If my prior post showed skepticism about the latest self-reinvention of Paris Hilton, then this post is different. I invite you to learn about the private life of well-respected Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. After you learn some of the against-type characteristics of the artist's personal life, reflect on whether Kahlo’s unconventional life seems more real and honest than Hilton’s. BTW, search my website for other posts about "appearances being deceiving," like my … [Read more...]
Popular Culture and True Crime – Tutorial I – Serial Killer trading cards?
About the same time that Michael Aamodt, a professor at Radford University in Virginia, started cataloguing serial killers, trading cards popped up. Aamodt's Serial Killer Data Base, compiled with the help of students, is academic, respectable. See here for a prior blog re Aamodt's Radford work. Serial killer Trading cards are not respectable, at least they weren't back in 1992. They are still bought and sold on Amazon, Etsy, and Ebay. Aamodt's catalogue has over five thousand entries … [Read more...]
Criminal injustice? R. Kelly & Other Celebrities in Court.
Among the big news stories this week, one's got crim injustice" written all over it in my humble opinion. Criminal Injustice R&B singer R. Kelly turned himself in to the Chicago police last night after being indicted. He did so to answer charges of 10 counts of aggravated criminal sex abuse against four victims, three of them minors. Criminal sex abuse is the term for the what's also been called statutory rape. Robert S. Kelly, a native of Chicago, is a singer, songwriter, record … [Read more...]
Honoring Martin Luther King, Painting, and Writing.
In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. and his holiday in the U.S., I've added paintings I did of '60s & '70s American heroes to my gallery. Most all of these heroes were assertive, yet nonviolent, agents for change and justice. The possible exception is Dag Hammarskjold whose United Nations peacekeepers around the world had to defend themselves, sadly, with armed force on occasion. I painted these and other works at an artists' commune in a warehouse, which is featured in the book I'm … [Read more...]
Authors of THE BULLYING ANTIDOTE recognize local heroes.
Please join a writer friend of mine at an award ceremony recognizing East Bay, California heroes in bullying prevention. Kristen Caven and her psychologist mom, Louise Hart, wrote The Bullying Antidote. More about this book later in the post. To celebrate the completion of a 2-year book giveaway project, Caven and Hart will be honoring community leaders who are creating positive change. Zorgos Awards. The Zorgos Awards Banquet honors those who have the superpower of … [Read more...]
Today is World Book Day! Some advice.
Today is World Book Day. It's a global celebration of readers, authors, and books. It's an event recognized in over 100 countries around the globe. For school kids, it began this year on April 17 and lasted 5 days.World Book Day—Things to Do. Join me in reading a good book. In case you have nothing lying around to read, I've got an idea. Why not download the e-book version of Cleft Heart: Chasing Normal. Former Secretary of State John Kerry calls it "A poignant, heartfelt tale.Learn more … [Read more...]
Announcing the Launch of an art gallery.
World premiere.It's opening night (or day, depending on your time zone ) for a new art gallery.Kinda exciting. After hoping to do something like this for years, the stars aligned and a gallery for paintings and prints materialized.Click here for the gallery. I trust the crowds at the opening aren't overwhelming. Probably won't be because there aren't free cheese, crackers, and wine. Back in the day, I used to almost subsist on gallery openings and their food in New York City.If paintings or … [Read more...]