Investment Aspects Of Art
December 24, 2009 by Portrait Painter
Filed under News from the Artworld
Most people, at least, in the West, know that art can have value. After all, they have been reading about Van Gogh, Picasso, or Klimt paintings selling for millions of dollars for decades. However, most people do not know that you do not have to be a millionaire to invest in and make money from art. Art is simply another investment asset class that savvy investors include in their arsenal. Therein lays the key to understanding.
The sad truth is, also, that most people who invest in the more common investment assets, like stocks and bonds, do not understand investment in those more common investments. I always hear people talking about “playing the market”, yet, as any professional investor will tell you (it just so happens that there are so few that odds are that you never met one), although it is a game, it is not a game for novices.
The first person to formalize a mathematical framework for economics and finance was John VonNeumann, a mathematical physicist, who invented game theory as the basis for studying those fields, in the early part of the twentieth century. Indeed, until the 1980’s, most of economics and finance sprang from this basis, and the focus was to assume, just like in playing dice with perfectly symmetrical cubes or flipping a so-called fair coin, that investment was a fair game: there was equal probability of gain or loss and the distribution of outcomes was the bell-shaped curve.
Since the 1980’s the behavioral school has gained ground, in the theoretical realm, by assuming that since people are not perfectly rational, we should examine the actual behavior of people in business and investment situations. Of course, that is something that investment professionals have been doing for centuries. Dow and Jones, in the 1880’s, said, for example, that at market tops the professionals are already well out of the market. After a crash, which will always happen because emotional human beings are markets, professionals quietly begin to buy. Their buying, eventually excites technical market analysts’ technical market indicators, which are somewhat based on supply and demand analysis, in real markets, and technicians begin to buy and recommend buying. Eventually, the general public catches onto this news, which is really very old news, and they jump onto the band wagon. Everyone tells everyone how smart they are and how much money they made yester day trading on-line. Meanwhile the professionals have begun to quietly exit the market. A peak comes; a crash comes. Then, all of those self-proclaimed investment mavens console each other and support each other in their ecstasy turned agony. Some run to the authorities and claim that they were duped because they did not understand the complex nature of the mini-bonds that they bought: translation – they were so greedy when they were told that they could make unbelievable returns, and they did not want to hear about the risks. Another lesson that the theoreticians finally came to admit after the stock market crash of 1987, which, statistically, should not have happened in the whole history of the solar system, was that the distribution of returns is skewed with a longer tail on the down side.
It will be beneficial to understand the basic framework of a market, investing, and basic economics. Economics assumes that people are self-interested. Its only fault is that it assumes that people follow enlightened self-interest: no greed, lying, or cheating. Finance says that there is a difference between price and value: value is what someone thinks that something is worth, while price is the amount that someone actually paid for something. People make markets. A market is not, necessarily a place, like the New York Stock Exchange. Indeed, many people do not even realize that the NASDAQ market is not like the NYSE, it is simply a network of dealers, connected by computers, who maintain bid and ask prices for NASDAQ stocks. This is referred to as a dealer market or an over-the-counter market (OTC), as opposed to the NYSE, which is one physical exchange through which all orders to buy and sell are funneled. In fact, many people do not even know that the NYSE is a very special exchange, in that all of the stocks on the exchange are assigned to specialists who are the only one that you can buy a particular stock from. The specialist maintains an order book of bids and offers, and he has the ultimate in information about supply and demand for his stocks at any moment in time. As part of his job as a specialist, he can invest his own capital, in his stocks. All the other layers of the business that deal with the investing public, after that, are in marketing. A stock broker, for example, is just trying to make commissions when he calls you with a hot tip. Even at the level of institutional sales, salesmen, analysts and block traders are just trying to get commission dollars. None of them risk their own capital. There are also investment bankers who help companies raise capital by issuing new stocks and bonds, and there is a large market effort accompanying that. An underwriter might risk his capital by agreeing to underwrite the deal at a price for leftovers and may support the stock, in the secondary markets, by buying for a month or so.
So, let’s look at the art market. A market is where supply and demand sort out price and volume. Art buyers, collectors and investors make up the demand side. Retail investors are smaller buyers of art, while high-net-worth individuals, trusts, corporations and museums fulfill the role of institutional investor. Art dealers act as brokers, dealers, and investment bankers for art. They act as brokers by taking consignments for sale or request to buy from customers. They buy and sell art for their own account as dealers. By taking on new, undiscovered artists, by having shows for artists at galleries (much like the road show investment bankers do for IPO’s of stock), and by acting as agent or dealer for an artist, they fulfill a role, much like investment banker. Ultimately, supply is limited, depending on the artist. Once an artist is dead, supply is fixed.
