Friday, September 6, 2013

HOUSTON FINE ART FAIR






Houston Fine Art Fair has distinguished itself as the Premiere Art Event of the South/Southwest Region.  Held at the George R Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston, TX, 2013 will be the 3rd annual presentation.

The 2012 event featured  80 national and international dealers, encompassing 11 countries, and benefited from the record turnout of art patrons.  12,000 attendees made the event a huge success.  Over 40 of the top museums of the region supported last years event and the numbers this year promise to be equally as strong.

The collector base in Houston is large, well-budgeted, and influential and is committed to acquiring the best art has to offer.  Houston has also emerged as America's new art buying hub.  Houston has 100 museums, a booming energy-based economy, a thriving gallery scene, and a strong base of  serious collectors and artists.  As the 4th largest city in the nation, it is an ideal and untapped art fair destination.

The 2013 HFAF runs Sept 19 - Sept 22, 2013 at the George R Brown Convention Center.
Photo above of the 2012 HFAF.


Thursday, September 5, 2013

Excerpt from LORD OF BLAKELEY




“Lord Andrew!  Come quick!  We’re being attacked!  There is a regiment of Bishopites on Blakeley soil.  Up on the hill!  They’re burning our crops.  They’re chopping down our fruit trees,” Jacob cried out.
“Aleese, listen to me very carefully.  Go to the wine cellar and lock yourself in.  You’ll be safe there.  I’ll be back as soon as possible.  Stay in there and do not come out until I come down and get you.  This is very important.  Do you understand me?”
Aleese nodded and Andrew ran out and mounted, riding out in front of his army to find and do battle with the Bishopites.
“Carmine!” called Andrew, “Are you SURE they are the Bishopites?  How the hell did they get here?  We dismantled and buried the transport dock.  They have no way to get back here!  They cannot possibly be the Bishopites.”
“One in uniform came down and announced to us that he was a Bishopite and they were here to steal our food, chop down our trees, and burn the rest of our farmlands.  That’s all we know.”
“Men, fall back.  Something’s not right here.”  The men stopped and Andrew rode ahead to the hilltop facing the Bishopite army alone, behind them the fruit trees and the farmlands of Blakeley safe and unharmed.
“Bishopites,” he shouted, “we are not your enemy.  We will not take part in this war of brother against brother.  Take your fight elsewhere and leave the peaceful province of Blakeley at once!”
Just then a man jumped on Andrew out of nowhere and they both were blown up in a cloud of dust and flame with a thunderous crash.  Bodily debris flew in the air.  Immediately all of the Bishopite army at the top of the hill disappeared.
The stunned Blakeley army was in shock over the loss of their beloved leader.  They searched the area for any sign of Lord Andrew, but found nothing.  Sad and dejected, they returned to the village in silence. 
“He blew them all up!  Our Andrew, our Lord of Blakeley, managed to somehow blow up all the Bishopites.  To save our land.  To save our food, our crops, our trees.  To save us.  He is a hero.  The bravest man in all of Blakeley, the bravest man I have ever known,” said Carmine crying.  “And who among us had more to lose than Andrew?  No one.”
“Jared, somebody has to tell her.  I don’t want to do it.”
“Carmine, you have to do it.  She likes you.  You’re closer to her than any of the rest of us.”
“Yes, I am!  And that’s why I don’t want to be the one to tell her!  She’ll hate me for the rest of my life if I bring her the news of his death.”
“No!  She won’t.  She’ll be broken-hearted because she truly loves him.  She’ll sob and cry.  And then, she’ll probably go back to Havenhill.  She only stayed here with us because of Andrew, to be with him.”

