Save The Gulf: The AOL Factor

Those of you reading this blog know that Olivia's fundraiser keeps growing-- small steps and ideas at first, now big steps-- the story AOL did on Olivia generated approximately $20,000 in donations yesterday alone! With 4,200 facebook followers in two weeks, it's been a breathtaking chain of events. The comments from people, the emails, the kindred spirits we've met, helps to keep us going. And check her out on Italian TV-- you don't need to understand the language-- and have a tissue ready.

May I add on a personal note that Olivia has inspired me greatly-- when a child says 'I'll do everything in my power to help," how can you not join her?

Our Water

Here's a shot of a barge sailing under the Rip Van Winkle Bridge on the Hudson River. Industry and waterfronts go hand in hand with easy access to transport goods by sea. But after the disaster in the Gulf, I began to wonder about environmental issues happening in NY's water system that I might not even know about. NYH2O is a watchdog organization that protects our drinking water and our waterways from pollutants and natural gas drilling. Needless to say, I joined their organization and their facebook fan page.

I find it hard to believe that drilling for gas or oil is a more financially profitable way to gain energy than investing in solar and wind. Catastrophic disasters aside (as if I could put it out of my mind), how much does it cost to lobby to change policy, pay off the MMS, drill a mile below the surface, build and maintain the rig-- that figure alone is something like 800 million a rig. Imagine how much further along we might be as a society if the oil industry hadn't set up all the rules for their own benefit?

Picasso: Themes and Variations

Friday night at MoMA is quite like stepping into a Fellini film. Since superstore Target covers admission fees, every gallery is teeming with crowds of people. Last night was no exception. The real buzz was over Marina Abramovic's hugely successful interactive performance piece where she faces off with museum goers who wait in line to take turns sitting in the chair across from her. As they meet each other's gaze, the tension between the artist and her opponent reads like a life-sized chess match.

As for the other shows, the real standout to me was the Picasso print survey. It wasn't exhaustive, but it did provide a terrific overview of his themes and his printmaking techniques. The images of his different lovers provided yet another chess match-- this time Picasso making the moves, swapping one woman for another, using his pen to capture the whole dynamic on paper. Masterful in execution, these prints offered insight into the artist's heart as well as his ability to morph his style with unsurpassable ability.

Save The Gulf on BBC Radio

Late last night, Olivia, who was with Jackson and James in Alabama visiting her grandparents, was interviewed by BBC radio about the bird drawings. It was quite amazing to have us all patched together through phone lines to talk about Olivia's Save the Gulf project. We are also in the midst of putting together a poster and fine art print since requests for her work have been pouring in from around the world. After telling classes for years that ordinary people have the ability to change the world, I'm finally beginning to believe it.

Save The Gulf: Update

How do I even begin to describe yesterday's emotions as I watched the futile attempts to save the Gulf coast while Olivia's drawing fundraiser grows exponentially? Her story was picked up by the Huffington Post, The Guardian (UK), a Belgian newspaper, and will be printed today in AOL news. Meanwhile, her facebook fan page grows from 857 yesterday to 1,660 this morning. Requests for drawings keep flowing in. We are looking into producing an edition of prints-- much like Olivia's hero James Audubon. I am inspired by the amazing outpouring of love Olivia has received, and I keep quoting Willy Wonka, "So shines a good deed in a weary world."

Horseshoe Crabs on the Beach

No, it's not the latest cocktail-- The horseshoe crab, more akin to a giant spider than a crab, comes to shore to mate at high tide during a full moon, so in order to help chart the population levels of this ancient creature, we met up with Brian Kelder from Seatuck and Matt Sclafani of Cornell Cooperative Extension to chart how many horseshoe crabs were on the shores of Captree Island last night. After surveying the length of the beach, Olivia and Jackson were given the opportunity to tag some of the crabs located for future reference.

Horseshoe crabs are an important link in bird migration. The red knot, a rare shore bird known for having the greatest migration journey, relies on horseshoe crab eggs for food as it travels from South America to Canada, stopping on Long Island on its way. If there aren't enough eggs, or if those eggs appear after the birds have passed Long Island, there could be a signficant impact on the red knot's already dwindling population.

To take part in future horseshoe crab counts, check out nyshorseshoecrab.org.