Value begins, as in all of economics, with scarcity. It is the same principle that drives the precious metals market, the crude oil market, and the art markets. As with anything else, quality also plays a role in determining an appropriate price. However, also, like with many other things, including any type of investment, marketing plays a major role. Galleries, dealers, and art critics try to tell people what is good and what is bad art. Sometimes, I wonder about their opinions. Other times I have benefited, as in the sale of a table made of roots onto which birds were carved, and as one of only two found examples by this unknown folk artist from the 1800’s. Sale of the table brought over $4,000, back in the mid-1990’s. These art market analysts play the same role as securities analysts, in the stock and bond markets. They might even make buy and sell recommendations, and they might estimate values of artworks. Since art is supposed to make you feel good, your basic starting point should be to look to buy things that you, personally, like, then, check out the price.
In the securities markets, smart investors value things on a comparative basis. Instead of trying to figure out what prices or returns should be, stock analysts use comparative P/E ratio analysis, comparing one company to other companies, in the same industry, and comparing P/E’s of stocks and industries to those of the general market. In bonds, the yield-to-maturity (YTM) of a bond is compared to current market YTM’s of bonds of the same company and to general bonds with similar maturity, coupon rate, and risk. In the same manner, the value of works by an artist can be compared to one another and to those of other artists. Normalization, in the context of paintings, involves an artifice: converting prices to price per square meter or per square inch. One might make similar size normalizations for, e.g., teapot art and sculpture. However, price per unit of size might vary over an artist’s work with larger ones, perhaps, trading for lower price per unit of size, and their more famous works trading at higher price per unit of size.
Having built a comparative pricing system for art, one can compare the prices of one artist to another and the average prices of one artist over, a school, a movement or a period by construction single artist or composite price indexes and looking at their evolution over time. That also allows you to calculate returns since return is defined as the percentage change in price over time. You can compare prices from galleries, which is the retail market. The next layer of the market, much like in other investment markets, is an inter-dealer market. The final layer is the auction market, which in some respects is like the exchanges, in the securities markets, but it is a stop-out market: a market of last resort for sellers. The auction markets are more fragmented than the auction markets, in securities; they are not open every day, either, unlike their counterparts in securities. Price information of one sort can also be garnered from the auction markets for artists for whom there are auction records. There are also research and information services, in the art markets, mirroring similar services in securities and commodities markets.
I bought my first piece by a famous artist, Joan Miro, in the mid-1980’s. I was surprised to find that the price was only several thousand dollars. By the time that I bought my third Miro, I had learned about and used information from the auction record to pay the proper price. In succeeding years I bought art by many famous artists. Although the art that makes the headlines makes it seem that all art is out of reach of the man on the street, you will be surprised to find out that art by many known artists, past and present, is not that expensive. Another little known fact is the good returns that can be made in art, especially when one approaches the market with the tools and techniques as one would in any other investment asset market. During my decades of trading art, in the U.S., I cannot recall a time when I lost money, and returns have always been exceptionally good, especially when compared to returns of other investment assets. I can even recall times that I have continued to earn a profit, in art, even during downturns in securities and real estate markets.
Now, we are investing in and have set up a dealer in Chinese art. I moved to China four years ago to teach finance and economics at South China Normal University. I have been immersed in the Chinese social and economic scene, and I have concluded that the best current market in China, today, is the not the export market or the stock market or real estate, but, instead, the art market. Returns, in art, in China, have been above twenty percent per year over the last decade, in local currency, and the continued undervaluation of the Yuan versus foreign currencies, coupled with other socio-economic factors, make investment, in this market, appear to offer good opportunities over the next several years, especially for foreign investors.
Up through the 1970’s and early-1980’s, investment in stocks and bonds seemed outside the reach of the man on the street. By the 1990’s everyone and their brother was trading stocks on-line through discount brokers. Now that we are in the twenty-first century, the next time you think about art, remember that it is just like any other investment asset, like stocks, bonds, and commodities, it is not outside the realm of investment possibilities for the average investor. Think of the analogies that we have laid out between art and securities investing and markets. You can also find out more information about investment, art, China, and investment in art in China on various parts of our website.
February 24, 2009 Craig Mattoli, CEO, Red Hill Capital, owner of Leona Craig Art, Guangzhou, China
What New Artists and Musicians Can Do to Keep From Being Taken Advantage of – See a California Music & Entertainment Lawyer
December 23, 2009 by Portrait Painter
Filed under News from the Artworld
There is probably no other profession than the music business where so many people will try to take advantage of you when you are starting out as an artist or musician if you don’t have a lawyer. Whether you or your band hails from Carlsbad, Encinitas, Del Mar, Solana Beach in San Diego, Anaheim or Santa Ana in Orange County, or Palm Springs, whether you developed your talent in La Jolla, or at Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach or Santa Barbara, and whether you live, studied or performed in Hollywood, Westwood, Santa Monica, Venice, Malibu, Palm Desert or La Quinta, when you are just starting out, the entertainment industry sees you as someone whom they can take advantage of.
