Metaphysical Mamie

 I did a painting for the Women With Issues Show at M Modern Gallery in Palm Springs, CA. It opened on Sept. 23, 2006 (same day as Blab show). The show was a Valley of the Dolls theme show and I think they also had vintage photos for sale of Patty Duke and Sharon Tate.

Here is a photo of Mamie Van Doren from the Blond Bombshell show at the same gallery last January. I got to go to that one and it was fun. Mamie certainly does not look her age!

The Charm of Range Murata

I picked up a couple of Anime Figures from Just Be Design while I was in Portland. That is where Compound Gallery is located. I like this series of mini-figures by artist Range Murata. See more on here:

Yamato Toys USA

Lovely Hula Graphics

I bought this book at Powell's Bookstore while I was visiting Portland last week. It's full of great sepia-toned images of uke playing hula gals, sailors, album cover art, matchbook covers, vintage Hawaiian postcards and old advertising graphics, Trader Vic stuff, you name it. I don't know how I did without it for so long. It's by Taschen, edited by Jim Heimann. Only $9.99.

Taschen

EEEkk!

Check out this website, it's crazy (from boingboing):

Animated haunted furniture
By Cory Doctorow
Scarefactory's Haunted Furniture page is chock-a-bloc with amazing haunted props for your haunted house. Makes me want to redecorate.
Reposed possessed girl flails up to begin violently thrashing front to back side to side to swirl & contortatop the bed. Includes steel queen sized mattress frame, character, mech & pneumatic pkg. Link (via Cribcandy)
3 References

Max Ernst & Erling Wold

My bookcase is filled with inspiring art books. I have three of Max Ernst's surrealistic collage novels. One of them is "Une Semaine De Bonte" which is a Dover book on Amazon for only $12. The other two must be harder to find because Amazon doesn't even have pictures of the covers and they are now in the $55.-$140. range - used. I love these books!

(See images above)

ErlingWold is a composer in San Francisco. He ordered a couple of my Little Pierrot prints recently which prompted me to go look up his website. Very intriguing!
By the way, he was also the winner of my blog guessing game...so I sent him an additional print. He, in turn, sent me a CD of soundtrack music that he composed for the film, "The Bed You Sleep In" (director, Jon Jost). It's darkly moody and also enchantingly spirited.

Apparently, he has done some surreal theater pieces including this chamber opera (as described in his extensive bio):
"His critically acclaimed work A Little Girl Dreams of Taking the Veil, based on the Max Ernst collage novel, was presented by the Paul Dresher Ensemble and ODC in 2000. It was given its European premiere in a German version by the Klagenfurter Ensemble in July of 2001 and toured to Max Ernst's hometown of Brühl. "

I may have to order the CD which looks quite wonderful.

Check out:

Erling Wold on Amazon

Website: Erling Wold

Amy_Crehore

Historic Kennedy School

I am taking a little trip up to Portland, OR this week where I will check out the new galleries and art museum. The photo above is historic Kennedy School where I always stay when I go to Portland. The old 1910 building has been converted into a "lodge" in the city with restaurant, bars, brew pub, suites that used to be old classrooms (complete with chalkboards), a movie theater in the old auditorium, a gym for concerts and a hot pool. The walls are chock full of folk art done by alumni and Portland residents: murals, mosaics and sculptures. There is even a "Detention Room" bar to smoke cigars in. It is always a lot of fun to stay there. (P.S. I don't smoke cigars.)

This is only one of the many McMeniman Brother's group of vintage buildings (lodges and pubs) in OR and WA that they have restored and decorated. Each one is unique and each one is full of artwork. I have not stayed in all of them, but I hope to some day.

McMenamin's Kennedy School

Interview with Fred Stonehouse

Little Bug, 20" x 16", Copyright 2006 Fred Stonehouse

courtesy of Blab Show

Go read Marshall Sponder's fabulous new interview with Fred Stonehouse:

Interview with Fred Stonehouse,

Great American Artist

See nine of Fred's paintings on the Blab Show website or go see them in person at Copro Nason Gallery, Santa Monica, CA. Show closes on Oct 21.

www.artnewyorkcity.com

art
Amy_Crehore