Summer Reading: Classics

People will often ask me about my favorite book, but choosing one title in particular is impossible. Favorite books often relate to my personal circumstance. My time at Chapel Hill was perfect for reading D.H. Lawrence's Women in Love, and Florence, Italy was ideal for Dante's Inferno. Don't even get me started on reading Anais Nin in Paris. But there are some books which transcend time and place for me. Jane Eyre is that book. Moody and mysterious, the book is both defined by its era and its timeless. Centered around a female protagonist who defies societal convention and a great old house with its dark secrets, its rich use of language makes this book by Charlotte Bronte a classic, one I plan on rereading this weekend. Please share a classic title you would like to recommend as a summer read.

ABAD: Omaha Submission

Here is my collage submission for the Book About Death show in Omaha. My piece, a tribute to conceptual artist Ray Johnson, refers to the artist's 1995 death off the coast of Sag Harbor, NY. Johnson, who was 67 at the time, was a strong believer in numerology and ended his life by swimming the backstroke out to the Atlantic Ocean on January 13th.

The Importance of Being A Curator

According to Joseph Campbell, you can tell what a culture values by its largest building. The Pharaoh wanted a big tomb, so Ancient Egypt is defined by the pyramid. The Middle Ages brings the rise of the cathedral. France has Versailles. And the United States? The mall. The same holds true for the history of art. The market oftentime prevails and what sells determines what gets created.

If the patron directs architecture and art with funding, it is the modern-day curator who sets the standard. Curators hit celeb status with the rise of contemporary art. Gallery owners Leo Castelli, Ivan Karp, Mary Boone became all-powerful in shaping the NYC art scene, but it was Philippe Montebello who established the bar for high culture with his 30 year tenure as director of the Metropolitan Museum. His modern art counterpart, curator Henry Geldzahler, seen here with me in 1984 at a show he curated at PS 1 in Queens, NY, was part of the Metropolitan's goal of adding contemporary art to their collection, joining their curatorial staff in 1960 at the age of 24. Over the next twenty-five years, with the weight of the Metropolitan Museum's name behind him, Geldzahler's choices of what would grace gallery walls would serve as a primer on late 20th century art. Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, Frank Stella, David Hockney-- Geldzahler determined the who's who of the era, but the real question is who was left out?

Weekend Studio Time

Sometimes I need a healthy dose of quiet to think about art. This weekend I was able to clear the deck for that time. The first piece is a collage sketch for the Angry Landscape series, more appropriate today then when I first came up with the idea a couple of months ago. I looked at the Great Wave, a Japanese woodblock print by Hokusai from 1831 and combined it with a drawing I had done of Verace last year. The second piece is a watercolor that reminds me of the 1960's film The Fantastic Voyage, where scientists are reduced to microscopic proportions to enter the human body. Finally, I took a good look at some Ray Johnson images before creating a poster for the Book About Death show in Omaha. Johnson often reduced portraits of artworld insiders into bunnies or profiles, so I 'Johnson-ified' curators Millmann and Gilmer as part of my tribute to Johnson himself.

The Kids in America

Interns visiting Hofstra

Robert Meinke with student intern

I sometimes hear folks bemoan the state of affairs with the younger generation. As a person who sees teenagers on a daily basis, I can say that many teens today are amazingly prepared to help improve the world. In fact, after attending yesterday's Senior Network Conference at Hofstra University where I had four students, Alissa, Sofia, Evan, and Matt, present their senior year internships, I am more impressed with their preparedness than ever. Student after student showcased his or her ability to transition from school to the real world, oftentimes in philanthropic ways. The four students I brought shared their experiences-- from raising money for schools in Pakistan, to riding an ambulance, to working with the elderly, to visiting Chinese factories-- as part of culminating their high school career.
Earlier in the week, I visited another student intern Chris, who was working with an eco-friendly store, Greener Country, in Jericho NY. On the cutting edge of environmental issues, owner Robert Meinke mentored an intern as a way to give back to the community. This LEED certified store, which carries free trade accessories, recycled products and organic goods, is also a source for larger alternative energy systems for the home. Seen here is a solar powered hot water heater that is mounted to the roof, a sensible alternative to other water heating systems.
Closer to the homefront, Bouler Architecture's new intern Emma collected hair from local salons and shipped everything off to the Gulf to be used as natural fibers for shore-protecting booms.

