Harry Whittier Frees

 Artist of the Day: Harry Whittier Frees

Harry Whittier Frees (1879–1953) was an American photographer .

He made these wonderful photos by dressing up animals

Enjoy!

check out the funny pic of the day at: 

http://www.mikeleejohnson.com/FunnyPic.html

Etiquette for the becoming lady

This is the vimeo link to the student film I made in my 2nd year at LCC studying animation

  

http://vimeo.com/32857027

I did the artwork with the colour pallette inspired by Coppola's 'Marie Antoinette'. I love pastel colours. I also wrote the script, using the etiquette handbooks of the 1900s as subjects in which to parody. I love characters like Miss Fanny- inspired by actresses such as Goldie Hawn. Ciselle Fung, my classmate and friend did the animation for the film. She helped me learn After Effects and worked as a specialist with the program. Eva, was our producer and also helped with animation.

Ive always been more in love with the past than the present. I miss the days of courtship and chivalry but didn't want to make a film that simply dwelled on a forgotten time. We can laugh at the dated rules of romance and ridiculous stereotypes of men- but also realize how innocent people were back then.
Nowadays when it comes to dating, its sad how little innocence there is.  

Review of my student film

Check out this cool review for my 2nd year student film 'Etiquette for the Becoming lady'. Lauren Shipman totally got the films message and seemed to enjoy the humour! Great response

http://portable.tv/film/post/etiquette-for-the-becoming-lady-2/

The Music Lovers 1970 - Nina's significance?

Last night I watched the Ken Russell film 'The Music Lovers' based on the life and career of composer Tchaikovsky. Following a traumatic experience at a young age, Tchaikovsky witnessed his mother die from cholera. Then in his older years he struggled with his identity as a homosexual, abiding in marriage just to secure his reputation as honorable gentleman. 

 There were some fantasy sections which I really enjoyed. When the visuals and music worked in sync, creating abstract dream-like sequences that were quite unlike the rest of the naturalistic film. Music provoked reminiscence and romantic fantasy and transported us into the minds of the women moved by his music. I especially liked the outing to ‘Swan Lake’ in the outdoor theatre and the street scenes in Moscow. The visuals reminded me of ‘Barry Lyndon’.  

 Something which troubled me was the sad fate of Tchaikovsky’s wife- Antonina Tchaikovskaya. Driven mad by Tchaikovsky’s rejection of her, Antonina ends up in a mental institute. The scenes set in the asylum were quite shocking. Women with shaven heads were herded in the courtyards, deranged and delusional. Tchaikovsky abandoned Antonina. He used her for his perfect ‘marriage’ facade, then when he couldn’t bear the sight of her, he left her to slowly go mad. 

And something which I couldn’t help make a connection between was the name ‘Nina’ which Tchaikovsky’s wife was called in the film (Nina being short for Antonina). Nina is taken to the ballet to see swan lake- the ballet composed by her husband. Consumed and obsessed by Tchaikovsky, nina slowly looses her mind- very similar to the plot of ‘black swan’ (Darren Aronofsky). Could the name be a coincidence or could Natalie Portman’s character be based on the tragedy of Tchaikovsky’s wife?

I couldn’t help but be reminded of ‘Black Swan’ hearing so much of Tchaikovsky’s music. And ‘the music lovers’ seemed to make it a note of importance the way women responded to Tchaikovsky’s music- not men. A certain hold his music had over women.

Every Era builds character

I found a blog called 'Advanced Style' which features older women who still delight in fashion and dressing up. I hate the saying that 'as you get older you become more invisible', so lets celebrate these wonderful older women and listen to all their advice. 

 

There are flowers everywhere, for those who bother to look

Henri Matisse

Ice skating

Thursday 1st December

Last Thursday it was my mums birthday and I treated her to ice-skating at the National History Museum. Things started ok, we marvelled at the tree lights surrounding the rink and giggled as we fastened our clunky skates.

 Then after 10 minutes on the ice, my mum fell

 

After the fall, she didnt want to continue skating.

 

above, mum holds the barrier. notice the carousel and  museum backdrop

 The skating soundtrack consisted of Tom Jones and George Michael: nothing to be faulted there

Above, I am filling out a questionnaire on my train journey experience.

I earned myself a lovely biro

'They Shoot Horses, Dont they?' 1969

I stumbled upon this film when looking at lists of Academy award films and I’m so happy I found it. The movie was nominated for 9 Academy Awards. It won one award for best supporting actor

 

Set during the Great Depression, people would compete in marathon dances where they would dance constantly for days. The last remaining couple won the prize money

Some parts were cruelly hard to watch. The desperation and futility of the depression is shown through the endless plight of the marathon dancers; weak and exhausted and heading for an empty prize they continue dancing. 

Young Jane Fonda is beautiful, with her svelte physique and frazzled curls. Entertaining no notions of happy endings; Her response to the world is bitter, cynical yet highly realistic. It should’ve taken more time for me to warm to her character, yet I felt a fondness after the first glimpse of her in the queue.
Michael Sarrazin played Robert. Poor hopeless Robert. with his beautiful eyes and composed nature

Watching the film is an experience in itself: it is agonizing, deeply perceptive, exhausting and heartbreaking- I loved this film