Monday Catchy Quote No. 224
A catchy quote from a movie, TV show or other source to brighten the beginning of your week:
Henri Ducard: You must become more than just a man in the mind of your opponent.
- Click here to learn the source.
-BAM
What to do in Oklahoma on July 30, 2012: See art by Chickasha artist Ted Conley at the Oklahoma Capitol
"Cherries in a Bowl" by Ted Conley
Today’s featured event:
See Ted Conley’s “Untitled” exhibit of in the East Gallery of the state Capitol. The exhibit is on view through Sept. 9.
Located on the first floor of the Capitol, the East Gallery features paintings and mixed-media works by current Oklahoma artists. It is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekends. (Visitors should use the west entrance of the Capitol on weekends.)
Ted Conley
The Chickasha artist uses the genre of modern realism to highlight the beauty in the existence of ordinary, everyday situations and inanimate objects. Through his artwork, he exposes commonly overlooked details by focusing on reflection, highlights, and shadows in a way that brings a sensation of life to commonplace objects and situations. Conley’s painting employs the use of strong complementary or contrasting colors and a blend of hard and soft lines to create visual conversations and movement between the elements of each piece. His use of unorthodox vantage points and subject matter in his paintings evoke a sense of intrigue and emotion.
“To me, there has always been a thin line between art and life,” says Conley in a news release. “Living is a form of art. We are performers in social situations, writers at work, and culinary artists in the kitchen. I strive to pinpoint and emphasize areas of life that emanate intrinsic beauty, a beauty that might otherwise go unseen.”
Conley says a new piece of his art usually begins with an object or situation that catches his attention. He prefers painting from life whenever possible, but the nature of his work, with highly detailed imagery, also lends itself to using reference photographs, sketches, and drawings done from life.
After establishing the composition on the canvas with a drawing, Conley creates an under-painting of either black and white, or earth tones to lay the foundation for depth and volume for the painting. Using oil paint, he then paints over the under-painting with thin glazes of color, mixing and blending to create life-like paintings full of life and detail.
Of his pace of work, Conley says in the release, “Given the intrinsic qualities of oil paint and lengthy drying times, it’s not unheard of for one of my paintings to take over a year
"Five Apples" by Ted Conley
to complete. So, I like to keep multiple projects and paintings moving at once.”
Conley was born in Altus, but has lived in many towns in Oklahoma and California. He has studied art and design at the University of Oklahoma in Norman as well as at the University of Science and Arts (USAO) in Chickasha, where he currently resides.
He also credits a majority of his educational experience to studying classical masters such as Ingres and Caravaggio and spending countless hours in his studio honing his craft. While living in Ardmore, Conley shared his skills as an instructor of beginning and intermediate oil painting at the Goddard Center Art Studios.
Conley’s art has been featured in several galleries and alternative art spaces including the Goddard Center Art Gallery and Studio 107, both in Ardmore; the USAO Gallery in Chickasha; and, Artplace Gallery in Dennison, Texas. His work is also collected in many private collections across the United States.
He is focused on furthering his art education at USAO. He also works as a freelance web and graphic designer and continues to produce work for fine art commissions.
For more information, go to http://arts.ok.gov.
For more events, go to www.wimgo.com.
-BAM
What to do in Oklahoma on July 29, 2012: Hear Limber Limbs at The Blue Note
Limber Limbs
Today’s featured event:
Hear Stillwater band Limber Limbs, formerly known as People, People, along with Origami Ghosts and Young Readers at 8 tonight at the Blue Note Lounge, 2408 N Robinson Ave.
For more information, go to http://thebluenotelounge.com.
For more events, go to www.wimgo.com.
-BAM
UPDATED: What to do in Oklahoma on July 28, 2012: Check out OKC Improv at the Broadway Theater
Twinprov
UPDATED: The duo C-4 unfortunately will be unable to perform at tonight’s 10 p.m. show, so twin duo Twinprov will fill their spot on the bill.
