Marlene Dumas

Marlene Dumas' ink portraits..the bleeding ink is super well done. Amazing ink inspiration. Apparently she uses mainly photographic references, like from magazines or polaroids, to draw her portraits.

on skateboarding as a girl

*Flashback to this time last year..thought I'd bring this post back.

Bought a cruiser board in Venice Beach when we were there and then proceeded to stress injure my ankle. Seeing photos of crazy badass teens defying gravity in an urban jungle keeps me motivated despite having a 'pimp limp.' I keep telling myself it makes me a more intriguing character...

While on my California travels, I also bought an 'all girl skateboarding zine' called Escape Route at Needles and Pens in San Francisco. This publication describes itself as "a zine that seeks to empower young girls & women to grow into strong, confident leaders who promote and implement social equity via skateboarding. The zine is made by female skateboarders and ALL content is submitted by female skateboarders." I really liked it and was definitely inspired to practise practise practise so as to not live in fear of being a poseur. I must say I was a teensie bit scarred from walking back from Maui & Sons to the hotel in Santa Monica carrying this new skateboard when this bohemian skater passes by me and says "girl you gotta ride that thing!" I swear I would have been, had I not been wearing flip-flops.

Scans from this Tokion sports issue from 2000.

 

portraits

Esao Andrews "The Haircut" 8"x 11" oil on wood. 2011

Jenny Morgan, title unknown, oil on canvas

summer dranks

Strawberry milk float, berry ice cubes, ginger-ale float, lemon verbena fizz, wildflower ice cubes, green monster smoothie

Julia Leigh's "Sleeping Beauty" (2011)

Last night I watched Julia Leigh's 2011 adaptation of Sleeping Beauty. Much to my surprise, musical numbers in the woods, sweet princes, and cherubic fairies seen in Disney's 1959 Sleeping Beauty are nowhere to be seen. While watching, I kept trying to connect the plot twists of the original fairy tale to the modernized version: Lucy (Emily Browning)'s sleeping is induced by special tea, prince charming is a reclusive addict who also happens to be her best friend, the witch is an entirely sympathetic, almost "fairy godmother" like woman, etc. but I don't want to give too much away about the plot. Even the trailer reveals very little about what Lucy actually does in the film. But I highly recommend this movie; The pace is slow, but I was captivated the entire time. Colours, textures, and lighting made the film's aesthetic lush and "sensual."

The costume designer Shareen Belinger has a taste for lustrous fabrics in subdued tints. The dusty rose velvet robe (see below photos) worn by Lucy looks so great on film; the colour contrasts with the rest of the set decoration and compliments Emily Browning's colouring.

golden hour

I talked about the golden hour a while ago when I posted The National's video for Abel. Around 4 or 5PM is the only time that we get somewhat direct sun into the apartment. I know when that is because the little disco balls cast teeny dancing reflections all over the room. For more golden hour, go here.

may mix