YIN YANG the Gallery 446 Exhibition

 

 

 

 

Palm Springs is a somewhat mythical and unusual place in the Southern California Desert. Marilyn Monroe is said to have been discovered there. Bob Hope’s most interesting and Modern home is there and the lifestyle is luxurious and very “Rich.” This lovely place; this location of numerous resorts; golf courses and satellite of Hollywood is equal to it’s legend and is truly remarkable.  

Palm Springs with no doubt has a lot to offer. I was there for the opening of the “Yin Yang” exhibition at Gallery 446, to visit the unique Palm Springs Art Museum, the surrounding mountains and to meet Shari Belafonte. It was to be an adventure for the ages and a joy to behold.

Palm Springs with no doubt has a lot to offer. I was there for the opening of the “Yin Yang” exhibition at Gallery 446, to visit the unique Palm Springs Art Museum, the surrounding mountains and to meet Shari Belafonte. It was to be an adventure for the ages and a joy to behold.

 

 

 

 I have admired Shari Belafonte’s beauty and achievements for many years. The many magazine covers she has graced, her television work, music and activism are part of her radiant allure. Before this event I wasn’t aware of her skills as a photographer. She’s amazing at that too. Did I mention she rounds it all out with cartoon voice overs? She couldn’t be more amazing. “Master Card…fill my flat,” was for me one of the greatest lines ever delivered. That was Shari too. Meeting Shari was worth a trip and it is really her honesty and grace that shines through in her life and work. Shari’s a winner that gives much.

 

 

 

 

 

Along with Shiri I met many, many other interesting and talented people. The exhibiting artist’s Shaktima Brien, Angela Romeo and Audrey Tommassini were especially welcoming. Audrey’s mother Shelly Mitchell was incredible; beautiful, talented and blessed with an uncommon sensitivity. She is a teacher of method acting and a phenomenal actress in her own right. Some of the others I bumped into were Jim Ciskowski, Denise Hoy (she emailed me photos of the event) and “Bond Girl” Trina Parks. This was special!

 

 

 

 

The Yin Yang Exhibition went beyond frill and fluff. It was a fund raiser as well. The Desert Aids Project and 100 Women would receive all the proceeds from the sales of the art work. They provide services for women and children affected by HIV/AIDS; it is a worthy cause. The curator of Yin Yang Laurie Weitz and gallery director Dimitri Halkidis are to be noted and commended.

 

 

It is really people that make anything worthwhile and doing. All those that I met were wonderful. The residents of Palm Springs and all in attendance were equally virtuous, dedicated and fun to be with. They made the opening of Yin Yang a true pleasure; a tremendous opportunity and contributed to an event to remember, an evening to treasure, a very good time.

 

 

 

 

 

Quvenzhane Wallis: At The Oscars

In an age of miracle and wonder a little princess goes to the ball. When director Ben Zeitlin cast the role of Hushpuppy for his soon to be lauded “Beasts of the Southern Wild” he found a gem in Quvenzhane Wallis. She embodied everything Zeitlin was look for and more. Wallis was strong, intelligent, self-assured, plucky and well…cute. There was more to her though and most importantly she won Zeitlin over with heart, compassion and a sense of what can only be described as honor. Both Wallis and Zeitlin were nominated for “Best” in their categories as well as the film itself was respectfully. No Oscars were awarded but the hearts and minds of many were won for the duration. They have been enlisted as friends and admirers for life.

 

At the Oscars and all the preliminary events, glamour and glitz Wallis was magnificent in the special way only an innocent can be. She was stylish of dress and lovely with her little puppy-purses and shoulder bags. Her interviews were on point and she showed a wit and aplomb that equaled many an older and more accomplished actress. Her best moment was a view of her dancing way past her bedtime (that had been extended for the events) and spinning in a circle until she was dizzy. Oh; the joys of childhood!   

Congratulations Quvenzhane! Congratulations for being there; at the ball, for showing us grace and joy and for filling our hearts.

Dali Drawings

 Sigmund Freud, Alfred Hitchcock and Walt Disney; all varied and names to be associated with Salvador Dali. Dali’s showmanship and his works intrigued enlivened and enriched the lives of his viewers and admirers for decades. He still touches millions even though he is not currently en vogue in anything close to the same manner he was just a few years prior. Dali dazzled and confused with his paintings, films, prints and sculptures. His drawings were equally impressive and mysterious. They are the features of this blog.

The lines of Dali are elegant and masterful. The drawings range from the subtle to the beautifully extravagant. The many dream images, the surreal works he playfully produced in his lifetime are statements to his unusual and marvelous mind. 

He could be both baroque and modern in ways that few were able to equal. Perhaps the fact that he outdistanced his surrealist peers is the reason he was denounced by those fellows. To call Dali a genius is almost redundant but if such a thing exists he is certainly among those elite. It has been said that and there is a thin line between genius and madness.

 

 

Dali walked that line for the entirety of his public life with his wife and muse Gala by his side. We can only guess at the meanings and symbols he conjuring’s provided his public; but that is part of the pleasures of his work. He mastered many forms and illuminated many lives.

 

                   “The only difference between a madman and myself is that I am not insane.”

                                                                                                                             Salvador Dali