The Lardner Report – Page 44 – Unleash your creative superpowers!

Red Light Rauschenberg

August 31, 2014 by Lonnie Lardner

(Pic #1) Grab shot on Olympic and Bundy, Los Angeles

Let traffic serve as your muse

Next time you’re stuck in one of our city’s nightmarish jams, take advantage of the unplanned stop. The wait at the stubborn red light just might provide an opportunity for a grab shot worth keeping. I’ve always been a fan of Rauschenberg’s “combine paintings,” and lately I keep seeing quirky versions of them right through my windshield. From tractor trailers to local pool guy trucks, I always find exciting shapes, lines and textures. They make fantastic photographic compositions (Pic #1) — with little or no planning.

(Pic #2) Grab shot in downtown Santa Barbara

The stoplight strategy works for sweet architectural encounters too. (Pics #2, 3, 4) All of these were shot out the window on the way to or in Santa Barbara while waiting for the light to change. Today’s sprawling urban landscape just begs to be captured – and you don’t need extravagant light kits or 10-thousand dollar lenses — just a willingness to conquer the congestion with a fresh look at exactly what’s in front of you.

(Pic #3) Santa Barbara second story. Photo by Josh Kaplan

(Pic #4) Subtle wall wash, Malibu, Cali. Photo by Josh Kaplan

Today’s Pic: Chaos Can Be A Beautiful Thing

July 31, 2014 by Lonnie Lardner

(Pic #1): Treasure on a Truck

On a recent excursion from Los Angeles to San Diego, I drove by what appeared to be a chaotic payload of pure junk. But after closer examination, it turned out to be a very sweet visual treat. I begged my husband to slow down so I could grab the iPhone and shoot the fleeting work of art. (Pic #1)

I’ll never know who the driver was, but I applaud his ingenuity and sense of order. It appears he mathematically calculated a space for everything – thereby creating his own pure act of “organized chaos.”

(Pic #2): “Number 8” oil and enamel on canvas by Jackson Pollock

Chaos on Canvas:

In fine art, especially in emotional abstract expressionism, successful disorder is often considered a “happy accident.”

Jackson Pollock embraced this kind of spontaneity in his work. He is best known for the paintings that look more like haphazard splatters than literal representations of everyday life.

One of Pollock’s contemporaries, Willem de Kooning believed that Pollock brought chaos to the world of painting “so that a new painting could be born out of the chaos he created.”

I can’t imagine my southbound trucker had the same intention, but at least I get to showcase his unintentional, anonymous work of art on the worldwide web.

Today’s Pic: The Art of Reflection

June 30, 2014 by Lonnie Lardner

Reflection in a spoon - close up photo-2.4tlrjpg

(Pic #1) A “silver spoon moment” at Le Pain Quotidien, Calabasas, California

Tune out the noise, and discover a beautiful thing

I was sitting in an extraordinarily loud section of a trendy Calabasas restaurant when I got cranky. Screaming kids, disinterested servers, and they had just closed out the breakfast menu which I had come in for. I felt a bit like the Princess and the Pea, and had to talk myself out of leaving.

(Pic #2) “Composition in Red, Blue and Yellow” (1937-42) by Piet Mondrian

Then, this wondrous thing happened: I glanced down to a table setting that would save my day. Right there, shining brightly and in primary colors, I spotted a miniature masterpiece in the reflection of my silver cialis spoon. (Pic #1) It was lovely. It sucked the frustration right out of my bones. A mini-Mondrian right there at my lunch table. (Pic #2) It made me smile, and a giddiness replaced my hotheadedness. I even showed it to my waitress. Yeah, I think she thought it was lame, but I didn’t care.

In my creativity workshops, I preach the benefits of letting moments like this happen – especially during the days we feel uncreative or stuck. Just taking the time to really “look” around us can unearth the most glorious treasures. So when it gets loud, uncomfortable, or unpleasant, just know you could be a glance away from a very sweet visual gift. Art is in fact everywhere.