January 20 is the birthday of American choreographer and dancer RUTH ST. DENIS (1878-1968).

"You and I are but specks of that rhythmic urge which is Brahma, which is Allah, which is God."

St. Denis "was an American pioneer of modern dance, introducing eastern ideas into the art and paving the way for other women in dance. She was inspired by the Delsarte advocate Genevieve Stebbins. St. Denis was the co-founder in 1915 of the American Denishawn School of Dancing and Related Arts. She taught notable performers including Martha Graham and Doris Humphrey. In 1938, she founded the pioneering dance program at Adelphi University. She published several articles on spiritual dance and the mysticism of the body.

January 20 is the birthday of Italian film director FEDERICO FELLINI (1920-1993) was born.

"Life is a combination of magic and pasta.”

"Even if I set out to make a film about a fillet of sole, it would be about me.”

"There is no end. There is no beginning. There is only the infinite passion of life."

Fellini "is known for his distinctive style, which blends fantasy and baroque images with earthiness. He is recognized as one of the greatest and most influential filmmakers of all time. His films have ranked highly in critical polls such as that of Cahiers du Cinéma and Sight & Sound, which lists his 1963 film 8+1⁄2 as the 10th-greatest film.

Fellini's best-known films include I vitelloni (1953), La Strada (1954), Nights of Cabiria (1957), La Dolce Vita (1960), 8½ (1963), Juliet of the Spirits (1965), Fellini Satyricon (1969), Roma (1972), Amarcord (1973), and Fellini's Casanova (1976)." (Wikipedia)

January 20 is the birthday of the late, great American film director DAVID LYNCH (1946-2025).

“Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole.”

"Considered one of the most important filmmakers of his era, Lynch was often called a 'visionary' and was acclaimed for films often distinguished by their surrealist qualities. In a career spanning more than 50 years, he received numerous accolades, including the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Film Festival in 2006 and an Honorary Academy Award in 2019. The adjective Lynchian came into use to describe works or situations reminiscent of his art, with the Oxford English Dictionary noting his penchant for juxtaposing "surreal or sinister elements with mundane, everyday environments, and for using compelling visual images to emphasize a dreamlike quality of mystery or menace." (Wikipedia)

Happy Birthday, MARK RYDEN!! The American Pop Surrealist is 62-years-old today.

"Ryden's aesthetic is developed from subtle amalgams of many sources, from Ingres, David and other French classicists to Little Golden Books. Ryden also draws his inspiration from anything that will evoke mystery: old toys, anatomical models, stuffed animals, skeletons and religious ephemera found in flea markets." (Wikipedia)

To see samples of Ryden’s work, CLICK HERE.