Today’s featured event:
Check out a variety of improvised theater when the OKC Improv showcase returns with shows at 8 and 10 tonight at its new home at Reduxion Theatre Company’s Broadway Theater, 1613 N Broadway Ave.
Here are the lineups for tonight’s OKC Improv shows:
8 p.m.
Kind of a Big Deal
Two’s Company
Ballpark Theatre Company
10 p.m.
ZOOM!
The MiDolls
C-4 Twinprov
For more information, go to www.okcimprov.com.
For more events, go to www.wimgo.com.
-BAM
Terrence Malick’s Oklahoma-shot film “To the Wonder” premiering at Venice Film Festival
Terrence Malick's "To the Wonder"
Filmmaker Terrence Malick’s romantic drama “To the Wonder,” which was shot primarily in Oklahoma, will make its world premiere at next month’s Venice Film Festival.
The lineup for Venice’s Aug. 29-Sept. 8 festival, announced Thursday, includes the film, which stars Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, Rachel Weisz, Olga Kurylenko, Barry Pepper and Javier Bardem. “To the Wonder” will be among the 18 films screened in competition for the Golden Lion, the top honor at the world’s oldest film festival.
The film’s writer and director, the famously reclusive Malick, spent several years of his youth in Bartlesville, where his father still resides, according to the Oklahoma Film & Music Office.
“To the Wonder “was shot in the fall of 2010 around the Bartlesville and Pawhuska areas and briefly in Tulsa. The film utilized the Oklahoma Film Enhancement Rebate Program, administered by the Oklahoma Film & Music Office.
It is the follow-up to Malick’s acclaimed 2011 drama “The Tree of Life,” which was nominated for three Oscars, including best director and best picture.
Here is a synopsis for “To the Wonder,” courtesy TheFilmStage.com:
After visiting Mont Saint-Michel — once known in France as the Wonder — at the height of their love, Marina (Olga Kurylenko) and Neil (Ben Affleck) come to Oklahoma, where problems soon arise. Marina makes the acquaintance of a priest and fellow exile (Javier Bardem), who is struggling with his vocation, while Neil renews his ties with a childhood friend, Jane (Rachel McAdams). An exploration of love in its many forms.
Malick is one of four American directors who will be competing for the Golden Lion this year at the Venice Film Festival, according to the Associated Press. Both De Palma’s sexy thriller “Passion” and Malick’s “To The Wonder” star McAdams. It is De Palma’s first feature film since “Redacted,” which won Venice’s award for best direction in 2007.
Fellow Americans Ramin Bahrani will debut “At Any Price,” a film set in the competitive world of modern agriculture and starring Zac Efron, Dennis Quaid and Heather Graham, while Harmony Korine will show his comedy-romance “Spring Breakers,” starring James Franco, Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens.
Besides the four U.S. directors, three Italians will premier films; the broad field also includes films from France, Israel, Japan, Russia, South Korea and the Philippines. In keeping with recent tradition, a secret film, the 18th entry in the Golden Lion competition, will be announced at a later date.
To see the list of films competing for Venice’s Golden Lion, click here.
-BAM
Trailer: Miranda Lambert’s “Fastest Girl in Town” music video
Country music superstar Miranda Lambert, who lives in Tishomingo, released on Facebook this afternoon a preview of her forthcoming music video for “Fastest Girl in Town,” the raucous third single from her 2011 album “Four the Record.”
She released the trailer with the words “COMING SOON” but no official release date.
In the preview, she describes the full music video as “like a little mini-action movie,” and there’s certainly plenty of roaring engines in 52-second trailer.
-BAM
Confirmed: Toby Keith turns down offer to become “American Idol” judge
Oklahoma country music superstar Toby Keith has declined an opportunity to become one of the new judges on “American Idol.”
In an email to The Oklahoman, Elaine Schock, Keith’s publicist, verified Friday (today) that “Toby was flattered but turned down the offer” to join the celebrity panel for the hit reality TV show.
