John Cage: Musician, Artist, Writer

John Cage was a visual artist, writer, and composer. He is considered one of the most significant composers of the twentieth century. Cage wrote the music for  The Seasons in 1947; Merce Cunningham choreographed the ballet. The Ballet Society of New York commissioned this score. His ideas concerning the gamut technique, though beginning in the thirties with cellular methods and continuing in the forties constricting his melodic range, were more fully recognized in the score of this ballet. He was experimenting with complexities and characteristics of sound according to James
 Pritchett, the author of  The Music of John Cage.

In 1952, when Cage's composition 4'33" was introduced to the public, pianist David Tutor didn't play at all for 4 minutes and 33 seconds. The concept was that the audience hear the sounds of their surroundings, not the quiet absence of the composition not being played.

For many years, Cage experimented with noises, sounds, and substitute objects for instruments. At first, he adapted a piano to make different sounds by placing objects between its strings. He also experimented with radios, tape recorders, and amplification. Water with shells were used for a composition entitled Water Music written in 1952. Later on in his musical career, he utilized  light shows and slide projections and actors in costume.

Beginning in 1978,  Cage began a yearly habit of creating a sequence of prints. He employed etching, engraving, and unorthodox materials to make his prints. In 1961, Cage published Silence: Lectures and Writings and in 1969 he published A Year From Monday.

From 10/14/11 until 11/27/11 The Mobile Museum of Art will exhibit Projections and Reflections: A Collaboration of Music and Visual Art. This show includes visual  multi-media work by Sally Wood Johnson and the music of  Dorothy Hindman. This production is inspired by the work and ideas of John Cage.


Silence: Lectures and Writings, 50th Anniversary Edition

In a Landscape: Piano Music of John Cage

A Year from Monday: New Lectures and Writings

Abstract Paintings and Assemblages

Space 301 in Mobile, Al presents the work of eleven  artists from Virginia. Installation, assemblage, and painting creations will be shown from September 25th until October 2nd.

There is no admission fee. The address is 301 Conti Street. The gallery is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 pm and on Sunday from noon until 5:00 p.m.

Birds of America: John James Audubon

John James Audubon is the recognized artist of American birds that other bird artists are measured against. For 50 years he drew and painted America's birds. He was known as an authority of ornithology. His wife had been a teacher of George Bird Grinnell who started the Audubon Society.

Audubon's work is done in mixed media mainly employing watercolors, but using pastels to achieve the soft look of feathers. He posed them in natural positions to paint them, unlike other ornithologist of his era that placed them in stiff looking poses. He painted them surrounded by their natural terrain.

His tour de force is The Birds of America folio. The Mobile Museum of Art will display 80 plus prints and paintings in oil and watercolors and some graphite work that includes hand-colored engravings. The exhibition starts 10/14/11 and ends on 1/8/12.

Note: The copyright  on the painting has expired. The photo qualifies for the PD-Art tag.

National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Birds, Western Region

John James Audubon: The Making of an American

John James Audubon: Writings and Drawings (Library of America)

The Boy Who Drew Birds: A Story of John James Audubon (Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12)

Sketchcrawl: Enrico Casarosa

Sketchcrawl is a fantastic drawing event dreamed up by Enrico Casarosa; he works for Pixar Animation Studios as a storyboard artist. Each event lasts for a day. Artists from many countries participate. Enrico originated the first sketchcrawl, after attending a pubcrawl bachelor party, and subsequently deciding to sketch San Francisco for a day. There are four yearly events.

The sketchers congregate at a determined place, and they draw all day in that area. The objective is to complete a drawing each hour. When the day ends, the sketchers get together to see the other sketches and to upload the drawings to the official website. The sketches from around the world are shown at http://www.sketchcrawl.com.

There's also a specific site for Mobile sketchers: http://www.mobilesketchcrawl.com. Sketchers from Mobile have participated in seven sketchcrawls. The thirty-third crawl is scheduled for October 15, 2011.




Drawing and Sketching Pencil Set In Zippered Carrying Case

Darice 80-Piece Professional Art Set

Pictures of Elvis Presley Singing at 21

John Lennon said "Before Elvis there was nothing." That's a strong statement from a man that became a rock legend too. There was a certain something about Elvis Presley that triggered such admiration from John and screams from the female fans as he sang in concert. Maybe, those two somethings were a bit different.

But Alfred Wertheimer hadn't heard of the King when he took an assignment from RCA Victor to photograph this 21 year old that became an American icon. In 1956, Elvis switched from Sun Records, the company that recorded "That's All Right," to RCA. In 1954, he garnered national recognition with the Sun Records hit. The 45 record b side song was "Blue Moon of Kentucky."

Wertheimer photographed unique shots that showed the way Elvis interacted with his admirers prior to extreme security precluding that close interaction. The open door to the King's life that this photojournalist took advantage of was an exceptional experience.

