Category: Art In The News

7/21/2021

Mr Roboto and Disney and Mannequin

He Brought Her Flowers, 6 by 4 inches, acrylics on paper, $28 by Angeline MarieMartinez. You can add it to your home by emailing me angeline @ angelinemarie.net

This is a super freaky cool video about Disney animatronics!!
https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2020/11/02/disney-lifelike-robot-no-skin-orig.cnn-business

Disney, Disney, Disney.
When I think of design, logistics, story, I think Disney.

I totally love love love Disney. I could be one of those Disney super fans...but I do my best to let go of stuff instead of collecting more, lol.

Most rides at Disney have what Walter Disney called “animatronics.” These are robots that are used as actors throughout the parks. A great example of these animatronics are the presidents and the pirates. These animatronics have been used for decades...wonder what will happen with these besides updating and making more exhibits and shows?

The painting here is the closest to an animatronic as I can get in my painting collections, lol. I actually have the wooden mannequin as well as a plaster lady’s face and the flowers.

What’s your guess of how animatronics may be used in the future?

5/9/2021

Raul Martinez Eagerly Awaiting - Art Exhibit Review from 2010

NOTE: This review was originally published in 2010. Photos were used with permission from Magnan Metz Gallery. Documentation of permission is available upon request.

This article is being republished on May 9th, which is the anniversary of Raul’s “el malo’s” death. Why? To remember Raul’s older brother, the older brother who only wanted the best and tried his best for his siblings before he was forced to escape Cuba.

This is a review of the exhibit Raul Martinez Eagerly Awaiting that was held July 22 through August 20, 2010 at the Magnan Metz Gallery in New York City’s Chelsea District. The opinions and views of this review belong to Angeline and solely express her opinions.

When you walk into the Magnan Metz Gallery, you are greeted a large open space and a friendly reception. A large open window lets natural light into the gallery. The art, as it should be, is the major focus of the gallery. At this time, the exhibit was Raul Martinez Eagerly Awaiting.

1970s

1970s

The first art works by Raul Martinez that are seen inside the gallery were created in the 1970s. Cuba was entering its second decade under the communist regime. The colors are bright, strong, and solid. Each drawing is outlined in black on paperboard and then painted in with no shadows. The works of art are beautifully framed in modern clean black frames. The theme of the exhibit is Cuba: its leaders, people, perception of world events, and “social themes.” The art is strongly influenced by pop art as seen through the use of repetition.

1980s

1980s

Romeo y Julieta is the art work seen from the street when looking into the gallery. It is a darker piece than Raul Martinez’s pop art style from the 1970s, with darker secondary colors of oranges. It makes a seamless transition to the themes Raul Martinez is known for: Jose Marti and Che Guevara. Both I Have Seen with Jose Marti and Che have a darker feel than Raul’s previous art. Che is dated 1985, while I Have Seen remains undated. The creation dates may be similar because of the use of black lines and areas, reds, block-style shadowed facial features, and the designs around each of the figures. They are still a style of pop art, but more serious than the art from the 1970s.

The next division of the gallery occurs along the same wall that has the pop art from the 1970s. Raul Martinez’s charcoal on canvas Hambriento Espero (Eagerly Awaiting) and abstract painting Hay Que Saber (We Have to Know) transition the exhibit from the pop art style to the more abstract and collage pieces found in the next formal section of the gallery. There are abstract paintings from the 1960s and the 1990s followed by collages from the 1990s. The 1960s abstracts are full of textures and subtle shapes. The 1990s abstracts paintings are full of reds, blues, oranges, yellows, blacks and lines, squiggles, and bursts of energy. The collages consist of pastels, transparency sheets, torn pages, transfers, photos, paint, and other items. Upon exiting this section, one realizes there are photographs by Raul Martinez in the office area.

Hambriento Espero is the black and white canvas.

1990s ©Art copyright Raul Martinez, Cuba ©Exhibit photos, Magnan Metz Gallery

The photographs by Raul Martinez seem disconnected to the rest of the exhibit. The photographs can be dismissed at first because they do not seem to belong to the rest of the exhibit because of where they were displayed in the gallery. The first set is behind the reception desk: three photographs with painted designs and one large black and white photograph. The most striking photograph is the one unpainted, of a boy staring into the camera titled You (Ustedes). This is also the only photograph with a date at all, of 1960. The second set of photographs is found in the office area, past a 1960s abstract painting. These photographs commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution in which Raul Martinez highlighted the Cuban flag with color on otherwise black and white prints.

