More Shanghai Advertising Art

For an East Asia Cigarette Company

Featuring Japanese Brand Mosquito Incense and Poison

I'm sort of hooked on these western-influenced Shanghai Advertising Images from the 1930's. Here are a couple of posters that you can order from a wide selection at zitantique.com They also have postcard sets. All are reproductions of the vintage art which featured alluring gals, beautifully painted.

The Art of Amy Crehore

Louise Brooks Society

Me at 21

Me at 32

You know, somebody told me I looked like Louise Brooks when I was younger (above) and, needless to say, I was flattered. I did wear my hair in a bob (sort of) with bangs and I still do. No one can come close to Louise, though! I never really had her confident spunky quality.

Anyhow, The Louise Brooks Society live journal blogged about me today which was nice. So, I might just have to paint a portrait of Louise someday. Why not? I did use 3 of her more provocative poses in my Little Pierrot series paintings. They were the only 3 paintings that I actually used a photo reference for. There is a nice repro-poster of a vintage magazine cover for sale on ebay -"Police Gazette". And here's a link to The Louise Brooks Society website, Pandora's Box.

I have blogged about Louise quite a few times myself: all of my blog posts about Louise.
The Art of Amy Crehore

Victorian Scraps

You can buy some vintage scraps from Victorian-Imagery.com

Above images courtesy of Beryl Peters Image Archive

And here is another beautiful website from the UK all about Victorian Scraps:

The Scrap Album

Check out Father Tuck's Complete Picture Maker for Little People 1930

The Art of Amy Crehore

Photographer of Paris, Brassai (1899-1984)

Backstage at the Folies-Bergere 1933 by Brassai

Brassai's wanderings around the cafes and bars of Paris at night brought him into contact with many of the artists and writers living in the city during the early 1930's. He established friendships with Picasso, Giacometti, Sartre, and Henry Miller. He published a book of night photographs in 1933 called, Paris de Nuit. Check out this great website:

Masters of Fine Art Photography

When I was in art school, I took a lot of photography and filmmaking classes. I did not start painting seriously until after I graduated. I consider myself to be a self-taught painter with an early background in photography. This has given me a greater sense of composition and story-telling and a desire for finding surreal elements within reality.

Try the amazing Powell's books in Portland, OR for books

about Brassai or anything else your little heart desires.

The Art of Amy Crehore

In Honor of Women

This brief post is dedicated to all women who have lost their sparkling youth to sadistic men. Hopefully they can heal, perhaps through art therapy. May they laugh again and discover their inner strength. May they love again with all of their heart. May they never look back.

The Art of Amy Crehore

The "It" Girl

Why is Louise Brooks so much more amazing than ANY woman in cinema today? Or any woman in fashion, music or theater? Why, why, why? For one thing, she's natural. She's got heart. She doesn't have tattoos. She doesn't have clown make up on. She's not hardcore. She doesn't have fake boobs. She's got class. She's got style. She's got guts. She's fearless. She's beautiful. She's unique. She stood up to the phonies and the copycats. She's got that certain something that is sorely lacking in today's world. We need her more than ever. Go buy the newly restored dvd of Pandora's Box.

The Art of Amy Crehore

Notecannons Nationals

Photo courtesy of Notecannons.com

We have one of these rare ukuleles at home: a 1928 National Tricone Style 1. We thought it was a National mandolin because of the body and often wondered why it had a uke neck, but then finally realized that it is indeed a uke! This is just one of many Nationals in our collection. They are all Art Deco gems. I might have to paint a National guitar, uke or mandolin into my next painting. Here is a great site to just look at them all:
Notecannons
The Art of Amy Crehore