My friend Taylor Brittenham, (the awesome photographer) recently made some cool books featuring my art and her photos combined. The overlapped and organic images create a new picture. You can grab one of the seven remaining books online at her etsy site here
she recently returned from shooting musicians at SXSW music festival!
Taylor Brittenham is a Los Angeles based photographer with a keen eye for pop art and personalities. She currently works as a freelance photographer with an emphasis on music/concert photography. Genart proclaims, “Taylor Brittenham turns hard rock into fine art with her intimate, emotive shots of stars on stage
Sometimes when I start thinking too much, or internalizing everything , a small earthquake erupts inside me that vibrates through everything in my life.
It's the strange way that you can never tell what happened first to cause it.
But somehow you are tail spinning out of control. The strange answer looping lately has simply been,
"you are this way because you are choosing it."
I'm not going to get too heavy in this post, but for some reason I can't stop thinking about Plath, and the Bell Jar, and that line in the book delivered by her mother.
After going to see a therapist she informs her mother she is not going back to see him.
When she tells her mother she refuses to go back, her mother smugly announces, "I knew you'd decide to be all right."
Esther's mental state worsens. She describes her depression as a feeling of being trapped under a bell jar, struggling for breath.
Ok, don't panic just yet, I guess my random point to myself in all of this is, stop thinking- stop trying to figure it all out, stop making sense and start painting. (Don't fret folks--that bell jar suicide thing wasn't part of my blog plan)
p.s. this always happens when I start going along with the flow and don't spend enough time making things. An internal traffic jam of ideas that are waiting. Frustration mounts and generally I have that weird feeling that if I don't just go home and work for days and days I may burst into a million tiny pieces.
It could also be a direct result of it being Sunday, the day I have a lot more time on my hands.
My sweet friend H told me today "And plus sometimes the deep feelings start to make you feel like you're thinking in a language nobody else speaks. Or as if you are still looking for something that feels like home."
The night before I left town, Miss Jennifer Brandt Taylor (author and Vintage PRO) had her debut BOOK signing in Hollywood. We strolled up at the very end of event, and were lucky to score a copy and have it signed in GOLD.
The amazing book features a collection of creative shops, eateries, landmarks and decor revolving around the excitement of Hollywood (and California). Mrs Brandt Taylor weaves together the charming vintage treasures, the incredible history, the major players and then sprinkles on a coating of glitter.
As a true L.A. native with fashionable parents and a a darling sister, she has sought to surround herself with colorful individuals who further her love and appreciation for a town dazzled with stars.
Best thing about this vintage hand guide? The lush photos are reminiscent of old postcards lovingly saved and the info reads more like a friend is spilling some good secrets.
Did I mention the lovely Jeaneen Lund shot the book?
Did I mention all of my fab friends and their shops featured in it? Like "Come to MAMA, Hung on YOU, MADLEY in Venice, Sirens and Sailors"?
Mr. G. BOY thinks this book has a nice relaxing cover. Loves to spoon it.
Here's the author and her husband at the debut signing
Miss Lizzie (her fab sis) on left
The folks over at Gen ART have reminded me that I need to purchase the massive 420 page book featuring the art of Charley Harper. While I was in Miami for the Basel show, Marsea introduced me to renowned designer Todd Oldham, who helped create this collaborative book. AMMO Books is honored to present this beautiful large format title as the definitive monograph of artist Charley Harper’s six decade long career. Todd Oldham rediscovered Charley’s work in 2001, and collaborated closely with him, combing through his extensive archive to edit and design this stunning AMMO Books release.
The AMMO site states:
"Charley Harper is an American original who created his art from his home studio in Cincinnati, Ohio - until his death on June 10, 2007 at the age of 84. He is beloved for his delightful, graphic and often humorous illustrations of nature, animals, insects and people alike. Charley liked to say, that when he paints a bird, he doesn’t count all the feathers in the wings – he just counts the wings. Minimal realism, he called it, and his unique and precise style continues to resonate and inspire his admirers.
Charley Harper - An Illustrated Life, showcases his illustrations that appeared from 1950-1975 in the Ford Times magazines, as well as in books such as the beloved “The Giant Golden Book of Biology” in 1961, “Betty Crocker’s Dinner for Two” in 1961, and “ The Animal Kingdom” in 1968, among many others. His well loved book “Birds and Words”, first published in 1974, is considered a classic. Remarkably, however, Charley’s work has never before been published in one complete retrospective. Accordingly, this massive volume is the definitive Charley Harper book to have on your bookshelf!