Last year, Wertheimer published a book entitled Elvis 56. David Adamson produced the 36 by 48" prints of Wertheimer's work. This pictorial documentation of Elvis at 21 highlights a kiss with his girlfriend, the to be King reposing at a lunch counter, and Elvis practicing with the vocal group The Jordanaires. He had to go to the window and ask his yelling admirers to hush: they complied. These forty pictures form the Smithsonian show now presented at the Mobile Museum of Art until December 4, 2011.

Elvis: His Life in Pictures (Tiny Folio)

Elvis 30 #1 Hits

Elvis Presley: The Great Performances [DVD]

Dauphin Island Art Trail

The Dauphin Island Art Trail is scheduled for October 15th, 2011. Regional and local artists will display their work. Lovely Bellingraph Gardens located in Theodore on the way to the island is participating by spotlighting regional artists. 

Each patron will receive a card to be stamped at each spot displaying art. Patrons that get the nine stamps can put their card in a drawing. They will be qualified to win prizes. This is the first Dauphin Island Art Trail.

These are the nine art venues: Estuarium, Mac ‘N DD’s Emporium, Ancient Marine, Marti’s, Treasure Trove, Sandbox, Historic Fort Gaines Gift Shop, Lighthouse Bakery &, Gift Shop on the island and Bellingraph Gardens.


The art mediums include: painting, sculpting, jewelry design, watercolors, stained glass, and acrylics. This should be a great day at Dauphin Island and Bellingraph Gardens.

Pro Art 14-Piece Clay Tool Set With Case

Shrimp Festival Gulf Shores 2011: Art, Food, Music

The Gulf Shores Shrimp Festival features shrimp cooked in many delicious ways. This year is the fortieth anniversary of this tasty, artsy, and musical event. Zatarain's is the main sponsor. The festival happens from October 13th through October 16th. Admission cost a whopping zero for the festival.

More than three hundred venders are participating in the Gulf Shores Shrimp Festival. Three hundred thousand visitors and counting swarm this festival each year. More than two hundred artists and artisans show their work at this annual event.

 The sand sculpture contest will kick off on Saturday with registration at 11:00 a.m. The judges will pick the first through third place and the honorable mention starting at 3:00 p.m.

The East and West stages erupt with great music each festival day starting at 10:00 a.m. Cool Change, Blackfoot, Elaine Petty, and numerous acts are scheduled.

The concert at The Hangout is free too. It starts at 6:00 p.m. October 15th, with The Tip Tops rocking the house performing soul music from the nineteen sixties, nineteen fifties hits, and nineteen eighties hits. The Tip Tops reside in Mobile, AL.

The Toppettes along with the Dancing Horns are energetic performers. Their song list includes tunes by Aretha Franklin and The Pointer Sisters.

The fortieth anniversary is going to be shrimp-tastic!

Flowing Edge World Shoes from Zazzle.com

This is an original design by Colette Dumont. The artwork is a digital painting. It is a fantasy art slash abstract art idea. The shoe is the Keds Women's Champion Slip On. There's nothing else like wearing shoes decorated with original art.

Flowing Edge World Shoes from Zazzle.com

H. Beam Piper-Police Operation

"Police Operation" was published by Astounding Science Fiction in July of 1948. The parallel worlds or versions of Earth are divided into five levels. In this conceptual universe, humans colonized Earth from Mars. The timeline we occupy wasn't colonized very successfully, and the people haven't any  recollection of the colonization, so we are in the fourth level. But the transplanting in the first level was outstanding, thus, the Paratime Police originated there.

The illustrations are by Edd Cartier. This story's copyright wasn't renewed. The video sound effect "Crazy Brass" is a creation of musiforvideo.com.

Police Operation from Paratime Series; Illustrations




Police Operation

The Essential Works of H. Beam Piper

Jack Russell Terrier Art

Jack Russell Terriers

This Jack Russel picture is an original print by thedoglover at ArtFire. These two pups are wonderful. If you like Jack Russell Terrier prints, you'll like the other work by this artist depicting this breed. I have a friend that has two of these dogs, and I think he would like this print.

The artist creates realistic paintings of many dog breeds. She lives in Canada.

See More Prints


For Bare Feet-Jack Russell Terrier Dog Adult Poses Socks (Grey)

Jack Russell Mini Flopsie 8"

Jack Russell Terrier 2 Cute Light T-Shirt by CafePress

Flowing Edge World-New Design

This is a digital painting on a mouse pad. It is original art by Colette Dumont. She has been creating digital paintings for about three years. Dumont has painted in oils for many years, and her work has been shown in art galleries such as Koch Gallery in Mobile, AL and Art Struck formerly in Blue Ridge, GA.