Good Advice From Edna Mode

This little gem is loaded with good advice.

The past is the past. No matter what you loved about it, or what you might wish never happened, it’s done. You can never go back and re-live or un-do anything that’s already done, so you might as well move past it.

There is a lot to be said for being present, alert and focused on THIS moment, right now. So often, we sacrifice conversations and memories with the people sitting right next to us for the person that texts or phones us. Or, for what was said on facebook and twitter. What gives the people communicating through our glowing screens more privilege for our attention than the people in the next room?

You will never have this moment, again. Make the most of it. Hug the people you love. Be give them some of your undivided attention, if only for a few minutes. Be present for the stuff that life is really made of, not just the ephemera.

Imagine This . . . .

Nigella Lawson and Why Celebrity Sucks

Nigella Lawson at a Borders book-signing (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I’m a cooking geek. I’ve watched cooking shows for as long as I can remember. I love cooking shows. And, Nigella Lawson, without a doubt is one of my all time favorite cooking celebrities.

What’s not to love? She’s absolutely gorgeous, she doesn’t want to be airbrushed, she talks openly about gender, politics as part of her shows . . . . on top of being, at times, hilarious. From a viewer standpoint, “Jackpot!” She’s very similar to what I want to be when I’ve grown up.

But, apparently, she’s experiencing some marital problems. The Daily Mail reports that her husband physically abused her, in public. And, no one did anything.

Well, that’s not exactly true. They snapped pictures, whispered behind her back, and talked to the press about how horrifying it was to watch and how scared she must have been. But, no one actually tried to intervene, separate the two and get her to a safe space away from the paparazzi where she could process what had just happened. Not a single soul.

And, the paparazzi clicked away, while a woman was being choked violently, in public. Then, being the ethical and morally upstanding bunch that they are, the peddaled the pictures to the highest bidder, who then heaped pious platitude upon highest platitude in the newstory they sold based on the very celebrity that put this woman at risk. And, I would like to point out, that Nigella Lawson is one of their own – she got her start as the literary editor for the Sunday Times. So, she might even be getting “special” consideration.

The management of the restaurant that this happened in, never said a work to her multimillionaire, celebu-brute husband. (Nigella, honey, downgrade . . . . that jerk would have been put out of the establishment by any self-respecting manager of Denny’s.) Despite of the discomfort of other guests, possibly because of the publicity they might receive, they sat by and watched a violent attack without calling the police, or attempting to intervene whatsoever.

The woman had become so famous that her very personal pain became a spectacle and entertainment. That people became enrapt with the spectacle and forgot that they had a duty to intervene.

The Daily Mail was there to photograph her flight from her home with her teenaged son, after the attack. They were there to photographer her husband leaving the house. They have photos of her sobbing, leaving the restaurant. They recorded the incident, quite dutifully.

She may be beautiful, intelligent, wealthy, funny and sought after the world over . . . . but, right now, I wouldn’t trade places with her for anything in the world.

Nigella, love, I wish you the space and clarity of mind to sort out what your next move is. I wish you the courage to do what is best for you. And, I envy the gracious aplomb that you have demonstrated throughout this ordeal. But, I fear that we have failed you. And, I say “we” because I’m writing about this, too.

Watch This Artist :: Satoshi Matsuzawa

It has been a while since I’ve done this “column” on my blog. But, it’s also been a while since I’ve seen an artist who’s work instantly resonates with me. But I want this art so badly, I can hardly see straight.

This cat is the truth. If he isn’t already the hippest thing on the world art stage, he will be. If you have the means, start collecting his art now. His aesthetic, at the present moment, represents so many things that are trendy, but his craft lies in putting his own creative spin on them that they will remain timeless. It will be quite enjoyable to see how his work evolves and flows.

Take the portrait shown above, for example. The style is reminiscent of Ernie Barnes, in some ways. (Barnes was the artist that did the paintings for the television show Good Times, the most famous of which is “The Sugar Shack“.) However, the subject of the portrait has features reminiscent of Beyoncé Knowles. Also, the placement of text, style of the clothing, and use of color makes this picture seem more modern, to my eye. It’s an alluring and captivating mix of both worlds.

