jewels from ebay


Name: Doris Lee
Artist's Date: 1905-1983
Title: Blossom Time (Woodstock)
Medium: serigraph/trimmed margins
Signature Placement: Estate Stamp Verso
Size: 18x24

Name: Doris Lee
Artist's Date: 1905-1983
Title: Bird & Vine
Medium: serigrah
Signature Placement: LR
Size: 17.5x12.5
Reserved: No

Name: Doris Lee
Artist's Date: 1905-1983
Title: Reflections
Date of piece: n. d.
Medium: lithograph
Signature Placement: LR
Size: 21x17
Reserved: No
Condition: good

Name: Doris Lee
Artist's Date: 1905-1983
Title: Poster for Memorial Show at WAAM
Date of piece: 1984
Medium: commercial Lithograph
Signature Placement: Unsigned
Size: 28 x 16-1/2

Name: Doris Lee
Artist's Date: 1905-1983
Title: Fruits & Vegetables
Medium: lithograph
Signature Placement: Unsigned
Size: 17.5x23.5
Reserved: No

Name: Doris Lee
Artist's Date: 1905-1983
Title: Christmas Fruit
Medium: serigraph
Signature Placement: LR
Size: 24.25x30
Reserved: No

Name: Doris Lee
Artist's Date: 1905-1983
Title: River Bathers
Medium: lithograph
Signature Placement: LR
Size: 11x16
Reserved: No

Well, dang. We were talking about Doris Lee and her husband Arnold Blanch so I went to my favorite mall, bookstore and gallery and googled her. There is an auction of prints and originals that I gleaned these images from and wanted to share with you>> I can editorialize forever on this work--her primitive forms, simple color and the twisty twirly line work that gives it a sense of humor and charm. I love how shapey it all is. My next Garden is going to be inspired from these, these very images. This work speaks to me.

Recycled Soup


Sketch above a test for the possible Baker card. I was making this with all of the images reversed out of the colored shapes, but the beagle was missing a bit of snap, so I decided to plunk the line art into the mix (just a minute ago) and we have something going. So, the amalgam of animals that the Baker develops cures/vaccines etc. for range from foxes, llamas, horses, hinnies/donkeys, dogs, cats and mice. So, this approach will allow me to mess with the scale and relationships and give them a card that is counterpoint to last years's dachshund with a bow. Plus, this gives us some images to develop some thank you cards, tote bags etc. So, more today.

Working with the Vin picture. Got something going on...and going to burn through some tissue today.Possibly may not have to get out of town for a meeting. We may do it over the phone which would be great..so I can drill down on the work coming through here. Gotta print the Chokers poster today if the touchy Epson decides to cooperate this morning.

Bruce is coming today for a few days of hanging out, punctuated by the Vintage Car Races at Watkins Glen which the boys adore. Maybe go over to the Pourhouse for sandwiches tonight. Got a big pot of "Recycled Soup"(K's perfect name) with leftover grilled italian sausage, leftover rice pilaf, and about a cup of turkey left over from last night, and a cup of frozen peas. And the team will devour it as we have 3 carpenters, 2 tree men, Amanda and Erich for lunch...so reconfigured leftovers will be delightful.

All the dead stuff is being cut out of the trees. The tall pine tree we have that was struck by lightening is going to be cut in half to see if we can save part of the tree. And there a ton of limbing up from the branches that are over the house. I am going to direct in about 20 minutes before they get going. I am feeling better as the pound of prevention with trees is well worth it with the harsh spring and fall storms, and the ice damage will get in the Winter.

More today.

Remembering Mentors


Last night I woke up and was streaming all sorts of things. I figured out what to do with the Baker Holiday card (excited about it), what to do with the Baker Annual Report next year. I also thought and thought about illustration and just decided (as always) to relax. Just let it happen. What happens in the next month is a single step that will take a year to move and change. Instead of thinking of style...I should reflect on the credo of my college and high school mentor, Arnold Bank around what makes a complete design. He would describe it using the triangle of learning chart (shown above) saying that a design or piece of calligraphy would not be complete unless all of the elements are in balance and complete. One element cannot exist by itself...and form I use as Content as it applies to illustration. You cannot have an illustration without content, design and technique (style). I have got content and am struggling with technique and forgetting the design part. Design is easy, so I should get the tracing pad out and get that resolved--and then see what happens. Don't fight it. Plus, if I take Murray's advice and roll this Garden of Eden idea into the thesis which could be a children's book (16 spreads)--or spreads, spots and page illustration--then its a complete body of work in one hand. Best to focus on that...It's not forever. It's not critical...so maybe a more graphic/flat/ Provensen/ Doris Lee/Arnold Blanch/ Matisse cut paper/ indian miniatures/ egyptian and assiryian art combo. Just need to start designing and thumbnailing. I can get a hook into that.