Music contracts are notoriously long, complicated and almost undecipherable to all but a music lawyer. Thirty page contracts are nothing unusual in this business. And there are so many contracts you will be faced with as a musician. Sign the wrong contract and you can be married to a bad agent, promoter, manager, distribution deal, publishing deal or record company and have your career over before it ever began.
Besides the issues you will face with copyrighting your music and trademarking your band name and logo, if you have one, there are management contracts, recording contracts, publishing contracts, agent contracts, distribution deals, licensing contracts, promotion deals, festival and concert contracts, producer agreements and that doesn’t even get into the complex issues contained in many of these agreements.
A music lawyer must have knowledge of synchronization rights, digital rights, peer to peer file swapping, sampling, mechanical licenses, copyright infringement, publishing, advertising law, immigration, employment law, negotiation, ring tones, and have a good understanding of how music is made from mixing to mastering, from the roles of the producer to the needs of the musicians.
And yet, for the music lawyer, there is little that is as rewarding as being part of the recording process or helping a band make it to the big time.
My advice to musicians just starting out and being presented with any type of contract is that having their contract reviewed by a music lawyer is essential. You are likely being presented with the most one-sided type of contract in any business or profession. They are written by the attorneys for the company or manager who is handing it to you with absolutely no attempt to be even handed.
Worst of all, at this stage in your career, you have little leverage. No matter how good you think your music is, the music world is littered with great musicians who signed horrible contracts that stifled if not ended their careers. If you have to do an extra gig and save the money to have a contract reviewed, that’s what you need to do. Get yourselves a good music lawyer. Not a divorce lawyer. Not a trial lawyer. An entertainment lawyer who knows the music business and one, preferably, who is interested in music and who is willing to listen to your music.
If you have an entertainment law, copyright or trademark issue in San Diego, Newport Beach, Irvine, Orange County, La Jolla, in the Inland Empire, Los Angeles, Palm Springs or anywhere in Southern California, we have the knowledge and resources to be your Huntington Beach Entertainment Lawyer and your Anaheim Entertainment Attorney. Be sure to hire a California law firm with entertainment law experience who can serve areas such as Los Angeles, Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Anaheim, Irvine, Beverly Hills, Malibu, Newport Beach, Carlsbad, Corona del Mar, Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach, Santa Ana, Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario, Fullerton, Del Mar, San Diego, Orange County, San Luis Obispo, Buena Park, La Jolla, Oxnard, Ventura, La Quinta, and Santa Barbara so you are properly represented and get the compensation you deserve.
If you have an entertainment law, or copyright dispute of any kind, call the Law Offices of R. Sebastian Gibson, or visit our website at http://www.sebastiangibsonlaw.com and learn how we can assist you.
Magical realism reading recommendations
December 20, 2009 by Portrait Painter
Filed under News from the Artworld
When I read or hear Magical Realism, Garca Mrquez’s short story, “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings.” immediately comes to mind, it offers the best example for the term:
“On the third day of rain they had killed so many crabs
inside the house that Pelayo had to cross his drenched courtyard
and throw them into the sea, because the newborn child had a
temperature all night and they thought it was due to the stench.
The world had been a sad thing since Tuesday. Sea and sky were a
single ash-gray thing and the sands of the beach, which on March
nights glimmered like powdered light, had become a stew of mud
and rotten shellfish. The light was so weak at noon that when
Pelayo was coming back to the house after throwing away the
crabs, it was hard to see what it was that was moving and groaning
in the rear of the courtyard. He had to go very close to see that it
was an old man, a very old man, lying face down in the mud, who,
in spite of his tremendous efforts, couldn’t get up, impeded by his
enormous wings.”
Some might say this is “fantasy” or “science fiction”, however the unique quality of blending the truly real world with touches of the surreal or magical give this genre it’s own uniqueness and style.
Magical Realism was first used to describe art in the early twentieth century by German art critic Franz Roh when describing a several Latin American artists.
Later, the term was used when Miguel Angel Asturias used it when referring to his literary style in his Nobel Prize speech. Although Magical Realism has it’s roots in Latin American literature, it quickly spread to writers such as William Kennedy’s book, “Iron Weed” and Toni Morrison in “Song of Solomon.” The magical bits are so skillfully woven into the fabric of their stories that we accept it and understand how it must be there to make the work complete.
