Ok, that's a cheesy title for this post. I'm feeling lazy and not really wanting to write much, but I am very excited that I found out about Tim Burton directing Alice in Wonderland starring Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter:
Watch the HD trailer here. Oh yeah, and it's in 3D (!!!)
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
A Delightful Accidental Find
While browsing the tube (yep, the tube) the other night, I came across the movie Penelope (Mark Palansky, 2006) starring Christina Ricci. I was intrigued because the description told me it was about a girl born with a pig face, and I like Christina Ricci. Freak type things = interesting things. So, I watched.
It was the most delightful romance movie I've seen in...I can't remember how long. The colors in the movie are rich and whimsical, and the sets are pretty amazing too (especially Penelope's room). The visual effects are fun, and Penelope has a crazy royal purple coat with random colorful funky buttons going down the front (this was a special bonus treat for me).
The moral, as a child at the end says, is "it's not the power of the curse, it's the power you give the curse." I love this! It's so true and applies to everything. You don't have to be anxious or angry or any of those feelings if you don't want to fuel them.
That brings me to another wonderful movie I just saw recently (and have since watched twice): The Brothers Bloom.
(Sorry for the crappy formatting)
It coincidentally has a main character named Penelope too (Rachel Weisz). She says, she "owns it" and that's why she's convincing when she accepts changing "roles." This is so true, and I keep thinking about "owning it" when I go to my first selling of my wares on Saturday. This is also one of those movies that comments on itself commenting on itself commenting on itself....the ultimate goal in making any kind of art-- self reflexivity or whatever "po-mo" term you want to give it.
I love it when you watch movies or read books that are so crazily serendipitously in line with what you've been thinking about. It feels quite nice. Here's one of the funniest parts if you want to "spoil" it a bit for yourself: Collecting Hobbies. I enjoy this-- being a bit of a dabbler myself, but unfortunately (or fortunately?), not to the extent of Penelope.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Egon Schiele gefaellt mir
One of my household treasures that I enjoy most is my set of Egon Schiele prints. I love his short, intentional gestures and bold, yet understated colors. The general mood interests me as well-- there's a seductive, sensual, somber quality to most of his paintings. He often uses a medium called gouache (sort of a mixture between oil and pastel). I enjoy his portraits most of all.
Enjoy:
Enjoy:
Fantastic Mr. Fox in Stop Motion
I already got super excited about this once, but I'm excited all over again after checking out the website for The Fantastic Mr. Fox in stop motion film-form. It's based on Roald Dahl's book (all of which I adored as a kid). I wish I could sit in a theater!! Maybe by next week when it comes out, I'll have some graceful lucky hand make it possible. In the meantime, I don't mind geeking out over the website and watching the little "Featurettes" that show glimpses of the process-- including hand painting, sewing, and sculpting all of the lovely lovely puppets! Their teeny tiny little clothes sure tickle my fancy.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Great Collage Animation
This video by Jeff Chang is a wonderful use of print media in video. It's for Human Fly by Nouvelle Vague.
The Peculiar Theremin
Dear Theremin,
You are a peculiar instrument whose eccentricity intrigues me. Your combination of science, music, and atmosphere spills out with your engaging and vibrating sound. You have captivated my attention since the first time I met you and learning to play you is on my list of things to do before I die. You have a lovely ability to camouflage and vary your form adding a charming mystery to your presence. Those who play you look like sorcerers of sound, and I long to be still and aware enough to make you sing. I like you best as a gnome.
Thanks for existing,
Natalie
P.S. Check out Pamelia Kurstin, a theremin virtuoso to see the potential of this peculiarity. She plays in a band called Barbez-- they are amazing, and I was given the stroke of luck to see them perform and it was one of those great shows where you know nothung about the music beforehand. It was wonderful.
You are a peculiar instrument whose eccentricity intrigues me. Your combination of science, music, and atmosphere spills out with your engaging and vibrating sound. You have captivated my attention since the first time I met you and learning to play you is on my list of things to do before I die. You have a lovely ability to camouflage and vary your form adding a charming mystery to your presence. Those who play you look like sorcerers of sound, and I long to be still and aware enough to make you sing. I like you best as a gnome.
Thanks for existing,
Natalie
P.S. Check out Pamelia Kurstin, a theremin virtuoso to see the potential of this peculiarity. She plays in a band called Barbez-- they are amazing, and I was given the stroke of luck to see them perform and it was one of those great shows where you know nothung about the music beforehand. It was wonderful.
Yay For Squirrels and Collage Animation!
I was drawn to this artist's work by a blog post over at Modish that included this image:
Um, you might notice that I enjoy our bushy-tailed, nut-hoarding friends (haha, yes, let's move on).
The artist's name is Clemens Habicht, and his collage-y style intrigued me. I've been thinking about collage and animation lately as I have this surge in my gut to make some sort of animation, but right now need to find a way to do it without a camera. That pretty much rules out stop motion of created things (i.e. my antler-ed butterfly flapping its wings). But, as I'm progressing with Photoshop, and I work with Final Cut, I knew there could be a way.
