Weekend pictures

A brownish black tree frog, a baby lizard and four humans were the only forms of life we encountered while backpacking along the smallish trails adjoining New Jersey's highest peak, High Point. The sudden downpour that postponed our planned beginning by about an hour laid waste to the trails by scheming to make them as soggy and mushy as possible. The dead leaves helped the situation by camouflaging the beaten path. The water still dripping off the heavy undergrowth that spanned both sides of the narrow walkway decided to come off and settle on the inside of our shoes resulting in a wet squelching gait that announced our arrival to no one in particular. Sampling some of the wild berries that we found along the path made me think about survivors in remote jungles waiting for the airlift. In addition to the sojourn with nature, we took some time to explore the inside of a little known war memorial at High Point. The vertigo induced on climbing the spiral steps that go up the 200 foot monument was not the greatest feeling but the views from atop of the sprawling Poconos, Catskills and a range that I did not know compensated. We also found a location along the famed Appalachian Trail from whence we plan to trek the New Jersey length of the trail in the near future. All told, the time spent outdoors was worth every little bit.

A dialogue with artist Jeffrey Isaac

Sometimes, looking at within from the outside helps clarify perceptions and solidify our understanding of realities which may not be readily apparent for one immersed in it all the time. Taking the pulse of artists who live outside the United States and getting their take on global issues is an important aspect of such understanding. Jeffrey Isaac is an artist who was born here in the States, but lives and works in Italy. Some of his oil paintings are relevant and some not so. All together they portray an interesting take on some of the more important global issues (warming, war etc…) in today’s flat world. I have been following his art and have had an on-and-off dialogue with him for over last year. A mini project of mine last month was to understand his art a little better. Over the course of multiple emails conversations, I managed to produce a composite of his art and some of his motivations. The full dialogue has been posted over at Art and Perception.

Jeffrey Isaac, 'George W. Bush leading the war of terror', 2007, oil on canvas, 250 x 360 cm.

In Memoriam - Pele deLappe

Pele deLappe 91, an artist and journalist died on October 1, 2007. My interest in her work was stirred recently on reading a bit about her ideas on society, civil rights causes and social movements. Her artworks reflected her outlook and always were a pointed critique towards the social realities we encounter and how the less fortunate among us always seem to get the short end of the stick.

"She was always on the side of the downtrodden," said her daughter. "She spent her whole life dedicated to civil rights causes and to social movements."

In a 1938 lithograph titled "The Transients," she shows a young Depression-era couple on the side of a road. With a furrowed forehead, the man stands with his thumb in the air, hoping to get a ride for his family; his wife sits on their suitcase looking solemnly at their baby, a knapsack of their items beside them.

Pele deLappe, 'Portrait of B.E.', 1935, Lithograph, 14" x 10"

Note on the lithograph above: B.E or Bert Edsis was a civil rights & criminal lawyer. Active in labor and social causes in the 1930's and thru the 50's. He was famous for defending clients against McCarthy hearings.