I was thumbing through an old (June 2007) House and Garden magazine and discovered this idea. A decorator covered a chair in funerary drapery (!). Need to search this out. However, can you see pillows, limited fabric output from the computer and a chair covered as part of the final thesis along with pictures, skateboards, china? This thing can go go go.
Sunday Review for the Ithaca Art Trail
More neighbors and less new folks yesterday...but it was solid until way after the 5:00 closing time (even had someone show up around 6:30 who I showed around tersely).Some bigger pieces went--and it was great to know they are going to houses of cool folks...and they will be appreciated. I think I have sold/saved out about 7 Memento Mori books (which is remarkable). When asking one person why they liked it...the person waxed on about how the topic speaks to him and reminds him of New Orleans.
Cool.
One more weekend (next). And I am kicked in the ass to keep it coming. The bodies of work (5+pieces) really work in this environment. You almost need a bunch of them to hang the one-sy , two-sies off. So, I am going to expand the dogs...as there is mileage way beyond the prints. Also, create a body of work on chickens (I already have 3--so I could do easily 3 more--and get on a roll). The chicken love thing is out there...and I might as well jump on board with this. A Cornell professor and his wife collect chickens all over the world for their chicken and spoke of a chicken skeleton sculpture that really struck my fancy. Need to make a picture.
The postcards were a big hit. We took all of my promotional cards and filled a polka dot envelope with 10 postcards and gave them to everyone that came through. You know, the old gift with purchase thing that is so easy to do...and everyone adores. Lots of mileage and I wanted to move them so I could get new cards. Holiday cards are selling...and the smaller prints. Albeit, we sold a pumpkin picture, a skull picture and a mess of chickens. The crowd seemed to really like the set up with signage and work merchandised together.... I know artists aren't supposed to talk that way...but why not think about the way images and stuff is juxtaposed in order to make a good impression. Maybe we as artists shouldnt care. I do.
Sat Art Trail quick review
It was great yesterday. The house looked good and the work good too. We had a steady stream of people who came, looked and wanted to talk about all and everything on the walls and tables. Great response to the birds and dogs. Memento Mori has it's fans with at least 3 people who want the first book when it comes out. Cards sold and smaller/less expensive giclees. Lots of interest. Couple of people want me to do portraits of their dogs. The really nice thing is there were a lot of very smart, articulate and people who are from "our tribe". So, there even may be some new best friends in the group. I almost wanted to have a church supper style chafing dish lasagne party for all of them as there was that type of linger longer crowd.
They ate all the candy and brownies. More candy in order today. Price point is KEY. The big pictures for under $200. seems too high for this crowd. Interesting.
Statement for the Art Trail
R. encouraged me to make a printed artists statement for the Art Trail. So, I did. Thought I could store it here...and if you are interested, here goes. If not, breeze on by. My feelings will definitely NOT be hurt.
I never thought I could do this sort of stuff. You know, make pictures. Seriously make pictures. I can make logotypes, lay out books, art direct very expensive photographers, create boxes, labels and bottles to make things to eat, spray or goop look appealing and good. But pictures seemed out of the mix.
However, in the spirit of change (and maybe midlife crisis), I decided that maybe picture making was exactly the thing I needed to do. Needed to do, not had to do. And so I have.
I am making pictures either with the graphic design tools I know (Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop) but intentionally making them look un-digital. Meaning: not the “look I can put my head on a cat’s body” or “I have all these electronic tools and I can really make people see how cool I am with every filter imaginable” kind of thing. I want my work to look as if a hand touched it--resembling a screenprint or a woodcut. This is
one approach.
The other approach shown are hand-drawn images with pen and brush focusing on the Memento Mori, Remembering our Death or Remembering our Mortality.This Memento Mori project is a nine month sketch project with a published sketchbook every two months with the end result being as series of applications from tattoos to skateboards to china and glass designs. This work is taking me down avenues in content and style that are tapping deep wells of inspiration and drawing I didn’t know was in me. Everything you see with Memento Mori is work from August 15th to October 1, 2007. I am now in another phase of the drawing process. Take a look at my sketchbook. More to come.
