Starting next week

I'm going to finish up posting images from my little art collection Sunday night.Then I'm going to join in on this..This hopefully will get me out of the house,rain or shine.I do believe it is going to rain as well,starting today..

Day 3 of art

These two pieces are done by my friend Nicola Donald.I'm not sure if they belong in this series called my art collection.Because technically I don't own them.They are what I like to call on forever borrowing. What she calls a safe place to store. I guess my house is storage.I can honestly say I do not mind.I've been storing them for a few years now,so I feel like I own them (wink wink).
She did a whole series with birds.Everyone thinks that these two birds,the pidgeion and crow are the rats of teh sky.So I think that these two paintings really make them out to be quite swell after all.Also these paintings colors match my fireplace.
She doesnt have a website.Wish she did so you could see her new series of work..

J.E.B :Art Collection Day 2

Jason Baker
was a friend of mine starting from age 13.
I get shaky when speaking of him, writing about him and even thinking about him.
His talent was not just measured through his painting but as well through his words, music and friendship. To be honest these are not my favorites of his work.But I was just humbled that he even thought of me to give them too.He did these paintings,one of a bed in a room and one of a house in a field.Those to me really spoke to me about who he was,maybe just to me that is(those are my favorites along with a poem his brother Darren wrote).I am sure his other friends and family knew him in a different way, thought of him in a different way.But i remember him this way...

Sitting on my backporch with a cup of coffee a cigerette
sun coming up,cat by his side
tree swaying
dirty hat
paint splattered boots
sleepy eyes
hunched back
weary
lost and scared
but not alone.

Some times I am still angry for what he did.
Most times I am just sad and i miss him.


The photos just don't do the paintings justice.

My little collection day 1

Mav over at port2port
had the brilliant idea of offering up her art collection online for others to view.She asked others to partake and I decided that would be nice.
I'm finding everything nice these days.
I'm not a huge art collector,at my salary who is, however i do think it's important to support artist friends and local artist who are emerging.So I try as much as I can to find pieces here and there that I know I will enjoy as well as can afford.
I found in the past that most work I enjoy actually is done by friends.
Everytime I would offer to purchase a friends work they would act all silly about it. I totally understood as well.When a friend approaches me about wanting something of mine.I'm more likely to just hand it over to them for free.Why should they pay, we're friends.However I also know it makes me feel bad when my friends don't except that I believe their work is worth paying for.So years back myself and and another friend started what we thought would be a better way to get our friends work. We started an art swap. Every year we arrange an art exhibition (see previous posts for details of next one)amongst friends and whatever stranger wants to contribute. We give the artist a month to do a piece and then at the end of the month we hold a show and at the end of the night we all swap art (randomly by numbers)with another artist.Every one walks away a winner..I feel grateful that another person would want my work hanging in their home. As well as I know that whomevers work I end up with will be proudly displayed at my house. So began the start of my little art collection..

This painting was done by Tang Heng. A friend I met at work who has such talent. Who is obviously too talented working in animation drawing talking animals.Whenever i look at this painting I am reminded of my grandfather.A story he once told me about how he asked 3 ladies to a dance and ended up going with his buddies,abandoning them. I called him a Cad and he laughed and agreed.He made me feel better for not getting asked to the prom.

I'll try for better lighting next time,it was late at night aand i was tired.

Speak and Spell

I checked the post a few days ago and someone sent me a loverly little package.
I hope they got one in return.
I hope they enjoy the camera.
I hope they take loads of photos and it inspires them to take loads more.
Please send me one.
I have finally located a working super 8 sound projector.
Tonight I will spend the night going through super 8 rolls of film,watching history.

I am shooting a band next weekend.It's been awhile since I've taken photos of a band that I actually like.
So I'm excited.Hopefully all the images in my mind turn out on the film.
Nothing sucks worse then the disappointment of getting film back and wondering where are the images from your head? Where are they hiding.Then seeing the disappointment of the bands face as well..it's happened to me before.Presenting work where I just know it wasn't going to work.But you have to hand something in cause they've paid you.Then you have to offer to reshoot and the next thing you know ,you're out of pocket.

I'm taking a photoshop class tomorrow.
I have always been one that shuns the photoshop tool,even though I have it. I'm not big into digital either.I like the happy surprises you get with film.I like the rawness of film, the truth behind it.The flaws,I like knowing that I have flaws,I have things to learn and I have a certain style as well. But I also recognize that in order to grow you need to know all the tricks of the trade.All the levels of each medium. Also I need to make some money to pay bills so I gotta go a little commercial sometime right?I'm trying to justify the use of digital and photoshop.But I promise that if I do ever photoshop my personal images I will put a disclaimer on it.Just to stay true to the art of good old fashion film.

