Advent Day Seventeen

Advent Day Seventeen, Q. Cassetti, 2011, pen and inkFirst things first! SNOW!

Our Community Chorus did themselves proud regaling us with song, Christmas carols and solos—all beautiful and energized by the passionate singers who presented the concert. We all loved it. And dead center was our singing boy who loved being smack in the middle and surrounded by good singers who want to work as hard as he does to make music. He told me this morning that if he goes to Landmark, he intends on joining the Brattleboro community chorus to keep doing this with others. This is a gift to me…though it is not about me, but having my boy sing, be part of a community and be motivated to engage this way delights me to no end. And all of this not pushed or shoved by his parents, but all on his own. Terrific.

I am thrilled with having a portrait of the artist Erwin Eisch to create for the Corning Museum of Glass’ ongoing shows about the masters of studio glass. I had a first blush with him yesterday (about two hours in) with many more hours to build this thing. I used to work directly from a non-tweaked file…and I find that coming back to the original image and editing with my own eyes and hands is working so much better. The technique of pushing the reference prior to doing the editing takes too much out…and I would rather be the one to do it. I will post as I go on (and then I will show you the vectors to better explain the work). I forget how fun these things are. I should do a few of writers/people of note as Ithaca College used my Poe illustration to promote their summer studies program (I also designed the brochure) and I need more scrap for them to pick from….Reason enough, right?

More on illustration: I plan on a small body of work after Christmas derived from the amazing book Chime by Franny Billingsley. It is a tremendous book—and much of it matches with this pen and ink approach. There is a pair of twins, a wicked stepmother, a lion boy, and many otherworldly characters. And then, what next? Maybe illustrative logotypes for my young farmer friends. That sounds right.

I smell like celeriac. I just peeled a pile of them and am going to steam them and freeze them for a puree (with potato) for Christmas. I am stunned by this celery root as it has never entered my life until now…and its soft celery taste, not the full bore of celery stalks, can hide in all kinds of things…dimensionalizing the food). It makes a great add to soup and my guess stuffing (chopped fine and sauted). New CSA veggie to explore will be fennel. That is a bit more tough, but I am up to it.

Alex requested the seven fishes for Christmas (though the italians do it on Christmas eve). As I am not italian, it may be the three and a half fishes for Christmas with a broiled salmon (with a parsley herbal chop), a crabmeat casserole, something shrimp and a half of something else (half might mean appetizer). I am loving the CSA spinach…so some of that…and a salad. Who knows. I think a chocolate dessert and a lemon dessert. Need to get cracking.

Jacob is here! Must go and see what sort of things that are going on in the back room. I hope no trouble!

 

Advent Day Fifteen, 2011

Advent Day fifteen, Q. Cassetti, 2011, pen and ink.Holiday party. Done! It was a lovely event with Robbie telling lots of funny tales and kind people. It was a crazy dark drive with rain combined with an NPR story on the costs of college… enough to make me drive off the side of the road. Tonight is a concert at the school. Tomorrow is a community concert.

More projects keep coming. Just when I thought I had caught up, it continues. On and on…

I am often struck with how things happen. Either it is fate, or divinely orchestrated—but sometimes the alignment of events are just so neatly planned even before they happen that I often scratch my head and take a minute to think and wonder.

One door closes and another one opens. The great step onto another plane—is at once confounding, scary and wonderful. I am inspired by Steve Job’s last words of “Oh, wow!” or a friend who left us after battling AIDS, who sat up in his bed with his face radiant and brilliant welcoming the next chapter. The second birth.

It is this time of hope to welcome God as man…the advent of this time when God was born as a tiny baby that these passings of men seem more poignant, more poetic, more hopeful of the promise this tiny baby represents. Forget the manmade frivolity and focus on this amazing symbol of hope, of energy, of life, and of the renewal of all of these things. This is the gift we are presented with every day to own and embrace.

Advent Day Fourteen, 2011

Elly and Tucker, 2011, Rob Cassetti, iPhoneBusy day. Trash, yearbook and post office on top of the day to day. Need to leave a scootch early as I have to be the missus at a holiday party in Corning. Yes, I will brush my hair…and try to be nice. That’s the hard part…nice is never easy. However, there are some lovely people I am looking forward to seeing..and another thing I always need to remind myself, is that parties never last too long…and then they will be D O N E. Done. Tomorrow and Friday are both music events in the evening. Boy Jacob comes on Friday. Monday I need to take him early to Elmira so he can get a flight to visit his dad in the Upper Pennisula of Michigan. Then he will be back just before the new year. Kitty will be here early next week. Rob has a trip to NYC on Sun-Tuesday. So, we are all moving and grooving.