Everything you see today has been created in the last two years as either assignments or assignments that blossomed into mini bodies of work.
You can follow my progress at my blog: The Rongovian Academy of Fine Arts (www.qcassetti.blogspot.com) or to see more finished work, my illustration website: http://www.qcassetti.com. Or if you are interested in graphic design, logos and branding, lets have coffee and I will show you a portfolio.
Thank you for visiting us during this busy Art Trail Weekend. It means the world to me.
Sat Art Trail
Art Trail today. Spent the better part of last night prepping, making new pictures, dropping things into frames, creating signage and with the help of the best display guy in Central New York (R), making the house look good...and residentially retail. We used little frames for our signs, made groupings and it looks good and promising. Things are priced to sell. We just opened and I need to go.
Later>>
IF: Extremes: a happy view of death
Do you love Jim Flora? How 'bout those wonderful Paul Klee paintings? I have been working on the Memento Mori project and yesterday decided to do a "happy" one. I thought I would pretend I was Jim Flora and fiddle around with these happy totem poles using the sad symbols like skulls, the snake biting his tail (on New England gravestones representing the cycle of life, and of life eternal), bones, flames and then the little cutie winged cupids that peek out of the top to these same stones.
Dreary day here, but the excitement of Illustration Friday and the opportunity to make more totem poles today makes the sun shine from inside.
lots of excitement
Lots of PR. Radio, the Ticket section of the newspaper, posters, brochures, postcards, emailers. Ithaca Art Trail this weekend and next. We have framed stuff, giclees, cards, collections of postcards,and next weekend we will have Memento Mori Vol.1 book as well. I have candy and will have cider and apples. I am pretty nervous. Nervous to almost being frozen. I have no expectations and lots of nerves. I have a brand new tax number, too. (and an accounting strategy as well). There is a show running parallel at the Second Story Gallery on Main Street. Wonderful Alice Gant has her cute house overflowing with pots of color and lush flowers. Her work is wonderful and worth seeing when you are here in Tburg. You can spend the night at Rose and Roman's Gothic Eves if you are coming in from out of town. And there are snacks, drinks and light dinners at the Pourhouse after the trail. And, if you are famished and looking for a more elegant dinner, there is Hazelnut Kitchen. Deborah Jones is showing her work in Perry City on the way to going to Duran Van Doren's forge. Gunther Keil, toymaker is just around the corner makes well designed wooden toys that double as beautiful tabletop sculpture. Plenty to do and see, good things to eat, and hear...so visit Tburg this weekend and next to get a bit of local art. Worth the trip.
Am putting together a sampler book for Lulu with different fonts, different color, vector illustration, photography and imagery to see how this whole thing fleshes out in color at 8.5" x 11". They do have an interesting size, I think they call it Coronet--that I may start working in. Its a bit wider and deeper...than the 6" x 9" which feels very tight when you begin to understand the live area, the bleed and all the do nots that are offered up in the technical notes on the Lulu site.
It is a dark, humid and cold day. Am trying to make headway with all my projects...two steps forward, one and a half back.
You get the idea.
Got it!!
Lulu book in my hands. Now the amendments happen. The blacks are really nice and rich (probably as it is designed for the all text books)...almost matte. The tones hold up if they happen in photoshop. If there are tones created in InDesign--they are a soft black but certainly not the specific tones that are in the art. I am glad I did this sample as it shows me which crossovers work, what truly is the "active area", and an opportunity to check the sizes of things. Overall, it looks great, but I need to size down several of the images, plan in more black pages (in the next book), more linework and diversity of images, Plans in place to run the job twice the next time as a sample...one as a full color black and white, the other in this black and white mode. Another plan is to create a sample book using a variety of images, crops, placements, type and size to really understand the medium better. Even with clean inked drawings, because this is digital output --there is a tiny jagginess visible (if you really scrutinize) which might go with the territory and may work better with pictures or images that are not so stark and singular as black and white line work.