The term Magical Realism’ became very popular in the 1960’s and was perhaps overused and abused during that time. As with anything creative and new, it will be thrown into the caldron of mainstream and often comes out in a much weaker form. However, that is what growth and change is about, it’s what keeps literature and art alive.
Recommended Reading:
Midnight’s Children – Salman Rushdie
One Hundred Years of Solitude – Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Like Water for Chocolate – Laura Esquivel
Artists:
Salvador Dali
Michael Parkes
Edward Hopper
Surviving as an Artist in a Rural Area
December 19, 2009 by Portrait Painter
Filed under News from the Artworld
As an artist I find it hard to survive in a rural area where I live now. When I lived in Omaha I had shows just about every month. Now that I live in the small town of Hugo, Oklahoma I find it very difficult to get shows. When I am able to get shows, they are far away and are very few & far inbetween. I now find my best outlet to be the internet. It is not as much fun as it does not get me the reviews like when an artist deals straight with the public. I have also noticed that my art is not selling as good on the net as it had in person. In fact I find most of my sales are going thru EBay & the art is not bringing as much as it had from shows.
As far as getting gallery representation when you live in a rural area as I do now it is next to impossible. Most galleries only want you if you are close to them. When I was in Omaha I had 2 galleries represent me. But when I moved away from Omaha, they no longer wanted to represent me because I was going to be to faraway. Most galleries that claim to be looking for new artists usually won’t take artists that are not in their area. But if you talk to their employees you will find they always claim that, but in reality they have not taken any new artist in several years. Why they do this is beyond me! I have found when checking out a new gallery they are friendly until they find out you are an artist out of their area, then they seem to put on another face.
It seems it is harder for artist to sell their art, get gallery representation, or even get articles written about them nowadays than in the past. In the past art was something that was considered newsworthy and most newspapers were glad to print the articles and give reviews about shows. These days that is not so, it is very hard to get local newspapers to print much about art or artists. They claim that there is not a public interest no matter how good the story may be. National newspapers and newspapers from New York, Chicago, Atlanta and big cities as such usually still give reviews of art and artists.
To put it mildly, as an artist living in rural areas, promoting your art is difficult. It takes innovation and intestinal fortitude in order to be able to get recognition as an artist and to sell and promote it. But with the high cost of fuel and the high cost of shipping art it may now be that the only way to survive as an artist is the use of the internet with all its many connections and downfalls.
Robert Henri and the eight apostles of ugliness – Part 1
December 18, 2009 by Portrait Painter
Filed under News from the Artworld
Although viewed by hundreds of thousands of Americans, the Armory Show of 1913 created a backlash against the modernist movements in art and stirred a jingoistic response for a return to realism, theretofore the dominant form, in the US. Edward Hopper is one of the better-known artists who emerged from the Ashcan School, “a realist artistic movement that came into prominence in the United States during the early twentieth century, best known for works portraying scenes of daily life in poor urban neighborhoods” (1). In fact, he studied under Robert Henri, an original member of “The Eight” founders of the Ashcan School (1). Hopper practiced American Scene painting, focusing largely on the loneliness of city life as his subject matter. He has often been compared to his contemporary in realism, Norman Rockwell, but while Rockwell’s work seem more of an homage to the values that Americans hold dear, such as family and patriotism, Hopper’s works possess a darker bent, centralizing on what the artist himself referred to as the “hideous beauty” of America (2). Since most of his work is from the post-depression era, it is easy to draw conclusions about the harshness of lessons learned as an influence in his choice of subject matter.
Between 1913 and 1923, Hopper was a commercial illustrator, and indeed his paintings often bear an illustrative quality, apparent in his use of bright colors in the foreground juxtaposed with darker ones in the background, as is often seen in comic books. Despite his several trips to Europe, he brought home little of the teachings of modernism, exhibiting only minor nods to Impressionism, sometimes evident when “the outlines of the buildings and their windows are too anomalous and wavering to qualify as true realism,” and to Expressionism in “details like the heavy gesture and painterly coloration ofwalls” (3). These are the sort of differences that set him apart from artists such as Rockwell; Hopper painted in a realistic style, but he acknowledged other movements without truly practicing them.
