Douglas Newby Insights - Page 16
Archer Tales
Is there a better living storyteller than Jeffrey Archer? One of the things I love about Dallas is that prominent readers, artists, and authors will come through Dallas and one has a chance to meet them in a very intimate setting, where in New York one might be relegated to a back room for videofeed. Outside of Dallas, London is my favorite city because it is large and imposing like New York, but it has incredible intimacy and accessibility like Dallas. At Hatchard’s, my favorite bookstore, Jeffrey Archer spoke for over an hour and conversed for almost another hour with about 70 people that included his wife, son, original publisher that is pictured, his current editor, and many of his friends at the 40th Anniversary of the publication of Kane and Abel. I have always enjoyed his writing through the years, but there is something special about listening to an author, their thoughts, approach, and personal interest that gives even greater depth to their stories. Jeffrey Archer’s most current book Nothing Ventured is another one of his books I could not put down and read within a day or two. Thank you Hatchard’s for being such great literary sherpas and bringing in authors that revere Hatchard’s as much as we revere the authors. *Archer Tales
#JeffreyArcher #Author #BookSigning #Neighborhood #London #Books #Hatchards
Art Floods Architecture
One of my favorite pieces of art is from the collection of Heidi Dillon, a photograph of a model of a flooded room by James Casebere. Now to see at the Royal Academy an extraordinarily elegant and important historic room really flooded with a saline solution of clay by Antony Gormley was breathtaking. This transgression violates all principles of great architecture and yet it celebrates architecture. Rather than the panic that comes if a room in one’s own home floods, here there is a tranquility that transpires by the reflective depths of this flooded surface. The room is solid, it still stands, and might be even more beautiful as art floods the floor. *Art Floods Architecture
#AntonyGormley #RoyalAcademy #BurlingtonHouse #Architecture #Neighborhood #Gallery #Architect #Artist #Art #Sculpture #Historic #Modern #ContemporaryArt #HistoricallySignificant #Exhibition @heididillon_hfd
Architecture and Art
The Royal Academy is always one of my first stops in London. The approach to the Burlington House is a splendid prelude to the art and architecture one is about to see. Rather than an academy thwarting creative expression, it gives art and architecture a thoughtful curatorial foundation. The combination of artists and architects comprising the Academy tends to tether the artists by the precision and engineering of architects, and architects, in turn, might be provoked to work outside a grid. This combination of the influences of the Royal Academy always creates shows in an imposing historic space that is beautifully composed, exquisitely proportioned, and beautifully hung. The work of Antony Gormley creates additional appreciation for the architecture of each space that submitted to his strong work, with different expressions cascading from one gallery to the next. Art and architecture is so different, which makes both more powerful when it is intertwined at the Royal Academy. *Architecture and Art
#BurlingtonHouse #RoyalAcademy #AntonyGormley #Gallery #LondonNeighborhood #Architecture #Architect #Artist #Art #Sculpture #Historic #Modern #ContemporaryArt #HistoricallySignificant #Exhibition
Café Pacific – Menu for Holiday
New red menus were just published for the holiday season at Café Pacific. Jack Knox’s iconic Highland Park restaurant is on the holiday menu for so many in Dallas. Its clublike atmosphere has the best combination of great food by the talented chef Terry Cook, the finest wait staff in Dallas, tradition and vibrancy that transcends the age and wealth of many of its longtime patrons. Holiday cheer exudes from Café Pacific for those returning to Dallas, those currently living in Dallas, and those new to Dallas that quickly discover Café Pacific. No restaurant says Highland Park and Dallas better than Café Pacific. Thank you, Jack Knox! And many thanks to all of those that contribute to the service, fun, and civility that one always enjoys at lunch or dinner—Manager Dieter Krappl, Elizabeth, Emory, Peter, Mark, Lazlo, Walter …