Don't get me wrong. I am thrilled with all of this. Just need to better understand all of this.
dreary day
Maybe it will rain. Its been hot, humid and very different for us. I will not credit it directly or immediately to global warming as according to weather.com, it is not the max temperatures that have happened during this time. But it is a little shocking.
I am hoping for a big thunderboomer that blows the pictures off the walls (happened this weekend!) and gives us a little more rain as it is good for the batches of daffodils A. is patiently digging (he is getting paid, that's his incentive) in. There are another 300 bulbs from our friends at Van Englund...and it is such a huge treat in the cold spring to have handfuls of flowers to pick versus the parsimony we had two years ago.
More on Memento Mori
Am working with shapes of coffins and tombstones as vehicles to hold images. The headstones and footstones have a real vocabulary --the general shape and then these nice engraved typographic frames that are a subset of the design. Elegant without the type and pictures...Just a new little tangent for the study. Have also been drawing with a little more reference versus letting the good times roll and getting into trouble.
While searching coffins in the cybersphere, some very odd photos surfaced of gang members posing with their fellow gang member, upright in a coffin that is upright and sandwiched between the living. I had heard that there are some interesting rituals that are observed within the gangs and figure this type of photograph may capture some of that. I really had to look at it twice as it was so reminiscent of the victorian photographs of the dead, propped and dressed that were the last image of the person. Disturbing and yet I guess, comforting for those who need this type of finality. Is this final photograph a way of showing a group of friends in their last gathering, their final conversation before disbanding.
Isn't this image curious, with all of the men's heads on the same line and their hands doing the same. I am intrigued by the living hands on the white fabric surround, nearly touching the white gloved, folded hands of their friend. Once I started looking at the hands, I couldn't see the picture anymore. Somehow striking for me.
Columbus Day
R. thought that today was a certified day off. His assistant called about something and he curiously asked why she was there...no day off. Whoops! The cranky slob I call my boss (aka me) didn't give us the time off.
We have spent the past few days working on the moving of our house renters, the sorting and moving of my office and the prep for Ithaca Art Trail. I have been picking though all the excess prints that I have, the random picture frames I have lying around, and the cards and miscellany I want to sell...and in the tradition of Estee Lauder, creating little collections and stories to frame groupings of this work around. I am anxious to get my lulu book as I want to see the proof prior to selling. Its been less than a week but its hard to wait. It would be a nice thing to offer. I had my sketchbook at the Pourhouse and the proprietress whisked it off to look at the work. I was flattered. And others who saw the work wanted more than one copy of the Lulu book to give for xmas etc. Imagine?! Independant publishing could yield a little turn in profits?
The State of the Art Gallery review show of the Artists on the Art Trail was very positive. A person called asking if I did freelance work? Would I consider a portrait of their pet...? and then they went about telling me all the things they like about my boston terrier image I posted for the show. Hum.... This is the second time. As Long as I own the image, I might be able to do it affordably...and part of the bigger body of dogs for the possible dog cookbook etc. All good.
Did a very quick job for Steuben. My pal needed a little ground for a piece he was working on...bringing me a tremendously high bar to match or be inspired by, the ever wonderful Rockwell Kent. Man. Can that guy work in black and white. He totally owns it. And his grounds and textures!! It would take decades to get close. I plan on scanning some images just for reference to even trace just to learn what he was doing. As I learned in the time spent with the MA, tracing is legit, honest and okay to do. Bring it on. And with this Steuben job, a few hours will yield money in the bank of goodwill, and a little in the bank proper to pay for the 5 Montval all media Field sketchbooks whisking their way here to the Academy.
It has been summer here. The grass is lush, the leaves finally turning. We haven't had a frost yet. Pumpkins are plentiful and cheap. Need to buy a load for the Wonderbus to put on the front steps of the Academy to jazz things up for the trail.
