Tuesday, November 30, 2010

It's Almost Ripe




With the Ripe art show opening December 11th, it's definitely time to frame. With thirty pieces in the show, I am excited to see the angry landscape idea take shape. And I was glad to see Cherie from Ripe pick up the blogging pen again. Hoping the show's a fab event to end 2010.

Monday, November 29, 2010

Bay Shore Residence: Progress Continues





The waterfront Bay Shore home is nearing completion. The cedar shingles, dipped in weathering oil, will turn into a silvering grey over time. Stainless steel cable rails are also ready to be installed, with IPE decking on the master bedroom balcony, cabana, and the first floor's wraparound deck. The mechanical systems are up and running, with geothermal, radiant heating on the first floor, and a solar array ready to be in place for spring.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Giving Thanks




Thanksgiving has become my favorite holiday for many reasons. It's universal, transcending ethnicity and religion. It's altruistic, giving more than receiving. It's also a reminder to take stock of the blessings one has. With this in mind, Olivia donated two drawings for auction to two different fundraisers. Project Angel Food is a California-based program whose mission is to nourish the body and spirit of men, women and children affected by HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. Volunteers and staff cook and delivering more than 13,000 free and nutritious meals every week to people in need. The other organization, Family Service League, is closer to home on Long Island. Their upcoming fundraiser will help fund programs for individuals, families and communities in crisis, challenged by homelessness, unemployment or mental illness. Family Service League (FSL) is there for those who might otherwise "fall through the cracks," mobilizing resources, and design programs to meet their needs. How thankful the Bouler family is to have the opportunity to help support these important organizations. Happy Thanksgiving to you all.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Bouler Architecture: New Sketches


Bouler Architecture is starting a new project in West Islip, on the Great South Bay. We had a successful meeting last night with our new client, and this is the sketch of the rear, water-facing elevation. The lower curve is a covered, exposed structure that covers the water side patio. Above the patio is the master bedroom balcony. Inside the master bedroom, we are proposing a third level mezzanine, with an interior stair that will also serve to seperate the master bedroom's sleeping area from the sitting room.
We also have wonderful south facing roof over the garage, where we will incorporate a 10KW solar panel system. We are also using a geo-thermal heat pump. Our goal, after intstalling spray in insulation, energy-efficient windows, is to be 80% more efficient... or very close to Zero Energy.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Beauty or Brains? Both?




The New York Times Arts and Leisure section yesterday provided a fascinating juxtaposition in femininity. Three movies, all centered on female figures, provide insight into the polarization of female identity. Acerbic New Yorker Fran Lebowitz, known for her scathing sarcasm, is featured in a new documentary "Public Speaking" directed by Martin Scorsese, armed with little more than her wit. Not unlike Louis Malle's "My Dinner with Andre," Lebowitz is filmed chatting at her regular table at the Waverly Inn. A modern-day Dorothy Parker, Lebowitz's writing in general is brainy, opinionated, and quick, moving from topic to topic with ease, so the format of filmed conversation should prove to be equally erudite. On the opposite side of the spectrum is Cher, four years Lebowitz's senior, whose new movie "Burlesque," showcases the singer/actress in fishnets and sequins. After countless plastic surgeries, Cher's unwrinkled face is evidence of a relentless desire to fight the natural aging process, hoping to retain beauty at any cost. Upon reading interviews with both women, however, it is Lebowitz who seems energized, not Cher.
To balance out the question, another Disney princess is on the horizon-- flying in on her tangle of hair with her prince. Will this version of Rapunzel offer a new vision of femininity-- one that marries beauty and brains? If so, it's about time.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Ripe Art Show: The Invite




My food offering of thanksgiving for Louise's lunch tomorrow-- white beans and escarole soup-- from scratch.

With the opening of our exhibition next month, Louise and I have been brainstorming like mad over the invitation card. I put together my illustration-- thrilled to have a chance to create a portrait of Louise and myself. Although I've known Louise since 1985, it was the first time I've incorporated her image into my work. Louise returned the favor and created a collage portrait of us that blew me away. The show will hopefully prove to be evidence of the interesting conversation Louise and I have been having ever since we first met.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Recycling's Future


Much has been written about the plague of discarded water bottles, and how a great percentage of them make their way into landfills around the country and into our waterways. The need for recycling programs only grows, but with municipalities strapped for cash, their recycling programs may bear the brunt of budget constraints.
I've become a tad obsessed with the water bottle issue lately. In a quest to reinstate Jericho High School's water bottle recycling program, I visited a student intern at East Coast Recycling today and met with Eco Action Network founder Jessica Rigal. East Coast Recycling has taken on the Herculean task of collecting unwanted plastics and turning them into viable materials such as plastic pellets or even back into bottles. Their forward-thinking ideas serve two purposes-- keeping green jobs here on Long Island and keeping Long Island green.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Nook vs Kindle: Your Opinion Please



