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olympic-paris · 27 days

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THIS DAY IN GAY HISTORY

based on: The White Crane Institute's 'Gay Wisdom', Gay Birthdays, Gay For Today, Famous GLBT, glbt-Gay Encylopedia, Today in Gay History, Wikipedia, and more …

August 23

1912 – (John) Keith Vaughan (d.1977) was an English painter. After attending Christ's Hospital school, he worked in an advertising agency until the war, when as a conscientious objector he joined the St John's Ambulance. In 1941 he was conscripted into the Pioneer Corps. Vaughan was self-taught as an artist. His first exhibitions took place during the war.

Also during the war Vaughan formed friendships with the painters Graham Sutherland and John Minton, with whom after demobilisation in 1946 he shared premises. Through these contacts he formed part of the Neo-Romantic circle of the immediate post-war period. However, Vaughan rapidly developed an idiosyncratic style which moved him away from the Neo-Romantics. Concentrating on studies of male figures, his works became increasingly more abstract with time.

Joseph and His Brethren

From 1946 to 1948 he taught at Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts. During this time a penniless painting student, Ramsey McClure, turned up at his doorstep, and they became partners and lived together for 30 years.

Keith Vaughan met many other gay figures from art and literature including Christopher Isherwood, (as noted in his diaries for 1947 and 1948), and E M Forster.

Keith Vaughan taught at the Central School of Arts and Crafts from 1948 to 1957. He painted the Theseus mural decoration in the Festival of Britain Dome of Discovery in 1951.

From 1954 he taught at the Slade School of Fine Art, where he taught David Hockney. He also travelled extensively and was visiting resident artist at Iowa State University during 1959. In 1962 a retrospective of his work was held at Whitechapel Art Gallery with an Arts Council tour. In 1964 he received an Honorary Fellowship from the Royal College of Art. In 1965 he was awarded the CBE.

Vaughan is also known for his journals, selections from which were published in 1966 and more extensively in 1989, after his death. He was a gay man troubled by his sexuality, and much of what is known about him is through those journals. In the journals, he decided to be truthful about his homosexuality. Following this line he wrote explicitly about his sexual practices with other men, masturbation, and experiments with sadomasochism. Vaughan's journals give insight into the relationships he had with other men, particularly with his working-class lovers, John McGuiness and Johnny Walsh, and his long-term companion and lover Ramsey McClure. Like many middle-class gay men of his generation, he was attracted to an ideal of working-class masculinity. Although Vaughan wrote freely about his sexuality in his journals (and in the erotic short stories he wrote for his own pleasure), he was a product of his age. He had grown up at a time when gay men were driven underground into their own subculture and made to feel guilty about their sexual preferences.

He was diagnosed with cancer in 1975 and committed suicide in 1977, recording his last moments in his diary as the drugs overdose took effect.

1933 – Peter Wyngarde (d.2018) was a British actor best known for playing the character Jason King, a bestselling novelist turned sleuth, in two television series: Department S (1969–70) and Jason King (1971–72). His flamboyant dress sense and stylish performances led to popular success, and he was considered a style icon in Britain and elsewhere in the early 1970s; Mike Myers credited Wyngarde with inspiring the character Austin Powers.

He was born in Marseille, France, the son of an English father and a French mother. His father worked for the British Diplomatic Service, and as a result his childhood was spent in a number of different countries. In 1941, while his parents were away in India, he went to stay with a Swiss family in Shanghai. When the Imperial Japanese Army invaded the city, they were captured and placed in the Lung-hai concentration camp. Conditions in the camp were sometimes harsh. On one occasion Peter had both his feet broken and spent two weeks in solitary confinement after being caught taking messages between camp huts.

As a young man he went into acting and from the mid 1950s had various roles acting in feature films, television plays and television series guest appearances. In the late 1960s he was a regular guest star on many of the popular UK series of the day — many of which were espionage adventure series — including The Avengers, The Saint, The Baron, and The Champions. He also played the rotating guest-star role of the villainous Number Two in the episode 'Checkmate' of the cult series The Prisoner, which took place in a community of spies who had retired... or been retired.

Wyngarde became a British household name through his starring role in the espionage series Department S (1969). After that series ended, his character, the suave womaniser Jason King, was spun-off into a new action espionage series entitled Jason King (1971), which ran for one season (26 one-hour episodes).

From 1956, he had a no-so-secret, ten-year-long relationship with fellow actor Alan Bates. In the 1960s, he had shared a flat with Alan Bates; according to some sources this was a sexual relationship.In 1975, he was arrested and convicted for an act of "gross indecency" with a truck driver in the toilets of Gloucester bus station, which followed an arrest and caution for similar activities in the toilets at Kennedy Gardens in Birmingham the previous year. After the first incident, Wyngarde had provided interviews for the Sunday tabloid press (News of the World and the Birmingham based Sunday Mercury) where he claimed that the arrest was due to a mis-understanding. The second incident severely damaged his reputation, and he claimed he had suffered a "mental aberation" in his defence. Although it caused a scandal, particularly with his audience who largely identified him as ladies man Jason King, Wyngarde's homosexuality was actually well known in acting circles, where he was known by the nickname of "Petunia Winegum".

