AM LAPLACA

La Patisserie des Reves

2012-02-15T00:18:00.003-05:00

I wish I could plan a quick, weekend run-away trip to Paris...maybe not this weekend though (Mardi Gras is in full gear)!

Just read a gorgeously delicious article (in Town & Country mag) that made me realize how Parisian New Orleans is--the French love food and restaurants are everywhere here. Glistening chocolate eclairs would be divine from La Patisserie des Reves.

wired mag 'High-Powered Plasma Turns Garbage Into Gas'

2012-02-14T23:05:00.001-05:00

Read this amazing article yesterday in Wired magazine. There might be hope for our garbage & landfill situation.

http://www.wired.com/magazine/tag/trash/

2012-02-11T14:43:00.005-05:00

Was melting over Richard Tuttle's work in NOMA this past Wednesday.

Let me back track, my head has been spinning this past week. Pretty much a caffeine overload. I've been rushing all over town (mostly on my bike) to try as many coffee shops as possible for an upcoming article on the 'Best Coffee Date Spots in New Orleans'. Ironically, none of my coffee dates were really 'dates'.

So, I went to Cafe NOMA (which made the list) with my friend Seth. We ended up playing this lovely game of picking out our favorite piece in each room then having to guess each other's favorites! And although we didn't play this game in a room with Richard Tuttle's work, he was my overall favorite.

garden day, february 1st week

2012-02-03T21:49:00.009-05:00

Some seeds were planted this week: broccoli(3), bell pepper (2), tomatoes(2), turnips(3), & radishes(row).
We noticed the broccoli did well in our med-large containers (as long as they were individual) and when beets (similar to) turnips only had three in one med-large container. Once they get bigger, bell pepper & tomatoes can each have their own container as well.

A brocolli is budding.
Bought some zucchini and replanted them temporarily in one container together.

Radishes strategy, plant a row every two weeks.We are hoping to get a large, long container like this for carrots in the future because they are every three. Planting would be on rotation. just like the radishes

Broccoli or calliflower seedlings were selected and replanted into individual containers.

Replanted the last of the beets, hopefully they will reach full potential soon.

Picked out some of the smaller baby carrots to provide room.

Compost: Pulled aside some of the larger composts contents so that they could break down faster and be used for our garden expansion.

Picked off the last of the brussel sprouts and composted the plant (along with a lettuce). Above is the plants, etc. we added to the compost this week.

Another purchase was kale! We welcome another brassica to our growing family.

We are going to keep our eye on this lettuce for the following week. Was looking a little dried out.
Note to ourselves: Brussel sprouts need larger containers!

lucio pozzi

2012-02-01T21:25:00.002-05:00

I had a wonderful day today. First with volunteering at Edible Schoolyard @ a local school then later getting to go to NOMA & find inspirational pieces for an article for InvadeNOLA (fashion/mardi gras costume inspiration).

I was at the museum for nearly three hours and even though I was tired, as soon as I saw lucio pozzi's work, I couldn't stop smiling...

Ideal Creative Ideas

2012-01-31T20:19:00.005-05:00

Someone recently told me "the conditions will never be right." So instead of holding onto these ideas and waiting for the right time or condition, I'll write them out and perhaps they will start to manifest into something.

What would I ideally like to be doing?
Connecting creative people with collaborative opportunity.

Ideas

Bouncing off a Pratt Incubator Idea: new (Bywater or Mid-city) lofts/apts. furnished with local artists/designers work (furniture, art, etc.) & launching it as a promotional event

Multi-disciplinary Arts center: open to public, youth & community (re-do LA Works)

Community/Neighborhood compost infrastructure, teaming with a non-profit & Sappi to create informational/promotional material: http://www.na.sappi.com/ideasthatmatterNA/learn.html + perhaps with a landscaping business to purchase the compost

happy to see this: grow dat

2012-01-31T00:47:00.003-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=d7ziasfMxLY

hilarous book, highly recommend if you need a laugh

2012-01-30T18:20:00.002-05:00

“And so I continue in borderline poverty, save for my one indulgence, no, my single absolute necessity: I take cabs. Yes, on occasion, when I wish to see what people with unpleasant skin conditions are wearing, I do take the subway. I have never, I am proud to say, taken the bus, because people who take the bus have given up.”

“I believe in a benevolent God not because He created the Grand Canyon or Michelangelo, but because He gave us snacks.”

photosoftheweek

2012-01-30T18:00:00.005-05:00

http://www.buzzfeed.com/burnred/the-chameleon-artist-281t

2012-01-28T22:01:00.001-05:00

edible schoolyard volunteer

2012-01-26T16:00:00.004-05:00

Just a few blocks away from my home in uptown New Orleans is the Green School where there is an Edible Schoolyard. I volunteered one day a few weeks ago with my friend Elena and really enjoyed being around kids again. So, I'm really excited to say I will be volunteering once a week with them. They have a gorgeous community garden space and compost. I was told the kindergarten students are just as admit about composting as me.

"Edible Schoolyard NOLA changes the way kids eat, learn and live at FirstLine Schools in New Orleans. Our goal is to improve the long-term well-being of our students, families, and school community. We do this by integrating hands-on organic gardening and seasonal cooking into the school learning experience, culture, and cafeteria food programs of the school we serve."

two black out poems

2012-01-24T20:11:00.005-05:00

Today

A World

East is close.

Two Diamonds

Hearts retreat to hearts.

South bids then

two more tricks.

your partner

the final deal.

An accident could pleasure fat chefs

lusciously thick subjects of willpower

they perform the experiment

Control self-control

besides tragically removing an excuse

embarrassingly stood

looking down at his shoes

he told

what im seeing in photos

2012-01-23T21:26:00.005-05:00

thankful book

2012-01-23T20:57:00.004-05:00

I decided everyday I have to write down something a highlight from my day and something I'm thankful for in a little 'thankful book' I made.

Some highlights include:

Learning why everyone loves fish tacos
Climbing up a tree house and seeing the skyline of New Orleans
Bonfire of christmas trees
Feeling the wind on my back while I biked

Somethings I'm thankful for:

warm bed
memories of nyc
someone else cooking
mango oatmeal
electricity
mid-day car adventures

Reading it back, even with a few weeks worth of things is making me more thankful. Goal already achieved!

garden day, mid-January

2012-01-21T01:02:00.005-05:00

Our lettuce is budding, tall and beautiful.

Picked some brussel sprouts! They look delicious.

We picked all the sweet broccoli and then composted the dirt and plant.

Planted cauliflower and beet seeds then checked on the baby broccoli and tomato seedlings.

Our bounty!

Robert Tannen

2012-01-19T17:07:00.008-05:00

I recently visited the Art House on the Levee. I knocked and entered the un-occupyed space in the 9th ward. My pupils explored the beautiful space up and down. There were cloth murals hanging from the wall and paint brushes everywhere, urging me to pick them up.

After seeping-in the simplistic wooden floors, high ceilings, white walls and art, I peaked out the back and saw someone mowing (with old-school mower). I watched this person mow the backyard for awhile; admiring their polka-dot shirt, glasses and determination to cut even the blades of grass that sneaked in between the roots of a tree.

