The Pearl Fincher Museum of Fine Arts

Hello LIFEers. This week's class was an exciting foray into the world of portraiture. Tim Novak, Executive Director of the Pearl Fincher Museum, joined us to talk about the history of portraiture and what it means today.

To most people, a portrait is a painting of a person, usually the head and torso, as distinguished from a landscape or still life. Scroll to the bottom of the blog and look at the image of the girl with the dog. This fits our definition of a portrait, but it is not a portrait; it is an ad for Coke. The girl is not the subject; Coke is. So we need to narrow our definition. Tim Novak taught us that a portrait is any image that describes a person. This greatly changes our thoughts on portraiture! Now look at the image of the chalkboard equation "e=mc²". By our old definition this image is not a portrait, because it is not an image of a person. But by our new definition this image is a portrait, because the equation makes us think of a person; Albert Einstein, the equation's discoverer.

Now that we have a new definition of portraiture, we can see the mechanisms behind many portraits. The artist isn't just trying to describe the subject; they are often trying to represent the subject in a specific way for a purpose. Look at the portrait of Queen Elizabeth I. This picture isn't just another painting of the Queen. She is making a statement. The painting is full of symbolism. The pearls, on the Queen's head and gown, symbolize purity. (Queen Elizabeth I was famously known as the Virgin Queen, since she never married). Next to her right arm is the imperial crown, and her right hand rests upon a globe with her fingers touching the Americas. In the background of the painting are scenes depicting the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588; a pivotal event during Elizabeth's reign and a great triumph for the English nation. So the purpose of this painting wasn't to show what Queen Elizabeth really looked like in her daily life. The purpose of this painting was to proclaim the Queen's dominion over land and sea, and her triumph over those who would challenge her sovereignty.

Now take a look at the painting by Norman Rockwell. It is a self portrait, or is it? Look closer. How did the artist manage to paint this? The only way he could have painted this from real life is if there was a second mirror placed in our (the viewer's) position. So Rockwell cleverly staged this painting to confuse the viewer about how it was made. What else does this painting say? Count the images of Rockwell in the painting. I counted 8 (notice the small sketches it the upper left of the canvas). Notice he includes the self portraits of master painters' Dürer, Rembrandt and Van Gogh in his painting too. Lastly, he included the eagle and a Roman warrior's helmet (placed just above his portrait's head). Perhaps Rockwell was trying to slyly tell us that he is a great American artist.

So the next time you are you at a museum and see yet another boring portrait, challenge yourself to step out of your 21st century perspective and try to see what the artist is trying to convey. Who is the subject? Do they seem happy, sad, serious, joyful? What are they wearing; nice clothes, simple clothes? How are they positioned in the painting? Are they commanding the space, or is it a more humble posture? Look at the other items in the painting; what are they symbolic of? What does all this put together tell you about the subject? And then think to yourself how you might want to be remembered in 200-300 years.

Cupcake Magic with Fondant

Greetings LIFEers! Our reward for braving the ice and wind today was cupcakes! Librarian Krissy Conn joined us to teach us how to make fondant flowers for decorating cakes, cupcakes, a table setting or just playing with for edible fun.

Fondant (pronounced fon-dent in English and fon-don in its native French) means "melting", because fondant rolls out very smooth and has an almost liquid-like appearance, which is why bakers like to use it on wedding cakes instead of icing, which can look lumpy and textured. But beyond making cakes look smooth, fondant is popular because it can be rolled or sculpted into just about any shape, making decorating ideas almost limitless. In our class today, we practiced making fondant roses.

Fondant dries out very quickly, so make sure you keep the fondant you aren't working with in a sealed container or bag. Roll your fondant into 9 marble sized balls; 6 being a little larger than the other 3. Pinch one of the larger balls at the bottom and form the top into a little cone shape for the center of your flower. One at a time, pinch the 3 smaller balls into petal shapes, and attach them to the center piece, overlapping the petals. When you have the first layer of three petals, pinch the edges to be very thin, like a flower petal. The petals should always be higher than the center. Repeat this process with the 5 larger balls, making the larger outer ring of petals. See photos below for an example of a completed rose. You can use paste or food coloring from a craft store to color your flower when you are finished.

