From Raphael to Foxy Brown: Part One of Three

The Portland Art Museum is currently hosting two exhibits that will blow your mind wide open. I visited them on Tuesday, and that evening, watched Foxy Brown. This is the story of how the different kinds of art can affect you. Or more accurately, me.

The first exhibit is a special showing of Raphael's incomparable La Velata (Woman with the Veil). The Art Museum's website has all the details, but you'll have to read all that there. I want to talk about the emotional impact of art.

Setting plays a huge part in the way visual art speaks to the viewers. La Velata is being displayed by herself in a single room. Only a limited number of patrons are allowed in at one time to avoid crowds.

In this black curtained room, her ornate gold frame captures the light and surrounds her with an angelic glow. Raphael's sfumato technique gives her face and clothing a soft, serene look. Her gaze goes directly to you, no matter where you are standing.

This is what I wrote in my journal after viewing her.

Her eyes are direct, but also peaceful. There is an air of alertness, but not of fear. She is alive and serene at the same time.

Her jewelry is exquisite. Carnelian at her neck, pearl bobs in her hair, and the black ribbons at her bodice indicate not only her status, but invite the viewer (or more accurately, me!) to contemplate the nature of adornment. And makes us (more accurately, me) want to make sure we have shown ourselves love by decorating our bodies.

Her veil glows.

She makes me lower my shoulders and release my tension. For though she looks very young, her face is both compassionate and no-nonsense.

As I wandered the rest of the museum's gallery of Renaissance art, I compared the serenity of La Velata to the action-oriented pieces in the collection. Her elegance and seeming simplicity left me wanting more, whereas the more violent pieces made me scurry by, not wanting to ruin the contemplative feeling she gave me.

Next up?

China Design Now - an overwhelming and exciting display of modern design from Shanghai, Beijing, and Shenzhen.

NaBlogWriMo?

Last night, a friend of mine challenged me to National Blog Writing Month. Better late than never, I say.

So, a few days into November, I will now attempt to write a blog entry every day.

*bites nails*

For my first entry, here is something I found online (but with no attribution, so if you know who wrote this, let me know!!)

How to feel miserable as an artist
(or, what not to do. Underline any that currently apply)

1. Constantly compare yourself to other artists
2. Talk to your family about what you do and expect them to cheer you on.
3. Base the success of your entire career on one project.
4. Stick with what you know.
5. Undervalue your expertise.
6. Let money dictate what you do.
7. Bow to societal pressures.
8. Only do what your family would love.
9. Do whatever the client/customer/gallery owner/patron/investor asks.
   
10. Set unachievable/overwhelming goals. To be accomplished by tomorrow.

What do you fall into? I'm a sucker for #1, 2, 3, 5, and 10. Especially 1 and 10 together.

Can't you just hear it?

"Jayne Ann Krentz puts out how many books a year?! I'd better get seventy-five pages in by tomorrow!!

Yep. Works every time, let me tell you.

Art, Emotion, and Muses.

October has been a very busy month here at Casa Mercury. I got to participate in one of the coolest things ever.

I got to experience a photo shoot with the hugely talented and visionary Michael Baxter. Internationally known as the premier belly-dance photographer in the world, he was willing to meet with me and work on some portrait and retro-style pinup photographs.

Michael is the sweetest person you'll ever meet. He's generous, kind, and the very definition of artist. In between shots, we talked about what makes a photo or a paragraph or music into art, something transcendental.

Not to get all Aristotelian on everyone's asses, but we kept coming back to the idea that art evokes emotion. For example, tragedy arouses fear and pity, then creates a catharsis for those emotions. All art forms revolve around emotion- the arousal, examination, and release thereof.

The visual arts can suggest a story in a single image. The written arts can suggest actions and meanings that re-create or imitate the world.

Thank you, Michael, for being a Muse for me.

Finding the Fun.

I just watched The Fun Theory videos and now I feel really up and at 'em!

The premise of The Fun Theory is that we can change everyday behaviors by making them more fun.

I firmly believe that making and having lots of fun creates a much healthier life. Today, in the spirit of the Fun Theory, I am going to go see what I can do to make my environment more exciting and playful.

What will you do?

TMI alert!

One of the ways I try to keep my love scenes fresh and exciting is to keep a notebook of sexual fantasies and thoughts. Not just my own, but also ideas and experiences my friends share with me, or random ideas from the various media in my life.

I try not to judge or censor any of these, no matter how exotic or fantastical they may be. So I've got jottings about everything from tender heterosexual lovemaking by candlelight to tentacle sex to sex in outer space to.... Well, you get the idea. :)

Once people sense that you won't judge them for sexual thoughts, they can be remarkably forthcoming with ideas. Recently my husband and I struck up a general conversation with a gentleman in a restaurant's lounge . Once he found out I wrote romance, he suggested that the necklace our bartender wore would make a handy cock ring in a story.

Of course I wrote it down! I'm sure I'll use it somewhere.

So if you see me reaching for my purse during a conversation, keep talking!

Lather, rinse, repeat.

I liked the Escher exhibit so much I went back today!

Remember what the Dormouse said...

Feed your head!

(sorry about the earworm, there, but it had to be done)

Something I always forget, but is of vital necessity - intellectual stimulation is the life-blood of writers and other artists. When I haven't seen art, listened to live music, or done any of those other life-affirming things, I have a very very difficult time writing.

Yesterday, I checked out the MC Escher exhibit at the Portland Art Museum. It was brilliant and eye opening.

The show had study after study for his pieces, original lithographs, and even the plates he used for his work.

What did I learn?

That art takes time. And, despite my natural tendency towards impatience, it is supposed to take time.

What a relief!

Inspiration! Imitation!

Elizabeth Gilbert on writing, creativity, and surviving fear.

I have a feeling I'm going to be looking at this video a lot. :)

Anything but writing!!

Do not, under ANY circumstances, watch this in the library.

Whose Line is it Anyway?
(this link goes to UK Season 1)


I just about burst something.

Surrounding yourself with heroes.

Books on writing are full of advice - some of it life-changing. Some are, how do I say this nicely?

Utter rubbish.

And sometimes, advice starts as one and turns into the other.

For example, when women try to lose weight, they are told to paste a picture of a slim person on the inside of their cupboard or on their refrigerator. I have always found this to be nasty, belittling, and condescending - yet another way of telling women that they are not beautiful and they will never measure up.

But we all need heroes. That's why we write, that's why we watch movies/TV, that's why we read. Everyone needs someone to show us that what we want is possible and how to get there.

So this week, I found pictures of my creative heroes and I've seeded them around my writing stations.

Obviously, I have a love for mythology and for the band Queen. Freddie, Brian, Roger, and John now live in glorious color on my laptop's wallpaper. Their music, politics, and courage never fail to lift me up when I'm feeling sluggish or stuck.

Jayne Ann Krentz, a wonderful best-selling author (and former librarian with a background in history!) is another of my heroes. I've met her in person a few times and she is down to earth, intelligent, and has great insights on our craft. If you do not own Dangerous Men and Adventurous Women, you are shorting yourself some great discussion on Romance!

Emma Holly writes beautifully sexy and emotional fiction.

I've got lots. Who inspires you?