Bringing his legacy to a wider audience, AMMO Books offers Charley Harper – An Illustrated Life, as a large format standard book, or as a luxurious limited edition that was personally signed by Charley Harper and Todd Oldham."
Back home in Cinti, Ohio Dec 8th was declared
CHARLEY HARPER DAY: BY MAYORAL PROCLAMATION
(these inside book images from www.book-by-its-cover.com/ fineart/charley-har...)
I have been super busy destroying my apartment and trying to find it's hidden Feng Sui. It has been a real effort on my part to avoid the computer and my endless hours of googling and posting and searching.
In the past few days I have tossed bags and bags of unused fabrics, trims, big eyed paintings, clothes, strange dolls, and other random riff raff into a donation pile. I have also parted with shelves, chairs, tables and old doors. I am going to start this year off right if it kills me.
I have lived in this old 1930's building since 1999, and have acquired a lot of "precious" things. Unfortunately when you don't move from place to place, your stone starts to gather a little moss. In my case the stone is wedged in and in need of a home makeover emergency. I promise to document the progress here. Sure, you folks have witnessed countless attempts on my part to creatively organize, but the truth is you have to part ways with a lot more stuff.
Most important things in my life: my books. I could do without most of the knick knacks and clothes, but I love staring at my packed book shelves. Neatly categorized by subjects, WOMEN ARTISTS, CRAFTS/MACRAME, MUSIC etc...This Christmas my dear friend Fran gave me some cool Rizzolli art books one on the BEAUTY in art and the other on the UGLY subject matter portrayed in art. I also got two great books from my friend Adam. He got me this great one on TRENCH COATS which documents all of the great style icons who have rocked the trench. He also gave me this book called THE BEAUTIFUL FALL: Fashion, Genius, and Glorious Excess in 1970's Paris. I can't wait to get the scoop on YSL and Karl Lagerfeld!
Just listen to the back cover summary:
"In the 1970's, Paris fashion exploded like a champagne bottle left out in the sun. Amid sequins and longing, celebrities and aspirants flocked to the heart of chic, and Paris became a hothouse of revelry, intrigue, and searing ambition. At the center of it all were Fashion's most beloved luminaries-Yves Saint Laurent, the reclusive enfant terrible, and Karl Lagerfeld, the flamboyant freelancer with a talent for reinvention-and they divided Paris into two fabulous halves. Their enduring rivalry is chronicled in this dazzling expose of an era of social ambitions, shared obsessions and the mesmerizing quest for beauty."
My favorite new coffee table book came into my hands from Cynthia. She surprised me with an AMAZING book titled FANTASY WORLDS. The book is like a mind melt brain explosion of outsider and folk genius places documented from a dream. My fav. NIKI de ST. Phalle is featured twice in the book as it depicts spaces that are created by wild artists with whimsical ways.
She bought herself a Xmas gift/book titled Sublime Spaces and Visionary Worlds. I of course had to find it on amazon minutes later for myself. IT's a breathtaking book with 416 pages of colorful goodness that is described online as such:
"This colorful and inspiring book features the work of twenty-two vernacular artists whose locales, personal histories, and reasons for art-making vary widely but who all share a powerful connection to the home as art. Featured projects range from art environments that remain intact, such as Simon Rodia's Watts Towers in California, to sites lost over the years such as Emery Blagdon's six hundred elaborate "Healing Machines," made of copper, aluminum, tinfoil, magnets, ribbons, farm-machinery parts, painted light bulbs, beads, coffee-can lids, and more.
Sublime Spaces and Visionary Worlds is the first book to explore these spectacularly offbeat spaces in detail. From "Original Rhinestone Cowboy" Loy Bowlin's wall-to-wall glitter-and-foil living room to the concrete bestiary of "witch of Fox Point" Mary Nohl, each artist and project is described in detail through a wealth of visuals and text. The need to personalize our surroundings is a defining human characteristic. For some this need becomes a compulsion to transform their personal surroundings into works of art. "
Other books you may consider adding to your own shelves:
1. If you love couture details and lush museum quality photos of dresses dating back to the 20's...the massive LANVIN coffee table book is worth the weight. The book features the designs of Jeanne Lanvin and also mentions how the new creative director Alber Elbaz is attempting to preserve this fashion house.