More later>>
more from the sketchbook
Extolling my tools
As you all know, when it comes to art supplies I can get a little crazy. When I love something, I really love it--and make these mini proclamations to myself such as " I will use these tools until I die", or " I wil never change from these tools". These are always idle threats because (as I always forget) there is something better or different on the horizon, or (god forbid), I change. I was just declaring true love to the new group of tools and thought I should be a little more out about my love and devotion to the current infatuation.
First off, the Pentel Pocket Brush Pen. I bought my first one as a whim at Cornelissen & Son (in London>>see to the right for link). Cornelissen is reason to go to London. It is a panelled store, all painted in a great matte black, with turnings and shelves and niches filled with predominantly things to paint with and/or do book binding with. Pharmacopia type jars line the room at the top of the casework filled with pigments--and the complete spectrum in every color, hue and saturation is there. I had to buy something...and this little pen seemed the ticket. First, it was not too expensive. Second, it was a portable brush. Third, it has and uses cartridges. I worked with it in my moleskines and it was a nice think to block in blacks. However the minute I started working with my second infatuation, the world stopped. I gasped. It was perfect. Nice matte blacks. Solids like you wouldnt believe and oh, no doing it a second time. Now, I burn through at least a cartridge a day and have 2 brush pens in my Captain Kangaroo pockets ready to go. Only place to get these brushes and cartridges is through "Wet Paint" (http://www.wetpaintart.com". All you need is a credit card and you will be blissful too.
Second infatuation: the Canson Montval Field All Media Book. Utrecht (one of the few who carry it) says:
"This Canson montval all-media book is bound with extra-wide rings so the pages lie flat. This black hard-cover sketchbook contains all-purpose 90 lb sized, cold Presseded, acid-free paper. 50 sheets.
An Excellent surface for watercolor, pencil, pen and charcoal."
Its the cold press...see. Terrific hand. Rich. Not too bumpy. And it takes the ink like no ones business. Plus as it is 90 lb paper, you can torture it with pencil and eraser forever. Only downside is not to torture the ink with an eraser too much (just a little, and only a white one) as the ink will muddy and or erase off (which can be good). It is so nice, doing work on the backside of the paper is not a problem. Only problem might be that you do something good on both sides and then you want to frame each one. So, new strategy is to work on the front with images, back with stuff having to do with patterns, frames, borders, typography as they are okay to have on the back of something...as you might not frame that stuff.
The thin Shaedler pens or the thin Pitt Pens have great longeviety and complement this set. I also love the Pilot V-5 (a staple from Staples or your corner mongo-pharmacy--as its pretty commonplace).
This is the stuff that is making me hum these days.
from the sketchbook
IF: Open (to Grow)
More from the Memento Mori work. Open to grow. From the dormant comes growth and harvest and then back to dormant or dead. This life cycle is part of our seasons, our lives and the world we inhabit. It is something we cannot change. To that, we need to be open to grow and change, to live and then finally die in order to be fully complete.
No legs?
Finalized with Lulu. Definitely have some questions regarding bleed and formatting--as I am submitting files with all pictures, crossovers, bleeds...all the things that nice book folks flee from. Need to contact them today to get some clarity before the second tome begins. Have a mess of new images in the canson book--more realistic skulls (a bit more going on than the abbreviated, tombstone inspired skulls). Funny thing--I was talking to R. about the "legs" that this project might have...my projecting in my typical positive (not!) manner, proclaiming where in the world would this stuff land? And low and behold, I got an email from a former client who may need some decoration/illustration for some products that may go to the funerary industry. I asked if he knew about my new entertainment and illustration subject...and he didn't. A co-inky-dink (as K sez!). Funny when you don't think something has any place, it does?!
Beautiful and warm here. Poor Shady Grove is at the vets all day--as she is in the surgical line-up to get her cast changed. What a look she gave me prior to being sadly led away by the vet. Nearly broke my heart.We should see her around 3 this afternoon.
Tomorrow is a day off for the kinder...a tag into the Columbus day weekend. Hopefully, it will be quiet. Going down to Cornell for a meeting first thing. Friends from out of state dropping by on Sunday with their teens in hand. We haven't seen these guys since our kids were in training shoes. And now, we all have kids with adult teeth, adult shoes and hormones. Need to think about the quantities of food that will be needed.
