BLOW BY BLOW
September 11, 2010
Its been awhile since I posted, mainly due to nvidia graphics card in my laptop dying on me. Laptop went to sleep over two weeks ago and just would not wake up. Apple have worked their magic, thankfully FOC.
Also been walking my socks off around MAISN OBJET in Paris, more of that will follow on a futherr post.
My free time being computer free has given me space to read. In the main I am not into novels although in my time have read some beach trash, but I like reading biographies. A long string of artists, designers, eccentrics, people whose life is absorbed by the creativity that courses through their veins, their struggles with the darkness, and how they have come through, or not such is the case of Isobella Blow.
BLOW BY BLOW is the account by Detmar Blow of Isobella’s rise, fall and eventual tragic end. Her creativity new no bounds, her outrageous sense of style and her gift for spotting talent and bringing them to global acclaim seemed to be her great strength.
On the outside one would think she had it all, but when one reads the book you can see this peacock like façade was just that, it was like armor to protect others from seeing the hatred she felt about herself, felt totally worthless. By constantly helping others to fame and fortune and helping them feel “worthwhile” , in the short term being linked with her protégés fame helped “by proxy” to feel this for herself, but it never lasted, just led her to feeling even more worthless herself. No longer able to conceal the tortuous insecurities that plagued her life, her mental health began to deteriorate fairly rapidly. It began to be “openly” apparent to those around her and her hyper mood swings became more alarming, she could no longer keep the pain hidden. Anna Wintour even secured Conde Naste to pay for treatment in a private clinic, but suicide became her mission and after a considerable amount of attempts it claimed her life.
What is about tormented creative soul? Some use this force and find an avenue to express the torment that alleviates the pressure, so to speak, but some, in fact many, many talented people have been lost to suicide, and that is a tragedy. It leaves me feeling really sad.
The porcelain kingdom of Idiotheim
July 17, 2010
Our green and pleasant land
July 4, 2010
Spent a glorious day walking in the sunshine along Beachy Head. I dont understand when it comes to summer that people rush off to far flung lands when we have spectacular landsscapes to enjoy like this, It was warm, the sea so calm, sitting on a bench looking out to sea, I could hear bees and crickets making their “summery sounds” , who could ask for anything more…………. Ended up with dinner at THE TIGER INN, click on this link for maps of walks
Coralscapes
May 8, 2010
click on the image to see in larger size, the first one especially you can see the coral in more detail. I photographed the coral at a trade Fair, Maison Objet held in Paris twice a year, then made the image into a pattern
Tree Spirits 1
May 8, 2010
amazing Tuscan garden – Niki de Saint Phalle
April 15, 2010
A true Hero’s Journey……………………
Reciting the Shropshire Lad
April 11, 2010
-
When I was one-and-twenty
- I heard a wise man say,
“Give crowns and pounds and guineas
- But not your heart away;
Give pearls away and rubies
- But keep your fancy free.”
But I was one-and-twenty,
No use to talk to me.When I was one-and-twenty
- I heard him say again,
“The heart out of the bosom
- Was never given in vain;
‘Tis paid with sighs a plenty
- And sold for endless rue.”
And I am two-and-twenty
- And oh, ’tis true, ’tis true.
- A E HOUSEMAN.
The rolling green hills, the views from Mitchells Fold, Shropshire is inspriring, as are the poems, 60 odd in all written by A E Houseamn at the end of the 19th century.
I was fortunate enough to spend magical times there over the Easter Weekend. My pictorial memories
-
VOGUE ITALY MARCH 2010-SHOT BY TIM WALKER
April 1, 2010
wow, I came across these most delicisous images today, I find them so inspiring, so much so that I have already sketched the wonderful folds, curls and curves and want to incorporate them somehow into a painting, maybe pen and ink sketch with watercolour, not sure yet……… watch this space, it will be something creative, so thanks to Klosset Blog for scanning the voque images into your blog, and thanks to Tim Walker for photographing these splendid images for Italian vogue.
See even more of them here http://klosetkase.wordpress.com/2010/03/30/vogue-italy-march-2010-shot-by-tim-walker/
Its official: swollen battery syndrome :( Oh no !
