A Bunch of Art Meandering With a Side of Lo Mein

In case you haven't noticed, I haven't shown too many of my assignments since December. January's been slow, and since school started up again, I haven't really done anything presentable, except this ribcage, and maybe an anatomical sketch or two. I'm pretty sure there won't be anything from my Color & Design class just yet--I'm still feeling a bit overwhelmed about starting color this week. I tried doing a lighthouse last Fall with watercolor pencils, and it turned out pretty terrible.

I'm watching the movie Kinsey right now, and I definitely recommend it. It sheds a lot of light on people's sexual hang-ups and knowledge (or lack thereof). He basically states at one point that people are so hard-groomed in their social restraints that they will betray their own nature to maintain them. The guy managed to conduct a survey of sexual behavior with his own father, who was a very religious and strict man!

I decided to conduct a search for Gouache (pronounced Gwash) in GF. Gouache is a type of paint like Oil or Acrylic, but is apparently better for beginners for its particular color qualities and general adaptability. It is also apparently endangered in GF, because I had a hell of a time finding it. I did finally find it at Art & Learn, although the tubes looked used. I was happy to find it, and I also finally decided to see what Artsplace was all about. Some of you might remember the building with a large bra sculpture out front. I wandered about inside for about 10 minutes, seeing someone in back doing something, but not seeing anyone I figured would be an "employee". Finally, I left, and was just about to get into my car when I heard the store entrance open and someone calling hello to me. I explained that I was just there to see what the place was like and to check their supplies, and he invited me back in.

The guy who owns the place is Frank Kelly, a local artist who used to teach at UND. He lives upstairs, runs a gallery/art supply store in the the front, and keeps a big studio in the back. He showed me a lot of his work (mostly lithographs and collages, which I don't really like), and works from other local artists, including some paintings that used to adorn the walls of Lola's before it closed, and a photo of Abraham Lincoln which I don't really remember the actual origin of. I never did get to see the studio, but I did find out he prices his supplies below many other stores, being that he is a private owner, an he also used to let students present their BFA galleries in his store, where they could actually have wine (a typical staple at gallery openings).

I also learned about the story behind the bra. One of his former students did it back in 1996. You might remember when our benevolent government higher-ups decided to cut funding for the arts. No? Hmm...well they did it again last year, so think of that. Anyway, below the bra (at the moment under a foot of snow) is a large drain. The title of the piece is "Support For the Arts is Going Down the Drain". Kelly projected the thought that a jock strap didn't seem to hold quite the same meaning, to which I remarked maybe now is the time to add it (huh, what do you know, witty art conjecture).

On Sunday, Karissa, Is and I went with Kevin and April to the Great Wall Buffet. I hadn't been there since it was reopened. It was really, good and Kevin got me to try the Mongolian Lo Mein bar. Mainly we picked stuff to go on top of the lo mein noodles like bean sprouts, garlic, sauces, chicken, beef, etc. Then we watched this guy take all the cold food and toss it on a big frying table for about 2 minutes and give it back to us smelling really yummy.

So that's been the last couple of days.