Thursday, July 10, 2008
Madmen
I recently started watching the much hyped Madmen since season one is free OnDemand right now. A little background for those who haven't seen the show -- it's about a major advertising agency in NYC during the early '60s.
The show has incredible attention to detail about the nuances of daily American life in the early 60s. It was only 50 years ago, but they seem like a different society altogether. Pregnant women smoke and drink while chatting over the kitchen table, women cry daily in the office bathroom because of all the sexual harassment from male coworkers, everyone smokes like chimneys, women are naturally assumed the inferior sex - i.e. "This technology was designed to be so easy that even a woman can use it!" And this is all just background dressing! There are actual storylines too!
I'm also amazed Vincent Kartheiser is in it -- I had a bit of a crush on him as a kid, but always thought he'd end up the washed up drug addict route a la the late Brad Renfro.
Anyhow I digress. What keeps me coming back to the show is the incredible aesthetic. Damn the women have some wicked style. I especially love saucy office manager Joan (played by stone cold fox Christina Hendricks). My only regret in life is not being born of different skin tone so that I could dye my hair all shades of deep, luscious red. On the show, I'm entranced how brilliant and manipulative these women in the workplace are, playing up their assets in a place that gives them barely any power or worth outside of their physical appearance.
The whole show is serious eye candy and style inspiration; I'd recommend queuing season one up on your Netflix.Labels: inspiration
Thursday, June 26, 2008
She's from a world of popcorn and candy...
As I've mentioned before, I'm working on a series of circus girl portraits. It's the first time I'm also researching sources across all genres (Water for Elephants, Moulin Rouge, MGM musicals) to inform my work. While poking around the internet for reference photography, I found the fantastic Louis Park and his photo session for VogueGirl Korea (which btw, is a much more inspiring book than Vogue US for grown ups):
 Labels: inspiration
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Plans
I had plans. Big plans. Ones that involved decadent pastries, lounging on the couch in a vintage silk slip, and This American Life. I was going to tell myself all about the things I liked to do, show myself how to knead bread made from scratch or slow dance in the living room to old records. The kinds of dates that you see on dating shows and films from the fifties.
But then one thing after another got in the way, as is almost always the case when it comes to Plans and Being Grown Up. So now, on the eve of the first day of May and with just a few hours under the deadline for the April Pink of Perfection Project (and not wanting to disappoint darling, inspirational Sarah), I have a new plan. A last minute, scraped together effort to sweep myself off my feet: spending the night making butterscotch pots de creme (a favorite recipe) and sneaking hot spoonfuls over the sink as they cool. When I finally planned this out, I realized the best dates I've had have been these kinds of last minute, stolen moment affairs. Including with my most dreamy current paramour.
And in a not-so-last-minute effort, I had bought flowers for myself at the farmers' market today. A dating forever and always must. (I especially like the unusual ones). Swoon.
 Labels: inspiration, pop project
Thursday, April 24, 2008
We're All Mad Here
A good way to start the day: reading this NYT Magazine interview with Dita Von Teese. I totally want a Devon Rex now. Not just because she has three, but also because I like to surround myself with animals that look like they came out of a 1920s children's book.Labels: inspiration
Friday, January 25, 2008
Give a Little Love.
One of the school applications I'm looking at poses the ever-threatening essay question "Who are your three major artistic influences in your discipline, how have they contributed to the world globally, why they are important to you, and how are you going to change the world?"
This question is so challenging on so many levels -- first, I don't know that I have three major artistic influences in any one discipline. I find inspiration across the board of art, writing, crafts, music, & even sometimes Art. My inspiration is born in films and folklore and old faded photographs. How can you be expected to pick one (or three) artists' body of work in one discipline to represent your influences?
I'll be thinking on this for awhile, since I have a good chunk of time before the application is due -- and of course I won't take the argumentative route since I was born with the albatross of Asian Guilt around my neck. However I did want to share this adorable artist I found via the Craftzine blog. Mizna Wada has a playful illustration style influenced by Japanese horror comics. I have no idea what that means, but I am totally digging her Dios de Los Muertos-inspired cute.Labels: inspiration, sketchbook
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