not even close...but better than yesterday. I like the greenery.
Slip slide
We woke up to two hour school delays due to ice. The trees are all bent over, laden with ice which can really damage them…so I hope the forty degree weather they are promising for later will take the burden off these poor things. Shady Grove is begging to have another cone thrown out into this mess—with her back legs scrambling to keep upright and not totally wipe out. R. has the tundrabus as the wonderbus is still at Winks, so I am landlocked with a nonfunctioning internet (power outage last night)…and I have done all the amelioration that normally works—so it may actually be a service interruption. The phone works. And I am canceling my haircut as I really value my limbs functioning—and shorter hair is not the beginning and end of this equation. I need to get the home team moving despite the later wake up. They are going to have a tough day with lots of work, play practices and finally basketball tournaments in Elmira (in the evening!!). I have the first of “get ready, here comes the college freight train” discussions later this p.m. Urg. And then there is summer to plan and pay for as well as taxes (everyone’s favorite), and committing to spring break.
Sorry for the caterwauling…I feel a bit better. Oh, and here is A. saying that school has now been cancelled. He is networking with his pals to validate that –and I think a call from me to the school secretary might be in line. A. is psyched. A day of movie classics here. I might as well start popping corn, ordering pizza and planning the teen party that will happen.
Ludwig Hohlwein
Compiled and Edited by Professor H.K. Frenzel
with an introdution by Dr. Walter F. Schubert
Translated by Herman George Scheffauer
Berlin 1926
Phonix Illustrationsdruck Un Verlag G.M.B.H.
Got the Ludwig Hohlwein book. It is a class on Hohlwein filled with colored plates, monochrome plates and copy (one side is german, the other English) referring to Hohlwein as a genius (as this book celebrates his 50th anniversary) who produced “kleingraphik” or small graphics/posters, and was best known for his involvement and inroads he made as a “Gebrachsgraphik” Or the author modestly refers to Hohlwein as the “most important Gebrauchsgraphiker of present day Gemany.” Here is what is said about “Gebrachsgraphik”:
“Gebrauchsgraphik”– even in German this word stumbles clumsilyover the tongue. The treasure-house of German speech will certainly not be enriched by it to any edifying degree. And yet this term expresses, objectively and technically, its inward and essential significance much more clearly than other designations such as “Reklame” or “Webekunst” (Advertising or the Art of Canvassing). For the second half of the word precludes all those auxiliary means of canvassing or advertising which do not originate in the graphic arts – such as the printed or spoken word, the film and whatever else may serve as a vehicle for commercial solicitation. And the first half of the compound word clearly defines its relation to the graphic arts themselves. "Gebrauchsgraphik" is not free "graphik" whose purpose is bound to a purpose, it is an artistic means for the expression of a definite intention towards commercial propaganda."
I am going to read and scan and share with you. I was stumped with the picture of a horse I was whaling on yesterday. I cracked open this book and I am back on track. Monochrome. Simpler but not as bare bones as Hohlwein...though I want to try that. I love the different lettering styles, his amazing sense of design and simplicity and his pared back narrative--in some cases little snapshots of Germany in 1920s (prewar energy) with domestic scenes that mirror some of the dutch still lives and personal lives imaged by Vermeer. i am not comparing the artists--just the way they capture domestic moments of making tea, looking in mirrors, quietly reading. An individual moment in a frame. A flicker of time.
Onward to horses.
Flaxnation Alert!
Hey!
Flaxnationals reunite for the annual Flax Barn Sale! Pencil it in, once, twice, three times. Take time off from work! Plan your travels, finances and closets. Get Ready!
Flax Barn Sale
Friday, April 25, 2008 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
Saturday April 26, 2008 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.
Sunday, April 27, 2008 11 a.m.- 4 p.m.
Location for the sale:
Triphammer Mall
North Triphammer Road
Ithaca, NY 14850
Struggling with some pictures. Just doesnt seem to gel. Frustrating. But, I do know that if I dog these things--I can get close--as scrapping is not an option.
