Barren landscape

Nothing like an empty Times Square in NYC to suggest all is not right in the world.

 The World, the Flesh and the Devil, 1959

Vanilla Sky, 2001

 I am Legend, 2007

This week, circa Hurricane Sandy

Dino lamp

The new Dino lamp has trace design elements of Meret Oppenheim and Serge Mouille.

The right kind of wife

Somebody down the street owns an old red VW wagon (or maybe it's a camper?). It changes parking spaces often, so I guess it's still running well.  I've never seen the driver, but J. told me he spoke with him once. It was years ago that J. mentioned he always wanted one for himself, so it came as no surprise he was curious. He can afford to drive just about anything, so I think the wagon appeals to him for the qualities VW's tend to exude; earthiness, simplicity, youth and fun times.

It's interesting that both ads suggest that a wife will put the kibosh on ownership.

War of the Worlds

 1899

 1916

 1939

 1953

1978

2007

H.G. Wells's classic novel inspired great cover illustration

Photogenic

James Franco's self portraits mimic Cindy Sherman's Untitled Film Stills series.

Natural handmade

 Smock apron

 Wood mobile

Waxed tote

I spy perfection in simplicity at bookhou shop.

Witchy

Ann Miller

 Ava Gardner

 Veronica Lake

 Clara Bow

Cyd Charisse

Steak or chicken?

I'm a devoted fan of Nathalie Lete, who lives and works in Paris. Flowers, vintage toys, insects, animals and sea life are recurring motifs in her paintings, jewelry, ceramics and rugs. Her latest pieces, wool rugs in the unusual form of steak and roast chicken are fantastic! 

Being quiet

During a beginners bookmaking workshop for kids, one parent asked if she might take photos of me during each step of the craft process. She said, "I can see you're shy and introverted, but would you mind if I take photos of you during the class to help us remember the instructions?" I think she mistook my quiet approach. Weeks later, she sent me copies of the photos she had taken. The photos were better than a video. They captured each step, and all that quiet.

Reading list

Is it really so strange?

The Smiths albums from the Rough Trade Records label were radiant when they were first released in the 1980's, and continue to exemplify great design with a less-is-more sensibility. Their stark design with a single image, often in duotone, and bare minimum text hardly seems like a recipe for a sales-boosting package. But there's mystery in the image; evoking a vague memory, leaving a thread of a story, and the viewer spellbound.

Alain Delon in The Unvanquished, 1964

Terence Stamp in The Collector, 1965

Jean Marais in Orpheus, 1956

Joe Dallesandro in Flesh, 1968

Candy Darling in Women in Revolt, 1971

Morrissey has shared his profound fascination and encyclopedic knowledge of film and television during interviews. Their influence and inspiration can be found in the occasional borrowed screen dialogue for lyrics and song titles, as well as single frames from films for album covers.

Seen the movie read the book

  Gregory Peck

Clark Gable

soul like a rocket

so you want to be a writer?

by Charles Bukowski



if it doesn't come bursting out of you
in spite of everything,
don't do it.
unless it comes unasked out of your
heart and your mind and your mouth
and your gut,
don't do it.
if you have to sit for hours
staring at your computer screen
or hunched over your
typewriter
searching for words,
don't do it.
if you're doing it for money or
fame,
don't do it.
if you're doing it because you want
women in your bed,
don't do it.
if you have to sit there and
rewrite it again and again,
don't do it.
if it's hard work just thinking about doing it,
don't do it.
if you're trying to write like somebody
else,
forget about it.

if you have to wait for it to roar out of
you,
then wait patiently.
if it never does roar out of you,
do something else.

if you first have to read it to your wife
or your girlfriend or your boyfriend
or your parents or to anybody at all,
you're not ready.

don't be like so many writers,
don't be like so many thousands of
people who call themselves writers,
don't be dull and boring and
pretentious, don't be consumed with self-
love.
the libraries of the world have
yawned themselves to
sleep
over your kind.
don't add to that.
don't do it.
unless it comes out of
your soul like a rocket,
unless being still would
drive you to madness or
suicide or murder,
don't do it.
unless the sun inside you is
burning your gut,
don't do it.

when it is truly time,
and if you have been chosen,
it will do it by
itself and it will keep on doing it
until you die or it dies in you.

there is no other way.

and there never was.

Watch the birdie

Julius Neubronner (1852-1932) wondered what things looked like from above. Way above. 

A passionate amateur photographer, he created aerial images by way of 

camera-equipped carrier pigeons.

Aerial view

The Chrysler Building eagle gargoyle is an amazing location to 

take an aerial photograph of New York.

Margaret Bourke-White

Annie Leibovitz and assistant

Little bits of greatness

A humble rubber band, a present without a bow, 

I love these Maira Kalman random still life paintings!

Kiki

Images of Kiki by Man Ray

The short life of Alice Prin (a.k.a Kiki de Montparnasse) was fully lived. As a model, she posed for painters and photographers and sculptors, including Chaim Soutine, Alexander Calder, Jean Cocteau and her companion for most of the 1920’s, Man Ray. She was also a painter, writer and performer. Paris in the 1920’s; studios and cafes were buzzing with emerging masters. I wonder about it a lot.