On my way out, I grabbed this large fold-out printed booklet. Later on that evening, as I ate dinner, I read through the booklet about the Pratt alumni now living in New Orleans, conceptual artist, Robert Tannen, in amazement.

How I feel about art and life was perfectly articulated in describing him...
"For Tannen, life and art are in a state of flux and are altered over time, as are the contexts in which an artwork is viewed and interpreted."
http://www.robertctannen.com/

opera experiment #1: La traviata

2012-01-13T16:20:00.002-05:00

I listen to an opera a few times and try to translate the emotions I hear, what the story might, conversations happening, etc.

My first attempt was with La traviata....

The actual story:
Violetta Valéry, a famed courtesan, throws a lavish party at her Paris salon to celebrate her recovery from an illness. Gastone, a count, has brought with him his friend, the young nobleman Alfredo Germont, who has long adored Violetta from afar. While walking to the salon, Gastone tells Violetta that Alfredo loves her, and that while she was ill, he came to her house every day. Alfredo joins them, admitting the truth of Gastone's remarks...

InvadeNOLA article...Local Music: View of Forrest from a Prism

2012-01-12T01:44:00.001-05:00

The first time I saw the mystic man known as Forrest was at Siberia on St. Claude. It was not only a music show but a semi-theatrical performance. He was decorated in a sparkle jacket, camouflage pants and a brightly colored headband holding back his shoulder length hair. Forrest believes “people respond better to the spectrum,” so by wearing his decor and showcasing his fiber optic fish, he’s giving the audience more to digest. He parades multiplicity, unmoved by judgment or reaction. Performing layered electronic samples, ranging from chanting to hip-hop beats, is quite an eclectic but completely enchanting experience. His music perfectly weaves his limitless creativity and kaleidoscopic journey toward spirituality. From his own tongue, he described his music as “psychedelic, textural, and expansive.”

At a young age, Forrest hated playing piano but it was not because he wasn’t musically inclined. Rather he despised the formal, rigid education. Thank goodness he picked up a guitar much later, at age sixteen, and started a relationship with music on his own terms. This method of self-educating hasn’t stopped and neither has his ability to formulate ideas. Forrest is a Floridian who grew up with sand, hot summers, and a laidback lifestyle. He can spin a divine web of music connections and interests that illuminate his path from Florida beaches to befriending musicians with prismatic beats. Some musicians that have been around in his creation process and inspired him include keepbullfighting, great beer, quap, transmuteo, sumsun, jane jane pollock, & Beautiful Bells. For having been in New Orleans only 4 month, he’s impressively united with other local electronic artists and performs regularly. Forrest explained his involvement in the B.E.S. (Bordeom Elimination Squad), a group, which consisted of himself, friends and musical equipment started in Tallahassee, motivated him to continue to play weekly and set a pace and place in his new community. Forrest highlighted New Orleans as “a cluster of people where everyone knows each other, where jazz cats and hip-hop heads hang out”. His excitement for this intertwined community only makes sense.

Although the two times I’ve seen him perform were solo, he explained a few projects that expanded his potentially perceived individual music-making method into a more communal, inclusive one. One project included Forrest locking himself in a room and recording then delaying the sound of himself clapping and tapping in order to build up a body of sound. It was initially intended to only be a part of a collaborative track with matthewdavid for ‘In the Loop vol. 5′; But Forrest had 60 minutes of source material and decided to post for people to interpret. And under his label, Skylight Gymnasium, he collected sample tracks from 24 national & international electronic artists by reaching out to Florida & L.A. music connections and inviting participate over the internet (R.I.P. alteredzones.com). Those tracks are all wrapped into a double-sided yellow cassette tape, which he mix and mastered.

Forrest’s creativity expands beyond music. He enjoys filming, photographing & drawing (with prisma color markers). When we met up, he was finishing up a colorful portrait of Swami Prabhupada, the founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, commonly known as the “Hare Krishna Movement”. Forrest has an admiration for joy, enchantment and Eastern spirituality which clearly transcends from his life to his work.

Despite breaking a tear over hearing Joni Mitchell, his emotional standpoint toward music and community is right on point. For being a self-taught musical artist, and he is just that: musical and an artist, Forrest is insightful, articulate, and a break from monotony. With his endless creativity, the sky is the limit and the synthesizer his vehicle.

To listen to samples of Forrest check out:
www.soundcloud.com/offbalanceatlas
www.offbalanceatlas.bandcamp.com
& more sounds from the label and such, at:
www.skylightgymnasium.bandcamp.com

To see him live @ the Merged Music Series,
Every Monday, 10pm-
@ Dragon’s Den, 435 Esplanade Avenue

the unbearable lightness of being

2012-01-07T15:37:00.003-05:00

“He suddenly recalled from Plato's Symposium: People were hermaphrodites until God split then in two, and now all the halves wander the world over seeking one another. Love is the longing for the half of ourselves we have lost.”

“Two people in love, alone, isolated from the world, that's beautiful.”

“You can't measure the mutual affection of two human beings by the number of words they exchange.”

“Living is being happy: seeing, hearing, touching, drinking, eating, urinating, defecating, diving into the water and gazing at the sky, laughing and crying.”

“We can never know what to want, because, living only one life, we can neither compare it with our previous lives nor perfect it in our lives to come.”

― Milan Kundera

new orleans garden day, january 6

2012-01-06T20:01:00.004-05:00

photosoftheweek

2012-01-06T19:13:00.004-05:00

third smile today

2012-01-03T12:37:00.003-05:00

InvadeNOLA article: Matthew Holdren: Seeing Beauty in Reclaimed Wood

2012-01-03T12:30:00.002-05:00

It began in the trees. With no power tools, just nails in a coffee can, Matthew Holdren built a lot of tree houses in Vermont through out his childhood. With no set plans or supervision, he spiraled up the trunk and made childhood dreams a reality. Unaware that this would be the material making up his future, he’s back to building, specifically reclaimed wooden furniture. “This material is beautiful and it’s a shame to see it go to waste.” Salvaged wood caters to Matthew’s skills and aesthetic preferences and not to mention is plentiful in this city.

Despite the fact that his father is a carpenter, Matthew had an indirect path toward woodworking. About five years ago, after living his 20′s to the fullest with international and national travel, studying in Philadelphia, and touring in a band, he stopped in New Orleans and stayed. At first, he lived in Bywater and did carpentry by day and made his own furniture by night. Then local friends and family started commissioning him for bookcases and furniture, purely on faith and cheap prices. By word of mouth and the magic of Etsy.com, his business jumped off and orders started coming in.

Now his focus is clearly on wood. Despite no formal carpentry training or industrial design degree, Matthew knows quite a bit about his material including the history of forests, shipments of wood, housing structures, and bargeboards in New Orleans. He spends most of his time in his Uptown backyard shop and home; he explains his work ethic manifests from self-survival. Crafting furniture is a gamble but he’s willing to roll the dice. He even stated “there’s nothing I can’t do.” Matt approaches commissioned works with confidence and facilitation and hasn’t failed yet at creating something he’s never done before. Talent, determination and a fast turn over can get you far. Some collaborations & projects include local store design, shadowboxes for the Neighborhood Story Project, wooden machine guns for artist Skylar Fein, installation work with artist Dave Greber and participation in Green Project Competition, to name a few. A map of the good ole USA hangs on his shop’s wall. He’s been tracking with pins where his sold furniture has gone. By the look of things, he’s going to need to stock up on pins because his custom pieces are in popular demand. And Matt doesn’t mind working with customers to build their ideal piece (by having them pick inspiration from his other pieces and pull custom colors and wood). His openness to collaborate and ability to ask others for advice/input is refreshing. He’s somewhat new to the craft but from looking at the work you could never tell. What’s his ultimate aim when it comes to creating furniture? To possess the eye of a designer and the craftsmenship of a carpenter.

