you know how it is. once you get an idea, a thought, a song, a word in your head, you notice it everywhere. home. home. home... i've been meditating on the concept of home lately. having recently finished "Swann's way", i am now, part owner, by proxy, of this redolent, glittering concept of home which has seeped, indirectly and acutely into our nostalgia. into our romantic idioms about 'home'.
'home' is not the place where one lives now, but, rather an elusive non-place that
represents moments of comfort and innocence which were lived without perspective, and have gathered sentimental value with their distance in time....
that non-place that one can only reach by a sight from the corner of the eye; nearly missed, a scent, a coincidental combination of sensory elements, experienced in just the moment that you were not looking....
pearls and lockets, with their storied perfumes that tell your secrets about sneaking into grandma's jewelry box as a child...wet grass that holds your first kiss forever in the blushing tenderness and confusion of a spot of dappled sun light, a taste that, in the instant it submits to the tongue, reveals the emotional tenor of your childhood....
i'm reading Lolita now. again. is it possible that there is a note, no..not a note, an imperative, a burning, glowing need for home in every story?
i am reading it for the third time. second in a row just now. in my home-centric frame of mind, it seems that H.H is deeply, intrinsically driven by a search for an elusive feeling of home. Nabakov cursorily notes H.H.'s loss of home and family as a young child as a prelude of sorts, to his mad, obscene, dear love for this child. they travel, homeless... through the innocent, provincial small towns by way of escape and respite, both. i admit to crying, both times, as i read in the last pages, the scorching moment when H.H. realizes that 'what was missing was not Lolita's presence by (his) side, but, the sound of her voice among the rising voices of the children at play' ( not quoted...just kind of clumsily remembered....please read or re-read this book..)
i sometimes wonder about what i do...i wonder at the self indulgence of art. and then i am reminded by these beautifully crafted odes to longing....that i do what i do, because doing it is home to me. and in a perfect world, something that i add to the collective pile of stuff in the world might exist in a brief second as a talisman or a catalyst to a memory of home for someone else.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Monday, October 11, 2010
We Love Idle Hands Dry Goods, Bandit Brands and Jen!
Jen McMillan, owner of Idle Hands Dry Goods and Bandit Brand T-shirts, and local philanthropist ( more on this later ) introduced herself to us in the cutest way possible.
Christa Martin, fashionista, beauty blogger and cultural arts reporter for the SC Goodtimes wrote a wonderful piece about BlankVerse in the January 28th edition of the Good Times. Jane and i were able to choose our own photographer for the piece ( Kevin Onorato ), and Missy Shnapps, a long time friend of Jane's and a stylist and fashion icon in her own right, helped us by styling for the photo shoot...our first ever
( well, my first for sure..more on this later..)
within the week, we got several calls and e-mails about our work. the most exciting response for me was an e-mailed note from a local, young woman. she said that she had seen our article. she praised our work, and said that, after seeing Jane in a Metallica t-shirt that Missy had cut and tied into a tube-top, she had to meet us....
( how can you not fall in love with a lady that writes that in a note to strangers?)
Jen has been our friend, muse and inspiration ever since.
Jen, the beautiful and magnanimous owner of this store has created a co-op that encourages and supports several other businesses. she has mentored her employees in a way that has allowed them to soak up her business savvy as well as her impeccable style. her generosity seems truly limitless. Jen's presence in this sometimes needlessly competitive town, makes everything seem right again.
plus, did i mention that she's smart, sweet, funny, stylish and cute as hell?
last Friday, we had a second trunk show at her amazing store, Idle Hands in down town Santa Cruz. Idle hands is not only haven for local artists, a wonderland of awesomely cool t-shirts and accessories, but also a community hub in which strangers are encouraged to unleash their brilliant,( sometimes unexpected ) talent on a piano that sits in the open door way..... and the worn wooden floors are lined with vintage cowboy boots, as if we had all just taken them off and settled in to absorb the comfort and absolution of our own home.....
Jen hosts a First Friday event most First Fridays of the month. she features local designers and serves up delicious treats, often accompanied by a surprise guest on the piano or lap steel guitar.
for more reasons to adore this amazing chick, and her wares, check out the Idle Hands Dry Goods or Bandit Brands websites.
