Sunday, October 31, 2010

Halloween


Thank you, James, for the perfect Halloween pic.

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Dream Apartment, Oui?




When Modernemama posted this fab Parisian apartment she found in the NY Times, she immediately transported me back to this balcony with a view of the Sorbonne. In an instant, I tossed another life goal on my plate-- fluency in French-- and proceeded to purchase an entire array of 'How to Speak French, You Dopey Yank' audio CDs. My reward if I am successful? Flights to France!

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Gustav Klimt: An Artist for All Seasons




Most people know 19th C Austrian painter Gustav Klimt for his iconic painting The Kiss. Indeed, Klimt's haunting portaits capture figures emerging from complex patters of color and gold leaf in ways that are completely unique to him, but it's his landscapes which I've been enjoying lately. The patterns and colors are at once abstract and realistic-- capturing the essence of nature without becoming fussy. I can practically hear the leaves underfoot as my eye wanders through the white birch trees.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Thinking Ahead: Peace Doves


I know Halloween is a handful of days away, but the CB2 catalogue had me thinking ahead to holiday shopping. Ever on the search for good gifts to have on hand, I found this peace dove ornament--a perfect way to end our year of the bird, don't you think?

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Canned Ham 2.0



What do you do when you've been a Broadway actor, adult film star, and house flipper, all in one lifetime? You write a one-man cabaret act featuring 12 different musical instruments, that's what you do! Better yet, have a fab NYC opening on your 50th birthday. Only Tom Judson could pull off such a feat. This time last year, James and I caught his early performance of Tom's show Canned Ham at Dixon Place. Since then, Tom has been on tour, playing to sold out performances in Provincetown for the summer. Don't miss out on his Dixon Place show on the 14th of November, 7pm. Tickets are going quickly.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Sunday Studio Time




Drawing upon my collages as studies, I set out to spend Sunday afternoon working on a few paintings on the Angry Landscape series. The lighthouse, still unfinished, comes from a photo I took on the Project Puffin boat ride back from Eastern Egg Rock in Maine, which I may make into a diptych, doing a daytime version of the lighthouse as well. The upcoming December exhibition at Ripe Art Gallery is giving a me a deadline to put together a cohesive statement about man vs. nature. In my narrative, however, nature is winning.
As for the owl, Seatuck is hosting a 'Spooktacular' Halloween 5k run, with artwork as prizes. Olivia completed a spotted owl for the event, but I went for the great horned owl since he looked, well, angry.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Friday in France


How fab to see my very own hot dog in the pages of a French newspaper in the exhibit, Diner a la C'art organized by M Artist Visuel.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Green Inititiatives in Town of Islip





Who says our nation can't go green? Not Town of Islip's Councilwoman Trish Bergin Weighbrodt nor Councilman John Edwards, who are announcing a forward-thinking initiative today encouraging homeowners, builders, and architects/to meet new Home Energy Rating System (HERS) standards when building new projects in the Town of Islip. By setting incremental and reasonable guidelines, especially in an area where energy costs are the highest in the nation, it could serve as a potential model for other towns and counties in NY state. The announcement will take place today at Bouler Architecture's Oak Beach project, a zero-energy home that not only received the highest HERS rating on Long Island, it generates more energy than it uses. With its use of photovoltaic panels, a geo-thermal system, insulation, and high-efficiency windows, the home is both energy efficient and comfortable. Bouler Architecture's Nick Pfluger, client Jill Kornman, and builder Ron LaBarbera, of LaBarbera Construction, will meet with Councilwoman Bergin Weichbrodt and Councilman Edwards to celebrate the initiative.
It is especially noteworthy to me that this initiative is a bi-partisan collaboration which was approved unanimously by the Town Board. Now isn't it about time that government on the state and federal level work together for forward-thinking, environmentally responsible initiatives? I'm not usually a one-issue type of voter-- I'm more of a big picture, overall governing philosophy kind of person, but I think it is perfectly valid to look at a candidates perspective on environmental issues as a barometer both literally and figuratively in terms of their investment in our nation's future.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Soul Eater


As fans of Japanese art, from printmaking to anime, the Bouler family watched a few episodes tonight of Soul Eater, an anime adaptation of the Japanese manga series by Atsushi Okubo. The fantasy series explores the life and death battles over human souls. With partnerships between characters forming weapons, this surreal cartoon presents themes of honor and teamwork, using some of the most adventurous graphic illustration I've seen on television. And what other cartoon features a character who is obsessed with symmetry? Check it out on youtube.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

The Angry Landscape Takes Greenlawn


The Angry Landscape marches right along, destroying all manmade edifices in its path, getting ready for a final showdown in Greenlawn this upcoming December. When Ripe gallery owner, the ever fab Cherie Via, said something about my work having a sense of humor, I'm not sure this is what she had in mind. With each toxic spill, collapsed coal mine, and oozing sludge, I'm beginning to feel profoundly unfunny. Fortunately Louise Millmann is sharing the space with me, hopefully bringing some levity to the situation.
Mark your calendars-- the opening is Dec 11th.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