May have some work with Steuben--I think illustration stuff. Will be having a casual meeting with them today.
More later>>
Glorious Bones
Yesterday, I crossed the threshold and turned fifty. It was a peaceful day...and perfect to my thinking with cards made by the home team, some funny and useful presents and not a big deal. Phew! That is exactly what I wanted. Onward with the next half century. Onward with the visual midlife crisis.
R.gave me two ceramic rabbits painted in blue with slightly different patterns and solids. Each rabbit was the same form with hand painted, almost majolica style painting (all the same blue). They are great...and R's idea is that I get some plates (when things have evolved) and I do some hand painting on the mommy style "paint your own" style china...creating some plates (I am thinking platters) that use the Memento Mori imagery as the starting place. Picasso did a ton of this...why not me? Mommy Mori?
Today is day one of the next Memento Mori book. I closed out the illustrations and are in the process of tweaking the layout and copy--and hope to finish it up with that today.
More later>>
New Career: Spiritualist?
We were talking this morning about my first gleanings on the spiritualist world. I have done a little work and reading on
--but the new discovery, The Temple of Truth (unbelievable name, isn't it) makes me quake. Lilydale is a little community near the Chautauqua Institution in way Western New York, known for it's spiritualist community...and spiritual hotspots that mediums use to have easier access to those they communicate with. The hotels, to date, warn that seances are inappropriate and forbidden in the lobbies. Here's what they say about themselves (http://www.lilydaleassembly.com):
Since it was established in 1879, Lily Dale has been the world's largest center for spiritual development and the practice of the Spiritualist religion. For nearly 130 years, Lily Dale has offered a world-renowned summer program of lectures, workshops and other activities featuring best-selling authors, leaders in academic and scientific research into psychic phenomena, as well as the world's most powerful mediums, teachers and healers. Lily Dale is widely known as a place where knowledge and enlightenment converge in ways that deepen faith and heighten awareness. The energy of the universal life force can be felt, experienced and developed here in this serene 19th century lakeside community surrounded by towering, old-growth forest.
The heart of the Lily Dale year is our summer season, from late June through the first Sunday in September, when tens of thousands of visitors attend the wide array of programs offered on the grounds. A full schedule of workshops and seminars is highlighted by special events featuring some of the leading names in spirituality. Daily and weekly activities, mediumship demonstrations, healing services, evening entertainment, and a variety of attractions throughout the grounds will make your visit to Lily Dale uplifting and renewing. Accommodations at either of our historic hotels, campgrounds, or in one of several private guest homes make taking in all that Lily Dale has to offer relaxing and even more enjoyable.
But your spiritual journey needn't end with the summer season. There are an increasing number of opportunities offered off season in Lily Dale through the Church of the Living Spirit and the Lily Dale Spiritualist Church, as well as through the growing network of Spiritualist churches, schools and camps throughout the United States and Canada.
____
On spiritual healing at Lily Dale, From Abundance Magazine, the writer,Mindy Sommers recounts their experience at the "Inspiration Stump":
Inspiration Stump, one of Lily Dale's most famous landmarks, is where registered mediums (and nervous mediums-in-training) "give back to spirit" by offering free readings to those visitors assembled. Inspiration Stump is actually a huge tree stump in the middle of a dense forest at the end of a long and narrow footpath. After you walk for about a quarter mile, the forest opens up to a clearing where there are dozens of benches assembled, facing the five or six foot wide stump. Medium after medium stands or paces in front of the stump, getting impressions from those assembled, and when one is to receive a message, they will say, "May I speak to you?" or "Can spirit speak with you?" Most of the mediums are female, but the one who embarrassed my husband out of his private reverie was male. "Sir, may spirit speak with you?" We were sitting all the way in the back, and Glen was jerked out of his daydreaming but managed to answer "yes" in a strong voice. For some reason, everybody turned to look at him, which was unusual. The medium's staccato bursts of information were unusual, too. His rhythm had changed. He spoke louder and more strongly, and was more specific with Glen than he had been with the others he had read. It came like machine-gun fire. "A death of someone from your past is near, you will be asked to speak at his funeral." Bang. "You are a preacher, or could have been one if you chose, and you have a preacher in your family." Bang. "You are a landlord." Bang. "You will go to Fort Lauderdale." Bang. Glen's father was a preacher. We have rented an apartment in our home. I can't vouch for the other stuff, not yet anyway. But the man's change in tone and force struck us both, as did his specific references. Glen, who usually walks around with a slightly cynical smile, was shaken a bit.