After losing his TV celebrity status, Wyngarde worked in Austria, acting and directing at the English Theatre in Vienna, and in South Africa and Germany. He also landed the role of General Klytus in the film version of Flash Gordon, although it is perhaps significant that the part required him to wear a metal mask throughout.

During the 1980s and 1990s he made a number of TV appearances, including the Doctor Who serial Planet of Fire (1984), Hammer House Of Horror & Suspense (1986), The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (1994) and the film Tank Malling (1989).

In recent years he had been a regular, warmly welcomed guest at Memorabilia, a cult, science fiction and sporting memorabilia fayre at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, UK. In 2007, Wyngarde participated in recording featurettes for a reissue of The Prisoner on DVD, including a mock interview segment titled "The Pink Prisoner"; this material was released in The Prisoner DVD set issued in the UK in 2007 and in North America on both DVD and Blu-ray in October 2009.

His agent and manager reported that Wyngarde was admitted to the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London in October 2017 with an unspecified illness. He died on 15 January 2018.

1958 – Neil Bartlett, OBE, is a British director, performer, translator, and writer. He is one of the founding members of Gloria, a production company established in 1988 to produce his work along with that of Nicolas Bloomfield, Leah Hausman and Simon Mellor.

His work has garnered several awards, including the 1985 Perrier Award (for More Bigger Snacks Now), the Time Out Dance Umbrella Award (for A Vision of Love Revealed in Sleep), a Writers Guild Award (for Sarrasine), a Time Out Theatre Award (for A Judgement in Stone), and the Special Jury Prize at the Cork Film Festival (for Now That It's Morning). His production of The Dispute won a Time Out Award for Best Production in the West End and the 1999 TMA Best Touring Production award. He was appointed an OBE in 2000 for his services to the arts.

He also served as artistic director at the Lyric Theatre Hammersmith from 1994 until 2004. Many of his translations of classic plays have been performed throughout the world.

Who Was That Man showed how the gay history of London in the 1890s affected Bartlett's life as a gay man in London in the 1980s. His latest novel, The Disappearance Boy was published in London by Bloomsbury Circus publishing in January 2014.

1978 – Andrew Rannells is an American actor and singer best known for his work as Elder Price in the 2011 Broadway musical The Book of Mormon, which earned him a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical. As a featured soloist on the musical's Original Broadway Cast Recording, he won the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. His other Broadway credits include Jersey Boys and Hairspray.

Rannells plays the recurring role of Elijah on the HBO television series Girls, as well as playing lead character Bryan Collins in Ryan Murphy's television series The New Normal, now cancelled.

Rannells is of Polish and Irish descent, and he is openly gay. He knew he was gay by high school. Rannells said he came out to his family when he was 18, but by then they had already figured it out. He also came out to his theater friends but not the people at his all-boys Catholic school.

Rannells currently lives in New York City after temporarily re-locating to Los Angeles to film The New Normal. He played Larry in the 2018 Broadway revival of The Boys in the Band. It was a limited run, in honor of the play's 50th anniversary. It won a Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play. He revived his role (along with the rest of the revival cast) for the film adaptation for Netflix, which was released on September 30, 2020.

Since 2019, he has been in a relationship with actor Tuc Watkins. The two met the year before while playing a couple on the Broadway production of The Boys in the Band. They reprised their roles for Netflix's film version of the show and also worked together on Black Monday in 2020.

1989 – Brian Michael Firkus , better known by the stage name Trixie Mattel, is an American drag queen, television personality, and singer-songwriter originally from Wausaukee, Wisconsin. He is known for his exaggerated, high-camp style and blend of comedy and acoustic pop. In 2015 he competed on the seventh season of the drag competition RuPaul's Drag Race, where she finished in 6th place. In 2018, she went on to win the third season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars.

Brian Michael Firkus was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and raised in Silver Cliff, Wisconsin. He is Ojibwe and comes from a Native American family in Crivitz, Wisconsin. He had an abusive stepfather who would call him a "Trixie" when he acted feminine, which later inspired his drag name. His last name was inspired by his affinity for the Barbie doll and toy company Mattel. Before deciding on "Trixie Mattel" as his drag name, he originally considered the name Cupcake. He moved in with his grandparents at age 15. His grandfather was a country musician who taught him how to play the guitar.

Firkus is proudly gay. Since 2016, he has been in a relationship with filmmaker David Silver, who also produced his documentary Moving Parts. He is a vegetarian, an atheist, and a collector of Barbie dolls.

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debutart · 7 months

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Debut Art is pleased to announce that we are now representing artist Liam Eisenberg!