The Legend of the Guardians of Ga'hoole


With our 3-D glasses and our bag of popcorn, Olivia, Jackson, and I eagerly anticipated the Legend of the Guardians of Ga'hoole. We were not disappointed. Based on the children's books by Kathryn Lasky, this fast-moving, action film captured the flight of owls so beautifully that I hardly needed the story to be mesmerized. From screetch owls to burrowing owls, the film covered the entire species with impressive accuracy-- well except for the British accents.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

In Life As In Literature


What can be said about the toxic sludge oozing across Eastern Europe? Yet another man-made, ecological disaster. It happens as I am about to begin teaching Enemy of the People, the Henrik Ibsen play where a whistleblowing scientist is ostracized from his community for trying to reveal that the local spring water is contaminated. Written in 1882, it's a cautionary play warning us about the battle between public safety and the bottom line, and how the majority is too easily swayed to know the difference.

Monday, October 11, 2010

500! Blog Entries









I don't normally put much stock in numerology, but it seems most appropriate to write about Potic Cottage for my 500th blog entry. Bouler Design Group, the blog, started about two years ago in an attempt to chronicle our addition to the cottage and Bouler Architecture's projects. What I didn't imagine was how blogging would take me on field trips, introduce me to other fantastic bloggers (hello modernemama, Ciao, Chessa!, and Tom Judson!), and become a space for me to explore ideas of all kinds. I've used it as a teaching tool, a family scrap book, and a sounding board.
The 500th entry coincides with 10-10-10, a magical number in itself. We celebrated by picking apples at a local orchard and picking up pumpkins at Black Horse Farms. Tom Judson and Jonathan Wilber popped by the cottage to check on the fort. But the big news was that it was also the day where Olivia finished the manuscript and illustrations for her children's book.
Needless to say it is remarkable how my life has evolved over 500 entries, and for that, I am infinitely grateful.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Sharing: A New Marketing Strategy


Here's a unique marketing strategy I heard about-- scatter books around like seeds and hope someone walks off with them or shares one with a friend, colleague, or family member. That's just what Sterling Publishing did all day yesterday, distributing their book of the month, The Law of the Garbage, all over Manhattan, starting with sanitation workers at 4:30 in the morning, to convey the book's message of gratitude and generosity. Armed with a couple of copies of my own, I spent the drive into work wondering where I would strategically leave my extra copy to have maximum success. I also pondered the book's garbage truck metaphor, considering less how people dump on me, but instead how I can dump less on others. NOw that's an idea worth sharing.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

ABAD Idea



As 'A Book About Death' postcard homages to Ray Johnson pop up around the globe, the sharing of ideas reminds me of the recent explosion of TEDx conferences. TED, which stands for Technology, Entertainment, and Design, is a lecture series that centers around the theme of ideas worth spreading. LIke the artistic 'think-tank' ABAD has inspired, TEDx is able to take on its own local persona while retaining the integrity of the overall concept. Although ideas are shared not unlike the interconnectedness of Facebook and Twitter, there is something inherently different about ABAD and TED's viral nature. Instead of being trapped behind the electronic screen, it's the physicality of ideas being exchanged in a space, a gallery, a conference center, a university, which transforms participants-- presenters and audience alike. WIth this in mind, please do drop by CW Post University Gallery for the upcoming ABAD exhibition which opens at 5 pm on Wednesday, November 3rd. As artist Louise Millman would say, it's ABAD idea.

Monday, October 4, 2010

October's Autumn




Every year, autumn rolls around and for me, it's time again for the Transcendentalists. With people today spending upwards of 7 1/2 hours on electronic mediums per day, it's worth considering how Henry David Thoreau would view our attachment to the world and to each other. What do we miss while we are distracted in our multi-media, multi-tasking lives? The term 'nature deprivation' smacks of new age mumbo jumbo, but what if Emerson and Thoreau were right, that by becoming a transparent eyeball and communing with nature, we restore our moral compass. Most people see the outdoors as an inconvenient space between their hermetically sealed homes and their airconditioned cars. Being so removed from nature makes them less inclined to connect with its beauty and less inclined to protect it. Thus, I assigned for my 11th grade students to sit outside for 15 uninterrupted minutes. As I watched them dutifully write their homework in their planners "Sit outside for 15 minutes", the inevitable questions follow: May I listen to music? Make a video? Work on my pitch? No, No, and No. In our overprogrammed lives, downtime is a lost art. It's not to be occupied by a nap, tv, or a checklist. Kick leaves five times (check!) Study a rock (check!) No, it requires meandering mentally and physically. Now let's see if I can do my own homework. Try it yourself and let me know how you make out so I can give you an A+.