Remember, fondant is similar to clay, so if you don't like what you created, mash it all up and start over. After kneading it for a minute and adding a tiny bit of water, you should be able to shape it again.

For ideas of fondant projects, see Wilton.com

http://www.wilton.com/decorating/fondant/

For fondant supplies, visit your local craft store like Hobby Lobby or Michaels.
http://www.michaels.com/Fondant-Gum-Paste/products-bakeware-fondantgumpaste,default,sc.html

Food Network also has some good tips on decorating with fondant.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/decorating-with-fondant-recipe/index.html

Are You A "Good" Bird, Or A "Bad" Bird?

Hello LIFEers. This week Professor Tim Sebesta came to our LIFE class to warn us that we are being invaded! They’re already here! No, it’s not the pod people, but birds, millions and millions of birds invading our towns and countryside. And while they aren’t attacking us directly, like Hitchcock would have you believe, some are threatening our native birds, crops and ecosystems. Hence the class’ title, “Are you a good bird, or a bad bird?”

Did you know that in North America today there are nearly 100 alien bird species? This includes game birds and escaped pet birds. Some alien birds got here on their own, such as the Old World Cattle Egret, which arrived in South America around 1880 and in Florida around 1940. It now thrives in the cow pastures of the southeastern US. Other species were brought here and released deliberately, such as the European Starling. In 1890, Eugene Schieffelin, a wealthy businessman, released 60 Starlings in Central Park, and then another 40 the following year. Today, Starlings live coast to coast, from Alaska to Mexico, with an estimated population of over 200 million.

Another introduced bird is the House Sparrow. People brought it to the US because they thought it was pretty and that they would control pests. After being introduced to North America in 1850 in Brooklyn, NY, it took only 50 years to spread across the US. But not all birds that are introduced to a new area are considered invasive. Out of the most familiar introduced bird species; European Starling, House Sparrow, Common India Myna, Mute Swan, Rock Pigeon, Ring-Necked Pheasant, Eurasian Collard-Dove and the Monk Parakeet; the last three are not considered invasive.

The Sparrow, Pigeon and Starling are considered the most invasive and damaging to the US. The Starling damages crops and livestock feedlots, the Pheasant eats sprouting corn, Starlings make dirty and smelly nests in cities, and all birds living in cities foul structures with droppings. It is believed that many years of bird droppings may even have contributed to the highway bridge collapse in Minnesota; the acid in the droppings accelerating the corrosion process.

So why are these birds thriving here? It is a combination of factors; they fight aggressively for territory and food, and reproduce more quickly. Meanwhile they kill or inhibit the reproduction of native species, bring parasites and diseases, contaminate our food storage facilities and are responsible for over $4.5 million in damage to aircraft.

What can you do about this invasion, you ask? You can start in your own backyard. First target: food. If you have birdfeeders, try to use thistle, safflower seeds, suet, nectar or fruit and nuts for food. Avoid corn, wheat, oats, millet and bread scraps, which are favored by invasive species. Avoid hopper-style feeders, platform feeders or putting food on the ground. Instead use clinging mesh feeders, sock or tube feeders with perches shorter than 5/8 of an inch, or feeders with weighted perches. Hanging style feeders that sway in the breeze are also good deterrents to invasive species. Finally, stop feeding in the summer. Food is abundant this time of year, and by providing food you are probably encouraging the spread of the invasive species. Feed only the winter when food is scarce.

Second target: minimize their nesting areas. Fill in gaps in your house, usually in eaves under the roof, by using 19 gauge hardwire cloth. Birdhouses with small openings will prevent the spread of Starlings, but won’t stop Sparrows. Third, you can trap invasive birds and destroy their nests and eggs. Last, be a good egg and inform your family, friends and neighbors about invasive birds so they can join the effort to minimize their spread.

See you next week!

