I’ve been marveling at this painting by Maureen Holden.
Cuteness Mania:
I love this multi-limbed, medusa-like amazon, spawning cuteness from the twisited tree limbs on her head, terrorizing onlookers (is she offering them a seat on that Victorian sofa beneath her?). I enjoy the fact that just as my brain tries to assemble a cohesive meaning in the painting, I fixate on another series of details and it all collapses.
If I were anywhere near Phoenix, AZ, I would definitely attend the Dia de Los Plush at Red Hot Robot.
I’m going to have to seek out more Dia de Los Muertos art because I’ve always loved it. This is the first time I’ve seen the tradition celebrated in plush!
I hope to see pictures posted afterward.
There’s been much speculation about the approach of 2012 by everyone from scientists to UFO enthusiasts. I’m going to ignore it and skip straight to a true mark of absurdity: Nickelodeon’s 2012 movie…for kids.
Take a moment. Let it in.
The action-adventure storyline revolves around a family who goes on vacation in December 2012, just as the Mayan calendar is coming to a close.
Ah, we can even capitalize on the alignment of the cosmos! Can we look forward to 2012 Doomsday Playsets? One can hope.
(Thanks to Matt P. for sending me an article that referenced this film)
Karl Persson gives life force to nightmares. I’ve chosen work-safe images, but the gallery on his site contains a collection of twisted, tortured scenes that tap into the deep recesses of the human psyche.
Shock value alone does nothing for me, but Persson manages to capture something primal; sadness, desperation and an imaginative horror that seems to be pulled directly from a bad dream.
If you only love happy, pretty things…beware.
By the time I first discovered Dave McKean’s stunning Vertigo Tarot
I’m so glad that the deck contains the full 78 cards and can actually be used. I’m a big fan of the tarot, not in any supernatural sense, but as a rich visual representation of archetypes. Placing these archetypes in the particular context of one’s life often gives way to new ideas, meaning and insight.
The deck is now available for pre-order
I’m really impressed with Jamie Noel’s hand crafted circus themed “interactive” jewelry. Look at what she does with the classic Zoltar fortune teller:
It’s actually WORKS, with a tiny built in drawer containing fortune cards (and it comes with refills)!
The Jack O’Lantern King Locket is one of the most incredible pieces of handmade jewelry I’ve ever seen. Go explore it!
Her Etsy shop contains all kinds of jewelry wonders: puppet shows, acrobats, animals. Amazing!
Ben Tolman’s work combines ornate, Hieronymous Bosch style scenery with the feeling of antique medical diagrams.
It’s a winning combination in my opinion.
All of his work is best viewed very large because the intricacies are incredible. The size I have posted omits entire worlds in the details! The gallery on his site allows for close zooming.
I try to keep personal politics out of SheWalksSoftly. We’ll just say that posting the 1932 cartoon Betty Boop for President has to do with my interest in vintage animation (along with the atrocious “isms” we may or may not have overcome in the past century).
She sings “I’ll give you all a great big kiss when I am president” and states her groundbreaking worldview:
“What this country is in need of
Is a lot of hi-de-ho,
Boop-a-doop and chocolate ice cream.”
If you dare preview Boop’s proposed utopian society, let this play past the three minute mark. Proceed at your own risk.
As she strikes her cutesy poses and winks repeatedly at the audience causing a public sensation, I’m certainly not reminded of any current Vice Presidential candidate. At no point does Betty mention war, hockey or the word “maverick.”
I’m a HUGE fan of Mr. Nobody, Boop’s opponent.
ROA leaves incredible animal anatomy graffiti in cities all over the world.
His archived calendar was the only comprehensive source of work I could find. Perhaps he wishes to maintain a degree of anonymity due to the nature of his medium. He covers a whole host of subject matter, but the anatomical animals are my favorite.
Lest some of us forget that our obsession with miniaturizing technology began long before the advent of the iPod Nano (or even the 90’s mini disc player that never quite caught on), I bring you the Mighty Tiny record player:
I can’t imagine many tiny records were made for this device. Proud owners were probably stuck with the same few tunes, a limitation hopefully balanced out by the novelty factor.
This ad reminded me of the flash in the pan 80’s trend, Pocket Rockers; mini tape players designed to be used as a fashion accessory.
The song selection was limited to this short and painfully 80’s list.
If you really want to bring yourself back in time, watch the commercial:
That song will now be stuck in your head all day. I apologize.
SheWalksSoftly 