Have been driving R's car as the Wonderbus is at Winks in Perry City getting bumps smoothed, crinkles straightened, bumpers mended (and the deer hair extracted) and painted to make it brand new (at least looking brand new). Yesterday was 57˚--today more normal (20s) and we have driving slush with great promises that we will have a delightful freeze. Can you say school buses sliding off the road? Or that marvelous time when one steps off the porch and end up on your ass as your feet decided to slide and slip on the stealthy black ice.
Met with a group of artists on Sunday afternoon to begin to think about putting up a website of visual artists who live and work in the Trumansburg, Greater Ulysses area --essentially hanging a shingle to say "we're here"--but linking to everyone's individual site. We will have links and notices to regional shows and maybe, just maybe, a bit of PR for those who are getting into things, having exhibitions or being locally, regionally or nationally noticed. It was trying for me (as I hate teams)--but after some very direct talk about wheither this is very exclusive (6 artists) to a wider group (30+) but still with a bar/ a level set for quality--a standard. We moved to the larger group (my preference)--which gives a range of style, work, approaches. But with this standard, we may limit the sunday watercolorists or the tribe of shaggies where art is part of their individual brand...and not necessarily excellence filtering the work. This site will be something for the local Chamber of Commerce, the Beds and breakfasts to point to...as there isn't any "real" businesses beyond a bank branch, a grocery store, a coffee shop, 3 bars, a few pizza/hamburger restaurants, an insurance agent, an eyeglass company---but there are lot of single people or small teams in Tburg making their living making things....selling things but invisible to the community at large. Should be an interesting process and I think important to giving this quiet aspect of the community a rallying point.
Had lunch with a wonderful artist yesterday. He was an attorney in NYC for decades and recently shut down his practice to devote himself to his art and painting. He is very confident, entrepeneurial and filled with optimism. It was tremendously inspiring to experience his energy and thinking as he is way out there--with this project and that project, this work and that work, how to think about the work etc. I think we should continue these conversations as I can help him with advancing his work, thinking about methodologies and process, and marketing. He can help me by letting some of his confidence rub off. It is cool to begin to link in with the Ithaca tribe of artmakers--a bit a expanding. The other cool thing is that two of the people I had the opportunity to talk with on Monday and Sunday were participants in the MARK program offered by NY State. It teaches and pushes artists to be able to express themselves, show their work, write a mission and artists statement etc. Pretty much a dose of what spun off the thesis and thesis show from last summer's fun with Syracuse. It sounds like a great program and for both of these artists, they were inspired and challenged by meeting creatives from all over the state and by the work of talking about themselves. I totally agree. It is some of the hardest lifting I have done. But valuable. Really valuable.
Basketball tournaments about to start. K is wild with practice for the school play. She is exhausted and her normally ebullient spirits are deflated and dreary. I am going to have to do some major motherly stuff (like baking) to lift her sights. Nothing like a big dose of butter, sugar and flour to do that. Have a nice pot of soup made from the random thises and thats from the fridge. We may have more for lunch as the "smooth boards" are being applied to the fascia of the new pushback on the carriage house, Mandy may paint, Erich and me, and R home with work and no need to drive through inches of slush promising to freeze.
Should be interesting with the voting today.
a tisket a tasket
This and that>>
Everson Museum in Syracuse has a call for entries for their Biennial Show "The Object and Beyond" due April 4, 2008. Check the Everson site for the prospectus and application.
Schweinfurth Museum in Auburn has a call for entries for thie annual "Made in New York Show". Check the web for details.
Discovered this very cool blog called "Artist News" which is focused on local (central NY to Albany) shows. They cite the Biennal, the Schweinfurth, a show at Limestone Art Gallery, and one coming us that is a visual showcase for Central NY called Elements.
