Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Round Up The Usual Suspects

















At first glance, he looked rather like a pineapple, a bit prickly faced, but with an air of vulnerability, as if sensing what lie ahead at the luau.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Rare James Michaels Drawing Resurfaces

The day after Christmas, Florida art collector Wayne Notsag decided to clean out several years’ worth of accumulated receipts and old papers. Little did he realize that the unwelcome chore would turn up a long lost treasure.

“I had just thrown a bunch of cancelled lottery tickets into the dumpster,” said Notsag. “Then I saw Mickey’s fat little face smiling up at me. It took some doing, but I was able to save the drawing.”

The art work turned out to be a rare James Michaels drawing of Mickey Mouse from Michaels’ late “Rotund Period.” The piece, titled BMI Mickey, had gone missing months earlier, and Notsag feared it had been stolen by international hooligans.

“James has a wonderful habit of handing out on-the-spot drawings to children at art shows,” said Notsag. “A little boy dropped this drawing and I somehow forgot to give it back to him.” When pressed for details, Notsag confided, “Well, it is an original James Michaels.”

Art experts have agreed it may be difficult to place a price on BMI Mickey since it is a unique drawing and Michaels is reported to still be alive. Notsag was recently asked his own estimate of the drawing’s market value, should he choose to sell it.

“Let’s just say I could buy a whole lot of lottery tickets.”

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

"On Going Back To The Street After Viewing An Art Show," poem by Charles Bukowski


they talk down through
the centuries to us,
and this we need more and more,
the statues and paintings
in midnight age
as we go along
holding dead hands.
and we would say
rather than delude the knowing:
a damn good show,
but hardly enough for a horse to eat,
and out on the sunshine street where
eyes are dabbled in metazoan faces
i decide again
that in theses centuries
they have done very well
considering the nature of their brothers:
it's more than good
that some of them,
(closer really to the field-mouse than falcon)
have been bold enough to try.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Art Basil Miami Beach



The Brain Trap, Robert Williams, courtesy Tony Shafrazi Gallery
 In case you missed Art Basel Miami Beach last week, here is an overview of the Festival.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

You're A Big Fake


Quick, which of the three above art works is a fake? Hint - all of them! 11 Most Famous Fakes in Art History, an enlightened essay by Kate Willson, aptly demonstrates that even experts can be fooled, over and over. (essay and photos courtesy college crunch.com)