Art and The Artist

Palm Dog!  Yes, Palm Dog!
I've just seen the new film The Artist:1hr and 40 mins of complete gorgeousness, what can I say but go and see it. Uggie the dog is a star and has a campaign on his behalf to recognise dogs in the Oscars awards, he has just won the Palm Dog at Cannes, I didn't know that category (dogetory surely) existed but it has since 2001 and I was surprised to see that Gromit has never won it.

One scene looks like it must be shot in the Bradbury which I went to look at when I was in L.A. as it's the location of the climactic scene in Blade Runner and a very distinctive style.
The Courtauld London

It's worth noting that the Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House is free on Mondays from 10 am til 2pm. I went last Monday to catch an exhibition of drawings, there were a few nice things but there's a limit to how many cherubs I can appreciate, what I love though is the collection of Impressionist paintings. They have Monet, Manet, Seurat, Van Gogh etc. I love this painting by Manet; The Bar at the Folies- Bergere. You can get so close to the paintings here. I don't like the girls expression so much, what I love is the painting of reflected light in all the glass etc. it does have chandeliers in it too....
Champagne and Satsumas

I love how the bottles are painted and the foil on these champagne bottle and look at these perfect satsumas...

 ....and this pink bottle...

Yep, if I'd painted this (ha) I think I'd put my feet up and say "job done".
Outside we found ourselves in crisp winter sunshine and the ice rink was nice and empty so we went for an ice skate in the courtyard, my first ever, on until the 22nd January, think I want to take lessons now.