Plus, lets not forget...decorative illustration doesnt mean it has to be a decoration. It can be sophisticated and elegant in very simple shapes--just flat. Hmmm.

More later. My head hurts with this Palin thing. I am fearing the lovefest tonight on the television. Maybe my head will be in the garden while I watch this stuff.

In a Twist


Doris Lee
Woman in a Garden
20 x 29 7/8 inches
framed: 27 x 36 inches
gouache and watercolor on board

Doris Lee (1905-1983)
Fruit with Bottle Still Life
13 3/4 x 18 3/4 inches, oil on canvas, signed lower left

Doris Lee
American (1905-1983)
Ladies' Luncheon Club
Oil on Canvas
50 1/2 x 20 inches

"Ms. Lee once said of her motive for art making, “What I feel is a sort of violence,” a quotation that was repeated in the press far more than she would have liked. I think this “violence” was simply ambition — lots of it."
from NY Times article by Roberta Smith

Murray talked about Doris Lee and her husband, Arnold Blanch as part of the group of painters/illustrators who were setting the stage for the storybook illustrators such as Alice and Martin Provensen, Mary Blair, Art Seiden, Jan Balet. Murray said that though Arnold Blanch and Doris Lee were lesser known painters of the time, but their circle which included Stuart Davis and Milton Avery which suggests their style and approach. The New York Times in April (2008) had an article that started with almost a warning and evolving to an embrace of Ms. Lee, her work and the show at the D. Wigmore Gallery that showcased many works from her estate.

Look at that palette. Look at these simple compositions. Her figures reference (in this group) Milton Avery and in some cases Morris Hirschfield. Her palette parallels Milton Avery's late work's palette. Look at how she handles the flowers in the composition with the woman. Look at how Arnold Blanch handles the same thing (below) And Arnold's women really are inspired by Picasso. Wow. I am going to explode!

I am spinning. My head is spinning. I am trying to figure out what I am. Topsy Turvey..but with Murray pointing to Doris Lee and the list of artists I need to see...there is something there...but I have this tree to do...and am going somewhere, but down the wrong alley. But, I like Leonard Baskin, Eleanor Ness, Harry Clark and a bunch of line folks too. However, I need to keep going and make some pictures to draw my way out of this one. Heck, I got through the whole mortality thing through 300 drawings about death and mortality. This should be a walk through the garden to partake of the Tree of Knowledge. At least, there is hope.

Arnold Blanch
Two Women

Arnold Blanch

Morris Hirschfield

milestone for a boy


Today A. is 15. It is another perfect day on the lake, cloudless with the water at a temperature that doesnt entirely freeze you to the bone and allows you to float and merge for quite a bit. He had a surprise run with his girl running partner who ran with him from clue to clue to find out that there was ice cream on the end. We are celebrating with a big homemade dinner: flank steak, fresh squash, fresh salsa and chips, and ice cream (in the churn) with raspberries and peaches on the top. I made peach pancakes by the stack...so at least this big boy (now topping his dad at 6'2.5" to his glee)will have an inkling of our love and esteem. There have been presents along with a drive with our neighbor in her amazing, big, mercedes (his idea of heaven) with a little roadtime at 90 mph. Yikes!

It seems like a wink of an eye since we were presented with this 21". 5 lb. 11 oz. commander--and he is as sweet and dear as day one. When you are a kid, birthdays are all about you. As you get a bit of life behind you, birthdays are days to celebrate births, entries, and memories of those people whose birthdays are being remembered. The presents of stuffed animals with funny names (SueBear and Simkin), the ice cream truck ambling down our alley with all the ice cream all the children (and parents) could eat, the games and goodie bags and my playing the fish...all stand out.