a sample of automatic writing the caption reading "Copy of original automatic writing from Jesus
THE ONLY PRAYER THAT IS NECESSARY"
So in the spirit of Memento Mori, automatic writing and the thinking around remembering death, remembering our mortality...I think this sidebar into spiritualism might be a nice rich add to this mix as it is dealing with death in an interesting way--as the mediums are the thin scrim between those living and those on the spiritual plane--acting as the voice and hands of those that have passed on. And, to that, reinterpreting death to those that believe, proving in a way, that life continues beyond the grave, giving comfort and better health to the living. Also, to my labyrinthine thinking, the link to the NYState burn out zone amazingness, that time of spiritual fervor, consciousness of individuals, and the emergent religions and cults stemming from eccentric and amazing personalities that lead people to follow and believe. Lets recall Joseph Smith and his magic seer stone (the stone he placed in a hat with some of the golden plates within which he placed his face to read the plates); The fervor of Susan B Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Fredrick Douglas; the sacred passions of Mr Humphries and the Oneida Community; of course, the Fox Sisters and the establishment of commerce, growth and expansionism with the construction of the Erie Canal and all the smaller connecting canals and lakes that made this wilderness accessible to all creating a link to the sea via the Hudson River. Remember, Samuel Clemens spent summers here, and the world came to Trumansburg and Sheldrake for their health and rest on boats and trains...bringing culture to the locals.I havent really overlapped the dates, by to my thinking, this truly was an amazing time. Rich and wierd.
The shakers were inspired by the rapping that the Fox sisters translated--and participated in that. A group of Shakers established a community on Sodus Bay (outside of Rochester) in the 1820s--so they could have been influenced. According to the page www.spirithistory.com, there was a period of time that is termed " A Manifestation of Spirit presence" among the
Shakers from 1837-1847:
"Their visions never came from any active, religious thought, nor from any prayerful anxiety of the mind. Neither was it from any educational lessons by which pious teachers were [4] trying to make little angels of them before the proper time. Visions were not the order of the day any more than were the spirit rappings before the appearance of the Fox children.
The origin of spiritualism with this family was through the medium of obscure and simple rappings and were as foreign to the mind as were the visions among the children of the several Communities. The whole affair, of both parties, at first seemed very childish and hardly worth the serious attention of more mature age. But the intelligent taps that were heard by the little Fox girls have made themselves heard throughout the whole earth, and thousands of believers in spiritualism have been blest through this simple medium."
"...These little girls were moved with singular [57] operations, as shaking, dancing and whirling. Sometimes they were prostrated upon the floor and would remain in an unconscious state for several hours. At other times they would be conversing with unseen friends whom they frequently designated by name."
From these trances and spiritual manifestations came the inspiration for music (many of their hymns) and automatic drawings (think the wonderful tree of life illustration that is signature Shaker).
More links to the life beyond. As we think about remembering our death, should we be thinking (or at least illustrating regardless of what we think) about communicating with those beyond. Who-whee...
More later>>
Tully burger?