So i have signed up for my moveable type site.Now I just need something on it before letting everyone know of the address.

Oh yeah, book two of the top 100 books is finished.I read "The Moviegoer" so beautiful.I had read this ages ago when I was younger and I dont think I appreciated i for what it was really trying to say. Cause this time around I cried a bit as i flipped the pages. Not sure what I will read next... I do know that I am compiling a review of each book and after I read them all I will post the reviews.So I'm not really giving full thoughts here,sorry

Next time SWI, you'll show them!!

Wonderful list of things that happened today"

Books found in my Library I forgot I owned:
The Nutshell Studies
Posters of the 60's
Difficult Loves By Italo Calvino

Last cd loaded onto itunes was:
Dane Cook

TV show that is being Tivo'd tonight
The Sopranos
Greys Anatomy

Friends who came to visit today:
Sam
Claudette
Sophia
Michael
Lisa
Gina

The phone rang twice today
walking down the street with my ipod singing aloud to Old Crow Medicine Show and not caring who heard me.
3 walks with the kid
Slept in till 8:00AM
Laughed so hard, I farted and that made the kid laugh,who knew?
My lawn has turned into the place where all kids on the block come to have summersault races.So I get to hear laughter and giggles all day long.

Tonight big Italian Dinner Potluck for neighborhood get together of watching The Sopranos

Tomorrow I will be finished with my "I am 8-Bit" pieces.They will then be sent to get framed and I will be done with these pieces that have been driving me mad.I will then start the polaroid mural at the coffee shop.
Wait did i mention that? I am doing a polaroid mural on the wall of the local coffee shop.The mural is a 360 view of the streets surrounding it.It is a huge task that has involved hundreds of polaroids,I mean hundreds.What I like best about it is that I shot one side of the street during the day and the other at night, with it's twinkly lights and neon signs and moon and cars.Does that sound lame? or shall I say LAME-O!

Well if this isn't nice, I don't know what is...

A few things that made me smile today:

The colorful letters being torn off a builing as I was walking by.
The construction guy let me have the old letters that spelled out. G.E.O.R.G.I.E.

Sunlight peeking through the dark clouds,letting me know that it wasnt quite ready for rain.

Walking down the street,listening too Old Crow Medicine show,hot coffee in one hand,LA times in the other.

The new video downloaded to my ipod, georgie giggling and rolling over for the first time.

Discovering a slew of new photoblogs,that have inspired me.

I can almost see the light at the end of my creative blocked tunnel.

My cat getting better.

Reading the New Yorker over breakfast,with fresh OJ.

A bag full of film,just waiting to be used.


I have had 4 more requests for mixed cd swap.Who knew??
Lucky Dip Art Swap is almost ready, the details and logistics are done.Now I just need to email everyone.i've been lazy sorry everyone.

I've scrapped my website design and have decided to go with something more easy and simple that I could just do myself an not have to rely on others for help.So I've been working on a new moveable type page. As soon as I got a few more things on it I will send out a link.Not sure if I will continue this site here or just combine it with the new site??..

A Head With Wings

Yesterday was an all day Holga day.
Today was an all day Polaroid day.
Tomorrow will be an all day pinhole day.
Sooner or later I might end up with something I like.
Just have to keep pushing through this wall.
It came out of nowhere,how can i get through it,over it,around it.
I'm breaking down and switching to an moveable type website/blog.
The whole building a website has become a major pain.
I need something more simple,something that I can understand and do on my own.
Rather then having to call friends for help every day.
The gallery down the road from me is having their first photo exhibition.I'm waiting to see how it goes before I approach them.As they are a bit stand-offish .If it goes well then I will feel more comfortable barging in with my portfolio or my ideas or a proposal or anything.Hope it goes well.
I was not happy with my peice for the show in April so I need to figure out what I should do now,redo it,do something different or drop out..Dropping out is not really an option though
I sent a camera off to a stranger I have never met.But whose site I read often.I figure she wanted one I had an extra one and well good things..putting out good things,sending off the love to others who have desires to be creative as well.

I'm almost done gathering all the information for the Lucky dip postcard art swap.I've been lazy.Noramlly I have a partner in crime. We've been doing them for 4 year. Now she is away and I think she will be staying away for a long time.So I'm doing it all alone. So I have been slow with getting everyone addresses and details,for that I say sorry
(cut me some slack man, I'm a new mom.I dont get much sleep).