So in the spirit of get the work out... I will get the work out locally.
In the spirit of education and learning, I cracked open the new issue of "art on paper" a great magazine I subscribed to at Art Basel Miami (cheap!). It is focused on prints, drawings, photographs, books and ephemera --showing a wide range of terrific work but showcasing galleries and classes. I love this magazine, creasing it,reading it, xroxing it. Here are some cool opportunities:
Wells Book Arts Summer Institute>> in beautiful Aurora, NY for three, one week sessions--hands on classes in letterpress printing, lettering arts and bookbinding.
Another: NYU Steinhardt (Steinhardt Shool of Culture, Education and Human Development)
offers an MA (in Studio art) in Venice for artists and art teachers. From June 29- August 23, 2008--it is more of a time committment...but Venice! More>>
One more jumped out, Painting, Printmaking, Sculpture and Extended Media at Virgina Commonwealth for 2 mos. They say they "foster the development of professional attitudes and skills with an emphasis on indiviudal investigation. Non credit.Post baccalaureate style residency studio program." "VCU's School of the Arts graduate program is ranked 6th in the nation by US News and World Report. Sculpture is ranked first and Painting is tenth."
Interesting how they talk about themselves.
Hohlwein
A former design director for Polaroid has a well written blog on illustrators with a good one on Hohlwein>>
Speaking of sad, R told me that Polaroid is no longer making film. The Boston Globe confirms it>> So what is with that?
grey Saturday
Working on a horse for the Baker. This is the bottom layer, the beginning of the process. I really like it just as a silhouette, the simplicity of it. So, like piecrust, I plan just to hand onto the scraps and see what we can do with the remaining pieces.
The Amanda tattoo from my Memento Mori drawings progress. She picked one design. I reconfigured, simplified and designed it to the shape, the supposed "deco" that her upper arm is. She consulted with her artist (someone I perceive as "the" tattoo star around here)--and it seems there isn't going to be a problem. However, I was unconsious about how much this really costs...and it is a bit shocking , far more than I would have anticipated. However, as it is forever--and compared with Amanda's full chest, and complete back in every color of the rainbow, my little black shoulder to elbow seems almost modest. Do you think I can enter this in the self promotion category when it comes to next year's shows?
Off to the library to get some literary candy. The cupboard is bare. Then, off to the pool while K gets her skin treated at the spa next door. This has been really effective for her versus dermatologists, drugs, etc.Plus, it has motivated her to pay attention to this. We are having success and K can take total credit for this. I am very proud of her. And she, is proud of herself.
Had an engaging conversation with a college entry consultant--someone who is a freelance college counsellor about K and A--and the strategies we need to put in place prior to the hot time of junior/senior years--and the current thinking and changes in this entire college selection/placement/entry process. And! it sure has changed since I did it a hundred years ago. And, two years ago. And six months ago. So, I am enlightened and am very excited to have a partner on this path. Her name is Lucia Tyler and she is a lovely,insightful, caring woman. Learn more about Lucia>> You will be part of this progression.
Won an auction on ebay for a first edition of the only book on Ludwig Hohlwein for signficantly less money than Alibris offers it for. I am so psyched. There is on ONE tome that shows a huge body of his work--and this is it. Hohlwein, for me , is a giant in his simplicity, graphic and elegant illustration for posters and advertising...However, through the lens of my Mentor, he is very much a single potato guy...More to learn.
Must go. Books await. They close at 2.
IF: Leap
All growth is a leap in the dark, a spontaneous unpremeditated act without benefit of experience.
Henry Miller (1891–1980)
U.S. author. “The Absolute Collective,”
The Wisdom of the Heart (1947).
Isn't that what living is? Taking that leap, that risk, that moment of fear? The leap is a moment but the return of that action can be extrordinary and unexpected. The more we leap, the easier it gets--so the risks get a bit higher and payout greater. The more leaps, the less fear, the more we expand, change, grow and live.
