Category: Agenda Bloggers

Arting Around | Parisian Painter Michael Stervinou – Artist and Creative Muse

Arting Around | Parisian Painter Michael Stervinou – Artist and Creative Muse

On Friday, July 29, 2016, I met and interviewed Parisian painter Michael Stervinou at the La Jolla Fashion Film Festival held at the city’s Modern Art Museum. We spoke about his involvement in one of the film, The One 3: Horror Sex Fashion, of which three of his paintings were used in a very unusual way. Dressed in a classic navy shirt and jacket, and topped with a whimsical leopard bowtie, Stervinou created his own fashion statement.

Martin Luther King and Malcolm X waiting for press conference on March 26, 1964 (Photo: Marion S. Trikosko)

Social Almanac | Voices Up . . . Silence Begets Violence

We’ve protested. We’ve rioted. We’ve marched. We’ve cried in press conferences. We’ve appealed to the media. We’ve prayed. We’ve forgiven. We’ve done everything we know to do. And nothing is working. We need your help–you–the unaffected. Just like the 60s when Blacks and Whites marched arm in arm. We are only 12 percent of the population. And the rank and file American is weary of protest.

Arting Around | The 57th Annual Genii Awards – Alliance for Women in Media

Arting Around | The 57th Annual Genii Awards – Alliance for Women in Media

Barbara Boxer beamed with pride as she talked about her daughter’s success:

“It’s a thrill because my daughter has taken on so many issues like the ones I have fought for and she has also introduced me to the issues like rape on college campuses, rape in the military. She has enlightened me to the fact that homeless women are there because they have suffered some kind of trauma.”

What did Barbara Boxer think about the possibility of a woman becoming President of the United States?

“I am so glad you asked that question.” She held up a necklace. “I am wearing my ‘H’ close to my heart. It’s the right moment. We’re approaching the 100th anniversary for women getting the right to vote, and it took us so long. Frankly we stood back and fought for everybody else, but we didn’t fight for ourselves.” Replied Barbara Boxer.

Pulling her daughter (Nicole) closer to her, Barbara described how women who pave the road to success possess the same qualities.

“The type of things Nicole is doing in her world; the kind of things I’m doing in my world; the kind of things Hillary is doing in her world, it’s all connected—It’s connected with a certain type of spirit—I think we carry passion in our hearts, but we’re tough.”

As the red carpet arrivals ended, and everyone went into the auditorium for the award’s ceremony, one celebrity stood there looking forever young and talking with that unmistakable voice of The Nanny. Fran Drescher (The Nanny’s Fran Fine) made sure she had creative control of her long-time running television series.

“I was the Executive Producer of The Nanny, I wrote and directed it too. The Nanny offered me a great opportunity to have many options in this industry. That’s why I am here tonight, because I am about opening doors, honoring women; and trying to change the narrative of how important we are to any business that we involve ourselves with.”
“We need to start realizing that women bring a different energy . . . different abilities to the party; and unless they are invited to the table, to every board meeting, to executive policy meetings in every job at a high level position, we’re not getting the full value of what can happen.” —Fran Drescher on Women in the Media

Arting Around | Tanna Frederick on Her Virtual Reality Creation . . . DEFROST

Arting Around | Tanna Frederick on Her Virtual Reality Creation . . . DEFROST

Literally there is no place to hide with virtual reality. The actors who are being filmed need to play their parts perfectly, because one long take makes the entire movie. And the eight lenses are focused on the characters every second. When the audience watches the movie with special 3-D virtual reality goggle, they can’t hide. Each spectator is plunged into depths of the story, where every movement, sound, twitch on a face; every emotion expressed, lives and breathes in our psyche. Nothing goes unseen . . . nothing goes unrecorded.