I don’t usually post videos, but I keep running across this same artist’s stuff, and I am totally in love with her:
Her name is Robyn, she’s Swedish, and she used be a teeny-bopper pop-star in the mid nineties (remember “Show Me Love”? It was pretty ubiquitous at one point. Still hear it from time to time on adult-contempo radio). During the nineties her producer/song writer/Svengali was fellow swede Max Martin - Yes, that Max Martin, of later Britney infamy.
Eventually Robyn, not surprisingly, grew a little tired of being marketed as a pop-tartlet by her record company. But rather than put out a whiny new single about being misunderstood, or how hard being rich and famous is, she dumped her label and started her own.
Then she gave herself a asymmetrical bleach blond haircut; started wearing crazy outfits usually seen on more avant-garde artists (like a dress made to look like a Wurlitzer juke box); and started writing all her own material, collaborating with all the hip, young, up-and-coming producers and DJs Europe has to offer. Pretty awesome right? Now as a result, she’s the hottest thing in the British press, which means her total world dominance should be forthcoming shortly.
She’s pretty much Bjork and Gwen’s long lost Swedish love-child as raised by Missy. In other words: what’s not to love? She’s totally adorable in a wacky, Scandinavian sort of way and she’s got the chops to back it up.
While I’ve been out of commission, I’ve been working on a little website for my friend Vivian (she’s a talented girl, who is a fledgling DJ - among other things). I’m doing it just for fun and I’m totally digging it so far.
Granted, Vivian hasn’t seen this yet, so it might look entirely different by the time it ends up online, but at the moment, I’m pretty happy with it.
Vivian was using a little snail with a record for a shell as her little logo, so I decided to take the motif a step further and go for a whole story-book, woodland DJ motif. She also has a love of Alice in Wonderland, so I integrated a bit of that too. Vivian’s own personal aesthetic tends to lean towards rocker-mod, with lot’s of black and white and red so there’s a bit of a subtle retro, rockin’ influence (most notably in the use of cooper black for the header - and who doesn’t *heart* cooper black!). I, of course, added in a good dose of my own Mary Blair obsession into the mix as well.
I have been feeling unmotivated (as I occasionally do). Without the spark of life that leads to ideas and work. Granted, things are pretty understandably out of sorts right now - all the things I normally run to in situations like this are getting packed into boxes, and I’m trying to avoid buying or finding any new things, because it’s just more to lug to the other side of town (as it is, I’m trying to eat my way through my pantry just so that I don’t have to bring that with me).
But it made me think about the things that get me going, get me working, get me coming up with new ideas and exploring them.
And so I started writing a list of those things, in lieu of actually being able to have them… And then expanding and expounding on that list… And then the list took on a life of it’s own and became:
Go, check it out. It will probably grow as time goes on (I left out some things - plays and fiction and tv and music - they will find their way on there eventually, but the thing is massive as it is).
I tried to include things that were instrumental in how I approach life, art, the universe and everything - as well as some things I am constantly hearing have helped fellow artists and friends get those friendly lightning bolts of imagination.
If you like Wes Anderson you will love it. If you consider yourself to be a student of cinema and literature you will love it’s depth and elegance (although if Hollywood movies and best-selling books are more your thing you might not). If you’re looking for a bit of a visual boost, some eye candy to jangle your creativity, it’s perfect too. If you’re looking for inspiration for decorating your home, then this is the movie to see this season.
The India depicted is (like in most Anderson movies) not so much of the present, or even of the past, but one of dreams captured cinematically. The set pieces and locales are astonishing - everything is drenched in a vibrant, fairy-tale exoticism. However, it’s not quite as much of a fashion flick as other Wes Anderson movies have been - despite the help of Mark Jacobs and a large set of absolutely divine Louis Vuiton luggage.
I found this poster for it, and it’s a bit of a odd find as it depicts only Natalie Portman and a tiger. While both are certainly in the movie, they do not appear as more than spoken-of-mirages, and blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameos. But I do absolutely love it’s retro illustrative style, reminiscent of mid-sixties movie posters. It certainly hints to the mystery and style of the movie.
Script-wise, Anderson is back to form - recalling his first (and most critically acclaimed) film: Bottle Rocket.
Anderson’s trio of brothers are, though a return to a familiar subject of disaffected families, one of his most emotionally interesting depictions. Although he does receive a lot of help from his always impeccable casting.
Brody? Schwartzman? Wilson? You can’t go wrong
I’m really hoping that he never collaborates with that Noah Baumbach ever again. I actually quite like Roman Coppola (his CQ was entirely underrated) so I think he was a much better choice as a collaborator than that other guy. They certainly share a certain retro, new-wave, colour-drenched sensibility. I could tell he added a lot of sparkle and elegance to the cinematography and script - but then again, it’s well established that I have a thing for the Coppola family.
Speaking of which, Jason Schwartzman is also quite effective here - I think it’s his sense of humour which most comes out in both his performance and the script (which he also co-wrote), bringing levity to Wes Andersons darker inclinations. .
