Category Archives: art

art

Who Is A Genius?

Ain’t I A Woman? Ain’t I Genius?

I get excited every year when the MacArthur Genius are announced.  I first heard about the award on an episode of the NBC show ‘Mad About You’, and I was struck that an organization can deem people as geniuses.  I wanted to be a genius when I was younger.  I thought of myself as being as smarter than average.

However, I have awful study habits, and I hated college. I have one bachelor’s degree, and I don’t see a Ph.D. in my future.  It doesn’t take a strong academic career to be a genius.  It takes a body of great work and a lot of people to confer that you are one.

Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Prince- geniuses.

I never thought of Kanye West as a genius.  I don’t think of Donald Glover as one (yet).

Most of the geniuses we talk about are men.  However,  it doesn’t mean that men are more likely to be geniuses.

Who are the black women geniuses?  It is hard to come up with a deep bench of black women geniuses mainly because they are not often afforded the opportunity to create with limits.

These are some of the ones I have thought of:

Lorraine Hansberry, Audre Lorde.

Toni Morrison, Oprah, Kara Walker, Beyonce Janelle Monae.

Comedian Rae Sanni tweeted this and it was like she read my mind.

 

Also this tweet by  @stankofa:

art, personal finance

Molly Crabapple’s Rules For Creative Success In The Internet Age

Now that the new tax bill has been passed, creatives have to really look at how they can survive financially, because itemizing deductions is basically obsolete. Coincidentially, I remembered this excellent article by Molly Crabapple that outlines her rules for creative success. Molly Crabapple is an artist who I met over ten years ago in Brooklyn. She is someone that knows her worth, and doesn’t romanticize the idea of being a struggling artist. Molly wrote this excellent post for Boing Boing, and I keep referring creatives to it. Now that I am blogging about it, I know I will always have it.

This is her second rule, but it is number one in my book:

2. Companies are not loyal to you. Please never believe a company has your back. They are amoral by design and will discard you at a moment’s notice. Negotiate aggressively, ask other freelancers what they’re getting paid, and don’t buy into the financial negging of some suit.

art, me

I Am An Amateur Photographer

Stylish Senior by Nichelle Stephens on 500px.com

I have been taking photos for years, but I didn’t get a good camera until 18 months ago when I got a Canon EOS.  Now when people see me, they assume that I am a photographer.   I often say “I am not a photographer; I just have a good camera.”  Well, I am actually an amateur photographer. I enjoy taking photos and I want to get better at it. One of my photos will be in a local exhibition, Span The Gap. This week I joined 500px and I am posting photos on there.

art, books, music

Niche List: Melting Season, Stained Glass, Lucid Food

THE COUNTRYMAN AND THE SERPENT

Jan 14 Book party for Louisa Shafia’s new cookbook, Lucid Food: Cooking for an Eco-Conscious Life. at Jimmy’s 43. $22.50 adv. $25 at the door. It is also a fundraiser for Just Food. Price of admission includes a signed copy of the book and an sampling of small plates.

Jan 19 Stained glass artist Joseph Cavelieri is having an artist reception at THINK coffee. Work will include The Simpsons “Missing Episode” series and the Muscle Man series. (1 Bleecker St near Bowery) 7-9pm FREE

Jan 21 Jami Attenberg is back with a new novel, The Melting Season. Her first reading in Manhattan will be at the Barnes & Noble Tribeca (97 Warren Street). FREE

Not time sensitive but interesting: I love this song by Childish Gambino (AKA Actor Donald Glover), “Bitch Look At Me Now“. He raps over Grizzly Bear’s “Two Weeks”. Wow! Next, I hope he raps over the Dirty Projectors’ “Stillness Is The Move”.

art, cupcakes, food and drink

The Week In Links: Jesus Camp, Art Openings, Cupcakes

cupcakes from cupcake camp

Tuesday, I went to The Bell House for the very first time. Brooklyn Based just started a new film series, Drinks on the Doc where they will show indie documentaries. The first one was “Jesus Camp” which is a very scary movie.
Wednesday, I bought some fly Vans sneakers.
Thursday, I check out some art in Chelsea, Sophie Calle at Paula Cooper and the Objects of Desire at Anna Kustera.
Friday, I did some co-working at Treehouse and later I went to CupcakeCampNYC.
Saturday, the boy and I went to Beer Table and got tipsy from fancy beers.
Sunday, I made macaroni and cheese for two Easter brunches.

art, cupcakes, the week in links

The Week In Links Ending March 6 (Yellow Cake, Cupcakes)

Donkey Party at Fountain Art Fair, originally uploaded by nichellest.

I missed last week’s post. I am a busy procrastinator.

Erin and Her Cello played at Rockwood Music Hall on Monday. Tom Zoellner read from his new book, “Uranium:War, Energy, and the Rock That Shaped the World” on Thursday at McNally Jackson.

Saturday, I had delicious spinach pizza at Toby’s Public House.

Today, I went to the Fountain Art Fair at Pier 66 and saw this cool installation, The Donkey Party” by Gregory Habenry.  Pictured above are cupcakes  from Greg’s installation.  My new client, Glowlab, a cool art gallery in Soho, had some of their artists’ work at Fountain as well.

art, blogs, books, brooklyn, cupcakes, cupcakes take the cake, eating out, food

Baked Book Party and FreshDirect Event

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Nato, Matt, Niche and RKB, originally uploaded by nichellest.

Tonight, I went to the book party for Baked at PowerHouse Arena in DUMBO. Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito, the owners of Baked in Red Hook, have written their first cookbook,  Baked: New Frontiers in Baking, which is full of delicious recipes for cakes, brownies, whoopie pies and cupcakes. The Chocolate Malted cupcakes pictured above are so yummy!

Artisanal Cheese and Wine At USQ

Before going to the Baked event, I stopped by the FreshDirect event at Union Square Wine and Spirits.  The event was to promote the FreshDirect’s new online wine store partnership With USQ Wine Store.  There was cheese and wine pairings, sake with edamame,  a few Spanish wines and a really spicy ginger cocktail made with Canton.  I especially liked the Llopart Rose Brut Cava so I may get some for the holidays since they will be here soon.  At the event, I met a couple of writers from Crain’s,  a very cool former model who is a foodie, and actress Robin Mattson who played Heather on General Hospital back in the day. Plus, I talked to fellow foodbuzz blogger Miss Ginsu and the very nice publicists at MWW.