As far as local competition or other reclaimed woodworkers, Matthew doesn’t even seem to be paying attention. He equates it to how he approached music while in a band, “We weren’t listening to indie rock or the radio, it was what we listened to when we grew up that influenced us. It came more from an organic place; from our minds.” So, some of Matthew’s incidental references might include: attending auctions as a child with his mother (who’s a graphic designer), living in a house his father built, and a fascination with old cars, barns and rustic things. It’s obvious that “memory and imagination help him as he works*”. His furniture has a juxtaposition of strong structural lines mixed with subtle angles and details (e.g.-his ‘bar stool’), bold combinations of wood textures and surfaces (e.g. ‘the aubrey armchair’), and an embracing of simplicity with the appreciation of material (e.g. his ‘cypress bargeboard modern chair’). And although Matthew struggles to find a perfect description for his salvaged furniture (debating if it’s country chic or rustic modern) it’s undeniably gorgeous and surprisingly comfortable; a designer’s dream come true: beauty and functionality!

Unfortunately, the phrase ‘New Orleans salvaged furniture’ holds some assumptions. It’s important to clarify the wood Matthew has been reclaiming over the past two years has no direct connections to Katrina or storm damage. There are a lot of renovations and building happening here and things are constantly being torn down. Rather than have this beautiful old wood go to waste in a landfill, Matthew is able to bring it new life. But Holdren’s been building things ‘sustainably’ before that term was widely used; he assured me that his tree houses weren’t built from brand new wood. Reusing this material is essential to him because… “Nothing compares in the store. This is the densest and strongest wood.” He’s always had an admiration for wood’s imperfections and character. Pointing out the wide grain lines and patterns, this salvaged wood becomes incredibly dynamic before my eyes, a feeling I never gained visiting Ikea.

But how does a refurbished furniture business grow? Well, Matthew strongly expressed that someday he’d like to manage a larger studio/shop and mass produce orders himself. It’s important to him that his work never becomes ‘Pottery Barn rustic knock-offs’ but that they are always the real deal. Along with the hopes to expand his staff and space, he wants to have more time to explore his other ideas in chairs, lighting, and mirrors. I believe, if he continues to spend countless hours in the shop, he’ll get there. And as his business grows, I only imagine the view from the top will be as amazing as the one from his childhood tree house.

To view or purchase Matthew Holdren’s work, visit:
www.matthewholdren.com
www.etsy.com/shop/matthewholdren &
www.flickr.com/photos/matthewholdren

Photo Credits: Chairs: Aubrey Edwards. Matthew sitting inside the old apartment above his shop: Valorie Polmer.

*This part of a quote by William Morris, founder of the Arts & Crafts movement, “A man at work, making something which he feels will exist because he is working at it and wills it, is exercising the energies of his mind and soul as well as of his body. Memory and imagination help him as he works”.

Link: http://invadenola.com/2012/01/matthew-holdren-seeing-beauty-in-reclaimed-wood/

Food Ideas for the week:

2012-01-01T17:30:00.007-05:00

+Egg Salad

new year, new food

2011-12-31T12:41:00.002-05:00

I live in a city of many restaurants. I'd love to expand my palette this coming year and embrace my new admiration for food (it's no longer just fuel to me).

Here are some spots I'd like to visit (or re-visit):
Lilette (3637 Magazine Street)
Cowbell (8801 Oak Street)
Coquette
Sweet Olive
Three Muses, I've been meaning to try their tapas
Cafe Abyssinia (3511 Magazine Street)--Ethopian
Rue 127
Mondo (900 Harrison Ave)

And although this isn't a restaurant, this bar interior looks worthy of checking out:
**The Carousel Bar, Monteleone Hotel)

amazing music find: Okeh

2011-12-30T18:10:00.001-05:00

Music references New Orleans & the Album artwork & text is wonderfullllll

recent photos

2011-12-30T18:07:00.003-05:00

; ) ty aldrin

2011-12-28T17:49:00.003-05:00

eye on the artist, STERLING RUBY

2011-12-27T19:45:00.002-05:00

STERLING RUBY
http://www.foxyproduction.com/artist/view/6

"STERLING RUBY makes richly glazed biomorphic ceramics, large-scale spray-painted canvases, poured urethane sculptures, nail polish drawings, various forms of collage, and hypnotic videos."

greenie beanie new orleans

2011-12-27T19:25:00.002-05:00

Working on developing an article on how gardens & the food movement are effecting new orleans...

Danish curators: Grok projects

2011-12-26T18:31:00.002-05:00

Interviewed Dave Greber the other day & he mentioned these Danish curators who traveled through the US (and wrote about him).

http://www.grok-projects.com/work/26

Danish curators, Grok projects
"We made this series of zines as part of our research trip through the Southern States of the US during which we looked into contemporary manifestations of Southern Gothic in diverse parts of culture and society. Two of these are purely a collaboration between Maaike and me. We tested the use of narrative and collected different visual ways of dealing with the subject. The other two are compiled from works of artists we've met."

Southern Gothic #1: Them mountains

Southern Gothic #2: The neatest little paper ever read

& Southern Gothic #3 + #4

orchard (garden & bees, oh my)

2011-12-26T18:14:00.005-05:00

I try to live 'presently' but a beautiful future goal would be to have a small orchid, garden & bees. All of these things are attainable in Louisiana's climate.

citrus/trees that grow in Louisiana
Satsuma
Sweet Orange
Fig
Nectarine
Grapefruits
Peach
Pear
Plum
Lime
Lemon
& Grapes.

If I could walk out my door and pick a piece of fruit from my yard each morning and night, I would be beyond thrilled.

Great download/resource:
http://www.lsuagcenter.com/en/communications/publications/Publications+Catalog/Lawn+and+Garden/Fruits/The+Louisiana+Home+Orchard.htm

personal media update

2011-12-26T18:03:00.006-05:00

paper
just finished reading:
City Life by Witold Rybczynski
note: Urban Planners from the Past: Charles Mckim & Edward Bennet

+ Tina Fey's Bosspants, huge fan.

current book:
Faith & Practice (history & information on Quakers)

next book:
Singularity By Raymond Kurzweil

film
watching
Page One (about the NY Times)

want to watch:

the last circus
"The circus and the war were one and the same. Just before being executed one person says 'long live spain' and the other says 'long live the circus'. Therefore we see the lines of delineation between the circus and the war were blurred. In the movie, there was no distinction between the two. in fact they overlapped each other."
http://everett7.blogspot.com/2011/12/last-circus.html

local nola fashion

2011-12-26T17:47:00.004-05:00

Amanda Deleon
http://amandadeleon.com

solo jones
solo jones.com

new orleans garden day, dec 23 + schedule

2011-12-24T01:51:00.009-05:00

Update:

Checked on beets, they are in good shape
Replanted green onion (debate on creole shallot, garlic, & green onions)
Boiled water & cleaned old dirt, storing nitrogen rich dirt (from beans) for tomatoes

Bought/New additions to the garden family: Curry, Cilantro, Mizuna lettuce, & red lettuce.

