Fresh air

via ... How sweet is this print?!

B and I both had the stomach flu last week. lovelyyyyy. But the crappiness was rewarded with a beautiful Saturday afternoon. Do you feel lonely on solo adventures [movies, etc] ? I kinda love them sometimes. He wanted to work on art projects and a personal to-do list. I went to the beach and got some fresh air. Drove around my old neighborhood in the city... bought a necklace for myself with a gift certificate... went to the beach + had a picnic + talked to an old childhood friend... dropped by the Paper Source - love LOVE that store... grabbed some coffee for the drive home. It was awesome.

Back to the future

"I love old photos. I admit being a nosey photographer. As soon as I step into someone else’s house, I start sniffing for them. Most of us are fascinated by their retro look but to me, it’s imagining how people would feel and look like if they were to reenact them today... A few months ago, I decided to actually do this. So, with my camera, I started inviting people to go back to their future."
--Irina Werning, photographer

(via A Cup of Jo)

Charley Harper

I'm a huge fan of the artist Charley Harper. I love his geometric animals.
(above images from here)

I never buy a full-price calendar in December. Sometimes I receive one as a gift but I usually take my chances and head over to the sale table at the Art Institute of Chicago. I found this gem at a different downtown shop today - 50% off. Once/month I get to color a cool Charley Harper image. Work is busy... and I'm excited for the creative breather.

Matisse, The Beatles and Coco Chanel

I very much enjoy roaming the Art Institute of Chicago by myself. We have a membership pass and whenever I'm in the area, I try to squeeze in time to wander around the museum- even if it's just for 20 minutes. I don't mind the company but I'm also quite content exploring on my own. I like to people watch and overhear conversations. After an appointment on Friday, I wandered over to the museum to check out the Matisse exhibit.

****
Our neighborhood church organized a "Beatles Mass" last night. I'd say it had a rather progressive theme: Celebrate peace and love - ancient Christian tradition with a Sixties spin :) Big turnout...

****
When Brad and I were still dating, we saw "A Hard Day's Night" at this dumpy movie theater in Old Town. They had two movies playing that weekend: The Beatles & "Requiem for a Dream." Both films ended @ the same time. Half the movie goers were giddy and chatty... the other half looked pretty depressed.

****

I rented "Coco Before Chanel" last night. It was a bit of a departure from The Beatles... haha. I liked it, didn't love it. There were two Chanel movies that came out about the same time. Rent this one- the French one. Audrey Tautou {Amelie!} stars as Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel.

appreciate {the little things in life}

{appreciate / green and gray / letterpress print}

****
Do you ever listen to The Story on public radio? I went to the chiropractor this morning {sooo stiff from a weekend migraine} and couldn't walk into my apartment until I heard the end of the program.

The first piece was a real life story comparable to the movie 'Up'! ... On a dare from his work mates, Jonathan Trappe took his first balloon-powered flight two years ago, in his office chair. Hoisted by over 50 giant helium balloons, he sailed up to 14,000 feet, floating across the North Carolina countryside for over 4 hours. ...

The second story made me think about the first architecture office* I worked in while still in high school. ... Jami always had an interest in typography, and that's how she found herself visiting a small print shop in town called The Sherwood Press. The owner, Jocelyn, would change the way Jami saw her career and her life. ...

*I don't quite remember how I came to work in the office. The office was within walking distance from my house and I think I just showed up one day wondering if they would hire me as an intern; they did. Fred and Adelaide were a husband-and-wife team and were easily in their mid 70s by the time I started. They had thirteen children and welcomed me into the fold like family. I haven't worked with Fred in years but I still remember his vocational instruction and his stories. The office was tiny. I remember everyone gathered for a holiday party once and we had four religious backgrounds at the table: Catholic, Evangelical Christian, Buddhism and Hinduism. To this day, I've never had a boss treat me with as much respect as Fred did. I don't think I really appreciated it at the time.

Let's talk about cursors

"Millions of computers are made each year and still no one talks about sustainability in the cursor industry. We should, because according to this poster they’re being cut down at an alarming rate. We’re in luck that Nathan W Pyle has designed this poster informing us about the massive cursor deforestation going on." From PUBLIC SCHOOL.