Because there were no labels, posters, etc., a small binder with thumbnail images and data was made available at the reception desk. Some title translations seemed clumsy, for example, the direct translation of Hambiento Espero is better as Hungrily Waiting. Admittedly, the translation of Eagerly Awaiting makes for a better exhibit title.

Without some background in Cuban history and actual experience of the communist regime, most of Raul Martinez’s paintings seem without focus. However, the flow of the exhibit Raul Martinez Hambriento Espero matches the light and space of the gallery: easy to navigate and delicately guided. Most visitors left Magnan Metz Gallery with the impression of Raul Martinez as a Cuban artist who created mostly pop art during this Cuban Revolution. Special thanks to Magnan Metz Gallery bridging the cultures as President Obama slowly opens relations with Cuba.

For a recent article concerning President Obama and Cuba, please visit the following sites:

"US-Cuba Relations in Positive Phase:'' Google Hosted News (AFP), September 8,2010

Foreign Policy: Obama's III-Timed Cuba Move, August 27,2010

"Cuba Libre? Hold Off Booking that Ticket for Now,'' National Public Radio, August 19,2010

For links about artist Raul Martinez, please visit the following the sites:

Museum of New Mexico

Art Experts Website

Pan American Art

If you made it until here, what do you think about my attempt at an exhibit review? If you followed the links, what do you think Raul Martinez really means in some of his paintings?

2021 UPDATE:

How many things have changed for me in ten years, concerning Raul Martinez. I don’t feel much of a connection to this artist anymore...for many personal reasons. If I ever stumble upon a work by Raul Martinez, I’ll be interested in learning more about it. But, I don’t believe I’ll travel so far to see any exhibit of his paintings ever again. It’s almost like visiting Cuba: can’t miss where I’ve Never been...can’t miss who I’ve Never met. I really have no reason to seek more Raul Martinez, and don’t really have a reason to visit Cuba anymore, too. I’m moving on….

3/24/2021

Catch by a Whale's TailCatch by a Whale's Tail

These whales were caught by my camera at the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, on July 27, 2018. This image is NFS ©Angeline Marie Martinez

Whoever says public art installments are useless need to have this article sent to them ASAP.

This whale tail sculpture saved a train from running off a “cliff.” The tail caught the train and kept it from continuing over into the ground. Read more about it by clicking here.

The photo is from our trip to Alaska, 2018. The boat tour happened on a pod. The captain was kind and we observed these whales for the maximum time allowed by the fishing and park industries. Andy and I were fascinated...shivering and cold, but happy to witness!

Alaska was absolutely inspiring: wildlife, climate, floral and fauna. I did a little art installation while there: I left Palm Tree prints behind to find. There is an active group of artists that leave and find artworks on Facebook, search for Alaska Free Art Friday.
If you’d like to see other abstract palm tree paintings for sale, please go to https://www.angelinemarie.net/store/c2/Abstract_Palm_Tree_Paintings.html

3/14/2021

ET Phone Home - or Star Burp?

Astronomers and others have listened to the skies for decades. Radio frequencies are measured, mapped, and studied. Is it ET trying to call us?

Sadly, scientists have figured out that the radio bursts from the Milky Way Galaxy are from a burping dead star.

Read more about it here: https://www.livescience.com/milky-way-frb-magnetar.html

I’ll keep believing in ET. Will you?

My ET 1982 Stuffed Toy, with Tomasina the mouse puppet, and some studio shells. ET belongs to Universal, but this toy photo was taken by me.

PS: I’m posting this on my dad’s birthday. Papa took me to see ET the first time it was released in movie theatres. Papa fell in love with ET right along with me.

4/8/2020

Do posters exist in the 2020s?

I have many reasons why I'm grateful to be part of Generation X, one of them being posters.