March 9, 2010
I awoke on Friday morning to find my precious laptop had swollen………………. something deep inside her was growing, was she pregnant I thought? The battery housing plate was being forced up in a huge curve and the top plate surrounding the keyboard was being prized off by this alien being swelling inside… google the findings, rang my Mac man. It was official my 17″ Macbook Pro has swollen battery system. This phenomena has hit many, many 17″ Pros, it starts with sudden cut outs, and battery charging symbol not recognising the charger, all of the symptoms mine carried. Then if left comes the full blow out.
However, on visiting the Genius Bar in Regent street today, they replaced the battery and top plate without any qualms whatsoever…………. what a relief. So I am back tapping away, lap top bought back to optimum health. One happy bunny!
KEVIN E. TAYLOR
March 4, 2010
these speak to me but I dont why…………..
Number three, I like it, but not everyone does………….
February 26, 2010
A number that is uncomfortable for some, for me its what I know. I grew up in a three, mother, father and me until my teenage years; I have many relationships which group in three and it’s comfortable to me.
Why for some is this a threat? A dear friend of mine likened it to a three-legged stool; if one leg were kicked away then the stool would not stand up. And of course there is the triangle of persecutor, victim and rescuer, which can play out. I like to think of this verse in Ecclesiastes spoken by king Solomon “A three-ply cord is not easily severed.”
There is the Holy Trinity, the Three Jewels in Buddhism, in maths it s the first odd prime number and lucky number. Abraham Lincoln said “Of the People, By the People, For the People”. Then there are the Three Graces, The fates, the triple headed Goddesses. Chekov’s famous play the Three Sisters and in sport the Triathlon. The cycle of life, creation, life and death, the three ages of woman maiden, mother, crone. So much of life comes at us in three; it’s a joyous number to me, I like it
Tbis piece of work is a paper cut, scanned and digitally manipulated and of course it in THREE !
My what BIG ears you have?
February 16, 2010
Looking through my images I found three that really stood out, they all had huge ears? I love them all………….. one of them especially, but I know you can guess which one !!
The colour RED – R.I.P
February 15, 2010
Have been thinking and working with red on a current interior project, its such a beautiful creative colour, its vibrancy so energising, so uplifting and enriching.
Red is blood, its velvety rich smoothness……….. Its there when we are born, it symbolises passion, sex, sin, pain, anger and guilt, red with the blood of murder, the bible says in Isiah “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow”. We can get caught “red handed”, or visit the “red light” district. We see red when angry, Apparently research has born out that men find women more attractive if they are wearing red. Its the colour of Mars, a valentines heart, a robin red breast, a red rose, its red ripe fruit oozing syrupy juices signalling its readiness to be devoured. We can be “red blooded” virile, powerful, unstoppable. Its the colour of royality, velvet and ermine cloaks, red cushioned throne. Red was used by Alexander McQueen is his fall 2009 collection show in Paris to much aclaim, may you rest R.I.P
My Thoughts exactly Mae !!!
February 13, 2010
The daily aphorism courtesy of http://www.theschooloflife.com/
Full Moon
February 2, 2010
The weekend saw the Full Moon in Leo with Venus and Mars astride. A Full Moon is light (the Sun) fully illuminating what is hidden or unconscious (the Moon) – so that should be viewed as something that the Universe decrees as having arrived at a time when it needs to be exposed and so brought closer to being resolved. It prompts us to take a good look at how courageous we are. Do we have what it takes to see things through? Are we brave enough to confront what is necessary to make the long-lasting changes? The Sun in Aquarius reminds us to be progressive and creative and learn to take a step back and view things from a more balanced perspective. To read more see the article on my other website livingenergyhealer.com
This image is one that seems to be evolving since its conception a few weeks ago, it started with thoughts of mother earth, her bounty, her glory, abundance and fullness as she gives birth to our flora and fauna. My sketch just flowed out across the page, trees blossomed and grew leaves, some had shed them and their roots grew deep in the earth………. The light of the moon illuminated the trees, and somehow the sun’s journey is traced in the underworld as the moon takes its nightly trip across the skies.
