Thursday, July 15, 2010

Josef Frank on Google



Josef Frank, an Austrian/Swedish architect, engineer and textile designer was born today. Google is celebrating and I am applauding. Here's a


Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Decorated bike and rider

Reminds me of the vintage Rose Parade postcards
(Portland) with floats of roses.
Excellent bike decoration and bee costume!

Myriam Eykens' Figures

Tenderly- Terra Cotta

I like these sculptures by Belgian artist Myriam Eykens:
LINK and LINK and LINK
(Thanks, artinconnu flickr set)

Monday, July 12, 2010

Harvey Pekar Died Today

Maybe you saw this film of Harvey Pekar's life (with an unforgettable performance by Paul Giamatti) or maybe you read his autobiographical comic book: "American Splendor". His stories were illustrated by many artists including R. Crumb.
Rest in peace, Harvey. Wikipedia link.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Ukulele Dreamgirl Painting in Brooklyn, July 16th


"Hokum Hallelujah" by Amy Crehore 2009 (oil on linen 12" x 18")
This is the piece I sent to Williamsburg, Brooklyn (NY) for the group show at the new 99% Gallery. I am hoping that people in the NYC area will make it out to the opening.
There's a mini preview of the show on Juxtapoz.com (looks good).
It opens on July 16th, 2010 from 7-10 pm.
Location: 99 North 10th

Brooklyn, NY 11211


Friday, July 09, 2010

Frauenfelder's New Book is a Joy to Read


Mark Frauenfelder doesn't need me to review his new book, "Made by Hand". It's been reviewed by almost everyone. He's been on the Colbert Report and interviewed by countless others. Time. com, Huffington Post, you name it. And I'm glad - because this book is utterly absorbing and I didn't want most of the chapters to end! It made me cry (when the family lost their chickens to predators), educated me (how cigarette advertising killed DIY, killing the lawn, growing food, etc.), made me laugh (recounting his family's reactions to his DIY projects and admitting his own mistakes) and it also inspired me to try new things.
The thing I can't get over, though, is what a great writer Mark is. He makes everyday homespun activities sound interesting and important. He encourages us to ask questions and learn about things that we don't already know about. Most of all, Mark tells us how fulfilling it is to have a more hands-on approach to life, to make the most of what we already have and to create new things. Mark reminds us that we need this soul food to stay in touch with ourselves and that our mistakes and frustrations are the very things that educate us.