“The unique brilliance of Hopper’s paintingslies in the hyper-accessible ambiguity of his narratives. Each work implies a narrative history” (3); in plainer English, Hopper’s paintings are open to interpretation while remaining free of visual clutter. Everything before you on the canvas is simple and recognizable, but there can be a number of different scenarios applied to whatever mini-drama is being enacted, and even those scenarios
Popular and unique celebrity baby names
December 14, 2009 by Portrait Painter
Filed under News from the Artworld
These days the media plays a major role in all of our lives – Whether we like to admit it or not, all of us find ourselves influenced to some extent by what celebrities say or do. We want to know what they wear, where they eat, what they buy, where they live and how they design their homes. We are extremely interested in which names they choose for their babies as well, mainly because they are responsible for setting so many trends.
Celebrities are often known for giving their children unique and unusual names. We have collected a baby names list, of the most popular names among celebrities for their babies. Also, we have collected a list of unusual, unique and even bizarre names given to babies by their celebrity parents. You’re likely to find some new, creative names here! Even if you’re not inclined to follow what’s hot among the famous, this may be a source of inspiration for you, to be a bit more unique and creative in your baby naming task.
This is the baby names list, along with a list of their celebrity parents:
Ava
• Jamie Bamber & Kerry Norton
• Gil Bellows & Rya Kihlstedt
• Elizabeth Bracco & Aidan Quinn
• Jennifer & Tom DeLonge
• Kevin Dillon & Jane Stuart
• Lisa & Mark-Paul Gosselaar
• Heather Locklear & Richie Sambora
• John McEnroe
• Dale Midkiff
• Larry Mullen, Jr.
• Reese Witherspoon & Ryan Phillippe
Dylan
• Pamela Anderson & Tommy Lee (Dylan Jagger)
• Beay Bridges
• Joan Cusack
• Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds
• Richard Grieco
• Stephanie Seymour
• Keely Shaye Smith & Pierce Brosnan
• Catherine Zeta-Jones & Michael Douglas
Ella
• Annette Bening & Warren Beatty
• Kelly Preston & John Travolta
• Christine Taylor & Ban Stiller
• Gary Sinise
• Mark Wahlberg
Esmé
• Anthony Edwards
• Samantha Morton
• Tracy Pollan & Michael J Fox
• Meshach Taylor
• Kelly Willis & Bruce Robison (daughter Abigail’s middle name is Esme)
Finley and Finn
• Holly Marie Combs
• Sadie Frost & Gary Kemp (stepfather Jude Law)
• Christy Turlington & Ed Burns
• Angie Harmon & Jason Sehorn (girl)
• Jane Leeves (a boy, Finn)
Henry
• Dennis Hopper
• Heidi Klum & Seal
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus
• Patricia Richardson
• Martin Short
• Meryl Streep
• Princess Diana & Prince Charles
• Amanda Pays & Corbin Bernsen
• Emily Robison
• Rachel Weisz
• Steve Zahn
Homer
• Anne Heche
• Bill Murray
• Carey Lowell & Richard Gere
Isabelle
• Marlee Matlin
• Chelsea Noble & Kirk Cameron
Isabella
• Matt Damon & Luciana Bozan
• Nicole Kidman & Tom Cruise
• Jane Leeves & Marshall Coben
• Jane Leeves & Marshall Coben
• Lori Loughlin
• Sean Astin
• Drew Lachey
Jack
• Ellen Barkin and Gabriel Byrne
• Christie Brinkley
• Willem Dafoe
• Kim Delaney
• Johnny Depp
• Mark Hoppus
• Matt Lauer
• Denis Leary
• Melissa Leo & John Heard
• Virginia Madsen & Antonio Sabato, Jr.
