8 posts tagged “new york”
photo: This is Keith with Tina Louise - "Ginger" from Gilligan's Island at the National Arts Club last year
Thursday, November 20, 2008 -- 6:00 pm
attn: Charles Hamlen
About Keith
Composed Major Symphonic Works & Ballets ,TV Star Survived Vicious Hate Crime Attack in 1994
The worlds of classical music and film & television are mourning the tragic death of our good friend And partying pal composer and actor Keith Douglas Pruitt who was found dead in his Greenwich Village apartment on Wednesday, November 12, 2008.
Police responding to pleas from his family entered the apartment to find him on a living room sofa. Initial autopsy reports indicate that he choked to death. He had been treated for esophageal problems stemming from a home fire in which he was badly injured last year. Further results are still pending.
The Kansas City, Kansas born (October 12, 1961) Pruitt was something of an anomaly in the world of classical music as he supported his composing career by acting in film and soap operas such as “As the World Turns” and “Loving” among others.
The son of inventor/engineer Norman Wallace Pruitt and Emma Jean Thompson Pruitt, he was raised in Annandale, Virginia and graduated from Falls Church School as valedictorian and was drum major for the school’s award winning band.
Mr. Pruitt attended Duke University as the recipient of the A.J. Fletcher Scholarship for Piano. He was winner of the Duke University Concerto Competition and graduated summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa. He received a fellowship to attend the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts and a full scholarship to the City University of New York Ph.D. Program where he studied with Pulitzer Prize winning composer David Del Tredici.
Mr. Pruitt’s compositions have been commissioned and premiered by the Florida Philharmonic, the San Jose Symphony, the New York City Ballet, Pascal Rioult Dance Company, the Guggenheim Museum‘s “Works in Process” series, the Cowles Charitable Foundation, the Aaron Copland Fund for Music, the New York Chamber Ensemble and the Cape May Festival Orchestra.
Mr. Pruitt supported his musical ambitions by starring in a number of New York based daytime dramas including The Guiding Light and As the World Turns as “Frank Wendall” and Loving as “Flynn Riley”. It also allowed him to introduce his music to a wide television audience.
It was during his stint on the latter show that he and a male companion Jacques Rosas, holding hands on a Greenwich Village street, were savagely beaten by a trio of young men who shouted anti-gay epithets as they beat the pair with golf clubs. Pruitt and his partner would not have the matter swept under the shroud of corporate communications and participated fully in the prosecution of the men which resulted in their being convicted and sent to prison. Since that time the openly gay artist became very involved in Anti-violence projects.
He was also featured in the John Waters’ movie Hairspray playing the lead singer of a rock band and as the lead in Carlo Nero’s film, Larry’s Visit.
Several years ago, he founded the Keith Pruitt Piano Studio where he taught gifted young New York area students both performance and composition. Mr. Pruitt is survived by his mother, Jean Pruitt and sister Melanie Pruitt of Annandale, Virginia, a brother Steve Pruitt and nephew Craig Pruitt both of Buffalo, New York.
A Celebration of his life hosted by his friends Jacques Rosas , Edward Callaghan, Charles Hamlen and John Wegorzewski will take place at Shop Studios, 442 West 49th Street on Thursday, November at 6pm. In lieu of flowers the family has asked that donations in his memory be made to Classical Action, Performing Arts Against AIDS, 165 West 46th Street, Suite 1310, New York, New York 10036.
Spring in New York and can't help think about Spring in New Zealand.I get asked sometimes what it was like growing up in the South Island of New Zealand.Between the ages of 16-20,working and having talent in(film,tv,stage)and an adventurous spirit , I lived between Australia and New Zealand on my own.At the age of 20 (again,tv,film,stage) I was living by myself in America,and London at times, on my own and completely independently, carving my own life.
