Crayons

One of my favorite cliches is "not the brightest crayon in the box."  I use it enough to be labeled as judgmental (seriously, who isn't a little judgmental these days?). But, I just realized that it was not too long ago when I felt it described me. I wouldn't say it about myself now, so what changed?That got me thinking about the different boxes we place ourselves in (relative to intelligence or education).  Growing up, I think I was in the typical classic box of colors, but going to a small private school it was definitely an 8 pack and not the 64 (that was the large public school in town).  And in that classic pack I think I was definitely a bright orange, if not yellow.  I had a high GPA, worked hard to be a leader in every situation, sought ought creative solutions to the minor issues that seem HUGE in the relatively small scope of high school and was rewarded with the prestigious scholarship to my top choice college.  

I started college confident that I was still bright yellow, not realizing that I had just jumped into a much larger box. No, maybe not much larger, but this box was a lot brighter.  I mean this was like the neon pack of crayons with colors like, electric lime and neon carrot.  All of a sudden my little yellow faded into a much more mellow tone. I felt like sepia. Just ask my freshman year roommate how i used to come back after my monday night mac scholars class, bawling my eyes out because I couldn't add anything to the conversation.  My friends in the class were amazingly bright, casselbuddy was definitely a torch red, whitney: clear blizzard blue, plowden and chin were confident wild watermelon and shocking pink.  They and all the others were so fabulous and bright I wanted to sink into the shadows, but they refused to let me and in turn being in the brightness of these geniuses (seriously) I gleaned so much from their waxy residue I feel like post college I came out with a little bit of all of their colors.  Like when in grade school you take all the shavings from the bottom of your crayon pail and melt it between two sheets of wax paper to make a sun catcher? I feel like I am that blessed melange of all the colors that I encountered through my life.  

So now, "not the brightest crayon in the box" does not apply to me because there is no box. I have successfully escaped from all boxes and am forging my way forward full of flecks of every color in the rainbow. So thanks y'all and check this out, it is a list of all of the colors that crayola has named and each one is the perfect shade of brightness and complements all the rest just right, and each one reminds me of a different bright one who has helped me complete my suncatcher!

I love cities large enough to make you feel like you are in different worlds in the same day

I spent last Sunday in Atlanta enjoying a day of seeing the local eccentricities of atlanta with my friend, Alex, and then watching two of my very favorite friends get married! I love the similar energy in these two photos of two very different subjects in the same city on the same day: 

Cabbagetown bridge

Mr. and Mrs. Matt Tingle

Staying up until the magical hour

...when it becomes the following day and I find something to make me think or just enjoy. Its gorgeous everyday.

Also, this is nice to look at as well:

click on the picture for more info on this photographer who creates staged photo scenes from children's artwork. This one especially makes me happy because what little girl hasn't dreamed of a fabulous bedroom like that!

the voice that moves me lately

not to mention the lovely eyes of Sondre Lerche, so I did a little radio scrobbling and loved EVERY other artist they played similar, listen while you read:

So inspired by music and my fabulous friend in LA i have come up with some incredible projects to work on and present shortly. First a 25 day personal makeover, physical and spiritual. Both of these are a struggle for me lately and they really should be the strong center point of my ever changing life. so getting these straight is in order.  more to come on those later.

Next, I am going to write a book.  I am coming up on the 10 year anniversary of something that has defined a part of my life longer than anything else. so they say write what you know. i know this and i know other people who will relate to it. i am still playing around with the format whether to fictionalize it as a novel or more of a memoir. maybe even a trendy graphic novel (HA!  no.). 

Tonight i saw a staged reading of a play that was so real, it almost made me uncomfortable. ok it definitely made me uncomfortable.  It is about relationship between a husband and wife and her desire to have an affair.  sounds like you've heard it before until you hear the dialogue in the middle of the play when he confronts her about her desire, they speak so frankly and relate in a faux friendly manner. He even says to her, "If you want to sleep with him, i just want to know." It was this line in the play that i think allowed her to pursue her desire and was the real turning point.  So he gives her this "permission" but the tension is still there and left lingering over the audience. Originally the playright left it ambiguous as to whether the affair actually happened or not, but in this staging the director chose to make the question more about whether she regretted her decision, or if it really damaged her relationship. It was really brilliant and it all came from a local writer in my hometown, Terry Roeuche.  It was called Discretion, and it was presented as part of the Create Carolina workshop at Winthrop University.  I can't wait to come home and see more of the art that is coming out of the place that i had always considered destitute in the way of art.  turns out i just didn't know where to look. 

Its almost disconcerting, in  a way. I have always separated my life as an artist from my growing up in this town, even to the point that i felt superior that i was interested in and involved in this art scene that was bigger than my town could ever imagine. It was totally an elitist attitude that has been crushed (and rightfully so). There is so much to learn here. It was wrong of me to say that I HAD to be in NY in order to learn anything about the art world.  I think that not only is this the perfect place to start, it is NECESSARY that I start here. From the beginning. The book is part of that.

So recap, today i was inspired, creative, inspired again as my ego was gratefully crushed, and exhilarated by the beauty in my hometown. Looking forward to being humbled even more.

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!