Liam Eisenberg is an illustrator based in New York. His work relies on bold outlines and graphic colors to communicate narrative and conceptual ideas. He is a graduate of Montclair State University (BFA Illustration & Animation) and School of Visual Arts (MFA Illustration). In addition to freelancing, he teaches illustration at St. John’s University in Queens, NY.

One of Liam’s main strengths is his figurative work. He depicts people in relatable and surreal situations. Liam has an ability to tackle a wide range of topics, taking complex subjects and communicating them in simple ways. His work relies on strong linework and bold colors.

Artistic Influences: Al Hirschfeld, Akira Toriyama, Patrick Caulfield, Milton Glaser, Seymour Chwast, James McMullan, David Hockney.

Partial Client List: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Penguin Random House, Apple Store Williamsburg, The New York Times, The New Yorker, American Eagle, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, NPR The Wall Street Journal, Medium, Politico, NBC, Weight Watchers, Complex, Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, WNYC, The Nation, Buzzfeed, Insider, Men’s Health, Dream Clients, Nike, Adidas, Apple, TD Five, Boro Bike Tour, Pentagram, Vans, MOMA, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Uniqlo, Lacoste, Hermes, Book Covers, Packaging, Advertising, Murals.

Awards:

American Illustration 42 Archive Winner - 2023 Society of Illustrators 65 Jury Selected - 2022 Society of Illustrators West 60 - 2022 3x3 Illustration Annual Merit Winner - 2022 American Illustration 40 Archive Winner - 2021 American Illustration 39 Archive Winner - 2020 World Illustration Awards Short List Artist - 2020

You can see more of Liam's work here.

#liam eisenberg #artist of the day #illustrator #debut art #penguin randomhouse #nyt #new yorker #american eagle #washington post #la times #npr

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normally0 · 7 months

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"Harmony in Dissonance: Tate Britain and Spiral Tribe Unveiling Britain's Cultural Tapestry"

In the heart of London, Tate Britain stands as the world center for the appreciation of British art, spanning centuries from Tudor times to the contemporary era. Home to an extensive collection, Tate Britain showcases beloved classics and avant-garde masterpieces, featuring the likes of the Pre-Raphaelites, David Hockney, Bridget Riley, and Lubaina Himid. Notably, it houses the largest compilation of works by JMW Turner, a testament to the rich tapestry of British artistic expression.

However, the gallery's historical sensitivity, particularly in Room 6, 'Revolution and Reform 1776-1833,' poses challenges to the enjoyment of its artwork. The selective amnesia and painful awareness of its past often cloud the visitor's experience. Originally named the National Gallery of British Art, it underwent various monikers before settling as the Tate Gallery in 1932, in honor of sugar magnate Henry Tate, a foundational patron.

Transitioning to the anagram, we find ourselves with 'Attain Tribe,' leading us to the Spiral Tribe—an avant-garde arts collective and free party sound system born in 1990. Renowned for organizing free parties, festivals, and raves, Spiral Tribe left an indelible mark on the UK and later Europe during the '90s. Their fusion of pagan beliefs with New Age traveler culture and techno music birthed the phenomenon known as teknivals.

The relationship between Tate Britain and Spiral Tribe, now SP23, unveils a fascinating interplay between art and music, tradition and rebellion. While Tate Britain encapsulates the historical evolution of British art, Spiral Tribe represents a countercultural force, forging a techno-punk identity rooted in rave and alternative lifestyles. Both entities, in their unique ways, contribute to the understanding of culture in Britain—Tate Britain as a custodian of artistic heritage and Spiral Tribe as a dynamic, subversive force shaping contemporary narratives.

In comparing the two, we witness the dichotomy of tradition and avant-garde, history and rebellion, all integral components of Britain's cultural landscape. The Tate and the Tribe, seemingly disparate, weave a complex tapestry that speaks to the multifaceted nature of British identity and the ever-evolving dialogue between art and society.

#TateTribeHarmony #CulturalTapestry #ArtandMusic #BritishCulture #TateBritain #SpiralTribe #CulturalHarmony #ArtistryandSound

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pwlanier · 1 year

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Frank Stella photographed at his home in front of Jules Olitski's 1964 work Hot Ticket

Barrett White, Executive Deputy Chairman, Post-War and Contemporary Art, New York, remarked: “Frank Stella is unequivocally one of the great artists of our time. He is an artistic polymath—an expert on Renaissance Art, a teacher of architecture, a trailblazing painter, a brilliant printmaker and an innovative sculptor. The selection that we present here illustrates one of Stella’s lesser known facets: his passion as a collector. Continuum: Select Works from Frank Stella’s Personal Collection is a group of works that have influenced Stella’s life and creative process. They are personal relics from his private life—gifts from artists and a major acquisition made as a celebration of his son’s birth—as well as landmark examples by Stella himself. What sets this selection apart is its expansive range, stretching across artistic movements and more than half of a millennium, from Northern Renaissance portraiture, to Surrealism, and on to the work of his peers, this group goes to show how the course of art history has informed Stella’s revolutionary practice over the course of his career.”

