Book Review 4 aka Try to stay away from Iguanas and Psychologically Unstable Men

*Warning* If you are afraid of reptiles I'd recommend not reading this book. It will just make you dislike them more.

I picked up "The Care and Feeding of Exotic Pets" because of the title. I had no idea it was about a relationship between a daughter, mother and the mother's kidnapper who also just also happens to own a seven-foot long iguana named Cookie. Winnie is a single mom, working to support her distant teenage daughter, Lacy. When getting a ride from what she assumes is her rental car, she soon is tossed into a violent struggle for her life from her kidnapper, Oren. Winnie happens to be the daughter of a once famous actress as well as the ex-wife of a popular game show host. But Oren doesn't seem to want money or connections. He just wants to talk to her, although their communication is highly lacking. The rest of the book flashes between Lacy's day, unknowing her mom is kidnapped, Winnie's view and Oren's view. The chapters written from Oren's view were the best because his way of thinking was so deranged.

There is quite a bit of violence in this book that made me queasy even though I've read worse things. I don't want to spoil anything, but there is one bit that I was so uncomfortable reading I'm cringing right now just thinking of it. I blame Cookie, the iguana. It was all his fault. (At least, thats what Oren would think, as he never can bring himself to take responsibility for his actions) Although it was hard to read, the use of Oren's quick physical temper was perfectly executed to help understand his character and motives. 

Although being marketed as a game of "cat and mouse" it came across as more of a game of misunderstandings and general dramatic irony. Apparently I was suppose to be surprised with every plot twist, so I think that the dramatic irony might have been unintentional. It was pretty easy to figure out exactly what was going on way before the characters did. I just wanted to shake Winnie and yell "THATS NOT WHY HE KIDNAPPED YOU, STUPID! I KNOW WHAT HE WANTS JUST LET ME TELL YOU!" Clearly she didn't listen since she wanders about in a daze through most of the book. I love black humor, twisted plots and dark thoughts, which this novel had, but I was unable to fully enjoy those qualities. I probably would have really liked it if I had been left in the dark like Winnie, otherwise its just a stressful mess. Especially the finale with the lizard. Seriously, ew. And I even like reptiles. 

Thats Not a Feeling Review

"Thats Not A Feeling" is as much as a coming of age novel as it is about nostalgia and lack of direction that teens expect to go away and adults wonder why they still have. It takes place at Roaring Orchards, a boarding school of sorts for troubled kids. Some have anger issues, others drug issues, or just a general need to escape what the "norm" is. The story focuses on the last year of the school, as the founder, Audrey starts to let things fall apart.  The point of view is from a former student, Benjamin in the future reflecting back on Roaring Orchards as he wanders its now empty rooms. He discusses his then growing friendship with a strange girl named Tidbit, the teachers, and his thoughts on Audrey's attempt at ruling the school.

Roaring Orchard is not your normal boarding school. Audrey's philosophy is strange and almost inconsistent. Students can be punished by having their furniture "popped" (they then have to sit on the floor) or be stripped of nothing but a sheet and yelled at by their peers. Even the teachers don't seem to fully understand anymore then the students do on what the "process" is to finally complete schooling.

Overall I enjoyed the meandering storyline, happy to see bits and pieces of the odd boarding school and its occupants. I identified with many of the characters loss of direction. I'm not amazingly far away from high school, but I could recognize a lot of the same feelings I had at the time. But having been through college and now wandering about, I could attest to the teachers as well, working a job they don't understand and can't escape because there just seems to be no where else to go. They all hate the place, but secretly like it too much to leave.  Although sarcastic and bitter, Benjamin, and many of its other residents, still has a soft spot for this place.

The downsides to this novel for me was point of view and the ending. Benjamin often comments on events he wasn't present at.  He does mention hearing about it later from Tidbit, or calling up an old teacher, but I found it jarring since he seemed quite all knowing in the lives of the people at Roaring Orchard.  I also was a little disappointed in the ending. I was waiting for more of an explosion or revelation and excitement as the school finally fell, but it just made me sad and disappointed. From a book with so many quirks, I felt that the ending played much too real to life, with no possibility of tied up ends.  (Also it has a plug from David Foster Wallace on the cover, which I feel is just a silly marketing scheme.)

