Fine Art, Fine Wine and the Common Man
Submitted by
Albin Johnson
- April 03, 2006
Fine Art, Fine Wine and the Common Man
Ask any Artist, Musician, Writer, Chef, or Professor, "What is good
taste?" Most will give you lengthy definitions, but many will settle on
something that is rather deep and perhaps difficult for the average
person to understand. Usually they make a comparison! I like to think I
understand anyone's desire to paint because I like to think I have some
talent. I try to paint and copy what I see, but I can make a case for
Modern, Contemporary or Conceptual art. So, do I have good taste? I
guess it really doesn't matter as I am sure any child or adult from the
300 million or so Americans could offer varied opinions, smiles, or
frowns about anything they could hear, taste, read, or look at. Just
remember though, humans are the only species that can produce artwork
no matter how tasteless it may appear. Start with these examples.
I enjoy Art, even the Texas genre! So. When I viewed the '39 Dodge at
LA's Museum of Art, I was drawn to the "back seat" where a couple of
mannequins were embraced. Not everyone saw humanity in the work. I
liked it! If it wasn't X rated, then certainly an "R.
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" Kinkade's work is commercial and painted to sell, and sell he does as
a very popular painter. They are colorful serene scenes of cities and
landscapes where he uses
"light" to enhance the picture. Next,
we go to gourmandizing our taste buds. How well can you vocalize about
salt or sugar? These are flavorful items that please the palate (taste
buds}. Does it really matter what they look like, feel like or smell
like? The experts might try by comparing color, source, and processing
and a doctor might give a different spin to them; but the flavor
remains the same, only sometimes sweeter or saltier.
Sugar, a
favorite taste enhancer is processed primarily from sugar beets or
sugar cane. A byproduct molasses gives us brown sugar, which adds
color! Many fruits and vegetables come equipped with flavor. Diet
worriers can now use sugar substitutes such as Saccharin and Aspartame
that provide the sweetness for the products such as Neutra Sweet,
Ace-K, Sugar Twin, Splenda and Sweet&Low. It is estimated that the
average American eats 20 teaspoons of sugar a day!
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Fine Art, Fine Wine and the Common Man
Salt consumption is a touch more complicated in describing.
NACL, the chemical symbol for salt is processed from a couple of
different sources, which gives "experts" a chance to extol their
various merits. There is sea salt and brine, which is usually used for
common kitchen salt. Two other sources are rock salt, and crystal salt
called "halite" that is reputed to be the salt of the kings or the
diamond of salts! (Maybe, that pushing the envelope a bit?) One
of the "hottest" TV additions of late is the preparation of gourmet
foods by famous chefs from all over the country specializing in
everything from pizza to Chateaubriand. Preparation of the ingredients
and presentation of the meal are essential. Special knives and kitchen
tools, pots and pans help add professional "flare" and sometimes actual
flames are achieved by a dash of some alcohol into the mix. Almost
anything alive or grown can be soaked, chopped, mashed, peeled, pared
or pureed into a new "exciting" taste sensation. All that is needed is
a casually tossed pinch of salt and a few "grinds" of the wooden pepper
mill. Incidentally, the only gourmet recipe I know how to "prepare" is
a Creole mix called Chicken Gumbo.
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I do a good job of it, but I need a more complete definition and reason
for preparing the magic ingredient, a ROUX. Answers would be
appreciated! As a teen in
Minonk, I worked for a couple of grocery stores. We also lived above a
meat market and meat storage locker. I became acquainted with some new
as well as established ethnic foods. There were certain animal organs,
pickled pig's feet, pickled eggs, raw oysters, tripe, eel, calamari,
snails, buffalo, sardines, osso bucco, squab, quail, squirrel, moose
and rabbit. Few of which I have tasted or want to taste!! I suppose
that by today's standards even if I ordered any, I would also find it
necessary to "select" a wine. The
nouveau population has defined what wine is all about! A whole new
group of gourmands have become connoisseurs of the grape. They help
explain to us what is fashionable, tasteful and proper to serve. On a
recent trip, I overheard a wine merchant explaining to all in ear shot
the ins and outs of wine; which ones to purchase for serving with
appropriate foods. Bordeaux and Cabernet Sauvignon are rich and
powerful while Pinot Noir is delicate and Merlot is soft. She suggested
many brands and vintages while listeners wrote furiously.
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Fine Art, Fine Wine and the Common Man
She showed irritation if any asked for spelling! She eventually closed
by saying: "A wine cellar can increase your prestige, but it takes a
lifetime to become a wine connoisseur and be able to recognize real
quality." After some 55 years of
living in this state of opportunity called California or LALA land or
"Paradise", I still hold on to my roots. I have always loved art but
have a distaste for wine. I avoid social class structures set up by
overbearing elitists. I have my own definition of what is tasteful and
that, which is tasteless. I can appreciate and enjoy the lifetime of
work that Simon Rodia's put into "The Watts Towers" as shown below. And
I can also find reason and enjoyment in Lyle London's sculpture called
"Oracle #6" also shown. Thank goodness for honesty over commercialism
and of course, be honest with yourself!!!!!!!!!!! 
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