Renaissance Girl

 Some people game to relax, some play cards... I look at art! A year or so ago I was looking on Deviantart at Phantom of the Opera art. There are a lot of very good artists on that site. I noticed that I was attracted by these certain drawings that I'd click on and after a while I realized they were all being done by the same person. They were beautiful, and funny and completely original and also dark and romantic and I completely fell in love with this portrayal of Erik and Christine.

 

So, I had to know all about the artist who created them. That artist is known on Deviantart as Muirin007 and in real life she is Casey Eade, a college student. Not only is she a brilliant artist whose work is a cross between cartooning and fine art...

  but she is also a funny and engaging writer and blogger, speaks French and really knows her stuff when it comes to the Victorian era and the writers and artists who defined that time period and hopes to eventually become a Professor in this field.
Plus... her phantom stories are wonderful takes on the characters.

She was taking a few commissions last year and I was incredibly lucky that she accepted mine, because, not only is she flat out taking courses, but she worked at a college radio station and took classes throughout the summer. When she asked what I would like... I had to think, because I LOVE her cynical Erik:

 But then I thought I would love a romantic image and told her to go with anything she was inspired to do...and she created this, which is so stunning in real life I feel like my wall should be part of a museum exhibit!

She is working on a book collection of her Phantom art (which I must own immediately!!!) and I, personally, would love to see her illustrate Leroux's classic, and would love, love, love her to illustrate Susan Kay's "Phantom". Meanwhile, I'm saving up for if/when that small window of commissions opens up... I'll be ready!

(she doesn't just do Phantom art...check out her site to see more of her work!)

Connections: Edward Gorey and Paul Giambarba

As a child, I was captivated by the work of Edward Gorey as soon as I saw it. My parents were great readers and frequenters of book stores new and used and somewhere along the line I found his tiny, dark and mysterious paperbacks like The Hapless Child.

I also had a book called the Haunted Looking Glass which he illustrated.

I was sure Edward Gorey was a long dead Victorian era artist and writer like another of my favorite pen and ink artists, John Tenniel illustrator of Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. I was a kid. What did I know?  As I got older and continued to find new works by Mr. Gorey... a lightbulb went off. He's ALIVE! This was waaay before the internet when you had to realllly do research and scrounge around for information so, eventually, I found my way to the Gotham Book Mart in the city...

 and went to every signing they held for Mr. Gorey and I also managed to infect my dear friend Anthony with Goreymania and we two teens discovered he was in the phonebook! So was his address!  We would make the occasional pilgrimage to his NY apt. and sort of linger around. I guess this would be considered stalking, but we were young and cute back then and being young and cute you can get away with a lot!

(me and Anthony in our cute years)

A year or so later, I was selling clay sculptures and art in galleries around NY and LI and made a Christmas present I wanted to leave on Mr. Gorey's doorstep. My ex and my brother were obliging so we drove into the city and there was no place to park, so my brother circled the block and I went up and knocked on the door... not expecting any answer, but...the door opened and there was Edward Gorey, who said "Why, hello there"... or words to that effect. I was speechless... "Uh...I made this Christmas present for you...". ""Come on in!"

I glanced around for my brother who was still circling but we went inside. He was delightfully gracious and charming and offered us tea, which sadly, we had to decline because of my brother, but he did give me a copy of the Lavender Leotard, his latest book with a hand colored detail:

(the skirt of the leotard is hand colored)

He also told us some stories about his cats before we departed. I will always remember his apartment filled with books. Every space had stacks and stacks. His fireplace had stacks of books in it (I assumed NOT for burning) and we did see a couple of his cats lurking behind the books.


(his NY apartment looked pretty much like this)

This was an amazing day because Mr. Gorey was famous for not answering fan mail. He was always nice at the signings, too. This was all long before Dracula (which I saw with the dashing, young Frank Langella!) PBS and Mystery helped bring his work to national attention.
I also knew, from my extensive research, that Edward Gorey attended all of the NY City Ballet's performances and loved George Balanchine and stated if  Mr. Balanchine ever died he'd leave NY and move to Barnstable, MA.

Which brings me to why I am writing this now. It was a sad occasion when  Edward Gorey passed away. Later, I read about his house in Yarmouth   Port, MA, had been turned into a museum.