Is Tully the home of the local favorite, the Tully Burger? A Tully Burger is essentially a hamburger with lettuce, tomato, onion and cheese--a dressed burger as the New Yorkers say. We will never know...but the Tully Invitational Race was exciting...blue skies, low humidity, good loud music, and tons and tons of running kids. A. came in 10th and got a golden teeshirt and a pink ribbon. Once again. Not top 5 but for the first season and his third week into it...not too bad. Form looked good. Attitude was good. The girls are all over him. Do you think he might think this is a good thing. It's the teenage version of a cocktail party--where they all mingle, eat, chat and mix it up. I think it is actually on par or could be better than the socializing and party that the ski bus and skiing provides. Either way...who thought you could have so much fun with a sport and have cute girls cheering you on and hanging on you every broken sentence. Let the good times keep coming.
The Tully-ites were wonderful selling really good pizza to the kids, and had a huge, farm style crate on piece of wood to keep it off the ground for everyone to help themselves to the local specialty of the week, macintosh apples...all cold,crisp and wet...We each had one to our delight. Heaven. The school was beautiful with a brand new everything from greenhouse and track to the lineup of perfect schoolbuses K exclaimed over.
The drive over was okay..but the drive back was filled with all sorts of fun. First, outside of Homer NY is a wonderful barbeque call Bobs. It's an open air operation offering pulled pork, barbequed brisket or the NYS classic, halfs and whole chickens. No fried food. Just a good slaw, some beans (I don't get it), salt potatoes (another local favorite) with a load of pie offerings (sweet potatoe, raspberry, blueberry, fresh peach, and the "creams" (you can guess)). We sat outside at picnic tables and took in the perfection of the mowed grass, the mulched to the nines trees and these engineered plantings. It was the best of Central New York. It is a must! They close at the end of October and open in May...so make your plans soon or pencil it in for next spring...Worth it if you are in the area.
Then, on through Homer, which was beautiful with a wonderful Main Street with truly perfect and magnificent houses with the best of the lot being over the top Victorians that have been maintained and restored to perfection. Then on to Cortland and a drive through SUNY Cortland which is a very pretty campus on top of a hill...Everything seemed very spit and polish, very maintained and clean. Seemed very, very, nice. Put SUNY Cortland on the college list (either to pursue for teaching or sending kids as an option).
We then went on to discover a place that somehow exists near a black hole. Freeville, NY or if K. had her way with the naming, it would be Free(k)ville. R. claimed it was a trip to recognize an early birthday. Whatever it was, it was wonderfully wierd. Once you near the town of Freeville, the fields get very tidy and maintained. Lots of horses. Beautiful buildings, old--but with good paint on them etc. with worlds on them like "Massachusetts" or "Cabinet Shop" and you are in the world of the George Junior Republic. Impressive facilities and scale. Money is being poured into it. In the spirit of the former millenium, read a bit of what George Junior is all about>>. It emerges and one is submerged in an almost antique feeling of community and then, you turn the corner and its vanished. But wait, there's more. Around the Corner was a stark, handlettered sign announcing another millenial community, the Temple of Truth, a spiritualist and healing community. I will put images up tomorrow just to show you what's what. It is very odd--lots of small single room, wooden structures clustered together with an odd fountain constructed of brick with an afro spray of water. There was an old 1970s style, brown bus shelter in the middle, off the single lane road that had signs designating qualified/certified healers and spirituals as the only pros that could practice on the grounds. There is a tiny building designated as the gift shop and another tiny building for rest rooms. K. likened the whole feeling and look of the place to a movie she saw on nudist colonies. Succinct. That's our girl. I am imagining a Sunday at 11:30 in the summer with the tiny church filled with seeing and healing, the gift shop rockin and people sitting on the linear benches not looking at each other, but out at the passing parade. Wierd city.. or do I just need to say Free(k)ville? Need to learn more.
