Thursday, December 27, 2007

Happy Holidays

I am traveling in the Pacific Northwest for the holidays and will be posting again after the New Year. I will have some wonderful Field Trips for you when I return! Enjoy your holidays.....

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Red Balloon/We interrupt....



Do yourself a favor, if you are in the NY vicinity, here's a Field Trip I advise you take for yourself. BAM Cinemas is currently showing a restored print of 'The Red Balloon' by Albert Lamorisse (paired with his earlier piece 'The White Mane' [1952]). It is a 'childrens' film' but really it's not, it is one of the most beautiful films ever on screen. It won the Palm d'Or in 1956, and despite having about six lines of dialogue in the whole film, incredibly, it won the Best Original Screenplay Oscar as well.

Showing daily at BAM Rose Cinemas Dec 22-Jan 1 at 1 PM.

Read the NY Times article on the reissue;
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/11/movies/11raff.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

BAM info; http://www.bam.org/film/firstrun.aspx?id=1058

Ok, enough talk, just go see it.

Winter Walk to Audubon Center, Prospect Park

Monday, December 17, 2007

Winter Walk to Audubon Center, Prospect Park



This week is a winter walk to the Audubon Center in Prospect Park and it's environs. The Audubon Center was originally built as a boathouse in 1905 that fell into disrepair but was restored and reopened on April 26, 2002, the birthdate of both John James Audubon and Frederick Law Olmsted (Prospect Park was designed by Olmstead and Vaux who said -- paraphrasing here -- Central Park was a trial run for Prospect Park, for all you keeping track of the Manhattan v. Brooklyn discussion!). Its design was inspired by the lower story of Sansovino's Library of St. Mark, built in 16th-century Venice.

It is my favorite part of Prospect Park, mostly for the fact that (as most people reading this blog will know) M. and I were married here a few years ago, but also because they offer nature classes, programs for kids and launch electric boatrides through the Prospect Park lake from here during warm weather.

You can find out more about the Audubon Center here -- www.prospectparkaudubon.org.

Saturday, December 8, 2007

Pratt



by Dan Fisher (American, Pratt '74).

Friday, December 7, 2007

Pratt



This is 'Welcome' by Raphael Zollinger (South African, b.?), the most overtly political of the pieces currently displayed on campus. He says he used 'archtypical images to comment on the abuse human beings visit upon one another'.

Thursday, December 6, 2007

Pratt



Color figures by Sung Ha No (South Korean, b. 1976).

Monday, December 3, 2007

Pratt



You wouldn't know from my previous posts that I live in a large and bustling metropolis. In fact, I live in New York city, but I am lucky enough to live in the borough of Brooklyn, a sort of oasis just a 10 minute train ride from the madness that is Manhattan. Brooklyn is something of a personal utopia for reasons that are sure to reveal themselves through future posts.

Here is one. We have the Pratt University campus in our very own backyard. Pratt, founded 1887, is mainly known as an arts and architecture school. It also has a sculpture garden to rival some of the best across the country. Do you have a sculpture garden near you? Which would you recommend?

This sculpture is one of my favorites. It is called 'Victorian & Eucantha' (1988-1993), a large-scale head by Phillip Grausman (American, b. 1935). Actually, this is Eucantha, they used to be a pair, but Victoria has gone traveling, off to another exhibit, I suppose.

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Sorry for lack of posts this week. Been a bit under with the flu. Will have a new Field Trip for you next week!

Friday, November 23, 2007

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Monday, November 19, 2007

Sunken Forest



I promise this will be my last Fire Island post for a while. Last weekend we caught one of the last ferries of the season to visit the Sunken Forest. It's a 300 year old forest on the barrier island, surrounded by dunes.

It was freezing, but what a wonderful excursion. Do you ever go to the beach on a cold day? It's exhilarating.

Thanks for being such a good subject, Claudine!

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Point Lobos


2 posts today! I didn't get to post yesterday. We've spent a surprising amount of time at the beach lately, considering the time of year. It's only just gotten cold here in New York today. Just last weekend were at Fire Island again!

Point Lobos


Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Monday, November 12, 2007

Point Lobos




From Big Sur we continued on to Point Lobos. Have you been here?

Amazing.

Friday, November 9, 2007

Thursday, November 8, 2007

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Big Sur


There is no real 'there' there in Big Sur. The drive and this view are the 'there'.

Monday, November 5, 2007

Big Sur


We recently traveled down the California coastline. It's unlike any other part of the country. Breathtaking.

Friday, November 2, 2007

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Monday, October 29, 2007

Fire Island



Have you ever been to Fire Island? It has the most beautiful beaches close enough for a day trip for us New Yorkers...