Comfort Cell » Art

Researching Wallpapers for Hot Rodders

Juan — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 00:37:28 +0000

While most web searches for hot rod pinups and wallpapers wouldn’t expect to find a careful history of art nouveau in the research, the web of history is far-reaching, and the points of connection are as fascinating as the images themselves. There are some hot rod enthusiasts who love the look of centerline wheels, and are looking for images of cars only, but in the hot rod world, it’s virtually impossible to avoid the pin up. It is a part of the culture, and it’s also a big part of art history in general. The roots are twining constantly between the popular and the underground, and the hidden sources are sometimes the most fruitful.

In general, there are three iconic images one will see when looking at hot rod wallpaper: a car, a woman, or a car and a woman. There are some exceptions to this, of course. However, even the wild popularity of cartoon rats and cars doesn’t reach the level of the pinup in terms of its currency. This isn’t because hot rod enthusiasts are used to looking at women and cars together all the time, and that’s why it’s reflected in the art. The gearheads of the world are certainly trained to recognize american racing wheels within a split second of seeing them, and the pinup comes from another kind of training altogether.

The female figure in art is one that has been a constant throughout the history of visual cultural practices, and it is the singularly most depicted subject. It’s not that the pinup, or even innovations in art, like photography, has made it a more popular subject. Its popularity precedes the hot rod, and the car, and perhaps even the wheel itself. Pinup art is a continuation of a very long tradition of the object of desire as the subject matter. As low culture and high culture come to reflect each other in the 20^th century, and continue to reflect into the next century, it’s not possible to know necessarily which is speaking first, art history, or popular culture, and for some art historians, it doesn’t really matter. For most hot rod fans, it may not matter so much either, except that an understanding of why the image is what it is, and the traditions from which it may come, can shed light on the desktop wallpaper, and make it that much more interesting.

Researching Wallpapers for Hot Rodders is a post from: Comfort Cell

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Great Theatre in Sacramento, California

Juan — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 01:10:00 +0000

In which city do you think you will find the best California hotel ? Well, that’s up for debate thought it’s definitely not going to be New York, Chicago or Phoenix. But of the major cities in California, where do you suppose the best accommodations exist? And does it actually have to be in one of the cities? A great deal of the geography of the state is incredibly appealing and suited for visitors and there are numerous coastal resort areas that have people continually coming back year after year. And then there is the city of Sacramento. It is the capitol of the state after all, though it’s frequently overlooked in a survey of the state’s great cities.

Sacramento is actually an incredible city and the reasons it’s typically overlooked as one can vary. It’s not located along the coast and then any city would have a difficult time standing out against cities like Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco, regardless of where they’re located. But Sacramento has its own cultural offerings and once again, it is the capital city after all. One of the cultural aspects of the city that makes it stand out is the theatre scene. Sacramento isn’t a large city, but the theatre there is high quality and there are numerous companies that present shows from a spectrum of genres and orientations.

Capital Stage and the B Street Theatre are two of the city’s professional theatre companies and they are both extremely respected companies with solid reputations. Capital Stage is located on the historic steamboat the Delta King, which provides an intimate setting for its productions. It is known for producing some of the more edgy and experimental shows and has started a new play series. B Street Theatre is one of the most popular companies and its productions tend to remain in the mainstream acceptance category. The company has two stages and produces original works in addition to standard hits from the theatrical canon. In addition the company offers classes and internship positions.

Great Theatre in Sacramento, California is a post from: Comfort Cell

Fun and Educational Miami destinations

Juan — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 01:10:00 +0000

Most of us love travel but hate traveling with our families because of the hassle of deciding who gets to see which sights on their list of places they absolutely must go. Miami has a little something for everyone of any age. Plus many of the places you will want to see are likely located near some of the best Miami hotels .