What is the fish? you ask? Well, this is a carryover from my childhood. The fish only comes on birthdays--and comes in through the basement, so you never see him. The children (with the other parent) file one by one into the hallway where the laundry chute is. They stand on a stool and let down a "fishing line" (read rope with a sock attached). The children talk to the fish and ask for a present which the fish (read all the spaghetti pots in the house filled with water along with a big pan of water and and a glass) gargle and splash and give a small trinket, toy or candy with a big tug...an expressive tug, to reinforce that this baby was real. And man, did they buy it...until about second grade...but we really had em going. And the fish ONLY came to our parties. Nice to have that sort of exclusivity. Do you think he would buy that tonight? If the fish put $20 bills in the sock, would they pretend to believe? Maybe like Santa, they might, just one more time to let the old girl get her kicks, but somehow, I doubt it.

The birthday celebration is morphing to Wednesday dinner with his grandparents and a bigger to do with both boys and girls HS XC teams. So lasagne for 50 is in order for this mom...and ultimate frisbee. I think I better check to see if we even have one. Make note, One frisbee.

Internet Piracy abounds. We found number one pirate standing on the property line again..and the absolute boldness as she asked us why the internet wasn't working (pulled the plug, right then and there) and R. made some odd statement about the connection being portable and how it has to go with the computer as we breezed down the driveway. She made a pouting moue, expecting us in her totally entitled way to jump out of the wonderbus and jiggle some cords to let her get her connection. No way. If there had been more sharing and less of our giving and their taking as much as they could, I might be a bit nicer--but this is something they can buy too. After all, they have such grand titles and are such important people. "Did you know", she asked me, "that you can use the internet to do research." No?! Imagine. If only I could read...!(they are always surprised when I mention a book or a publication because only special people are allowed that skill in the very refined academic world they inhabit.") Now, honey...where did I put that baseball bat?

I know, I know...that isn't very charitable or nice. But hey. I am just doing them a favor...after all today is labor day. Why work?!

Enough. Off to the Garden of Eden and then a bit more swimming before the great cooking of the birthday feast.

Jim O'Brien at the Republican National Convention

From his email:

Hey everyone,
The Republican Convention is happening in my backyard (I'm a short walk from downtown) so I'm documenting the local neighborhood transition during this historic event (or annoyance depending on your point of view).

The clampdown has begun. There is a red zone inaccessible by pedestrians close to the Excel Arena and a Yellow zone that we can wander through (as long as we are willing to id ourselves if asked, not be on bikes, and what-have-you).

CNN has taken over a couple of local bars, Budweiser nabbed another. My Starbucks in open from 4am to Midnight (I'm there!). Metal gates and fences galore (is this a great country or what!).

Big clampdowns on protesters, see here (http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/30/rnc.protest/index.html) and here (http://tc.indymedia.org/).

I proposed a blog to NYTimes about this but the editor said they had already shot their budget but she was interested. So I'm working on spec a bit, still just interested in documenting this for myself.

Check him out>>

I love Jim's perspective on everything and his sharp eyes on the Republicans should be the right kind of news, from my perch. Thank you, Jim for giving us a good lens on this world.

A perfect day in the sun


Our terrific neighbor took K and A to learn or attempt to waterski in his cute little boat. It was a good start. K said that she thought she at least "got the feeling" which is great. Lots of fumbling and tumbling.

We had a lovely afternoon at Wells College yesterday really surprised and delighted by the scale and beauty of the campus, the science building (posh seating areas, cool specimens on display, big and clean labs). We toured Main Street and bought some vintage costume jewelry at the Antique stop in town. And our great excitement, we visited the new and not so eccentric MacKenzie Childs. K and I went on a photoshoot...and I will post the images. Pleasant Rowland drew out all of the eccentricity--so the shop is very elegant and high end department store in feel. More later on that.

