Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Pasticcio Quartz 15 - Finally

Time to celebrate the season with Pasticcio Quartz 15
Yes, it's finally here. Between its covers? Art (a boatload of it), history (mustn't neglect a solid education), art (still more), ideas & info (to help you navigate the world with ease), art ('cuz you can never get enough), ideas & musings (it's always good to know what everyone else is thinking), art ('cuz there can never be enough), ideas & projects (to keep you out of trouble), and oh, did we mention, there's art? And celebrities: Nellie Cashman, Erin Currier, Donald Hendricks, William Travilla are just a few of the renowned and venerable artists and entrepreneurs we discuss, or hold discussions with. Order today! 
Pasticcio Quartz is the perfect gift for yourself and all your most discerning friends.

Sarah and I have been working on this Zine for months now... Life just kept getting in the way... but we are elated... thrilled to bring you the latest edition of Pasticcio Quartz, just in time for the holidays.  And we are happy to say...that if you missed any earlier issues of Pasticcio quARTz - Like Issues 1-14... we have lowered the price to the bare minimum... so pick those issues up now... while you still can....

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Samhain - the root of Halloween

While the Irish harvest festival Samhain truly is the root of Halloween, it never was celebrated on October 31st.

The ancient Celtic year was divided by the four seasons and reckoned by a fluctuating lunar calendar. The full moon that rose midway between the Autumnal Equinox and Winter Solstice was called Samhain. It was the most scary and sacred time of all.

Winter was approaching, crops were dying, days were growing shorter, and the specter of death hung heavy in the air. Cattle were slaughtered and salted to feed the people through winter. Crops were gathered in and stored lest the shape-shifting Pooka, a nocturnal hobgoblin that delights in tormenting mortals, destroy the fruits of the field and bring on a season of famine. With storehouses full, the Celts marked the 3-day full moon period with revelry and ritual before facing the unknown.

Consumed with fear that they might be carted away to the land of the dead, the Irish lit huge bonfires lit to ward off evil forces. On Samhain the veil between this and the Otherworld was thin. The fairies roamed at will, the mounds marking the entries to their dwelling places glowed with eerie light, and many a mortal disappeared, lured to live forever below ground with the fairies.

It was Feile Na Marbh, Feast of the Dead. Children born that night were believed to be blessed with ‘double sight’, able to see and play with the fairies. Spirits appeared to ordinary folk advising them of future events. Long dead ancestors sought the warmth of a hearth fire and communion with the living. In every window, flickering candles lit the way for lost souls.

In 432AD Saint Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland, but the old ways persisted. Rome attempted to take the easy way out and absorbed the tradition into its own calendar. For centuries, the Church had honored its martyrs and saints on May 13, so in 844AD Pope Gregory IV transferred the saints’ feast to November 1, renaming it All Hallows Day.

Five hundred years later, Celtic descendants were still celebrating their 3-day full moon Feast of the Dead. In the 14th century, Rome decreed November 2 would be known as All Souls Day and masses would be said for the departed who had not yet been admitted to heaven. Hoping to finally eradicate the ancient festival, October 31 was titled All Hallows Eve and installed on the Church calendar as a vigil of preparation for the 2-day religious observance. 

Christianity had absorbed Samhain, but the Celtic ceremony of honoring the dead – now artificially fixed on October 31st and November 1st and 2nd instead of the final harvest full moon – remained. It was still an occasion for feasting and revelry. It was still the night when souls roved free. And it was still the time to seek answers on things unknown.

Have a safe and happy Halloween.
 An excerpt from Hallowgreen: The Celtic Roots of Halloween (Irish America Magazine Oct/Nov 2011)

Thursday, August 15, 2013

out in the west Texas town of El Paso...


 I had a great time at the Plaza Classic Film Festival in El Paso this last week...
  After a quick trip to Tony Lama's Boots I donned my skirt, my new boots and was ready to go...
 Watching The Sound of Music up on that big beautiful Plaza Theater movie screen was a thrill for many people.  (left) Chuck, (The creator of the film festival) his wife Ann and his lovely family.(right) In the Sound of Music spirit.

  There was strudel and brown paper packages tied up with string... and suckers with my Brigitta face on them.
 that was a little weird...
I was glad to be able to fit in a visit to the El Paso Museum of Art. I could have spent hours there.
One of my favorite exhibits was the 30 pieces in the "Moving Pictures" Production Art from the Academy Library.

 It was cool to see these sketches from "In Love And War", that was the first movie my sister Veronica ever made. 

The "King and I" dining room sketch

Loved this one of illustrator Boris Leven's iconic drawing of Reata House for "Giant".
Very cool El Paso art... 