These additions happened in part because of the change in growing season as well as some of our plants are R.I.P.:

Mustard greens
long container of radishes
pepper plant
beans
squash

On the radar: Broccoli containers will open up as soon as the last sprouts come out.

Neighborhood suggestion: cook brussel sprout leaves ?!? We will try it out.
Feliz Navidad

photosoftheweek

2011-12-20T00:27:00.005-05:00

amazing artists @ avant garden 12/17/11

2011-12-17T17:36:00.007-05:00

Leah Meltzer

Leah Meltzer and I first started talking over Seth's clock (see below) table. The 'plastic food container clock' really attracted her eye; it instinctively reminded her of eating in NYC. Her table at Avant Garden was to the right of these brilliantly, simple clocks. Leah is an amazing photographer and you guessed it, she's from NYC & went to Parson. The (art) world really is small. Funny enough, we have a handful of common friends and acquaintances. I had to buy some of her work (incredibly affordable, my favorite kind)....I'd describe the photographs as unconventional but beautifully directed still life photos...mine are already framed in my room. She has shown at Parse Gallery in CBD and currently works in set design in the film industry (which only makes sense...photography and film both emphasize light & composition).

http://www.leahmeltzer.com/series1/series1_frameset.html

& then there was Seth Ludman, I'll be eternally grateful for his clock table because who knows how long Leah and I would have conversed if it wasn't for that 'plastic food container clock'....

I had a wonderful conversation with Seth, it even involved a potential, future dual interview (upon his suggestion when I told him I'd be interested in interviewing him, he responded he'd be interested in interviewing me at that same interview). Short but meaningful conversation lingered...I explained how I struggle with owning the title "artist" and he said he can't imagine being called anything else. I can't argue with him either, conceptually, he is most definitely an artist. His ideas are wonderful & well documented....see the links below...
http://ideanotebook.tumblr.com/
+ http://ideanotebook.com/

southern eating...awakened the beauty of food

2011-12-16T13:26:00.006-05:00

Ever since moving to the south/Louisiana & living with Jess (a total foodie), I've never enjoyed prepping, cooking and eating so much. I have gained an awareness and appreciation for local/seasonal food. The fresher, the better.

My Past relationship with food/meals:
Food wasn't something exciting or special before, it was just something I had to have to function. Growing up, my mom always prepared or ordered food for us, learning recipes or about ingredients never sparked my interest. During college, ramen noodles, diners, and take-out dominated my meals. I never understood friends who dropped major money on "fancy" meals; I always thought my money could go towards something better.

Thank goodness I no longer feel that way. Living in New Orleans, I'm still surrounded by amazing restaurants. I've learned the power of good food, felt the energy it gives me, & how amazing meals can be in a beautiful space. The art of eating can be peaceful, savory and smile-worthy. Generally speaking, my appreciation of beautiful things has been reawakened recently and it certainly includes food and eating.

And (the best part) I still want to learn more...Jess and I are expanding our garden (we've already eaten a number of vegetables from it, they tasted phenomenal). I'm also excited to see a whole year pass and learn what is seasonal...and now I'm constantly looking up recipes or learning about new ingredients or watching a food show. Never would imagined a few years ago that, this morning, I'd have some garlic & roasted carrots on the side of my breakfast plate.

buffalo 66 inspiration

2011-12-16T00:36:00.000-05:00

more art inspiration, vitamin p

2011-12-13T23:21:00.005-05:00

monique prieto

Katharina Grosse
"She is known for the vibrant palette and exuberant gestures of her large-scale canvases and raucous installations which merge painting, sculpture, and architecture."

Harald Klingelhöller

pia fries

denis castellas
"He has a distinctly French style of painting. His use of pastel colors is a refreshing break from the thick, glossy earth tones that are popular in contemporary art today. He taps into early 20th century artists like the impressionists and photographers. The dreamy atmosphere in all of his paintings is what makes them so enchanting."

internet inspired Art = finally, yes!

2011-12-13T23:00:00.001-05:00

http://jennyodell.wordpress.com/

social media sources & info

2011-12-11T15:28:00.004-05:00

"Social Media Drives Authenticity"

As one PR professional, Jeremy Pepper, told us,

“There are so many uses — conversational marketing, reaching influencers — that PR is able to participate in conversations and answer questions, be a support system for clients and companies, as well as empowering customers and power users to be a de facto resource for your company, a champion for your products.”

"Original Skateboards grew 432% in profit and 321% overall last year. And they are enjoying a great 2010. According to Imbrie, “We are up roughly 300% over top of that growth. Our focus on social media connection and innovative products seems to have finally paid off. We are now a multi-million dollar company and the 7th most subscribed sports channel in YouTube history with 73,000 subscribers.”

"More newsrooms are hiring community engagers and social media producers. It’s not unlikely that the future newsroom will be filled with socially savvy personnel whose full-time job is to keep track of the pulse in the community."

http://mashable.com/2011/11/03/social-customer-experience/
http://www.jhische.com/twitter/
http://www.readwriteweb.com/
http://sreetips.tumblr.com/post/87435969/twitter
https://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AS3JgJytKEC9YWM0OHQzZm5rc3dnXzEycTNxZHRjMg&hl=en&pli=1
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/22/weekinreview/22lohr.html?pagewanted=2
https://intersect.com/
http://www.minnpost.com/

Great articles
http://mashable.com/2010/09/13/future-social-media-journalism/
http://mashable.com/2010/06/14/ceos-social-media-real-results/
http://mashable.com/2010/08/02/future-business-social-media/

Tools****
http://mashable.com/2009/07/07/viralheat/
http://www.buzzstream.com/
http://mashable.com/2009/08/17/enterprise-twitter-tools/

Buzzstream
Twitalyzer
Omniture
Eloqua
Klout
Yahoo Pipes
Bime (for visualization)
Google Analytics
WolframAlpha [Disclosure: WolframAlpha is a client of Jones-Dilworth's]
Compete
Bit.ly
Lugiron
Hubspot
Mixpanel
ManyEyes (for visualization)
OneRiot
Wildfire

photosoftheweek

2011-12-11T15:06:00.003-05:00

more amazin' artists

2011-12-05T22:30:00.010-05:00

http://www.luiscruzazaceta.net

http://maximiliantoth.com

http://marcuskenney.com

& SOUND
http://www.duanepitre.com

'Fluorescent Room' glows at NOMA
http://www.nola.com/arts/index.ssf/2011/11/keith_sonniers_fluorescent_roo.html

"Imagine a Grateful Dead black-light poster reduced to its essence: just glowing DayGlo colors and velvety blackness."

garden day, mystery date

2011-12-05T00:04:00.006-05:00

Radishes were replanted and are growing. Have eaten a few in the mean time...