Paul Giambarba is an illustrator, cartoonist and designer of the iconic Polaroid box designs:

He is also a member of the NCS and the Wisenheimer online cartoon  board, which was started in the early days of the internet and is still run by the amazing Ted Goff. I have corresponded with Paul and been an admirer of his work for many years. He started an early blog about the history of illustration and knowing how much I liked Edward Gorey he sent me a link to a story he did that was an interview with  Gorey and included photos he took! What a connection! (Paul's interview with Edward Gorey).

(Edward Gorey photo by Paul Giambarba)

This year, we were looking for a getaway that wouldn't be too expensive and I said to John, there are two things I've always wanted to do, go to the Edward Gorey museum and meet Paul and his wife, Fran, in person and meet them for lunch! In looking at the Gorey House website it said plan your stay. It mentioned the Colonial Inn which was right next door! I booked a room and we ended up having one of the best times, ever!
We stayed at the Colonial Inn which turned out to be a charming old inn with a lot of personality and great food.  Dinner and breakfast are included in the price!

Colonial Inn

The Gorey House was fantastic!

                

  John and I ended up spending two hours  with the docent and would have spent another two except they closed and we were already there past closing. They had a lovely exhibit of  the originals of "The Gashlycrumb Tinies" :

and many other originals and items from his own collections of things and his coat, which was a bit sad to see behind glass

and there were dolls (the Black Doll!) and puppets and all sorts of posters and our guide was very knowledgeable so we enjoyed all his insight and stories I completely forgot to take pictures except for a couple outside and had to go back the next day for the gift shop. We both loved it and would definitely go back!!!



We met Paul and Fran for lunch at a local pub and had the best time talking cartooning (and politics!) and it seemed like we'd known them for ages, which, online, anyway, I have known and admired Paul for ages!

(Paul and I)
 

Paul and Fran

We ended up going back to their lovely home and talking and talking in between espresso and dessert and a tour of their beautiful garden. Paul's brilliant work was hung on the walls and it was such a treat to see his beautiful silk screens of the seasons and original drawings.
So, Yay! We had a most fabulous time and will look forward to making another trip to the Cape sometime in the near future!

Happy Mother's Day to Me!

The best thing I ever did was becoming a Mom! Maybe it's because I have the Bestest Daughter Ever. She is on her way to a library conference in Costa Rica so, Nico, if you are checking the internet... this is for you, and for Moms and daughters (ok and sons, too) everywhere:

Shows for Grown-Ups

I think it's a given that as soon as I like a show...it gets canceled. Just look at Jericho, Wonderfalls, American Gothic and Invasion. I LOVE Nashville and SMASH. Both have amazing casts and original music and intriguing story-lines and should stay on the air for years to give those of us who are sick of laugh track sit-coms and reality shows (well, maybe not the Voice. I do enjoy Blake and Adam!) something to look forward to. If you are not watching these fantastic shows, here are some reasons why you should!

First some highlights from SMASH. SMASH, for those who don't know, revolves around the creation of a Broadway musical based on the life of Marilyn Monroe plus gives us a look at other shows the cast members become involved in like this example which has to be one of the funniest things I've ever seen on TV. A scene from a soon to be closed musical version of Dangerous Liasons with Sean Hayes as a Jerry Lewis type comedian making his dramatic Broadway debut alongside Megan Hilty's fabulous Ivy. Most of these clips are from the official show sites so may have ads first, but hang on. It's worth it! Others are from the miracle of Youtube. Thanks to all who uploaded them:

Ivy is my favorite Marilyn. Sorry Karen.
and I loved Krysta Rodriguez as Karen's roommate Ana singing on a recent episode:

So, if you aren't watching SMASH please tune in and help keep it on the air!
Now, a look at Nashville, a fabulously addictive show. I LOVE Connie Britton as superstar country singer Rayna James, Hayden Panettiere as Juliette Barnes an up and coming cross-over star with issues and Charles Esten as Deacon, Rayna's former flame and guitar player who has also backed up Juliette and is just generally pretty darn talented (and sexy!)! I also really like Gunnar and Scarlett and...well, tune in. Here are some of the fantastic songs and singers: Clare Bowen as Scarlett and Sam Palladio as
Gunnar:

And here are Rayna and Juliette with Deacon on their tour:
Deacon and Juliette writing a song:

You can watch episodes of Nashville and SMASH online . Just click on the links and become a fan!

