Studio8 - Uniting the Arts

I returned to NYC for the last weekend of The Gates in Central Park, I wanted to see them once more before they faded into memory and photographs. Interestingly, it had snowed the day before I went back so this time the Gates stood out sharply in contrast against the bright white landscape.

When I got back home Sunday night I wrote the following summation and assembled the four photographs for display.

The Gates - Last Visit

February 25, Saturday morning the last weekend of
their existence. Early to the Park, the sun rises
clear over the East Side and falls in bright, cold
sheets through the pumpkin glow Gates, and then gauzy
clouds smudge the cheerful solar clarity into wan but
joyful melancholy.

Already the Gates begin to whisper “we were here once”
and in their passing moment they speak for all of us
who celebrate lives, loves, who’ve lost friends,
relatives, influences, shed joy, wept, felt defeated
but rose, who raised glasses and toasted success,
happiness, good fortune, the wonder of sight, the
oddity of loving another. And despite our inability to
understand or explain the vagaries of our lives, we
journey onward, sometimes gracefully, sometimes in
lurches and gusts, but mostly with an unyielding urge
to pass through yet another gate, though no assurance
of safety or reward attends our determined steps.

Oh and how I raise a toast and pay tribute to the joy that is art!!!! Thanks for those lasting parting shots!!!! May they be forever a wonderful memory!!!!
_________________
markets investing

I'd sent the link to my photos & comments (above) around to a bunch of friends and one of them replied by supplying the following, contrary viewpoint of The Gates. It was written by a local New Yorker:

"They're taking down "The Gates" in Central Park today.
____ and I went to see them, indirectly, when they where first installed. What a disaster. "The Gates" attracted all the beautiful New Yorkers who just had to be seen walking through "The Gates." And all the beautiful New Yorkers came with their families and mandatory baby strollers. "The Gates" creaked and croaked as ant-like colonies of art-minded cretins filed through at the same time, some even taking time to pause and reflect during their passage through "The Gates" in order to fully benefit from the experience, parking their baby strollers and taking pictures. I caused somewhat of a scene when I actually ventured outside the path and bypassed at least 4 "Gates." I took such a desperate measure in order to avoid the constipation of strollers that had formed in front of one of the "Gates." I could see the look of concern on people's faces as they whispered to each other, "But
why isn't he walking through 'The Gates?'" I was just trying to get to the other side of the park where I heard they had good gyros. Turns out, most restaurants in the area of Central Park had run out of food hours earlier because of all people who had come to the park that day... Bastids."

Those are incredibly beautiful Les and beautiful sentiments also.

My friends Cactus Mary (natural soapmaker) and her mate David (plein aire painter) just returned from the Big Apple where they made like yokels and had a great time. I have included Mary's pictures also. Please take a gander:


http://cactusmary.com/vacation/

Peace,
SooZen

Thanks to Cactus Mary and her sidekick.
We're not travelling much these days, but
get to share in yours.

Les, carry it on, man!
I wrote a reply to your lyric post in the other place, "eye candy."
I tried to be a curmudgeon at first, but ya
won me over!

Hey BB, I checked out Cactus Mary's photos, great stuff, looks like they got the real essence of The Gates. Truth be told, with just a little effort & appreciative eye imagination, you could capture really delicious photographs of that installation, the Park, each other, etc. A grand photographic opportunity for the so inspired.

I liked her last photo alot too, Village Cigars. Classic.

JLo, it's a rare gift to be able to go from curmudgeon to appreciator, one love for the open-mind! Glad I was able to facilitate the emergence of some delight in your beholding & considering the whole Gates project.

Honestly, when I first went, though yes, I was hoping to like it, I truly did not have grand expectations nor thought it would be the moon, the Arc de Triumph, the Angel Falls of my weekend. But in the end, being there in the Park and walking my sore-hipped torso self all over the freakin' place, the thing ended up moving me in ways unforeseen and unanticipated. That's Art, I guess. Cheers all around!

Color up the sun.
Everything in moderation
except what is good in excess!
"... accept balance on the turbulent promenade."
(lescaret) it on
down th
line!

Thanks Les...the one of yours that I like the best is the second one here with the snow topped branches and the rows of saffron beneath.

Thank you for the trip and assurances about 'my' hawk. Hah! I am also very grateful for the post card you sent and am returning the favor with one that has some of mtmynd's art on it.

Art is to share...

Peace,
SooZen