Leap a bit today.
tidbits
Little things happening all day. The pool of dilemmas was virtually empty, so the aqueous passigiata was quite delightful and somehow with the sunshine beaming down made all right with the world. Took care of all sorts of small stuff before having lunch with the amazing Micky Roof, celebrity jeweler, entrepeneur and inspired energetic person. Micky always creates wonderful medals for the triathlon in July--very dimensional, big and very Ithaca. They are so great, they could be remade into keychains and stuff like that. Cool, heavyweight--work with a presence. So, we had lunch to talk about her plans so that I can mirror the thinking with the tee shirt. Then, we talked about all sorts of this and that. There may be some other projects we could engage in. Plus, as she was one of the founders of the Art Trail, she sketched out where the art trail could go, the spin, the growth etc. She spins energy and ideas in her wake. She is tremendous. It should be fun doing a little work with her.
Am up to my ears in illustration I need to do...so need to go.
Little bits of Weaver
"stop being conceptual and get back to looking at things, at the details...to observe light and color and pattern." Robert Weaver
Good article. Good insights including his teaching at Syracuse and School of Visual ARts for 30 years(who would have known), his use of different media and actually putting him in context with Jackson Pollock and Willem deKooning. I wonder where the 100 pieces of work reside?
I wonder if there is a catalog. I am going deep on this one.
Also, Leif Peng in his observant, beautifully written and illustrated Today's Inspiration blog talks about Robert Weaver in his February 26, 2008 post. He surfaces the Rockwell show, cites the link to Bernie Fuchs and observed interestingly:
"The article there confirms what I was saying yesterday about this new breed of illustrators having one foot in the commercial art studio and the other in the fine arts gallery when it states, "Weaver was among the first to wed fine art to applied illustration" and goes so far as to call him "the godfather of the new illustration."
I like it that Peng, an illustrator, poses questions relative to Fuchs and to Weaver, open ended queries that leaves me puzzled (charmingly so). Here is a link to Peng's Flickr set on Weaver>>
Steve Heller in his article " The End of Illustration" posted on the Illustrators' Partnership site
puts Weaver in a historical context of illustration and art:
By the mid-1950s modern painting influenced illustration, and a few young illustrators challenged the hegemony of the academic realists. The old school was known for slavishly, though meticulously, rendering exact passages from underlined texts (usually assigned by editors). Conversely, the young turks established moods through the expressive application of color and form in paintings and drawings that wed realism and abstraction. The human figure no longer had to be an exact replica; backgrounds did not have to be thoroughly researched; verisimilitude was not necessary for a successful image.The late Robert Weaver, one of the pioneers in the shift from neo-Rockwellian academicism to representational expressionism, explained that this was the beginning of a time when illustration was used to portray heretofore ignored themes and taboo notions.
Now the illustrator was required to express ideas rather than mimic verbatim scenes: "We had to show the notion of left-handedness and depict crime on the street," he once said, "not a couple on a date."
The "new" American illustration of the mid-1950s can be summed up in one word: Conceptual. Illustration evolved from what-you-see-is-what-you-get to conceptual because the issues and themes covered in magazines were becoming more complex, more critical. Although most neo-Rockwellian illustrations were based on a broad idea, these illustrators rejected illusion, metaphor, and symbolism in favor of the explicit vignette. Precise physical detail was more important than psychological enigma. Even Rockwell's own paintings, which were influenced by allegorical painting of the Renaissance, were precise scenes void of the ambiguity that invites a viewer's deep interpretation.