2. If you admire children's books and the people who illustrate them- check out PLAY PEN
3. This one will make VIV salivate: Silent Movies: The Birth of Film to the Triumph of Movie Culture
Peter Kobel
"Lavishly illustrated by the Library of Congress's extensive collection of posters, paper prints, film stills and other memorabilia, most of which has never been in print, SILENT MOVIES will take its place as the defining work on this most important and fascinating aspect of American culture."
4. I bought Mr. P this book for night time reading: The Year of Living Biblically. A funny book about one man's quest to live the ultimate biblical life. To follow every single rule in the Bible – as literally as possible. obey the famous ones:
The Ten Commandments
Love thy neighbor
Be fruitful and multiply
But also, the hundreds of oft-ignored ones.
Do not wear clothes of mixed fibers.
Do not shave your beard
Stone adulterers
the author described his reason why...
"Why? Well, I grew up in a very secular home (I’m officially Jewish but I’m Jewish in the same way the Olive Garden is an Italian restaurant). "
5. This cool book features various FONTS that are handmade-- HAND JOB: A Catalog of Type (Paperback)
by Michael Perry (Author)
Earlier today, my friend John sent me an email with a link to an amazing and haunting story. It seems that back in the day at a NEW YORK STATE mental hospital, suitcases filled with belongings and memories pertaining to patients were put away in an attic and forgotten. They were hidden and lost collecting dust like most of the patients who were kept against their will.
The discovery of their luggage and their lives has become the subject of this new book:
entitled "The Lives They Left Behind: Suitcases from a State Hospital Attic," based on research into the lives of people whose suitcases were found in an abandoned attic at Willard Psychiatric Center in New York State. The website and exhibit present the lives of the suitcase owners in all their richness and complexity, and examine the history of psychiatric institutions during the early-mid 20th century through the eyes of those who spent decades within their walls."
This also resulted in a travelling exhibit with the pieces. Some memorabilia reveals the lost identities of these victims to a mental health system
or the official website
http://www.mingeringmike.com
Anyhow THEY finally made a book containing all the good stuff pertaining to the world of Mingering- and the book is only $16 on Amazon. That's practically stealing! I am broke and I still GOT one!
Anyway, support the man with the music plan, and grab one, or a record maybe.
My dear pal Amy Lou- recently posted some of her favorite childhood books on her blog
http://www.ifthebirdsknew.blogspot.com
She chose one of my favorites as well-- Sylvester and the Magic Pebble.
This inspired me to check my shelves and share some of my childhood favorite books
When I was in the fourth grade I read this book 100 Dresses, by Eleanor Estes. This book changed my life and made me realize I could paint things that I may never actually own...especially dresses
I also was obsessed with- Christina Katerina and the Box-- a great book about a girl who is bored one summer until her mother gets a huge appliance delivery. She takes the empty box and with a little imagination makes it into a million things
Of course every summer in the early years was dedicated to my love for JUDY BLUME. From "Are You There God it's me Margaret" to "Sheila the Great-" and of course "Deanie" and "Blubber" and "Forever".
In the box of books my mother recently sent out- I found this one-
funny how my mom always wrote my name on everything- (even when I left for college)
anyway- thought I'd share...I really always wanted to get freckles. So much in fact that a redhaired guy I sat behind in school told me he would leave me his in a will.
If you live in NYC- tonight is your lucky night. Get down to the Strand bookstore on 12th and Broadway for the debut of Edie Factory Girl...a new book with photos by NAT Finkelstein and text by David Dalton.
Finkelstein--( also seen in this month's Italian Vogue ) has taken photographs that capture every colorful detail from the inside. His images document the dreamy sadness and the exciting thrill in Edie's eyes. In 2004- I was in Japan and hanging out in a cool library like bar. Most of the books on the shelves were in Japanese- It was there that I discovered a book on WARHOL and copied an amazing quote from Nat Finkelstein. At the time I didn't know that much about him- but loved what he said about the sublime freaks from the factory--
"They live to dress up, collect strange objects, dwell in phantasmagorically decorated apartments. Rarified, fragile creatures around whom evolves a universe of oddness and magic."
another great quote--
"It was a great party; a speed freaks dream. The American fantasia full of fun, frolic and forget-me-nots. Some of the guests left in limousines, some in amblances, others never found the door. It was plain old fasioned heterosexual you-girl-me-boy-let's-fuck sex that got me there... I watched pop die, I saw punk being born... I came I saw I observed I enjoyed."