Stella remains a voracious student whose interests span many different periods and movements. From the work of the Old Masters, including painter Jan Sanders van Hemessen, the Surrealism of Joan Miró, the early works of David Hockney, to the paintings of peers such as Helen Frankenthaler, he has specifically sought out works by artists that excite and inspire him, acquiring many examples for his own personal collection. Beginning with his iconic Black Paintings in the late 1950s, and followed by his bold geometric canvases of the late 1960s and early 19790s, Stella challenged the accepted traditions of art history, including how to deal with the inherent contradictions of two-dimensional painting. But his work has always been rooted in a deep knowledge and appreciation of what had gone before him. His combination of scholarship and artistic ability produced a dialogue that would come to define postwar art history and secure Frank Stella’s place as one of the most influential artists of his generation.

Courtesy Alain Truong

#frank stella

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whimsicaldragonette · 1 year

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ARC Review: More Kids' Nonfiction read March 2023 - Little People Big Dreams

*Summaries, Ratings, and Reviews for all six books below the cut.

David Hockney

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Publication Date: April 4, 2023

Synopsis:

In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the incredible life of David Hockney, the inspirational British artist. Little David loved to draw and looked at the world in his own unique way. He always knew what his path in life would be… he would be an artist! He went to art school and worked day and night to hone his drawing skills. He sold his first painting as a student, and in just five years he had a sell-out solo show of his work. When he moved from the UK to sunny California, he became known for creating bright, bold paintings. From the Grand Canyon to the Yorkshire hills of home, David painted fantastic landscapes, including one made of 50 canvases all stitched together. An artist who delights in constantly reinventing himself, to this day David is eager to share his colourful work, and himself, with the whole world. This inspiring book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the incredible young poet and activist’s life so far. Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling series of books and educational games that explore the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream. This empowering series offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardback versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. Boxed gift sets allow you to collect a selection of the books by theme. Paper dolls, learning cards, matching games and other fun learning tools provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children. Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!

My Rating: ★★★★★

My Review:

I really like seeing inspirational stories like this about artists. I feel like we get a lot of inspirational stories about scientists (as we should), but the arts are sometimes looked over. This book presents David Hockney's passion for art and determination to go to school for it as a valid career choice (a refreshing change from the usual). It also treats his being gay very matter-of-factly (again, a refreshing change from the usual.) The illustration style used isn't my favorite, but it is colorful and bold and appropriate for an artist working in this time period. I found it particularly inspiring that even in his 80s he is innovating and learning, creating art on apps and other modern means. The impression I get from this book is that he is completely unapologetic about how he wants to live his life, and always has been. That is perhaps the most inspiring thing of all. I would recommend this to elementary school children, especially those who show an interest in art, because it presents art as a valid career path and not just a frivolous pursuit. *Thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing - Frances Lincoln Children's Books for providing an early copy for review.

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King Charles

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Publication Date: April 4, 2023

Synopsis:

From the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy best-selling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the life of King Charles. Little Charles always knew that, one day, he would have a big job to do. As the son of Queen Elizabeth II, he was a prince, and in the future, he was to inherit the throne of the United Kingdom. As a young man, he developed a passion for one cause: the environment. Charles recognized that plastics and pollutants were causing harm to Earth, and as the Prince of Wales, he spent all his efforts championing climate justice and sustainability. As a member of the Royal Family, Charles used his power to build important organizations such as The Prince’s Trust, a charity that works to improve the lives of young people across the UK. And in 2022, when he became King, he pledged that he would spend the rest of his life serving his people with loyalty, respect, and love. This inspiring book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the royal’s life, from little prince to grown-up king. Little People, BIG DREAMS is a best-selling biography series for kids that explores the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream. This empowering series of books offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardcover and paperback versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. With rewritten text for older children, the treasuries each bring together a multitude of dreamers in a single volume. You can also collect a selection of the books by theme in boxed gift sets. Activity books and a journal provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children. Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!

My Rating: ★★★

My Review:

I didn't know a lot about King Charles and so there were several things in this little book that surprised me. I had no idea he was such a long-standing supporter of the environment. That makes me think better of him. I think the thing that surprised me the most was the tiny mention of Princess Diana. I suppose she was only a small part of his life, even though I (and I feel many people) know a lot more about her. I haven't got the highest opinion of the monarchy, and I think this book definitely sugarcoats some things, but overall it was interesting. The text is easy to understand for children and the illustrations are simple but lovely and convey a lot of personality. *Thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing - Frances Lincoln Children's Books for providing an early copy for review.

