FotoFocus – Taft Museum

I got the privilege of attending the Taft Museum’s FotoFocus feature, Star Power: Edward Steichen’s Glamour Photography.

So what exactly is this FotoFcus you’ve been hearing about? From their website:

The FotoFocus biennial presents an unprecedented opportunity to learn about and experience the diverse currents of photography. FOTOFOCUS brings together museums, galleries, and universities showcasing world-renowned artists and national and regional standouts. Pop-up venues, community art centers, and other grass roots organizations explore current trends in photography with exhibitions featuring the work of emerging talents and students.

I also found this video to be helpful in explaining just what it’s about

The Taft Museum is one such venue featuring the works of Edward Steichen. He is most known for being Vogue’s photographer back in the 20′s -30′s. He brought naturalism to fashion, and did away with the cute perkiness. There was a quote thrown out that night that he makes every cutie look like a woman.

Steichen took a lot of pictures in his apt on 5th ave in New York City. He helped to bring in the modernism of photography. He played with lines and diagonals, and truly changed fashion photography in that time.

That Taft has even a few magazines in which his pictures appear, as well as some that never made it to print. A lot of his work wouldn’t appear for a few years, like the photo of Gloria Swanson above. It didn’t apppear until 4 years after he originally took this photo. This is one of my favorites of the exibhit. Nancy, the curator says the same. If you don’t come to see this one, then you should see the one of Greta Garbo or Gary Cooper.

The exhibit runs through January 27, 2013. The Taft Museum is open Wednesday – Friday, from 11:00 – 4:00, and weekends 11:00 – 5:00. Admission is only $10.00 and is free for all on Sundays. Or you can use your FotoFocus Passport for entry into the exhibit.

They also have a cute little area set up to Steichenize yourself and your friends. I love interactive exhibits So of course me and my friend Paige of CincyWhimsy had to take part

You can see her post about it here

FotoFocus – Betts House

So what exactly is this FotoFcus you’ve been hearing about? From their website:

The FotoFocus biennial presents an unprecedented opportunity to learn about and experience the diverse currents of photography. FOTOFOCUS brings together museums, galleries, and universities showcasing world-renowned artists and national and regional standouts. Pop-up venues, community art centers, and other grass roots organizations explore current trends in photography with exhibitions featuring the work of emerging talents and students.

I also found this video to be helpful in explaining just what it’s about

I got to stop by the Betts House before the Pops show last weekend and check it out Urban Landscapes

The Betts House is one of the oldest standing buildings in Cincinnati, Built in 1804, and survived the big earthquake of 1912. It is open Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. and the
second and fourth Saturdays of each month, 12:30 – 5 p.m. Other days and times are available by
appointment. Admission is $2 per person.

Ronny of Queen City Discovery was there to give some more information about his work. Check out more about the exhibit on his page

30 Days in Pictures

Ok, So I’m going to try something a little bit different… And anyone else is more than welcome to join me In fact just put a link in the comments and I’ll plug it up here, cuz I’d love to see everyone else’s too! Below is the list, and then I’ll put my day one.

Day 01 – A picture of yourself with ten facts
Day 02 – A picture of you and the person you have been closest with the longest
Day 03 – A picture of the cast from your favorite show
Day 04 – A picture of your night
Day 05 – A picture of your favorite memory
Day 06 – A picture of a person you’d love to trade places with for a day
Day 07 – A picture of your most treasured item
Day 08 – A picture that makes you laugh
Day 09 – A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most
Day 10 – A picture of the person you do the most ****** up things with
Day 11 – A picture of something you hate
Day 12 – A picture of something you love
Day 13 – A picture of your favorite band or artist
Day 14 – A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without
Day 15 – A picture of something you want to do before you die
Day 16 – A picture of someone who inspires you
Day 17 – A picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently
Day 18 – A picture of your biggest insecurity
Day 19 – A picture and a letter
Day 20 – A picture of somewhere you’d love to travel
Day 21 – A picture of something you wish you could forget
Day 22 – A picture of something you wish you were better at
Day 23 – A picture of your favorite book
Day 24 – A picture of something you wish you could change
Day 25 – A picture of your day
Day 26 – A picture of something that means a lot to you
Day 27 – A picture of yourself and a family member
Day 28 – A picture of something you’re afraid of
Day 29 – A picture that can always make you smile
Day 30 – A picture of someone you miss

——————————————————————————————————-

Day 01 – A picture of yourself with ten facts

Sticky Girl! with the abilities to stick to people and suck the excess energy from them to go about fixing the world one thing at a time.

Ok so I’m going a little old school with the pic, but those that knew me then get it. If you really wanna know, leave me a comment and I’ll tell you

1. I used to live in England (where above pic was taken)
2. I can play rugby
3. I still sleep with a teddy bear
4. I can play about 10 different musicals instruments at a beginner level.
5. 6 of them I can play at an advanced level.
6. I have a tattoo on my hip of my sorority and nickname (Sorry Mom and G-ma if you’re reading this)
7. I’m a hard core coaster enthusiast, even tho I’m terrified of heights
8. And on that note, I am scared shitless of bridges. Can’t do it. I will speed like heck to get across the river, and I have to drive in the center lane. Rickety/wooden/grated drawbridges are the WORST! I will drive miles out of my way to avoid them. Traffic jam? I will be that idiot cutting you off to get off of it. I don’t know why. It’s a legit phobia. Scares the shit out of me.
9. I have slight OCD and always have to “undo” myself. Like if I spin to the right, I have to spin to the left. If I skip a step with my left foot I have to skip a step with my right.
10. Ummm… I love random roadtrips? Even though i get cooped up. But if I crotchet it’s not so bad.