More later>>

Bizzy Buzz Buzz




The bees (above) were photographed at the lovely farm wedding we attended a few weekends past. I was charmed with the hive surrounded by queen anne's lace and grasses along with the actual bees--flying towards their home, ignoring us and happy to amongst themselves. I am a bee lover from way back...I love the way they look, the simplicity of keeping bees, and the symbolic aspect of bees. Napoleon represented himself with a bee as did royals. The bee is used by the mormons as a representative of their productivity and community with one of Brigham Young's houses called the Beehive. A member of the Freemasons in Mill Valley wrote a wonderful paper on bees and what they mean here>> Dig this:
"...the emblem of the bee hive is found in an Irish expose called The Early Masonic Catechisms printed in 1724:

"A bee has in all Ages and Nations been the Grand Hierogliphick of Masonry, because it excells all other living Creatures in the Contrivance and Commodiousness of its Habitation or combe; … nay Masonry or Building seems to be of the very Essence or Nature of the Bee, for her Building not the ordinary Way of all other living Creatures, is the Generative Cause which produces the Young ones. (you know I suppose that Bees are of Neither Sex.)

For this Reason the Kings of France both Pagans and Christians, always Eminent Free-Masons, carried three Bees for their Arms.

What Modern Masons call a Lodge was for the above Reasons by Antiquity call'd a HIVE of Free-Masons, and for the same Reasons when a Dissention happens in a Lodge the going off and forming another Lodge is to this Day call'd SWARMING. (wording and spelling of 1724)" (Roberts, The Craft and Its Symbols, p. 73)

I was at our local Farmers Market and found the Bee man, Mr. Waid from Interlaken who had big beeswax pillar candles and bee pollen for sale. Of course, I had to buy it...and spent some time talking bees with him. He and his wife told me that they rent their bees to farmers for $70. Mr. Waid puts them in his truck (?moving the hive?) and takes them gently down the road. Unloads them and allows them to help pollinate the farmer's field and then, brings them back to his place. Then they exolled the virtues and values of bee pollen when you ingest it...preventing or mollifying allergens in the air. Local pollen and honey> Local bees> Local environment that we are part of . Nice understandable cycle that makes sense to me. Anything to reduce the need for seldane or any of the other magic drugs that are almost necessary on the shoulder seasons.

So, bees are deep, cool and beautiful. Hold that thought for some pictures.

I am very pleased to have gotten 12 pieces out to the Society of Illustrators LA show yesterday. It takes a bit of time to get the files all right and tight. I had a nice chat with Alice from SILA who was helpful in explaining work arounds in getting the files to them for the show. Its a bit hinky with their new tool, but the thought and intent is good. It will be better, I am sure, next year. But hey you guys, if you are entering, the last day is September 19th....and we should know who is in, and who isn't by Thanksgiving! SOI NYC is coming up too, so the SILA prep will get you ready for the New York show.

Murray pulled me out of the mud yesterday...pointing, nudging and guiding. He was talking about the topic of Adam and Eve/Garden of Eden saying that this here was something to get my teeth into. He thought the monkeys needed a rest. He suggested I look at Today's Inspiration for the new writing and images of Jan Balet.


Jan Balet from Today's Inspiration
Also to read up on Doris Lee, her husband Arnold Blanch, Milton Avery and others who really set the stage for some of the storybookartists such as the Provensens. There is a lovely exhibit of Doris Lee's work at the D. Wigmore Fine Art site>> Okay, Murray--I am beginning to see it...

Doris Lee (1905-1983)
Woman in a Garden
20 x 29 7/8 inches, gouache and watercolor on board, signed lower right

I got off the phone feeling the rock off my shoulders and fired up to learn about these artists and two, to get going on some pictures to do with the Garden Story. I am shifting gears and will present this as a slick cover for a children's religious magazine..or myths and legends thing. Murray suggested (as I will chase this for my thesis) that this become a children's book. As usual, I was negative, but after a night's sleep and a bit of thinking...this is probably a good idea. I think I do not worry about making is super sweet...just in doing a bang up job. Maybe R. can help me with the simplifying of the story. This is great. Simply great. I can draw this stuff for a year, no problem.

We also talked about drawing and the computer. My thinking is that the computer freezes an illustrator because making perfect curves and flat shapes has a draw for an artist as the appeal for perfect is alluring. I have been sucked in by this. However in losing the drawn line, the quirkiness of the hand of the illustrator, the errors and wobbles, the life is gone from the drawing and becomes perfect shapes, logotypes without a soul. I think if I can come up with a working method paralleling the Ron Mazellen approach, where the computer helps to refine, becomes a method of hastening the mid steps and becoming invisable in the final product this shold be my goal. I know in the vector approach I started at Syracuse, there is the intent to have the work look like screenprints and actually reduced the process down to working in vectors and the pathfinder tools to hasten the process along. Only flat color (like screen prints) reduced palette (the now thinking) and shape reduction...breaking it out like circus posters or prints...that the imprint of the computer was diminished. Now the challenge is to do the same with the hand drawn image. I think there are some tricks here....