I have gotten 4 request for mixed cd swaps,and have recieved 3 so far..awesome stuff.i hope more peole want to do this.I kinda feel like I am in 8th grade adn making mixed tapes for people I have crushes on.Except I never got mixed tapes,so in a way I am reliving my lost youth.

Update on gallery/artist studio plans.Business plan is comlete,paper work filled out.Now I just need to get a space..still looking.Tricky as I feel I get one shot so i need to not f**k it up.

Clean up before she comes

I'm feeling all the energy fading,trying not to get sick,fighting it.
Spent the greater part of this last week hiding inside from the rain.
However, not all was lost I have finished the first book on my quest to read the greatest 100 books. I have read Winnie The Pooh.How is it that I have managed to never read such a delightful book.It's a shame that no animation movie could truly capture how sweet it is.When I finished it I felt the desire for my little one to hurry up and grow a little more.To the age where I cold sit up nights with her and read to her and she would understand.

Frustration level is at an all time high as I got back 3 rolls of film and not one image was usable (one roll was totally fucked).Have a show in 4 weeks and still havent managed to produce one photo. Has it been that long, have I lost all ability to shoot photos.These are the days when my mind plays games on me and tries to convince me giving up is the best option. I have to ignore the voices.

Must think happy thoughts..

Learning harmonica
The sun shining even though it is raining out.
A nice bottle of wine with dinner tonight.
The sound of Gigi's giggle when her daddy sings to her.
Red painted toenails.
The Godfather on dvd with a bucket of popcorn.
Snugly with hubby.
New Rye Cooder cd
Tulips from the Farmers Market

There all calmed down now...

Finding much inspirations,and better ways to waste my time on the internet then reading the gossips sites.By discover new places to explore.

Tomorrow will be an all Holga day.The goal is to shoot 4 rolls of film.

I need a goal

Seems no one can agree what is number one.

So what I am going to do is try and combine all the lists and form a top 100.Then I am going to spend the year reading them all. Yes, that includes trying to get through Gravitys Rainbow agian and god forbid actually reading Ulysses.The book everyone has on their shelfs to make others think they are smarty pants.But be honest have you actually read it.Well I am, sometime, maybe , hopefully, this year.

Is it Just me

I think I'm a little late in discovering
But now that I have.I've become a little obsessed with finding out more about her.I do know she has a cameo and does the still photography in the new Film
The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things
So at least I will see the film for that reason.
Why is Jenny Lewis so damn beautiful and talented
My story...I went to a movie once during the early day.I was 8 months pregnant and needed to get out of the heat. So I went to see Shopgirl, since I was a fan of the book. I was the only one in the movie theater.At the last minute some girl walked in and sat in the row in front of me.During the middle of the movie, she put her feet up on the chairs.I was jealous because i could barely lift my legs to walk.I became so fixated on her feet and her green slip on shoes that I couldnt pay attention to the film.When the film ended I sat through the credits (I always do) and I waddled out.The girl was at the back door and she held it open for me.She smiled and asked what I thought of the movie.I couldnt tell her that i had lost interest cause of her green shoes.She was wearing these sort of 80's pants that were pegged at the bottom.She was really skinny and I thought,even on my skinniest days I could not pull off those pants.Some people are that cool,Jenny Lewis is that cool.

I'm a weener, a weener

Today I won this from here... I get loads of links and discover new people and things from the weekly newsletter so you should sign up.

TO DO LIST

READING:
Hillman Curtis on Creating Short Films for the Web
LISTENING:
Just got this cd "The Elected" very nice,love getting new music.Thinking I'd love to do some mixed cd swaps.Anyone else interested?I think it would be brilliant to send off and recieve.I will start it,so drop me an email and i will send you a mixed cd with some of my favorite songs.
SITES I'M INTO TODAY:
writers
Photographers
painters actually Noise has a whole archive of pretty great artists.I encourage all my artist friends to submit.See if they coudl become artists of the day..how nice would that be.

Thinking of going here to continue doing something creative.

I am thisclose to hopefully opening up my own space/gallery/artist co-op..deatils to follow.

Last but not least.I belive all address's are in for the Lucky Dip Art Postcard swap.Deatils will be mailed out and everyone can get started.Any last minute takers do so now please.

Can't be bothered to spell check tonight,sorry so tired.

Oh yeah, the big storm made a tree crash into my studio in the back yard.All is good, not too much damage so i was pretty lucky.Still I havent been back there much.I'm dissappointed in myself.But I did by an address book in hopes that it will motivate me, how I am not sure yet.