The younger artists of the 1950s, among them Weaver, Robert Andrew Parker, Phil Hayes, Al Parker and Tom Allen, not only painted in the automatic manner of the Expressionists, their images were designed to be deconstructed like poetry. By the late 1950s photographers vividly captured the surface of things, leaving depiction of the interior world to illustrators. As TV eroded popular interest in magazines, expressive and interpretative illustration offered alternative editorial dimension. Illustrators were given a key role in the phenomenon known as "The Big Idea," which was an extraordinary confluence of rational graphic design and acute visual thinking. The rise of conceptual illustration during the 1960s, furthermore, was marked by an unprecedented collaboration between illustrator and art director/designer because illustration was viewed as an element of design—but design was not only about simply making special effects on a page, it was about making messages. In the Rockwellian era, the art director would position the painting in a layout near the appropriate text. In the new scheme, art directors worked with illustrators on concept, composition and layout, as well. Either an illustration was integrated into a format or given its own page adjacent to an elegantly and sometimes metaphorically composed block of text. Conceptual illustration served two purposes: It provided meaning—and commentary— and gave a publication its visual personality.
Huh. Neo-Rockwellian obsolescence. Expressing ideas versus mimicking scenes. Meaning and commentary. I need to understand this. How? How do I do that? Can I do that? I am scared by this...BIG Idea indeed. And, as I am an art director...phooey on that! There is something here. My brain is kicking into something new.
Later>>
Gathering of Hollywood Notables
Robert Weaver
RISD Alumni Art Sale
RISD Alumni Art Sales feature thousands of items designed and created by alumni from all over the country and the world. Items for sale include fine art, home accessories, greeting cards, jewelry, paintings, furniture, rugs, clothing, photographs, glass and ceramics. Sales occur in the fall, winter and spring in Providence, and in late fall in San Francisco. For more information, contact Alan Tracy at atracy@risd.edu or call 401 454-6618.
ALUMNI SPRING ART SALE 2008: May 3
Benefit Street, 10am-4pm (rain or shine)
No snow day
Everyone emerged from their dens groaning this morning as schools were not even delayed here...with roads a bit sloppy and snow a bit deep...with 1 to 3" expected during the day. Will be entering the 3x3 show today...and start two pictures for the Baker Institute's front lobby. Am working with the intrepid Erich to make some tweaks to our illustration site and may link the new site to Little Chimp (which I haven't done). Now that I have an exclusive illos site, there are other free/cheaper sites I may post to to work around the "I" site. Am having lunch with an artist jeweler who does lovely work and is the designer of the medals/medaillions for the Triathlon in July centered around Taughannock State Park (waterfall pix from last week). My hope is that we can work collaboratively--teeshirt illustration with the medals--so we can develop a stronger annual look/brand.
Off to the whiteness>>
Chain Linked Moments
The snow is doing its thing. We just finished another late dinner thanks to yours truly not getting her sh*t in gear earlier. The team is deployed in dog activities, sweeping the white stuff and personal time. I am listening to random selections from itunes...with a big focus on Jazziz monthly CDs and of all folks, my mini collection of (as my italian friends said in the late seventies...THE Barry White). Poor Barry. Gone from us. Poor Barry, bigger than a 1967 Cadillac, with a sound as big albeit accompanied by (as my Muse as coined)" the purina cat chow orchestra". I love the singing, but even better is the insane talking over/lead in for the big build of the song. My italian pals (non English speakers) would emulate him down to phonetic copying of his lead ins and singing. An absolute scream. It makes one want to climb into fly away collars, bad hair and stacked heels. Makes me want to be a disco bunny.
As I am swinging and swaying to the robust, The Barry, White...I have dropped into something equally sublime. Drawn, the cooperative illustration site, links to a slide show about fellow Pittsburgher Robert Weaver in the NY Times>> Anything Weaver, for me, is a total kick in the booty. Weaver and Al Parker are the Barry White of my illustration world. Maybe more (they seem to exist without the purina cat chow orchestra). Could we all collectively beg the Taschen folks to do books ons on both. These guys are not side line players.
"Life is not a single snapshot, it is a series of events that are chain linked and proceed frame by frame." Robert Weaver
Why is it, that there is no significant monograph, show catalog or even web site on Weaver? His tremendous skill as an illustrator and designer shines through the few examples one can surface...but no tome,no collection to study, learn, review. There are students and peers of Weaver out there>> why no book, no significant recollection?
