And the Pursuit of Happiness by Maira Kalman

And the Pursuit of Happiness by Maira Kalman - posted on the NYT website.

House approves additional $50 million to the National Endowment for the Arts

Hooray! The House approved an additional $50 million to the National Endowment for the Arts.

Americans for the Arts reported today that:

Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed their version of the Economic Recovery Package by a vote of 244 to 188 which successfully included $50 million in supplemental grants funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)!... However, our work is not finished yet as the U.S. Senate starts their debate on the bill tomorrow and continues through next week. The Senate Appropriations Committee did not include an arts jobs funding provision in their version of the bill, but advocates still have an opportunity to change the final outcome.

Use your voice and urge Congress to pass this hugely important funding.

Modern take on an old portrait

Hendrik Kersten's image (second) is a modern take on 15th century Flemish portraits like that of Rogier Van Der Weyden. This is a fun image, and I love the expression on the model's face. The quality of the light is lovely, albeit slightly colder in temperature, capturing that soft glow that I love about Northern Renaissance paintings.

The rest of Kersten's images are quite interesting, especially Sunburnt. I like how his subjects appear so removed - both in physically and emotionally. It's interesting to note that the subject is his daughter, making the relationship between photographer and model all the more interestingly complex. Lovely.

Rogier Van Der Weyden, Portrait of a Lady (image from www.artsales.com)
Hendrik Kersten, Bag (image from his website)

Obama love on U St.

My U St. neighbourhood was teeming with Obama love this weekend. This area is quickly becoming 'the' place to live and hang out, but true to DC style, the foot traffic is always relatively light except from 11pm onwards on Fridays and Saturdays.

This weekend, however, the sidewalks were packed with people. The line outside of Ben's Chili Bowl was ridiculous, winding outside the shop and down and around to the next corner, and it seemed like there were vendors hawking Obama memorabilia every couple of steps down the main drag, and even food vendors are getting in on the action - including a newly erected food stall at the Shaw Metro exit, offering pizza, burgers, hot dogs, everything!

It reminded me of NYC (more like Brooklyn, actually) and I felt slightly disoriented - in my 10 years here I've never felt such excitement and so much activity in DC. I love that DC is finally getting recognition and hopefully that recognition will shift from politics/law to our burgeoning arts and cultural scene.

But not everyone shares the love; I snapped this 'installation' piece on the corner of U and 9th.



Image © Tara Kocourek 2009

Obama Poster - source image found

Read the full story here.

Photo courtesy of PDNPulse

Inauguration Week events in DC

DC is blowing up with all sorts of events to celebrate Inauguration Week! Check out DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities' calendar of events for arty happenings.

I'll be heading over to the Art of Change Ball on the night of the 20th, which was put together by my fave, Artomatic, as well as a slew of other local arts organizations.

Other arty events that have caught my eye include:

ManifestHope: DC from Saturday, Jan. 17 through Monday, Jan. 19 @ 3333 M Street NW

X - DC's only 24 hour Inauguration Party on Saturday, Jan. 17 @ BeBar - cnr 9th & N

Inaugural Opening Concert at the Lincoln Memorial on Sunday, Jan. 18

Cool artwork for the Grammys

Check out the cool artwork that was done for this year's Grammys. These protraits by Spinner are made up from a list of 15 songs that inspired the musicians.