I grew up however in the wild sprawling hillls, mountains and plains of New Zealands South Island.Here is a recent article on one of my aunts and uncles. The article is about a rambling property at which I spent many times of my childhood.We also used to go camping on it. Other kids went to Disneyland...we went camping.A sprawling beautiful farmland property, they built and created into one of the most magnificent gardens on the planet.And as the garden has grown so it has been noted in many international books and speaking tours.If the season is right,many people visit from around the world.Here's to spring,gardens,plants, flowers and all the the planet gives us to nurture us.
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I went to the Scope Art Fair launch at Lincoln Center last night.Scope showcases emerging artists.SCOPE was set up by Alexis. I first met Alexis in the Hamptons. Now SCOPE is in New York for the week. Hopefully I will have some photos soon.Photos will shots of the red balloons and the free lipstick we received for kissing pieces of card with our lips,writing a message and sending it off to the Universe with a balloon.All part of a liveable are project. You may wish to check out some of the following SCOPE New York First View to benefit the Museum of Arts and Design opening at |
| Collector Lectures and Receptions | Thursday - Saturday, March 27-29, 2008 : 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM |
 | On-Site: VIP Lounge | SCOPE VIPs and SCOPE Exhibitors Sustainability and Design SCOPE A.R.T. (Alternative Resources Today) Two Futures of Design: High Gloss/Socially Conscious |
Haven't been to the Guggenhiem recently! Get thee to the Guggenheim to see a fantastic exhibit . Cai Guo-Qiang-IF YOU WANT TO BELIEVE
Brilliant. The entire space is utilised. This is truly a multi dimensional,multi faced artist who excels in every medium and any new ones he can devise. From cars hanging from the ceiling shot with arrows, to ships full of broken saucers and plates, sculptures of Chinese workman during Mao, gunpowder films exploding at every turn, life size packs of wolves
"His work and site specific explosion events integrate art and science in a process of creative destruction and reflect Cai's philosophy that conflict and transformation are independent conditions of life and art. His works exposes the dialectics of history and globalization."
Cai Guo Qiang is apparently the first Chinese national to exhibit at the Guggenheim.
Get thee to the Guggenheim,see a great exhibit. It's worth it!
Photo: Artist Cai Gu Qiang with artist Jon Dorazio at Guggenhiem 2008
Photos copyright: Jon Dorazio http://JONDORAZIO.COM
Mercedes Benz Fashion week is starting.Watch this space for cutting edge blogs on shows and highlights.
I was put onto Prospect Park by an old friend I am no longer in touch with - an editor I know of a sports magazine who used to live in the area.I have walked through the park several times and each time is a new discovery.
Today I found the most beautiful spot of all ...a part that was as beautiful as a certain part and drive through - on the mountains to gentle valleys- in my home town and country...and this part even had the remains of an old stone cottage to match.
There is something untouched,and still wildly beautiful about parts of Prospect Park.
Whereas Central Park is feeling battle worn and overcrowded (how many times can you walk through it and around it without feeling like a rat trapped in cage as I did when I moved here last winter...at first I loved it, I've always loved Central Park, every time I visited, who doesn't.....but it has become overcrowded, and last winter, as Central Park became locked in to be my only respite from the chilled concrete, I began to feel its squareness )..in Prospect Park, as I discover more of it, I find a more natural peace and meandering beauty in its hidden lakes and gentle slopes.
And today the weather happened to be beautiful
You can take the girl out of the bush, you can't take the bush out of the girl
Invites are now out to the hottest celebrities and atheletes in
America. On July 28 Russell Simmons' Rush
Philanthropic Arts Foundation's Eighth Annual ART FOR LIFE to
benefit New Yorks under served youth takes place. Formally the
nationally known white party this year it is all about "Mellow Yellow"
A pre cocktail warm up party took place at LAND ROVER in New York on 10 July.
Top fashion designers B Michael, Rachel Roy, Kimora Lee Simmons, shoe
maven Giuseppe Zanotti and jeweler to the stars Lorraine Schwartz will
donate select pieces from their collections that sport the "Not So
Mellow Yellow" color theme. Each designer will donate a hot yellow
item from their collection for the first ever "Yellow Wardrobe," which
will be part of a silent auction, the proceeds of which will support
NYC youth organizations.