• Gates McFadden
• Chelsea Noble & Kirk Cameron
• Ozzy Osbourne
• Luke Perry
• Bill Pullman
• Meg Ryan & Dennis Quaid
• Susan Sarandon & Tim Robbins
• Joanne Whalley & Val Kilmer
• Mare Winningham
Jackson
• Maria Bello
• Justin Chambers
• Mark Grace
• Spike Lee
• Natalie Maines
• Bill Murray
• Patti Smith
• Katey Sagal
Jaden
• Steffi Graf & Andre Agassi
• Jada Pinkett & Will Smith
• Christian Slater
• Cheryl Tiegs & Rod Stryker
Lily
• Rowan Atkinson
• Christine Baranski
• Jill Clayburgh
• Kevin Costner
• Johnny Depp & Vanessa Paradis
• Kathy Ireland
• Kerry Katona & Bryan McFadden
• Greg Kinnear
• Amy Madigan & Ed Harris
• Chris O’Donnell
• Meredith Vieira
• Dianne Wiest
Lili
• Oliver Platt
• Lou Diamond Phillips
Lillie
• Phil Collins
• Mary Steenburgen & Malcolm McDowell
• Kirstie Alley & Parker Stevenson
Lillian
• Catherine Martin & Baz Luhrmann
Lola
• Jennie Garth & Peter Facinelli
• nise Richards & Charlie Sheen
• Chris Rock
• Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos
• Madonna (Lola is Lourdes’ nickname)
Mason
• Josie Bissett & Rob Estes
• Cuba Gooding, Jr
• Kelsey Grammer
• Richard Moll
• Laura San Giacomo
• Melissa Joan Hart
Paris
• Michael Jackson
• Keely Shaye Smith & Pierce Brosnan
• Blair Underwood
Roman
• Debra Messing
• Cate Blanchett
Sam
• Bruce Boxleitner
• William Hurt
• Tim Daly
• Patricia Heaton
• Jay Thomas
• Tracy Pollan & Michael J. Fox
• Bruce Springsteen
• Alan Ruck
• Denise Richards & Charlie Sheen (for a girl)
Sarah
• Brian Dennehy
• Amy Grant
• Katey Sagal
• Susan Dey
• James Doohan
• Joan Lunden
• Kiefer Sutherland
• Andie MacDowell
* Marlee Matlin
Sofia
• Francis Ford Coppola
• William H. Macy
• Mikhail Baryshnikov
• Leah Remini
Sophia
• Michael Richards
• Gene Simmons
• Sylvester Stallone
• Benjamin Bratt
Sophie
• Gary Sinise
• Patrick Stewart
• Luke Perry
Stella
• Donna Dixon & Dan Aykroyd
• Melanie Griffith & Antonio Banderas
• Lorraine Bracco & Harvey Keitel
• Dave Matthews
• Linda & Paul McCartney
• Elisabeth Shue
• Amy Yasbeck & John Ritter
Zoe
• Rosanna Arquette
• Lisa Bonet & Lenny Kravitz
• Peter Buck
• Woody Harrelson
• Samuel L. Jackson
• Melina Kanakaredes
• Laurie Metcalf
• Lea Thompson
• Henry Winkler
Unique celebrity baby names
These names are more of the unusual kind, for those of you seeking more adventurous and “one of a kind” names for your baby
• Apple: Gwyneth Paltrow & Chris Martin
• BreAzia Ranee: Olympia Scott-Richardson
• Bluebell Madonna: Geri Halliwell
• Camera: Arthur Ashe
• Coco: Courteney Cox & David Arquette
• Daisy Boo: Jamie Oliver
• Gaia: Emma Thompson
• Heaven: Lil’ Mo
• Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily: Paula Yates & Michael Hutchence
• Jaz: Steffi Gram & Andre Agassi
• Maesa: Bill Pullman
• Moxie CrimeFighter: Penn Jillette
• Poppy Honey: Jamie Oliver
• Rainbow: Ving Rhames
• Sailor: Christie Brinkley
• Sosie: Kyra Sedgwick & Kevin Bacon
• Tu: Rob Morrow
• Zola Ivy: Eddie Murphy
• Zolten: Penn Jillette
Still haven’t found just the right name?
It is a good idea to use the internet as a source of ideas for baby names. The site Baby names list contains many tools that will assist you in choosing the right name for your baby. Baby names list lists the most popular baby names by year, and also offers many ideas for unique baby names, baby names from different origins, baby names by country ( i.e American baby names, Italian baby names etc) and many baby names lists organized by category. You can also try the baby name list tool, offering a different short baby names list each time, for you to get ideas and inspiration.
Movie reviews: The Bucket List
December 14, 2009 by Portrait Painter
Filed under News from the Artworld
I have enjoyed Jack Nicholson’s work ever since he grabbed that leather football helmet and went for a ride with Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper in “Easy Rider”. Morgan Freeman is just as brilliant and enhances every film in which he appears. If you can put the two together in one film, you have the potential for something very special to happen. Nicholson and Freeman come together in Rob Reiner’s “Bucket List”.
This film opened Christmas Day in Los Angeles, New York and Toronto, but only arrived everywhere else January 11. I saw the trailer and I was intrigued. I wanted to see what those fans in the preview cities had to say about the show. Generally, the fans loved the movie, but at least one critic, (Kevin Crust of the L.A. Times) was not very impressed. With that split decision leaving this movie up in the air, I decided to see it for myself and decide if the bucket was “half empty” or “half full”.
The story is about two elderly men, (Carter Chambers played by Morgan Freeman, and Edward Cole played by Jack Nicholson), from different life backgrounds both contracting cancer and ending up in the same hospital room. A friendship bond develops between the two and, after they both learn they have only a few months to live, they decide to spend their final days on Earth together checking off items on a list of “things to do before kicking the bucket”, their “Bucket List”.
