The Artist Odyssey is a project to give audiences a view into artists’ studios with beautifully-filmed documentaries featuring leading photographers, filmmakers, musicians, visual artists, and performing artists. In their current base in Encinitas they presented a slide show lecture by five leading San Diego photographers which was a chance to experience that insight live directly from the artists. These professional photographers were all articulate and more than that, charming, as they told the stories behind the photos.
Grant Brittain is the resident still photographer at The Artist Odyssey and he made the introductions and was responsible for putting together this group of his personal connections. The space was full to overflowing to hear these gentlemen speak about their careers. Brittain, like many of the others was on the scene when the surfing and skateboarding community was rising to prominence in this area.
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| Tony Hawk, Sanoland, Cardiff, CA |
Todd Glaser spoke about his careful choice of works for the slide show to meet the criteria of portrait. In the first case below, even though the surfer is facing away, he caught this shot when the dog turned to face him. The second shot was caught at the end of a formal shot when these two "surfer dudes" were peering out from their dos.
Tim Mantoani There was some talk about what is photo journalism and what is fine art photography i.e. catching the moment or creating the moment. Mantoani clearly fits in the second group with these posed photos of famous shots held by their photographer. They were taken by a huge Polaroid camera and the evidence of that process remains on the image.
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| In this image by Ali vs Liston by Neil Liefer, Mantoani told us that Liefer was able to capture the shot before any logos or promotion words were used, giving a clear background. The only figure really visible is Liefer's Sports Illustrator rival on the other side of the ring, framed by Ali's legs. This was a sweet success for Liefer as it was used as the cover that week. |
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| In his portrait of John Lennon, Bob Gruen actually gifted this New York City t-shirt to Lennon who had admired it previously. Gruen was accused of "doing a John Lennon" everytime he wore his own shirt afterwards. |
Steve Sherman
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| Kelly Slater was known to be very competitive and when Sherman's son came into the room with a tiny bird on his hand, Slater just had to show that he could do it as well. Sherman caught the shot at the moment the bird touched his nose. |
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| Lisa Anderson had just split from a boyfriend and was ripe for this sexy naked under the sheets shot that Sherman suggested. Sherman's wife was actually in the next room cooking dinner for the three of them. Sorry no hanky panky to report.. |
Miki Vuckovich
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| Vuckovich Senior and his son Miki got this tattoo after the death of his son and Miki's brother as a tribute to their lost family member. It was Miki's father's first ever tattoo. |
The Other Mozart play at Balboa Theater as part of the San Diego Mainly Mozart Festival
"Created and performed by Sylvia Milo, the monodrama is set in a stunning 18-foot dress (designed by Magdalena Dabrowska from the National Theater of Poland). Directed by Isaac Byrne, The Other Mozart is based on facts, stories and lines pulled directly from the Mozart family's humorous and heartbreaking letters."
I am included this play in the blog as it was also a portrait of a women who was the overlooked sister of Mozart who seemed to be just as crazed as her brother. Women were not encouraged to perform in public in her life time and she had a troubled relationship with her parents, a frustrated love interest and a bad marriage. We had trouble hearing some of the dialogue because of the assorted accents the actress chose to use so the story was hard to follow. For me it was the dress that was the star of the show. It was visually stunning in the last scene when she finally rose, if not spiritually, at least physically from the floor.
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