Saturday, February 13, 2010

So tired of being in a crappy mood.

But there are definitely things to be happy about.

The first is that I survived my second near death car accident. Thank you Mr. Cement Light Pole for not being in existence quite yet.

The second is the happiness totally poured on me at the State Radio concert by Gabby. I wish I had a picture of her bliss. It made me smile so big and feel so great. It made me so happy. It's hard to describe the feeling.

And the third is all this crazy artwork I stumbled on today. So it's kind of rated R so...just brace yourself.

I wasn't looking up anything risque at all. I was googling "snail" and came across this Australian artist of eroticism-Franz Von Bayros. (1886-1924)

I've always kind of had this image of our 'ancestors' as being these... pure minded people of some kind. Well not totally but, at least not necessarily expressing in imagery such erotic things. Because I mean, in elementary/high school your history classes don't necessarily cover these types of topics. I love proving that old image of mine wrong. I love finding out things that are omitted from history.

Ex-Libris of Sweet Snail
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You can see alot more of his work and read a brief biography of Franz Von Bayros HERE

Also... Remember the movie Alien??
Well the guy who did a lot of the concept work and illustrations for that film HR Giger also indulged in erotic art. It's VERY interesting. I'm pretty infatuated with his work right now.


I LOVE this. It's SO beautiful.
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I like her shape. The pelvic bone makes me happy. Egon Schiele did some similar pelvic bones.
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SO creepy. So great.
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This reminds me of Chet Zar
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I find this hilarious. Would you really know what it is if the topic of this post isn't what it is? Interestinggg
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YUp.

I also discovered the "strange owl" Or at least that's what his scientific name means. They were only discovered in the 1970s and are apparently really rare.

It's an owl with....whiskers.. and he reminds me of an old man with that bald spot on top of his head with uncombed hair around the side...He's so perfect.

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Read more HERE


Monday, February 8, 2010

The Vegetable Lamb of Tartary

First off. Tartary. What is that?
Tartary is the term used in the Middle Ages to designate the big great area of North/Central Asia. basically.
Turkic and Mongol peoples inhabited the area and were called Tartars.

Now, I hope we all know what a Vegetable is...and a Lamb.
If not.

Vegetable- any plant whose fruit, seeds, roots, tubers, bulbs, stems, leaves, or flower parts are used as food.

Though for these purposes I don't think we need the eatable part.

Lamb- a young sheep.

Sheep produce...wool
Wool is used to make..textiles.

So...
The Vegetable Lamb of Tartary

It's a plant that produces a little tiny lamb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Because the Tartars couldn't justify what this mysterious plant was that produced these white fluffy staple fibers that could be woven to make yarn and cloth...and because they were use to these little lambs producing such a similar fiber...there is no other explanation except that these mysterious plants birthed little tiny lambs. These lambs were held on to the plant by their umbilical chords and the plant would dip down to allow these little lamb babies to graze in the fields. Then when all the grass was gone the lamb would jump off and run away..and die of hunger.

oh joy! I want one!


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Sunday, February 7, 2010

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Beauty in the Stereotypical Grossness

So for my intro to Fibers class we have to have a theme for the two "sets" of techniques we have learned. The theme of my Sample Set I is "Finding Beauty in the Stereotypical Grossness." This theme came to me through a process in which I started out with nature versus mankind focusing on destruction. After some research and brainstorming the grossness came to me. I realize the truth in the phrase "to each, his own," and that not everyone will find the same aesthetic beauty in everything. But, although there is no set list of what is beautiful and what is not, I believe there is a kind of non-formal collective agreement on some things. For example, it's hard to find a person who doesn't find some level of cuteness in a fluffy baby kitten with large blue eyes or beauty in a vibrant sunset; just like guts, gore, and dead things evoke a sense of repulsion i.e. grossness. I believe if we are able to take the label of the image or object that we are looking at we will be able to discover something more about what it is we are seeing. For example, instead of looking at a picture of a tangled bundle of intestines and immediately turning your head in disgust, try to block out that recognition of the object as intestines and instead look at it non-objectively. Think about it as only colors and values that make up shapes and textures in the composition. Then instead of being repulsed, maybe you will become intrigued. You may see something, discover something, and definitely experience something that you wouldn't have had you kept those labels that carry all of those negative connotations. This then may open a new door to inspirations and ideas relating to color, value, texture, proportion, composition; all of those great elements and principles of design. Plus it opens a door to new comparisons. That dissected kidney kind of looks like caramelized candy and the advanced stages of that disease makes the skin look like an old tree or an atomic bomb. Also, even if you are not in a creative profession, this idea of looking at things without labels is still beneficial. I think it can show people that there can be something at least minutely "good" (or at least worth giving it a second view with a different perspective) in most things. It helps keep up the optimism levels.

Dyed silk bamboo, Spun (plied) yarn , Felting, Hand piecing, and Knitting

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This is my felt sample. It's a placenta :D :D :D :D :D

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..with an extremely long umbilical chord. :D

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

its 341 am.

I think, since life has been relatively going in a weird spiral of confusion (with sporadic revelations intervening [though never fully resolving my confusion]) I will take on Nikki's passage of ten things that make me happy. to remind myself.

one. Extremely hot baths in cold weather. Or just bath/shower time in general. It's my only place to really relax these days.

two. The rain. The SOUND of rain. It's so calming. So perfect. Especially on a late night (like tonight) as I'm going to sleep. And of course the FEEL of the rain as it beats down on you. ahhh :)

three. Being reassured that I'm going the right direction and discovering myself as I mosey on down that path.

four. Being inspired. Coming up with ideas. Achieving "success" through those ideas.

five. That feeling I get when I listen to music that REALLY TOUCHES me. Like the guitar solos in Pink Floyd's Animals or today when I heard Etta James's voice and some really bluesy-heavy feedback Hendrix. ahhhhhhhh you don't even know.

six. A hot cup of tea. (of which I drink probably at least 6 or more a day at this rate)

seven. Discovering new animals to add to my list. Like the teacup pig. I will now type out my list:
1. Sphynx (definitely going to happen) 2. Cow 3. White Terrier (the most normal probably)
4. Silkies 5. Komondor 6. Alpaca 7. Toad 8. Teacup Pig

eight. Finding feathers

nine. My little ceramic heater. He saves me.

ten. drawing when I'm not required to do so.