If you watch the trailer, you get the idea that this is a fun movie about two guys living it up with the short time they have left to live. Some of that happens, or they would not be able to put it in the trailer, but it is only a small part of the movie. The biggest part of the movie is about the philosophy of life and how we all need to “find the joy in our lives” every single day. The idea is that climbing Everest, seeing the Pyramids or doing any number of exotic things is OK and fine, but it is still a bit selfish and shallow. If you are able, you should still do those things, but some of the more important things on the bucket list may be the little things that are easier to accomplish, but seem insignificant in comparison. The little things are things such as rekindling lost friendships, doing something nice for a perfect stranger, or bringing joy into the life of another.
The movie spends too much time at the beginning developing the characters while they are still in the hospital. Then, when they finally set out to start the list, the movie runs through that part too quickly. As I watched the movie and thought about the trailer, I was starting to get disappointed, but then it all came together in the final minutes of the film. Nicolson and Freeman are not great in their parts, but they are good. All of the acting in this movie is well done. Reiner, does a fair job of directing, managing to keep audience attention even through the slower parts, and pulls it all together in the finale. The whole theatre went silent and I am certain more than a few guests were moved to tears. Jack Nicholson as Ed Cole says, “This is not supposed to be fun” and he is right. You think you are going to see a fun, crazy movie, but, instead, you get a reminder of your own personal mortality and leave wondering about what should be on your own bucket list.
This movie gets an “A”. Go ahead, see it, and start thinking what should be on your bucket list. Try to find the joy in your life.
Just the facts:
Rating: PG-13, Run Time: 1:37, Director: Rob Reiner
Main Actors: Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman, Sean Hayes and Rob Morrow
Gospel Music Artist Says Gospel Music Will Never Be the Same.
December 10, 2009 by Portrait Painter
Filed under News from the Artworld
Am I the only one out there who thinks that a lot of gospel music, especially on contemporary christian radio-all sound the same? Is anyone out there concerned? Does anyone miss the heartfelt worship of Keith Green?
I’m sorry, but sometimes when I watch Christian TV, I can’t even listen to some of the singers because I just feel in my spirit that they are up there to perform, but not to bring everyone into the presence of our Lord! Am I the only one out there who feels this way?
The other day I saw the group “Point of Grace” on the show “Life Today” with Betty and James Robison, and my heart was so uplifted! They simply sing to the Glory of God! Those groups are so limited these days!
Is anyone else out there very picky about the music they listen too, and are you ready for a fresh new artist with a new sound who will really uplift your spirit and encourage your walk with the Lord?
Does anyone out there love the Lord? Are you excited about 2007? I believe it is not by accident that you are reading this article.I believe that we need music that is going to touch the heartstrings of the body of Christ this year and simply bring many to know Him as Savior and Lord.
We need singers who are willing to go to all churches large or small, that name the name of Jesus as Lord, and that won’t charge a fee to come, but will just come to usher in the Lord’s presence and to be the special music or mini-concert before pastors preach to their congregations.
Where are the singers who have been fasting, have inate calls of God on their lives to sing, and have created songs while just playing their piano or guitar in their private times of worship? Where are the singers whose parents told them at any early age: “This is what God has called you to do.”
Why is everything so commercialized now? Why is it that when you go to a Christian concerts jokes are being made about “praying to buddha” and then you hear about known Christian artists whom you have been respecting for years, that confess they were addicted to alcohol the whole time. Where are the true singers who have conviction?
I was so saddened recently when I attended a Christian Concert at Knott’s Berry Farm where the band did nothing but look at the girls, dance, and talk about “Bono” from U2 like he was God, and then proceed to do all of this in the name of our Lord. Only one guy even talked about Jesus and that was Mr. Jeremy Camp. He even prayed before he sang. Wow, what a novel concept, do we need to seek the Lord, even though we are talented? Fantastic example Jeremy! You made the night for my wife and I. We were almost ready to walk out before you came up!
Lastly, it’s time to stay close to our Lord in 2007. He loves you beyond what you can ever imagine or think. If you don’t have a personal walk with Jesus, simply pray this prayer: “Dear Lord Jesus, forgive me of my sins, come into my heart, heal my past, I believe you came and died for my sins, I accept you today as my savior and Lord. In Jesus Name. Amen.”
It’s time for new music that sounds fresh and different in the body of Christ. Thank you for taking the time to listen to my thoughts about gospel music and how I’m praying for new talent and fresh songs that hit the heart of the body of Christ. The body of Christ is desperate for new musicians who will sing us back into our Lord’s throne room. When we find those Christian Singers who touch our hearts, gospel music will never be the same.