If you've ever enjoyed the film Manic or the novel Skippy Dies, it makes a good companion piece. (If you haven't seen Manic or read Skippy Dies I highly recommend you do that instead) I think overall Skippy Dies is a better novel at really grasping what its like to "come of age", but if you want to have that slight longing for a place you both loved and hated, "That's Not A Feeling" is one for you.

Cindy-relly dressed in Yelly

*Hurrrah my second book review a month later! After I've read 4 other books and am in the middle of a 5th! I really need to get better at finishing these reviews. Oh and I was given this book, and its sequel, for participating in the CBR5 if I read and wrote a review for it. Otherwise I might not have read/finished this one... *

I was pretty excited to get this book because, A. I love re-written fairytales and B. I love free things. It should have been right up my alley, (Cinderella revisited! War and Magic! Fairies and Witches!) But sadly, it wasn't quite up to my expectations. I hate to give poor book reviews, but this book was quite the struggle to get through. I'm going to try really hard not to be too spoilery, for those that are still planning to read this book, but warning you now, I'm not really great at keeping spoilers to myself.

It begins after Cinderella has been married to the prince for a few years. She writes in her diary about how unhappy she has become with her life and her distance from the prince. In hopes to get some change, she begs her Fairy Godmother to come save her from her own fairytale life. Her Godmother is unable to help her, due to reasons unknown, so she tries to take matters into her own hands. The queen wants her pregnant in hopes of continuing the family line, but Cinderella is having difficulties in conceiving, so they ship her off to France looking for a way of fixing the problem. There Cinderella starts causing herself more trouble while waiting for her Fairy Godmother to finally reach her.

 The whole story is written in diary form from her point of view because she craves to be a writer and a lot of the plot depends on Cinderella's love of the pen. Although she just wants adventure and a new life, frankly, I found Cinderella to be kind of whiney. She bitches about living in luxury and wants to go to France. Okay I get that. Women in this time didn't have a whole lot of options and she wants some freedom. That's understandable. But then she gets to France and quickly it is also too dull for her. Parties all the time? Poetry, music, operas? Ugh, just the worst. I hate to say it but Cindy, your writing isn't great and your attitude isn't much better.  Since I didn't like Cinderella very much, I didn't care to read her diary very much. In fact, most of the characters didn't have many redeeming qualities. That was my main complaint with this story. Sometimes characters can be unlikeable, but they can still be someone you root for, someone you want to see turn out alright. For Cinderella, this was not the case. Plus Cinderella's lack of though, or I guess naivety, drove me nuts. (Really Cinderella? You keep seeing silver foxes all over the place, which just happens to coincided with a story you tell at the beginning of the book and yet you are never suspicious about it? Ever? At all?!)

Things did get better though, and I don't want to completely trash the novel.  Although I found the first half hard to get through, the second half was much more engaging. The twist, although slightly expected, got me through the end of the book. I finally did want to know what would happen or at least how it would be tied up (which I still kind of had some issues with, since it seemed rushed and possibly all in her head? Or something? I'm not sure, the physical realm/writing/Fey realm got a bit confusing near the end.)  Trying not to spoil too much, but another character writes in her diary and I wish he had written the whole thing. Although clearly insane, and kind of a dick, he was also the most interesting and engaging person in the novel. I'm hoping he shows up in the sequel, because just reading all about Cindy is gonna drag me down.

Due to the writing, I would consider this more for teenagers. It features mostly implied sex, nothing too tantalizing for an actual adult, and the writing is a bit simplistic. (Not implying all teenagers are simplistic, but ya know what I'm saying.)  In the end the message is a pretty good one, about believing and loving yourself instead of looking for validation in other people. I just wish that the message could have been explored more subtly and with a tad bit more character development.