Nat Finkelstein, 1999.
Ok back to plugging the book--
Publisher's Description
"She was riveting to look at, a sprite of the zeitgeist, the living distillation of the over-amped vision of New York in the mid-sixties. Like many exotic creatures that Andy Warhol shed his light on, she initially bloomed—became the symbol for all that was hip and stylish—and just as quickly began to disintegrate. Told with unsparing candor and with candid images that capture her at the peak of her Factory stardom, Edie Factory Girl is the short but enduring cultural story of Edie Sedgwick—releasing in time for the film of the same name starring Sienna Miller, and including rare photos of Miller as Edie.
David Dalton was just a teen when he became one of Warhol’s first assistants, and was present for the arrival of Edie: witnessing her rise, her Factory superstardom, and subsequent unraveling. Like an anthropologist thrown together with a tribe of 'wild' people, Nat Finkelstein entered the Factory just as Warhol was emerging as the supreme catalyst of the sixties. Among the freaky menagerie, Nat found Andy’s misbegotten princess the most fascinating and enigmatic character of her time, and with a compassionate lens recorded her fragile, fleeting beauty. Edie Factory Girl is a privileged glimpse into Warhol’s inner sanctum, via revealing interviews with intimates, friends, and scenesters, in which Edie orbits around the likes of Bob Dylan, Salvador Dali, Betsey Johnson, Lou Reed, Judy Garland, and many more, before departing as quickly as she came.
In person- and signing books!
Nat Finkelstein and David Dalton, Edie Factory Girl
Mon Nov 27 from 7-8:30 2006 -
according to the Strand book review:
This is the devastating story of the legendary muse and her meteoric rise and kamikaze plunge, told with unsparing candor and candid images that capture Edie Sedgwick at the peak of her Factory stardom. Nat Finkelstein and David Dalton, two Factory insiders, will share with us the short but enduring story of Andy Warhol's first It-Girl. Bibbe Hensen, a friend of Edie's (and Beck's mom), playwright and Factory co-hort, Robert Heide and Edie's good friend, Danny Fields, will all participate in the evening's discussion
When asked the question: Nat answers:
How do you get to work in The Factory? Nat tells the tale of couches, gouches, louches and slouches
I was falling asleep at a Tom Wolfe prepublication party when I spied Jeanne K. and we looked at each other and said, 'Yes:' and Jeanne said, 'Lets go to the Factory. There's a party tonight and nobody will even notice us.' So we made it to 47th Street and submerged ourselves in each other and a couch. When we emerged we found that somebody had stolen Jeanne's purse while we were making love. I was intrigued - the walls were silvered, there was a man called Billy Name living in the toilet and people were doing all sorts of weird things all over the weird place. Nobody had noticed us except a purse-snatcher. The art was incredible, the music great and the natives were kinky. This was the era of the photographer as anthropologist - Ernst Haas's photos of Balinese fertility dances, Inge Morath's photos and essays on head-hunters in New Guinea - and suddenly I found myself in the factory on East 47th Street with some of the freakiest people of earth. After I fucked Jeanne K. on the couch I looked up and said to myself, who needs New Guinea?
And so I hustle myself a couple of assignments on Andy for some magazines and decided that Andy Warhol was a superficial genius for superficial people, and that the denizens of the Factory were a piranha pack waiting to strip the flesh off your bones at the first sign of blood. I stayed at the Factory for close to two years. I watched POP die, I saw PUNK being born. I participated in a cultural revolution that shook the superstructure of our society. I came I saw I observed I enjoyed. I allowed myself to see things that I had only felt before and I became freer because of Andy and the freedom he accorded to and conferred upon the people around him - the freedom to fuck up - the freedom to try and die. I can't really say what he did to/for the rest of society, but he was my artistic messiah. He said do or die. I did, others died: so it goes. In retrospect and after a whole lot of living, I look upon the Factory scene like a perpetual carnival in Rio de Janeiro, beautiful girls, pretty boys, music in the air and fucking in the streets, and every once in a while somebody runs in and kills one of the guests.