So there you have. Love it. Comment it. Subscribe to it so you don’t miss a day. And enjoy!

I might have cheated cuz I didn't take that pic, but I did take this one!

 

Decorating

So who doesn’t like decorating for Christmas?! Ok actually… I would normally fall into this category… until about 2 weeks before, thanks to my little sister being way over obsessed with the holiday (Love you Sissy ) But yeah I was home at the rents and all of us were together so it happened. And then I was surprisingly still in the mood to decorate the crap out of my own apartment on Sunday (No thanks to the bf who has to many excuses about why he can’t decorate ) But he did at least put the hooks on my ornaments for me so he gets a slight tiny bit of credit.

This is my totally cute ass actually "themed" (red and silver) Christmas Tree

Can I just go on the record by saying how absolutely hard it is to find red and silver decorations?! Seriously… take a look when you’re in a store next. 95% of it will be red and gold… i absolutely hate gold…

So I set up the little Christmas Village of my moms every year, and it's started to get out of hand (read doesn't fit on the mantle and piano anymore) And this was my before-i-hid-all-the-cords-under-white-stuffing fire hazard pic

I also feel I should add that I was one of those horrible people I said i’d never be and was outside. in line. at Best Buy. at 2:30 am…. UGH. It was freezing while my sister waited in a nice warm aisle inside Wal-Mart next door… I am such a great big sister… considering I froze to get my oldest little brother his graduation from the army gift I better get kick ass presents for that!

To Bloggers Everywhere

For the Nerd in us all

Play Me, West Chester

So this one was a bit of a pain to find. I expected it to be closer to the shops in the square, but no. It was up in the gazebo by the water fountain that’s in the middle of nowhere in the area But still. This was a neat one too. Sounded good, and people where just kind of chilling around the area. Not right by it but in the vicinity.

I’m kind of bummed that these were only around for around 2 weeks. and that i only hit what? 6 of them? But it was truly one of thee awesomest ideas!! I’m going to miss it…

Play Me, Jungle Jims

Ok so this weekend after playing some killer softball for the Jerry’s Kids MDA Softball Tourney (which happens to be the world’s largest softball tournament for Muscular Dystrophy) and taking an awesome 3rd place!! up from our 4th place finish last year, (way to go Professional Floor Service Ladies!) It was back to Cincy and time to take some noobs to Jungle Jims.

And of course… they had a piano there too My whole family took their turns on it. And I must say, this may not be the prettiest looking one out there. It has definately seen better days, but man, it has Thee most Gorgeous sound to it! Just wow.

I wished I had gotten pictures of the little boys faces when they saw the lobsters and the fish in the vats. Priceless!

Play Me, Sharonville

Alright… No beating around this and drawing it out.

This one. Is. My. Favorite! In both look and sound. It’s definitely thee neatest looking one!!

I love when they do something to the backs as well!

:D it's just so cute!

It’s located in Depot Square in Sharonville, right outside of Anton’s Ice Cream (which is well Nom!) Right next to a real train car, surrounded by patios.

Great location! cute patios and lots of shade to enjoy music

This piano is not only the coolest looking one, but it’s the best sounding too. It’s reverb is awesome! And I don’t know if its the piano or the placement, but traffic doesn’t even come close to drowning out the sound! You can hear it all up and down the square (which I guess could be good and bad). But if you check out only one, so far I’d say this one is it!

Ok maybe not so cute as it wants to eat my fingers....

Play Me, I’m Yours

So Monday, Cincinnati unleashed Play Me, I’m Yours. In which 35 pianos, painted by local organizations (much like the flying pigs were) are scattered throughout downtown and te surrounding suburbs. These go into Kentucky (one on Mainstrause and the Purple People Bridge) all the way up to Miami University in Oxford.

They are set out in public places and can be accessed at all hours, except for the ones located inside establishments like the Cincinnati Zoo, which can only be played while its opened. I happened to take a walk last night after dinner to the one a few blocks down on the front porch of the Kennedy Heights Art Center. It was 9pm so it was dark out, but the piano was there with the porch lights shining off to the side of it, so I hopped up there and played a few as the sun finished setting.

The bass tones are amazing! The midsection is getting a bit out of tune, but with the heat being what it is, I’m not surprised in the least. A few of the black keys are loose or stuck so it makes it really hard to play Moonlight Sonata, but it was fun none the less. I’ll update with each new piano I happen to stumble upon. I really want to make it a point to hit at least half of them. There’s a chunk of them downtown (around 7 or so) within a few blocks, so I might have to venture down there some night.

If you happen upon one, even if all you can muster is Mary had a little Lamb, or Chopsticks, give a try! That’s what its there for! and I personally think it’s an AWESOME project!

Playing on the Kennedy Heights Art Centers front porch.

The back side is painted like a cute picket fence with flowers between the slats.