Carmine dismounted and walked into the Manor House.
“Lord Andrew has been killed in battle.  He died saving the rest of us.  He… He was the bravest man we have ever seen in all our lives.  Where is Lady Aleese?”
“She has locked herself in the wine cellar, as Lord Andrew instructed her to do.”
Carmine turned and went down to the cellar.  He knocked on the door.
“Lady Aleese, it’s Carmine.  Come out.”
“Where is Drew?”
“Lady Aleese?  Please, come out,” he begged.  “I need to talk to you.  It’s about Andrew.  He… he’s been…”
She unlocked the door and looked at him.  She saw the look on his sad tear-stained face.  He didn’t have to say another word.  She knew.
“NO!  NO!” she cried, falling on the floor.  “NO!  Do not tell me he is dead!  NO!”
“I’m so sorry, Lady Aleese.  He died saving all of us, our land, our crops, and our food.  Oh, he was so incredibly brave, My Lady!  He was majestic, even!  He managed to blow them all up.  Unfortunately he was in the middle of that explosion.”
“NO!”  She pulled herself up.  “I feel in my heart that my beloved Drew is not dead!”
“I saw it with my own eyes.  I saw him… get blown up.”
“No.  It cannot be.  Go away, Carmine.  I wish to be alone.”
“I understand you want to be alone.  But, please, let me help you up to your room.  Your ladies can take care of you upstairs.  You don’t want to stay down here in this cold, dark cellar by yourself.”
“Drew told me to stay here and wait for him to come and get me.  And I’m staying right here.  I’m waiting for him to come and get me.  Go away.”
“But Lady Aleese…”
“GO THE HELL AWAY!!!”  She threw a wine bottle at him.  It crashed to the floor and broke into pieces.
Carmine nodded and backed away from her.  She slumped back against the wall, slowly sinking to the floor, screaming and sobbing. 
“Come for me, Drew!  Please, My Love, come for me.  I don’t want to go on without you.  You told me to stay here and wait until you came for me.  I’ll wait for you, Drew.  I’ll wait right here.  Come for me, My Love.  Please, come for me.”  She cried some more and soon cried herself to asleep on the cold, damp cellar floor.
She heard something, someone walking on the broken glass from the wine bottle on the floor.  A shadowy figure approached her.
“Drew?  Drew, My Darling!  I knew you would come for me!  I knew you wouldn’t desert me.  Drew!”  She reached for him.  The shadowy figure reached out and grabbed her tightly.  The light caught a silvery glint from his wristband.  They both disappeared.

NICK BRANDT EXHIBITION



 



"Across the Ravaged Land"  is the latest in a series of shows by renowned photographer Nick Brandt that will be featured at the Fahey/Klein Gallery in Los Angeles this month.

Brandt's vision and effort is to capture the world landscape as it changes and disappears in East Africa.  It is his final installation documenting a rapidly vanishing world.  His two previous exhibitions are  "On This Earth"  and "A Shadow Falls".  The current exhibition completes the trilogy,  "On This Earth,  A Shadow Falls,  Across The Ravaged Land".

Brandt began his photographic journal in 2000, his mission, to create a lasting testament to the beauty of the natural world and the forces causing it's rapid disappearance.  He captured the animals, intent on showing them as individual spirits, sentient creatures, just as worthy of life as we humans.

The current exhibition is notably darker in tone, reflecting the intense pressure on the region and the difficulty in capturing those photos.  The animals were being poached and crowded out because of the growing human population, as quickly as the landscape was vanishing.  The images are powerful; calcified animals, expanses of drought-affected land, and trophy heads.  The shots evoke the sense of staggering loss.

As a result of what Brandt witnessed, in 2010, with conservationist Richard Bonham, he co-founded "Big Life Foundation",  a grass roots effort to affect a dramatic reduction in the loss of land and animals in that region..

The exhibition at Fahey/Klein Gallery, 148 North La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA, runs Sept 5 - Oct 19, 2013.   Photo above by Nick Brandt.

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Author Interview with Mj Rain


Melissa Lorraine Gulick
"Mj Rain"
Newton, Iowa by way of
Long Island, New York


What have you written? 

I have written my first novel 'A Telltale Secret', the first in a 5 Novel Series titled, 'A Telltale Destiny' series. It is about what became of the people and civilization of Atlantis. I am currently writing the second novel in the series, titled 'A Telltale Magic'. I have written many Poems with 4 in Progress. I have had two of my poems published this past spring, titled 'And We Fly' and 'It's Not For Us To Say'. I've also written a story about my niece, Bella titled 'Bella Muffin Bakes a Rainbow Cake'. I've entered it into The Katherine Paterson Prize for Young Adult and Children's Writing Contest. It's fiction for children based on the time when me and Bella actually baked a rainbow cake together.

