Thursday, January 16, 2014

Favorite Pic of the Day for January 16th

Above:
-See More Below-

Happy Birthday today January 16th


Check out today's birthday boys HERE:

 
& Check out the FH Flashback today for the inspirational work Robert Colgan, one of my favorite artists who is also celebrating today!

Body & Soul


If you're in the Atlanta area, check out Body & Soul, a new exhibit featuring a couple of the artists who have been so supportive to FH.  The show begins with a reception January 25th, but runs through the 9th of March.

Perception Correction


I was a kid when I headed to the movies with my parents to watch The Goonies. I loved it and had a mini crush on actor Josh Brolin, especially working out in his grey sweats and tank top. I also like him in the short lived series The Young Riders which aired in the early 90's.

Josh with Ty Miller in The Young Riders

The bloom quickly went off the rose as Brolin got older. For close to the next twenty years, Brolin did very little on screen that really drew me to the theatre. In addition, I began to hear tidbits about his personal life, nothing huge really, but enough to cement my short lived crush was done. Brolin also became a little hardened looking, maybe just natural aging, or maybe helped along by his lifestyle.

Josh with McKenzie Astin in Goonies

Jump to about a month ago. I am home sick in bed with the flu, snow raging outside. Cold water and Hot tea on the table by my bed. A slew of magazines, newspapers and books lay on the comforter. One of the books, Joyce Maynard's Labor Day was just dropped off by a co-worker who brought over most of the reading material currently surrounding me. It was interesting as I had seen the preview for the movie version of Maynard's book just the week before when I was at the movies. Although not a Brolin fan, I do love Kate Winslet and the few brief scenes, along with music playing caused me to want to see it.


I am not sure if seeing that preview helped or hurt by reading experience but I loved the book and devoured it in one day. Maynard's writing doesn't so much invite you into the world she is writing about as much as assure in the first few pages, that the experience will be worth it. I very quickly fell madly in love with Frank, the character played by Brolin, and the man who Kate Winslet's Adele brings home from the store. I tried, but could not help but picture Brolin while reading. His hardened face, all of a sudden made sense given the history of the character and the pain Frank had experienced. I could not help but now love the man who played the characters and by the time I put the book down, Brolin, at least his physically, had become Frank in my mind.


I look forward to seeing Labor Day when it opens and hope my love for Frank continues as I see see what my mind has already beautifully visualized. I have loved fictional characters before, I think all readers have. I have not however, had one change my perception of an actor, especially prior to seeing a film adaptation of the book in question. I will let you know? Also curious if anyone has a similar change of heart about an actor based on a character or book?


Oldboy (2013)

Not sure what he is looking for but Josh sure looks great looking for it.


Seasonal Changes: Vlad by t a mueller


The image of Vlad above is from my post last year (Ushanka) from Vlad's work with Ohio photographer t. a. Mueller. I had been enjoying Troy's work for some time and was really happy to be able to feature his work, especially his collaborations with Vlad. Vlad has such a great look, highlighted by such a positive vibe that comes through in his work.


In Usanka, Troy shot Vlad on a freezing February day, naked, some shots in water wearing pretty much the hat and a scarf. When Vlad saw the post, he asked me why I didn't use the image above, one of his favorites. The image was one of my favorites as well, but I kept that image hoping for a follow-up which I am happy to be able to feature today. Given the winter theme of the first feature, and the January posting date, I focused my text on winter and my love of winter and living in a location that experiences all four of the seasons. When most people talk about the seasons, it is often focused on temperature, the heat and sun in the summer and the cold and snow of the winter.


For me, the love of seasonal changes is all about the visual. The white and greys in the winter, the red, purple, pinks and yellow's of spring. The bright blue and green in summer and the rich oranges, reds and browns of fall. These visual changes are what I live for and sustain me when other parts of living are not quite so beautiful or stimulating.


I could not help but also think of change when I spent time with the new images Troy sent on for this post. Troy and Vlad have shot several times the past year and it is clear that Vlad's look has gone through subtle changes beautifully captured by Troy's camera. One of the reasons I loved the original winter shoot of Vlad was how his youthful energy and enthusiasm brought so much life to the cloudy and more gloomy feel of that February winter's day.


Obvious changes such as hair length and facial hair to more subtle changes such as body and muscle tone, fine lines and even slight changes in facial structure. The most striking change to me is though is the maturity and growth of soul which can be seen within Vlad's eyes. These small, but beautifully meaningful changes in a way mirror the seasonal changes of life. As spring moves into summer most living organisms transition into full bloom and the changes in Vlad over the last two years add a visual depth to his work in front of the camera.