Keith, 51, declined to take on the role as an “Idol” judge because he doesn’t have the time to commit to it, reports Examiner.com, citing an upcoming cover story in the California publication Inland Empire Weekly.
The Clinton native is known for releasing new music on a yearly basis; along with recording the vocals, he also writes most of his own songs and produces his albums. On Tuesday, he dropped “I Like Girls That Drink Beer,” the lead-off single from his next album.
Traveling the country through late September on his “Live in Overdrive” 2012 tour, Keith, who was raised in Moore, also is principal of his record label, Show Dog-Universal Music.
Among his other business endeavors are the expanding chain of Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar And Grill restaurants — the original locations in Oklahoma City and Las Vegas are marking their seventh anniversaries — and his premium mezcal spirit, dubbed Wild Shot.
In May, he helped the Toby Keith Foundation break ground on the OK Kids Korral on the south end of the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Set to open in fall 2013, the Korral will provide housing for Oklahoma pediatric cancer patients and their families seeking care at The Children’s Hospital and other nearby facilities.
Earlier this month, Jennifer Lopez and Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler announced they would leave their posts as “American Idol” judges after two seasons to refocus on their music careers. Pop belter Mariah Carey has been confirmed to fill one of their seats on the panel.
Country superstar Brad Paisley, “Idol” Season 8 runner-up Adam Lambert and even actor Charlie Sheen are among the celebrities whose names have been bandied about as rumors have swirled as to who will judge the hopefuls on the popular reality singing contest’s 12th season.
-BAM
Carrie Underwood to premiere video to new single “Blown Away” Monday night on E!
Carrie Underwood (AP file)
The broadcast and online world premieres of Carrie Underwood’s latest video, “Blown Away,” will take place on Monday during a 24-hour exclusive window domestically and internationally on E! News at 6 and 10:30 p.m. and on the homepage of E! Online.
On Saturday, the Checotah will attend the private world premiere of the “Blown Away” video with country radio station KJ97 and more than 200 of their listeners in San Antonio, Texas, according to a news release. Among hundreds of participating stations, KAJA-FM won an Arista Nashville sponsored nationwide country radio contest to host this special event by receiving the most listener votes.
The country music superstar’s “Blown Away” video was directed by Randee St. Nicholas and produced by Brandon Bonfiglo for Randee St. Nicholas Photography. “Blown Away” is the title track of Underwood’s fourth album and her current single, which has amassed sales in excess of a quarter of a million. The song was written by Josh Kear and Chris Tompkins, who also co-penned her smash hit, “Before He Cheats.”
The 2005 “American Idol” winner will launch the North American portion of her third headline arena tour, “The Blown Away Tour” on Sept.14 in Manchester, New Hampshire continuing through December. It will include home state shows Oct. 25 at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City and Nov. 21 at the BOK Center in Tulsa. For more information, go to www.chesapeakearena.com and www.bokcenter.com.
Underwood’s “Blown Away” album made history this spring by debuting at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums Chart, making her only the second country artist in the 47-year history of the chart to have each of their first four albums debut at No. 1, according to the release. “Blown Away” also debuted at No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart making her only the second country artist in history to have three consecutive albums debut at No. 1. “Blown Away” became country’s best-selling digital album debut since 2010. “Good Girl,” her first single from “Blown Away,” has already achieved the No. 1 slot on both Billboard and Country Aircheck’s country airplay charts and become her 15th career No. 1 single.
Since releasing “Some Hearts” in 2005, the Oklahoma native has sold more than 15 million albums with “Some Hearts,” 2007’s “Carnival Ride,” and 2009’s “Play On,” making her the best-selling “American Idol” in the United States. She’s accumulated 15 No. 1 singles, seven of which she co-wrote, and became the first country artist in history and the only “American Idol” winner ever to achieve 10 No. 1 singles from their first two albums. She is a five-time Grammy winner, a two-time Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year, a three-time Country Music Association and ACM Female Vocalist winner, and a member of the Grand Ole Opry.