What is your favorite genre to write?

I love writing Young Adult Fantasy which is the Genre of my Series. What I love most about it is that I'm telling a story I've never heard, read, or seen before, ever. I love that I have created a world that I would love to live in with characters who are so relatable. I love Fantasy because it allows me to create anything I want and there are no real rules as to what can exist. I love that the only limit is how far I can push my imagination.When I write poetry, I write whatever flows through my head. Though, I love writing the kind of poetry that evokes an emotion from my reader and I love creating moments of fantastic imagery.

Favorite food:

When I was a young child, my parents used to tell people that I would eat anything as long as it didn't grow legs and walk off my plate and if it did, I would chase it. As an adult, I love Baked Macaroni and Cheese from scratch, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, and Crab Legs. Those are My Favorites.

Where would you like to visit?

I'm a world class Potterhead, so right now I most want to go to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Outside of the USA, I want to Go to England, London in Particular. I want to see all the places The Potter films were taped, stand inside an English phone booth, get my picture taken with an English Bobby, eat real fish and chips, do the Warner Brother's Studio Tour, all of it.

Favorite musical artist:

My favorite singer is Enya because she is vocally gifted and she writes ALL the music for every instrument in her songs. When I listen to Enya, I can completely disconnect myself from reality. My Favorite Band is LIVE, Ed Kowalczyk is an amazing singer/songwriter and I've loved the band since I was 14. Their music really speaks to me. 

How old were you when you started writing?

I've always loved writing ever since I was a kid in elementary school. I always got high scores/grades on any writing assignment I did and English was my best subject. I didn't decide I wanted to be a writer until I was a Senior in High School. My 12th Grade English teacher made me realize I had a real gift. Though, as a child in elementary school, I used to tell stories about two best friends I named Tissues and Towels. A box of tissues and a beach towel that did everything together.

Where do you get your inspiration?

I am inspired by everyone and everything around me. Positive and negative experiences I've had throughout my life. I have left nothing out of my series. How I see people and the world and I've written people, friends and family into my series. My main character is basically me. I'm writing my novels in the first person, so she's thinking with my brain. My readers will have a great knowledge of who I am, through Willow.

What do you do when you get a writer's block?

I sometimes read what I've already written and that helps. Sometimes I use my frustration to get some cleaning done and while I'm in the middle of scrubbing a toilet or the dishes, something brilliant will pop into my head. Listening to music also helps. It relaxes my brain and lets my imagination wander.

Who is your favorite author?

It's a Tie between Harper Lee and JK Rowling.

Best book you ever read.

My all-time favorite book is To Kill a Mockingbird and the end is my favorite part. I love the way Harper uses Scout and Boo to slap prejudice in the face. The Harry Potter series is right next to it because it saved me from my misery and inspired me to finally start writing my novels.

Who is the one person who has influence your personal life the most and why?

I would have to say JK Rowling. Just because, when I was in the beginning of a nervous breakdown 2 1/2 years ago, I had been through so much in my life and had so much traumatize me emotionally. My husband knew how much I love Harry Potter and what it was for me, so far beyond "Wizards and Magic". He put on her life story "Magic Beyond Words" and by then I had long devoured the books and had seen all the movies that were on DVD hundreds of times. It was the greatest escape from reality for me, because reality at that time was such a dark dismal place for me. After I saw her life story and I saw all that she herself had been through, realizing how strong she was and seeing how much courage it took for her just to let someone read her work and to see what she created and what it became, it was then in those moments, I was inspired more than ever to live my dream and really get serious about writing my novels.

If you could sit down and have a conversation with ONE person, living or dead, real or fictional, who would it be and why?

JK Rowling. Because I want to thank her, not only for Harry Potter but for being the catalyst that inspired me to live my dreams. Ever since I made the choice to write my novels, I have never been so happy.

What advice would you give someone who aspired to be a writer?

