three short stories

"lapping ever-cautious (the foxgloves)"

8x10", Acrylic on Masonite

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This is my first official "new" new piece for my solo show! The title of my show has been altered from the original name I chose, "The Language of Foxtrot," to "The Foxtrot Code." I just found out that shows at Space 242 must be RSVPd to (you can do that here), and I hope to see you there!! As I've mentioned before, Scott (show: Dirty Duality) and Ellen (show: Gramps & Scamps) are having solo shows at Space 242 the same night, so I reckon it will be really, really fun.

The scan for this painting came out so vibrant, but for some reason it uploaded to blogger pretty dull. If I find a way to fix that, I'll post the better image. 

Today I took my class to draw at the harbor with the Tall Ships parade coming in, but I somehow was misinformed of the time and only one clipper ship was there! But I've never seen a clipper ship in real life, and I love them so much, and (to me) it was worth it just to see the one. It was misting out and cloudy but not dark. It was really refreshing compared to Monday's very hot and sunny class in the Public Gardens and all the rainy weather we've been having on other days.

I hope you've all been having a nice week!

Love, me

Bringing on the Wild Birds

This is my piece for the Glovebox Junko Revival show. It's a book I got at Blueberry Hill Antiques in CT: "Wild Bird Guests: How to Entertain Them" by Ernest Harold Baynes. It was published in 1915 and the writing definitely shows its age.

All I've done so far is paint the cover. I think I'll add ribbons so it can be tied shut.

The book is filled with lots of neat pictures like this one! 

Some happy cat feet. I think the way cats back legs go up in the air or to the side like little sticks is so funny. I love Tiger's feet and their little pink pads. 

Tomorrow I teach my first class! I'm really excited and a little nervous. I think it will be really fun.

I hope you all have an excellent Monday! I'll be back soon.

love, me

blue or green velvet at the eliot hotel

Today my Grampa told me some things I've always wanted to know about how he and my Nana met. I knew that they met at a dance, and that the first song they danced to was "The Tennessee Waltz," but that was the extent of my knowledge.

My family ate breakfast at the local diner this morning and my Grampa told us that he met my Nana in a dance hall in Central Square on Mass Ave, up on the third floor of a building. The music wasn't live, but came from a record player, and when my Grampa walked in my Nana Claire and her friend May were the only two girls there. At the time, my Nana was living with her family in Malden, and my Grampa was renting a room from his friend George and George's wife in Union Square in Somerville. He also mentioned that my Nana and her friends liked to hang out at the Eliot Hotel Lounge in Copley. That's something I found out from my mom a few weeks ago when we drove by the Eliot.

I think that maybe for my birthday this year I'd like for my friends and I to dress up and get drinks there. I think that would be really neat.

I love the 1940s and 50s already, but I especially love picturing my Nana and Grampa in the elegant clothes and what the city must have been like, and how the stars were 60 years younger than they are now. I like thinking about if my Nana was careful about choosing what dress to wear and if she had a favorite dress and what it was like.

(photo: my Nana on the beach)

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I've found a new favorite album: "With Blasphemy so Heartfelt" by Jessica Lea Mayfield. It's so beautiful. The lyrics hit home in many ways and many places. I heard one of her songs playing in a store and wrote down the lyrics so I could google them to find out who sang it. My favorite songs are "Kiss Me Again" (the song from the store), "For Today", "I'm Not Lonely Anymore", and "You've Won Me Over." Sighhhh. I love finding amazing new music to listen to. I'm a swoon-y type of girl when it comes to music, books, and...lots of things.

Have a happy fourth everyone!!!!

Love,

Amanda

my blackbird dress

I haven't gotten to wear this dress in a long time. I wonder when I will get to wear it again?

I bought it my senior year of high school for our senior reception. It is vintage, of course. It has boning and very delicate black lace layered over nude silk or satin. My favorite part was the sweetheart neckline with the bar of sheer lace across it. I like boldly colored dresses because they always make me feel like I am a bird of that color. So this is my blackbird dress.