Create Your Family's Oral History

It was a dark and stormy night. The thunder boomed and lightning flashed across the sky. The rain pelted down in torrential sheets. Then, in the distance, a dark figure stumbled into view. It got closer and closer, and I felt a chill run down my spine. This creature promised nothing but trouble and misery. I turned to run away, but I slipped on the wet pavement and the thing pounced on me, and with a primal roar it sank its teeth into my neck and branded me as its own forever. And that's how I met your mother....

At least that is the story my father told me. How about you? Do you know your family's history? Do you have stories of long ago and far away? This week our LIFE class was joined by Professor Sandra Harvey, a professional oral historian who received her degree from Baylor University, and she gave us tips on how to collect your family's oral history.

1) Define the project. Know what you want to talk about so you can keep the interview on track. Some folks have a tendency to wander from topic to topic if you let them.

2) Do your research. Find as many documents as you can (family Bibles, letters, birth certificates, death certificates, newspaper announcements, etc.) to spur the interview.

3) Find interviewees. For family histories this should be easy. If you are doing an oral history for a community, put up fliers in churches, nursing homes, grocery stores - any public place that a person from the time period you want may see it. Hit the pavement - go door to door asking folks if they know of people who you could interview. Kids' memories of their parents' memories don't count - you can't corroborate what they say. You need first hand material.

4) Make an outline of the interview. Don't make a list of questions - that tends to discourage talk. Having a rough outline allows the interviewee to decide the course of the interview.

5) Don't let the interview become a monologue. You are giving the interview, so it is up to you to keep the interviewee on topic and keep track of the time.

6) Set a time and date for the interview that works for both of you. Allow two hours; one hour for the interview, and another hour to say hello, chit-chat and set up.

7) Make sure all your equipment works before you do the interview! Have a back-up recorder, extra batteries, a note pad and lots of pens.

8) Start off the interview by stating your name, the date, the time, the place and the name of the interviewee. If you are recording on a cassette tape, say "side 1". If the tape runs out, flip the tape over and say "side 2, a continuation of my interview with Bob Jones."

9) Some good prompts to get interviewees to talk are "tell me your name, where you were born, when were you born, tell me about your background..." Such basic information will get them comfortable speaking to you and the recorder.

10) Transcribe your interviews.

11) Convert your tapes to digital as soon as you can. Cassette tapes degrade after 10 years. Film degrades a little more slowly, but they don't last forever.

12) Get signed contracts with the interviewee allowing you to record and then publish the interview. If you want to donate the interview to a university or museum, make sure to get their consent to do that.

13) Get used to distractions during the interview. The sound of your own voice, animals, children, phones, doorbells - something will always interrupt you.

To hear examples of Professor Harvey's interviews and more, check out the Living Stories page on Baylor University's website, under the radio segments. And start working on your family's oral history today!
http://www.baylor.edu/livingstories/

Five Important Things

Hello LIFEers! Dr. Chase Hayden joined us this week to talk about the five most important things we can do for our health. Did you know that 1 out of 10 Americans today is diabetic, and that by 2050 it will be 1 out of 3? Ten years ago 1 out of 100 kids was autistic; today the ratio is 1 out of 73. America also ranks 37th in infant mortality among industrialized nations, a steep drop over the last several years. And Americans over 50 take, on average, 3 to 5 medications. The overall trend is that our health is in decline, and Dr. Hayden has some suggestions about how to improve your health. Check out his presentation below, and stay happy and healthy!

Five Important Things

View more presentations from LSC-CyFair Library, LIFE Workshops.

Algae to Biodiesel

Greetings LIFEers. Here is the second part of Dr. Daniel Kainer's presentation on the biotech industry, focusing on converting algae to biodiesel. Enjoy!

Algae to Biodiesel

View more presentations from LSC-CyFair Library, LIFE Workshops.

Introduction to Biotech

Hello LIFEers! This week we were joined by Dr. Daniel Kainer, Director LSC-Montogomery Biotechnology Institute, who talked to us about the growing biotech industry, and its importance not just to science but to many fields of study, from medicine to power plants. Check out his lecture below. In fact, he had so much material to cover, we couldn't get to all of it in our regular class. See the next blog for his presentation on using algae to make biodiesel.

Introduction to Biotech

View more presentations from LSC-CyFair Library, LIFE Workshops.