Now Andy bestrides his world like a bleached blond colossus, a silver spray-painted black widow spider; fucking 'em over, sucking them dry and spitting them out. I witnessed the birth of his monster, me a kid from a Brooklyn slum who read the Autobiography of Benvenuto Cellini in a four-room apartment off Rogers Avenue, whose cab-driver father was crippled while earning five bucks unloading a coal truck in Coney Island. They paraded for my camera if not for me, this American royalty called superstars, because I was a working photojournalist - a profession celebrated and mythologized in Blow Up and Rear Window - regularly published and under contract to a major agency. Celebrities are like academics, they must be published to justify their existence. You see therefore they are. They may not have wanted me or liked me, but they sure did need me. Who ever heard of a celebrity that nobody ever heard of? But there was still the problem of how to strip the facade. These were the great dissemblers, professional image projectors. Cultural ecdysiasts showing only as much as they were paid to reveal - g-strings and pasties and nothing more. Don't show fear or they will climb all over you. Infiltrate, assimilate, become one of them but not part of them, softlee softlee catchee monkee. And so I became as much of a spy as a journalist. The first of the red hot Gonzos: spooking about like Sir Richard Burton in Mecca, mixing with the faithful but knowing that a slip of the veil would reveal a five o'clock shadow. I became a visible presence, the yang pimple of a smooth ying cheek. Definite visibility: a lipstick-stained cigarette left smouldering by the Ka'bah: muddy footprints near the ark: a crumpled Kleenex dropped by the wailing wall: `Hi folks: I'm here: It's me, Nat: watch the birdie: look directly in the camera:' Sometimes a part of the scene and sometimes the scene itself. I would jump on the stage and dance as I snapped. I would jump on stage and take pictures of the audience. I would jump into the audience and take pictures of the stage. I would jump into conversations and direct poses at the same time: one time I made love in a movie house and snapped a couple with my pants down: I slugged a security cop and took pictures of the ensuing mini-riot: High visibility and this at a time when photojournalists were barely seen and barely heard. Softlee softlee catchee monkee and slowlee surelee 'What's he doing here?' changed to 'Where the hell is he?' changed to 'Somebody call Nat.'
Exciting things happened: my name on the flyers, my own groupies: and a one- man show of my enlarged contacts at Andy's Edie Retrospective at the Cinematique: Photos by Nat Finkelstein. Operating the lights at the Exploding Plastic Inevitable shows. The Velvet Underground Banana album: Photos by Nat Finkelstein. Mobbed by teenies at the Rolling Stones RKO concert. Stillie at the Betsey Johnson show. Stillie for the Warhol - Dylan meeting. Until finally I committed the cardinal sin: I threatened parity with Andy on a joint venture: the Andy Warhol Index. It died a death or was executed, however you want to look at it. I committed the cardinal sin - I wanted to get paid, and the traditional Cantonese greeting Fa Tsai (make money) was not in Andy's lexicon. Softlee softlee catchee monkee was Andy's aphorism as well as mine because underneath it all Ann Dee Warhol never stopped being Andrew Warhola, child of a McKeeversport, Penn. immigrant family scrambling around the mines scratching out the yankee dollar.
Copyright Nat Finkelstein 1999
To see more of Nat's amazing photographs- go to www.natfinkelstein.com
Best little gift idea for sure, Martha Rich's darling book FREEDOM WIGS- has arrived!
I've always been a voyeur and enjoy looking into other peoples inspirational sketchbooks. This cute 4X6 book is bursting with colorful illustrations and candid text. The intro supports my new philosophy- don't be embarrassed- just do it. Don't worry be crappy. Not that any of this art is crappy- just that the artist admits she was afraid to adventure out of her "cubicle" job and become what she loves-ART.
She states:
"After a series of not-so-good events in my life it dawned on me that all my kindness and doing what was expected of me didn't amount to a hill of beans. You can do all the right things and still crap can happen to you. So what the heck! You might as well be doing what you dream of and then if crap happens, at least you are living life the way you want to, not defined by someone else. It's easier to deal with the crap if something good is going on too, So here I am now, "artist gal" which is way better then "cubicle gal."
So thank Mark Murphy- who put this book out and now you can be inspired to break out into a creative dance move as well. to buy the book--http://www.murphydesign.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=bk_freedomwigs
CLICK ON IMAGE TO SEE WHOLE THING
Another cool twist to all of this is that when she left her human resources job --she took an art class with the Clayton Brothers ( can you imagine that class?) And now has shown at amazing galleries and worked for tons of magazines.