Zombies Vs. Unicorns

* I signed up to do a half Cannonball Read this year so I am going to start posting my reviews here as well I think. For those that don't know, CBR is a challenge put on by Pajiba to read 52 books in a year. I didn't think I could quite manage that for my first time so I'm only reading 26. So far not off to the best start, but I'm sure it'll get better. Anyways for those interested in more or reading other book reviews you can check it out here. Check out Pajiba too for book reviews, movie reviews and plain ol' pop culture. Love that site.*

A dear friend of mine, knowing my love of mythical creatures and whimsy gave me the collection of short stories, Zombies vs. Unicorns edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier. The start the anthology by asking the question "Which makes for a better story? Unicorns? or Zombies?." Every other chapter is marked with a Zombie or Unicorn symbol. There's also small dialogues of banter between the two editors vying for their side which I actually could have done with out, although it is really the whole point of the book. Also, even though its considered a YA book it has cussing, sex, and even hinted beastiality. So beware if you plan on handing this to someone younger then high school. The overall reading level is on par with YA books, but the content is a little heavy. Though it was kind of strange that all but one of the authors were women. The only male writter is Larbalestier's husband. So the stories tend to be a little female heavy on the protagonists. (Not that I'm complaining! Its nice to see kick-ass female leads!) But recommending this to a teenage boy might be hard to do.

But as a lady and being one that probably will always consider herself a young adult so I can keep reading YA books, it was really quite enjoyable. My favorite story out of all of them was Carrie Ryan's Bougainvillea. I could imagine it as a movie or a longer novel. Both beautiful and creepy I really just wanted it to be expanded and follow the protagonist into her future. I wont ruin it, but I  think that was easily the best story in the collection. Of the Unicorn stories I thought The Care and Feeding of Your Killer Baby Unicorn by Diana Peterfreund was the best. It featured unicorns that weren't fluffy and girly and it had some good humor. Turns out its actually a full series so I can get back to leaning about Killer Unicorns! Hurrah!

The only story I really did not enjoy was Margo Lanagan's A Thousand Flowers, which also happens to be the one that hints at beastiality, although that wasn't the reason I didnt like it. The writing was along the lines of "ye olde English" to place it in the time of knights and princesses, but it just felt so out of place with the rest of the book. Plus I found it to be kind of boring and skipping around from two many point-of-views. 

Being a unicorn girl myself, I figured in the end I would enjoy the more fantasy geared stories the best, but I was pleasantly surprised by actually enjoying the zombie fiction more. Thanks to this book I am now team zombie. They just happen to make the best stories and impressively had untold zombie situations. Either team zombie or team unicorn, I would suggest this as a fun and light read. Plus you can always skip the stories that are boring or not on your team! Everyone wins!

Wobbles the Wabbit

Well hello there! I'd like to introduce you to my little friend. His name is Wobbles, and hes a Wabbit.

I found him walking to work. Isn't he adorable! Wobbles has lots of plans in the future, like learning how to cook, or ride a bike, or possibly just watch a movie. LIFE IS SO NEW FOR HIM!

Anyways, I do not know his original parents, so sometimes its pretty rough. He gets through it though. I think it helps that he views himself as more then just a little wabbit.

If Wobbles can have awesome dreams like that, I think we all can. If he can aspire to be a Super Hero, so can you.

Be inspirational. Be like Wobbles.

That is my message for today.

Also happy halloween. Wobbles loves him some Autumn.

The re-animation of a dead blog and a big thanks!

Trying once again to blog on a proper level like a proper lady. To start my once again frequently tried blogging, I give to you a Thank You to all my friends that helped vote for me in the RAW show and/or liked my Facebook page! Seeing the support means a lot and I hope you will continue to like my work and support me in it! Already I have had so many friends come to events, buy my work or give me advice and love. I just want you to know that it means so much. I know I'm a slacker and have talent that is withering away, but seeing so many people like my facebook page and take the time out of their day to vote for me really makes me want to start doing some serious work and being an overall adult.

SO! This drawing is for you all! It's not much but its a start and I hope you like these guys! Sorry for the poor photo quality, my next goal is to buy a nice scanner so my work looks like not cheap reprints.

P.S. Ignore the rest of this blog, its crap. I will try to be more creative and interesting in the near future. And I do say try, because really as we all know my will power lies somewhere between washing one dish and looking at the dishes thinking how they should be washed.

Playlist 1?

I'm lame at doing this, as stated many many time. But here is something of interest. Out of the sheer boredom that is my job I have created playlists in my head that Ive decided to now share. The first is simple, yet something that is still creates good music, that is, songs that are about a specific girl. Do enjoy. There may be more if the will power strikes me. That and avoidance of actual work.

