Into the Mystic

Mixed media: watercolor and acrylic

On days when I feel seriously disgusted with the state of civilization (usually after really bad political days on the internet), I find myself going to Bad Astronomy. There's something about peering into the vastness of space and contemplating its mysteries and beauty that, well, tends to put things into perspective.

And now, there's the reboot of Cosmos. I grew up with Carl Sagan's Cosmos, but that was so long ago that I remember very little except the sense of wonder. Mr. B and I just watched the first episode of the new series tonight and I was lost in wonder of this amazing world and the universe we inhabit.

There's this part of me that will always be about twelve years old (and actually a boy), giggling about fart jokes and pulp fiction covers and artistic representations of naughty bits. And then there's this part of me that looks across at the stars at night and finds inspiration in nature and quiet, soft things. I don't know how to reconcile the two. I can barely get the two parts to talk to each other, let alone figure out how to marry my different parts together. But looking out at the rest of the universe, it doesn't seem like a big deal.

Hubble Telescope Image: The Pillars of Creation

Pulp Fiction

While fighting my creative block, I thought I'd share more of the things that inspire and inform my creativity. It's not all pretty art/illustration and sweetness and light.

I have a Thing about horrendous pulp fiction covers from the 50s, 60s, and 70s - vintage smut! The quality of the art ranges from the sublime to the what-the-hell-am-I-looking-at, and is almost always unintentionally amusing. For example, this jewel:

I came across this cover illustration while voraciously reading the archives of Pop Sensation. I can't tell you how many times I laughed until my sides hurt. Rex Parker, the fine and twisted mind behind the blog, has one of the most fabulous collections of pulp fiction art on the web, along with hilarious, knowledgeable commentary.

Years ago, I had a pulp novel that I swiped from my grandmother's house. Vintage smut of the first water. After quite a lot of giggling, I loaned it to a friend. Her mother came across it, and into the fireplace it went. I was branded a "bad influence" and that was the end of that. Until, many years later, when I started my own collection of vintage pulp.

Sadly, I can't remember anything about that particular book other than a few key details. It was about a private dick (tee-hee, "dick") who went around quaffing cognac and gettin' it on with the ladies. Which included a pair of redheaded twins (maybe blondes?). I remember that the cover art was bad bad BAD, explicit and awesome.

The whole experience taught me that art and sexuality are powerful things, especially when combined. Especially when they make you laugh and feel slightly shocked at the same time.

Enchanting Animation

This makes me happy in so many ways.

Sharing Inspiration: Carl Larsson

Carl and Karin Larsson are high among my favorite artists and great personal inspirations. Long before the latest incarnation of the crafty life, they were living it to the fullest. While Carl's gorgeous paintings brought in the income, Karin not only painted, she was also an amazing textile artist and weaver. Some of her textiles were lightyears ahead of their time. In many ways, their entire lifestyle was incredibly modern - at a time when interior design tended towards the heavily ornate and visually cluttered, the Larsson's home was light and uncluttered. It was charmingly decorated with hand-crafted furnishings and marvelous little details, while retaining a visually clean look.

Reading Larsson's books "A Home" and "A Family" reminds me (now) of reading a wonderful art/craft blog, if that's not too irreverent. Carl's favorite subject for painting was his home and family, pursuing all the sweet activities that we crafty types like - picnics, parties, art activities, playing dress-up. Karin made all her own clothes, and she was also a fashion rebel: one of the pioneers of aesthetic dress. In all the pictures Carl painted of her, she always wears simple, beautiful, flowing dresses, and this at a time when women were expected to be heavily corseted and follow the trends towards ornate clothing.

The Larssons are often credited with being the creators of the Swedish style. I think that all you really have to do to "get that" is to look through a book or two of Larsson's paintings and then visit IKEA.