Habicht also does animation, and this video spelled out a "simple" (only in some sense) key-framing method of making collage and animation come together in baby steps of experience:
Um, you might notice that I enjoy our bushy-tailed, nut-hoarding friends (haha, yes, let's move on).The artist's name is Clemens Habicht, and his collage-y style intrigued me. I've been thinking about collage and animation lately as I have this surge in my gut to make some sort of animation, but right now need to find a way to do it without a camera. That pretty much rules out stop motion of created things (i.e. my antler-ed butterfly flapping its wings). But, as I'm progressing with Photoshop, and I work with Final Cut, I knew there could be a way.
Habicht also does animation, and this video spelled out a "simple" (only in some sense) key-framing method of making collage and animation come together in baby steps of experience:
QUASIMODO JONES 'RocknRollDream' - by Clemens Habicht from Jacky Winter on Vimeo.
As I've been trying to not put too much on my own plate and focus on recovering right now, I think I'll move onto this after I get these 2 handmade markets out of the way.Look and Listen
One of the things about creativity is that you have to have your bunny ears up and your eyes wide open for observation all the time. Everything is interesting. I thought this Washington Post article demonstrated that nicely (albeit late-- it's from 2007).
(http://truefire.com/blog/?p=424)
Joshua Bell, world-renowned as a prodigious violinist from Bloomington, Indiana, hooked up with some journalists to do a "social experiment" in which he casually strolled into a subway station (L'Enfant in DC-- many busy government workers going by). He was wearing normal street clothes as opposed to his tidy, dapper look while performing on a stage where the cheapest tickets go for $100. He began to play a piece by Bach; Bell referred to it as, "not just one of the greatest pieces of music ever written, but one of the greatest achievements of any man in history." Each piece he played in the subway was similar in greatness. Oh, and he plays on a violin estimated to be worth $3.5 million (from 1710!).
So, what happens when we see "art without a frame," as the writer so eloquently put it?
Over a 1,000 people walked by Bell in the 45 minutes he played.
It took 3 minutes before anyone even noticed Bell, but that man kept going.
After 6 minutes someone stood and listened for a bit.
As the 45 minutes went on, seven people stopped to listen for a brief moment, and 27 threw in some change. Approximately 1,070 didn't notice anything. Children more frequently paid attention than adults. One man, unfamiliar with classical music, stopped to listen and said, "Whatever it was, it made me feel at peace." Only one person recognized the musician. The reporter writes,
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/simoncockayne/155638394/)
(http://truefire.com/blog/?p=424)Joshua Bell, world-renowned as a prodigious violinist from Bloomington, Indiana, hooked up with some journalists to do a "social experiment" in which he casually strolled into a subway station (L'Enfant in DC-- many busy government workers going by). He was wearing normal street clothes as opposed to his tidy, dapper look while performing on a stage where the cheapest tickets go for $100. He began to play a piece by Bach; Bell referred to it as, "not just one of the greatest pieces of music ever written, but one of the greatest achievements of any man in history." Each piece he played in the subway was similar in greatness. Oh, and he plays on a violin estimated to be worth $3.5 million (from 1710!).
So, what happens when we see "art without a frame," as the writer so eloquently put it?
Over a 1,000 people walked by Bell in the 45 minutes he played.
It took 3 minutes before anyone even noticed Bell, but that man kept going.
After 6 minutes someone stood and listened for a bit.
As the 45 minutes went on, seven people stopped to listen for a brief moment, and 27 threw in some change. Approximately 1,070 didn't notice anything. Children more frequently paid attention than adults. One man, unfamiliar with classical music, stopped to listen and said, "Whatever it was, it made me feel at peace." Only one person recognized the musician. The reporter writes,
"If we can't take the time out of our lives to stay a moment and listen to one of the best musicians on Earth play some of the best music ever written; if the surge of modern life so overpowers us that we are deaf and blind to something like that -- then what else are we missing?"I think being attuned to finding something interesting in everything helps you to take in moments like hearing Joshua Bell play in a subway. I'm not saying that if I were busy on my way to work in a bureaucratic bureau, that I wouldn't have maybe passed him by too. Trying to be more aware doesn't hurt anyone. It's a good practice that turns into healthy routine-- like taking your vitamins. A daily dose of Vitamin See.
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/simoncockayne/155638394/)(don't forget to check out the article link for an interesting discussion of the philosophical side of it all. Kant is the big reference point for them.)
Monday, November 9, 2009
I like this little guy...
I'm just liking this ba-man-na's lovely 'tude. He looks like he's ready for a grand performance.
Yo, Inspiration
I keep a bookmark folder titled, "Inspiration." Here's some of what I've kept:
I really like the style of this graphic, for whatever reason. Link
This site has tons of "Playing With The Moon" photos. Clever, whimsical, playful, wonderful.
Garden Shed Made of Disposable Bottles. Creative and amazingly useful.
Aquatic larva, part of the Nikon Small World gallery of microscopic photo imaging. Just downright fascinating.
I really like the style of this graphic, for whatever reason. LinkThis site has tons of "Playing With The Moon" photos. Clever, whimsical, playful, wonderful.
Garden Shed Made of Disposable Bottles. Creative and amazingly useful.
Aquatic larva, part of the Nikon Small World gallery of microscopic photo imaging. Just downright fascinating.This Is Where We Live from 4th Estate on Vimeo. Amazing, creative, time-dedicated stop motion with paper craft.
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