Also heres a collection of the ones with music videos:

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=EB118F95A5BC7B65

Runner Ups: Lolita-Cassino, Laura-Scissor Sisters, Carolina-Girls, Willita- Dear and the Headlights, Opheila-Vince Gill (couldnt find it!), Julia- The Beatles, Michell- The Beatles, Eileen-Dexy and the Midnight Runners, Josey-Hey Monday ( MY NAME! sort of...also couldnt find it on playlist.)

Also, Songs that have two names: Carol Brown- Flight of the Conchords, Chelsey Dagger-The Fratellis, Mona Lee-The Serenades, Mona Lisa- The Fugees, Grace Kelly- Mika, Jane Fonda- Mickey Avalon, Rosa Parks- Outkast,

Erg.

Today's Animus is. Nothing. Because I am tired, and because I have to write a paper (even if it will be bs), and I have to write a grant and I have to put together a portfolio and I just DON'T WANT TO!

Really.

I'm not feeling it.

Which may once again be why I'm doing this instead...so maybe I should post some sort of something.

Okay well...

I recently re-watched (for the thousandth time) 500 Days of Summer with Liv because she'd never seen it. I love this movie. I love the way it expresses how people are idealized and put on a pedistal and how much it can hurt when the illusion is gone. Its also filmed in a unique way, if not entirely realistic, but definally grabs emotions everyone can relate to. Plus there is some great shots and beautiful use of color. I'm a bit of a dork and watched the commentary and the director was talking about how Summer (the romantic interest) is associated with light blue and for the most part is dressed in the color, her apartment is that color etc. Also the only time a bright red is show is when Tom (the lead) is with her. My favorite example of this is a close up of a little red paper crane shown in focus then blurred as they walk into her apartment.

Plus Joseph Gordon Levitt = teh sex

He's so pretty. Definably one of my top choices (if not the choice) of imaginary hollywood boyfriends. Because you know... that's completely normal and everything...

Zooey is pretty awesome too, but she looks like my sister and it makes me jealous.

But her band, She and Him, is sweet the Him being M. Ward. Kind of reminds me of old 60's pop music. And to make it better they had a tie in to 500 Days of Summer with an adorable music video which may mostly be adorable because JGL is in it. Enjoy!



Oh yeah and if you want to see the original music video thats pretty good too.

This is not it.

What I'm suppose to be doing that is. I'm supposedly writing a short story that's due in 12 hours, but its not going so well. Instead I'm drinking tea and thinking about how awesome Beyonce's new music video is. The song could be better but that fricken clothes and style just rock my socks.

Why Don't You Love Me?

 Seriously, watch this and just look at the clothes. LOOK AT THEM! Who else can wear so little and look so classy. Also, who else can rock a body suit like she can? I bet she even sleeps in them, they seem to be her favorite outfit. Either way, mad love for her.

On a completely separate note, yesterday I overheard some people looking at Craigs list and reading all the dirty meet ups. Which is completely hilarious by the way and I would fully recommend it. But if you prefer sweetness to smut, then I suggest reading the missed connections. And if you really want to go ahead and yank at those heart strings, then I suggest you check out Sophie Blackall's Missed Connections where she illustrates some of the missed connections she finds online. Awwwww.

Since I'm in full procrastination I think I'll recommend something else that I'm obsessing over currently. It's Doctor Horrible's Sing-Along-Blog, which is a made for Internet mini-movie in three acts about a villain that wants to get into the 'evil league of evil'. It also involves a romance, a superhero and singing. It really can't be passed up. If you happen to have netflix, then lucky you! You can watch it on instant play! If you don't, well its on youtube but split up here is Act 1, Part 1. Basically I love it and want to buy a copy eventually, plus it comes with Commentary! The Musical! Which who wouldn't want that? 


Okay, back to writing. I swear it.

Oh wait, I didnt even get to the best part which I'm so super excited about that everyone knows anyways but I finally got to screen print a shirt! And I have a lot of grand dreams about it, which I'm sharing with others because I'm not the only one who thinks its sweet and wants to try it out.