Christa Martin, fashionista, beauty blogger and cultural arts reporter for the SC Goodtimes wrote a wonderful piece about BlankVerse in the January 28th edition of the Good Times. Jane and i were able to choose our own photographer for the piece ( Kevin Onorato ), and Missy Shnapps, a long time friend of Jane's and a stylist and fashion icon in her own right, helped us by styling for the photo shoot...our first ever
( well, my first for sure..more on this later..)
within the week, we got several calls and e-mails about our work. the most exciting response for me was an e-mailed note from a local, young woman. she said that she had seen our article. she praised our work, and said that, after seeing Jane in a Metallica t-shirt that Missy had cut and tied into a tube-top, she had to meet us....
( how can you not fall in love with a lady that writes that in a note to strangers?)
Jen has been our friend, muse and inspiration ever since.
Jen, the beautiful and magnanimous owner of this store has created a co-op that encourages and supports several other businesses. she has mentored her employees in a way that has allowed them to soak up her business savvy as well as her impeccable style. her generosity seems truly limitless. Jen's presence in this sometimes needlessly competitive town, makes everything seem right again.
plus, did i mention that she's smart, sweet, funny, stylish and cute as hell?
last Friday, we had a second trunk show at her amazing store, Idle Hands in down town Santa Cruz. Idle hands is not only haven for local artists, a wonderland of awesomely cool t-shirts and accessories, but also a community hub in which strangers are encouraged to unleash their brilliant,( sometimes unexpected ) talent on a piano that sits in the open door way..... and the worn wooden floors are lined with vintage cowboy boots, as if we had all just taken them off and settled in to absorb the comfort and absolution of our own home.....
Jen hosts a First Friday event most First Fridays of the month. she features local designers and serves up delicious treats, often accompanied by a surprise guest on the piano or lap steel guitar.
for more reasons to adore this amazing chick, and her wares, check out the Idle Hands Dry Goods or Bandit Brands websites.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
the problem with Proust....
...to begin with, i was always a reader. mostly before college, of course.
actually, between elementary school and the time i dropped out of high school. and then, while i dragged myself through 10 colleges over the next several years, these beautiful books were a thread, leading back to my real self. and still....
in elementary school, i read all of the Greek myths. obsessively. and, of course, fairy tales, Grimms brothers, Arabian Nights, anything that had a weight to it, a big binding and the smell of old paper. I often stumbled upon paper backs at the thrift shop and read them, only later realizing that they were classics. before i reached middle school, i read Atlas Shrugged, Siddartha, Trout Fishing in America, Notes from the Underground, the Tao Te Ching, the Tropic of Cancer...basically anything that came my way.
college, work, kids, life....somehow so many natural passions get rubbed out along the way through. maybe it's just the those things that are so dear. the part of one's soul that can be taken for granted, the easy self that gives way quickly to demands of daily chores....?
anyway, what i'm actually writing about is Proust, and my current lack of...well...words.
BlankVerse. we named our company after a poetry term because Jane and i are both crazy about poetry. originally, we spent many nights curled up in Jane's cozy bed, reading each other's poems out loud. we haven't done that since we became such serious business gals ( hmmmmm), but we do still spend time reading out loud in the studio when ever we come upon a piece of writing that we are inspired by.
lately, for me ( when we're not listening to Twighlight on cd ) it is Proust.
and....
the problem with Proust is....well, the problem is that there's nothing else to add.
and....there's nothing i would rather do than sit in my bed and read Swann's Way all day. ( well, unless someone wants to read it to me...in french...)
i find so much inspiration in these rich, tangled, run-on pages, so full of every thing human, that when i sit down to write, i feel just dull. not self effacing, but rather, spent. and also a little bit loopy with admiration and love for this long dead guy that summed up all of life with intense, brilliant insight, from inside his solitary room.
actually, between elementary school and the time i dropped out of high school. and then, while i dragged myself through 10 colleges over the next several years, these beautiful books were a thread, leading back to my real self. and still....