Most Famous Art Museums Around the World
December 8, 2009 by Portrait Painter
Filed under News from the Artworld
Art museum is the collections of much variety of exhibitions and paintings. There are old art, new art, pretty art, art that makes us think or is even shocking. Anything that people experience turns up in art: love, war, eating, sports, nature, and faith, anything at all. Most museums are either free or have free days when you can go and enjoy the art. Commercial galleries are also free. Many places offer free lectures, either by an artist whose work is on display, or by individuals who are very knowledgeable in a particular collection on display.
At Saatchi Gallery you can see the List of Main Art Museums around the World as follows.
Whitney Museum of American Art
The Whitney Museum of American Art is the leading advocate of 20th- and 21st-century American art. Founded in 1930, the Museum is regarded as the preeminent collection of American art and includes major works and materials from the estate of Edward Hopper, the largest public collection of works by Alexander Calder, Louise Nevelson, and Lucas Samaras, as well as significant works by Jasper Johns, Donald Judd, Agnes Martin, Bruce Nauman, Georgia O’Keeffe, Claes Oldenburg, Kiki Smith, and Andy Warhol, among other artists.
The State Hermitage Museum
The State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg is Russia’s premier art museum. It began life as the private art collection of the imperial family and was nationalised and greatly expanded after the Revolution. The Museum is housed in the buildings of the former imperial palace in the centre of St Petersburg.
Art Institute of Chicago
A world of art is on display––European and American paintings, sculpture, prints and drawings, photographs, textiles, decorative arts, and architectural fragments and drawings, plus the arts of Asia, Africa and the ancient Americas.
British Museum
The British Museum holds in trust for the nation and the world a collection of art and antiquities from ancient and living cultures. Housed in one of Britain’s architectural landmarks, the collection is one of the finest in existence, spanning two million years of human history. Access to the collections is free.
Boston Museum of Fine Arts
The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston was founded in February 4, 1870 and on July 3, 1876 opened its doors of its building in Copley Square, a John H. Sturgis and Charles Brigham-designed gothic structure of red brick and terra-cotta.
Visiting New York City? Don’t Miss Out on Moma!
December 7, 2009 by Portrait Painter
Filed under News from the Artworld
New York City’s countless splendours attract visitors in their millions each year. From iconic sights like Times Square and the Statue of Liberty to atmospheric NYC neighbourhoods such as Greenwich Village, Soho and Manhattan’s Theatre District, there’s always something to do or see in New York City!
But one of the city’s most prominent offerings is undoubtedly its art scene. From the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Guggenheim Museum to the Whitney Museum of American Art, art enthusiasts will always be able to find a remarkable gallery in which they can revel. But perhaps the most famous of New York’s array of museums is the Museum of Modern Art – affectionately known as MOMA.
Having opened in 1929 with only eight paintings and a drawing, MOMA has expanded over the years to encompass one of the most impressive collections of modern art. MOMA’s current 100,000-piece collection is comprised of some of the world’s most renowned modern art pieces, including works by iconic American painters Edward Hopper, Jackson Pollock and Andy Warhol. Visitors can also set eyes on some of the most celebrated international art pieces in the world, including ‘The Starry Night’ by Vincent van Gogh, Salvador Dali’s ‘The Persistence of Memory’ and Frida Kahlo’s ‘Self Portrait with Cropped Hair’. Furthermore, MOMA’s photography collection is one of the most prominent anywhere, hosting works by important photographers like Cindy Sherman and Andreas Gursky.
But MOMA has retained its importance for more than just fantastic art. The museum’s intriguing architectural landscape and arrangement are also responsible for its acclaim. When MOMA first opened in 1929, it was situated on 5th Avenue – on the site of what is now the Empire State Building; and within the year, the museum had already stood in three separate locations. However, in 1931, it was moved to its current site, between 5th and 6th Avenue.
Between 2002 and 2004, MOMA was closed for renovation while its building was re-designed by Yoshio Taniguchi. Taniguchi is the celebrated Japanese architect, also responsible for Tokyo’s Nagano Prefectural Museum and the Gallery of Horyuji Treasures at the Tokyo National Museum. When MOMA was re-opened in November 2004, Taniguchi’s redesign was initially faced with controversy; however, it has since been upheld as a bold example of contemporary architecture – making MOMA not only one of New York’s most intriguing landmarks, but also a piece of structural art that visitors can enjoy.
If you’re considering your options for travel to New York City, you’ll find a number of airlines that offer direct daily flights to New York from London – so reaching NYC’s countless splendours is easy!
So, if you’re planning a trip to New York City, don’t miss out on MOMA – you’ll see American and international modern art in a whole new light! And because MOMA is located close to the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, you can experience the best of New York City’s art scene with ease.