Tag Archives: Art

A Year in Books/Day 158: Bloomsbury Recalled

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  • Title: Bloomsbury Recalled
  • Author: Quentin Bell
  • Year Published: 1995 (Columbia University Press)
  • Year Purchased: 2002/2003
  • Source: Unknown
  • About: The author was the younger son of Vanessa and Clive Bell, two central figures in the Bloomsbury group (which was really just a loose network of friends, family and acquaintances). His aunt was, of course, novelist Virginia Woolf. Bloomsbury Recalled is his brief but excellently engaging memoir of the fascinating adults who formed his parents’ social and professional circles from WWI to the start of the next  great international conflict at the end of the 1930s. The little boy who grew up in a sticky web of conflicting personalities and crossed goals became an accomplished polymath with a distinctive, intelligent and highly amusing voice. His relaxed nature, probing wit and compelling birthright give this book a sparkle that the average Bloomsbury retrospective sorely lacks.
  • Motivation: Bloomsbury? Check. A relatively unbiased insider’s view? Check. Writers, artists and theorists? Oh my! Seriously, this book covers one of my favourite literary periods. That is reason enough.

    English: Portrait of Clive Bell

    English: Portrait of Clive Bell (Photo credit: Wikipedia). The author’s father.

  • Times Read: 3
  • Random Excerpt/Pages 11 & 12 : “I was not alarmed. I was convinced that I was not really consumptive; also, apart from the cough and high temperature, I did not feel at all ill. I enjoyed some fierce arguments with a clergyman, managed to do a little painting, and embarked upon historical research on the principality of Monaco for which I was totally unqualified.”
  • Happiness Scale: 10

A Wild Tonic in the Rain

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The Daisy Buchanan print that I ordered a couple of weeks ago arrived today via the post.

Please do not bend

Please do not bend

She is in tip-top condition after a long trip across the Atlantic. Here she is, looking even better in person than I dared hope.

Daisy Buchanan by Skies Dream Blue

Daisy Buchanan by Skies Dream Blue-“The exhilarating ripple of her voice was a wild tonic in the rain.”

Yes, she is modeled after Carey Mulligan (the star of the upcoming Baz Luhrmann film adaptation). The best part? Daisy had an unexpected traveling companion….

Jane Eyre by Skies Dream Blue

Jane Eyre by Skies Dream Blue-“I am no bird; and no net ensnares me; I am a free human being, with an independent will; which I now exert to leave you.”

Jane Eyre! Artist Grace Hamilton threw her in, gratis. Charlotte would be proud, I think. If you love literary or cinematic art, with a strong, unique style, be sure to check out her lovely, inspiring Etsy shop here. She is a joy to deal with.

 

Shopping for the Bookworm: The Great Gatsby Edition

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It’s no secret that I am skeptical of the  Baz Luhrmann adaptation of The Great Gatsby. Since it is set for a Christmas Day release, we will be inundated with ads for another 6+ months. Now that we have seen the trailer I am, for the most part, content to turn my back on the growing hullabaloo surrounding the movie. Instead, I’m going to re-focus on the book. What a concept, right? In that vein, this Shopping for the Bookworm is dedicated to all things F. Scott Fitzgerald/Gatsby. Enjoy! Continue reading →

Daily Diversion #11: A Party in Porkopolis*

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While The Queen City is a noble and elegant nickname, Cincinnati has long embraced its other, earthier appellation: Porkopolis. In the 19th century, this American jewel was the pig-packing center of the nation. In those days, citizens shared the streets with thousands of hogs. Today, nods to the city’s past are present in many ways, including the Flying Pig Marathon and a proliferation of objets d’pig sprinkled throughout town.They were even present at the Taste of Cincinnati USA, held this past (Memorial Day) weekend.

Taste of Cincinnati Collage

Taste of Cincinnati Collage

Top left: Revelers enjoying one of the nation’s largest street festivals. In its 34th iteration, it is the longest-standing food festival in the country.