We were wondering why our little radishes werent't looking so good...well none of their water had been draining...fixed that, opps!

Carrots were weeded out and picked.

We cut 2 Brocolli & have enjoyed eating their tender, sweetness. This vegetable by far tastes amazing when fresh.

Replanted the pepper plant.
& cleaned up our last lettuce...

RIP two infected lettuce plants.

jennifer steinkamp, P2 artist

2011-12-03T18:16:00.001-05:00

art inspired today, thankyou vitamin P

2011-12-01T18:14:00.017-05:00

Matthias Weischer

Corinne Wasmuht

Padraig Timoney

Blake Rayne
Odili Donald Odita

R. H. Quaytman
Chris Johanson

Jia Aili

Nathan Hylden

Thomas Eggerer

Philippe Decrauzat

Sarah Crowner

Mark Bradford

Tauba Auerbach
Hurvin Anderson

Ellen Altfest

love this concept

I Nyoman Masriadi

investigate...

2011-12-01T13:12:00.003-05:00

why do eyes change colors?

https://www.google.com/search?q=why+do+your+eyes+change&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

Dive In: Elizabeth Chen and the Aquarium Studio & Gallery

2011-12-01T01:26:00.002-05:00

Since moving to New Orleans, the Second Saturday of each month is now occupied with gallery hopping in Bywater. This past Second Saturday was no exception. And, well, a gallery & artist, in particular, peaked my interest. The gallery: The Aquarium Studio & Gallery. The artist: Elizabeth Chen.

As I walked up to it’s porch, a lit-up aquarium welcomed me. I’d never heard of the Aquarium Studio & Gallery (granted it’s only been in existence since May 2011). Upon later discussion, I realized many friends have been to their infamous, outdoor movie nights and/or other intriguing openings/performances. However, this being my first visit, I had no idea what to expect and turned into the front gallery room to be greeted by a floating shark.

Swaying in misty acetate, the shark quickly came to life. On closer inspection, I realized the piece was a dissection and comprised of many individual, acetate sheets; all hung at perfect distance to re-create the shape of a shark. As you walk around the (close to actual-sized) shark, parts of it disappear and reappear. The subject is quite brilliantly fitting for the medium and method. I’m a sucker for detail and as I stared, I noticed intricate outlines/drawings on each acetate sheet. Animals and creatures were literally inside the shark. I was completely captivated and knew I had to contact the artist, Elizabeth Chen. What possessed this creation and what else was lurking around the next corner?

Before my interview with Elizabeth, weeks after Second Saturday, Jacob “Reptile” Martin generously showed me around the new art space. Once reconstruction is complete, hopefully by the end of 2012, Jacob (the director/curator/founder) said, the house will function as a performance/gallery space with 10 studios and residency spaces in the back & in the adjoining house. Originally from Louisiana, Jacob lived up the block from 934 Montegut Street for three years, after returning from art school in Kansas City. With the help of his family (having invested and even assisted in rebuilding/construction), he bought the pre-Katrina, decrypted house earlier this year and has been fixing it up ever since.

Inspired by years of couchsurfing and the communal power of creative minds, Jacob’s goal is to create an ever-changing community of artists and events inhibiting the Aquarium. His future vision of the space even includes group critiques and open workshops by resident artists. It’s already started it’s transformation into a creative utopia for drag queens, future “fashion” creatures, & artists from all walks of life.

In fact, fashion is how Jacob and Elizabeth came to meet. Both having shown in the Worn Again fashion shows, they eventually started creating together in Future Creatures, a fashion collective. The two scorpios (Jacob born Nov 11 & Elizabeth born Nov 12) are also part of the 9th Ward Marching Band. Jacob is a ribbon dancer and Elizabeth plays the french horn. A contrasting pair but oddly complementary, it only makes sense that Jacob would provide the Aquarium for Elizabeth’s experimental shark.

I was delighted by their hospitality and sat in the empty Aquarium with Elizabeth, ready to dive in. Formally trained as an architect (having studied at Tulane & now working at an architecture firm during the day), she explains how her playful path to art came to be…

When did you first pick up something to make art?

Elizabeth Chen: “Well, I guess I’ve always sort of liked arts & craftsy things; hot glue, stuff like that. But I’ve never taken it too seriously. I’m not sure how seriously I take it now. It’s just something that’s really fun for me. I get to try different techniques and different materials. But really, Jacob has been so instrumental in making this community..when he invited me to fashion club, we started meeting, we started talking and that’s when I started making stuff that was bigger than little hot-glue crafts.”

What influenced you to study architecture? & do you think architecture influences a lot of your creating?

E: “I wanted to be an architect because when I was six, my brother told me I should be an architect and I was like, yah, that sounds good. And so, you know when you are a kid, everybody’s like ‘What do you want to be when you grow up’, and I’d say ‘I want to be an architect’ and I think I made up that story (that I wanted to be architect) for so long that eventually I really wanted to become an architect. I don’t consciously try to infuse my work with my background in architecture, but I’m sure that architecture has affected the way my mind works and the way I see forms and shapes. I was introduced to a lot of artistic things through architecture; like design blogs and (blogs) that overlay into visual artists. I’m an avid blog reader. I really like www.thisiscolossal.com & www.designboom.com.”

Is the shark one of your first pieces to be shown & what inspired you to make it?

E: “Yes the shark is one of the first pieces I’ve made. Jacob came up with the theme for the show, which was ‘Feeding Frenzy’. I had also been watching the entire series of BBC’s Blue Planet and Planet Earth. We had just watched this one (episode) from Blue Planet and there is this crazy series of events, where there is plankton and little shrimp eat it and then there’s a tuna coming to eat the shrimp that ate the plankton and there is this huge build-up of animals eating each other. I knew I wanted to make a shark; I actually don’t think there was a shark (in that scene), maybe there was but just I knew I wanted to make a shark after seeing that.”

So, how did you make it?

E: “The shark is completely unoriginal. There is nothing that is personal to me in that shark at all, nothing out of my brain did that. I got it from a generic program. It’s free and really easy…so I stole the shark from Google Sketch-up Warehouse, then derived the sections to put them in Autocad. Then I traced all the illustrations from National Geographic. Basically, they (the interior illustrations) could have been anything but I wanted the them to be natural; plants and animals and landscapes.”

Would you change anything about the piece?

E: “Well, I always try and ask myself, how can I maximize the skills that I have? I have a very limited amount of skills. So I try to think of a way to exploit my tools as much as possible. And most of the time I don’t know if it’s going to work. It’s an experiment. In the future, I’ll definitely use this technique and try to play with the way you experience the object disappear and reappear.”

Explain your creative process.

E: “I just go to home depot and walk down the aisles a lot. And you know being a female in home depot alone, you get a lot of questions. And I’m always like ummm I’m working on an art project…which sounds silly….but I’m really into materials. And with the things I have made, there’s an element of technique as well as all these things that are unexpected. You don’t know what they are gonna do or how they are going to react or if it’s gonna work or if it’ll stand up but you just have to do it. Some of the unexpected things are my favorite parts. I can’t really take credit for them.”

What are you working on now?