I had access to posters for my bedroom, pre-printed, ready to roll up and stick on my doors or walls. Between the department stores and the mall kitzy stores, posters were everywhere. There were posters from magazines, from records (oh those 33s!), really big posters from the stores.

Current generations of kids have to print or make their posters.

Hmm...it would be cool if you bought original paintings for the next generations to put up in their rooms. LOL Almost joke - but there seems to be more access to original artwork than pin ups now.

Want more info on how posters may be making a small return? Here ya go: https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/4/22/18485878/poster-industry-analog-renaissance-teen-bedroom-decor

Circles, Mountains, and Clouds (Alaska y Yukon Inspired), 8 by 6inches, collage and acrylics on paper, ©2018
Unmounted and unframed, $150; mounted onto canvas, $200 plus S&H

3/25/2020

See art, live longer?

There's been a few articles I've read during the last few years about researchers connecting a longer, healthier life to seeing, experiencing, and enjoying art.

I can attest to it! I LOVE seeing art by other people. I try to do this often, whether online or in person.

I also have noticed a direct connection between my happiness and my making paintings and studio messes. Andy, my husband, has noticed the same. He pushes me into my sketchbooks and studio almost as soon as he notices I'm super sad, frustrated, or just overall down.

One article can be found here: https://www.cnn.com/style/article/art-longevity-wellness/index.html

3/11/2020

Figure painting thru the millennia!

"Figure painting" is another way of saying "paintings or drawings of humans."

This find is really important, because most cave paintings show animals or hand prints, but not actual fully drawn humans or as more formally called, "figures."

Even if you consider that you can barely draw a stick figure, it's so cool that someone 44,000 years ago drew stick figures. You can see some photos here: http://hilltopmonitor.com/2019/12/oldest-cave-painting-in-world-suggests-religion-began-in/

Below is a page from one of my sketchbooks. I take paper and pen with me to every Marlins game that Andy and I attend. I make sure to get the Marlins Park date stamp, as you can tell. These are stick figures that help me get the gesture of each player. I love trying to get the movements of starting pitchers and batters, but I stick to just Marlins. Late in the 2019 season, I decided to add gestures of the in and out fielders once I'm "done" with the Marlins starting pitcher.

12/4/2019

Art basel Miami Beach is for tourism

,Every year, during the first week of December, it's Art Basel Miami Beach.

For 2019, it's Sunday, December 1st through Sunday, December 8th.

Every year, I try to attend either Art Miami or Art Basel. These are two different art exhibitions, but both are the largest during this time.

I try to attend these shows in order to learn what other artists are doing. I love to see what the international galleries are displaying for their collectors. It's an eye-opening, exciting opportunity to see a few hundred world wide galleries and perhaps thousands of different world wide artists. I take notes and sketches, keeping my eyes open for ideas and techniques to use in my paintings.

Last year, my husband and I did a Friends and Fire evening when the conversation turned to Art Basel. Everyone in the South Florida area that know little about art believe that Art Basel Time is for local artists and galleries.

Art Basel Miami Time is for International Tourism.

Art Basel Miami Time averages 80,000ish visitors from all over the world.

The two main art shows are Art Basel and Art Miami.

Art Basel Miami Beach averages 270ish leading galleries from 35ish countries.

Art Miami is averages 250 international galleries.

INTERNATIONAL. This means that NO or FEW South Florida artists and/or galleries are exhibited or shared during this time. The satellite shows are lost in the "noise" of both of these large fairs...and there are 100s of satellite shows that piggy back on these two main fairs. It's difficult to get attention to these smaller shows because of the marketing power of the two main fairs.

I do encourage you to go see art during Art Basel Time...but remember that to see the actual South Florida artists, you can see them all year around. I attend to see International artworks that I would never get to enjoy otherwise.

If you like podcasts, a great episode about why artists should see major exhibits like Art Basel and how to visit Art Basel on a budget, click over to it on this paragraph and listen to The Artist Next Level Podcast with Sergio Gomez: My visit to Art Basel Miami Beach 2018, December 13, 2018.

If you decide to attend either show, let me know! Maybe we can meet there for a little while!
Angeline

About this artwork: Other Side of Fence Palm Tree Abstract, 24 by 24 inches, mixed media on canvas, 2017, by me, Angeline Marie Martinez

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