintI saw this painting on a PBS program about Henry VIII and Hampton Court.  It’s a massive painting, nearly 5 1/2 feet tall by 11 feet  long, titled The Embarkation of Henry VIII at Dover, commissioned by the king to commemorate a 1520 meeting at Calais with him and French king Francis I.  It was a goodwill mission of sorts, trying to increase the bonds of friendship between the countries after a recent treaty.  Of course, only a couple of years later they were at war.  But while diplomacy may have failed at least an epic piece of art came from the whole thing.

The painting has been attributed to a number of painters over the ages, most notably Han Holbein, though nowadays its maker is listed as unknown.  But what a dynamic and energetic painting!  The color is bold and bright and the composition filled with movement throughout.  I love the exaggeration of size and scale, which gives the epic scene have a more personal, human feel.

I woke up thinking about this painting.  It makes me want to get out the stretcher bars and canvas and start another big piece. I know that they are not practical in many ways but there is something in the sheer size and space that just excites me and starts the creative fountain.

We’ll see…

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Comin’ Home/ Michael Mattice

Posted in Favorite Things, Music, tagged , , , , , on June 26, 2013| 4 Comments »

Michael Mattice Comin' Home Cover 2013I was on the road  so I didn’t get a chance to post that a new CD titled Comin’ Home came out  yesterday from my friend, Michael Mattice.  I’ve talked about Mikey here before, most recently in the notes after my recent opening at the Principle Gallery.  I’ve known him since he was a gangly kid of 13 or 14 tagging along with his Dad at events at the gallery.  Even then Mikey gave off a tightly focused vibe, like  he was there  in the physical sense only while his mind was elsewhere, running through an unending set of musical charts that had his full attention.  I recognized his obsessive look that said that he something deeper to express, that it was in him and was eating impatiently at him from the inside.

Mikey had started his musical journey early,  taking up the flute and piano at age 8 , adding  a proficiency at electric and upright bass to his repertoire in his middle school years.  But the guitar always held his deepest fascination.  He studied guitar at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, graduating last year.  After graduation, he toured as guitarist with Jamaican Aria Morgan‘s tour to promote her album, Full Time Love, as well as playing with the progressive metal band Yantra that he had co-founded while still at Berklee.

But time came to begin to get back to that obsessive inner voice which led to the release of his new CD yesterday that features his compositions, voice and playing.  It’s a mix of folk, blues, country and indie rock but it’s all Mikey.  I had followed his work through the years from afar and knew primarily of   his prodigious talents as progressive metal guitarist so when he passed on to me a 3 song preview of the new CD at the gallery, I was expecting work in that genre.  But from the first moments I could tell that I had only seen a small glimpse of his talent in his previous work.  It started with a song, Train Hoppin’, that is drenched in the sound and feel of the early folk blues,  recorded on the same sort of  period recording equipment that Robert Johnson and other early blues pioneers used in the 20’s and 30’s.  It is his homage to the influences that paved the way for his own work, which is shown more fully in the next two songs, Back to You and Window Pane.  These songs feel like his authentic voice  which is exciting, making me eager to hear more from this CD.

Comin’ Home is available now on  iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, Google Play, as well as a number of other online outlets.  You can also order it from his site, Mattice Music.  

Mike will also be doing a special acoustic show promoting the CD at the Principle Gallery on Thursday, July 11, from 6-9 PM.  If you can make it, this  should be a wonderful opportunity to experience his wonderful talent in an intimate setting.  It could be one of those things where you can tell your friends years from now about how lucky you were to see Mike play early in his career.

Just to show off a bit of his talent and dexterity, here’s a clip from his progressive work with Yantra.

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Amish Baseball and the Now

Posted in Favorite Things, Neat Stuff, tagged , , , , , , on June 23, 2013| 4 Comments »

Amish Baseball Player- Photo by Kurt WilsonThere was an article in The New Republic magazine a few months back titled The Boys of Lancaster from writer Kent Russell.   It is about the relationship between the game of baseball and the Amish community of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  The article documents how the game, while forbidden to adults once they have been baptized ( the Amish are Anabaptists which means they practice voluntary baptism of members at an age when they can make their own decision to do so), is a big part of the  Amish boys and young men’s lives, especially during the period of Rumspringa, that sanctioned time when Amish youth basically sow their wild oats before making the decision to stay with the Amish way of life and religion or leave and live the modern English life.  During Rumspringa they often drive cars, drink alcohol, take drugs, have sex, listen to modern music, watch TV, talk on their cell phones and do just about anything else that any modern non-Amish youth might be doing.

This includes playing baseball.

There are fields and backstops scattered around the county and they play in leagues among themselves and against the English, the term used to describe all non-Amish.  The author describes their play as being unschooled but having a purity and consistency in its form.  It might not look as polished as kids who were in travel leagues and went to instructional camps but they could play.  He describes them as not being too self-conscious and having a centered confidence without being cocksure, traits that by nature  translate well to the game of baseball.  While the game is one of thought, those who play best have an ability to not be self-conscious and make each move on the field with the certainty of result.  Questioning your own ability and your movements make for poor play.  The Amish boys seem to have this required self-certainty and an ability to be single-minded in their purpose.

Amish Baseball Player- Photo by Kurt Wilson 2The author makes a couple of points that apply outside of baseball.  One was a saying from The Mental Game of Baseball, a book that is considered a must-read for big leaguers or wannabes,  that goes If there is no future, there is no distraction.  I immediately understood what it meant.  Focus on the now, on this very instant.  Block out what may happen in the future because it doesn’t really exist.  Just like the past.

Existence is always in the present.

This works in baseball.  The best players block out the past and all the failures or successes that came  before.  The future is not even thought of.  Those players that do dwell in the past or future, fail in the present.

It made me think of how often I find myself living in pasts and thinking of futures, how often I fail to take in the precious now.  I swing and miss,  striking out because of this preoccupation with the past and future, both things out of my control.  We may think we control our future but it is only the now that we can truly control.

Hmm.  The zen of ball…

Whatever the case, if you’re a baseball fan or a fan of cultural anthropology,  it’s an interesting read.

http://www.newrepublic.com/article/112616/amish-baseball-boys-lancaster#

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Smart/ Father’s Day Redux

Posted in Favorite Things, Influences, tagged , on June 16, 2013| 3 Comments »

criminals-with-forehead-tattoo-father-son

For Father’s Day-

                     Smart                         

My dad gave me one dollar bill

‘Cause I’m his smartest son,

And I swapped it for two shiny quarters

‘Cause two is more than one!

 

And then I took the quarters

And traded them to Lou

For three dimes-i guess he don’t know

that three is more than two!

 

Just then, along came old blind Bates

And just ’cause he can’t see

He gave me four nickels for my three dimes,

And four is more than three!

 

And I took the nickels to Hiram Coombs

Down at the seed-feed store,

and the fool gave me five pennies for them,

And five is more than four!

 

And then I went and showed my dad,

and he got red in the cheeks

And closed his eyes and shook his head-

Too proud of me to speak!

 

–Shel Silverstein

 

I ran this several years ago for Father’s Day but decided to run it again because I think my Dad appreciates the  humor more than the mush of most Father’s Day sentiments.  It was either this or A Boy Named Sue, a song I remember my Dad liking which is also written by Shel Silverstein.   If you want the rundown on the happy family above, just click on the picture.  Have a Happy Father’s Day…

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