Art of the Deals

Open Comment Thread (2016-03)

I'm way behind on posting a new Open Comment Thread. But here it is, with somewhat updated graphic for the age of Trump.

Please talk about anything you want to here, including but not limited to the following:

• Benedict Option(s)
• Trump / Drump
• Should I upgrade to Windows 10?
• The Catholic Bashing Industry
• Music, Art, Humor

Inspiration?

Has this blog been the inspiration for great artwork? or even mediocre artwork? I have no idea. However there is a painting by some artist named James Shipton with the title Est Quod Est. Funny. Here's a safe-for-work detail; go to the link to check out the "full monty".

Personally I would have named this painting KMWA. But that's just me.

Other possibilities for titles would include Back View of Some Chick Dropping Trou or, seeing that she has her hair in a bun, Bun and Buns. The title Est Quod Est gives absolutely no description of what this picture is about. And that could be said of the blog Est Quod Est as well.

The Finished Puzzle

Earlier I blogged a piece of this performance. Here's the whole thing.



...complete with spazzout at the end.

"Subsequently..."

In a mood which this sums up. Yes, I know it's a cover of a Modern Lovers tune, but I like this version better.


Pablo Picasso - Burning Sensations by DeeDarden

Obviously I'm "looking for the joke with a microscope" today.

The Terrifying World

Jack Handey characterized the frankness of children thusly: "The face of a child can say it all, especially the mouth part of the face." But frankness in childhood expression doesn't stop with speech.

The thing I enjoy most about finding uncommissioned artwork my children have created is how surprising it can be. Unlike the feeble gimmicks commonly called shock art, these pieces shock and arouse adults with an honest portrayal of reality from a child's perspective, even when the subject matter is derivative and the talent undeveloped.

The world contains terror alongside beauty and innocence, and Charles Schulz would agree. His comics are full of the fantastic such as Charlie Brown's clothes being removed by a line drive or Snoopy flying atop his doghouse. Being somewhat familiar with these famous images, I was nevertheless unnerved by my 11-year-old son's interpretation of a rather helpless Charlie Brown being terrorized by a Lucy who is twice his size and relentlessly pummeling him with a sound-cloud of insults.

"Stupid, dope, wishy-washy, lame, weak, dumb, lousy, wimp, idiot!" I asked my son about the picture; I said "Wow, this looks more like child abuse than a Peanuts comic. I've never felt so bad for Charlie Brown. Is she actually picking him up?" He just sort of smiled and calmly explained that Lucy is indeed picking Charlie Brown up, shaking him up and down, and yelling those names at him.

Lucy isn't just a mean, bossy girl here. She's an evil thug with ugliness to match. Charlie Brown isn't just the neighborhood loser. He's a victim of violence....

His sketch probably suffers a bit from insecurity and girl-fear in his 11-year-old mind, but probably not an abnormal amount. He recently played Charlie Brown in his school's production of A Charlie Brown Christmas, and perhaps his artwork was his way of helping himself relate to the character. I hope I'm worrying too much about his state-of-mind, fear of bossy girls, etc. and I'm fairly sure I am. My world is full of surprises, and I'm much more hopeful for my 11-year-old son than I am for Charlie Brown.

Here's to good surprises in the New Year.

A possible explanation for the Benedict Option

"Can you see that I am serious?"



There's your answer, Fishbulb."

Great pictures of Cleveland

The guys at Cleveland Aerial Media really take awesome pictures of the Cleveland, Ohio area. Check them out on flickr.



These dudes are the Drone Cam Gods.

I'm fascinated with this

I always felt bad for the angel dude in the painting. He's thinking "Man, I worked so hard on the rhombohedron then they come along and say 'Oh, we just want two small tetrahedra, thanks' so I end up doing a double truncation and now I'm left with whatever this thing is."



So 500 years later we should celebrate the fact that someone decided to turn Dürer's useless lump into an awesome paperweight.

These reflections are probably at least somewhat rooted in my recent viewing of the most triumphant film Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure.

"Pull up a seat"

She will return.

Hey, you!

Dymphna just posted this excellent artwork on her blog. I won't republish her humorous comments; go read them yourself.

