It's not the holidays without 80s TV specials

Being born in 1983 I was the perfect age for the years of the best holiday TV specials. My mom and dad would set the VCR to record and we treasured those tapes, watching the same holiday specials in the fall and winter every year.

For Halloween there was:

A Disney Halloween, Charlie Brown, and Garfield

For Thanksgiving:
Garfield's Thanksgiving, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving,

And last of all for Christmas there is: Charlie Brown, Garfield, The Chipmunks,

and Pee Wee!!!

I now have some of these on DVD and get to watch them, but I do sort of miss the funny commercials that were on those old tapes. And I'm not going to say this is a nerdy thing to love, because EVERYONE likes the Charlie Brown specials I think. We went to the Rob Zombie concert last month and he was playing Charlie Brown Halloween on the giant screen over the stage, it was great.

So Happy Thanksgiving! This year I am not only thankful for old TV, but all the wonderful friends and family in my life.

what is your favorite artwork?

So for my BLE 220 class the teacher always sends around an attendance sheet that you write your name, and then also answer the question next to it. Sometimes the question is what is your favorite sport, hobby, movie, band, etc.

The question last night was "What is your favorite artwork?" Which you would think for an art major would be easy, but surprisingly it wasn't. The first thing that popped into my head was this sculpture: Nike of Samothrace ca. 240-190B.C.

I don't know why, I saw it once in an art history textbook and was enthralled. It's in the Louvre in Paris, so someday I'll have to go see it. Then I thought, No, I should have a photo and I thought of this: Nightsky by Lori Novak 1990.

After I had made some photos using a slide projector one of my teachers had shown me her work, I think I liked that I came to same idea as her, before ever seeing these photos the most. But then I couldn't decide. By then I was like "hurry up melissa, people will think you're weird worrying so much about this little question on the attendance sheet." So I ended up putting down this:Mayme Kratz, Knot 222 Resin and Weeds on Panel 12x12.

Not because it's my favorite work of all time, but my favorite thing I've seen recently. Kratz has a show at the Lisa Sette Gallery in Scottsdale running through January 2, 2010 and I went the other week and wanted to bust out my credit card to buy one, but I didn't. I like that they look like paintings from far away, but up close it's natural materials and resin, so more like sculpture. I'm loving the multi media and mixed media art that doesn't really seem to have a title of "painting" "sculpture" "photograph" anymore.

Anyways, to anyone reading this, what is your favorite artwork?

what i did this weekend

School
Paper on Shakespeare
ASU Art Museum opening of Zombies vs. Vampires
Sakebombers
The Rogue
Cadillac Ranch
San Felipes
TV
Met Alando Tucker from the Suns
Free Suns Tickets
Unloaded/loaded a Kiln
Gym
babysat cute baby (see picture below)Skateland for Janet's birthday
TV

whew . . .

Indie Chic on 10th Street

So ASU is having a new event, Indie Chic on 10th Street, their website says it best:

Indie Chic @ 10th Street is an alternative craft fair with a collection of art and crafts. The show features local vendors and handmade items ranging from clothing to jewelry to ceramics and wall art.

Shop handmade and local. Why? It helps the environment by reducing your carbon footprint, it keeps your hard-earned money in the community and it supports Phoenix’s handmade revolution!

Free parking is available just outside of the Ceramics Research Center on the NE corner of Mill Ave. and 10th Street, in museum-marked spaces. Metered parking is also available on the street.

It should be an awesome shopping for the holidays event! Tom is going to have a booth and I'll be working at it so it would be great if everyone would stop by.

When: Saturday 12/05/09 10am-5pm
Where: ASU art museum (click for maps page)
Cost: Free

And if you're an art lover that day you can get a two for one. The Tempe Festival of the Arts is going on right down the street and also has free admission!

Speaking of the ASU art museum . . .

On Friday night from 5-7pm is the opening for the Zombies vs. Vampires movie by Jillian McDonald. Me & Tom are going to go watch!

Hollywood Alley

Living in Arizona as long as I have I've been to concerts at a lot of venues . . . .

the nile, nita's hideaway, new nita's, the marquee, the clubhouse, the rythym room, the modified, the dodge theater, cricket/blockbuster/whatever it is pavillion, the web theater, the phix, the trunk space, four white walls, the big fish pub, bostons, the buddha lounge, etc (and i'm probably forgetting quite a few).

But one place I'd never been was Hollywood Alley, and I don't know why! Last Tuesday me, Kat and Dareena all went to celebrate our friend Alice's early birthday and went to see Girl in a Coma. As soon as I walked in I loved the place, the big booths and records everywhere. So I'd like to say more good shows should be there! Or it should just be my new hang out. On Friday 11/20 they have a movie/concert/fashion show/spy thing happening, me & Tom might have to check it out . . .

halloweeeeeen

i love halloween. did everyone know that already or what? i love dressing up, i love an excuse to stay out late, i *used* to love candy (this year i did not have one piece and was pretty darn proud of myself). Because Tom and I love dressing up so much we had two different costumes each. One was PG rated so we could wear them to our Saturday morning classes where we teach little kids ceramics. Tom printed a free Chewbacca mask that I thought was pretty cool. I was going to be martian girl from planet v (aquabats fans will get it) but then i got lazy and didn't paint my skin green. But I did write in martian language: Later that night, we transformed into the living dead and headed out into the darkness. We found other zombies (Daryl and Shawna) and feasted together. Then we moved on to the zombie prom at the rogue bar. My favorite costume i saw that night was this dancing bear. something about a dancing bear made me quite happy.