E: “The first of this (newer) series is made of lamping wire. Unlike the shark, which is completely un-personal, these are very personal; not emotional in content but they do derive form from weird idiosyncratic stuff. The newest one in progress is speaker wire and copper wire. These are based on coming up with a system of folding wire in proportion to tick marks that I draw by hand. As I get anxious (sometimes, I don’t know if the system will work out or sometimes the tick marks will collide and I don’t know what to do so I get nervous) the lines tend to get messier and thus further apart because they’re drawn by hand very quickly. Or I fib extra rules to try to catch and fix the problem. So, the more anxious I am, the more dynamic the change in folds is. It turns my otherwise annoying anxiety into something that serves an aesthetic value. I don’t know if that made sense…I’m very self-conscious about the things I make. I’m always a little nervous to show my work. I wouldn’t say it’s fear of rejection…it’s just strange (to me) to assert yourself so directly and publicly and I guess I’m not used to that.”

What’s your typical day like?

E: “I work at a big (architecture) firm, so it’s a 9-5. It’s kind of a conservative office but my studiomates are all pretty wacky, it’s really fun. We are all broken into small groups and I really love my group. We have a very diverse set of projects. Sometimes we’ll do boxy, commercial things and sometimes we’ll do really fun, creative things. It all depends on the month.”

What do you like to do when you aren’t working?

E: “I’ve been coming here (the Aquarium) more often (2-3 times a week) but I usually try and swim. I really like my pool at the New Orleans Athletic Club. It’s a salt water pool. It’s actually really funny: I’m terrified of sharks. If I’m the only person in the pool, I won’t do laps, I’ll do the kick board…(she motions doing the kick board and looking over her shoulder checking for sharks).”

Do you have a favorite film and/or book you are reading right now?

E: “Film: Happy Together, all Wong Kar Wai’s stuff, really. And as far as a book, well I just read and really liked Samedi the Deafness by Jesse Ball. It’s a very frustrating book to read but after it’s done you realize ‘hey, that’s really cool’. I picked his book because the cover is beautiful. I have a thing for book covers.”

Do you have a favorite artist, architect, or designers? Maybe just one that you’ve seen lately that caught your eye?

E: “Well, yes Ursula von Rydingsvard. Her work has a lot of blocks of wood and each of them are chipped away and are all stacked together. They form these really natural, shaped objects. All of the ends, that she chipped away at, have these really harsh textures or sometimes really soft textures. And I also like this guy, Philip Beesley, I guess he’s sort of an architect too. His works often simulate natural processes but not in a realistic way at all. He has very floral-looking things that are digitally cut, so you have machine-made, robotic components that are made to simulate organic objects. They are also triggered by their environment, they react to you using processors and electronic sensors. I can’t really say that I understand any of it.”

Are you originally from New Orleans?

E: “No, I’m from South Florida; (part of) massive suburbia that covers Florida. Basically school brought me here. I had a job opportunity in New York but some personal things kept me here and then I kept putting off moving away. And finally with so much putting off, I stayed here.”

Who’s on your radar as far as another local artist?

E: “Cynthia Scott, I first heard about her through Staples Goods…and I peeked into her studio one day and saw her chandeliers, I really like her.”

How long will your show be up? When can people observe your upcoming experiments?

E: What’s left of the show is coming down next week. I’ll probably reinstall the shark in my studio which you can come see by appointment or you can come by the gallery and ask the gallery sitter to give a tour of the studios. The gallery will have a show up starting, I think, December 10th and will feature Mary Logan who is my studio mate. We’ll also be having a Zombie Christmas party December 17th at 9pm. We’ll have open studios during the party as well.

The Aquarium’s Zombie Christmas party & open studios,
December 17th at 9pm

Links:
Elizabeth Chen’s Shark Piece:
http://elizabethchen.tumblr.com/post/12914445223/flora-fauna-landscape-shark

The Aquarium Gallery & Studio, 934 Montegut St:
http://www.facebook.com/theAquariumStudios
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/204316335/the-aquarium-gallery-and-studios-in-new-orleans

Links/References from Interview
Elizabeth’s Inspirational Design Blogs:
www.thisiscolossal.com & www.designboom.com.
Film, Happy Together: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118845/
Book, Samedi Deafness: http://www.amazon.com/Samedi-Deafness-Vintage-Contemporaries-Jesse/dp/0307278859
Ursula von Rydingsvard: http://www.ursulavonrydingsvard.net/site/selected_sculpture/detail/ogromnadetail.html
Philip Beesley: http://www.philipbeesleyarchitect.com/sculptures/0913Medialab_Enschede/enschede_1.html
Cynthia Scott: http://cynthiascott2000.com/artwork/891925_Grow_Detail.html

blogs blogs blogs

2011-11-28T00:53:00.003-05:00

http://elizabethchen.tumblr.com/archive
http://www.thisiscolossal.com/
http://www.pointsize.com/
http://cargocollective.com/smyko#1879603/WILDLIFE-CANVAS-PRINTS

andre kostelanetz

2011-11-27T21:05:00.003-05:00

andre kostelanetz

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t70t14qFonM&feature=related

deep fried cupcakes, rue 127

2011-11-27T15:32:00.003-05:00

These were amazing: Deep Fried Cupcakes
Pumpkin Cupcakes, Cream Cheese Frosting
Served With Three Sauces: Butterscotch, Chocolate, Cinnamon Crème Fraiche

Music Box in NY Times !!!

2011-11-26T18:28:00.002-05:00

A Symphony of Floorboards, Pipes and Stairs

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/22/arts/music/the-music-box-in-new-orleans-is-a-sonic-shantytown.html

hot shit, motion video

2011-11-26T11:16:00.004-05:00

http://vimeo.com/13216490

photosoftheweek

2011-11-25T11:58:00.004-05:00

home-made deodorant

2011-11-24T22:14:00.006-05:00

Ingredients:

Equal parts of arrowroot (or cornstarch), baking soda, & coconut oil (4oz each makes a full stick of deodorant).

10-20 drops essential oils of choice (Jess used tea tree oil/ lavender and orange)

Directions:

1. Melt coconut oil in microwave for 10sec

2. Blend dry ingredients

3. Add coconut oil and essential oils and blend together

4. Should look creamy like lotion. If too thick add more coconut oil, too thin more powder.

5. Dump mixture in old deodorant container or sealable jar. Wait a few hours for it to solidify. Store somewhere below 74 degrees at all times or it will melt (Jess kept it in the fridge).

& Jess's new natural project

asprin mask: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-Hksg8B4cQ

recipe time

2011-11-23T01:53:00.007-05:00

Tomorrow Jess, Ryan & I are making crepes (based on the idea of using ingredients we already have in the house), so it inspired me to look up some of recipes for pre- & post-thanksgiving....

