work of art's miles mendenhall

(from Mom Culture’s blog for Metro magazine)

On one hand, I give Miles Mendenhall, MInnesota native and a star of Bravo’s Work of Art, a lot of credit for going on a reality show. It can’t be easy to allow yourself to be judged, both by the on-air panel, as well as the viewing public. On the other hand, the rewards can be great for the participants…never mind us Dorito-wielding armchair judges being entertained at home.

Ultimately, it’s a win-win. Especially a win for Miles, who’s playing the reality show game so well that he is quickly becoming my favorite obnoxious character on reality television this summer (I’m sure one of the Real Housewives of New Jersey could have won this title, but I only tune into the New York franchise so I can’t be certain).

I’m fully aware that the Work of Art season is young so who knows, he may not keep his villain status. Plus, he’s competing with Nao for this role and she’s awesome at it…though I’m not sure how long she’ll be a player.

It’s really in episode 2 that Miles shows a side that makes him something that starts with a “D” and ends with “bag.” During that episode…READ MORE AT METROMAG.COM

(my latest piece on momlogic.com)

The following paragraph should be read in your best Rod Sterling voice (he’s the guy who introduced each episode of “The Twilight Zone”):

A quiet playground. A gorgeous spring day. A few kids under the age of 5 frolicking in the sun. Over the hill, a low rumbling sound wafts toward the baby swings. Parents look to the sky to see if it’s thunder; a blue sky indicates that impossibility. The first sight of one of them is sweet: a face with a big smile from the euphoria of being free for a few minutes. Then, like a stampede, the rumble gets louder as the next 30 kids follow quickly on the heels of the first one, kicking up dry dirt as their running feet hit the play area. Suddenly, the recently mellow swings are being tugged and used in ways not intended, and taunts replace the calm. You have entered the Twilight Zone … otherwise known as the world according to second graders.

That’s how it was a few weeks ago at the playground across from the elementary school. The school has its own playground, but on this day they spilled over to the public park. I was there. It proved to be fascinating insight at what really happens when a pack of second grade schoolmates do recess.

We parents don’t often get a chance to see our kids in action during the school day, and now I know why: it’s scary. It was like “Lord of the Flies” meets “Mean Girls.” CONTINUE READING AT MOMLOGIC.COM…

(from my momlogic.com post)

My sweet preschooler — the one who says that he swallows my kisses so they can live in his heart — recently tried to take up arms. That’s right: The gun phase had intruded on our peaceful homestead, and I was not having any of it.

My husband and I don’t have guns, and after thoughtful debate, I came to the conclusion that I needed to have a “pretend gun”-free home, too. You know pretend guns: Kids make them from anything that has a straight line … so that’s everything, basically, except balls.

Before I decided to ban gunplay in my house, I thought I could convince my son that those pretend “guns” could be water hoses. He asked if they could be fire hoses that spray fire instead, and I was cool with that. The trouble with that system was that it soon morphed into gun-shooting sounds again.

I did all sorts of research and gathered my mom-friends’ thoughts. One camp believes…CONTINUE READING AT MOMLOGIC.COM

(from Mom Culture’s blog on Metro magazine)

If animals knew how they were being depicted on television, there would be an uprising.

For one thing, Animal Planet’s line-up reads like a Stephen King novel. Remember when the scariest thing about animals was watching Jim on “Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom” try to tread softly, lest he scare a family of turtle doves?

And these poor animals are getting the paparazzi treatment: video is taken of them unknowingly while they go about their daily routine, and then convoluted statements are made about what they’re doing to make it seem sinister.

I’ve been attempting to tune into Animal Planet because my 4-year-old is into animals and likes to learn about them. Sure, we read books, but sometimes it’s fun to see them doing stuff.

I turn on Animal Planet thinking there will be a sweet show about dolphins or cavorting monkeys, but more often than not, the show is a cross between One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest meets Friday the 13th with animal stars.

The worst is when…(CONTINUE READING AT METRO)

Janelle Monae is one of the most original singers to break onto the scene. I love her sound and her look, stylized menswear with a modern day bouffant. There’s something about her costuming that reminds me of my beloved Prince, but her sound is all her own. You have to see and hear her to understand — check her website to see if you groove on her music like I do.

Picasso had two brilliant observations about children and art.

This Gem:
“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.”

And this one:
“It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.”

an artist and her work

Picasso would have really liked the exhibition I just curated for the Kirkland Gallery, a new gallery in downtown Minneapolis. The gallery’s owner asked me to curate a kid art room in his gallery. I had a blast selecting art of 3 and 4 year old kids, then hanging it in the context of a lovely gallery space.

To see the kids’ faces light up as they came in and saw their work looking so regal on the wall was fantastic! An artist I interviewed a few months back told me that the fact that his mom kept his artwork (ok, he knows now that she threw some of it away), made a huge impact on his confidence. Imagine what it does for a young child’s confidence to see their work in a real gallery.

Why does kids art make sense in a gallery full of adult artists? Because the mind of a 3 or 4 year old is unadulterated and free. Small children naturally tap into their subconscious, reaching the purest emotions. The child’s mind – that unconditional spirit and an ability to be fully present in each moment – is something we strive for as adults.

This is why we look at the art of 3 and 4 year olds: to remember the foundation and gift with which we were are all born, and which we long to access for the rest of our lives. To see this young art adjacent to more mature artists who are adept at getting to their pure emotional, creative state reminds us of the possibilities that exist when we manage to reach those magical places.

james rutherford (gallery owner), me and great kid art

(from Mom Culture’s blog on Metro magazine’s site)

My son is about to turn four, so gifts have been on my mind…and his. As a result, I recently found myself at our quaint local toy store.

I was truly excited to pick out a special toy for my son, but when I got there I became so distracted by all the shiny, colorful objects in the store. I stared wondrously at the throngs of kid kitchen utensils – a greater variety than I probably have in my own kitchen drawers. I stopped to ogle the multi-hued world map and think about how much I love travel. I reminisced over invisible ink pens and pads that I loved when I was a kid.

I got sidetracked in my goal to find something that was both creatively stimulating and developmentally positive. After my big outing to the toy store last week, I arrived home with a bag that had the following in it:

• 2 placements that can be colored, plus the wipe-off crayons to go with it
• a pack of pipe cleaners
• a present for another kid whose birthday party my son will attend
• a monkey backpack

Hmmm, it seems I failed at my mission. I was almost surprised at what appeared in the bag, as if someone else had purchased the items.

Part of the problem is that…READ MORE AT METRO MAGAZINE

I read A.O. Scott’s piece, “Gen X Has a Midlife Crisis,” in last Sunday’s New York Times and it resonated with me a little too well. If you were born between 1964 and 1979, you are among the “slackers,” like it or not. It’s not the easiest moniker to want to be part of, but there’s no denying your lineage as defined by the people who label such things.

douglas coupland's novel "generation X" is credited with coining the label

Apparently, our “cultural trademark” is a refusal to grow up. Are we truly refusing to grow up or just holding onto our idealism? And is this any different than what so many in their 30s and mid-40s goes through, regardless of what their generation is labeled?

I can only say that one of my favorite things (that I hardly ever get to do anymore) is hang out on a great big lawn at an outdoor concert on a hot summer day listening to music, dancing and drinking an icy cold beer. My college friends will attest that this sounds familiar…has it really been 20 years since I first experienced such bliss? Am I refusing to grow up or just embracing a joyful way to spend an afternoon?

Read the article and make your own conclusions. And if it makes you just want to pull the covers over your head, don’t fret — a John Hughes film is sure to put a smile on your face.