Olivia asked Santa for an e reader. I myself have remained a rather old-fashioned book reader, quaintly marking up hardcovered books with notes, audiobooks filling in during the school year commute-- but the idea of carrying so many texts on one little device does pique my interest. And although it won't look as snappy on our bookshelves, if a kid asks for a new way to read, one e reader coming up! As to which one to choose, I'm doing a bit of investigation. Illuminated touch screen, one point for Nook. Audio text, a point for Kindle. I've read the reviews and asked a few folks, but please, if you have an opinion, kindly weigh in.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Louise 'N Nadine


The Louise and Nadine show opens at Ripe Art Gallery this coming December. Here we are as luna moths.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

ASPCA Awards: NYC


James, Nadine, Olivia and Jackson with Tommy Monahan's parents and sister

Tommy Monahan's grandparents with Olivia

Today at the ASPCA's Annual Humane Awards Luncheon, Olivia received the Tommy P. Monahan Award for Kid of the Year. The honor of this award was made even greater when we had the chance to meet Tommy's family. Tommy Monahan was a 9 year old Staten Island boy who loved nature as much as Olivia. Tragically, Tommy died in 2007, trying to save his dog from a house fire. Our family was moved to tears when we heard about Tommy's love of animals, how he encouraged a woodpecker to live in his backyard, and his desire to donate money to the ASPCA. Tommy's grandmother has written a book about her grandson, and Tommy's uncle, a retired firefighter who served the NYFD for 21 years, told me that every time he sees the woodpecker in the yard, he feels Tommy's presence. I know every time we look at the award Olivia received today, we will feel his presence in our lives as well.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

The Mockbee Legacy: Rural Studio



Few people embody community service the same way as Auburn University architecture professor and visionary Samuel Mockbee. Mockbee, who started the Rural Studio program at Auburn in 1993, five years after James graduated from Auburn's architecture program, believed that good design and affordability were possible goals in building homes in rural Alabama. With an army of architecure students, architecture was no abstract concept. Instead, students applied their knowledge to the hands-on task of building homes for those in need. Many of the structures, created out of hay bales, recycled materials, and industrial materials, stretched the students' creative process. In establishing the Rural Studio, Mockbee, who died in 2001 from leukemia, not only taught the next generation of architects about design, but about social responsibility.

Monday, November 8, 2010

The Story of an Hour


George Nelson Butterfly Clock
As we still adjust from turning our clocks back an hour, it seems that advertisements for clocks and watches have popped up everywhere around me. Entire sections of shopping catalogues have become dedicated to buying the perfect timepiece for that special someone, that is, of course as long as that person is still using a watch. Indeed, the constant connection to the cellphone has replaced the need for the watch in keeping up with time by any other means. I confess, I too, have stopped wearing a watch. Yes, I have the phone, but as a teacher, I have the bonus of clocks and bells everywhere I turn. In fact, nowadays when I wear my watch, more likely than not it is for decoration since the battery has probably long expired. But has this change affected us in any way? Perhaps not. If I point to my wrist, will you know I'm looking for the time? Will the watch go the way of the eight-track tape? Will we lose our appreciation of the passing of time with an anonymous digital readout?
Needless to say, I've just inspired myself to wind my grandfather clock and my antique watch before it's too late.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

ABAD Protest



The CW Post installment of A Book About Death exhibition had a great turnout at the opening event. Honey Millmann and I protested Nothing at the event as an homage to Ray Johnson's own protest of his exhibition at the Nassau County Museum of Art, just down the road from CW Post. The exhibition featured work from the original ABAD exhibition, as well as many new entries from around the world, unified in their belief that art should be shared as often as possible. The exhibition will only be up for fie days, so if you want to check it out in person, do it quickly. Otherwise you will have to content yourself with Viv Maudlin's film about the exhibition.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

ABAD Exhibition: CW Post, Long Island


Viv Maudlin reviews the Book About Death exhibition at CW Post. Opening today at 5 pm.

Monday, November 1, 2010

The Uniform Project: Totally Unique


I first heard about the Uniform Project from a colleague who described a unique way some friends of hers in Brooklyn were raising money for schools in India. Sheena Matheiken and Eliza Starbuck collaborated on making a little black dress so universally designed that could be accessorized on a daily basis to achieve different looks. In a quest to combat the disposable nature of most fashion, Matheiken spent a year modeling her daily modifications of the dress on her blog, a dress which is now available on Bright Young Things. The Uniform Project not only raised $100,000, thousands of readers followed the story on a daily basis. Both Olivia's Save the Gulf project and Matheiken's Uniform Project will be presented at TEDxSJU in Philadelphia this December in a conference discussing the different uses of social networking.