Olivia's fundraising for the Gulf clean-up also continues, with drawings going out all across the country. Her project was featured as a cover story in today's Mobile Press-Register. With all of the weighty issues facing today's generation, it is a comfort to know that tomorrow's generation seems ready to get their hands dirty in solving them.

Dinner at Verace

James and I decided to take advantage of a spare moment and slip out for dinner at Bouler Architecture's project Verace in Islip, NY, which has now been open for five months. He brought along his new SLR camera to see how its lens suits shooting architecture pics. I'd say it does a rather fine job, though I had hoped for a pic of my shoes to include in the entry. They were a fab compliment to his building design.

A Book About Death: Omaha

Photographers Louise Millmann and Rob Gilmer are calling for postcard sized entries for the latest installment in the Book About Death series. With stops in NYC, Belgium, Wales, and Brazil, this homage to conceptual mail artist Ray Johnson continues to morph. To participate, create a postcard sized image, including the words 'Book About Death' on the front, and mail it off to RNG Gallery, 1915 Leavenworth Stree, Omaha, Nebraska 68102.

Tim Hartley: Master Class

before

during

after

Louise Brooks

Some artists work in clay, others in paint; Tim Hartley works in hair. After working as the international creative director of Vidal Sassoon for 35 years, Hartley has joined forces with Davines, an Italian hair care company whose products are organic and sustainable. In their collaboration, Hartley’s concept was to take the archetypal bob and transform it through the use of color and texture. Held at James Bentley Salon on 57th Street, Hartley taught a master class for a select group of metropolitan-area hairdressers where he demonstrated his unique cutting techniques and style philosophy. While turning color and style on its ear with each hair model, Hartley riffed about his influences, design choices, and margaritas on the beach. Referencing icons like Louise Brooks, Brigitte Bardot, Mrs. Robinson, and Auntie Mame, hair was transformed from accessory to stand out.
Vidal Sassoon-trained salon owner Kane of Salon Eden in Bay Shore, NY, brought me along as his hair model. I gave him free reign over what happened next. Working with Hartley, he took my pageboy and, two hours later, turned it into a masterful, red- hot bob, a la Louise Brooks.
After the hair session, attendees and their salons met up at Davines’ conceptual dinner—where the organic ingredients of their products were incorporated into a five-course tasting menu. From the pickled ginger wrapped shrimp to the polenta with gorgonzola and spinach, the food, served by members of the Davines team, was a complex series of textures and flavors, not unlike the creations that took place earlier at the salon.
Overall the day’s events were a celebration of hair, design, and style.

North Fork: Planting Vines

The kids and I needed to get some sunshine today so we took a ride out to the Vivianos' farm in Cutchogue, NY to check out their new grapevines. I suppose being surrounded by North Fork vineyards can inspire folks to swap out their usual crops of tomatoes, garlic, and strawberries, to give winemaking a shot, which is exactly what the Vivianos have chosen to do. True, there's lots of vegetables and flowers in the greenhouse ready to go for their two farmstands, but the majority of the property is now a youthful field of merlot and cabernet sauvignon grapes.

My favorite part of the trip, however, was the chicken coop, where we were able to sneak past the turkey and gather up a half dozen eggs. Sounds like dinner to me.

In Flight

I've been blogging for almost two years now and to get followers, I've given away prizes, baked cakes, delivered balloons, heck I've only got 59 friends on facebook, so I know when something is taking off beyond my imagination.

Olivia's bird illustration fundraiser has been taking off, hence my lack of entries for two days. No joke, Olivia has been drawing up a storm while I've been getting the word out there. In 48 hours, her facebook fan page had 288 fans and growing. We've sent out her illustrations to all over the country, been interviewed by Audubon Magazine (yet to be published) and the Sierra Club (check it out!) and have received the loveliest notes of support for her and her project. I stand by my words that people helping the environment are the nicest people on the planet. Thank you to all who have reached out to us.

Please consider contacting your US Senators and House Representatives today-- it's easy to do on-line. We cannot wait any longer for a clean energy bill. For as wonderful as this is to see Olivia's efforts take flight, I wish disasters like this were long in the past and not in the present.