Voila!

and a close up cause I'm a dork

A bit of a fail this week

at regular posting. But I've been busy, and I'm lazy, which at times is a hard combination. Anywho, today is a sort of weird umm animus, I think is what I decided. Yep, its a weird one about taxidermy. See from this website, Regretsy, which frankly is hilarious. Its full of all the horrid stuff people try and sell on Esty, because sometimes you just want a felted uterus or something. So from that website I found Slightly Curious, she got famous for her creepy fish squirrel thing that showed up on Regretsy. She makes these crazy combo animals using roadkill, and shes only like my age.(see above)
From there, Corinne and I happened to find The Minnesota Association of Rogue Taxidermy. Basically a bunch of people that sell dead things designed as curios and weird creatures and such. If you want to kill a good hour or so I'd recommend it. I just got sucked into the complete weirdness of it all and there are a bunch of artists that all have their own websites to peruse.

The rain was lovely

the hail kind of hurt. It didn't hail long though, and kind of sadly. I still find it sort of amazing that balls of ice can randomly fall from the sky when it isn't even cold out. I wish I could have napped around the house and listen to it rain all day, but sadly by the time I got home it wasn't raining anymore. I just love it when the air is heavy and warm, like a giant blanket.

Anyways, besides that being wonderous today the inspiration is...actually I really don't want to use the word inspiration anymore, cause it kinda makes me think of those really sappy cards like "go for it!" or those chain letters with things like, "remember there is always an angel in your life" bs. So I've got to think of a different word.

the internet provides me with these synonyms: afflatus, animus, approach, arousal, awakening, brainchild, brainstorm*, creativity, deep think, elevation, encouragement, enthusiasm, exaltation, fancy, flash*, genius, hunch, illumination, impulse, incentive, inflatus, influence, insight, motivation, motive, muse, notion, revelation, rumble, spark, spur, stimulation, thought, vision, whim

I looked up animus because I have never heard that one before and it basically means like hateful spiritedness, which i like, but doesn't really work. I'm tempted to use it just because ive never heard it before... 
Otherwise I think illumnation, spark, impulse are all better. Maybe animus is the best, its very forcefull. Plus it reminds me of Harry Potter and his animagus or whatever, animal spirit thing. Which is pretty sweet. I wonder what mine would be. Probably something stupid. hmpf.


Okay for the moment were going to call this an animus, until I dont like it anymore.

So the animus for today is not very hateful, but rather sad and its another poem. This is one of my absolute favorites because of the language as well as the wonderful description of such a loneliness, it says things that I could not even begin to say even though I am not a balding middle aged man, but I think we all can relate in someway or another. I think it matches today's rain well.


The Love Song of Alfred J. Prufrock by T.S Elliot

	S’io credesse che mia risposta fosse
	A persona che mai tornasse al mondo,
	Questa fiamma staria senza piu scosse.
	Ma perciocche giammai di questo fondo
	Non torno vivo alcun, s’i’odo il vero,
	Senza tema d’infamia ti rispondo.

