70 MIllion by Hold Your Horses!

This band wins points with me for this video alone. I love the interpretation of these works of art!

70 Million by Hold Your Horses ! from L'Ogre on Vimeo.

Guardians

The latest exhibit by Andy Freeberg, Guardians, features the women who spend their time guarding works of art in various Russian art museums. I love the juxtaposition of the docents with the art work; the way the sitting, matronly, women become part of the work like an installation, or the way they contrast the work. It's a truly interesting series.

Ear on a Stick

Van Gogh's ear on a stick; now available on Etsy. I do love this idea, especially the quote, but I also think that it's important that people know the real story as well. I read about the incident in Van Gogh's letters while doing research for my thesis, but ABC News does a good job explaining the ear incident.

The Vacant Chair...for life.

Don't worry mom and dad, this is not in the cards for my next tattoo. I say this as if my first (and only, thus far) tattoo was a big deal; I have a tiny lady bug on the inside of my right ankle, so small the artist only charged me the inking fee. I was curious about tattoos, and at eighteen it seemed like a safe bet. I have thought long and hard about what I would get if I ever get another one. Chair, however, has never been an option. I say this after spending a solid year and a half obsessing about vacant chair symbolism for my thesis, understanding the qualities of a vacant chair, how the style represents a personality, how a chair can be a memorial. However, as a permanent tattoo? Ummmm...not likely. This dude though? He has FIVE chair tattoos...FIVE. You can see his ink on designboom.com. All of his work is done by Nick Baxter. I guess I know who to call if I ever change my mind about getting a chair tattoo.

Into the Woods

I am currently in limbo in terms of my job situation right now; I have been offered the position, agreed to the salary and hours, but I'm still waiting on my background check to clear. This is now day three past when I was supposed to start training and I am more than ready. So, stir crazy, I decided to go for a walk today; I took a long walk from my house, down towards the school, up the creek bed behind Fairway and the Harvest Market. I found myself underneath a specific stretch of the road where the creek runs through a tunnel. I hadn't been in this tunnel in maybe a decade, but it was kind of fun to stand in a position I hadn't been in for awhile. The view was pretty.
The graffiti is...very...ummm...Idyllwild. Example: a pot smoking, footless, bird.
Now this one surprised me; a Stussy symbol. While standing in a location I haven't been in since the 1990s I was surprised to see an emblem that I haven't seen in about as long. Do the taggers come here to play with pogs, talk about the Clinton scandal, and then go home when their pagers go off too?
After my tunnel exploration I continued my walk up towards Fern Valley and marveled at the forest in the mist. It made me think of all the artists over time who draw inspiration from trees and the natural world.
George Seurat
Ansel Adams
Caspar David Freidrich
Gauguin
I don't know who did this one, but it's a lovely Japanese print.
John Frederick Kensett
Gustav Klimt
Georgia O'keefe
Van Gogh
Théodore Caruelle d'Aligny
Such a beautiful day.

Artistic Choices

While reading an article in Yahoo News about genetics, I am left wondering. Why did the artist choose to give this man a mullet? The sketch is only loosely based on the skull found at the sight, artists fill in the details from the base skull on. I'm just saying, of all the hair possibilities, the artist chose mullet. Interesting.

I like it.

Fernando Forero

Fernando Forero is an artist from Poland who works in illustration, collage, graphic design, and typography. His work reminds me of Pan's Labyrinth, with the dark shadows and strange mythological creatures. Most of these sketches are from his sketchbook, but you can see his full portfolio here.

Songs About Art

Modern Art by Art Brut

Modern art
Makes me
Want to rock out
(x4)
So I'm in the Tate
And I'm looking at Hockney
And oh sweet Jesus
There's something about that blue
It touches me deep inside
Amazes me when I step outside
I'm sweating
I'm sweating
I'm beginning to palpitate
I can't help myself
I just can't help myself

Modern art
Makes me
Want to rock out
(x4)

So I'm in the Pompidou
In Paris
And they're more laid back about their art galleries
There's little children running around
I see a piece on Matisse
Take three steps back
Take a long run up
And I jump at it!

Modern art
Makes me
Want to rock out

Bon Appetempt

I'm adding a new blog to my places to waste time, Bon Appetempt, because I too sometimes attempt beautiful recipes that turn out less than savory...or turn out amazing. Either way, I like to see other people try at these things too.

Vans and the Places they Were

I recently found an interesting project online, Vans and the Places they Were, that documents old custom vans. Filmmaker and photographer Joe Stevens took on the project in 1996, and has captured hundreds of vans on 120mm film. The concept of the hunt is interesting, though the way that Stevens plans to culminate it might be a little too hard to accomplish. According to his artist statement, the project can be summed up as follows.

Notably, at the same time these vans have been disappearing from our roads – film photography as a visual medium has also begun it’s slow death. Consequently the goal of the project is to one day shoot the last remaining van on the final frame of photographic film in existence. Then the project will be finished.

However, as a child of the 80s, I don't feel the connection to these vans. They don't remind me of anything more than what I've seen in movies or print media. My connection is amusement that these vans were once considered rock and roll (check out this article for further proof). So take them for what you will, as an amusing collection of artifacts from a rock and roll era, or as a reminder of a truly great time. Either way, it's a worthwhile project that I hope you enjoy as much as I did.