One blog entry on Freeville:
There are several communities of Spiritualist mediums in the US. In NY (where I am from) there are two of them, Freeville and Lily Dale. (These are small communities...Freeville is 2 blocks long and 2 blocks wide, with maybe 20 houses, Lily Dale is 8 blocks long and 4 blocks wide with maybe 200 houses.) There are about a dozen mediums who live in Freeville and about 3 dozen in Lily Dale. In addition, there are hundreds of other working mediums who are spread out from one end of NY to the other. Most bigger cities have one or more Spiritualist churches (Buffalo, NYC, Rochester, Syracuse). I know that there are similar set ups in Ohio and Florida. (from beliefnet.com)
From the National Spiritualist Association of Churches the Temple of Truth is affiliated with--their description of what their mission/vision/values are:
NSAC …The object of this Society is to effect a complete organization of the Spiritualists of the United States of America into one general association … for the advancement of those purposes, undertakings and enterprises germane to the study of the phenomena, the promotion of the Science, and the promulgation of the Philosophy and Religion of Spiritualism.
Spiritualism is the Science, Philosophy, and Religion of continuous life, based upon the demonstrated fact of communication, by means of mediumship, with those who live in the Spirit World.
Spiritualism is founded upon a Declaration of Principles, nine in number, received from the Spirit World by means of mediumship. They provide a firm and tangible foundation on which to base the knowledge of Spiritualism.
Here is the history (abbreviated) by the NSAC (http://www.nsac.org/history.htm). Fascinating--that the Fox sisters were first.
Read on, dear readers. This is more "live from the burn-out zone"...
Then on the mundane:to Staples to buy stuff for the Ithaca Art Trail, and get Rob a haircut by the best barbers in Ithaca (Pesco in the Chinese Dollar Store Plaza, next to the Salvation Army Thrift Store).
We are back. I am sorting through the piles in my office to figure out what goes, what stays, what is stored, what is shelved. You get the idea. Working through the pile. Need to call Picture Salon to get some status on my cards. Holiday cards are all printed and boxed (thanks to the sleeves and boxes I got for this sort of thing from Clear Bag>>see list). Lulu book goes out early next week.
Rob put forth an amazing idea for the Betsy and Ted Lewin Book for UH next year. Need to incubate the idea...Its a winner.
Got my diploma in the mail yesterday from SU. I guess I done matriculated. And, it's finally paid for too!
I will upload the pix a little later!
(picture above is of the famous Fox sisters--downloaded from Wiki entry on spiritualism)..
IF: Melancholia: The Blue Demon
This was done during a weeklong project with the esteemed Gary Kelley, recipient of the Hamilton King Award for Illustration, wonderful inspiring man, inquisitive brain and all round terrific person from Iowa. Sigmund Freud was the first person to really put a name to that blue feeling that folks from Ancient Rome forward would talk about, but not capture as a true state. This illo is a portrait of Freud with one of those blue demons curled around his shoulders, speaking in his ear.
Printer antics
Got a handful of good alternatives for the holiday card out last evening. Fell back on a few calligraphic inspired images (which is a nice thing to have in the back pocket) that turned out nicely...Even a multi-lingual "Peace" layout which can be so predictable turned out to be fun...and look good. Got a nice new font, "Jupiter" with a bunch of different variations, small caps, and a few dozen nice ligature sets. So fiddling with that was nice too.
A. ran in another local race. Came in third. He is thrilled with his ability to place. I hope he doesnt push it too much and blow out his knees etc. He is growing so much...I worry. Maybe I should call the doctor and be worried with him...versus imposing on poor A. I am pushing calcium and protein--so we will see.
Working on frames and urns on Memento Mori. R. took a look at them and remarked they looked very Mary Blair. Not intentional...but a compliment nonetheless. The urns are beginning to look a little more finished and almost logo like. Do I want things to tighten up this much? or is that good? For me, its good as long as I manage it. I could put an image like this in front of a client when I need to do logotypes/ or symbols...and I would have never in recent past, presented a hand drawn image for a logo...only cranked up on the computer, totally finished and finalized. I might not have that need now.
The lulu book is going out early next week. I have also made up an 8 panel, accordian folded piece with some of the Memento Mori images that I am stuggling to have the silly epson switch to the roll paper (roll media). If it looks good...there might be some mileage in this format. Now, I need to press erase buttons, pat the top of the printer, turn it on and off, resave the piece and resend it. And then, curiously, it sometimes decides to behave. Urg.
More later