LET us go then, you and I,
When the evening is spread out against the sky
Like a patient etherised upon a table;
Let us go, through certain half-deserted streets,
The muttering retreats	5
Of restless nights in one-night cheap hotels
And sawdust restaurants with oyster-shells:
Streets that follow like a tedious argument
Of insidious intent
To lead you to an overwhelming question …	10
Oh, do not ask, “What is it?”
Let us go and make our visit.
In the room the women come and go
Talking of Michelangelo.
The yellow fog that rubs its back upon the window-panes,	15
The yellow smoke that rubs its muzzle on the window-panes
Licked its tongue into the corners of the evening,
Lingered upon the pools that stand in drains,
Let fall upon its back the soot that falls from chimneys,
Slipped by the terrace, made a sudden leap,	20
And seeing that it was a soft October night,
Curled once about the house, and fell asleep.
And indeed there will be time
For the yellow smoke that slides along the street,
Rubbing its back upon the window-panes;	25
There will be time, there will be time
To prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet;
There will be time to murder and create,
And time for all the works and days of hands
That lift and drop a question on your plate;	30
Time for you and time for me,
And time yet for a hundred indecisions,
And for a hundred visions and revisions,
Before the taking of a toast and tea.
In the room the women come and go	35
Talking of Michelangelo.
And indeed there will be time
To wonder, “Do I dare?” and, “Do I dare?”
Time to turn back and descend the stair,
With a bald spot in the middle of my hair—	40
[They will say: “How his hair is growing thin!”]
My morning coat, my collar mounting firmly to the chin,
My necktie rich and modest, but asserted by a simple pin—
[They will say: “But how his arms and legs are thin!”]
Do I dare	45
Disturb the universe?
In a minute there is time
For decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse.
For I have known them all already, known them all:—
Have known the evenings, mornings, afternoons,	50
I have measured out my life with coffee spoons;
I know the voices dying with a dying fall
Beneath the music from a farther room.
So how should I presume?
And I have known the eyes already, known them all—	55
The eyes that fix you in a formulated phrase,
And when I am formulated, sprawling on a pin,
When I am pinned and wriggling on the wall,
Then how should I begin
To spit out all the butt-ends of my days and ways?	60
And how should I presume?
And I have known the arms already, known them all—
Arms that are braceleted and white and bare
[But in the lamplight, downed with light brown hair!]
It is perfume from a dress	65
That makes me so digress?
Arms that lie along a table, or wrap about a shawl.
And should I then presume?
And how should I begin?       .      .      .      .      .
Shall I say, I have gone at dusk through narrow streets	70
And watched the smoke that rises from the pipes
Of lonely men in shirt-sleeves, leaning out of windows?…
I should have been a pair of ragged claws
Scuttling across the floors of silent seas.       .      .      .      .      .
And the afternoon, the evening, sleeps so peacefully!	75
Smoothed by long fingers,
Asleep … tired … or it malingers,
Stretched on the floor, here beside you and me.
Should I, after tea and cakes and ices,
Have the strength to force the moment to its crisis?	80
But though I have wept and fasted, wept and prayed,
Though I have seen my head [grown slightly bald] brought in upon a platter,
I am no prophet—and here’s no great matter;
I have seen the moment of my greatness flicker,
And I have seen the eternal Footman hold my coat, and snicker,	85
And in short, I was afraid.
And would it have been worth it, after all,
After the cups, the marmalade, the tea,
Among the porcelain, among some talk of you and me,
Would it have been worth while,	90
To have bitten off the matter with a smile,
To have squeezed the universe into a ball
To roll it toward some overwhelming question,
To say: “I am Lazarus, come from the dead,
Come back to tell you all, I shall tell you all”—	95
If one, settling a pillow by her head,
Should say: “That is not what I meant at all.
That is not it, at all.”
And would it have been worth it, after all,
Would it have been worth while,	100
After the sunsets and the dooryards and the sprinkled streets,
After the novels, after the teacups, after the skirts that trail along the floor—
And this, and so much more?—
It is impossible to say just what I mean!
But as if a magic lantern threw the nerves in patterns on a screen:	105
Would it have been worth while
If one, settling a pillow or throwing off a shawl,
And turning toward the window, should say:
“That is not it at all,
That is not what I meant, at all.”       .      .      .      .      .	110
No! I am not Prince Hamlet, nor was meant to be;
Am an attendant lord, one that will do
To swell a progress, start a scene or two,
Advise the prince; no doubt, an easy tool,
Deferential, glad to be of use,	115
Politic, cautious, and meticulous;
Full of high sentence, but a bit obtuse;
At times, indeed, almost ridiculous—
Almost, at times, the Fool.
I grow old … I grow old …	120
I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled.
Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach?
I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach.
I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.
I do not think that they will sing to me.	125
I have seen them riding seaward on the waves
Combing the white hair of the waves blown back
When the wind blows the water white and black.
We have lingered in the chambers of the sea
By sea-girls wreathed with seaweed red and brown	130
Till human voices wake us, and we drown.

Lines 99-110 are probably one of the most lovely and beautiful pictured stanzas ever ever written. I loves it so. Oh and "I have measured out my life in coffee spoons". Besides being a line I love, I do love me some coffee.


Oh and I Wikipediad this and found the translation for the beginning bit. Its from Dante's Inferno and goes a little like this:

"If I thought my answer were given

to anyone who would ever return to the world,

this flame would stand still without moving any further.

But since never from this abyss

has anyone ever returned alive, if what I hear is true,

without fear of infamy I answer you."

  

 

Don't ask me how that relates, I can't quite wrap my thoughts around it.

Today is a day for...