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Vanessa Nakate

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Publication Date: April 11, 2023

Synopsis:

In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy best-selling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the incredible life of Vanessa Nakate, the Ugandan climate-justice activist. As a kid, when little Vanessa heard about climate change, she thought it was something that happened on the other side of the world. As an adult, she saw how droughts in her own country led to crop failure that left families hungry. Inspired by other activists, Vanessa took a stand and began campaigning to save the Congolian rainforests. Soon, she was invited to take her campaign around the world. In 2020, Vanessa participated in an important summit about climate change. But when she was cropped out of a photograph featuring other climate-change activists, it felt like not just her contribution to the movement had been erased, but that the needs of a whole continent had been disregarded. It was a moment that shocked the world, but it spurred Vanessa on to raise her voice louder and to fight harder for climate justice for Africans. Today, she continues to be a leader in the climate-change movement and a voice of her generation. This inspiring book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the incredible young activist’s life so far. Little People, BIG DREAMS is a best-selling series of books that explores the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream. This empowering series offersinspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardcover versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. Boxed gift sets allow you to collect a selection of the books by theme. Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!

My Rating: ★★★★★

My Review:

This short book has a powerful message about how Africa had been left out of the discussion around climate change when it is greatly affected by it. The feelings of frustration at being unfairly ignored practically leap off the page, making Vanessa Nakate as presented here very sympathetic. The text is simple but conveys a lot of emotion and inspiration. The illustrations are also simple but brightly colored and the people's faces express a lot of emotion. I would recommend this to classroom libraries as it is important for everyone to feel like they have a voice and it will inspire children to speak up for what they believe in, even if they are at first ignored. *Thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing - Frances Lincoln Children's Books for providing an early copy for review.

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Louis Pasteur

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Publication Date: March 7, 2023

Synopsis:

From the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the life of Louis Pasteur, the French chemist and the father of modern medicine. Little Louis was born in France during a time when doctors were still trying to figure out what made people sick. During his teen years, he discovered a love for science and became famous for figuring out how to kill off damaging microbes. Through his curiosity and creativity (and lots of trial and error), his research led to the development of vaccinations, a vital tool in today's world. This inspiring book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the iconic chemist's life. Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling series of books and educational games that explore the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream.

My Rating: ★★★★★

My Review:

This is a great intro to Louis Pasteur for young kids. The pictures are colorful and the characters all have very expressive faces that really get across the emotion of the text. The text is straightforward and simple enough for young kids to understand while also getting across a lot of information. I feel like I even learned something from reading it. Content warning: There is a brief mention of three of his kids dying of typhoid accompanied by an image of a funeral so, that's something to be aware of if you have a very sensitive kid. I think this would be great for kids 6-9 who still enjoy being read to. It opens the door for an interest in science and history and will likely prompt questions. *Thanks to NetGalley and Frances Lincoln Children's Books for providing an early copy for review.

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Shakira

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Publication Date: February 7, 2023

Synopsis:

From the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the life of Shakira, the world’s most popular Latin American singer. As a child, little Shakira knew she was born to be performer. Even as a little girl, she was full of natural rhythm and she was obsessed with singing, writing songs and dancing whenever she got the opportunity. At 14 years old she recorded her first album, and although it wasn't a success, she knew she had found her calling. She persevered, and within four years she had finally got her first hit! She soon became a Latin American icon, winning many awards and creating global hits across the world, becoming widely known as the Queen of Latin Music. With her fame, Shakira started a foundation to help children in her native country, Colombia and other developing countries across the world, providing them with education and the chance of a better future. This inspiring book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the iconic singer's life. Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling series of books and educational games that explore the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream.

My Rating: ★★★★

My Review:

This was an interesting look into Shakira's life. I think kids will enjoy learning how she began performing and writing at a very young age and mixing different music cultures and traditions from around the world, and perhaps be inspired to make some music of their own. I did find the illustrations rather off-putting. I'm not sure exactly why, but something about how the people's bodies were drawn made them seem oddly contorted. I did like the colors used. *Thanks to NetGalley, Quarto, and Frances Lincoln Children's Books for providing an early copy for review.

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Lewis Hamilton

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Publication Date: January 24, 2023

Synopsis:

In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the incredible life of Lewis Hamilton, Formula One champion. Little Lewis's childhood was filled with cars, motorcycles and watching Formula One with his dad. On his fifth birthday, he received a remote-controlled racing car and joined a local club. It was hard being the only black child there, but he listened to his dad's words: 'Let your results speak for you.' His hobby led him to go-kart racing, and at the age of 10 he became the youngest ever winner of the British cadet go-karting competition. Shortly after, he began training as a racing driving with McLaren, rising through the ranks to compete at Formula One's Grand Prix. Despite his amazing successes, from breaking the record for the most triumphs in Formula One to his knighthood, Lewis has never forgotten where he came from. Today he is a campaigner for racial justice and racial diversity in sport, as well as an advocate for positive mental health as well as environmental issues. This inspiring book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the incredible young poet and activist’s life so far. Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling series of books and educational games that explore the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream. This empowering series offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardback versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. Boxed gift sets allow you to collect a selection of the books by theme. Paper dolls, learning cards, matching games and other fun learning tools provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children. Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!