It was great last night as Elly brought her brand new red tailed hawk, Tucker, over for us to see him. He is lovely…and quite tender with Elly—He is very fierce looking with his amazing eyes and sleek head. But he is calm with his girl—and only began to fidget after being kept still on her glove for around 15 minutes. I’d get impatient too. They have a very interesting, growing relationship—and what with Elly’s tranquil attentive ways, they will make a remarkable team. He puffed right Advent Calendar Day Fourteen., Q. Cassetti, 2011up and got all threatening with his wings outspread and his posture perfect when Mr. White strolled by to see what all the to do was about. As soon as the one eyed one quietly left, he settled back down on Elly’s tasseled glove in no time.

Alex and Elly took him out to the back forty to let him loose to see if he could find some mice, squirrels etc. to have him come right back to Elly’s hand. That went well.  Elly did admit that he had a pocket filled with chicken gizzards as a treat. How many HS girls carry raw chicken parts in her cute little jacket?  Some girls have kittens. Some girls have dogs. This girl has a hawk…and we are so proud of her and look forward to this relationship growing and all of us learning with her.

Advent Day Thirteen, 2011

Advent Day Thirteen, 2011, Q. Cassetti, 2011, pen and inkWriting lists as fast as I can. There is the “go to the postoffice” list. There is the “get at the grocery store” list. There is the “help Alex” list. There is the “plan for the 25th” list. There is the “people/ places/ timing” list. There is the “work” list. And as always, there is the “PAY” list. I used to keep these on little crummy pieces of paper, but now I keep a running tab of lists in a little bound book…so I can keep them current and not as little nasty things that are easily lost. I love my lists. They are my working memory on paper…and though there is slippage, it isn’t as bad as if I had to remember it all. Thank goodness. And, thank goodness for a big fat fuscia sharpie which strikes the done things off the list.

Alex and I are teaming up to get his applications done. Chipping away everyday for a little bit, and we are getting this finalized. I didn’t realize I needed to intervene, but I do. He is significantly happier and has been treading water, waiting for someone to throw him a life preserver. I think this is his way of coping…and we just haven’t seen it. Bad me. But, now that I am more sensitive to him, maybe he can feel we are in his corner for him. As a parent, this whole college process and the computer forms can be highly frustrating as they are not well thought out, intuitive or even clear. They are a close second to the tax form (at least for Alex). We will get this done, done, done before the 25th. Peace on earth, or at least on Camp Street, 2011.

It was great to go to Shur Save and have a chat with my deerhunting friend. I have a friend there that I gab with about deerhunting (bow and gun), fishing and his family. We have talked about his cancer. We have talked about his troublesome children. This friend, after a heart operation and being told he couldn’t hunt, would’t let that keep him down. He padded around his house in pyjamas and bathrobe….and saw out the kitchen window a lovely deer that represented sport and food. He just so happened to have a loaded gun right there. So, he opened up the back door and got his deer never leaving the kitchen. Picked up some milk and a hunk of something to go into the slow cooker for dinner tonight as I have the whole team here with no after school/ or work plans. Tomorrow is the Mrs. Cassetti holiday dinner (I have to be the missus and behave). Thursday is the HS chorus concert. Friday is the Community Chorus concert. Sunday is the Musicians Christmas Party (an amazing line up at Felicias)….so we are scheduled out.

Today begins a brand new sketchbook. I have gone from the normal big Moleskine to the big watercolor Moleskine to now the super jumbo deluxe watercolor Moleskine. Watercolor paper and ink really rock…just a bit toothy for fineness…but worth it for the blackness for me now. I know I will vascillate on the paper as I go…but today its big big black ink….that wins. I have birds and angels on my brain…inspired by the clutch of crows at the bottom of our lot this morning actively shelling kernels of pinecones and chowing down on those savory bits. These crows were not frightened nor deterred from their tasty treats. Patient and focused. Made me think about how these birds are associated with Bran in Norse Mythology and with St. Benedict in Catholic Mythology…whispering in his ear. Early cell phones, right?