Here’s also hoping Owen Wilson never succeeds in his recently publicized attempts, because he is a woefully wonderful actor who adds so much undertones and depth to a performance - but damned if doesn’t ever get to show it except for in Wes Anderson movies.
I found this image when surfing around, I believe it is an entry at last years Canada Blooms. I am totally taking it as my inspiration for my garden to be (and am I the only one who is very much reminded of Fred Penner’s Place and his awesome forest garden shed? Am I the only one who remembers Fred Penner?).
I love the juxtaposition of very vibrant saturated colours (the purple birdhouses, the yellow wellies, the electric blue stakes) popped against a rough, rustic, natural background with splashes of verdant and chartreuse gardens.
Although I’m gonna probably rock saturated oranges and pinks, rather than purples and blues because I have a couple big orange berried rowan trees (also known as Mountain ash) to work with. Totally using the “bright lights” swiss chard I want to grow as a colour inspiration.
I have also bought You Grow Girl, and am reading my way through - it’s pretty awesome. It’s got neat crafts, simple instructions, beautiful photography and a youthful/urban/girly attitude that is super easy for a youthful/urban/girl to relate to. The author actually lives down the street somewhere here in Parkdale, so I know all her advice is workable for me here in Toronto’s micro-climate. Perfect!
go ahead and buy tools that will make it easier and more fun for me to create whenever I can
(right now: one of those little wooden bendy model guys and an adjustable stool for my drafting table)
take workshops somewhere in something technical but creative whenever I can
(right now: print making, or jewellery smithing, or comic creation really interest me)
go to LOTS of life drawing
read more (everyday)
write/blog more (everyday)
draw more (everyday)
create, for no reason other than to create (everyday)
So long as I make some kind of change to myself or my environment, made something happen, learned/made/created/adapted/altered something in the world somehow (flapped my butterfly wings, hoping for a hurricane in Guatemala, so to speak) it’ll be a good day.
Back when I actually had the time to be bored this summer, I went on a hunt for new blogs to read.
I love my new finds so much, I sharing them, because they are becoming a major source of inspiration for me (when I can find the time to actually be on my computer doing something other than schoolwork).
These blogs are pure escapism. I could never hope to live the halcyon life these girls manage to create around them. I am astounded by the depth of thought that goes into the aesthetic beauty of every little domestic moment captured in images. These blogs have become my muses, inspiring me to create art from the life I live, by seeing EVERYTHING I create (from the way I make a bed - or don’t - to how I make dinner) as creative in nature.
little birds
Domestic bliss in Portland (my dream town) in saturated colours, glimpses of nature and carefully chosen vintage prints.
a bird in the hand
The literal sister site to little birds (no really, it’s her sister). Just as much about vintage finds, but more about pastel colours and collaged art pieces, and life in San Francisco (a very nice city indeed).
oh joy
How this blogger finds all these beautiful things everyday, I’ll never know. But there’s a wealth of links here to all things design and feminine (especially cute jewellery, fashion, home decor, stationary, party planning and weddings). And it’s all sooooo delightfully girly.
everybody likes sandwiches
I love cooking, and I love food, but I’ve had a hard time finding a food blog that actually offers me something new, and captures my attention.
This one does.
The food is simple, but beautifully captured, and imaginative - and the blog is well written to boot. It’s like an elegant cookbook in blog form! I especially like the focus on fresh in season ingrediants, and things that are relatively healthy.
Whenever I get depressed I watch Andrea Dorfman’s little film called: Love That Boy and it makes me happy pretty soon after.
It’s brightly coloured, quirky and satisfying eye candy that might even be called… dare I say it? Heart-warming. Yes, I think it just might be.
While filmed on the east coast somewhere, it always reminds me of cool Toronto kids. The characters knit, sew, bake, wear Fluevogs and Damzels in this Dress dresses and live in perfectly manicured, thrift/scavenged, retro environs (not to mention, have an awesome indie rock soundtrack - but that pretty much goes without saying at this point).
It is one of my favourite movies of all time.
Liam has just been turned down for yet more jobs, so yesterday afternoon I curled up in the bedroom with my laptop and a copy on DVD and emerged cheerful.
I then decided to look up Ms. Dorfman to see if she was up to anything new (Love That Boy was distributed a long 3 years ago). I found a biography somewhere that said she was working on a new script and, more importantly, owned a little shop called the Knit Cafe here in Toronto. A little shop that just so happens to serve coffee, tea, and yarn. A little shop I’ve passed by many times, because it happens to be only about two blocks away.
I think I’m going to have to investigate this.
And possibly learn how to knit.
And if there’s one thing I suck at, it’s knitting.
Drawn! has had a forum for all of a very few hours, and already I’m hooked. I’m so sucked in, it’s not even funny.
Also, there’s this. What did I say about my friend Aaron getting famous someday?
Yeah.
I think when I said someday, I should have said, like, in a couple of weeks.