The last time I wore it was my senior year of college. It was the day that our black cat Blacky was put to sleep, and I couldn't be home. We were going to a party at Shelby's apartment and due to the nature of Kristen and Shelby, I felt it would not be inappropriate to wear a dress like this one.

That night, I met another black cat, danced with a white cockatoo named Lily, and was told that I looked like a Renaissance painting as I sat on the floor eating a cookie by a man who sat on the couch above me.

I go through phases where I do or do not notice the beauty of how things lead me from one place to a tree to an animal to a starry sky to a nice store to a painting to another, as though I'm following a long piece of thread that is blue, my favorite color. I think I'm better at noticing when I am in the city, or when I'm writing a lot, or when there's someone to share it with in a letter or a conversation or nestled in the grass. Someday, maybe all three of these things at once.

tigers and cupcake sheets

 The other day I moved Malley's urn from my desk to my bed to make room, and Tiger went right over and laid by it. I had to take some pictures. It turned into an Amanda-Tiger photo shoot, which we have often. I think I've mentioned before that Tiger loves the camera and knows very well what its purpose is. 

This was a day that Tiger was distracting me from my painting, because I am wearing my glasses and I only wear my glasses when I paint.

I love the company of my Tiger so much.

The Language of Foxtrot

Hello, everybody! I hope you're all having a nice Father's Day and an overall nice weekend.

Since I attended an official meeting yesterday, I finally feel able to announce my solo show, The Language of Foxtrot, which will be opening at Space 242 on August 28th! Solo shows by the lovely Ellen Crenshaw and the dashing Scott Murry will be up at the same time in the same space. More information to come soon!

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On Friday, my Mom and I took a ride down to Old Saybrook, CT and went to various antique stores. The best place was Blueberry Hill Antiques, where I got these books for 25 cents each!

This reminded me of a southern swamp version of Whinnie the Pooh's One Hundred Acre Woods!

I just really love the title of this book - "My Story That I Like Best." It sounds so sweet and child-like, and I like when books are titled as though they are already someone's favorite.

This is one of those great children's books from the 1960s with really amazing illustrations.

Herd of ducks in red raincoats.

I looove this one.

This is a book of love poems, and in it was this card: "Dear Gypsy, Happy Birthday. Just to let you know I remembered. The Blue-D."

I ran out of room in my bookcase a long time ago. I know that when I move into an apartment, I'm going to have an entire wall of book cases. I never feel guilty about buying books, especially if they're 25 cents. When the old Common Wealth Books was still open, they had newspaper clippings, postcards, and pictures taped on every available surface, and I remember reading one with a quote on it (I can't remember the exact wording or who it was by) that said, in a nutshell, that every man should be able to give a reason for the books on his shelf, and they should be like friends that are there for him in lonely times. I feel that way about all of my books, and I love the array of reasons I can give for having them.

Now in the non-book category, I got these little presidential cameos...

and this handsome plastic dog with such dainty legs...

and this really great birthday card featuring a girl flying an airplane and lots of red and white stripes and a banner and a pink sky.

I hope you all have a wonderful Father's Day!

Love,

Amanda

junko revival

Show announcement: 

Junko Revival

(a Glovebox art show featuring environmentally

conscious artwork made from recycled material)

at Rescue

252 Brighton Ave.

Allston, MA

Artists' Reception:

Sunday, July 12 2009

7-10 PM

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Hope to see you there!

botanical forestry

sketchbook page, "petunia x hybrida"

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happy wednesday!!

a yellow book opened

"You betters shape up, because I need a man, and my heart is set on you." 

sketchbook page.

I drew this on the T one afternoon, with what I think are my favorite Grease lyrics stuck in my head.

Lady sings the blues so well.

Tonight, I saw this at The Brattle:

Sita Sings the Blues by Nina Paley! It is sooo funny and fun and beautiful to look at. It had lots of 20s jazz songs by Annette Hanshaw, many of which I knew the words to thanks to Josephine Baker. I highly recommend it!!

peacock gramophone!!

I also attended Dr. Sketchy's Anti Art School with Kate and Shauna today. It was my first time going and it was really neat. I'll post the sketches some time soon!

I hope you all had a nice (possibly rainy?) Sunday.

Love,

Amanda