Rush Philanthropic has served over 700,000 urban youth, directed
millions in funding from donors including individuals, foundations,
and leading corporations to under-served youth, and established two
exhibit and education facilities, one in Brooklyn's Clinton Hill
neighborhood and the other in Manhattan's Chelsea arts district.
Founded in 1995 by brothers Russell, Danny and Joseph "Rev. Run"
Simmons
TO RESERVE TICKETS please contact ART FOR LIFE 1 212 810 4490 .
artforlife@havenllc.com
Stay tuned for more on the special Yellow Fashion Wardrobe.
Moving on..
Okay, so it is now sweltering Summertime in NY. I have a lot to say.
New York is now overteaming with bankers and banking IT professionals ,short on etiquette and long on cheapness.All looking for frips*. How to avoid these creatures in the Hamptons.This is the question.Now we all know that the Hamptons are overrated and overrated physically in the sense that any good suburb in Vanvcouver,Georgia,Alaska,New Zealand,France,..well any good suburb anywhere is as nice if not nicer than the Hamptons.That aside Hamptons is still host to many events. If you want the keg on the beach go to Fire Island.However If you want the breezy sophistication of summer go to the Hamptons (or stay in NY) but how to do that and avoid the bankers and IT bank professionals who are poor on breeding and etiquette or if they do,they have left it somewhere in the dense dark room of their parents closest.I have this to say..and I will never live this down..but my experience of having dated one of these creatures and still in active recovery(as bankers have a pesky habit of going for crushing ones spirit and innate joy of life instead of ones heart, as a free spirit is not something they care for apparently! I mean, how on earth can a guy miss one's heart entirely ??? LOL ) , but back to what I was saying which I will never live down ...is that men in Los Angels are better.Yes I cannot believe i said that...but lets face it..in LA they have to make an effort to start with. The man has to pick you up in his car..you go to some breezy restaurant..usually the best(in the top five ) in LA as anything else is considered cheap and not worth a girls second glance, and then, they have to keep you enthralled as, unlike NY, there are not 2000570969 petty distractions..there is only you..so they got to come up with something good.
Then because 999.999% of LA doesnt work
or at least 9 to 5 every day like clockwork they have no excuse not to
do something with you in the daytime..which means they have got to
come up with something good again..they have to keep you intersted on a
five hour hike,a trip to Malibu,Vegas or Santa Barbara and a myriad of
other things besides! ..men in LA do things..they play tennis, they
hike,they go to movie premeires,they swim, they cook,they own or live
in decent houses, they entertain, they you know do things or they at
least know how to if they cared to.Far more European. .NY men go to
restaurants and drink..or crash parties (which are usually not that
great as there too manny bankers and IT guys at them-come on guys you
are the ones who can actually afford to buy at least one chairty gala
ticket and you are too cheap too?..great,perfect boyfriend/husband material..too
cheap to buy a ticket..) Also LA doenst really date anymore does
it.??.its moved past that..you meet someone you like them you hang
out.Much simpler.Anyhow so much for NY guys..oh they may go to the
Hampotons..but usually that doesnt involve any woman they are seeing as
it is just more party central pikcing up more chicks because the NY guy
doenst know the distinction between petty and real,between class and
trollop.....and how can they..they are after all the great pretenders.
Now
I am off to find myself a decent yacht and try that on for size and
hopefully avoid the myriad of pretend leaky sailboats that dot the
Hudson river in the name of the almighty penis.
FRIP(sic)What is a frip?My terms for a NY society girl(educated or not) with not much brain on top but the money to buy a new cocktail dress every otherday.! But she is not well traveled enough or wordly enough to realise she is either A)being duped every second day by the guy she is dating or B) is not smart enough to have the balls or courage to tell him to go to hell and to realise it is 2007 and feminism was ther for a reason.
The flip side is that due to the FRIP,(the scatty not so smart image conscious and to be frank mostly boring society girls), the men,or should I say banker and bank IT guys , are not trained nor have the need to be either smart or deeper than the superficial pot they piss in!