Moroccan Fava Bean and Cumin Dip
http://www.readymade.com/projects/moroccan_fava_bean_and_cumin_dip

Polenta Fries
http://www.readymade.com/blog/food-and-entertaining/2011/06/09/polenta_fries_without_the_deep_fry

Salty-Sweet Granola
http://www.readymade.com/blog/food-and-entertaining/2011/06/07/salty_sweet_granola

Deluxe Tuna Salads
http://www.readymade.com/blog/food-and-entertaining/2011/06/02/more_summertime_lunch_ideas_deluxe_tuna_salads

Vegetable Frittata
http://www.readymade.com/blog/food-and-entertaining/2011/05/31/springtime_bring_along_lunch_idea_vegetable_frittata

Miso and Garlic Mashed Potatoes
http://www.readymade.com/blog/food-and-entertaining/2011/05/31/springtime_bring_along_lunch_idea_vegetable_frittata

Sweet potato biscuits
http://www.marthastewart.com/343818/sweet-potato-biscuits

home project inspiration

2011-11-23T01:49:00.004-05:00

photosoftheweek

2011-11-21T16:30:00.002-05:00

Roy Staab

2011-11-20T14:32:00.002-05:00

I attended a silent Quaker meeting this morning and someone gave me a card about this place....
http://www.astudiointhewoods.org, the artist in residency is Roy Staab & I really love his earth works:

There is video documentation as well here...http://vimeo.com/8353667

today @ hollygrove

2011-11-18T16:15:00.007-05:00

So I volunteered with Hollygrove Farm & Market today. What a wonderful experience, being around food & good company was exactly what I needed.

Well....some of these recommendations/things came up during conversations between organizing and weighing fresh food:

The Devil in the White City: Book recommendation from someone who's originally from Chicago (about Chicago). It's a mix between fiction and non-fiction, playing around a serial killer in Chicago and the building of the World's Fair. Might have to pick it up soon.

Where to buy lots of organic food? Amazon Prime !
www.amazon.com/prime

There's a building of a huge playground tomorrow, up the street from Hollygrove Market by... Kaboom New Orleans
http://kaboom.org/category/blog_tags/new_orleans
& the site also lists all the local playgrounds.

Musicians seen @ Neutral Ground awhile back
Todd Washko, http://www.reverbnation.com/toddwashko
Sheila Nicholls, http://www.sheilanicholls.com/

photosoftheweek

2011-11-16T10:56:00.003-05:00

Double Feature: Battle of the Sexes

2011-11-15T00:00:00.002-05:00

Sick of watching bar fights? No matter your sexual preference or thrill, come out, join the crowd & witness the best men & women battle it out.

In one corner, some tough, gritty ladies from NO-LAW (New Orleans Ladies Arm Wrestling). Trust me, these aren't women you'd want to run into in a dark alley (especially with names like Swamp Thang, Foxie ‘Fro’ Brown, & The Viper). On the contrary though, they are carried by their entourage, with feminine legs in air, to the stage each NO-LAW match.

At each event, wrestlers compete tournament-style. In the preliminary round there are eight wrestlers competing in four matches of sudden death elimination. The four winners then move on to the semi-final round. In this round each pair competes in three bouts (right arm, left arm, right arm). The two winners proceed to the Final Match which is decided again by the best out of three bouts; the winner receives a trophy created by the beneficiary, in addition to eternal glory.

You might ask, what is the purpose of a tournament for female arm wrestling? Firstly, of course to give a raucous performance, feed the crowd's need for female physical competition, and deliver a fist-poundin winner. But secondly, to empower women and provide monetary support for women-focused projects in Louisiana. So as spectators throw down their "bets" for the best female arm wrestler, they are actually donating to a charity or beneficial project. The charity list is impressive: St. Bernard Project, Louisiana Artworks, & The Idea Village to name a few (and the list is always growing).

Who could have conceived such a brilliant idea? Well, similar to other crazy yet brilliant ideas, it was transpired over one bored and drunken night between Jennifer Hoyt Tidwell and Jodie Plaisance. As it came to fruition, so stemmed the nine Ladies Arm Wrestling Leaguers across the country – including, and especially, your very own New Orleans Ladies Arm Wrestling (NOLAW). First established in 2009, NOLAW held its first brawl in 2010 at Finn McCool's. Since then, NOLAW has successfully staged 8 brawls and its first ever SuperBrawl Championship Brawl.The New Orleans Ladies Arm Wrestling is a staple of underground flair and activism.

NOLAW, from its inception, has been an open, community-based organization and as a collective resists and rejects sexism, ageism, homophobia, transphobia and racism.

The next brawl will be either the first or second week of December, but is subject to change (and I recommend checking their twitter & website for updates, see below). In the meantime, catch these ladykillers at Fringe: NOLAW (Saturday November 19th, 8:30-10:30 pm, Free-For-All Tent). Join their crowd again or find out if you have what it takes to defeat a contender. They are ready for you. For the Fringe, they will bring you an interactive hullabaloo combining feats of strength and wicked style. Wrestlers will take to the table and battle it out wrist to wrist for eternal glory and fame.

And on the other side of the ring (and town), Freret Street Boxing Friday Nights. These outdoor venue, which can hold over 1,500 people, add a new meaning to the infamous steel cage. Amateur male boxing is weighing in on the corner of Freret and Jena. From the lightest to the heaviest, seven amateurs show their skills throughout the night. Created by Mike Tata, owner of the Freret Street Gym, the fight nights have been victorious since the beginning, growing from inside fights to expanding outside. Freret Street Boxing has brought back the thrill, sounds, and biceps each fan has been craving.

Tickets are $15 and include a complimentary beer & various entertainment acts in between each fight. The next Friday Night Fight? November 18th at 7pm at 4510 Freret Street, New Orleans, LA 70115. Get ready to rumble!

Links/Credits

NO-LAW Fringe Event Information
http://www.nofringe.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=126:nolaw-takes-on-the-fringe&catid=64:whats-new&Itemid=199
NO-LAW website & flickr:
http://nolaw.org
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wearenolaw
NOLAW photographer & credit: Kat Arnold
& special thanks to: Marissa Allweiss, NO-LAW PR coordinator

Freret Street Boxing Gym,
4510 Freret Street, New Orleans, LA 70115
Freret Street Boxing Gym Facebook Page:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.233032600079100.52346.112482645467430&type=1#!/pages/Freret-Street-Boxing-Gym/112482645467430?sk=wall
Freret Friday Night Fights Photographer: Scott Stintz
Exterior Freret Street Boxing Gym Photograph: Amanda LaPlaca

second saturday

2011-11-14T20:45:00.004-05:00

Highlights

Sweet Market

& then
The Front (4100 St Claude Ave) had new work, huge fan of:

Kyle Bravo
This and That

This and That is a collection of collages made from images of objects culled from art, office, and home product supply catalogs. These minimal interventions result in unexpected juxtapositions that are absurd and functionless yet suggest wholly new potentials and possibilities.
www.kylebravo.com

My say: Bravo's funky creature-like collages (of tools and household items smashed together) are pixelated and enlarged in space. Fun house or Imi Knoebel/Frank Stella worthy? Both.

...these also made me really happy...