in elementary school, i read all of the Greek myths. obsessively. and, of course, fairy tales, Grimms brothers, Arabian Nights, anything that had a weight to it, a big binding and the smell of old paper. I often stumbled upon paper backs at the thrift shop and read them, only later realizing that they were classics. before i reached middle school, i read Atlas Shrugged, Siddartha, Trout Fishing in America, Notes from the Underground, the Tao Te Ching, the Tropic of Cancer...basically anything that came my way.
college, work, kids, life....somehow so many natural passions get rubbed out along the way through. maybe it's just the those things that are so dear. the part of one's soul that can be taken for granted, the easy self that gives way quickly to demands of daily chores....?
anyway, what i'm actually writing about is Proust, and my current lack of...well...words.
BlankVerse. we named our company after a poetry term because Jane and i are both crazy about poetry. originally, we spent many nights curled up in Jane's cozy bed, reading each other's poems out loud. we haven't done that since we became such serious business gals ( hmmmmm), but we do still spend time reading out loud in the studio when ever we come upon a piece of writing that we are inspired by.
lately, for me ( when we're not listening to Twighlight on cd ) it is Proust.
and....
the problem with Proust is....well, the problem is that there's nothing else to add.
and....there's nothing i would rather do than sit in my bed and read Swann's Way all day. ( well, unless someone wants to read it to me...in french...)
i find so much inspiration in these rich, tangled, run-on pages, so full of every thing human, that when i sit down to write, i feel just dull. not self effacing, but rather, spent. and also a little bit loopy with admiration and love for this long dead guy that summed up all of life with intense, brilliant insight, from inside his solitary room.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Ceremonies...
" i don't mind going to weddings ...as long as they're not my own.." Tom Waits
our latest assignment: to create a collection inspired by weddings.
hmmmmmm..a wedding collection. weddings.....
we love white. yep. we love traditions. yep. weddings are cool....
but.... how can we take a word like that and make it into a piece of art? what are weddings? what's the deeper meaning? why do people get married? people everywhere, for all times have had weddings...
after some thought, Jane got to the bottom of it. weddings are ceremonies. weddings are ceremonies.....and ceremonies are universal. and there is an innate connection between people and ceremonies and culture. and the objects and adornments of these ceremonies belong to a very special category of things....things that hold substantial significance because of a deeper, intrinsic, historical, cultural and personal symbolism.
stepping back....viewing ( as we did )many pictures of ceremonial jewelry, de-contextualized by our distance, both in geography and in understanding, it became clear to me that no matter what the occasion, people bring out their rockin'est shit for ceremonies.
there is so much beauty in the wonderful, archaic, reverential treatment of symbols.
and, for me, there is equal beauty in the ornaments themselves, which, without even understanding their intent, can still be seen to carry the burden of meaning. maybe the weight of extravagance itself can imply meaning..?
a long, elaborate white dress? 100's of colorful strands of beads? body paint? veils and flowers?
we are inspired.
our latest assignment: to create a collection inspired by weddings.
hmmmmmm..a wedding collection. weddings.....
we love white. yep. we love traditions. yep. weddings are cool....
but.... how can we take a word like that and make it into a piece of art? what are weddings? what's the deeper meaning? why do people get married? people everywhere, for all times have had weddings...
after some thought, Jane got to the bottom of it. weddings are ceremonies. weddings are ceremonies.....and ceremonies are universal. and there is an innate connection between people and ceremonies and culture. and the objects and adornments of these ceremonies belong to a very special category of things....things that hold substantial significance because of a deeper, intrinsic, historical, cultural and personal symbolism.
stepping back....viewing ( as we did )many pictures of ceremonial jewelry, de-contextualized by our distance, both in geography and in understanding, it became clear to me that no matter what the occasion, people bring out their rockin'est shit for ceremonies.
there is so much beauty in the wonderful, archaic, reverential treatment of symbols.
and, for me, there is equal beauty in the ornaments themselves, which, without even understanding their intent, can still be seen to carry the burden of meaning. maybe the weight of extravagance itself can imply meaning..?
a long, elaborate white dress? 100's of colorful strands of beads? body paint? veils and flowers?
we are inspired.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Saturday, August 28, 2010
...to be...
after a break. after eating 100 popsicles and drinking a case of light beer with my sibs, i'm home. ready to plan something for BlankVerse.
just not sure what.
dear friends have been asking. "what are you up to now?" and "what's next for your business?"
and loquacious me, anecdotal me, the talker even when there's nothing to say-me, stammers and i blush. um, i'm not sure. and then some unclear mumbling...