I have often thought my guardian angel has "bumped" me when I'm suppose to be waking up but have hit the snooze button, or when I'm not paying attention while driving. I once heard a theologian point out that one of the striking features of the angelic salutation to the Virgin Mary is how the angel doesn't deal with her using the customary angelic brusqueness. For example, the angel busting St. Peter out of prison in Acts 12 is almost explaining to him how to put on his clothes like one might do with a 3-year-old. In fact, maybe that is what the angel is saying in this painting to St. Jerome—"Get some clothes on, for God's sake." They are used to barking out orders at us; that's their job. I, for one, hope I learn to listen.

The Exactitude of Nuance

...or something...


Finished product—complete with irritating subtitles.

Father Kevin Estabrook's homilies are online

Earlier I linked to a post about priests blogging from our friend, Dymphna. She mentioned that it okay its strictly "homilies, apologetics and other writing." I think she would approve of Father Kevin Estabrook's blog which is a collection of his great homilies along with some related Catholic art. Here is an excerpt from his sermon on St. Francis from today's Mass.

The night after meeting Francis, Pope Innocent had a dream. Pope Innocent dreamt he stood looking out over the Lateran Church and watched with fear as the proud and ancient building shook, the tower swung, and the walls began to crack, it was in danger of collapsing in on itself. Suddenly, a small common looking man came towards the Lateran. He was dressed in peasant garb, was barefoot, and wore a rope around his waist for a belt. Rushing to the falling Church, he set his shoulder in under the wall and with a mighty push straightened the whole falling church, so that it again stood aright. The pope then recognized the man as Francis of Assisi.

The Pope interpreted his dream to mean that St. Francis would been instrumental in reforming and strengthening the Catholic Church.

This story is very interesting, especially in light of the story where St. Francis knelt in prayer in the crumbling San Damiano chapel. As Francis knelt and prayed in front of the crucifix, Jesus began to speak to him, saying, “Francis, rebuild my Church.”

Father Estabrook is the newest priest at my parish, St. Angela Merici. So I was happy to find his homily site. I actually remember hearing this homily from two Sundays ago. I didn't know the meaning of the name Amos was "burden-bearer". The man definitely puts effort into his homiletic work. Kudos to him!

St. John Devouring the Book from The Apocalypse

If you hear a voice from Heaven telling you to eat something, you eat it, no questions asked, no Monday morning left-overs. Whether the Angel server your table has burning columns for legs or not. Then leave a tip even if it maketh thy belly bitter.



Text: "And I heard a voice from heaven again speaking to me, and saying: Go, and take the book that is open, from the hand of the angel who standeth upon the sea, and upon the earth. And I went to the angel, saying unto him, that he should give me the book. And he said to me: Take the book, and eat it up: and it shall make thy belly bitter, but in thy mouth it shall be sweet as honey. And I took the book from the hand of the angel, and ate it up: and it was in my mouth, sweet as honey: and when I had eaten it, my belly was bitter."

I was thinking of changing my top picture to a detail of this one. I'm really sort of a Philistine when it comes to art, but I have an appreciation for Dürer.

Bill Simon, Artist

I saw my friend Bill at a party over the weekend. He's gone back to school recently to work on an art degree. He showed me a really well-creafted documentary that features a short interview with him and a sample of his work.



His stuff goes for about a minute then it goes on to other, um... stuff. Actually some of the other stuff is OK. Some of it might not be safe for work, depending where you work. The jazz is pretty cool; great production by this John Thornton dude.

What a Wonderful World

That's what WWW stands for. What a Wonderful World.



This tune came out in October 1967. I was four months old, man.

Get 'em while they're still legal

Speaking of bump-firing these slide stocks make it easier to bump fire and you can do it while holding the gun in a regular aiming position. That way you can see what you are utterly destroying. Check it out:



Of course, these are mainly for fun, or for revolution if that's yo thang. But Diane Feinstein no likey so much. So buy a few now while you still can.

How'd he do dat?

If watching this doesn't make you happy, there might be something wrong with you.

White Boy Drops Sick Beat

I can do the alien frog thing, by the way.

Really need some RAPTURE RIDERS about now

Ahh, much better now.