Gotta go. Land line is ringing.

Advent Day Twelve, 2011

Advent Day Twelve, Q. Cassetti 2011, pen and inkJust back from taking Jacob back to the amazing, truly amazing CCFL (Community College of the Finger Lakes). Finger Lakes is in Canandaigua—and is in construction —with new, great big buildings—a new performance space and a series of apartment buildings for the students. From talking with Jacob, they seem to be missing a bit with the social piece for the students. The classes and the level of instruction Jacob is getting sounds amazing. He is studying music, private jazz guitar classes, a writing/music class, a comedy analysis class, and bio and chemistry.  He is looking forward to moving to Genesseo. I am glad to have put my eyes on CCFL as its an impressive facility. I wonder if they have illustration? Any reason to drive on scenic route 20, to take in the fields, the farms, the livestock and the stacked piles of cabbages is worth considering. I just adore Rt. 20.  A treat.

We had Jacob for the weekend with a big friend night Friday (musicians) and big friend night Saturday (3 Alex(c)s, 1 Jacob and 1 Joseph) with food for many, breakfast for a crowd and endless dishes. We hung out with the youngers, did some cooking and prepping. Alex had the ACT on Saturday…brutal might be the right word to capture how it was. Food and sleep helped that a bit.

Jacob joins us this Friday as part of the here, not here and back here winter break. Kitty will be here Monday/Tuesday next week. Her play is done, and I am sure she is busy wrapping up the semester, her projects and work. It really moves too quickly this time of year.

Both boys are out this evening with practices and meetings so I can catch up with work, with wrapping, with addressing. Tons to do and the time closes in.

Advent Day Eleven, 2011

 

Advent Day Eleven, 2011, Q. Casseti, pen and ink“In life, there will always be many paths to follow; I hope you always choose the right one…If you give a part of yourself to life, the part you receive back will be so much greater. Never regret the past, but learn by it. Never lose sight of your dreams; a person who can dream will always have hope.

Believe in yourself; if you do, everyone else will. You have the ability to accomplish anything, but never do it at someone else’s expense. If you can go through life loving others, you will have achieved the greatest success of all.”

Judy Bourgeault, Blue Mtn. Arts

 

Advent Day Nine, 2011

Advent Calendar Day Nine, Q. Cassetti 2010The greatest gift you will ever receive will never be found under a Christmas tree. It is far too valuable to be stored in any other place but in the depths of your heart.

Anonymous 

Haven’t been too chatty. Sorry. Just trying to get as much done during the day with work and the holiday fun. My little down time yesterday was committed to driving Alex and also stamping my mountain of holiday cards. Its been slowly winnowing down and I am delighted that Ms. Mandy stops by and is helping me knock the piles of paper down through her culling, opening, sorting and recycling. There is so much hope I have for a clean/ clear approach to the the new year. I would love that for the business and for my peace of mind. I would love a moment of tranquillity before we launch into year 12.

Rob is pedal to the metal. Between presentations, people and parties, we get a little view of him…but he is running. Alex is singing holiday songs at two concerts next week. Sandwiched in between all of that is a “bring your wife” holiday dinner (Mrs. Cassetti, here)— I guess I will have to brush my hair, defurr myself and crawl out from under the bed where I love to hide. I so do not like having to be civilized and pleasant. I prefer to be sullen, unseen and angry—and moving to join the real people is energy incorporated.

Top: Andy Warhol illustrations, Bottom: supergraphics for the Mary Boone Gallery, Art Basel MiamiNow that we are back from our master blaster time in the art world, I am reflecting on all that I saw. There was a complete exhibit/display of Warhol early sketches (shoes, etc). all framed complete with the printer’s marks and registration marks still applied. Those sketches were sooooo sweet, charming and whimsical…showing such sweet heart that made these happy sketches with clear and happy colorways. Floor to ceiling illustration. If there were printer’s marks on these images, I think this means that they were reproduced—and if they were reproduced, this art became illustration…images that sold fashion. And, there were tons of them hung gallery/salon style from the top of the wall to the floor. Chock a block Andy. Plus, behind these images were step and repeat pattern of a tinted line self portrait of Andy Warhol. The exterior of this gallery was a step and repeat pattern of yellow and black (big dot patterns) on a blue-ish purple ground….that screamed ANDY. Other galleries, like the Mary Boone Gallery shown to the left, created solid walls on the outside of their exhibit space, using those walls for word art, or big graphics. The sheer size and commercialism of this exhibitry…almost corporate in the application was very exciting and very inspiring. There was an artist who screenprinted big corrugate panels (with neon ink) with a funky woodgrain pattern that he hung on the wall and built out his picture frames and shelves to make a bigger statement beyond the content in the frame.I need to find a big scale screenprinter….along with large scale paper laser cutter.