Jane and i had a meeting last Tuesday. we sat down with all of our summer stories stored up and all of our unknowns and ideas...
Jane's clarity never ceases to amaze me.
she offers such space and elegance for us to move about in.
to our mutual question: "what are we up to, and what's next?" Jane suggested that we get back to what we are, and why we started BV in the first place.
she says "we will walk on the railroad tracks at twilight with antique champagne glasses, spilling prosecco on our shoes...we will look for inspiration in our friendship, in elaborate dinners, in museums, in proust, in teen-age vampire
stories,( more on that later..),in playing dress-up, in the beauty of our peers and our ancestors.."
we will take time to breathe. to embrace life's wonders. we will cull inspiration from our desires and dreams.
and we will continue to work. we will continue to put our heart into our job.
we will savor the art of making what we love, and loving what we make.... and remembering why we do it.
just not sure what.
dear friends have been asking. "what are you up to now?" and "what's next for your business?"
and loquacious me, anecdotal me, the talker even when there's nothing to say-me, stammers and i blush. um, i'm not sure. and then some unclear mumbling...
Jane and i had a meeting last Tuesday. we sat down with all of our summer stories stored up and all of our unknowns and ideas...
Jane's clarity never ceases to amaze me.
she offers such space and elegance for us to move about in.
to our mutual question: "what are we up to, and what's next?" Jane suggested that we get back to what we are, and why we started BV in the first place.
she says "we will walk on the railroad tracks at twilight with antique champagne glasses, spilling prosecco on our shoes...we will look for inspiration in our friendship, in elaborate dinners, in museums, in proust, in teen-age vampire
stories,( more on that later..),in playing dress-up, in the beauty of our peers and our ancestors.."
we will take time to breathe. to embrace life's wonders. we will cull inspiration from our desires and dreams.
and we will continue to work. we will continue to put our heart into our job.
we will savor the art of making what we love, and loving what we make.... and remembering why we do it.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Sunday, July 18, 2010
ever since the moment that i saw an array of male stars, posing for oscar pics; open shirts, gorgeous, chunky necklaces adorning their bare chests, i have been mentally accessorizing every man that i see....
leather, silver, chain, emblems, totems, charms.....
necklaces can be personal talismans for the unadorned sex.
a tattoo, a love letter, a symbol.....for luck, for love, for identity...
leather, silver, chain, emblems, totems, charms.....
necklaces can be personal talismans for the unadorned sex.
a tattoo, a love letter, a symbol.....for luck, for love, for identity...
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Line Quality....
i have been wanting to write a post about lines for a while now. i always find so much inspiration in the natural beauty around my house, and i was recently struck by the variety of shapes and lines as i jogged on the dirt road that leads to my house.
the grasses are long and dry now, supporting variegated, tear-drop shaped seeds that turn purple and brown as they age & there are thistles that flowered last year, crippled and black & twisted. thick, old redwood trees with inches of rough bark & madrone trees that look almost slippery beneath their delicately peeling skin. sickly berry vines crawl along underneath...tiny splinters covering their lanky strands. it is so tangled and wild in some places, that a heart shaped leaf or a dandelion puff offer a visual respite, like a full moon in a chinese painting.
i want our jewelry to reflect this variety. i want to draw with strands and wire and dandelion-round pearls. wispy antique rosary beads, next to shiny blue glass, tiny charms and wild strips of deep brown leather...
the grasses are long and dry now, supporting variegated, tear-drop shaped seeds that turn purple and brown as they age & there are thistles that flowered last year, crippled and black & twisted. thick, old redwood trees with inches of rough bark & madrone trees that look almost slippery beneath their delicately peeling skin. sickly berry vines crawl along underneath...tiny splinters covering their lanky strands. it is so tangled and wild in some places, that a heart shaped leaf or a dandelion puff offer a visual respite, like a full moon in a chinese painting.
i want our jewelry to reflect this variety. i want to draw with strands and wire and dandelion-round pearls. wispy antique rosary beads, next to shiny blue glass, tiny charms and wild strips of deep brown leather...
