and so it begins

Spring is pushing up out of the ground in the form of buds and leaves.
Went to the library this morning to do research and took out a bunch of interesting books including one about the use of Craft in Contemporary Art. Discovered the artist Carolyn Salas whose soft sculptures take the form of underwater seascapes. An idea I have been playing around with in the form of drawings inspired by creatures who dwell at the ocean floor. I love it when I get to see into other artist's studios. The photo at right is a studio view.


I also checked season 1 of Art:21 out of the library. This is such a fantastic series-- showing artists at work in their studios, practicing their art- and discussing what they're doing, how they do it, and the ideas behind it. Every time I watch one of the segments I feel inspired and opened up to art engaging people in so many different ways. It was really inspiring to hear/see Margaret Kilgallen talk a little bit about her work. She passed away at the age of 33 in 2001. Her work has this really western meets folksy, handmade feel. I love the section in Art:21 where she is riding her bike and stops to take a photo of a painted sign and the store owner comes out to ask what she's doing. I love that she was inspired by the handmade visual world around her and that part of her process was to document and archive the images and typography she saw.


very inspiring......

oh happy day oh rainy day

I am listening to a concert by My Morning Jacket streaming off of NPR. Honey (hi Honey!!) introduced me to them a while back and then, I had the pleasure of seeing them live with Wilco at the Albright Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo NY in what was the first Rockin at the Knox concert and it was Rockin my friends-- I was proud that it happened in my city.
Sadly, I haven't listened to too much music of late. Living with a musician makes it difficult because his studio is the living room and when he's playing the piano or writing music that takes up all sound space. But, I can't say I'm complaining since he's quite entertaining whilst working things out at the piano.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I'm baking some chocolate chip cookies right now. I used the brand spankin new Sunbeam mixer my Mom got me for Hannukah!! It's a champ! yum.
I went to Knit One today to get moral support on ripping back my dress one panel so that it isn't gigantic anymore. I think it's gonna work. While I was there I found a great little book for 13 bucks so I bought myself another book present. It has very fun looking chunky knits in bright colors. That pink wrap sweater is calling my name.

Artistic Inspiration

I bought myself a present. The book at left, Andrea Zittel: Critical Space. She is one of my favorite artists. I have acquired so much published media in the last week. I'm overwhelmed with magazines, books, the newspaper and have barely had time to study this book. Oh but I will! I love her gouache paintings of herself making her art, her knit uniforms, and pseudo manifesto. I think I need a manifesto. If you had a manifesto for living, what would it be?

kitchen shelves and books with horses and yellow covers

I swiped these pics from another blog-- sfgirlbybay.blogspot.com which she swiped from a book called The Way We Live in the City. Inspiration as we are going to get shelves in our kitchen!!! Yippppeeeeee! I can hardly wait, we need them! and waiting for me at home is a big ring of sample colors to choose from! Yahhooooooo
In other news,

I seem to be on a horse kick in my reading life. I took two books out of the library and each has a horse on the cover. I started reading the first book, The Hearts of Horses by Molly Gloss. It's a novel about a woman who is a bronco buster. It has a very mellow vibe and not too much happens but I'm enjoying it. I've been having some existential dilemmas of late- (twiddling my thumbs while I'm at work thinking: what am i doing?, why am i doing it? why am i not doing something else? -- you know, the usual existential dilemma stuff one worries about. But it's all good. Last week, D and I took a new exercise class at our gym called Group Power. It kicked my ass-- but was awesome and I can't wait to go again and get buff! You use a barbell with different weights and disks and the class works all your major muscle groups. It's just what I need!

Indian Summer

It's already the 8th of October.

What have I been up to?

Went to Washington DC for a weekend and saw my Great Aunt and Uncle and my good friend Honey!
Had lots of fun, ate lots of yummy food, saw some art, and had great company!

Been back to work at the theatre, avoiding the studio like it's the plague. Just haven't felt like going lately.
Read The Road in 2 days. More on this later. Excited about doing some fixing up and painting in the house. Got a beautiful new fridge!!!! and am loving it! since it has a light, and removable shelves, and humidity control! Yay! and is not a swimming pool like the old fridge!

Next project, paint the kitchen and put shelves up on two walls.

Bought blinds for D's office and hung them, and some pictures on the wall-- felt very capable and good!

Going to Florida this weekend.

Reviews on fire

A few nights ago, I went to see Casa de Areia, The House of Sand. A Brazilian movie starring the real life mother and daughter, Fernanda Montenegro and Fernanda Torres as Mother and Daughter in the film. Incidentally, the movie is directed by Fernanda Torres's husband, with the leads written especially for these two women. You might recognize Fernanda Montenegro as the actress nominated for an Oscar for Central Station in 1998 and who lost out to Gwyneth Paltrow, who won for Shakespeare in Love.
This movie was really amazing in a lot of different ways. The pace, unlike American movies, is slow and takes its time to allow the story to unfold. When the characters speak to eachother-- it is in clipped, boiled down questions and answers. There is not a lot of dialogue but much expression between the actresses as well as between the people and the land. The film was shot in the middle of the desert- but a desert as strange, changeable and moody as its new inhabitants. There are some breathtaking visuals in the film having to do with the changing landscape. I thought it was really great because the filmmakers assumed that the audience is fairly sophisticated and would understand a crucial jump in time based on the actresses. (I will say no more as I don't want to be a plot spoiler). The film's thematic threads are circular in nature, Mothers taking care of their daughters who then become mothers and begin again. I could go on about other themes-- but it would ruin the movie. I would recommend it though- if you are in the mood for a slow paced that requires some mental energy. I've been starting to see previews for Almodovar's new film, Volver, with a very sultry looking Penelope Cruz-- can't wait for that! I guess I'm on a Spanish film kick.
In the book dept., I'm currently reading 13 Moons by Charles Frazier. So far I really like it, it requires a lot of attention and focus. I am a slow reader and sometimes get lost in my own thoughts so that I have to reread a page a few times. Frazier writes with a very lovely- aromatic sense of description. I love the first paragraph of Chapter 8-- which is where I am currently:
That next summer in Valley River, I was not much of a business man. Nor did I crack a lawbook. Mostly I concerned myself with the weight of Claire's breast in my hand, the echo of a new poem,........., the mute colors of long sunsets,........

Ahhh, to be young and in love!

Otherwise, I just finished baking a batch of chocolate chip cookies.
Here is a preliminary photo of the studio. There is another window on that wall with the window you see and a storage nook behind where I was photographing. I don't like that light-- but you can't have everything!

Well, that's about all from Western NY for the moment. Happy Turkey Day!!!