{via swissmiss}

"Colourful Language"


"The Other Numbers"

The Muralist

I love reading the "On Location" pieces in the New York Times Home & Garden section. Some dwellings are horrid, some are energizing and some make me want to rethink everything in my own apartment.

... The feeling of sanctuary became especially important for him shortly after he bought the apartment when he was mugged. His shoulder was broken, and he could not paint for two months.

One of the first things he did after recovering was to change the color of the living room wall.

“I painted the wall as if I was up in the clouds on the calmest summer afternoon in the history of summer afternoons — think Hudson River School, Asher Brown Durand,” he says. “I mixed three or four tones of warm sienna with lighter tones of white, with a hint of yellow ochre for warmth. If my boat was in the middle of a lake, I didn’t want a single wisp of air blowing my sail. I wanted to just sit there for a bit, breathe and regroup.” ...

What a narrative!! Read the rest of the feature here.

[Photos: Trevor Tondro for The New York Times]

Doo-Nanny

Did anyone else read this piece in the New York Times about the Alabama artist, Butch Anthony? He lives on 80-acres, built his own home & filled it with his own art.

His folk art/personality reminded me a little bit of the artist in the film Junebug. [great movie- have you seen it?]
****
The article also mentioned the Doo Nanny- the annual alt/folk art “micro” festival held on Anthony's property.

{all images from the NY Times}

Spring cleaning

{"to make lines and wait" - original mixed-media encaustic painting}

(15) Ways to Simplify Your Life
a repost. source.

1. Decide what's most important to you. What do you value most?
2. List your current commitments and evaluate them in light of these values. What do you want to be doing with your precious time?
3. Simplify work tasks. Focus on the essential tasks and eliminate the rest.
4. Do one thing at a time. Multi-tasking is more complicated, more stressful, and generally less productive.
5. Sort through your stuff. Pick a room or a closet or a work area and do a thorough purging. Separate into three piles: keep, give away, and trash.
6. Simply your wardrobe. Give away things you haven't worn in the past year.
7. Limit your purchases. Buy less stuff. Ask yourself if you really need this and if you really need to own this before purchasing it.
8. Have a place for everything.
9. Limit your communications. Decide when and how much time you will devote to email, IM, phone calls, etc.
10. Eat slowly. Slow down to low weight, improve digestion, and enjoy life more.
11. Exercise. It helps burn off stress and makes you feel better.
12. Spend time with the people you love.
13. Spend time alone. Learn to meditate.
14. Slow down. Live life more deliberately.
15. Always ask: Will this simplify my life? If the answer is no, reconsider.

small pleasures

I bought the labradorite flat teardrop earrings from The Peach Tree last week. And for an added bonus- to celebrate her "2,000 sale SALE"- Amy sent me those green aventurine earrings for free.

Monday packages are the best.

“Daffodils that come before the swallow dares, and takes the winds of March with beauty.” ~ William Shakespeare

{roadside flower stand of fresh daffodils}

Cobble Hill Apartment

I love this Brooklyn apartment featured in the New York Times. The couple met as architecture students at the Rhode Island School of Design.

{Article HERE}

Salvador Dalí and Disney

~ digital illustration of Salvador Dalí ~

"In 1945, Salvador Dalí and Disney began collaborating on a project that would have been the surrealist's only animated film. With only 18 seconds finished by the original artists, the short was completed in 2003 from storyboards." --- Watch the project HERE.
{thanks for the link, Brad}

playhouse

I can't get over the backyard playhouse he made for his twins. So cool. I love the pendent light and the bright orangey yellow walls.

feeling restless

{restless}

portion of the artist's statement:

"... Know the feeling of having an unquiet heart and mind?