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Thank You!
Dear Friends of BlankVerse,
our anniversary-trunk sale was a happy success!
thanks to all of our adorable and loving friends that came to see us!
thank you all so much for really making a point of supporting our business in such a sweet way!
we nearly sold out! this was one of our fantasy goals ( please say a loud wooo hooo for BV! )
Sara, thank you so much for hosting another girlfriend sale at your beautiful home!
Alice, thank you for the beautiful, handmade clock!
Missy and Jill, thank you for always showing up, splurging and looking so beautiful in everything we make!
Jane and i are always in a state of gratitude that our amazing, talented, beautiful
friends are also so incredibly supportive and enthusiastic about our endeavours! thank you all or being so inspiring!
a big squeeze and swak to everyone!
with love and admiration,
laamie
our anniversary-trunk sale was a happy success!
thanks to all of our adorable and loving friends that came to see us!
thank you all so much for really making a point of supporting our business in such a sweet way!
we nearly sold out! this was one of our fantasy goals ( please say a loud wooo hooo for BV! )
Sara, thank you so much for hosting another girlfriend sale at your beautiful home!
Alice, thank you for the beautiful, handmade clock!
Missy and Jill, thank you for always showing up, splurging and looking so beautiful in everything we make!
Jane and i are always in a state of gratitude that our amazing, talented, beautiful
friends are also so incredibly supportive and enthusiastic about our endeavours! thank you all or being so inspiring!
a big squeeze and swak to everyone!
with love and admiration,
laamie
Saturday, May 29, 2010
girlfriend anniversary sale:
129 John St.
Santa Cruz
4:30-8pm
call laamie: 831-345-6144 or,
jane: 831-247-0750 for directions or more info.
Santa Cruz
4:30-8pm
call laamie: 831-345-6144 or,
jane: 831-247-0750 for directions or more info.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
a grand day out...and planning a for a fashion show with Made by Lex...
yesterday...after a conference call and a few hours of making stuff,
the BV girls headed out in Jane's Subaru, in another rain storm...
at 1:30 we arrived at the home of Alexis M. , of Made by Lex,
to work on styling for the upcoming fashion show ( tba )
by 1:35 we all had our original outfits off and were busy accessorizing an array of lovely, half finished gowns that Alexis has made from scratch and by re-arranging several thrift store finds.
amidst the billowing 1950's nighties and linen boy shorts, we adjusted and rummaged and tried on outfits. we rifled through our trunk of jewelry. we mixed lace with chains, bare shoulders with leather, and deep necklines with high collars ala 16th century via 1980's - Prince.
in Alexis's tidy, artistic studio....we plotted. we laughed. we pinned. we spent an exhilarating afternoon talking about Valentino, MC Queen, and Ricci. we discussed fabric and color, our obsessions and inventions.....
all the while Alexis's three, beautiful girls sat quietly and read to eachother or napped.
we left feeling so lucky. and so happy to be a part of an ever growing circle of talented, wonderful friends.
stay tuned as the adventures continue.......
the BV girls headed out in Jane's Subaru, in another rain storm...
at 1:30 we arrived at the home of Alexis M. , of Made by Lex,
to work on styling for the upcoming fashion show ( tba )
by 1:35 we all had our original outfits off and were busy accessorizing an array of lovely, half finished gowns that Alexis has made from scratch and by re-arranging several thrift store finds.
amidst the billowing 1950's nighties and linen boy shorts, we adjusted and rummaged and tried on outfits. we rifled through our trunk of jewelry. we mixed lace with chains, bare shoulders with leather, and deep necklines with high collars ala 16th century via 1980's - Prince.
in Alexis's tidy, artistic studio....we plotted. we laughed. we pinned. we spent an exhilarating afternoon talking about Valentino, MC Queen, and Ricci. we discussed fabric and color, our obsessions and inventions.....
all the while Alexis's three, beautiful girls sat quietly and read to eachother or napped.
we left feeling so lucky. and so happy to be a part of an ever growing circle of talented, wonderful friends.
stay tuned as the adventures continue.......
