paid

with a painting of myself. too pretentious? 

I don't care,  it is still a beautiful painting from a fabulous painter. I am proud to call it my own.

fantastic(al)

thanks to my lovely emails from the NY Times Urban Eye section, I discover something new and gorgeous going on in the city I love from here in my suburban jungle (greenville is suburb, I don't care what you say).  Today I found this artist to inspire me. Ch-ch-ch-check it out

He uses embroidery to "subvert" the traditional images in classic toile fabric (a preppy favorite here in southern decor and sometimes even fashion).  What would my mother say if she came home and her couch was covered in clowns instead of 18th century courtesans (not really much difference in my mind, but i think she might be upset!).

Golden

These pictures are of Mr and Mrs Herbert Reading Danenhower. My grandparents.  They look like movie stars and last night we celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.  It was a great party (thanks to my mom, she is really the best hostess, Happy Mother's Day, Mom!) that started with a gathering at our house around 4:30, complete with the whole family and surprise guests for cocktails and hors d'oeuvres and lasted through dinner, dancing, and even some rock band until 2:30 am! 

Now even though I didn't make it as late as everyone else I had a great time before hand creating a video for them with pictures of their wedding, all their kids, grandkids, all the homes they lived in, and everything in between.  Looking through all those pictures made me appreciate the idea of memories and time spent with family.  Also, this may be a little vain, but my family is Gorgeous!  Just look at my mom.

This picture and others, especially the little medium format pictures (you know the old square ones with the white edge) made me really interested in buying a vintage camera like an old polaroid, or even one of the reproduction Holga lomographic things.  But look no further than my awesome dad and the attic!

my new pride and joy, kodak duaflex iv from the late fifties. complete with press type flash.  I have yet to see if it works but i ordered some film, so we will see soon! Also he thinks he might have an old video camera at work, the super 8 kind! I feel a new project coming on!

Daddy doesn't really understand my excitement about old stuff. I like getting back to basics lately, just living simpler.  I am always rebelling against something.  Maybe now I am rebelling against my gotta have it now generation.  Photography is the perfect example.  The newer the camera, the quicker you see what you have, and you can take any shitty composition and manipulate it later with editing software. Sure its handy and can produce something that looks nice, but where is the planning?  It seems to me that just as much as the digital age creates new opportunities for creativity, it also perpetuates procrastination and downplays the training and talent necessary to be truly original sometimes.  I love technology, I do. But sometimes it compromises art by passing something off as a piece of artwork when it really was just an automatic adjustment setting on photo shop.  This annoys me.  More later...

and hopefully photos too!

ps if anyone knows a good developer of vintage film let me know!

"Scotch neat"..."Double scotch neat"

I LOVE movies with redemptive themes. Especially ones that portray the most disgusting characters that even their mothers would find impossible to love, then life beats them to shit and then creates a turn of events so radical that you want to be their best friends. I think life is like that, people who are overcome things are so much more attractive.

ps there are lots of quotable moments from this movie, but i think my favorite is this:

"...he proclaims that he began to see a rhythm in everything... a pattern in the visual world around him.  You know, could SEE music."