Friday, March 04, 2016

Arty Farty Friday ~ Carole Bayer Sager's Other Talent

Carole Bayer Sager is best known as a song-writer, but she's also an accomplished painter. Her song-writing spans some 40 years, includes many popular and award-winning songs, some co-written with other legendary figures such as Burt Bacharach to whom she was once married.

Born in New York City on 8 March 1947, Carole began her song-writing career while still in high school. She wrote her first hit, A Groovy Kind of Love for the English group The Mindbenders in 1966. Phil Collins re-recorded it taking it #1 and the most performed radio hit of 1990. Many others followed.

She began painting in 2006.
From http://www.carolebayersagerart.com/bio/
"She has painted portraits, abstract works on canvas as well as in light boxes and in the last four years she has worked on her “food” paintings. Her first solo show was held in January 2011 at the LA Arthouse in Los Angeles. Her most recent show entitled, “New Works” September 18th – November 8th 2014 at William Turner Gallery in Santa Monica. Both shows deal with the Pop DNA of fattening foods. The paintings play with perception by drastically changing their size and scale they invite viewers to take an abstract look at an often-overlooked piece of food.

She also plays with paint. "I love paint. I love thick paint and I love color. Many of my paintings appear photo-realistic at a distance, and become abstracted the closer you stand to them."

She sees many similarities between songwriting and painting. Both are intuitive. “Just as is songwriting, it is rewarding when your painting touches another person.” "




Without going into too much detail, a peep at at Carole's natal chart, set for 12 noon on 8 March 1947, New York City, to discover how her dual arty talents are reflected there.


THIS:
Venus (planet of the arts) in Aquarius in trine to Neptune (creativity) and quite possibly Moon depending on exact degree (inner self) in Libra (sign ruled by Venus).

11 comments:

mike said...

Who knew?...not me, anyway. Most individuals known for one profession, but dallying in painting and-or sculpture typically disappoint me, as it seems they are riding on their fame, eg X-POTUS Bush Jr turned oil painter. I'm impressed with Sager's paintings. I prefer the realism of her food series, but I'm struck by her ability in portraiture and abstract, too.

You mention her Venus-Neptune (Moon?) trine (and Venus rules her Moon & Neptune). I'd add that Venus opposed Saturn may provide a source of perfection and realism to her work (a positive use of this opposition!). Sager said in the video that it was all about communication...her combust-Mercury conj Sun (both square Uranus) form a loose yod with Neptune (& Moon?) sextile Pluto, highlighting her need to express herself artistically, with either the pen or brush...the Mercury-Sun ruled by Neptune.

Twilight said...

mike ~ Yes, was a surprise to me too. I like the food paintings, a good idea very well thought out, skillfully painted - they're likely to be even more impressive seen hanging in a gallery.

Agreed - the Saturn input is reflected in the realism in her artwork; and the Mercury/Sun conjunction yes! I'd thought about that Yod, but didn't feel that Pluto had much relevance in relation to her artwork - perhaps more in relation to her song writing though. :-)

LB said...

Twilight ~ Like mike, I'm surprised too. You just never know. Her technical skills as an artist are undeniable. Some of her portraits are amazing.

*Unfortunately* when I went to Carol Sager's site and clicked on the "artwork" link, the first piece that showed up *appeared* to be a 'representation' of 2 Hershey Kisses, a brand of chocolate associated with child-slavery and human trafficking!

In fact, I just read something about a 2015 lawsuit filed against Hershey, Mars and Nestle alleging their failure to disclose to consumers the use of child-slavery:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/09/30/lawsuit-your-candy-bar-was-made-by-child-slaves.html

Maybe she isn't aware, though it's interesting her husband served as Chairman of the charitable organization, "Save The Children" for 5 years.

Twilight said...

LB ~ That is unfortunate. I wonder if she saw the "Kisses" just as "still life" shapes to be painted, without other association, other than being edible, as is content of all her other food-ish paintings. The best part of the other food-ish pieces, I think, is the texture and ...succulence she manages to portray; but in the "Kisses" pic that doesn't apply - so let's say it's not one of her better ideas. ;-)

LB said...

Twilight ~ I guess it's possible she knew and created the Kisses pieces anyway, without considering the product's connection to child-slavery and how they might be seen as product endorsements. Or maybe she's in denial (or unaware of the details) which would be the shadow side of Pisces' compassion.

Some of her luscious depictions (of food and nutritionally-deficient junk food) could be used as advertisements. Wonder how many people leave her art shows determined to satisfy their cravings by buying the real thing, like a piece of slave-chocolate?

Some of the images got to me, which is why I'm making myself a melted cheese sandwich for lunch.:)

Twilight said...

LB ~ Because all her food-ish paintings portray things that are bad-ish for us health-wise I guess it's possible to see them, as a group, as a kind of "get thee behind me Satan" temptation. Looking at it that way the "Kisses" pics could be just one part of the general warning. I notice there is one pic with them unwrapped as well as the one with 2 in silver wrappers.

Perhaps I'm being too kind, but...

Melted cheese sandwich is lip-smacking, mouth-watering and her painting of one is tempting, but that yummy devil is high on fat and carbohydrates. Its badness is bad in a different way from the "Kisses", still bad though.

mike (again) said...

"During my visit Sager also reveals that these were the kinds of food forbidden to her when growing up - she was plump and much criticized for it by her mother. So now she gets to indulge a little! (Calorie-free, of course...)"
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/scarlet-cheng/carole-bayer-sager_b_2357145.html

mike (again) said...

Here's an actual quote:

"Sager spoke with The Hollywood Reporter at the beginning of the reception and shared a few details about the inspiration behind her favorite painting subject: food.

'I didn’t realize until after I had painted about five food paintings that it was the area for me, because as a young child I was chubby and my mother and I had issues about it. So food was a major thing; dieting, eating too much. And there was something about painting it and abstracting it that I find very enjoyable — to play with the paint and the subject.'“
http://www.carolebayersagerart.com/2014/10/hollywood-reporter-on-caroles-new-works-show/

LB said...

Twilight ~ I hope I misunderstood the point you were trying to make about the different kinds of "bad". I'm guessing you didn't mean to compare the suffering of Third World children who are beaten, starved, enslaved with wealthy art patrons who have a choice about whether or not to consume foods high in fat and carbohydrates.

I'm going to assume you meant something else and leave it at that.:)

*****

mike ~ It seems Bayer-Sager loves the goodies she paints (as a lot of us do) but tries not to indulge for health reasons ~ unrelated to any ethical issues or concerns. Like I said earlier (and to be fair), I doubt she's fully informed.

Twilight said...

LB ~ Dang! Of course I didn't!

Twilight said...

LB ~ I was trying not to have a disagreement with you, and to make some reasonably inoffensive comment about the artwork which would not contrast too much with your observations, but it seems I have failed. It's probably best if I do not respond to your comments in future. If you think that badly of me, then that'd be the best way to proceed.

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