To answer your question Bea, yes Rooster Cogburn is alive, well and remains a robust member of the field population..... here is a photo of him this morning, enjoying the 24 degree heat we've experienced today!!!!!
(I had just had fed him some black currants that's why he is resting!!!!)
It feels like summer!
 |
| Blind but happy..Rooster Cogburn dozing in the heat |
The other day I caught up with an "arty" quiz show on tv entitled Show Me The Monet!
The format will be instantly recognisable for fans of Superstar, The X Factor and other such "build em up and rip them down" reality tv shows.... three judges (one nasty, one sexy (Roy Bolton below!) and one supportive) take a look at some amateur art pieces.....said pieces are
 |
| Sex on legs Roy Bolton |
we see it in everyday tv, everyday life, everyday emails and everyday blogs.
Programmes about "art" have never really been big draws on television.A few gimmicks have slipped under the wire so to speak....toothy nuns, ( Odyssey) , The Children's art champion Tony Hart (Vision On) and the dire Melvin Bragg in (The South Bank Show) but we have never had a joyful and simply instructive arts programme since Nancy Kominsky picked up her paint knife in the 1970s afternoon hit
Paint along with Nancy.
I mourn the likes of Mrs Kominsky, ( who by the way only died last year ) Positive, celebratory and talented, she was one of those tv presenters that showed you just how to do something and did so with great humour, wit and positivity.
There was no "tut tutting" at this and no "you're doing it all wrong" at that.....
It was a simple, polite,rather kitsch, and incredibly sweet way of looking at the world...
Well said sir. Couldn't agree more. Though I'm far too young to remember PAINT ALONG WITH NANCY, obviously... ;-)
ReplyDeleteVery true. Although I never did see that show, there were others who had the same flare. When did everyone forget how to be kind?
ReplyDeleteI hate those three judge programs because they are mean spirited for the sake of getting an audience. They have taken over TV now with new shows like these popping up all the time. Hopefully, people will tire of them soon.
ReplyDeleteFirstly, well done John.
ReplyDeleteNot a bad post, not bad at all. The only thing that concerns me was the lack of substance, the lack of depth, you never mentioned the Antiques Road Show, but I am sure my two fellow judges will have more to say on that...
TIT OFF! HIPPO! X
ReplyDeleteI saw that programme. The worst bit was "so we let you into our exhibition even though we thought you probably didn't deserve to be and guess what..... nobody bought your stuff. Bloody amateur."
ReplyDeleteAt least, I think that's what they meant.
Heh heh!
ReplyDeleteStarting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe said..."I hate those three judge programs because they are mean spirited for the sake of getting an audience"
ReplyDeleteYes, that's it. I think there are two aspects here:
1. Public cruelty as a spectacle - the viewer is incited to draw pleasure from someone else's pain (ranging from shows like the one John writes about, through to programmes about people experiencing trauma, illness, being arrested, being poor, etc.). This demand I is perhaps related to...
2. The incitement to be seen publically expressing emotion (e.g. Princess Diana dying, etc.) - the obligation for citizens to be seen to be 'feeling' something - either pain (death, illness, horror) or joy (you will enjoy yourself, you will be happy, etc), or possessing of a particular psychological character.
Nx
I never watch these programmes...I see no enjoyment in seeing people humiliated. As well as Vision On, which I loved, there was Art Attack which The Boy loved...
ReplyDeleteOh, did you not see Grayson Perry explaining how he made his class-based tapestries? Most entertaining.
ReplyDeletenick said...
ReplyDeleteOh, did you not see Grayson Perry
Yes, it was essential viewing. Incisive, sharp and enjoyable - an artist's eye cutting through the flim-flam of politics and class.
I'd forgotten all about 'Paint along with Nancy'. I'm staggering down Memory Lane now with the likes of 'The Galloping Gourmet' and 'House Party'....
ReplyDeleteI missed mr perry, apologies for leaving him off the list
ReplyDeleteI don't watch TV. Too cheap to pay for satellite but I do watch youtube. For a funny FUNNY goofball who harms no one check out "Nancy Today makes soap" She'll make you smile. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQDs_v0aY5o
ReplyDeleteGive me something like this any day over the garbage that swamped us since 2000...alas...North Americans are too...what should I say...arse pickers!