12 Fancy Eggs For Easter!





Showdown at the Bird Feeder

We've had wild turkeys hanging out at the bird feeder the last couple of months. First there were 8. Then 2 more showed up. Then, suddenly there were 25 with two Toms puffing up like illustrations on a Thanksgiving platter and facing off... but, suddenly, they remembered "why are we here? Oh, right, Food!" all rivalry was forgotten. Then they all turn and run as fast as they can back across the street and into the woods and then down the neighbor's driveway. Here is a quick look at life with turkeys:

4th Annual Kitty Awards

Yay! It's awards season, once again! I have to say that the Golden Globes hosts this year were actually great! If you can't have Neil Patrick Harris, our host of hosts, and, well, we booked him first... Tina Fey and Amy Poehler were perfect substitutes!

By now, everyone has gotten the nominations for the Academy Awards and you are probably thinking, can I stay awake for this old school awards event with their desperate attempts at shaking things up with  hosts who are either boring or nasty and insult the audience... I mean, Pleazzzzzzzzzzzzz! NPH would NEVER insult the audience. He is classy! So, if you want classy, plus surprising new nominations that you can cheer for... and we know you do, it's time to present  the 4th Annual (can you believe it???) Kitty Awards for all you viewers (ok, readers) out there!

Once again, let us present our host, the man who should be our country's National Host of All Awards and Ambassador of  Hosting Around the World: Neil Patrick Harris:

Thanks for hosting, Neil! We love you!
Once again, the Kitty will go to the most deserving winners. Not the movies that cost the most, or the biggest stars. Using the Academy Awards nominees, below are the incredibly lucky stars and films that will win the Kitty!
OK, get ready, here is the first Award:

Best Supporting Actor
Alan Arkin, "Argo"
Christoph Waltz, "Django Unchained"
Phillip Seymour Hoffman, "The Master"
Robert De Niro, "Silver Linings Playbook"
Tommy Lee Jones, "Lincoln"
Richard Parker "Life of Pi"
And the winner...
Richard Parker!! Who could ever forget that role of a lifetime! And in 3D!  Yes, RP, the Kitty is all yours! Congratulations!

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams, "The Master"
Anne Hathaway, "Les Miserables"
Helen Hunt, "The Sessions"
Jacki Weaver, "Silver Linings Playbook"
Sally Field, "Lincoln"
And the winner... Anne Hathaway!!! Seriously, was there ever any doubt? Enjoy your win, Anne, it is one of many you will receive... though probably the most fabulous and special award of all...and it is all yours to enjoy, forever! Way to go, Anne!

Best Actor
Bradley Cooper, "Silver Linings Playbook"
Daniel Day-Lewis "Lincoln"
Denzel Washington, "Flight"
Hugh Jackman, "Les Miserables"
Joaquin Phoenix, "The Master"

Get ready, folks...and the winner is Hugh Jackman!! That's right! None of the other AA nominees sang their way through such drama as you did. Again, Hugh, you will win many awards. None as meaningful as the Kitty, of course.

Best Actress
Emmanuelle Riva, "Amour"

Jennifer Lawrence, "Silver Linings Playbook"

Jennifer Lawrence, "The Hunger Games"

Jessica Chastain, "Zero Dark Thirty"

Naolmi Watts, "The Impossible"
Quvenzhane Wallis, "Beasts of the Southern Wild"


And the winner...WOW! It's an upset! Jennifer Lawrence competing against herself! The Kitty Academy has not seen "Silver Linings etc" but we HAVE seen ""The Hunger Games" THREE times and read all the books so... Jennifer wins for her unforgettable portrayal of Katniss Everdeen in "The Hunger Games"!!!! Yay, Jennifer!!!

Here, to remind you of her Kitty Award winning performance is a memorable scene from "The Hunger Games":

Congratulations, Jennifer!!! Well deserved!!!