A nice reference is here in the Ulcercity blog, particularly appropriate for the here and now of Obama/Clinton>> with equally as fascinating responses/comments. I believe this author is one in the same that submitted the slide show to the Times. Mr. Dowd, from my skimming his blog, is a fascinating person, a serious teacher and educator and someone I plan on dropping in on on a regular basis (unlike this lightweight drivel from a nattering nabob who knows nothing).
books
Big predictions for a dump of the white stuff. Back from the back and forth in the Pool of Dilemmas. I was wishing for a semi empty pool...no crowded lanes..no pressure and it was as I hoped. The older ladies were in the hotter therapy pool, hopping and lifting weights, jumping and following the directions of a chipper chippy with a white baseball cap and a positive, happy manner.
30 days hath September,
April, June and November,
All the rest have 31,
Excepting February alone.
Which only has but 28 days clear
And 29 in each leap year
Ordered a bunch of used books from Alibris written by the talented and interesting husband and wife team, Peter and Iona Opie--experts in children's literature, poetry, nursery rhymes etc. So, I got a range of old books from a dictionery of superstitions, nursery rhymes, classic fairy tales and the Oxford book of Narrative Verses (and none of these books were more than $3. a pop). I love the Opies and have collected their books over the course of my life--and love their view..the historical, the contextural and the collections of text they hand off gently to the reader. I was looking at one last night in prep for the possible children's book we may be doing at Hartford. It was nice to dig into this stuff. It's very happy and fun...though surprisingly, there is more dark stuff and/or more sexually based stuff out there. I am also going to surface some of the fairy tale books, Robin McKinley books and greek mythology as well (Pandora could be an option)--
Oh, Mary Mack Mack Mack
all dressed in black black black
with silver buttons buttons buttons
all down her back back back
She asked her mother mother mother
for fifty cents cents cents
to see an elephant elephant elephant
jump over the fence fence fence
He jumped so high high high
he reached the sky sky sky
and didn't come back back back
til the fourth of July
So, per my Mentor, I have tabled MM for a bit...to see what we could see.
More later--my silver buttons need to be fastened, and an artist statement crafted.
Urg!
3 x 3 number 5
Hey Team!
3x3's fifth annual illustration show is open for entries>>
Deadline: March 14th
Jury:
Our international panel of judges include:
» Steven Heller, Art Director/Author/Editor
» Hanoch Piven, Spain
» Beppe Giacobbe, Italy
» Mario Wagner, Germany
» Vanessa Dell, United Kingdom
» Robert Neubecker
» Matteo Bologna, Designer
» Tyler Darden, Design Director
» Sarah Hollander, Art Director
» Markus Rasp, Art Director, Germany
» Isabel Warren Lynch, Executive Art Director, Knopf
» Denise Cronin, Art Director, Viking Children's Books
» Eddie Guy
» Vivienne Flesher
Online entries (no fed ex! Sweet!)
The price of pie
Made a great piecrust (from scratch!!) this weekend. Big move...as I normally cheat with the freezer case version which is fine...but after this cinchy one from scratch, I don't think I can go back unless I am quiche-ifying for 80. Also used up all the brown bananas with two big slabs of banana bread...which is almost all gone. Am shocked by what I learned at the Mecklenburg Mercantile, our little local store where the ladies get all sorts of basics from flour to spices, to cocoa powder to blocks of yeast and repackage to smaller containers. They have great stuff (King Arthur Organic Flour as a for instance) and I generally go there to support the ladies and get a few boxes of basics (popcorn, cumin, basmati rice, twizzlers...you know, the basics). I was buying said flour and was shocked to find out that it was $6.25 for a five pound bag. The proprietor said that with the weakness of the dollar, we are selling all of our wheat to European and Asian countries and we are being socked with a significantly higher price for our own food. What is this? What is Obama saying about that? The non-cookie making former First Lady? The possible first man? Gas prices are appalling...but when it gets to flour...it is the building block of most things we consume! If G. Bush is handing out checks...will the $300 or so begin to cover the significantly higher costs of basics and gas? Maybe for one month? But we all haven't gotten 30% raises to accomodate the changes. I find I am working longer and harder for the same paycheck (I am the boss so that is expected)--but does this mean that others who may work hourly? or paycheck to paycheck may have to take on other jobs just to stay status quo? This is me, the business girl talking...not mommy housewife. If 50% of the economists say no recession and the other half say yeay...how are we going to get off this slippery slope that seems to be moving rather steadily downwards. Any answers?