Gotta go. Like I said the other day, there may be a trip to Aurora today! I'll take my picture machine! More later.

Boat Trip!


Aurora by boat is the way to go. The new public dock for the Aurora was beautiful...with a path going from the dock to the top of the hill, overlooking two gardens, one more wonderful than the next. We had an absolutely delicious dinner at the Fargo, across the street from the Aurora Inn. The Fargo is totally cute with my favorite, big red woodtype signs (historic) extolling the local baseball team and some other activity Aurora boasted of in the past. Total class. And, the food was great...with terrific soups (which I agree with my friend Maura, are unbeatable), great sandwiches and burgers an a price tag that didn't sting at all. Plus, the sheer perfection of the "new and improved" Aurora beckoned. "New and improved" are the amazing improvements funded, directed and inspired by Pleasant Rowland, creator of the American Girl Doll, and a Wells College Alumnae. Pleasant, upon her sale of American Girl to Mattel, turned her attention to Aurora, a sleepy, slightly shabby town (with jewel potential as Pleasant understood), home of her college and home to MacKenzie Childs, a boutique, eccentric tabletop/lifestyle company she purchased from the original owners in a hostile (or so it is said) take over.Ms Rowland took what she knew of telling stories, creating dreams and building a business around it (remember American Girl Dolls? Remember American Girl Place? Remember the American Girl Revue?)--with panache and a great deal of taste and focused it on this little gem of a town. Around 5 years later--the town has been transformed---with many of the locals kicking and screaming. Ms. Rowland should have been extolled for her gift to Aurora, to Wells and frankly to the rest of us in the Ithaca Area in giving us a lovely place to visit, to shop, to while away a summer evening. Prior to her work, the town didnt even have a dock. Now, there even is a cute florist, an ice cream store, a kids toy store, a wine store, a few clothing and gift stores and the jewel in the crown is the Aurora Inn. No, I am not being paid by the Chamber of Commerce...I am just enthused (as always) by a project or a concept that is done right. No compromise. Right and dead on. And Ms. Rowland's efforts personify that.It's a shame that she is no longer engaged in Aurora and MacKenzie Childs as her level of expectation, excellence and clear vision could drive more innovation and design in this little place on Cayuga Lake (and Ithaca/Tburg too!)

Maybe this weekend we will take another spin over for the fun!

Flaming Swords


Cooler night, cooler day. Saw the swan constellation last night. The sisters showed it to K and she showed it to me. Roof work continues. Small bathroom painted. Lots of hands on board today. Lots of lunch to provide.

A man just walked off the street, in the front door without knocking, and handed me his business card for washing windows. Huh.

A. has a swollen ankle, so he is training on his bike. He was fearing a huge uphill ride, essentially the Rim Trail of Taughannock Park which will burn. But, we'll see.

K has more reading.

I need to get to the Society of Illustrators LA show entries, 2 Christmas cards, more on the Glittering Tradition (refinements), a logo for 2300 degrees at 2300 hours, and two more related holiday designs. I am off the hook with the Tsunami project. I think my nice (not mean, really!) bullet pointed note about what we needed to do to get this job done may have moved it. And, the really nice thing is that I am still on their dancecard for other opportunities. So, I am very relieved as Project Atlas is moving forward with their own deadlines and expectations.

Thinking about The Garden of Eden. Another treasure trove of content...and reference beyond the elegant Bible story. A lot of artists have been inspired by it...so what's one more? I mean, hey, the garden sports beautiful trees, the most spectacular being the TREE of LIFE? from which that fruit, the apple (representing knowledge) grew. HUGE. This is big. Wiki says:

In the Garden of Eden story of the Biblical book of Genesis (Gen 2:4-3:26), God molds Adam from the dust of the Earth, then forms Eve from Adam's "side" (rib in the King James Version), and places them both in the garden, eastward in Eden. "Male and female he created them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, ... " (Genesis 5:2) It may be allegorical, in as much as "Adam" may be a general term, like "Man" and refers to the whole of humankind.