Best Director
Ang Lee, Life of Pi
Benh Zeitlan, Beasts of the Southern Wild
David O'Russell, Silver Linings Playbook
Michael Haneke, Amour
Steven Spielberg, Lincoln
While the Kitty Academy did enjoy Life of Pi and Beasts of the Southern Wild below are Best Director Nominee unrecognized for one of the BEST movies of the year:
Wes Anderson, Moonrise Kingdom.And...the winner is Mr. Wes Anderson!!! Way to go, Wes and keep those visionary masterpieces coming!

Best Foreign Language Film of the Year

A Royal Affair (Denmark)
Amour (Austria)
No (Chile)
War Witch (Canada)
Kontiki (Norway)
Bullhead (Belgium)
Footnote (Israel)
In Darkness (Poland)
Monsieur Lazhar (Canada)
A Separation (Iran)

The Kitty Academy judges didn't see any new Foreign Language pictures in the movies this year , but we DID absolutely LOVE Miss Minoes (Netherlands) on Netflix! So we are adding that to the Foreign Films list:
Miss Minoes (Netherlands)
Here's a look at this great film:

 And the winner...Hooray! Miss Minoes!!!

 Best Animated Feature Film

Brave

Frankenweenie
ParaNorman
The Pirates! Band of Misfits
Wreck it Ralph

What? No Rise of the Guardians??? That was the only animated feature the judges spent money on, just so you know! So, we add that to the nominations list:

 

And the winner: Rise of the Guardians! Justice is served once again!

Original Score

Anna Karenina, Dario Marianelli

Argo, Alexandre Desplat
Life of Pi, Mychael Danna
Lincoln, John Williams
Skyfall, Thomas Newman
What about Moonrise Kingdom? That had an absolutely enchanting and complimentary score!
 And the award goes to Moonrise Kingdom!!! Have a listen:

Best Original Song
Before My Time, J. Ralph; Chasing Ice
Everybody Needs a Best Friend, Walter Murphy and Seth McFarlane; Ted
Pi's Lullaby, Mychael Danna and Bombay Jayashri: Life of Pi
Skyfall, Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth; Skyfall
Suddenly, Claude-Michel Schonberg, Herbert Kretzmer and Alan Boulil; Les Miserables
And the winner, Yay! "Suddenly" from Les Miserables, because who could resist Hugh Jackman singing this poignant love song. Certainly NOT the Kitty Academy judges!



Now, a MAJOR SURPRISE! Presenting the new Kitty Lifetime Achievement Award! The award honoring a star's fabulous accomplishments in the arts or whatever and our first winner is...wait for it: MADONNA!!! Inspired by listening to "Evita" in the judge's truck while driving to Michaels. What better way to choose a winner! Plus, she is the QUEEN of the history of the best videos ever. Here is a glimpse of her amazingness in "Evita:

And a look at one of her incredible videos, "Ray of Light", a later one, but you can pick any at random and give it an award:

Here you go, Madonna. Thank you for all your wonderfulness!



And now... the BIGGEST award of the night. Get ready, here are the nominees. Which picture will get the Kitty? It's exciting, yes...as it all comes down to this.
Best Picture
Argo
Amour
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Django Unchained
Les Misérables
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Silver Linings Playbook
Zero Dark Thirty
There are some reall great films here. The KA LOVED Les Miserables (as evidenced by other category sweeps!), we LOVED Beasts of the Southern Wild and Argo and Life of Pi. We think we'd love Django, but have not had a chance to see that one. But there IS one glaring ommission from the nominees, Moonrise Kingdom, a movie so endearing and charming and just fantastic that the Academy has seen it 3 times! So, that title has now been added!
Moonrise Kingdom

 And,the winner is MOONRISE KINGDOM!!! A perfect movie, with a perfect cast, soundtrack and cinematography, costumes and set design, all categories we haven't added (as this awards show takes ages to put together!!!) but are awarding them this once and are giving them ALL to
 Moonrise Kingdom!!! :

Don't worry, kids! That map will get you and the Kitty Award back to New Penzance!
What a night! Hard to believe all the glamour and excitement has come to an end. Now, you just have to wait for all these films to be on DVD so you can watch them at home (where most of you have TVs the size of movie screens, anyway!).
Bye, Neil! You did a fantastic job once again! See you next year!!!