Quarter Mile Drawing Snatched Record

Mexican artist Filemon Trevino entered the Guinness Book of Records with his quarter mile long pencil drawing as the world's largest drawing.

The artist spent 6,600 hours in a stuffy hot room and 800 pencils to complete the art. The drawing depicts the heart and circulatory system, with symbols including doves, geometric shapes and intertwined tubes.

The drawing began in July 2004 and completed in August 2005. But he could not enter into the world record until he can display the work somewhere and pay the $600 entry fee for the Guiness World Record. Finally the Regiomontana University agreed to display his work.

The record was not without sacrifice. The artist's obsession with this project led to him being hospitalized seven times for dehydration, heart and kidney problems and fainting. The artists says sometimes he forgets to drink water. He grew a beard and lost 35 pounds.

Catholic Group Protests Sexually Explicit Paintings

It's not surprising that a Roman Catholic group is protesting a NY student art exhibition - they're always protesting about something. This time they're angry that a Cooper Union school is displaying an exhibition which showcases a series of paintings by one of their students.

The paintings features religious symbols depicted in sexually explicit ways. For example, a man with his pants down and a crucifix in his rectum with a Latin caption that says "The day I became a Catholic." Another painting shows rosaries with a penis. Another shows a man with a halo and erection.

The Catholic group should be happy that a man of Catholic faith is so excited about his religion that he's getting an erection!

Cooper Union released a statement that they hold an annual exhibition displaying hundreds of student works without censorship. After all, what's art if it's censored? Art is expression and open to interpretation. What the Catholic group deemed as offensive, it might not seem that way to others.

These religious nut group needs to loosen up. I'm not trying to put down anyone's religion but these guys can put their time into better use than protesting art - like really helping people in need (a suggestion would be the people in China still suffering from the Sichuan earthquake)

I couldn't find the paintings in question on the web, so for anyone who's interested, the Cooper Union exhibit began May 27 and ends June 10.

Featured Seller of the Week: Felt Like Stitchin

I'm a fan of felt dolls and I'm seeing more and more sellers of felt products. But none of them are like our current featured seller Felt Like Stitchin. This seller has very unique felt products - like Elvis and Charlie Chaplin. And I absolutely LOVE Mr. Potato Head. Check out the store at FeltLikeStitchin.etsy.com

New York Gallery Owner Arrested

Hello readers! It's been a while since I blogged - I've been busy working (my day job) and spent a weekend at Atlantic City, loosing about $150 on blackjack and Let it Ride Poker. It was my first time playing Let it Ride, I wasn't cleared about the rules which is probably why I lost. But I have a feeling I'll do better next time (0r worst...)

Anyways, onto the headline.

An East Hampton art gallery owner was arrested for serving alcohol without a license. Ruth Kalk (aka Ruth Vered) was celebrating the opening of a celebrity photo exhibit with about 200 guests and was serving alcohol (wine and Champagne were free.) The police stopped by and demanded her to stop, she didn't and was handcuffed in front of her guests.

The police said they were just doing their job, and I'm sure they were... but what's a party without drinks? There are so many private parties going on in the world with alcohol involved, are the cops going to knock down everyone's door and arrest all the hosts?

Heath Ledger Portrait Wins an Australian Art Award

Vincent Fantauzzo's portrait of Heath Ledger, painted weeks before his death, won second price by the Art Gallery of New South Wales in its annual national portrait competition. (Del Kathryn Barton won first prize with a self-portrait)

"Heath" features a bare-chested Ledger in the middle of the canvas, while two other Heaths are at his sides whispering into his ears, sort of like the angel/devil or good/evil subconscious battling for him.

Heath Ledger passed away early this year due to an accidental drug overdose. He was only 28 years old. He will be on the big screen as the Joker in The Dark Knight. The movie should be releasing on July 18.