Scott Musgrove!
I love stumble upon, it shows you the greatest things ever. If you don't have Stumble downloaded on your computer I'd highly recommend it. You just put in the topics you are interested and press the button and volia! A random web page featuring something you checked as interesting will show up. And that is how I found Musgrove.

He is an artists that works with creating prehistoric creatures and bringing them through life in both painting and in sculpture. I think he mostly works with bronze and oil. He use to do some animation right out of college, and now mostly paints. Plus, hes from Seattle, which I am still in love with so I give him extra bonus points for that. Also, he did a painting of an octopus...well as he calls it, a walktopus. Check it out:



















Brad and I had a little discussion the other day about artists that also create consumer products as well as fine art. Which is, in my mind, not selling out, but allowing for the general population that will never step foot in a gallery to see your work. This includes toys, skateboards, clothing etc.

Looks like Scott Musgrove is one of those people and if you wanta check out Wootini  they have one of his featured toys, as well as a bunch of other artists. I haven't gotten the chance to go through it yet, but it looks like there's some good stuff on there.

This week seems like it is going to be very stressful and I'm lacking on motivation. To motivate myself to actually want to do something in painting I'm going to use Jay Ryan as my inspiration for today. 

For anyone who went on the trip to Chicago, it is well known that I actually got to meet him and that I bought his book and he signed it, mostly because I want to tell everyone about it since it was probably the best part of the trip for me. 

(the book cover)

His website, The Bird Machine, shows a lot of his past print as well as the ones that are for sale. The color and line quality completely baffle me at the moment, considering I just started screen printing and couldn't get one color with fat lines to print. I'm not for sure, but I think he does photo emulsion instead of masking, which is what I'm currently trying out in painting.  He's a really interesting guy, a bit awkward, in fact I didnt even know it was his book at first when I went to look at it. I said it caught my attention, and he asked if it was because I hated it so much I wanted to push them all on the floor. Which of course wasn't true at all, and I said I loved that guys work and he just causually mentioned, oh yeah, I am that guy. So that was a bit awkward. But its okay, he gave me a high five.

He said he just started messing around with screen printing posters for his own band, Dianogah, (which I haven't listened to yet) but now he does stuff for bands like Modest Mouse and Andrew Bird, which is super amazingly amazing. 

 He recommended I get a copy of Andy McDougal's book "Screen Printing Today", which is on my slowly increasing list of things to buy over the summer. Jennifer said I should try and get a grant for screen printing stuff if I want to try it out next year. We will see how far I get with that. Right now I'm just trying to get a feel for it. 

Anyways this is a print I particularly like and if anyone is interested in seeing the book or trying out screen printing hit me up, its the new summer hobby (along with a thousand others in my overly optimistic mind).

Clearly I'm Failing.

And since I am failing at regular art postings, I think I'm going to try and switch it up a bit. Instead of posting my artwork, (well I still will, but only when I get the will power) I'm going to post inspiration in hopes that I 1. blog more 2. have inspiration 3. can refer back to it in moments of dullness. 4. possibly inspire anyone else who happens upon this.

Although I have lots of things I want to blog about I am going to start with a inspiration that was particular to today (ish). Well, I like it and was given a hard copy of it today. See, I am not just inspired by art, but also by movies and books and in this case a poem. In my boring brit. lit class we read and watched Joyce's "The Dead" which is all fine and dandy and full of symbolism and what not, but that's not the point. The point is when we watched the movie there was this lovely poem that was read. Luckily for us, our teacher randomly handed out a copy of it because she likes it too and it wasn't originally in the short story (novella, whatever). If you get a chance to hear it actually read in the movie you should do that, I think it sounds better than it is read (plus Anjelica Huston is in it when she was quite a bit younger and is wonderful. Not that she isn't lovely and wonderful still, I hope I look as good as she does when I'm her age.)
Now for no more of my rambling.

Donal Og (Young Donald)-Anonymous 


It is late last night the dog was speaking of you; 
the snipe was speaking of you in her deep marsh.
It is you are the lonely bird through the woods;
and that you may be without a mate until you find me.


You promised me, and you said a lie to me,
that you would be before me where the sheep are flocked;
I gave a whistle and three hundred cries to you,
and I found nothing there but a bleating lamb.


You promised me a thing that was hard for you,
a ship of gold under a sliver mast;
twelve towns with a market in all of them,
and a fine white court by the side of the sea.


