Go See Scoop

This a hokum blog and I just have to mention Woody Allen's newest film, "Scoop". I agree with those critics who say it is his funniest film in years. And it's one of his best, I think. He plays a hilariously old-fashioned vaudeville-style magician. The gorgeous Scarlett Johansson is his comedic sidekick. Or maybe he is her sidekick. Very beautifully filmed with a great script. Hugh Jackman rounds out the great cast. A "perfect" little movie complete with it's surreal deathship. You'll have to go see it to find out what that is. I think England suits Woody.

As a side note, look what I just found! A blog about Woody's jazz band:

http://www.woodyallenband.com/blog/

I still have my autographed postcard from Michael's Pub in NYC signed by Woody himself many, many years ago.

Balthus, King of Cats

"Nude with Cat" 1949, copyright Balthus

A year or two ago, the Portland Art Museum sponsored a show of paintings from the National Gallery of Victoria in Australia. I was fortunate enough to get to see this painting by Balthus that I would never have seen otherwise. It certainly is one of my very favorites: the composition of angles, the spontaneity, the look on the girl's face, the unselfconscious pose, the delighted cat, the lighting and the solidity of the forms. It has it all.

Read the museum's description of Balthus and his art:

Balthus, National Gallery of Victoria

I did a tribute to Balthus maybe 5 or 6 years ago in a painting called

"Homage to the King of Cats" .

He's been an artistic inspiration for a long time now. A true original.

art

Amy_Crehore

Sketch for "Banana Eater"

Sketch for "Banana Eater" painting Copyright 2005 Amy Crehore

Here is the drawing (click on image to enlarge)

for the "Banana Eater" painting which

will be published in "Blab! 17" in Sept. 2006.

You can see the painting on the homepage of my website:

The Art of Amy Crehore

art

Amy_Crehore

Louise Brooks, Inspiration

Louise Brooks
"Black Comedy" by Amy Crehore Copyright 2005

Although most of my Little Pierrots were drawn without looking at any reference material at all, a couple of them were inspired by the poses of beautiful silent movie star, Louise Brooks.

www.amycrehore.com

art

Amy_Crehore

Fashion Poodles

Searching for Pre-war Hokum Music?

Here are a couple of links that are valuable resources for Hokum aficionados.

Blues Images and Document Records

If you want to find pre-war black blues, jazz, rags and jugband music, then Document Records can't be beat.

And, if you like the amazing graphics on the old race records ads, Blues Images publishes a calendar every single year featuring new images and a free CD of hokum music - all for a measly $19.95. The 2007 calendar is available now.

Monkeys!!

"The Banana Eater" painting was just featured on boingboing this week (as well as on webmetricsguru and on drawn and artNYC before that) and it actually was the very first painting in the "Monkey Love"series. It was painted over a year ago for "Blab! 17" .

There will be a book signing of "Blab!17"
at the Blab!Show this year, which is scheduled to open at CoproNason Gallery, Bergamot Station, Santa Monica, CA on Sept 23, 2006 at 8:30-11PM.
Other artists in the show include:
Gary Baseman, Tim Biskup, Lou Brooks, Greg Clarke, Shag, Brian Cronin, Ryan Heshka, Fred Stonehouse, and more.

It was not the first time that I painted squirrel monkeys (or native girls, for that matter). "The Organ Grinder" painting which can be seen on my website in the painting section was the first time that I used the image of the squirrel monkey with a sailor hat. That was painted a few years ago. I just posted the "Banana Eater" really large on the homepage of my website. Looks pretty darn good there.

The Art of Amy Crehore