dynasty art!

I love these watercolors by Karin Bubaš of characters from "Dynasty."  Check out my interview with her here.

hair today gone tomorrow: a post by karen g.

A look at the ghosts of hairstyles past from our favorite, famous ladies and lads from the 80s.  Werk!

80s tv themes: a guest post by karen g.

I started humming a tune as I sped off to Target the other day. (I often have these moments of reflection when I’m on my way to or in Target. The store is a source of inspiration, and reasonably-priced goods after all). For a moment, I couldn’t quite place the song, and then it hit me. Riptide! A detective show that ran from 1983 to 1986 starring Perry King and Joe Penny in short 80’s shorts. How could you not get caught up with such a catchy intro tune?



This opened the floodgates to all the forgotten and sometimes obscure TV shows of my childhood. Speaking with my American friends, I realized that I may have had the opportunity to see many shows that they missed – either that or I was just neglected as a child and watched way too much TV to compensate. Today I will share some of my favorite 80’s TV theme songs with you.

Airwolf! Cold War themes, James Bond type espionage, Jan-Michael Vincent in leather bomber jackets and aviators. I remember the thrill of seeing those helicopter blades floating into the air as the show started. Airwolf was the helicopter version of Knight Rider – if only Kit could fly ...



Then there was Sledge Hammer. A spoof of detective shows of the mid-80’s (think Naked Gun). I remember sitting and laughing at how preposterous the episode themes were. Sledge Hammer barely had two seasons in the limelight – but it will live in my memory forever. Where are you now David Rasche?



Hill Street Blues, probably one of the most beloved theme songs of all time.

Hunter – starring ex-NFL player Fred Dryer as Sgt. Rick Hunter and Stepfanie Kramer as Sgt. Dee Dee McCall. I loved that Dee Dee constantly had to play dress-up (usually as a prostitute or stripper) to lure in suspects. Lots of 80’s spandex, glitter and big hair!



And now for my claim to fame. According to my “Mommy Dearest”, before I could even speak, the first noticeable form of communication from me was a song I hummed. The theme song to... wait for it... Dallas. Maybe I’m destined to marry an oil baron after all.




Here are a few more nods on my trip down theme song memory lane, starting with a few of the more obscure:

Tales of the Golden Monkey



The Littlest Hobo (Le Vagabond)



Monkey Magic



The Raccoons (this song was way too hot for a kid’s TV show)



Night Court



Benson



Mr. Belvedere



Newhart



Hart to Hart



Falcon Crest (named one of my dogs after a villain in this show)



Dynasty (a jdbrecords favorite)



And for my mini-series nods...

Shogun



The Thorn Birds



and North and South

dynasty fights

& The Moldavian Massacre

In memory of John.

the hills are alive - an interview with karin bubaš

Karin Bubaš is a visual artist from Vancouver. Besides her striking and original photography, her watercolors of characters from "Dynasty" caught my eye.

Her latest solo exhibition "With Friends Like These..." features soft pastels of characters from "The Hills."





I was interested in the life & work of Bubaš, particularly her use of subjects.

JB: Just browsing your work on your site, you capture high drama in your subjects with a soft, understated tone. There is a lot of visual conflict. What is your relationship like with "The Hills" and why were you drawn to this visually?

KB: There is a kind of raw emotional beauty in shows like "The Hills" and "Dynasty" that makes for interesting study. I work from snapshots or stills when I paint so the more emotional I can get in my material, the more interesting to work from. With snapshots of friends I find I get the same awkward camera unease and half-smiles and I don’t really want to draw or paint those kinds of pictures. Tears, arguments, and sad pensive moments make for challenging subject matter.

I was in Paris last fall and saw a fantastic pastel show at Musée d'Orsay called "Le mystère et l'éclat." I’d been thinking about doing some sort of ambitious painting or drawing project for some time and when I saw the exhibition I realized that I had to give soft pastel some serious consideration. The raw pigment seemed to glow off the paper in a magical way and I think it has been an undervalued medium. Also, there is something about a painted or drawn portrait that has an emotional resonance that a photographic portrait does not. I knew I wanted to work on portraits and it was a matter of who and what. When I was back in Vancouver, I was watching television, specifically "The Hills," and realized that the emotional display of the cast members would make excellent subject matter. Also, I was intrigued by the idea of the collective social experience in relation to drawing from stills of "The Hills."

JB: Have you ever been criticized for using what some may call "low-art" subject matter?

KB: Not that I'm aware of.

JB: You also work in photography. What are the differences/similarities in the two mediums? Which do you believe was your first love?

KB: For me the main difference between mediums is the immediacy. With photography one would think the process would be instantaneous (especially with digital technology), but in actuality it takes me many weeks (even months) to produce a final photographic piece. Apart from planning the shoot location and doing the initial photo shoot there is often much time spent tweaking files with my photo lab, colour correcting, photoshop, editing, that it becomes a very long, tedious and expensive process. Part of the reason I began drawing again was that I was experiencing photo lab fatigue. It has been a relative stress-free process of making my pastel drawings. I can sit at my kitchen table and listen to the radio or television and work away. I don't have manufacturing constraints.

Overall, my work has centered around the idea of a portrait. With "Leon’s Palace" it is about creating a psychological portrait through ones environment. "Red, Blue and Yellow", is a series of portraits of reading. The installation romanticizes the everyday activity, using the composition and tranquil setting to create a light-hearted narrative. "With Friends Like These…" is the first comprehensive study of faces for a solo exhibition and the first exhibition devoted to drawing. Despite the wide-ranging subject matter, whether it is photography, painting or drawing my work has a softness and quality of light that remains consistent.

JB: Who are some of your artistic influences in any medium and why?

KB: Photographers I like are William Eggleston and Stephen Shore (I love their use of color). Loretta Lux has a brilliant take on portraiture. Some painters that I admire are Karen Kilimnik, Renoir, Rembrandt, and Paul Cesar Helleu. Directors also inspire me. Hitchcock's strong visual style and Sofia Coppola's consistent dreamy quality inspire me to want to make a film one day.

JB: Is there a specific kind of art you are drawn to more immediately than others?

KB: I guess I'm more attracted to work that has strong roots in tradition.

JB: Are there any trends in the art world that you've noticed?

KB: I generally avoid trends. A few years ago it seemed like everyone was making art about or using popular music. Artists were trying to be rock stars. Maybe now people are getting tired of working on the computer?

JB: Is there anything you aren't fond of?

KB: In general, I strongly dislike mayonnaise. I'm not sure if you are asking about art I dislike...art about or using mayonnaise would top it.

JB: What are some of your struggles in being an artist?

KB: Being comfortable with being uncomfortable and having no sense of financial security.

JB: From one to four stars, how many stars do you give your day so far?

KB: **** four stars definitely

The solo exhibition for Karin Bubaš opened July 28th and will run until September 13th at the Charles H. Scott Gallery at Emily Carr University (1399 Johnson Street), Vancouver, BC.

See also: The Frisky
& the sublime Jezebel

can't help fallon in love with you

In the midst of my "Dynasty" obsession, Becca has rediscovered another 1980s beloved Aaron Spelling prime time soap: "Hotel."

dynasty doppelgängers