writing is revising: painting is too--Matisse's Bathers

Matisse worked on his painting BATHERS BY THE RIVER over the course of 8 years.

The first image was painted in watercolor on paper in 1909. The final version 1917.

Now because of technology you can see the stages in between and how he revised. Take a look here.

Seems like it's a process of distilling. Like writing. Stripping away and stripping away. Someone said writing is revising. The art of simplicity--to eliminate the unnecessary that the necessary make speak.

"Matisse: Radical Invention, 1913-1917" opens at MOMA next week.

books make you smarter than computers do

Just having a book at home makes you smarter. 

Just having a computer at home does the opposite.

That's what a study has found with 852 disadvantaged students.

Here's the odd thing. Apparently just owning a book--whether or not you read it--changes how you see yourself.

You are someone who reads.

The power of books.

via David Brooks Op-Ed piece The Medium is The Medium in the Times tells the good news

(bookshelf image via Jane Mount)

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emily gravett's process

the uber-talented award-winning children's writer and illustrator lets you see how and where she works...

via another uber-talented award-winning illustrator 

(and one of my favorites) 

jago

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NEW VID: David Suchet narrates "The Singer"

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Best Action Figures of All Time, probably

A fake commercial made in 1998 by Phil Lord and Chris Miller for a series of educational shorts about action figures based on historical figures. It was never aired. Maybe they wondered about its educational value. Regardless, it's definitely fun.

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poke in the eye? punch in the nose? The point of poetry

The point of poetry is to be acutely discomforting, to prod and provoke, to poke us in the eye, to punch us in the nose, to knock us off our feet, to take our breath away." Paul Muldoon (b. 1951, Northern Ireland)

No wonder poetry is hard work. Hard to read. (Who wants to be poked in the eye?) Hard to write. You need to be in top form, fighting fit to deliver those punches and pokes and prods... to take the breath away...

And it doesn't let you in quick. You have to work for it. Whether reading it, or writing it.

But that's what makes it so powerful.

Kind of the way with most things--at least the important things. The more it costs, the more precious it. The harder it is to climb the mountain, the more amazing the view from the top.

photos (of course) by Ansel Adams

See the full gallery on posterous

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DAVID SUCHET narrates latest VID: How To Pray

IMPROV everywhere hit the NY public Library

so silly and fun ...

and you can read more about how they did it here

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