My Rating: ★★★★★

My Review:

This is a very inspiring story about overcoming prejudice and racism and bullying and rising to the top through hard work and dedication. I find it particularly inspiring that Lewis Hamilton has used his fame to speak out about many issues, including racism, LGBTQ+ rights, children's welfare, and animal and environmental concerns. The people who make it to the top don't always turn to raise up the ones who don't necessarily have a platform to speak for themselves, so it makes me like someone more when I find they are vocal about these issues. It is well-written, and the story flows easily and clearly. The illustrations are bright and colorful and cheerful and add to the story. I would recommend it to young children and early elementary students. *Thanks to NetGalley, Quarto, and Frances Lincoln Children's Books for providing an early copy for review.

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Freddie Mercury

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Publication Date: February 7, 2023

Synopsis:

In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy best-selling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the life of Freddie Mercury, the trailblazing musician who rocked the world! Born on the tiny island on Zanzibar off the coast of modern-day Tanzania, young Farrokh dreamt of having a fabulous life. When his parents sent him to boarding school in India, he discovered his true talent for singing, as well as a love of playing rock ’n’ roll songs on the piano. By the time he finished school, Farrokh knew he wanted to be a musician. After moving to London, he became the singer of a rock band called Queen ... and the rest is history! Freddie became the biggest glam-rock star ever, touring the world and charming the world with his exuberant zest for life. This moving book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the musician’s life. Little People, BIG DREAMS is a best-selling series of books that explores the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream. This empowering series offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardcover versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. Boxed gift sets allow you to collect a selection of the books by theme. Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!

My Rating: ★★★★

My Review:

Freddie Mercury is an excellent addition to this series, although I feel that this book glossed over a lot of things. More than I noticed in previous books. Freddie's sexuality, for instance. "Then, one day, he met Jim, and they were together forever after." To me that's glossing over things more than necessary, even for a kids book. Kids can handle mention of sexuality. I know he did not choose to label his sexuality publicly, but it seems fairly well-known that he dated both men and women, whichever label he would have chosen. And yes, you can read that into the wording used here, but it feels like it's also easy to miss it. That aside, this did provide a good overview of his life and the way Queen was formed. I also like that it does not shy away from including that he died of AIDS. I did find it interesting and enjoyable overall, and learned a few things I didn't know. I would recommend this to elementary-school kids. *Thanks to NetGalley, Quarto Books, and Francis Lincoln Children's Books for providing an early copy for review.

#little people big dreams #arc reviews #kids' books #childrens' biographies #childrens' nonfiction #maria isabel sanchez vegara #lewis hamilton #shakira #king charles #vanessa nakate #david hockney #freddie mercury #shilo reads #netgalley #louis pasteur

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robinsonprojection · 2 years

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Ocean Texturing

I wanted to find a good source of texturing for oceans, so I looked up some tutorials and found an absolutely stellar source.

Its a guide to programming these textures into JavaScript, but it has a great variety of texture examples from historical maps.

Here are some of my favorites, and the ones I'm going to try to replicate.

The one I already know how to draw is the type you find on a lot of maps, waterlining.

Mine is on the right, but it has little texture in the open ocean, so I'm going to try to replicate the maps at the top so I can texture oceans to try and give them character.

#cartography #worldbuilding

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petnews2day · 2 years

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Faithful and Fearless: Portraits of Dogs from Gainsborough to Hockney

New Post has been published on https://petn.ws/0BqHy

Faithful and Fearless: Portraits of Dogs from Gainsborough to Hockney

David Hockney, Dog Painting 30, 1995, © David Hockney Photo Credit: Richard Schmidt Collection The David Hockney Foundation Faithful and Fearless: Portraits of Dogs from Gainsborough to Hockney explores our devotion to four-legged friends across the centuries. Through carefully selected paintings, sculptures, drawings, works of art and even taxidermy, the exhibition highlights the unique bond […]

See full article at https://petn.ws/0BqHy #PetFinancialNews

#Pet Financial News

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truebloodrandazzo · 6 months

Link

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: Jiddu Krishnamurti Total Freedom: The Essential Krishnamurti Paperback Book.

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amandi-mga2024mi5015 · 7 months

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Artist Research - David Hockney

Because Hockney has such an expansive and varied collection of works throughout his life, it was hard to compile a few I thought represented his works overall. So instead I've linked to some websites that have compiled most of his work.

https://www.waterman.co.uk/artworks/categories/12/4058-david-hockney-artist-s-father-reading-at-table-1972/

https://web.archive.org/web/20190727084553/https://thedavidhockneyfoundation.org/series/home-made-prints?page=2

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inshortfacts · 8 months

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What To Add To Your Bookcase For 2024?

Romany Mark Bruce

As we start the New Year some of us may or may not have fresh ambitions and initiatives we would like to achieve and often this can include the books we aim to read for the year and as an avid art book reader this is usually on my list of to do’s. This year I am also proud to announce the release of my book ‘Sculpting Colour’ written by Alex Leith,

Featuring my sculptures and paintings created over the last 30 years. This is ultimately a biography of my life journey so far, highlighting, how positivity through luck and fortune, can indeed arise out of adversity and is dedicated to my dearest friend Paul Tay.