*Café Pacific – Menu for Holiday
#CafePacific #JackKnox #HighlandParkVillage #Holiday #DallasRestaurant #DallasInstitution #HighlandPark #Dallas #dallasneighborhoods
Shoots Legends – Is Legend
Andy Hanson was a high society and event newspaper photographer that shot and captured Dallas. The lens of Andy Hanson chronicled the history of Dallas and interpreted Dallas for the second half of the 20th century and into the 21st century. Andy Hanson was a prominent figure with a subtle presence that caught the essence of celebrities, entertainers, sports figures, Dallas leaders, and socialites. I purchased three of his photographs at a gallery over 30 years ago because they were fabulous photographs and to me conveyed Dallas. His portrait of H.L. Hunt at his desk with an oil derrick on it, looking out his office window at the Dallas skyscrapers, projected the iconic bigness of Dallas. The photograph of the Beatles at their Dallas press conference, when on their first U.S. tour, showed that Dallas was an emerging city attracting this Fab Four sensation. The photograph of Judy Garland on a rainy night looking out her limousine rear window, leaving the Majestic out the backdoor just a step ahead of the tax man as she made her escape, invoked the stories I heard from longtime Dallas residents and their memories of Dallas. Memories have been shared from a time when Dallas had one foot in an intimate small town and one foot in a bigtime city. Even when Dallas was small, it attracted national politicians and talented artists, both those emerging and those that had arrived. Dallas has been a city big enough to attract the most prominent figures and small enough for the average person to meet them. We were always able to meet them in the newspaper where Andy Hanson photographs would greet us. I would never think of having a party without Andy Hanson both as a guest and a photographer. Everyone with an interest in art, photography, or Dallas, should see this exhibition at the SMU DeGolyer Library. *Shoots Legends – Is Legend
#DeGolyerLibrary #SMU @AllisonVSmith @avose #AndyHanson #evanscaglage #photographer #SocietyPhotographs #art #art opening #photography #DallasTimesHerald #Dallas #photograph #dallasneighborhoods @ecaglage
I.M. Pei Eye
Now, whenever I see the Chillida sculpture in front of the Meyerson Symphony Center, I will think of the triangulation of the architect I.M. Pei, the artist Eduardo Chillida, and Dallas inspirational citizen Margaret McDermott. A letter from I.M. Pei to Eduardo Chillida expressing his pleasure of meeting Eduardo Chillida and seeing his work is displayed next to the letter from Margaret McDermott to Eduardo Chillida. *I.M. Pei Eye
#Architect #IMPei #MargaretMcDermott #MeyersonSymphonyCenter #ChillidaSculptureDallas #DowntownDallas #DallasNeighborhood #ArtsDistrict #DallasArtsDistrict #PublicArt #Architecture #LandscapeDesign #Museum #Art #Artist #Sculpture #SculptureMuseum @ChillidaLeku #Chillida #ChillidaLeku #EduardoChillida #Basque #HernaniSpain
Basque Artist Links to Dallas
The letter from Margaret McDermott to Eduardo Chillida was the biggest surprise of the museum. I had already been surprised by the size and seclusion of the glorious land, the captivating sculpture, and you can imagine how surprised I was by finding on the display table inside the museum a letter from Margaret McDermott to Eduardo Chillida inviting him to lunch at her home in Dallas to further discuss this site and his sculpture for the new Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas. I am sure I am not alone in not knowing or forgetting that the sculpture in front of the Meyerson Symphony Hall in Dallas was designed by Eduardo Chillida. This is an important piece for Dallas and was an important commission for the artist. How fun that Margaret McDermott linked the two in Dallas. *Basque Artist Links to Dallas
#MargaretMcDermott #MeyersonSymphonyCenter #ChillidaSculptureDallas #DowntownDallas #DallasNeighborhood #ArtsDistrict #DallasArtsDistrict #PublicArt #Architecture #LandscapeDesign #Museum #Art #Artist #Sculpture #SculptureMuseum @ChillidaLeku #Chillida #ChillidaLeku #EduardoChillida #Basque #HernaniSpain
