Monday, September 29, 2014

Susan Hodgin


What a tragic loss.  Susan Hodgin passed away on August 22 2014 at the young age of 36 after a long battle with colon cancer. She was hands down the best instructor I ever had at Indiana Art Center. Her paintings were so large and layered; they literally loomed. This very tiny gal created enormous works of abstract art.


She was also one one the most humble persons I'd ever met. She had half the front gallery at IAC filled with her paintings during one class session and she never even mentioned it. 


Via the ever helpful internets, I was able to find a couple of interesting articles about her. One old friend posted this story about a younger Susan and Mother Artist Project did a feature on Susan. The pics in the last article capture the Susan I remember; those enormous colorful paintings and and those oh so sensible boots. 

Update: Last Friday at Harrison Art Center featured Susan's paintings in the Underground Gallery. Her style had clearly changed considerably. The canvases were smaller and the colors are a bit more muted, but they still possess that incredible sense of depth and power. 


Thursday, September 11, 2014

Robin Williams, Lauren Bacall and Jay Adams


I never really ever got to see a full episode of Mork and Mindy. I had graduated from high school in the middle of its run and spent my time working during the day at a crap job and hanging out with friends at night; we didn't sit around and watch the telly. I caught a glimpse or two of the series at other folk's houses. I remember thinking Robin looked cute in his rainbow suspenders. Oddly enough, Robin evolved into more of an actor rather than a comedian.

I decided it was high time to re-watch The Fisher King again. I was afraid the experience would end uplike most of the formerly "edgy for their time" moves I've re-watched; I'd be disappointed and I'd see right through all the trickery that once dazzled me. Oh, was I wrong. It was like watching The Fisher King for the first time and…. oh……the transformation of Manhattan into a Medieval-esc village just makes my heart sing. The Chinese restaurant date scene is just so beautiful. The entire cast is spot on. Every scene had me looking around at objects and dust and oh man - the attention to detail in the matters is oh so Terry G. Don't even think about getting me started talking about the Red Knight. *swoon* I've added The Fisher King to my very short list of movies I could watch over and over again.


I cannot imagine what Bogart thought when he met Bacall for the first time. She is just so pretty, even by today's standards. She is simply stunning. I can't imagine what Bacall must've thought when she met Bogart for the first time. Interestingly enough, he was married at the time, but has I always say - you can't fight pheromones. He must've been one heck of a character to be around. She do doubt could've had her pick of the Hollywood Hunk litter, but chose Bogey instead.

Her acting style, what few films I've seen her in, seems to be playing these beautiful yet cold characters. Her characters are somewhat aloof, which I guess makes for a much more interesting character profile when you look like that and yet seem so detached. Dang!


I remember seeing skateboard magazines in the local drug stores when I was a kid. These California tan kids with summer sun highlights in their hair graced the pages of these rags. They looked like some sort of alien life form from some endless summer beach town planet. They even made tube socks look cool.  C. R. Stecyk III's stunning photography perfectly captured the poetry in motion. This link is a wee bit macho, but it has great pics of Jay

Lords of Dogtown also makes the short list of movies I can watch again and again. I cannot get enough of that 70's stuff.

Jay Adams didn't grab the corporate sponsor coat tails like the rest of the Z-boys even though he was arguably one of the best skaters. RIP Jay.