Time is speeding by. Later.

Advent Day Seven, 2011

Scherenschnitte for Advent Day Seven, Q. Cassetti, 2011, pen and ink“Somehow, not only for Christmas
But all the long year through,
The joy that you give to others
Is the joy that comes back to you.
And the more you spend in blessing
The poor and lonely and sad,
The more of your heart’s possessing
Returns to you glad.”

John Greenleaf Whittier, The Joy You Give

Noodling.

Phantom from Friends with You, Miami, FLI went downstairs this morning and found that some furry friend had stolen the turkey breast (cooked and frozen from Thanksgiving) and taken it somewhere. I found the wrappers but the carcass is no where to be seen. Turkey Burgler. You never know where the meat will end up. She hides things like little bags of dried milk behind pillows in the living room or odd groceries in the spare bedrooms. One Christmas she snuggled up with a stick of butter in her black watch plaid fleece dog bed (complete and never even nibbled). No, the bird was not in the standard places. No wonder Shady was so blissfully happy and a tad thirsty this morning when she greeted me. She has more bounce in her step than the double pork roast fest she had earlier in her life with us. She has been slinking around in her guilt…but its pretty funny despite it all. The cats are oblivious but they could be party to these antics once Shady does the big deed of the grab. We will all need to keep our eyes peeled for the bones. I guess we are not having leftovers for dinner.

The inflatable above is part of an adorable installation by Friends With You. Friends With You had a sweet little space covered in polka dots on a white ground, with a big white inflatable, snowman type creature. Alex noticed someone coming out of a hidden door which we went through to see more art, things to buy, and the corporate offices of the Miami Friends With You (complete with their terrific collections of toys and collectables). Check out their work and ideas. They are a bright team with a lot of good ideas and even better methodologies to bring attention to their work, fuse art with commerce and license. Smart and sweet.

Detail Aleoop.com Decorated Mini Coopers, Art Miami, Q. Cassetti, 12/03/2011Miami seems to be a great incubator for the fusion of art and advertising. Remember the slew of decorated Mini Coopers in front of Art Miami? What about the decorated trucks promoting Coconut Water (big deal down there) and handing out samples to all that strolled by? There were the girls in pink wigs and matching clothes promoting having your hair blown out “a catwalk quality blowout” with pink buttons and a funny tagline. There were trucks filled with real coconuts to promote some other coconut flavored products. Where art melds with commerce is where interesting things happen. We are not talking the zone Warhol lives in…where art imitates brand…it is more that the brand becomes art. Curious.

Krampusnacht is tonight!

Krampus, Q. Cassetti, 2010, pen and inkKrampus is the dark companion of St. Nicholas, the traditional European winter gift-bringer who rewards good children each year on December 6. The kindly old Saint leaves the task of punishing bad children to a hell-bound counterpart known by many names across the continent — Knecht Ruprecht, Certa, Perchten, Black Peter, Schmutzli, Pelznickel, Klaubauf, and Krampus. Usually seen as a classic devil with horns, cloven hooves and monstrous tongue, but can also be spotted as a sinister gentleman dressed in black or a hairy man-beast. Krampus punishes the naughty children, swatting them with switches and rusty chains before dragging them in baskets to a fiery place below.

KRAMPUSNACHT (NIGHT OF KRAMPUS)

 Krampus is celebrated on Krampusnacht, which takes place on the eve of St. Nicholas’ Day. In Austria, Northern Italy and other parts of Europe, party-goers masquerade as devils, wild-men, and witches to participate in Krampuslauf (Krampus Run). Intoxicated and bearing torches, costumed devils caper and carouse through the streets terrifying child and adult alike. Krampusnacht is increasingly being celebrated in other parts of Europe such as Finland and France, as well as in many American cities.

