The events in this post actually took place on Tuesday, August 17th

I took today off work to go do things. I went to the High Museum because they have a Dali exhibition and one on European Design.

Listening to the surrounding conversations in museums is always fun. While I was in a room that had a couple of versions of The Madonna of Port Lligat, I heard a woman say "What's that movie? Oh yeah, Avatar! With the floating islands?"

So the exhibition is focusing on Dali's later works, which apparently have been criticized for being overly commercial. And I think it's probably hard for a high-profile artist to not be criticized for that...how many household name artists are there these days anyway? Banksy? The guy with the sharks?

I don't care one way or the other, though one quote on the wall was about how he liked to get up in the mornings, eat breakfast, and earn $20,000 before lunch, which WAS a bit much. But then, look at Andy Warhol.

Speaking of Andy Warhol, I found several of Dali's works to be interesting (though I always have to read the wall-description to understand anything. freaking art.), but as an artifact the most interesting thing was a plastic bag containing several used wax paper palettes and latex gloves, which Dali gave to Warhol. It was just fun to be in the presence of some of the actual tools and detritus of the art.

Apparently Dali got very interested in physics at some point? Specifically nuclear physics, and he called his paintings involving the subject Nuclear Mysticism.

And one painting I saw called Assumpta Corpuscularia Lapislazulina had something in the description about Dali's theory of the Virgin's ascent into heaven, and how it had to do with atoms coming together and basically rocketing her up from Earth. I like the image.

And rhinoceros horns came up more than once in descriptions of things. Which was odd.

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But, while Dali was interesting, I was really more excited about the European Design exhibit. You guys, I have a passion for chairs. Interesting ones. Ones that might not even be comfortable to sit in. But if they look good, I'm for them.

There was this one that was called the "Smoking Chair" and it was just an old chair that had been set on fire and then put out and epoxied or something. Crumbly burnt up chair sitting there. I loved it. There were metal chairs and glass chairs and chairs made only of fabric. In the lobby there was this oblong metal contraption that looked a little like a fishing basket. Like, not a bait and tackle thing, but one of those baskets they put under water to catch fish? If you don't know, then in my mind it looks like this, which is hilarious because that's a bench that's also based on a fishing basket. But this thing was metal and HUGE and the "weaving" was looser and it was billed as a chaise. So there. I LOVE SEATING.

There were also interesting vases and tea sets and things. Some really fun shelves and storage units, ooooh and lights! I also heart lights, but feel more removed from them because while I would feel comfortable putting a chair in my house I do not feel comfortable installing lighting. So that's sad. But fun lighting is also in my "Oooh, Aaaah" repertoire. There was one that was covered in fabric, looked like a cloud, and actually undulated! And another that was made of milk bottles, all in a row. I LOVE DESIGN. Let's all go to Ikea, kay?

In the gift shop they actually had some little models of the chairs, but none of the really fun ones. Plus they were all over $100, so I wasn't in the market, but I did look at them and consider.

They also had this book ALL ABOUT CHAIRS. It was called Once Upon a Chair and was selling for the ridiculously retail price of $65, while I can get it on amazon for under $45. (Check the link. I ain't lying.) I don't mind paying more at independent book stores, but I'm not paying more to a museum that just charged me $18 just to walk around. (Okay, it was actually $9. Half-off Tuesdays in August! I didn't even know! I'm so smart and thrifty on accident.)

I also could have purchased the catalog for the European Design show (Design Now it was called), but even that was $45.

So all I left with was a little tile with a mustache on it to remind me of the Dali show.

It's good enough.

Then I went to the gay bookstore and bought some gay books.

Then I went to see that Scott Pilgrim movie, which I liked, but I think I need to read the books again? I know they took out a lot of stuff, but some stuff also seemed new, but maybe wasn't? I could really have done without Michael Cera, but he didn't ruin it or anything, and everyone else seemed pretty great.

That was my day, tomorrow back to work. I should do laundry, but instead I'm going to sit here and digest the massive amount of Chinese food I ate and not read a book like I should be doing.

The events in this post actually took place on Saturday, August 21st

I went to the Slotin Folk Art Fest today. It was SOOO COOOOOL.

I wanted to buy so many things. And I limited myself to considering fairly reasonably priced things (under $100) and things that would actually go well with my other stuff. And I STILL had a hard time deciding what to buy.

Memorable booths included this woman named Donna Collins who was a heavy glitter user. Which, sounds kinda icky, but is actually REALLY COOL. Her bunny pictures were like distillations of how it feels on Easter Morning. (Which reminds me of my least favorite line of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, when Brad Pitt is explaining to Angelina Jolie how he felt the first time he saw her: "Like Christmas morning." And it's just awful. AWFUL. I can't believe they left it in the movie.) And in this case, much like that of the movie, my words cannot express the actual feeling at all. But this glitter things were awesome. Painted on glass, with glitter in the background, all 3D and stuff. If I had a kid, some of this stuff would DEFINITELY make its way into his/her room.

And there were these little boxes with windows that you could actually wind up and crank and stuff. Some were music boxes and some were little dioramas with figures that moved inside. Pretty fun, but with a creepy vibe. (That booth actually was part of a gallery near me in Decatur, GA, called The Alcove, which I should probably visit.) But their stuff was a little to offbeat for my pedestrian household.

What I almost got was a wall-hanging metal piece of a flock of birds in flight, kind of disorganized like they were startled. Apparently struck out with a hammer and nails from the top of an oil drum. Really fun, but I wasn't sure it would be something I'd always like. More of an impulse. And while the gallery is apparently in Atlanta, when I asked about a web site they said it was mostly wholesale, and when I search them out online, you need a password to get anywhere. So that's that.

What I did end up getting was a couple of books that have been cut up and had stuff added to them (in this case, a beetle and a butterfly) and turned into wall hangings themselves. They were done by Butch Anthony who apparently has a Museum of Wonder, and is represented by the folks at Jeanine Taylor Folk Art.

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The end!