If you’re ready to get the chills, check out this powerful trailer for the “Blown Away” video:
-BAM
Free Tulsa Music Festival bringing nearly 200 bands today and Saturday to historic Blue Dome Arts District
TULSA – Oklahoma’s largest homegrown music festival returns to downtown Tulsa today and Saturday with the Free Tulsa Music Festival.
The third annual festival is free to the public, and more than 20,000 are expected to attend the two-day festival, according to a news release.
Free Tulsa is taking place in the historic Blue Dome Arts district. It will feature nearly 200 bands on multiple indoor and outdoor stages.
“What sets Free Tulsa apart from all other music festivals in the state is this one is dedicated to showcasing performers who have ties to Oklahoma,” said founder Marcos Matheos in the release. “Free Tulsa is a fun, free and family-friendly event that allows people of all ages to enjoy local music while visiting our many great local businesses.”
Notable acts on this year’s lineup include OK Sweetheart, Taddy Porter, Broncho and Ester Drang. It also will remark a return for headlining art rockers Colourmusic of Stillwater, who have gone almost nine months without playing live shows and spent six months in a recording studio.
Colourmusic co-founder Ryan Hendrix told The Oklahoman‘s Conner Rohwer that the band plans to debut new songs from its yet-to-be-released “purple” album during its Free Tulsa set. He described the album as the sequel to their 2011 release “My ____ Is Pink.”
“I feel uncomfortable because there are so many awesome bands from Oklahoma that will be there,” Hendrix said of performing at Free Tulsa. “Just being in front of people that I know and respect makes it that much harder.”
To read more of Conner’s great interview with Colourmusic, click here.
Free Tulsa brings thousands of visitors to downtown Tulsa, generating a positive economic impact to locally-owned restaurants and retail businesses.
Free Tulsa will include more than 30 vendors and a hot dog eating contest, which will take place on the main stage at 6 p.m. on Saturday.
For more information, including festival safety tips courtesy of EMSA, the sign-up form for the Jim’s Never on Sunday Hot Dog eating contest and a map of the festival grounds, go to www.FreeTulsaMusicFestival.com.
Free Tulsa is a free two-day music festival founded by Matheos in 2010. The event is organized by Under the Belfry and is sponsored by This Land Press, the McNellies Group, Joe Momma’s, EMSA and Boxog.
IF YOU GO
Free Tulsa Music Festival
Who: Colourmusic, OK Sweetheart, Taddy Porter, Broncho, Ester Drang and more than 160 other local and state bands.
Where: Blue Dome District in Tulsa.
When: 6 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday.
Admission: Free.
Information: www.freetulsamusicfestival.com.
-BAM
Best Bets for July 27-29, 2012: Avett Brothers, National Day of the American Cowboy, “Call Me Madam,” Oklahoma Contemporary Dance Festival
Seth Avett, left, and his brother Scott Avett of the Avett Brothers band, are shown in Concord, N.C. (AP file)
Hear are the Best Bets for events happening in the Oklahoma City area this weekend, as listed in Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman. For more events, go to www.wimgo.com.
1. Hear the Avett Brothers at 8 p.m. Friday at Chesapeake Energy Arena, 100 W Reno. Information: (800) 745-3000 or www.chesapeakearena.com.
2. Celebrate the National Day of the American Cowboy Hawaiian style with live music, children’s art activities and movie screenings from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63. Information: 478-2250 or www.nationalcowboymuseum.org.
3. See state dancers and companies perform at the Oklahoma Contemporary Dance Festival at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at City Arts Center, 3000 General Pershing Blvd. at State Fair Park. Information: 206-2843 or www.perpetualmotiondance.org.
4. Watch Lyric Theatre’s production of the Irving Berlin musical “Call Me Madam,” based on the life of Oklahoma City socialite Perle Mesta, at 8 p.m. Friday and 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday at the Civic Center, 201 N Walker. Information: 524-9312 or www.lyrictheatreokc.com.
-BAM
