Miami Art Scene™: Delray Beach-based artist Dana Donaty

Miami Art Scene™: Delray Beach-based artist Dana Donaty: Delray Beach-based conceptual artist Dana Donaty is widely recognized for her installations, murals, fine art paintings and haute faux finis...

The Problem with Communism

I've been following the journey of artist & activist,  Ai Weiwei's  for a while now & recently watched the film 'Never Sorry'. I'll spare you the diatribe & all of the reasons that China sucks, you can find that on http://www.chinasucks.net . I am only commenting on communism

Its very simple, the probelm with communism is its lack of democracy

Seriously China, pull your head out of your ass

'Never Sorry' is part of the Against the Grain Film Series on Oct 11

 Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale (MOA|FL)

* It is not lost on me that made in China is stamped on my ass (The Dahls)

An open Letter to China,  Kiss my Gray Ass

- Your Little China Dahls 

https://ddrocks.see.me

Kiss my Gray Ass China

Breakfast with Santiago; Totally NeNe Kray Kray Chi Familia

In my last post I wondered about Six Degrees of Separation Theory, two days later I became a believer.

A believer in the theory & or the mightiness of chi

We (my mother & I) checked into a hotel in Popayán & when we walked into the lobby there was Santiago Cárdenas in the flesh, my mother's first cousin & the man whose work I had just seen at Museo La Tertulia AND he was ahead of schedule (unlike the train). I had calculated at least one more move & potentially another year until we met

He lives in Bogotá, I live in Florida and we were both staying in the same hotel in Popayán.  That is some kinda Nene Kray Kray chi

(if this seems out in left field, check my last post for left field)

He was quite a natural with The Dahls
about Santiago

He did mention that I don't look 'very Cárdenas'.
He's right, I'm too tall for Cárdenas, I look more like my dad's side....the tall Italian & Irish F Bomb side.
This is Santiago having breakfast with The Dahls & looking 'über Cárdenas'

I sorta kinda met another relative in Popayán, Alvaro Cárdenas. By sorta kinda I mean I saw a building he designed.

Alvaro was my grandfather's brother, my great uncle. He was the architect of Banco de la República Popayán. Amongst the beautiful colonial architecture this building sticks out like a sore thumb so I know this is definitely my family

http://metabuscador.ruav.edu.co/bs/Record/opacusb-124820

Right next to Banco de la República, in Parque Caldas I couldn't resist the tourist photo with The Dahl and llama, Dahlia Lama.
Dahl y llama, I'm bilingual funny

More family in Popayán, Billy Concha. No chi going on here, we planned to visit him at his organic coffee farm, El Robledad. Billy is my mom's first cousin

Billy is a bit of a charachter, we got straight into assing & horsing around

The Dahls at El Robledad under a coffee

Out for a bike ride in Cali with my cousin Randy & The Dahls. Not so sure Randy was 'a natural' with The Dahls but he was an excellent Dahl medic. He attached a broken foot & hand

Just to wrap this up with more NeNe Kray Kray, my mom is walking down the street in Cali and spots some people she knows but can't Johnny on the Spot with names so she blurts out FAMILIA a few times until everyone can figure out who is who. I don't know exactly how but Juan Carlos Mosquera Arboleda  & Any Jaramillo are Familia. We had drinks & played with The Dahls. Another awesome day !

My Imagination or Six Degrees of Separation

If Six Degrees of Separation theory holds water, a train leaves New York at 6:45am & my math is correct, there is very little separation between Santiago Cardenas & myself. Santiago, my mother's father's brother's son is on my radar.

*Santiago if you are reading this, not to worry its more of an observation then an active mission

The Math: 

1. He is family, 2. I have read about him in books & internet, 3. corresponded via email & 4. I sort of kind of bumped into him in a museum.....2 more to go

Museo de Arte Moderno La Tertulia, Cali Colombia

Who knew this would be the lucky ticket to unexpectedly sort of kind of bump into my first cousin once removed 

Figura by Santiago Cardenas 

Seeing Santiago's work in a museum is sort of kind of like bumping into him.....which make this sort of kind of almost like our first family photograph together.

Mucho gusto Santiago, yo y Las Muñecas encanta tu trabajo

'Figura'  reminds me of the way my grandfather used to dress..back in the day when men knew how to dress.

Campbell's Soup Cans by Andy Warhol & The Dahls

En 1978 Todo Esta Muy Caro by Antonio Caro & The Dahls

Signo Emergente by Manuel Hernandez & The Dahls

A photograph only a mother could take :-D 

The Studio Owl has Landed

This is my studio owl, Gomez. He lived in Colombia until he landed here a few weeks ago

This was Gomez's home, Esthercita's studio.
I'm not sure how old Gomez is but I do remember seeing him in her studio 26 years ago.
Gomez is a copper enamel sculpture made by Esther

Gomez has come to live with me since Esther passed 9 months ago. 
I showed him to a friend who asked what I was going to do with him.
Well, he's a Studio Owl so he needs a Studio.
Lucky for Gomez I have a Studio in need of an Owl

'MamaJama Grande crushes a Dahl

'MamaJama Grande non-fat, double shot, extra hot, heavy

 whip, stirred , no lid, double cupped & a straw'5' x 7' Acrylics on Canvas

Monday began sideways. I like to turn my paintings around a few time to help see whats going on

The Dahl never saw it coming, he got crushed when I turned the painting. To be fair to me, if he hadn't been sexting in the workplace, he would may have had a chance to save himself

Luckily for him he didn't sustain any injuries, just a headache 

We are able to get back to work

So Monday ended as it began, sideways & all in good health

Happiness ..... Toda una vida para el arte

Happiness Esther Style
Toda una vida para el arte

My aunt Esther was an Awesome Artist. She passed away last November. These are a few of her notebooks filled with her thoughts about art, inspiration and life. 

A quote by John F. Carlson in one of her notebooks

Esther knew about happiness, her life was full of it

This article was written about her when she was 70

Midsummer's Night Art Show Friday June 21st 5-8pm @ Concepto Modern Living

We'd LOVE it if you could join us 

for a Midsummer's Night Art Show 

Friday night, June 21st