God charges Adam to tend the garden in which they live, and specifically commands Adam not to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Eve is quizzed by the serpent why she avoids eating off this tree. In the dialogue between the two, Eve elaborates on the commandment not to eat of its fruit. She says that even if she touches the tree she will die. The serpent responds that she will not die, rather she would become like a god, knowing good and evil and persuades Eve to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil then Adam eats from it too. Then they become aware. God finds them, confronts them, and judges them for disobeying; it is also widely believed that the snake was the devil in disguise.

It is at this point that 'God expels them from Eden', to keep Adam and Eve from partaking of the Tree of Life. The story says that God placed cherubim with an omnidirectional "flaming sword" to guard against any future entrance into the garden.

In the account, the garden is planted "eastward, in Eden," and accordingly "Eden" properly denotes the larger territory which contains the garden, rather than being the name of the garden itself: it is, thus, the garden located in Eden. The Talmud also states (Brachos 34b) that the Garden is distinct from Eden.

Did I hear right? Omnidirectional Flaming Swords?

Need to pick up A.

Later

The Garden


Crazy day--not worth getting into the details, but really crazy on the family front. We had a ton of roofing materials and sheet rock delivered for the next phase of finishing up projects happens. R. is here, focusing, talking, engaged and interested in all the doings--so work is closing at a great rate and change is happening as well. Visible change not like electric or plumbing work, but change in the way we will live and inhabit, interface and address this big house. Our boy is training hard for XC and I am on the hook for a teeshirt for the TBXC Deadman's Mile (a race the High Schoolers do through our older cemetery). Another use for the every productive Memento Mori drawings!!
K. is studying and reading. Its hard for her...and she is feeling very pushed...which is hard on all of us.

I woke up early and solved the world's problems or at least came up with some approaches to some work I have on the table. I was also thinking about my thesis a bit and got very excited about the Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden story. I had initially thought that I would use the concept of Visions of Paradise as an content piece for my thesis but the more I peeled away at just the Garden of Eden, the more excited I got about this. Perfection and fall from it. The temptation, the guile and gullibility,the state of grace and transition from simple beings to those in possession of knowledge. The symbols, the animals, the plants and the tree...Plenty there. And there is plenty written about it. Remember Joni Mitchell, "and we have to get ourselves back to the garden" almost as the place we return to upon our physical death. Interesting. And, I havent even gotten going.

Have to go. Its late. Tomorrow.

bright and early


Rained all night with lots of electricity and lightning. We swam in the late afternoon and was attempting another shot around 8 and with the flickering white and sometimes yellow sky, we got out knowing the minute we decided to stay, we would be electrified. It was a nice attempt, though. I have a ton of food to take to the team chez Camp for lunches this week. I have a little personal goal to try to get lunchmeat out of the central position for the team, which means making bigger portions of the family stuff and serving it up for lunch. The other food goal is to try to eat close to the source--taking carbon and big farming out of the mix. In addition to that, I would like to strip out the layers of processed anything, and work only with fresh or frozen--bags of rice etc. Will take a bit more labor, but we will know what we eat...fully. Its better from a health standpoint and from a worry standpoint. Plus, with teenagers, its good training for the rest of their lives. Or at least I think so.

In the Wonderbus, ready for the trek: I have the wonderful gazpacho I made which I plan to extend a bit and the Camp House Soup (a basic tomato based soup with pasta, beans, zucchini...that evolves as our leftovers do. Just added finely cut steamed green beans.May add some hominy. Cans and leftovers...and the gang eats it all up!) Also a big plate of cut up fruit. Should so it.

Today, its work with a nice business lunch for me. I will need to redo Ornamentapalooza ...which is okay as I showed the John Alcorn silhouttes to the client, and they loved it...style wise that is. It will be mine, but the blocking of the shapes, the "packing the suitcase" design and the wit of the negative and positives will be inspired by the man of the moment, John Alcorn.

R has the week off to review the site, work with the team. K needs to read a big book she hasn't cracked. And A has training at Taughannock. I do not have the week off...but maybe we will knock off early on Friday just because. Maybe.

The alarm is ringing for A. Need to hop>>