Category Archives: Art

Art House

Posted on December 29, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

The Spanish street artist known as Okuda San Miguel recently brought his signature style to a blighted neighborhood in Fort Smith, Arkansas . His project, “The Rainbow Embassy,” was organized by  Justkids for the Unexpected , a group trying to revitalize economically … Continue reading →

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A Little Mistletoe

Posted on December 25, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

Mistletoe : legends, myth & folklore written & illustrated by Maryline Poole Adams This little small press book explores many traditional aspects of Midwinter holiday festivals, including the mysteries of mistletoe. It looks at various stories, legends and traditions from … Continue reading →

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Ho.Ho.Ho.

Posted on December 24, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

Beijing-based graphics studio 39 degrees north created this animated version of author Neil Gaiman’s dark Christmas poem Nicholas Was. I never was that into the holiday any way. Ho.Ho.Ho.

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Baffling Ending

Posted on December 22, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

 

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Decolonizing the Metropolitan

Posted on December 20, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York is one of my favorite go to places in the city. In fact, I’ve been visiting the Met since before I could walk. The museum’s grand entrance hall never fails to awe. … Continue reading →

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Nothing Happens (for a reason)

Posted on December 18, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

This captivating 11-minute film by Michelle and Uri Kranot is a mysterious, melancholy animation in which a diverse group of people slowly gather in a snow-laden field in Denmark. Nothing really happens in Nothing Happens and that’s kind of refreshing.

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The 17th Century Kindle

Posted on December 16, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

In 1617. William Hakewill commissioned a traveling library to give as a gift to a friend. The Jacobean miniature mobile library consisted of fifty gold-tooled vellum-bound miniature books contained in a wooden case that resembled a large folio. Inside there were … Continue reading →

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“Thanx 4 Nothing”

Posted on December 15, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

I just discovered that the artist and Beat poet John Giorno died in October. You can be forgiven if you are not familiar with him, but in the 60s and 70s he was a prominent figure in the New York … Continue reading →

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Charles Dickens and the Marketing of Christmas

Posted on December 13, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

Charles Dickens and his iconic story A Christmas Carol have become synonymous with Christmas celebrations, however a special holiday exhibition at  the Charles Dickens Museum in London demonstrates that his connection to the holiday season is not all candy canes … Continue reading →

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Home For Christmas

Posted on December 12, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

Last weekend, the UK-based artist(s) known as Banksy stenciled a moving holiday themed artwork on a wall in Birmingham, UK. The piece, and accompanying video, were designed to highlight the homelessness crisis in the city. Of course, the mural was … Continue reading →

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