More on Krampus:

Krampus.com

Wiki on Krampus

Krampus illustrations on old postcards

 

 

Advent Day Five

 

Scherinschnitte 8, Q. Cassetti, 2011, pen and ink“Advent is concerned with that very connection between memory and hope which is so necessary to man. Advent’s intention is to awaken the most profound and basic emotional memory within us, namely, the memory of the God who became a child. This is a healing memory; it brings hope. The purpose of the Church’s year is continually to rehearse her great history of memories, to awaken the heart’s memory so that it can discern the star of hope.…

It is the beautiful task of Advent to awaken in all of us memories of goodness and thus to open doors of hope.”

Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Seek That Which Is Above,1986

 

happy chat

We had a full day of artfairs yesterday. We started the show with going up to the Deauviille to see the period interiors and spaces. The Deauville was the hotel the Beatles stayed in during their visit to Miami--and it was fun to go see it with Alex. The wind was high so we went outside onto the beach to hear the rattling palm trees and see the brilliant choppy sea. Then, back in the car to park down on South Beach to experience Aqua, a smaller and one of my more favorite venues. Aqua is a traditional Miami hotel that has been emptied of all the furniture, and each little room becomes a gallery so you can go from room to room seeing work from all over the states from the up and comers that are carried in these smaller venues. There is always something tremendous to see, with this time being no exception. First off, there is a gallery that was specializing in these stunningly large and lush photos of real dolls with quotes from owners of these creatures. Poignant and sad. Another gallery had around a hundred teensy little decorated cakes to complement these hazy gorgeous paintings of teacups and teapots. There was an artist who copied old portraits and then superimposed appropriate text messages to complement the feeling of the painting or the expression on the subject's face. OMG and all that. GLORIOUS.

We then took the shuttle up to the Miami Convention Center to take in Art Basel and Design Miami. It was a kid in the candy shop with Alex. He looooooved it all. No one was sleeping. Lots of picture taking and inquisitiveness. We were beyond delighted with his joy of learning and discovey during this short time we have together. High points were: the woven leather furniture model led on historic forms at Fendi,all sets of cool uses of laser cutting, more sequins and glitter, weird and scary uses of hair, lots of collage, lots of type, machine sewing, portraits sewn on a sewing machines. Surprisingly, the big work, the museum level masters were not in abundance this year. Newer, fresher work and also more affordable work packed the halls. Not a lot of political work-- mainly pretty stuff.

Perrier had Shepard Fairey create an image to promote their water that they splashed on water coolers and pillows they placed in resting spots for the tired show goers who gulped down cold Perrier to their delight. Miami opened a mural gallery to showcase muralists, graffiti artists and branded superstars like Fairey. Plus there were openings, video showings and live music everywhere. Alex and I stopped by the Dior boutique where they were promoting a new collection of handbags with neon stitching-- so they were promoting the color, a pattern like a camo with trays of champagne, free neon manicures, a 44 monitor show, and ambient music with a beautiful DJ. They had a food truck covered in the camo style pattern handing out teensie little croissants and coffee. It was really fun.

quick update.

It was a big day at the satellite fairs yesterday.Art Miami, Red Dot, Design Miami and Pulse shows. We started at Art Miami which was the best of the day. Here we were, strolling galleries in this enormous tent covering over a city block with extraordinary work from all over the world in an area 2 years ago was a bombed out section of town. Now, it is populated with cool new apartments, restaurants, shops and my new favorite type of Miami store, the blow shops. What is a blow shop? It's a place one goes to get your hair blown out and styled. The one opening by Art Miami extolled their services by claiming " you can't blo yourself". Catchy? Right?

There were a ton of mini coopers parked in front of Art Miami and Red Dot promoting allioop.com. Each mini was totally wrapped in a graphic skin featuring different artists. Wonderful-- along with a ton of performers sandwiched in between the cars doing their respective thing from singing to dancing to circus tricks. And all of this before we got to the art.

Highlights and trends: kinetic art, digital art inspired by art, game design inspired digital art, huge über realistic portraits, huge all sequinned canvases, work inspired by European court decorative art. My mind is reeling. Alex loved it all and we both shot zillions of pictures of all the things we loved and were inspired by. Talk about two totally different collections!