Clean Energy Now

The Angry Cloud 2010
I've lived through one oil crisis too many. When I was ten, I remember President Carter and long gas lines, alternating days to fill up. Imagine how far along we'd be if had put our energy into getting off oil then, instead of scratching our heads in 2010. Even if oil was unlimited and cheap, it is still a dirty business, both literally and figuratively. Watching the news last night, I was disgusted with the state of affairs on many levels, but one bright light was NJ Senator Robert Menendez, who argued for the need to explore clean energy. This morning I wrote to Senator Menendez, thanking him for his sensible suggestions.
There are bright moments this week, however. Olivia's bird illustrations are rolling along-- donations are headed to Audubon and National Wildlife Federation as of this morning-- and drawings are on their way to those who donate. I am adding The Nature Conservancy to our list of places to donate. Their website is also quite informative on ways to help.

Take Action

In the spirit of recycling and saving the earth, Matter of Trust is a not-for-profit organization started in 1998 whose mission is to connect ideas to sustainable systems. To help with the Gulf clean-up, they are collecting hair, fur, waste wool and left over nylons to use as booms in the Gulf to soak up the oil along the coastline. Check out their site for details on how to send natural fiber materials to them.

A BIG thank you to Salon Eden in Bay Shore who has already signed on to give me their bags of hair to send off to Matter of Trust.

PS: Olivia has a Facebook fan page: Save the Gulf: Olivia's Bird Illustrations, with her bird illustrations. She's up to 15 right now. Thank you to all who have donated. Spread the word!

The Angry Landscape Continues

The Angry Landscape: Weeks Bay, Alabama

Bird House at Mobius Fundraiser

"When the environment is destroyed, plundered or mismanaged, we undermine our quality of life and that of future generations," Wangari Maathai's 2004 Nobel Peace Prize speech urged us to reconsider our relationship to the environment. "We are called to assist the Earth to heal her wounds and in the process heal our own."

But what if Nature strikes back? As the winds whipped around the shores of Long Island at top speeds this weekend, it seemed as if my sketches of the Angry Landscape were coming to fruition. Yesterday I added a drawing of the Gulf to the series, using Weeks Bay, Alabama as a setting. In it, nature is far more aggressive than the painting I did for a current show at Mobius in Boston, where a giant bird insinuates her nest atop a house, though both suggest Mother Earth is reconsidering Her relationship with us.

International Migratory Bird Day

Yesterday Olivia and I attended the Migratory Bird Festival at the Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge in Shirley, NY. and volunteered at the Seatuck information table, letting people know about Islip's new nature preserve. The day proved to be relaxing and restorative. After a hike around the preserve's lengthy trails, and a Baltimore Oriole sighting, Olivia and I took in a birds of prey show and perused the displays of nature conservation in our area. We also met Kathy of the Great South Bay Audubon Society, who confirmed our oriole identification and shared with us some of their bird watching programs. We loved hearing about the nighttime owl spotting one. We also learned about Cornell Univeristy's horseshoe crab counting program, being held on Captree Island. The horseshoe crab is an essential part of the food chain and bird migration, so its dwindling numbers are of concern. Also at the festival was an dear friend of mine, scientist Margaret Green, who was the first female chemist at Brookhaven National Labs. Now infirm, it was still great to have such a role model of mine meet my daughter.

It was a perfect way to meet up with like-minded nature lovers who are working towards saving their corner of the world. It is a pleasure to join their ranks.

Save The Gulf

The Gulf disaster has been heavy on our hearts and minds this week. With James growing up on the Gulf shores of Alabama, it's been painful to watch the slow destruction of that eco-system, and we've been looking for ways to help.

After Olivia wrote the above letter, we've had some discussion with the very kind people at the Audubon Society about different fundraising approaches using Olivia's illustrations; however we ultimately decided to keep it simple. Olivia has met her goal of 500 requests for original drawings and caught the attention of AOL in the process, who donated $25,000 to support her cause. Check out her artist's canvas on their site and her facebook page: Save the Gulf: Olivia's Bird Illustrations

The response to Olivia's project has been beyond any of our expectations. We have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of generosity and want to share Olivia's birds with as many people as possible, so we have worked with AOL in sending out a limited edition of prints of Olivia's drawings. We hope they will be as beautiful and as treasured as James Audubon's.
SInce so many people were requesting Olivia's illustrations on a variety of products, we have also opened an online store, Olivia's Birds, with profits being donated to several organizations helping out in the Gulf.