In fact, let’s take a look at Barnes and Matsuzawa, side by side, just so you can see what I’m talking about:

Above is the famous painting, “The Sugar Shack” by Ernie Barnes. You can see that the painting has lots of movement and life. Hallmark of Barnes style is the exaggerated limbs, vivid color and contemporary subject matter. (At least, when this was painted, the acts referenced on the signs, the styles, etc. were all part of the black popular music and arts scene.)

Now, let’s take a look at a similar work by Matsuzawa:

The painting definitely has some similarities: the exaggerated limbs and motion of the figures, the vivid coloring. However, you can also see the departure from Barnes in that there is more negative space in the painting, there is a stronger emphasis on the graphic outline of each figure. Also, all the figures in the paintings have the same emphasis and detail, whether they are in the background, or in the foreground in the painting.

You can truly see the influence of the graphic arts in Matsuzawa’s aesthetic. I think this print, called, “Mod” is the best example of how Matsuzawa fuses the “high art” (I hate that term) and graphic art styles:

Again, you have the strong lines, but look at how he’s bent and manipulated that aesthetic . . . . the hat and the dress are a relief print. There is no strong outline with them. However, there is a very strong outline around the features and limbs of the woman in the portrait.

This has to be one of my favorite works by Matsuzawa, look at this portrait of a geisha:

While there are definite symbols that link this art to other, traditional, Asian art, Matsuzawa takes a bold statement by making the sensual geisha figure the center of the portrait, rather than the natural elements that are also present. It definitely has strong ties and visual cues that reference the past. However, this painting is one that you would place definitely as contemporary art.

The works that I’ve discovered so far lean towards bold graphic statements, in larger than life color that are reminiscent of the fabric prints of Emiliano Pucci – bold, graphic, beautiful. They have definite visual cues that remind you of graphic art and advertisements from the 1970s; however, at the same time, they are nuanced and detailed in ways that make them bleeding edge hip. It’s the sort of cool style that makes you think of Miles Davis – seemingly effortless, breathtaking and technically stunning.

Watch this space, my lovelies. This guy is going places.

You Just Go! You’re Awesome . . . .

And, this is why I can’t call my blog a Christian blog . . . .

Excuse the language, but take the message . . . .

No matter what has happened to you in your life, you have survived to this point. No matter who put you down, who talked about you, where you didn’t fit in, where you didn’t belong . . . . it built you into a stronger, better you.

The world is waiting on you to share the lessons you’ve learned, the talents you have, the perspective you’ve gained. There is no one else that can give your gift to the world, but you. You are indispensable, irreplaceable, an unrepeatable miracle.

Now get up, go out and speak your truth, share your vision, manifest your purpose . . . .

Strong Women

. . . . and, so it is. Amen.

Don’t Forget Who’s Gold Star You REALLY Need . . . .

Remember back in grade school, when you did a good job the teacher would put these little stars on your paper? And, when you did a really, really good job, you got a GOLD star . . . .

Some of us have never gotten out of that mentality. We go from pillar to post looking for people to give us the “gold star” of their approval on everything from out clothing, to our physical appearance to the work that we do, to the things that we believe.

Stop. Just Stop.

The person that is going to have to live with the consequences, good or bad, from the decisions that you make is you. I may approve of a lot of decisions that would not suit someone else, at all. That’s because my preferences are tailored to my purpose. Your preferences are tailored towards your purpose. Don’t let yourself get off track by allowing people’s opinions to steer you away from your purpose.

Let’s get it in, y’all. Have a great day. Smile at yourself in the mirror. Pray. And, give today the best you that you can muster up.

Oh, and while you’re praying, I have a friend that has been called home because the doctors believe that her father is dying. If you feel led, please pray for her and her family. Flex a little soul power in her direction. She greatly appreciates it.