If you have children in their teens or younger it’s normally a challenge not to have them complaining of boredom at some point on the trip because most parents will want to take them on an educational tour or more. Thankfully, quite a few places in the Miami area are as fascinating as they are educational. Like Jungle Island where you can watch tiger shows and interact with some of the free flying macaws and other parrots on the island. Too childish for your teen? Maybe an air-boat ride through the everglades ; don’t forget to pack plenty of sunblock and bug spray. If they want to see the gators and snakes but you’d rather keep your feet on semi dry land maybe a visit to the Alligator farm is what you should contemplate. Though it’s used for commercial farming of alligator for it’s hide and meat they offer education talks and even have some rare reptiles like the North American crocodile which only 600 are believed to exist in the wild.

Most of those involve being outside and in Miami that’s bound to cause a sunburn if you aren’t careful. Maybe you feel you need to indulge in some indoor sight seeing; especially if it’s summer to escape the heat? If your kids are early teens or younger you’ll definitely have to visit the Miami Children’s Museum. With it’s interactive learning exhibits your children won’t realize it’s educational. For young adults you might want to consider the Miami Science Museum right now until early September there is an exhibit on mechanical theater that’s bound to fascinate them whether they’re interested in art or the science aspect. Ether way you look at it you don’t have to sacrifice fun for educational or vice versa.

Fun and Educational Miami destinations is a post from: Comfort Cell

VisArts at Rockville

Juan — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 13:30:50 +0000

Rockville, Maryland is a rather lovely place by any standards, and has one of the highest quality of life index ratings in the area. It’s the kind of incorporated city that should have places in it with names like Daley’s Tavern, Hungerford’s Tavern, and Owen’s Ordinary. But those were actually names of the city at one time or another, while it was on its way to finding its identity as Rockville. Today, there is a lively population here, and a wide selection of things to do for the whole family. There is also a great selection of Rockville hotels and local restaurants that have something to suit your tastes any day of the week.

If anyone’s artistically inclined, or is inclined toward appreciating art, then a visit to VisArts is definitely in order. It’s a 30,000 square-foot space that has amazing views of the Town Square, and can be rented out for special events. The views are spectacular, and the space is delightful on the eyes, but the real appeal of VisArt is the visual art. It houses 8 artist studios with 11 artists working here full-time, and there are lots of exhibitions here related to the local work of artists in Bethesda .

It also happens to be one of the more community-embedded arts organizations around. They have an event room that holds 200 people, and they also have classes all year round. The classes can be in glass, ceramics, painting, drawing, photography , and a number of other fabulous selections. They also have a specialty for attracting kids to their facilities to take courses and start nudging the muses early on. Also included are courses for at-risk youth and other community outreach programs. This is basic art with some amazing artistic flourishes and a very local touch, and it’s enormously charming, not to mention inspiring.

VisArts at Rockville is a post from: Comfort Cell

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The Music and the Art of Philadelphia

Juan — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 20:41:25 +0000

The Eastern U.S. city of Philadelphia is similar to many Eastern cities of the country, in that there is an appreciation not only of the arts and music, but of the history of those arts and that music that is shared willing and enthusiastically with all those who come to visit the city for the first time. The hotels in Philadelphia are artistic and historical, as are the gardens, the pubs, the various art galleries and music venues.

The visual arts and the performing arts are celebrated and supported in the city, and so it is no wonder that the oldest museum of art in the country is located in the heart of the downtown Center District. This is the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art. Their vast and varied collection spans more than a decade and holds the original treasures of such masters as the Wyeths, Thomas Eakins, Charles Wilson Peale, John Singer Sargent, Winslow Homer, and Edward Hopper. And that does not begin to scratch the surface of the works in which they house in their collection. The building itself is a 1876 work of art, the creation of architects George Hewitt and Frank Furness.

No other building could be such a backdrop for the work that is found within its walls and hallways. There are bronze ornamental fixtures, gold leaf trimmings and intricate and delicate carvings within the wood work. The school and the museum was founded in 1805 and is and always has been, the epitome of style and the illustration of the finest American artists of all time. Modern painters are represented as well such as Diebenkorn, Lichtenstein and O’Keefe. This is not only a museum for the adults but one which offers classes on the weekends to the children of the city and to those who happen to be traveling through with their parents. This is truly one of the gems of the country, and for those looking for a bit of history mixed with art, this is the place to attend on any trip to Philadelphia.

The Music and the Art of Philadelphia is a post from: Comfort Cell