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
texture.....
i have been thinking about the texture of things ever since jane and i went to the legion of honor last tuesday to see
the cartier exhibit. ( the following blog link has a really nice overview of the show )
http://widespreadlife.wordpress.com/2010/04/05/cartier-legion-of-honor
while i'm thinking about texture, just now, i realize that i am running a strand of my hair over my lips. i have done this
for as long as i can remember...it's something to do while i'm thinking. it's very textural in a way, and it makes me wonder about the nature of texture. texture is a sense. it's a touch. a visceral feeling...but texture can be perceived visually with as much accuracy and sensitivity as with touch....
ahhh...cartier...
if you have never seen 1,000 diamonds, clustered together in a filigree tiara....well, i'm sure that you can imagine it anyway...
it is the texture of ice and sky and light magnified, multiplied and fractured.....
as i walked through this exhibit, i asked myself; if one diamond, one bit of platinum filigree is enough to be beautiful, why pile it up? why contextualize something already too exquisite, in a way that reduces it's singular value by multiplication?
texture.
to create a tapestry. a landscape, a forest, a creature, skin, feathers, fur, scales, ripples, rainbows, effervescence, bubbles, quills, silk, petals......slippery, sparkly, rough......to describe all of the things of life. with a vocabulary of gems....
the cartier exhibit. ( the following blog link has a really nice overview of the show )
http://widespreadlife.wordpress.com/2010/04/05/cartier-legion-of-honor
while i'm thinking about texture, just now, i realize that i am running a strand of my hair over my lips. i have done this
for as long as i can remember...it's something to do while i'm thinking. it's very textural in a way, and it makes me wonder about the nature of texture. texture is a sense. it's a touch. a visceral feeling...but texture can be perceived visually with as much accuracy and sensitivity as with touch....
ahhh...cartier...
if you have never seen 1,000 diamonds, clustered together in a filigree tiara....well, i'm sure that you can imagine it anyway...
it is the texture of ice and sky and light magnified, multiplied and fractured.....
as i walked through this exhibit, i asked myself; if one diamond, one bit of platinum filigree is enough to be beautiful, why pile it up? why contextualize something already too exquisite, in a way that reduces it's singular value by multiplication?
texture.
to create a tapestry. a landscape, a forest, a creature, skin, feathers, fur, scales, ripples, rainbows, effervescence, bubbles, quills, silk, petals......slippery, sparkly, rough......to describe all of the things of life. with a vocabulary of gems....
Saturday, May 1, 2010
long day's journey..
i have been thinking for a while now about how one gets from one place to another.
i talked at SV high school a few weeks ago at a career day forum. my co-panelist spoke about the rambling, tangled path from point A to point B. i have been thinking a lot about choice, luck, desire, hard work, direction, ambition, talent, and friends....
i wonder how decisions are made, and not made. i wonder why choices are made. i wonder why some people have burning desires for things that others don't want at all. i wonder, when i look at a pile of beautiful, broken bits of things...why i decide to put some together, and how many, much better combinations i am missing.i wonder how one choses the subject for a painting.
i wonder if one choses from a collection of available objects ( colors?friends? lovers? ) based on the contextual appeal, or if one just knows the right thing when it comes along....
i am currently, more than ever in my life, surrounded by amazing, talented friends. i feel like i would chose each one a million times over to be a part of my life. i've been realizing that being successful is really just being connected to people that you adore and respect and that feel the same about you. .....your friends love what you're doing, and you love what they do....there's mutual support that takes no extra effort. is there anything better?
i notice all of the time that a mutual influence spreads through ever widening circles so quickly. i am noticing how much the creative thoughts, ideas, inspirations, obsessions and creations of each of my friends has an influence on everyone we know.