I'm not sure at what point I became so fascinated by death. I remember in the third grade being grief stricken by Anne Frank's diary. I cut out a picture of her face and made a tree hanging ornament of her. I wondered why people died. I wanted to know who let it happen. I gave countless pursuasive speaches in High School on Marilyn Monroe's death (being murder of course). I bought every book on her and James Dean and filled my room with posters of them. So today never passes unnoticed for me. Sept 30th always reminds me of my great love for Jimmy Dean- and my quest to know every detail about him. I begged my best friend in high school to cut school and drive to Indiana to visit his grave site & family home. We teased that we perhaps were necrophiliacs...and dare dig him up. I read every page of Warren Beath's book "The Death of James Dean". He gives minute by minute accounts of his last day- and fans often reenact every detail today in honor of him. (Even down to the donut he ate) http://www.americanlegends.com/jamesdean/facts/lastride.html
He only made 3 movies. That is amazing, right? He was 24. Supposedly he died at exactly 5:55 on Sept 30-1955. He never even made it to the Rebel Without a Cause premiere.
here he is from Rebel..."I've got the bullets"
when I turned 17--I declard this image my favorite of Deans
Here's me at age 17 in my bedroom with my posters gallore...Annie Hall anyone?
For more detailed info about James Dean and his last ride- please check out: jamesdeanindeath.com
Last night over at SKYLIGHT BOOKS, our dear friend John read from his book "The Inertia Variations." For those of you who have never had the pleasure of an intimate evening with the poetry of Mr. John Tottenham- - you are missing out. Perhaps it's all in the dead pan delivery, or the English accent, or maybe even the way he continues reading til you can almost feel the energy leaving your torso, whatever the case you're hooked. You can almost picture a marigold room with barely any light and tattered doilies, furniture with a human dent formed from hours of listless lounging. The magic of Mr Tottenham's words are created from years of experiencing "nothing" I can almost hear the soundtrack to his sonnets with music by the FUGS... "Monday- nothing, Tuesday -nothing Wednesday, Thursday Nothing --Friday for a change a little more Nothing....nothing nothing nothing."
His book was put out by Kerosene Bomb Publishing- and is the perfect gift for pals who have a hard time getting something accomplished everyday.
The Inertia Variations are currently being adapted into song form by Matt Johnson of The The.
Here's one of his Walker series paintings...
here are some fine examples of his poetry:
XIX
I do not know the meaning of hard work.
But I do know what it means to adhere
To a schedule of diligent work-avoidance
As if it were a regular job: a strict routine
Of wandering around and lying down,
And brooding over wasted time.-
I don't like to mix business
With anything, least of all pleasure.
Nothing
---------
When I ask someone what they are doing and they tell me
They are doing nothing, they are, in fact usually doing
Something. Whereas if someone asks me what I am doing
And I tell them I am doing nothing, I am, in fact actually doing
Nothing. Few people, outside jails or hospitals, have spent more
Time lying on a bed looking at a wall. Or on a sofa, or in a chair,
Or on a floor. Or looking at a floor, or a ceiling.
Or with eyes shut.
XXXIV
-----------
I only take consolation
In other people's failure
In order to feel less lonely.
It is not that I am afraid
Of success. What scares me most
Is the work itself, the required effort:
Of what it will take out of me
And what it will leave me with.
Another DAY
---------------
Take some initiative...
Do something with your life:
I get up from the sofa,
Walk across to the table
And write these words
Down on a piece of paper.
Then I return to the sofa and
Fall asleep.
After John made some new fans laugh til they felt sick in the stomach, and better about their own apathy, we made our way to the Dresden for a drink. The intriguing thing about John Tottenham is that he is forever a mystery. You will never know where he spends his days, who he visits on his travels, or what he is truly thinking. His answering machine message is a mere mumble- and if he actually picks up the phone at all to talk, you feel important.
If you're really lucky- he'll invite you into his home and show you his amazing postcard collection and photos of him at seventeen. London school boys with curly hair--wow.
Speaking of LUCKY--check out the this morning photo of the tree that tipped over at the roots right next to my car. Imagine if that would've crushed by Benz. ouch
The Edendale Library society held a Benefit tonight for the LIBRARY featuring
an IRREGULAR wine tasting with live performances.
Upon entering the ECHO I saw Miss. Cynthia checking out the preowned books on sale. I scored a lovely 1st edition book of old LOVE SONGS (c) 1907. From there I was made up in glitter eyeshadow by Heidi's "night of beauty" table. The evening truly took off when John Tottenham read from his book the INERTIA Variations.
Here's one poem he read:
DOWN Time
I sometimes marvel at how little I do
And at how it is necessary for me to do very little.