Top right: One of many festive pig statues specially decorated for the event.

Bottom left: The cuts of this pig represent local neighborhoods.

Bottom right: A 95 degree day called for Frozen Margaritas. It was, unfortunately, way too hot to sample most of the food. We settled for pork and chicken tacos from a food truck, a slice of pizza and Irish nachos made with Saratoga chips.

Taste of Cincinnati 2012

Taste of Cincinnati USA 2012

After 2 hours of downing cold drinks and people watching in the extreme heat, we went home and collapsed into bed, far too tired to function for the rest of the day.

*Photographic proof that I do, indeed, have a life outside of writing and reading and editing.

 

 

 

Shopping for the Bookworm: New England Transcendentalists Edition

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For some reason, I have been thinking a lot about the New England Transcendentalists. Maybe it is the image of Margaret Fuller that stares down at me from one of my inspiration boards. Whatever the cause, it is a fine subject to be preoccupied with on a lovely Spring day. In honor of today’s one-track thought process, I’ve collected an inspiring and eclectic group of NET-inspired goodies. Enjoy!

This shop is so full of literary-themed profiles that every visit requires a gargantuan exercise in restraint. I want them all, I went them all now! Continue reading →

Daily Diversion #8: An Old Man’s Gift (The Ford Times)

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I do the blogging for a local gallery chain. We carry a lot of Charley Harper pieces (as in, the most in the world). Nine months ago, this would have meant absolutely nothing to me. Even though I’ve moved (mostly) in and (occasionally) out of the art world for the bulk of my adult life, I had barely heard of him before starting this gig. Back in “the day”-in this case the 1950s onwards-he did a lot of illustrations for a  magazine called the Ford Times, which I had definitely never heard of. Even though I love old periodicals. (I think I can be forgiven for not reading old copies of a lifestyle magazine put out by the Ford Motor Company, right?) Anyway, I will try to wrap this up in a neat, figurative bow because, well, this is a diversion piece. As we know, in my universe, that constitutes a few sentences and a photograph or two. Moving on….

Ford Times, November 1958

Ford Times, November 1958

I met a delightful old man yesterday afternoon. After he found out that I sometimes write about Charley Harper, he gave me this excellently preserved copy of the Ford Times. Although I have seen most of the prints made from these illustrations, I had never seen the magazine before. I had no idea that it was so small! I thought that it was a full-sized periodical.

Top: Flamingo by Charley Harper Bottom: Purple Gallinule by Charley Harper

Top: Flamingo by Charley Harper Bottom: Purple Gallinule by Charley Harper

He didn’t just gift me with any Ford Times issue, but one that featured some of the images I have written about. I love the flying flamingo in the background of the top illustration.

Tents with New Ideas

Tents with New Ideas

This layout makes me want to go camping, badly. But only if I can have that awesome car and the sweet tent, which actually makes setting up camp look fun! This story alone made my day (I’m weird like that). Thank you, Mr. Old Man! Your gift is in good hands.

Art is the Signature of Civilizations: Why this (Silent Movie Stars) Mural is so Important

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I’m a niche writer. I don’t see eye-to-eye with the mainstream media, and that’s okay: I’m happy to go my own quirky way, even in a professional capacity. I’m fortunate to write about subjects that I truly love: dead writers, literary culture, weird short fiction and, of course, classic movies. I’ve been writing about the latter for a decade but, over those years, my focus has narrowed: I now write mostly on silent cinema. Oh, my beloved!

My home city has many amazing, memorable murals (hello, half-upside-down American Gothic!). My favourite-which I discovered a year ago as my mom was scouting out new apartments in this downtown neighborhood-is in the parking lot of a law school. It was so unexpected that I sucked in my breath before letting out a loud squeal. I may have jumped up and down but this is where the memory becomes foggy. Behold: Continue reading →