Basque Sculpture Museum
Museums are in the city. Churches, estate homes, and castles are in the countryside. At least this is what I have come to anticipate. So, how fabulous to find a museum secluded in the countryside. The Chillida Museum was at one time the home of Eduardo Chillida. This artist dreamed of turning his land into a sculpture garden. In addition to this accomplishment, the Chillida home was turned into a museum. What a great example of architecturally significant adaptive use. The interior of the home was gutted, but this emphasized the structure of the residence, the thickness of the walls, and the materials. The interior accommodates the program of the museum and still allows a residential feel to linger. The interior materials and expressions reflect the region while making a strong architectural statement. *Basque Sculpture Museum
#Museum @ChillidaLeku #Chillida #ChillidaLeku #EduardoChillida #Art #Artist #Sculpture #Architecture #Architect #AdaptiveReUse #InteriorDesign #Stone #Wood #Sculptor #Basque #HernaniSpain
Basque Sculpture
This sculpture, to me, represents Basque Country. The iron could have come from the Pyrenees, emerging from the ground and blending into trees reflects the countryside, and the fluidity of these monumental shapes invokes the power of the sea. Why are some regions known for smokestacks or technology centers and others are known for artisanship? It has just occurred to me that the roots of any indigenous art/architecture is artisanship. Distinctive Basque houses, similar in style, materials, color are not monotonous because of the obvious and subliminal artisanship. San Sebastian might have the most Michelin Star restaurants per capita of any city in the world. The Mayor of San Sebastian, visiting Dallas for the international New Cities conference, gave me a San Sebastian apron. Of course, I had him sign it! From the hand-crafted, flavorful, hearty pintxos found along the old city streets of San Sebastian to the 20-course foam-dominated tasting menu of Arzak, by Chef Elena Arzak, previously named best female chef in the world, culinary artisanship is a way of life. San Sebastian is even the site of the international fireworks competition. After formulamatic fireworks displays to which we are accustomed, one can really appreciate the one-off artisanship of pyrotechnics at its best. So, it makes sense in the San Sebastian countryside town of Hernani, there is the Chillida Leku sculpture garden celebrating a Basque artist, Eduardo Chillida. A friend and fervent international traveler, Harriet Rubin, first mentioned this museum to me. Like a new vocabulary word, it immediately appeared in the Wall Street Journal as a museum to visit while abroad. Accustomed to the size and scale of the fabulous Nasher Sculpture Center, I was thinking the Chillida museum would be of a similar scale and what a fabulous surprise to find Chillida sculpture spread out over 25 glorious acres and surrounded by countryside. Now, it is my turn to recommend that you visit this Chillida Leku garden and museum also. *Basque Sculpture
#Art #Artist #Sculpture #Museum #SculptureMuseum #Basque #BasqueArt #BasqueArtist #BasqueSculpture #SanSebastian #ChillidaLeku #EduardoChillida #ArzakRestaurant
House of Fashion
The first house of fashion I supported as a child was that of French designer Rene Lacoste. How can a child not enjoy the glorious colors and full piqué weave of a Lacoste three-button shirt. Every so often I am called to take a pilgrimage to Rene Lacoste’s house, fittingly next to the Chantaco Golf Club where his daughter, the US Open champion, is also celebrated. I enjoy honoring his fashion instincts and legacy. My lifetime fondness for his shirts with the crocodile are just like his house—sturdy, understated, with a pleasing palette. Now, every year, I add to my Lacoste fashion repertoire by also going to Espadrilles par Nicole Paries and purchasing a few pair of espadrilles, selected with the help of fashion consultant @Catherin_Mathilde, including these pictured in Basque red. *House of Fashion
#Chantaco #Lacoste #SaintJeanDeLuz #StJeanDeLuz @SaintJeanDeLuz #Crocodile #FashionHouse #HouseOfFashion #ReneLacoste #TennisShirt #Design #Basque #Espadrille @Espadrille_Paries @Catherin_Mathilde