This little gem came across my desk yesterday morning from VSL and I just had to share. A beautiful moment to add to your day. Yo Yo Ma and hip-hop choreographer Lil Buck teamed up for this performance at a benefit for arts fundraiser. Mr. Ma plays "The Swan", from Swan Lake, and Mr. Buck becomes the dying swan. Stunning.
I've been gathering collage material and the ideas are swirling for a new series of collage pieces for a show at the Rabid Rabits Gallery in May. I'll keep you posted on how things come together and begin talking to each other. Collect and edit – toss aside – recombine until it all comes together for something utterly new. My favorite way to work.
This weekend's New York Times brought the extraordinary illustrator and artist, Shaun Tan, into focus for me. I may be late to the party, as usual, but I am now a huge fan. His short film (available at iTunes) The Lost Thing won the Oscar in the short film category. After gobbling up every bit about him I could, I will certainly be seeking out his "children's" book for a closer look at his amazing art and wistful, inspiring stories. He had two thoughtful essays on his website – "Picture Books: Who Are They For?", which can be viewed here and "Originality and Creativity" which can be viewed here. I love what he says about creativity being about openness to recombining, and while he's talking about writing, I think it universally applies to the artistic process for many artists.
"For me, that’s what creativity is – playing with found objects, reconstructing things that already exist, transforming ideas or stories I already know. It’s not about the colonisation of new territory, it’s about exploring inwards, examining your existing presumptions, squinting at the archive of experience from new angles, and hoping for some sort of revelation. What really matters is whether we as readers continue to think about the things we have read and seen long after the final page is turned."
And in the department of new blog love…click over to here, here and here.
Ciao until next time!
thanks for the creative detour in my morning,
i am swept away!!!
Oh wow! That was magnificent!! I so much enjoyed this version of The Swan. Excellent!! This actually made my day and if it’s okay with you, I’d like to post this video on my blog some time this week? I feel alive just watching it. Thanks so much. Lots of materials there for collage. Have fun.
Frannie, you are THE BEST!!! I shared the YoYo Ma video with my students today and the last blog site…scrumptous!!! Thank you for a most delightful surprise to my hurried week of hilarity with seniors trying to graduate in a few weeks.
Much aloha always,
Kathy
passing yo yo and lil buck along! love when IT works like this…the world that is.
Impressive blog!
-Arron