Having loved art from a child it became an important part of my life and even though when I wanted to study art for A level my teacher said, ‘We’ve humoured you so far, but we are not going to any further. You’ve got to understand that art is for people who are not very clever.’ of course the love was never lost, and even though I eventually trained as a lawyer, art has been a passion from photography, through architecture, sculpture and paintings I am fortunate enough to admit has dominated my life.

The first art book I bought was David Hockney’s, Cameraworks. A spectacularly illustrated book devoted to Hockney’s fascination with photography as well as including details of insightful interviews with Hockney. Hockney said to author Lawrence Weschler,’ All you can do with most ordinary photographs is stare at them—they stare back, blankly—and presently your concentration begins to fade. They stare you down.’ But of course, Hockney’s work is never ordinary, he is more intent in depicting how events capture your eye, using the camera as his ‘drawing tool’. The constant discussions between photographers and artists and their influence upon each other impacts on all artists and the power of photography cannot be denied. When I first left home for university one of the first items, I packed was my camera, which became my very important and continual companion. The recent finalists in ‘Portrait of Britain 2024’ highlighted some very moving works from a selection of our best British photographers where no doubt the power of capturing those instant moments has depicted many stories in these portraits and as Hockney said ‘the best portrait photographs are those that capture in a fraction of a second a period of time that looked as though it had been longer.’

Naturally my bookcase includes artists and sculptors that I love and have influenced my appreciation of art, sculpture and architecture from Hockney and Miotte to Rodin, Bacon, Richter and Alison Wilding. The well thumbed Miotte,’ La Difference’ holds a special place on the shelf but the largest collection probably belongs to Bacon. A favourite being ‘A Retrospective’, where Bacon’s private life and his working methods are passionately highlighted. Even though he was particularly secretive about his private life ‘A Retrospective’ shares much about the genius and as with most artists our understanding of their works can be very much influenced by our knowledge of their private lives. This book gives a great insight into the man whose theory of ‘deeply ordered chaos’ appeals to me and no doubt in my mind, is one of the greatest masters of 20th Century art. So although these are some of my favourites the list for this year of great new art books is strong and will definitely be tempting me.

If you are so inclined, it’s a great time to find new books for 2024 and maybe some of these suggestions may inspire you too.

#art #books & libraries #bookstagram

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artsyamy · 11 months

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Week 2 ~Sea of Thieves~

3D Sea of Thieves Prop and Narrative Storytelling~ Research [George O Keffe and David Hockney]

Second week 'The real project' begun. We started to look into more detailed key tools that Maya has and started to get a better understaning of what to use when you want to achieve a specific shape. In the end, we had to choose one prop inspired from the game Sea of Thieves, which you can probably tell is a game based on pirates. Before getting started with modeling we had to figure out what kind of style Sea of Thieves is following so we know what to look for. After getting a moodboard of words that fit in the style, I selected a few that I want to highlight in my work (Simplistic, Rugged and Smooth), then I had a look into George O'Keffe to analyse his work and get some inspiration. It took me a while to figure out what I wanted to do, but in the end I decided to make a shovel. It might sound simple, but it still has details and I was thinking that it is better to start with something simple and then go into more complex props. I used PureRef to have my reference images side by side with my work and I used Photoshop to draw the basic shapes that I wanted to start with for the shovel. I have to admit that I couldn't figure out everything by myself, so I had to ask for help from my peers.

In this week I learned about narrative and how it's very important when you want to show the audience your story. I was presented a very useful youtube video where the storyboard is compared to the actual movie, where you can see just from looking at the storyboards what is happening and even what is about to happen next. Then we had a look into composition and the visual weight and how it affects the person watching. From everything that I was showed I understand that in order for you to make the audience understand what is happening in the scenes you want to show you have to follow a specific narrative, you need an objective that the person can look our for.

A good example for this would be David Hockney, the way he is making art from combining different pictures and making a scene that tells you a story. In each of his pieces you can understand what the focal point is, what he wants to show and also the perspective is amazing even if is just a collage of pictures he still managed to show a specific perspective without confusing the eyes of the viewer. At the end of the lesson I was put in a group of 4 and we had a mission together. First we had to decide what kind of story we wanted to tell and then go and take as many pictures as possible in order to incorporate them into 3 acts (Set up, Confrontation and Resolution).

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noriiii04 · 11 months

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WEEK 2 - NARRATIVE THROUGH COMPOSITION

The core objectives for this session were to get a basic idea of narrative (storytelling) and basic composition.

We looked at some basic movie structures and some more complex ones, though there are many movie structures, and they are much varied.

Furthermore we also briefly discussed storyboard art. Storyboard art is used in both animation and live action movies to help figure out things for the production team ahead. It helps get an idea of camera movement, action and et cetera. It is one of the first things that is worked on when an animated movie/cartoon/live action show et cetera is put into production. It is also the foundation for the animation and camera to come. It works like a script which the animators will follow and it is a really crucial part of production.