Thanks El Paso for a great time...

Sunday, July 21, 2013

so you wanna be in show business...


I found this little treasure in the back of my jewelry case today.  This Screen Children's Guild pin was issued to me as a child and I have kept it safe and sound in this little lambskin pouch for decades now. They don't issue pins anymore when you join SAG/AFTRA these days... which I find kind of sad... what keepsakes do we treasure these days?

I also found this list of show biz terms. I grew up hearing these words and they were a part of my education.  It doesn't hurt to know the lingo if you are in the Drama Department in school or pursuing a career in Hollywood. If you are not in show business or have no desire to be, how many of these terms do you know?  Just curious...

Above the line: Industry term for movies and TV budgets. The line refers to money budgeted for creative talent, such as   actors, writers, directors, and producers.
Action: The cue that is shouted when the camera starts rolling
A.D.: Assistant Director
Ad Lib: made up dialogue that is not scripted; a form of improvisation
AFTRA : American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. National labor union representing performers, journalists       and other artists working in entertainment and news.
AMPAS:  Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Art Director: Person who creates and designs sets
ADG: Art Directors Guild
Avail: a courtesy situation extended by an agent to a producer indicating that a performer is available to work a certain job. Avails have no legal or contractual status
Background Talent: Also known as extras or atmosphere
Best Boy: In films, the assistant to the electrician
BFCA:  Broadcast Film Critics Association.
Biopic:  A Variety coinage meaning biographical film
Billing: The order of the names in the titles or opening credits of a film or television show
Bio: (or biography) A resume in narrative form usually for a printed program or press release
Blocking: The physical movements used by actors in a scene
Blurb: TV commercial;
Booking: A firm commitment to a performer to do a specific job
Boom: An overhead microphone, often used on-set, usually mounted on an extended pole
Breakdown: A detailed listing and description of roles available for casting in a production
Buyout: An offer of full payment in lieu of residuals, when the contract permits
Callback: A follow-up audition
Call sheet: Production term for daily listing of shooting schedule, scenes and cast involved
Call time: The time you are due on a set
Camera Ready: Hair, makeup and wardrobe ready to begin shooting
CAS: Cinema Audio Society.
CDG: Costume Designers Guild.
Cattle call: often known as an “open call”, a large open audition
Cliffhanger: a melodramatic adventure or suspense film or TV show; usually a serial with a to-be-continued ending;
Close-up (CU): Camera term for a tight shot of the shoulders and face
Cold reading: An unrehearsed reading of a scene, usually at auditions
Commissions: Percentage of a performer’s earnings paid to an agent’s managers for their services
Composite: A one-sheet of photos representing an actor’s different “looks”
Conflict: Status of being paid for services in a commercial for one advertiser, thereby contractually preventing performing services in a commercial for a competitor
Copy: The script for a commercial or voice-over
Craft services: On-set catering
Crix: critics
Cut: Filming stops
Dailies: Screening of footage before it is edited
Day-player: A performer hired on a day-to-day basis, rather than under a long term contract
DGA: Directors Guild of America, the union of film and TV directors, assistant directors and unit production managers
Downgrade: Reduction of a performer’s on-camera role from principal to extra
D.P.: Director of Photography of Cinematographer
dramedy — A TV show that could be labeled both a comedy and a drama, usually an hour long. 
Dress the set: To add items/props to the set
Drive-on pass: A pass to drive on and park at a studio
Emancipated minor: A minor under 18 who has been given the status of a legal adult by a judge
Emcee: master of ceremonies;
Employer of Record (EOR): The company responsible for employment taxes and unemployment benefits
Executive Producer: The person responsible for funding a production
EXT. (Exterior): A scene shot outside
Feature: motion picture over an hour in length;
Field rep: SAG staff member who ensures contractual compliance on a set
flop (also floppola): failure at the box office
Forced call: A call to work less than 12 hours after dismissal of the previous day
FX (Effects): Special Effects
Gaffer: A crew member who places lighting instruments
GED: General Equivalency Diploma
Gofer: An errand runner
Golden time: Overtime after the 16th hour
Greenlight: the go-ahead for a film to be made
Grip: A crew member who moves set pieces or props
Hiatus: Time when a TV series is in between production
Hold: A contractual obligation for a performer to be available for work
Holding fee: Set payment by an advertiser to retain the right to use a performer’s services, images or likeness on an         exclusive basis
hold over: When a director decides to use an actor for an extra day not originally scheduled
Industrial: Non-broadcast, often educational films
INT. (Interior): A scene shot indoors
in the can: Industry term: Phrase meaning the director has the take he wants
In time: The actual call time or start time; also refers to return time from a break
Jingle: Short phrase of music usually with lyrics used in commercials
laugh track: Industry term: Audience laughter that is recorded to be played back when a TV show is aired
Looping: An in-studio technique matching voice to picture (Also known as ADR)
Meal Penalty: A set fee paid by the producer for failure to provide meals as set by the contract
Monologue: A solo performance by an actor
Moppet: child, especially child actor
MPSE: Motion Picture Sound Editors.
Out time: The actual time after which you have changed out of wardrobe and are released
Overtime (OT): Work extending beyond the contractual workday
P.A.: Production Assistant
Pan: A camera shot which sweeps from side to side
Pick-up: an added take because of a problem with a shot
Pilot: The first show introducing the characters and situations for a potential series
pitch:  anything from a one-line description to a two- to three-page treatment of an idea, and as such, is not yet a script, 
Popping: A vocal term used to describe the sudden release of blocked air into a microphone causing a popping sound
POV shot: A point of view shot; camera angle from the perspective of one actor
Principal: A performer with lines or special business which advances the storyline
Producer: (or Line Producer): The person responsible for the day-to-day decision making on a production
Production: This involves building sets, designing costumes, measuring and fitting actors for costumes, and rehearsals.
Re-write: Changes in the scripts; often made using color-coded pages
Scale: Minimum payment for services under Union contracts
Scale+ 10: Minimum payment + 10% to cover agent’s commission
scribbler, scribe: writer
scripter: screenwriter
Script Supervisor: The crew member assigned to record all changes or actions as the production proceeds
Sides: Pages or scenes from a script used for auditions
Sight-and-sound: Parent’s right’s under Union contracts to be within the sight of the child performer at all times
Signatory: An employer who has agreed to produce under the terms of a union contract
sitcom:  shorthand for situation comedy TV series
Slate: A small chalkboard and clapper device, used to mark and identify shots for editing; also the verbal identification by a performer in a taped audition (i.e. “Slate your name.”)
Spec script: a script shopped or sold on the open market, as opposed to one commissioned by a studio or production   company
Spesh: a television special
Stage Manager: The person who oversees the technical aspects of an in-studio production
Station 12: At SAG, the office responsible for clearing SAG members to work
Studio Teacher: Set teacher or tutor, hired to provide education to working with young performers; also responsible for     enforcing Child Labor Law
Stunt Coordinator: The persons in charge of designing and supervising the performance of stunts and hazardous         activities
Submission: An agent’s suggestion to a casting director for a role in a certain production
Taft-Hartley: A federal statute which allows 30 days after first employment before being required to join a Union
Take: The clapboard indication of a shot “taken” or printed
Take 5: The announcement of a periodic five minute breaks
Telefilm (also telepic, telepix) — feature-length motion picture made for TV
Turnaround: no longer active; a project put into “turnaround” has been abandoned by one studio and may be shopped to another.
Vid: video
VOD: video on demand
Voiceover — offscreen narration
Waivers: Board-approved permission for deviation from the terms of a contract
Walk-on: A very brief role
Wardrobe: The clothing a performer wears on camera
Work Permit: A legal document required to allow a child to work, issued by various state or local agencies
Wrap: finishing a production 