NEVER GIVE UP!!!! Don't be afraid of Failure or Rejection, because it's going to happen. When it does, take a deep breath and smile. Get to steppin. There will ALWAYS be a new opportunity for you. Carpe Diem, and take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way. Keep a positive attitude and Always accept things that don't go your way. I've so far Queried 96 Agents and received 32 Rejection Letters. One of those Agents read my first Chapter and another Read my entire Manuscript. The greatest things I've taken away from ALL of it so far is that I have yet to receive any Negative Criticism of my novel and my query letter so I know I don't need to change any of them, which means I just have to keep querying. My time will come and so will yours. It's all about Patience, Determination, Effort, Attitude and Gratitude. If you want it badly enough and you stick to it, it will be yours when it's meant to be. Believe in yourself and listen to those who believe in you. Make like Nike and Just do it, because You got this!!! ... Don't be afraid to ask for anything either!!! That's how I got to do this Author Interview!!! I ASKED!!! I live by a Quote now, that goes: "You don't deserve what you don't have the courage to ask for." ... Now, GO!!! Write that Novel of Yours!!! The world deserves to Read it!!!


Do you have any links you would like to share with us?

MORE FROM KIEL KAGAN





As promised, I'm extremely pleased to feature another exceptional work by Houston artist Kiel Kagan.  The interview with Kagan was posted last week here on Vision & Verse.

Image above, "Randomness"  2013, by Kiel Kagan.  Acrylic on canvas, 8.5'  x  10'. 

C.J. Adrien's Cover Reveal "The Line of His People"


Do you remember this handsome man from a Vision and Verse interview on July 25, 2013?   He loves white chocolate chip     Macadamia nut cookies, a German techno band named Scooter, and Herman Melville.  NOW do you remember him?  Yes, well, when noted historian C. J. Adrien was with us in July, he promised to come back with the cover reveal for "The Line of His People," a historical fiction novel set in Viking Age France.  And true to his word, here it is!



Thank you for sharing this with us, C. J.  I can't wait to read it.  Good luck to you, and come back again.

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

THE ART OF DANIEL CLOWES





Comic book artist and graphic novelist, Daniel Clowes, who prefers the moniker, "cartoonist", has nearly 50 publications to his credit.  He is also a magazine illustrator regularly producing for "The New Yorker" and an Oscar nominated screenwriter.

"Modern Cartoonists:  The Art of Daniel Clowes"  is the first museum retrospective of Clowes's work and features in excess of 125 original drawings and artifacts elegantly combining current graphic style and shades of Victorian parlor.  The exhibition first appeared at the Oakland Museum of California Art and will be expanded significantly for the Chicago show..

Clowes gained public attention in the late 1980's through the comic book series "Eightball", the venue where most of his major works were first seen.  The series continued into 2004, garnering a huge following and numerous awards.

A full-color monograph titled "Modern Cartoonists:  The Art of Daniel Clowes",  published by Abram Comic Art, accompanies the exhibition which is running now through Oct 13, 2013, at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago.

Image above, "Eightball 18"  1977, by Daniel Clowes.  Gouache on white board 24.75" x 22.5".

Interview with author Tianna Holley

   Tianna Holley
Atlanta, GA


Good morning, Tianna!  Welcome to Vision and Verse.
Good morning, Carol.  Thank you for inviting me.

What have you written?
Unexpected Metamorphosis is my first release and is the first book in the Alissia Roswell series.

What is your favorite genre to write?
My favorite genre to write is fantasy, because everything can be created in my head.  There are no rules to follow in fantasy.  If I want something, I can easily create it, as long as it flows and makes for a deeper and mysterious plot.  I like to say I play a game with my readers and throw in a lot of unknowns to keep them in suspense throughout my novels.  I don't want them to know what will happen next, and I love to keep them guessing.

What is your favorite food?
Wow, I have so many.  I eat a lot of carbs, so I have to grind my
own wheat and do my own baking.  That way I can indulge in a lot of freshly baked sweets while staying small.  I'm very petite.  I used a blog on healthy baking before my writing became a career, and I do have plans for a cookbook or two in the future.  The only problem is that I have a lot of plans when it comes to writing, so I don't know when I'll have the time to focus on a cookbook.

