Author Archives: JMN

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About JMN

I live in Texas and devote much of my time to easel painting on an amateur basis. I stream a lot of music, mostly jazz, throughout the day. I like to read and memorize poetry.

“How We Work Together”

Posted on February 14, 2019 by JMN

While new restaurants in Los Angeles struggle to train and retain staff, the cooks at Beverly Soon Tofu have worked with Ms. Lee for decades, fermenting kimchi and frying kelp. “They speak broken Korean to me, I speak broken Spanish … Continue reading →

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“Good Mistakes”

Posted on February 14, 2019 by JMN

Frank Gehry: Like in [the Bilbao Guggenheim Museum, 1997, designed by Gehry]…, when I look at the building, personally I have all kinds of criticisms of it — I can’t understand why they like it so much. Ai Weiwei: I’ve … Continue reading →

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Miguel Covarrubias

Posted on February 11, 2019 by JMN

Born in Mexico City in 1904, Covarrubias was a member of Kahlo’s inner circle — a highly sociable workaholic, painter, anthropologist, teacher, writer and sometime curator — who had a chameleonic talent for drawing. He would illustrate his own books … Continue reading →

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Dana Schutz

Posted on February 11, 2019 by JMN

None of this would be too interesting if Ms. Schutz’s way with paint, like her way with images and details, were not so engrossing and perplexing, and did not provide so much to work with. Narrative and brushwork tangle and … Continue reading →

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“Never Afraid to Seem a Little Mad”

Posted on February 11, 2019 by JMN

[This entertaining article about contemporary UK interior designers has stunning photo illustrations. The excerpts I provide here are mere pointers to author Hass’s sprightly, scintillating text.] “The English,” says Rita Konig…“have never been afraid to seem a little mad…” A … Continue reading →

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Margo Price

Posted on February 10, 2019 by JMN

apple.news/AhZ4ZKdByRU-EyGkpCYgX6w Country music was a good way to get my foot in the door, but . . . when you venture out of country music you have more freedom to say what you want….” (Greg Jaffe, “This Liberal Country Singer … Continue reading →

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“Flowers” and Candy Bars

Posted on February 10, 2019 by JMN

[Watercolor by Harold J. Nichols, 1924-2013] I’ve started viewing “Flowers” on Netflix, a British series starring Olivia Colman. In episode 2, I think I heard a character ask a refreshment vendor for “two Clunks and a Milky Finger.” The vendor … Continue reading →

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Ruskin’s Strong Instinct to Draw

Posted on February 10, 2019 by JMN

In the bicentenary of his birth, it’s time we looked again at the forward-thinking and influential ideas of the great Victorian, writes Daisy Dunn. — Read on http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20190207-was-ruskin-the-most-important-man-of-the-last-200-years Indeed, Ruskin was not only an astute critic but a talented artist … Continue reading →

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I Just Spent 3 Months in the Wrong Time Zone!

Posted on February 10, 2019 by JMN

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/feb/09/why-spanish-sleeping-habits-under-strain The other factor that affects Spaniards’ sleeping habits is that the country is in the wrong time zone. Geographically, Spain should be on Greenwich Mean Time, but in 1942 the fascist dictator Francisco Franco switched the nation to European … Continue reading →

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The Best Way to Enjoy Movies

Posted on February 10, 2019 by JMN

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/feb/10/why-didnt-liam-neeson-just-stick-to-script The best way of enjoying a film is to know nothing at all about the actors. Except that they’re famous and good sports. (David Mitchell, “Why didn’t Liam Neeson just stick to the script?”, The Guardian, 2-10-19) I’m too … Continue reading →

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