Was working on a wood duck image yesterday while R. wrote reviews. Kids skiing. Week promises to be busy but not uncomfortably so. Was in the Pool of Dilemmas this morning...to my delight...no sharing of lanes, bright sun on the water, the perfect water and the distribution of this into this column and that into that. Organized head, more organized life. Need to start whaling on K and A's summer activities. And what about April break! Yikes!
a pursuit of felt
I've got felt on the brain. Industrial felt...the fat kind... you know, around 1/4" thick. I am interested in cutting out some of the momento mori work out of white felt and blanket stitching or decoratively tacking the shapes to the top. Additionally, I would like to cover this felt entirely with buttons, old white buttons with all sorts of patina of age. I would also like to cut some squares of color (1" sq.) and tacking them in the middle. Kind of like tacking confetti to heavy weight fabric.
I found this cool site>>-- The Aetna Felt Corporation. They have all sorts of felt from woven, to pressed to needled. Whole Wool and composites. There is lightweight felt all the way to equestrian felt to a felt that is promoted as stiff as wood. There is felt for cars and for metal parts. There is felt for violins and instruments. Even chalkboard erasers have thick felts. And boot liners...it goes on. Buffalo Felt Products has an enlightening selection>>
More later. Have to get to some work...and then cooking.
Winter in Sheldrake
Frosty. Great rafts of ducks and geese. Standing on legs in the water. Beaks tucked under wings. Brrrr. Some were bold enough to tip upsidedown for the possibility of a a fish or watery snack. Bright skies. The Luckystone beckoned after some delicacy with the heat knocking off...and the dangers of frozen pipes very possible. R. solved it all with the ever present and helpful Mr. Houseworth. So, we just checked in...and Shady Grove and I scrambled outside to blue snow, snapping branches and monkey brain spheres rotting in the snow. The lake was tropical in it's blue color. I loved the way the privet hedges sans leaves are a nice source for linear pattern. The air was fresh and delicious. I love the lake in the summer...but the surprise of the winter is always a shock. I love the winter too. The best of Central New York.
funny muse
So, the Muse sez to me, he sez: "So, you will migrate from Memento Mori to MENTOR Murray?".
You betcha! Bring on the Mentor!
Whimsey
I thought I would get your attention with the whimsey header. I have been intellectually chewing over the suggestion my Mentor made about my thesis. And, in the spirit of growing and stretching I am in agreement that something has to happen to move my hand, head and thinking beyond something that has already been masticated. I mentioned this to my Muse, and he said, that though he is 100 percent behind anything I want to do,he FULLY ENDORSED and AGREED with the thinking of the said MENTOR. Now! it's from a math standpoint, two against one...but with two of them equal 100...So, its Memento Mori as the pre Hartford project. Punto. Bring on the the hard stuff.
Now what? I was thinking of asking the Mentor to give it to me straight. What do I need to work on? Color, composition beyond "one potato", and intertwining? What else? Now, back a concept onto the "key learnings"(to use a yucky corporatese type of phrase)--and create a thesis chock full of head/hand/eye busters. I would like to have some fun with it? What do you think? Make sense?