Where would you like to visit?
Although my husband enjoys big cities, I love adventure and recently toured a rainforest in Costa Rica.  I have so many places I plan to visit one day.  It would be hard to narrow it down.  There's Scotland, Australia, Greece, and Italy.  I would love to bike and tour through each of these countries.

Who is your favorite musical artist?
I am big on variety, and what I'm listening to depends a lot on my mood at the time.  I love the voices o Patsy Cline, Alison Krauss, and Loreena McKennitt.  Toby Mac and Phil Wickham inspire me.

What makes Tianna Holley laugh?
My children.

When did you start writing?
I started writing dark poetry as a tween and during my teen years.

Where do you get your inspiration?Unfortunately, I'm inspired when I'm emotionally in a dark place.  I wrote a lot during my teenage years and then stopped altogether.  There was no plan to become an author.  In fact, I did not know I would write Unexpected Metamorphosis until the week I started typing it.  I had a lot of emotions contained within me, and they needed a way out.   

What do you do when you get a writer's block? I have more of a writer’s procrastination problem.  I don’t enjoy writing scenes filled with a lot of description, and I have to force myself through it.  It took me a full week to edit the ballroom scene in Unexpected Metamorphosis, because I had to research formal gowns, jewelry, and men’s clothing to describe the scene fully.  I would rather write a scene filled with dialogue or action. Who is your favorite author? I am amazed at how much description J. K. Rowling put into Harry Potter, and I greatly admire her.


What is the best book you have ever read?The Bible

Who is the one person who has had the biggest effect on your personal life, and why? I’d have to say my husband.  Some say he’s tamed me, but I believe he’s patient with me.  He rarely triggers my rebellious streak.  In fact, he’s the most patient person I’ve ever known, which can be a blessing and annoying at the same time.  Either way, he loves me enough to put up with me.


If you could sit down and have a conversation with ONE person, living or dead, real or fictional, who would it be and why?
Oh, wow!  There are not many people I follow or feel the need to meet.  Beth Moore inspires me a lot, so I’d probably walk away from her greatly improved. 


What advice would you give someone who aspired to be a writer?  Follow your heart.  If you have a story inside of you, you will not rest until it comes out.  Also, editors are your best friends!


Do you have a cover you'd like to share with us?



Links:

Website:  http://www.tiannaholley.comAmazon author page:  http://www.amazon.com/Tianna-Holley/e/B00DVL4N30/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Twitter:  holley_tianna

Monday, September 2, 2013

Excerpt from "Echo of Heartbreak, A Recipe for Life"



     "Echo of Heartbreak, A Recipe for Life" is a short story written in the form of a letter from a very ill mother, Melina, to her unborn daughter, Michelle.  In it Melina gives Michelle advice on everything from life and love to drugs and credit cards.  She explains the situation surrounding Michele's birth and leaves her the best of her family recipes, which just happen to be MY family recipes.
     Some of the recipes included are Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Baked Cod with Florentine Stuffing, Blueberry Scones, Wedding Soup,  Chocolate Cherry Kiss Cookies, Potato Soup, and Special Event Sweet Potatoes.
     "Echo of Heartbreak, A Recipe for Life" is not a sad story.  It started out as a character study for a work in progress and ended up as a cookbook.  It is available at amazon.com and has a linked table of contents.

Sunday, September 1, 2013

ANDREA DEZSO EXHIBITION





Andrea Dezso, a Romanian-born artist based in New York is an immense talent who moves easily between mediums.  Using traditional media to portray the non-traditional, Dezso's current exhibition, "Without Myself", presents a variety of beautifully crafted works with magnificent detail and enigmatic stories, through ink brush marker paintings, pencil drawings on hand-made papers, paper collage, and acrylic and ink on canvas.  Her creations are beautiful, outlandish, mystical, and absurd, and weave stories with ambiguities that leave the viewers to decipher the narratives for themselves.  The somewhat surrealist quality of her work results from her practice of translating escapist fantasies from her childhood into visual form.

"Without Myself" by Andrea Dezso runs Sept 12 - Oct 13, 2013 at Nancy Margolis Gallery, 523 W 25th St, NY, NY.
Image above "Gathering In The Night" 2013, by Andrea Dezso