William Downs and Brooke Pickett
Crossing Lines

Merging line, landscape, and vision into one cohesive body of work, Crossing Lines is a collaborative endeavor by William Downs (b. 1974, Greenville, SC) and Brooke Pickett (b. 1980, Shreveport, LA). The artists, who met in New Orleans several months ago, embarked on this journey hoping to synthesize their distinct drawing practices and fueled by their admiration for each other’s practices. Downs deftly captures movement and gesture, while Pickett’s thoughtful drawings depict quirky shapes and indiscernible objects. Together their drawings encompass a multitude of imaginary spaces, ideas, and musings. The project began with a series of conversations that became a desire to harmonize two vastly different voices. More akin to “call and response” than an actual duet, the work produced over the last couple months has, in the most literal sense, been made in the same physical space. The drawings represent four distinct groups: drawings made solely by Pickett, those made by Downs, those that clearly lean in one direction or another even though they were made by both artists, and finally there are drawings in which the artists’ individual visions disappear, where line and gesture become one. According to the artists, the content of the drawings was never discussed. Instead, an ongoing dialog about materials, various approaches to mark making, and the idea of what it actually means to work so intimately with another artist were important topics of conversation throughout the process and is perhaps, the unintentional subject of this series of drawings.

My say: When two artists hit it off, that's great. When their canvas says so...even better.

http://rustypelicanart.com/
The rusty, raw sculpture & furniture made me smile here.

& lastly, I was brought to the aquarium...where I saw an amazing shark! (see previous post)...

the aquarium (in bywater)

2011-11-14T12:00:00.001-05:00

http://www.facebook.com/theAquariumStudios

articles

2011-11-14T11:51:00.002-05:00

I've been dealing with a lot of ups and downs of a break up, being out of the single rhythm, & being new and (somewhat) alone in a city...well some of these articles were recommended to me....

All the Single Ladies
By Kate Bolick

How to Work from Home Without Going Insane

How to Get What You Want

5 Ways to Win People Over
By Amanda Armstrong

& Just from pure-self interest:
Our High-Tech Health-Care Future
By FRANK MOSS

ogden jems

2011-11-13T17:35:00.005-05:00

walter inglis anderson

benny andrews

Ersy

new orleans garden: week #7, nov 12

2011-11-13T16:34:00.009-05:00

Updates:

Pulled Radishes (4 Good & 2 Replanted).
Beans: Lots of Aphids on plant, Jess poured dishwashing soap and water on them. Groomed them, checked under leaves too. Left them isolated (so more aphids wouldn't spread). Then checked all plants for aphids.
Lettuces, brussel sprouts, shallots...all are excellent.
Pulled mustard green leaves (& sauteeded them today).
Thinned new container of Radishes (1 in space between them) & new carrot bin needs more time.
Broccoli is forming (Bin #2) and finally a squash is forming.
Replanted chives to single small container and replanted the radishes with the radishes...

Weather has been comfortable (60s-80s), like a beautiful, long lasting fall...

Last Question,
how big can basil get?

watched: bill cunningham !!

2011-11-10T23:28:00.001-05:00

AMAZING
link to trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYqiLJBXbss
on netflix !

project ideas

2011-11-10T18:28:00.001-05:00

photosoftheweek

2011-11-10T18:24:00.004-05:00

frenchman on halloween

2011-11-09T12:54:00.004-05:00

I had a tradition going in New York. I'd have unplanned, amazing halloween nights then wake up and grab whomever I was with and get a fresh coffee @ Choice Market. With slept-on make up and a slight hangover, I'd grip my coffee and watch the NY marathon. It went through Lafayette Street, a block or so away from where I lived.
This year, there were no morning after of church groups signing to the runners or the buzz of the race but I can be alright with breaking my tradition. Frenchman on Halloween was phenomenal. Enjoying a balcony view from the start to finish of a crowded evening. There was live music everywhere, inside & out. Costumes galore. My favorite holiday was well served here.

photosoftheweek

2011-11-07T16:26:00.001-05:00

Southern fall & winter

2011-11-07T10:27:00.004-05:00

It's been quite a transition to the American South. One obvious change is the weather. I forget what month it is, often, since I'm used to a bitterly cold New York November. However, Southern fall & winter is quite beautiful. Chilly but crisp. Perfect for sweaters, boots & scarves. I could get used to this.

Stripped sweater/top, sweater dress, tights, light (color & texture) button up, & colored corduroys.

new orleans garden week #6, nov 4

2011-11-04T22:06:00.006-04:00

Baby & mommy mint are happy and growing according to Jess.

There are little pepper fruits coming in. Some leaves have been eaten by bugs, trimmed them. Jess mentioned it doesn't really matter how the leaves do on the pepper plant.

Herb Container (#4) looks wonderful.

Basil is tall & happy. Used a fallen piece with our lunch (white tuna & bean salad).

Squash (#7) small buds are coming in (some wilted). Jess believes the small containers stunted their growth (before we transplanted them).

New seed additions: Radishes & carrots. Will keep out eye on these containers for growth.

We are both excited about the brussel sprouts, they keep getting BIGGER & BIGGER! Little buds are forming on them as well.

Our lettuce is looking bright & beautiful. Will check on our beets (in the chives container) next week (pull one to check on it's size).

Two new additions: Stanley & Lola (our lettuces). Jess picked these two up, both are Mizuna Lettuces: one is Purple Mizuna & the other is Red Streak.

Other updates: Beans have some growth (pods forming), do not need to water lettuce & onions/shallots everyday (also like mulch) & lastly, things to check on next week: radishes, beets & beans.

Art PopUp in NOLA 11.11.11

2011-11-03T16:23:00.007-04:00

Through some sort of cosmic or universal pull, this wonderful woman, Adriana & I (whom I haven't seen in months & we actually met on the set of Treme last April...) have been running in social circles around each other. She wrote to me to let me know about this amazing event coming up...

So, art events do not go into hibernation in New Orleans; they just keep popping up everywhere, literally this time..11.11.11: An Art PopUp promises to be a night of REVELations (after all, it's a once-in-a-century date), with a showcase of emerging artists in a number of fields, all young faces who are adding their talents and energy to the local scene.

Who?

-- Alicia Zenobia out-gagas Lady Gaga with her outré fashions. She is offering a new line for fall, but don't expect the usual runway show. No, these looks will be launched with body suits and outrageous head gear, and showcased with dancing and interactions with the crowd.

-- Robin Barnes is a young New Orleans jazz singer with an edgy voice and great vocal, backed at the event by a full band.

-- Geaux Plates, run by Henry Pulitzer, another young New Orleanian, is the latest in the food truck trend taking shape around the city. Grilled cheeses or Vietnamese entrees, he caters it all -- on wheels.

**I noticed a veggie option, already have my order ready.

Where?
Studio 3 is a real Carnival warehouse, now under the direction of Jonathan Bertuccelli, a third-generation member of the Bertuccelli float making family.

It also is a crazy venue space with giant float figures, disco balls, a stage and more, all conveniently located in Mid-City behind the American Can apartments. Don't miss this under-the-radar new venue.

Sounds like a splash of NY MoMA PS1 fun to me.

albums I want

2011-11-02T22:25:00.005-04:00

baby washington
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNVkUannubc

lil bob & the lollipops
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoW9AzCkyjE

dynamics
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W42xCCVNJiY

Bands: Big History (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lr0qXuHIUhs)
+
Local Radio Stations to Listen to:
91.5
90.7
89.9

want // need to make // look into

2011-11-02T01:07:00.001-04:00

http://www.flavorpaper.com ;)

2011-11-02T00:33:00.002-04:00

http://www.flavorpaper.com

photosoftheweek

2011-10-27T19:22:00.003-04:00