ReplyDeleteA lot of the shows on Netflix right now are recycled British shows. I just wasted a lot of time watching e seasons of Jupiter Moon, a space soap opera with the worst special effects I've seen since my son was in his 8th grade play. I guess since Downton Abbey was such a big success here, someone got the bright idea to recycle all your garbage, too.
ReplyDeleteI turned on the tube yesterday after years of ignoring it. (Yes, years.) I was trying to catch the Olympics, but after scrolling through Hell's Kitchen, the obligatory Law & Order and oh, wait, Fear Factor is still on? I quickly turned the damn thing off.
ReplyDeleteCan you believe I'm only in my early 40s?
Oh my goodness Paint Along With Nancy, I remember it well
ReplyDeleteOh who was that chap (American of Canadian) with lots of curly dark hair that was always painting mountain scenes?.... and the Grayson Perry programmes were delightful I thought. ps Nancy looks a little like Georgia Brown.........
ReplyDeleteThose colours in Rooster Cogburn's coat/pelt/plumage or whatever you call it would make a great subject for a painting.
ReplyDeletelibby :)
ReplyDeleteI think you are referring to Bob Ross, and I may be mistaken, but I believe he was an American. His show was on Public Broadcasting in the States for the most part, during the 70s and 80s. Good show, and very relaxing to watch.
I still watch the movies occasionally but tv has gotten so bad, I don't watch the programs anymore.
ReplyDeleteHi John,
ReplyDeletelove your blog; your acerbic wit is a true tonic. :-) Re art programmes you forgot the sublime Rolf Harris - especially his Star Portraits where three different artists painted portraits of famous people - one was chosen by the star at the end; but the great thing was being able to see the creative process and see how the artist had to form a relationship extremely quickly to try to 'capture' the subject - fascinating stuff.
We need all the incredibly sweet ways of looking at the world that we can get John, it seems to me.
ReplyDeleteMz Witch
ReplyDeleteI liked Rolf, but I always preferred him in ANIMAL HOSPITAL, where he spent most of his time crying!
he IS a wonderful artist though!
I never watched "Paint Along with Nancy" but i remember Bob Ross with his soothing voice, and there was a local programme when i was a kid with an artist by the name of Ralph McKenna. He'd show you how to draw all kinds of things. I had trouble drawing stick people so didn't often try to follow along but i'd watch and be absolutely fascinated with how he knew to place a few lines and draw something wonderful.
ReplyDeleteRolf Harris - 'a wonderful artist'. Don't let H.I. hear you say that.
ReplyDeleteSomehow I doubt she reads going gently
ReplyDeleteI love Rolf Harris - both as an artist and a TV personality. People sometimes scoff at me when I say this - but he's a good 'all-rounder', not enough folk like him on TV today.
ReplyDeleteNx
don't forget claire sweeney Nige
ReplyDelete24 mmm nice and warm.
ReplyDeleteOh I'd never forget the lovely Claire. That scouse babe is a safe pair of hands.
ReplyDeleteNx
I am going to ask if she will open my open allotoment day next year nige waddu think?
ReplyDeleteNo, really? Well, if that's your plan, then you have my blessing. You'll need her agent:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.billymarsh.co.uk/claire-sweeney.html
Yes, I just Googled it. Oh the excitement! You might also book Cat Deeley or Anneka Rice as standbys.
Nx
I was thinking more of lillian from THE ARCHERS
ReplyDeleteYes Yes Yes
ReplyDeleteTrelawnyd will be bursting at the seams with gay men and female C-list celebrities :-o
Nx
my kind of heaven!
ReplyDeleteShit you guys. I'll come from the States for that.
ReplyDeleteDxxx
Of course, I'd be interested in this because of my formal art background, but it seems that we cannot get anyone but a rogue group of people to stick with art. Either you're into it or your not. Music is more widespread, but people have a hard time realizing that they are embracing art into their lives, every day, in many ways. Keep us posted; I wonder how it will do and most interested in the gallery exhibits, to see if their work will sell. My professor used to tell us to NEVER set the price tag of our art by our own bank account, but by the highest worth of the unlimited bank account. It worked, my friend sold his art for $600,000 a piece, three pieces in one Houston art show. Good advice for TRUE artists.
ReplyDeleteLana
What a lovely lady, enjoyed seeing her on the video you posted and then spent a further lot of happy minutes watching other vids of her on YouTube. I have now learnt to paint things which I never knew how to do before, although I don't actually do painting at the moment I can file it away in the recesses of my mind in case I do in the future!
ReplyDelete