Saturday, March 7, 2009

Things that are inspiring me at the moment.

I am still working on getting through this artistic block I have going on, it has eased a bit- I have made progress on the birdhouse, as well as a couple new collages. In order to really get through said block, I am begining to look at it as well-witching time. (and here comes another idea RIGHT now! Hello, IDEA, how are you?)

Needless to say, I am searching for the waters, but also gathering things that I love and am inspired by along the way. Here's a short list.

  • Middle Cyclone, by the Lovely and Talented Miss Neko Case. This album just came out last week and I am extremely in love with it. It's an album of love songs and the personification of weather systems. If you don't know Neko, she has this timeless voice that sounds like long stretches of windswept roads. Considered alt-country, she has a slight twang paired with haunting storytelling, quite quirky. Whenever I finally reschedule the art show, I will have this album be the soundtrack.
  • I went to the movies (thanks to a voucher from the owner of the dogs I walk) last Saturday by myself and saw Coraline in threeD. I am a pretty big fan of Neil Gaiman (the author) as well as the artistry of stop animation. It was such a pretty, witty film (not a kid's movie though!) and the first five minutes showed the Heroine well-witching in Ashland, Oregon, a town slightly south of Bend (three or so hours) where I have spent a little time with good friends that own Bohemia Gallery. I spent the whole movie grinning behind my threeD glasses, when I wasn't reaching out to touch the hummingbirds or scooting down in my seat to avoid the grasp of the villian. If you go see this, be sure to hang around for the credits- they are almost as good as the closing credits for Liminy Snicket- which I thought were highlight of that film.
  • My PoetHouse community is completely encouraging. I am constantly amazed at the extreme talents that surround me. This past First Friday- the PoHo hosted the latest collaborative show by Joe Kimmel and Company. It was entitled Crystal Dragons, and is thirty-two vibrant paintings, a space man adventure narrative, and a rock show- basically performance art. After the showing, the residents and a friends danced the night away to nineties hip-hop. At the end of this month, Jo Lundberg will be showing her recent work, a series of wittily rendered satirical landscapes that critic these "tough economic times." Jo will be leaving for a four month trip to Peru the first week in April, so the show, along with a karaoke night afterward, will be her going away hurrah.
  • Central Oregon has been blasted by gale-ish winds the last few days. Yesterday, I had to lean into it as I was walking to the grocery, and it almost blew my scarf away. The beautiful thing about this wind is it is pulling dead leaves and pine needles off of the trees, making way for the buds and new leaves that will shortly be arriving. It's a good metaphor. (goes along with Middle Cyclone quite nicely, convenient.)
  • Hold on to your hats, mom and dad. Sit down before you read this part. As a ceremonial type of strength gathering, next week when Owl enters basic training, I am getting the tattoo that I have been planning for several years. It is based on the abstract compass shape that is always popping up in my art work. It is a reminder to me that I do always know where I am, and while the direction of my life may be confusing, it is comforting to know that I am where I need to be.

5 comments:

Al Townsend said...

http://crystaldragoninfo.blogspot.com/

The crystaldragons link wasn't working properly.

Al Townsend said...

You inspire me.

kaycee said...

Fixed the link, and thank you.

Dan and Rachel Williamson said...

no sailorish hula girl? Can't wait to see...it all really! Lucy drew a pic of the wind last week, it was pink.

Anonymous said...

lol..I like the sit down mom and dad bit. I'm surprised you didn't already have the compass tattoo! Coraline was awesome..we took Andres and he liked it. He didnt have any nightmares that night or week. The only part where he ducked his head was the part where the ghost children were floating. He's so used to seeing Mark's Ray Harryhausen films that doesnt scare him. I probably should be concerned!
I'll have to look into the crystal dragon display~