21st century genre painting

Robert Waldo Brunelle Jr (a Vermont native) counts Goya, Edward Gorey, Robert Crumb, Charles Addams, Tex Avery, Roy Lichtenstein and Edward Hopper as his "Art Heroes". The latter’s influence is clearly visible in Brunelle’s vibrant slices of Americana. Although his figures are realistic, he has a strong tendency towards caricature. This tendency (which was induced by his love of cartoons) led him to his breakthrough project; the 1997 cartoon "MR. BRUNELLE EXPLAINS IT ALL", in which his doppelganger tries to explain the absurdities of the modern world.

His acrylic paintings on the other hand, mostly feature lonely characters in day to day scenes with a dash of wry humor turning them into luminescent moments of contemporary life. Not only people but also buildings and cars fascinate him, especially their geometrics which he accentuates by adding a burning lightness in the centers of dark but rich fields of color. Brunelle tries to capture the best of both worlds and identifies himself as a storyteller whose work apprehends moments in the life of the unselfconscious "peasant class" occasionally with unabashed nostalgia, reminiscent of Norman Rockwell. To quote Brunelle: “the homely institutions people don't pay much attention to, like fairs, gas stations and old-fashioned barber shops -- all subjects that feature regular people living their regular lives against a technicolor backdrop."

The first time I saw his work was on a postcard that a friend of mine sent me. Being the girl that I am, I immediately fell for his luscious tones and his ability to make even the most mundane of activities sparkle. The way he combines color with subject matter induces a glimpse of hope in the beholder. Although his paintings are sad and simple, they are exuding warmth through the vibrant colors as they depict the serenity of fleeting moments we so easily take for granted.

I heart the eighties

Teen comedies, the nineties made them gross, predictable and fodder for those with an IQ of 30. In the eighties on the other hand, they thrived thanks to a genius called John Hughes. During this period he created one hit after another with his funny, sweet and honest movies. Alas, he has put directing behind him but he is still active as a writer. He created the genre defying coming-of-age classics Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink and Ferris Bueller's Day Off amongst so many others. Whereas teens now just want to get laid, he painted a broader picture integrating every aspect of their lives, aided by the members of the ever so evanescent Brat Pack which included the most famous redhead of the eighties and one of Hughes’ personal favorites Molly Ringwald. His films exuded a youthful innocence and idealism that few directors can get away with in this down and dirty day and age but everything was ultimately blissful in the imaginary Shermer, Illinois where most of his pictures where set. Besides teen comedies he also made the old and faithfully funny Plains, Trains and Automobiles, She’s having a baby, Uncle Buck,… All praise John Hughes for making adolescence fun!
If none of these movies ring a bell, shame on you! Otherwise, life is a carousel. A great big crazy ball of pure living, breathing joy and delight. You gotta get one.

Atone

Due to the impending release of the adaptation of Ian McEwan’s Atonement (starring Keira Knightley and James McAvoy), I decided to reread the novel. Actually it will be the first time seeing as I didn’t get further than page 50 during my previous attempt. The novel gets off to a slow, almost standstill start and takes a hundred pages or so to describe a simple event. I have to admit that too much atmosphere, setting and detail make me nervous and anxious to get on with it hence my initial failure but this time I am destined to prevail. I am still wrestling through McEwan’s eloquence and abundant sentences as we speak but because I liked his previous work, I’m hopeful that it’ll be worth it in the end. And Atonement is also considered his magnum opus so there must be something good about it (although I’m starting to wonder). For those who are interested in his other novels, I’d highly recommend The Cement Garden which is short, twisted and fascinating. Basically the perfect introduction to his work. Atonement on the other hand (I have to admit I’m a curious about the film) is more classical in the sense that it takes you by the hand and gently guides you down the yellow brick road while his other and in my opinion superior novels (also including Amsterdam and The Comfort of Strangers) catapult you into the unknown where anything is possible, just as long as you’re willing to give it a go.