This ceramic art object is part of my ‘99 feelings’-project.
It derives from a project I did many years ago reflecting my self-portrait.
I called it ‘how the outside can tell how you feel inside’.
I started out with 9 feelings and then I suddenly thought of making 99 of them...
I like the fact that the number is uneven and that it leaves at least one feeling to complete to 100. That one unfinished feeling to make 100, represents for me all the feelings I haven't covered and that it can be anything... "

****
job searching.
winter in Chicago.
creative funk.
restless.

{finds} from The Renegade Holiday Fair

I braved the cold & the crowds last December and checked out
The Renegade Holiday Fair in Chicago. The show had some incredible handmade goods.

I bought my mother a cool grey fabric brooch though I couldn't locate them in Kelly Ventura's Etsy shop. But I love her ruched jersey scarf!



I bought 5 woodcut prints (one for me, four gifts) from All Things Grow ~ shop here. This print is in my dining room.

MADE by dad

Made by Joel ...
A blog documenting projects made by a stay-at-home father & artist.


{via say YES! to hoboken}

the holidays

We had a quiet Christmas Eve in Chicago... he worked 1/2 day, she cooked, cleaned and called some family & friends. We watched Kitchen Stories, a quirky Norwegian film.

On the 25th, we went to Brad's grandparents' house and celebrated Gideon's 1st Christmas{day}. cute, cute. A pretty low-key afternoon/evening. I called down to the North Georgia Mountains & chatted with the nephews... and additional family members. {The boys are older now but that creekside picture is so darn cute!}

****
My parents' gave me a gift certificate for a {speciality} cooking class. fun! Brad received a gift certificate to the board game store. :) And you can never go wrong with cash. We participated in a Secret Santa exchange with Brad's immediate family... board games, CDs, interesting new artwork, LAIKA Cosmonaut dog! Hoodie ... nerd points. And that includes the 2010 NPR calendar in my kitchen. ha! {thanks Joslyn}

I went on a solo 'L' ride & checked out The Renegade Holiday Fair this afternoon. I listened to my favorite Christmas album en route & modeled my new upcycled cashmere mittens {thank you Rebekah!}. Adding to the festive mood, I put up our Little Fake Christmas Tree last night. Working against the festive mood, we watched No Country for Old Men afterwards. Hmmm.
****
The indie fair was unbelievably crowded but I prevailed and found some beautiful Christmas gifts. I have a tight budget and a small list of recipients this season; so I wasn't too overwhelmed. It was 1-part Christmas shopping and 1-part gallery opening. :) Just about every artist had an Etsy shop.
****
A few pieces I admired...

--Screenprinted posters {... and a musician I like!}:
--Handmade dolls... and their photobooth antics:

--Homemade snowflake soap {scented with vanilla and sugar}:
--Animal Track ID Memory Game Set:
****
I bought myself a birch wood picture holder. I will mention a few other finds later this month { ... after gifts are opened}.

'Tis the season

fyi... The Renegade Holiday Fair is this coming Saturday + Sunday.

I found this Etsy print via a search on "architecture" and "home." Apparently a search on "hedges" would have sufficed. :) It doesn't really capture late autumn in the Midwest {Thanksgiving!}, but her style reminds me of Edward Hopper a bit. I love the way he painted realistic urban and rural landscapes... a slice of Americana. Simple scenes. A year or two ago, I went to the Art Institute of Chicago's joint exhibition of the works of Edward Hopper and Winslow Homer. Beautiful pieces. My father is a watercolor painter and I encouraged him to see Homer's work in particular.
****
Did you have a nice Thanksgiving??? My in-laws hosted about 30+ people for dinner, my parents included. I ate wwaayy too much. A small group of us ventured outdoors for a hike, letterbox adventure and to burn off some calories. In one year's time, we've lost an Uncle & gained two adorable babies to the family. Happy and sad reflections. I learned a lot about Bainbridge Island as we have family that semi-recently relocated to the Seattle area. A road trip is in order! Board games were played- several in fact. All in all, it was a relaxing holiday and we've spent the last two days zoning out at home. Such is life.
****
Oh, I tried out this pumpkin bread recipe and just added wheat-free flour instead. I used real pumpkin purée because I had two CSA pumpkins staring at me in the kitchen. :) It made the bread making process a little longer, but it was really tasty.