I could put a flame under myself, perhaps a flicker.
But I have this fire in me to do nothing. And it is important
That a certain amount of time should be reserved
For doing nothing. Both before, during and after
Doing something. And I could be incinerated
By a flicker.
The Living Sisters also performed for the first time tonight. The group consists of Eleni Mandell, Inara George and Becky Stark (Lavender Diamond). They were wearing dazzling glitter costumes from the corner store. Heidi let up their eyelids with glitter dust before they performed.
Eleni and Charlie
There is no describing the sound that comes from these three women. The angelic harmonies and delicate vocals seem too dreamy to be real. They are reminiscent of old USO performers on stage.
I also met Math tonight in the kitchen. Anyone who rocks this look is a pal of mine
Sometimes the Echo is the kind of place you run into people from the past that you need to make a clean get away from. So we opted to escape out the back alley and hike up the hill to the Brite Spot. We really wanted Thai food but our Scooby Van was left back at the scene...and we feared being found.
The evening ended with french fries and belly aches.
Today I found this review from the Fashion Illustration Next Book that my work is in. It starts with someones project research including artist Jasper Goodall as well as my drawings. I love the descriptive terms of his work and then mine . I suppose it is nice that someone compliments your art by blogging about it, even if is goes something like this:
" Looking through books in the libary I came across 'Fashion Illustration Next', by Laird Borelli a book i previously used frequently, as a source of inspiration on my college course.
Fashion illustration has always provided a platform for a lot of my surface design ideas. Various aspects can be applied, such as the interesting composition, the clever use of materials and how all sorts of objects, that at first appear quite random, can work together, very effectively. A particular favourite of mine is Jasper Goodall. He cleverly combines such a variety of techniques into one illustration, creating a feast for the eyes. There is so much to explore on the page; areas of bold flat colour are balanced with areas of vigerous colouring uing felt tips. The figures are highly contrasted with black shadows hinting at facial features. This looks intense against the stark white background. Pattern and quirky images ehance the illustrations and the bright colours make the design feel youthful and brings it to life.
Kime Buzzelli has a completely different style and yet is just as inspirational to me. Her style is all together more painterly and looks more spontaneous. It's as if she drew her illustrations and made many mistakes, but kept on drawing over the blunders, instead of rubbing them out. She uses paint and pastels, picked out with hard pencil lines, to give an idea of texture and movement. Taking the sections individually they appear quite child-like and look a bit of a mess, but as a whole the final design is perfectly executed and parts that are more loosly painted, work well with parts that have more defined outlines.
===============================================================
Hey- I think I've finally arrived
Well, it seems that since the publication of Laird Borrellis book "FAshion Illustration Next" I've become quite a hit with the cool kids of the U.K. I receive anywhere from 2-5 emails a week asking questions about what it takes to become a fashion illustrator. This is better then any payday for me ( although my father would beg to differ). Whenever things seem bleak- I have my trusty England fashion students to boost my art ego with compliments. Here is todays latest letter which made my heart skip a beat. If only you were as successful as the people supporting you believed you were.
To show pony :)
I am a student at BIshop Stop Stopford Secondary school in Kettering, England.
I would really appreciate it if you would pass on my admiration for Kime's work. I find it very inspiring and imaginative.
I found Kime's work in a fashion illustration book and have since become inspired to start drawing similar contexts for my current GCSE art portfolio with the given title 'structures'.
I would be very grateful if you could pass on this e-mail to Kime and ask her if she has any tips and advice in creating a successful piece of fashion illustration.
Thankyou
regards
Lucy Hemingway
and my favorite one:
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Dear Sir/Madam
My names Alexander Brooke Smith and I am a student of illustration at York
University (UK). I was wondering whether there is someone i could speak with
at the company regarding a report I am to write on fashion Illustration. I
am massive fan of Kime Buzzelli's work and would definately like to analyse
her work for this major project.
Thank you for your time, I will definately look forward to hopefully hearing
back from you.
Best Regards,
Alex B. Smith
Hi!
I am a student at Swansea Institute. I am currently studying Illustration and have been given the oppurtunity to create my own brief. I am interested in fashion illustration although it is something that i dont have much experience at. I really admire your work and the style that you work in especially the one named'She Always Put Her Finger In Her Mouth'. I just wondered if you had any advice for me for my current project?
Thankyou for your help
Kellie Anderson x