Sunday, June 30, 2013

a personal interpretation...

Yesterday you could find fellow art art pal Connie and me teaching a class at that
special and charming spot of art-ful goodness in Toluca Lake called Pergolina
Paulana (owner of Pergolina) Connie Freedman and me

The class we taught was called Victorian Carte Blanche which is art made with an antique album photo page and personal elements of importance. 
Our students were open and creative and inventive and fun.  
 Look at all the different ways the techniques we taught were interpreted.
I love that each artist has their own voice and the materials resonated with them in their own way.
Everybody walked away with beauty in their hands.


 





cheers Leslie, Lisa, Cecelia and Gail on a job well done...

We'll be teaching at Pergolina again in September. 

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Friday, May 31, 2013

lineage...

My life has been crazy busy lately...but to take a break and to keep my sanity
I have been working on my newest project and fascination... "Lineage" 

The base is the American Flag I have painted on wood... 24" x 24" x 1.5"
You may think a flag is rectangular...mine is square....
I made my own stamps for the stars...
and I drew the stripes freehand.

Now it starts to come to life as I sift through my husbands stash of old family photos.

 Where do we come from?  Who are my relatives? What do they look like?

The combination of the pictures, symbols and ephemera (a ripped page from a phone book as my husbands Mom was a phone operator, a note from his Dad when he was with the Flying Tigers during the war.) It's not done yet, there are more layers to weave throughout, but  fingers crossed it will be done for Father's Day.