Here I have gotten the stats for some random and very different movies, and it is apparent they are all very different. Some are similar to the example structured above but some are very different.

For example "Coraline" and "Lord of the Rings" start off quite sombre and then end on a happier note, whereas "Heathers" and "Ghostbusters" start joyfully and end quite sad.

We were then tasked with creating a collage that tells a narrative in 3 images in a David Hockney style in groups of three or four.

Initial storyboard sketches

We made a group, and discussed our ideas. After settling on a concept for us to work on and photograph, I created two short storyboards to choose from. All of us agreed we wanted to do the second one as it was more effective and funnier.

All the photos I took for the 3 Acts

I took a bunch of photos on my phone for the 3 Acts. We then selected our favourite ones and used the rest to cut out from and create the collage.

The first two images I created, and the third is all our work combined into one.

Altogether it was really easy and smooth communication and we all got on well with the task at hand. The actual collage bit came easy for me and I finished it up quite quickly. We forgot to take other pictures like close ups and of the environment to really emulate that David Hockney style, but we made do anyways.

Collage is not really my thing, so this exercise was a bit neutral for me. But I really enjoyed talking about storyboards and learning about them as I am really interested in storyboard art.

David Hockney

David Hockney works in a collage way, and even though I am not really interested in collages and never really have been, I actually really enjoy his work. It is very interesting and not something I have seen before. I really like how he builds up an environment from so many little images, that all come together to build the whole scene.

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merlinjor01 · 11 months

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Week 2- [Narrative & 3 Acts In 3 Images]

We began this lesson by looking at Narrative & Composition and how important they are within storytelling. We had looked at two different act structures, one basic and one more complex. Yet these two samples are just two in a massive variety of story arcs, telling how the story may go and what leads in it, they are just two of more common story structures. Storyboards are also a very important step in all sorts of animation/storytelling, as it decides the key frames within the story that doesnt exactly have to be frame-by-frame but give a good enough idea of what is happening in that scene.

Yet when comparing a Pixar movie storyboard to two examples of cartoon storyboarding (Regular show & Adventure time) there is quite a noticeable difference between them. The way Pixar do their storyboarding is by having each movement/frame drawn out side by side during a scene, they do this whole in depth process before picking out voice actors for the said movie which is very interesting compared to other companies such as cartoon network. Cartoons such as 'The regular show & Adventure time' have different storyboards compared to Pixar's, as the scenes aren't exactly played frame by frame and more of the key scenes that happen. I had looked at two examples of both 'Adventure time' and 'Regular show' on YouTube, these videos shown the storyboard of each episode. In the 'Regular show' storyboard video, the difference is clearer as you see little pictures of what depicts in the episode as J.G Quintel goes through them. Both the cartoons quick storyboarding and Pixar's frame by frame are both great examples of what storyboarding may look like and personally is my favourite part of animation.

The artist we had looked at today was David Hockney and his very interesting photography style that he calls 'Joiners'. The idea of this style of photography came to him accidentally when gluing together polaroid photos he had taken, and from then on proceeded to make many of these kind of 'cubist' landscapes using photography and collage work. We were given the task of drawing out a storyboard depicting three actions, taking pictures of said actions and then turning those pictures into a David Hockney inspired piece. The first step was for my group to each draw a storyboard of an action being played out in three acts, we had then selected one out of everyone (shown in the picture) and decided that would be the one to do, after that my group went out and took the pictures of the 'scene' we had planned which was someone getting distracted and slamming into a door, finishing the scene by falling down, for this part I was able to speak some ideas I had about positioning which we had talked through and let everyone have a go at speaking their thoughts about the acts.

We had taken quite a few photos of all three scenes, to which I had picked three that I wanted to use. When we got back we had the idea to work on each of our own renditions of the photos rather than working on different parts and putting it together at the end. My plan was to have all three scenes sort of merged together but still being clear enough to tell out the acts of what happened. I started the first image by pulling it apart in blocks quite like how David Hockney's is photographed. I had an idea of adding the same image overlapped on another image to give the impression of movement in each act. Another thing I had noticed within David Hockney's photographs is that he was able to build the entire room off of the images he had taken and compiled them together. I had tried this as well which can be primarily seen on the floor and celling of the last two acts, almost as if the entire flooring is there between these images. After finishing up the entire piece, a feature I had noticed was how the doors looked side by side. We had chosen to use the revolving doors within this scene, and within the photoshopped piece, the doors look very confusing side by side, as if they are revolving along with the picture. This was just a small feature I found quite interesting.

sources- Pixar Storyboarding Mini Doc - YouTube - Prisoners of Love | Adventure Time | Cartoon Network - YouTube - J.G. Quintel Pitches "The Power" Episode of Regular Show - YouTube - David Hockney | Photography and Biography (famousphotographers.net)

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