is it luck, or magnetism, or astrology, or context that we are in such good company? did we make decisions in the past that lead inevitably to these meetings and influences?
at the end of the day, i feel incredibly lucky to be in such good company, and a part of what ever tangled mess it is that is my life.
i talked at SV high school a few weeks ago at a career day forum. my co-panelist spoke about the rambling, tangled path from point A to point B. i have been thinking a lot about choice, luck, desire, hard work, direction, ambition, talent, and friends....
i wonder how decisions are made, and not made. i wonder why choices are made. i wonder why some people have burning desires for things that others don't want at all. i wonder, when i look at a pile of beautiful, broken bits of things...why i decide to put some together, and how many, much better combinations i am missing.i wonder how one choses the subject for a painting.
i wonder if one choses from a collection of available objects ( colors?friends? lovers? ) based on the contextual appeal, or if one just knows the right thing when it comes along....
i am currently, more than ever in my life, surrounded by amazing, talented friends. i feel like i would chose each one a million times over to be a part of my life. i've been realizing that being successful is really just being connected to people that you adore and respect and that feel the same about you. .....your friends love what you're doing, and you love what they do....there's mutual support that takes no extra effort. is there anything better?
i notice all of the time that a mutual influence spreads through ever widening circles so quickly. i am noticing how much the creative thoughts, ideas, inspirations, obsessions and creations of each of my friends has an influence on everyone we know.
is it luck, or magnetism, or astrology, or context that we are in such good company? did we make decisions in the past that lead inevitably to these meetings and influences?
at the end of the day, i feel incredibly lucky to be in such good company, and a part of what ever tangled mess it is that is my life.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Beautiful Dixie Chicks
Some incredible, talented, strong women recently bought a bunch of our jewelry to wear on their
music tour. i have been thrilled to be able to call them clients...but until this morning, i really didn't think about
just what an honor it was to be in their company.
this morning, as i sat down to make some glovelettes and arm casts to send to them, i thought about these amazing women.
i listened to their cd, and watched" Shut up and Sing" again.
i am proud to be a small part of these women's lives. i am proud to be a part of something that i believe we all share...
partnership, love, art, music, friends, strength, beauty...
and, also, quite honestly, ...i'm intimidated as hell.
music tour. i have been thrilled to be able to call them clients...but until this morning, i really didn't think about
just what an honor it was to be in their company.
this morning, as i sat down to make some glovelettes and arm casts to send to them, i thought about these amazing women.
i listened to their cd, and watched" Shut up and Sing" again.
i am proud to be a small part of these women's lives. i am proud to be a part of something that i believe we all share...
partnership, love, art, music, friends, strength, beauty...
and, also, quite honestly, ...i'm intimidated as hell.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
art shows.....
these pics are for my friend Susie Lubell, a very successful, hard working artist and mom.... you should check out her fabulous, hilarious blog: Inner Toddler. i have been following her for over a year now....
there are so many parallels between the job of motherhood and the job of a professional artist.
among the many, striking similarities, the following is especially true of trunk shows/art shows and raising children:
you will never be able to prepare yourself for what is expected of you, despite the millions of hours spent trying...
you will always be: packing every thing but the one thing you really need, showing up early on the one day that everyone else is late, presenting yourself professionally in the one moment when no one is looking, expecting that everyone else has their shit together more than you do.....
there just ain't a manual.
these pictures were taken of an art space in SF where we had a show recently. the show opened at 6pm. these pictures were taken at 6:30ish. we were the only vendors there until 7.
it worked out beautifully in the end...just like you always hope it does.
there are so many parallels between the job of motherhood and the job of a professional artist.
among the many, striking similarities, the following is especially true of trunk shows/art shows and raising children:
you will never be able to prepare yourself for what is expected of you, despite the millions of hours spent trying...
you will always be: packing every thing but the one thing you really need, showing up early on the one day that everyone else is late, presenting yourself professionally in the one moment when no one is looking, expecting that everyone else has their shit together more than you do.....
there just ain't a manual.
these pictures were taken of an art space in SF where we had a show recently. the show opened at 6pm. these pictures were taken at 6:30ish. we were the only vendors there until 7.
it worked out beautifully in the end...just like you always hope it does.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Histories..
