Camarillo Artist Chuck Trunks Selected as One of 12 Essential Artists by 1800® Tequila

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Chuck Trunks, whose work has been prominently featured throughout Conejo Valley Guide, has outdone himself again as one of only 12 artists selected for special limited edition 1800® Tequila bottles.  One of Chucks' originals, "You Got a Problem?" will be featured, in color, on a limited quantity of bottles of 100% Agave Silver Tequila! 

Congratulations Chuck!  Visit Chuck's website at www.trunksart.com and the 1800® Essential Artists website at www.1800tequila.com/essential.

Lifelong Conejo Valley Resident Helps Animals Through Her Art

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It was through Twitter that I recently came into contact with Stella Violano, a lifelong resident of Newbury Park.  Stella is a professional artist who has a distinct passion for painting animals.  In fact, she has dedicated thousands of hour of time to an organization she founded called Art Helping Animals (www.arthelpinganimals.com). AHA raises funds for non-profits that help animals in need.

Take a look at this amazing montage of some of the over 200 paintings of homeless animals that Violano painted between 2000 and 2006. All of the animals shown found loving homes.

And I love this touching video of Brigette, a homeless senior dachshund who found a home through Old Dog Haven, a charity supported by AHA. Violano's work transforming the aging pooch into Queen Elizabeth is magical. 

Given the Conejo Valley is named after a rabbit, I asked her if she had any bunny art to share with us.  Oh she certainly does!  I selected 3 of the 6 pieces she sent my way. If you like these, let me know and maybe I'll post more at a later date!

For more of Violano's work, visit http://smvstudio.com and http://paintingaday.blogspot.com.

Teletubbies Dance Video: Walk it Out

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I sat my 3 year old on the computer to check out some Spongebob videos when all of a sudden this loud hip-hop music comes outta nowhere.  I look down and see Teletubbies moving and grooving in front of him. We got a good laugh out of it. Then I notice the video has over 10 MILLION views!  Wow, is it the Teletubbies or the music!!??  Hmmm...

Classic Humor With Debbie Downer on Saturday Night Live - 5/1/04

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I caught this from Saturday Night Live rerun last night and had to share it.  This initial appearance of Rachel Dratch as "Debbie Downer" is classic because the actors couldn't stop laughing through the skit, which also features Linday Lohan.  According to a Wikipedia article about Debbie Downer (gotta love Wikipedia), part of the reason for uncontrollable laughter was that the actors hadn't rehearsed with the "wah wah" sounds heard after Debbie's cynical, depressing lines.

Mama Don't Take My Kodachrome Away!

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This past Monday, 6/22/09, Eastman Kodak announced it is discontinuing Kodachrome, the film it has manufactured since 1935. Kodachrome is now yet another relic of the past, like VHS tapes, 8-track tapes, cassette tapes, GM, analog TV and unsliced bread. But the film certainly has its place in history, including its use in this well known 1985 Steve McCurry photo of a young Afghan girl.

While Kodachrome will soon be gone, it will forever be memorialized by Paul Simon's 1973 song named after the 35mm film that peaked at #2 on the Billboard charts. I love this song.

When I think back
On all the crap I learned in high school
It's a wonder
I can think at all

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