You promised me a thing that is not possible,
that you would give me gloves of the skin of a fish;
that you would give me shoes of the skin of a bird;
and a suit of the dearest silk in Ireland.


When I go by myself to the Well of Loneliness,
I sit down and I go through my trouble; 
when I see the world and do not see my boy,
he that has an amber shade in his hair.


It was on that Sunday I gave my love to you;
the Sunday that is last before Easter Sunday.
And myself on my knees reading the Passion;
and my two eyes giving love to you for ever.


My mother said to me not to be talking with you today,
or tomorrow, or on the Sunday;
it was a bad time she took for telling me that;
it was shutting the door after the house was robbed.


My hard is as black as the blackness of the sloe,
or as the black coal that is on the smith's forge;
or as the sole of a shoe left in white halls;
it was you that put that darkness over my life.


You have taken the east from me; you have taken the west from me;
you have taken what is before me and what is behind me;
you have taken the moon, you have taken the sun from me;
and my fear is great that you have taken God from me!


I think I can let that speak for itself.

2010, time to change for the decade

Yay new semester! and Yay for actually posting stuff? Its just so much work and I am so very uncaring.

Color Theory Project

Right now I'm working on six wood panel paintings for color theory. These are the sketches for what I want to do. Later I'll put up the preliminary paintings and then the final work. I'm also including some pictures of what I hope my printed octopi will look like when cut out.

This one is for the orange set. "Goody. Double Goody"

damn, hes sideways. well this is the blue eel

Liony thing. Hes going to be red "Large-Eye Lion"

Green set. "The Worried Mayor"

Purple."Hey Baby"

Damn. Sideways again. Yellow. "I Read Your Soul"

Here's the Octopi

And heres this guy. Just cuse.

PFFFT! HES CROOKED!

Let's look at something else...

Alright, so not so much on the prints working out, lets look at some of my older stuff.

Drawings? Lets go with drawings.

This is a lion...or dog, it kind of looks like my dog. It's scared, or angry. I don't know. Sharpie and white paper

This is a very sad bear, probably the saddest. Also sharpie and white paper.

I call him the magician. Sharpie and paper

awwww. colored pencil, ink

Giraffe. pencil

When Mr. Whale returned from work, after removing his hat and jacket, he stared into the mirror and was taken aback by how lost and dull his eyes were.

Then he completely crashed.

Stork man. He's trying at least.

Go get um tiger.

Lets try these Octopi again...

there we go! whooo! lets get some more up in here.

 Okay, so far so good

Fail.

An attempt at compiling my art work

Joel is insisting we start blogging our artwork for others to see, which I agree completely. However, due to my sporatic nature I may not keep up as well as I should, but its worth a shot. For starters, lets go with the prints I've been working on this semester.



This is the print I am the happiest with so far and I'm in the process of recreating a better one. I just love the sad robot. I'm thinking of titling it something like "Defunction" or "Exfunction" or as my roommate suggested "BOOOooooop..." which I feel doesn't quite fit the tone, but he liked it.
Anyways, I work at a factory and after working there for a year I started drawing all these robots. They've kind of died away and have been replaced by octopi, as you can see, he is a dead and dying robot in the trash pit. I cant really come to say what it means exactly. Maybe I feel like less of a robot recently, I think there might be a bit of life left in this ones eyes though. Either way, I wanted to experiment in an etching with more line detail as well as color.













Anyways, other stuff I'm in the process of. This print is my work on just and unjust. It no longer looks like this because I aqua tinted it, however, I it is too dark in places now and I'm trying to scrub it. I'm not sure if I like this print and am currently too frustrated to work on it and I'm not a huge fan of it. so boo.













This one I am much more interested in continuing working on. It also influenced me on my current experiment. I tried working with different colors as well as subtraction with alcohol and dental floss. Hmm...this is a problem. So you dont get to see all octopi pictures yet because they are all coming up crooked. Which makes no sense since they were saved the other direction. This is why I don't blog. See. Its sideways, and I don't know why.


Anyways, I was inspired to make border-less octopi which I am currently cutting out of copper and ruining lots of jeweler's saw blades for. HOORAY! I'll let you know how that goes.

Ps. I find it weird that Blogger doesn't recognize octopi as a word. How strange.