....this morning, listening to the tail end of a story about John Houston, i am moved to write about the beauty of history.
in this case, i am writing about personal history. yet...is there really such a thing? isn't history just what we share....?
my grandparents loved their generation. they were beautiful, wealthy, social....they spoke with the lilte of the movies and remembered the times when the moon shone on the water and the apple blossoms fell, and there were stars in their eyes. they remember crossing the bay in a ferry, San Francisco's first cars, the invention of the ball-point-pen, and dear letters; written from across the sea to each other.
last night, i dreamed that they were sitting in the entry way of a glamourous hotel...their backs to the door, as they watched an old movie on a black and white T.V.
this morning, i'm listening to someone talk about "The Breakfast Club". those weren't pretty times. i imagine that the same goes for WWII...
...and why reminisce with such affection?
our history is dear.
so, i wonder, as i mull through collections of delicate filigree, hand-painted cameos and tin hearts, how different is my reverence for the loving workmanship of these objects of the last century, from my unrepentant adoration of the shiny plastic lightning bolts of my generation?
in this case, i am writing about personal history. yet...is there really such a thing? isn't history just what we share....?
my grandparents loved their generation. they were beautiful, wealthy, social....they spoke with the lilte of the movies and remembered the times when the moon shone on the water and the apple blossoms fell, and there were stars in their eyes. they remember crossing the bay in a ferry, San Francisco's first cars, the invention of the ball-point-pen, and dear letters; written from across the sea to each other.
last night, i dreamed that they were sitting in the entry way of a glamourous hotel...their backs to the door, as they watched an old movie on a black and white T.V.
this morning, i'm listening to someone talk about "The Breakfast Club". those weren't pretty times. i imagine that the same goes for WWII...
...and why reminisce with such affection?
our history is dear.
so, i wonder, as i mull through collections of delicate filigree, hand-painted cameos and tin hearts, how different is my reverence for the loving workmanship of these objects of the last century, from my unrepentant adoration of the shiny plastic lightning bolts of my generation?
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
hey...ya wanna see a lovely article about BV? check it!...
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/localnews/ci_14773372>
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Every Intention...
well, i had every intention of making this blog about the fun we've had making stuff...there were fluffy dreams of drunken photo shoots and dress-up parties and documented long walks on the train tracks....there were roses and thorns and broken glasses and glasses spilling champagne....and above and exceeding all else...there was to be Jane and me...
we were so happy to share our stories and plans, snugged up in Jane's cozy bed..and, always forgetting dinner, we read and wrote and drank and told each other over and over how pretty we looked in torn vintage Christain Dior and Chinese pinks...
it all happened that way. really. just like that.
so, the classic story goes....in love with the stuff of life, and each other...we drew to ourselves our fondest dreams...
and then, busy with our newest creation, we have had less..well, no railroad time and we only dress up for photo shoots and sales meetings...no more drunken photo ops from under the duvet....
however, there are so many more roses and stories to share....i'll take a moment to absolve success for all of it's thorns and accept a sense of grown-up-ness about what we do....and promise with all of my heart to keep having fun and to not forget to share this adventure with dear friends.
we were so happy to share our stories and plans, snugged up in Jane's cozy bed..and, always forgetting dinner, we read and wrote and drank and told each other over and over how pretty we looked in torn vintage Christain Dior and Chinese pinks...
it all happened that way. really. just like that.
so, the classic story goes....in love with the stuff of life, and each other...we drew to ourselves our fondest dreams...
and then, busy with our newest creation, we have had less..well, no railroad time and we only dress up for photo shoots and sales meetings...no more drunken photo ops from under the duvet....
however, there are so many more roses and stories to share....i'll take a moment to absolve success for all of it's thorns and accept a sense of grown-up-ness about what we do....and promise with all of my heart to keep having fun and to not forget to share this adventure with dear friends.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
It's lovely to find a picture of BlankVerse jewelry, by surprise, in the SF Chronicle.....
please see" latest article in the SF Chronicle" posted in the "what we're checking out" column..to the right.
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