How did he decide it was only a Liverpudlian accent that would do? (Also: loving the one ear up one down look)
Friday, May 21, 2010
Monday, May 17, 2010
being copied + when to cry
Guiliana Camerino died today in Venice. The handbags she designed (sold under the Roberta Di Camerino label) dangled off the arms of Grace Kelly, and Elizabeth Taylor in the 50s and 60s. Fancy doctors satchels someone called them. Beautiful is what I call them. Want one. Now please thank you.
Her story reads like a novel. Born in Venice to a prominent Jewish family, she dreamed of becoming a theatrical costume designer. She escaped to Switzerland during World War 2, where, as a refugee needing a handbag and money, made her own. Soon afterwards, a swiss woman riding with her on the bus bought the handbag right off her shoulder. Which is how it all began.
Her bags were widely copied--consciously or unconsciously--by loads of other designers. The senior buyer at Barneys described the shock of looking at Roberta Di Camerino's archive: "Every handbag I had ever seen had already been done by her years before."
Gucci's lattice of G's (she did it in 1946); Bottega Veneta's woven leather (she did it in 1957); Prada's articulated frame (she did it in 1964).
This copying bothered Camerino at first. She says:
"When I was only doing bags, I found it particularly important to be always very well dressed, so I became a client of Chanel. Once in a fitting she saw me crying because someone had copied a bag which I had done exclusively for Neiman Marcus. 'You must not cry now,' Coco said. 'You cry the day they don't copy you.' "
via NYT
Friday, May 14, 2010
messy desks & genius minds
Albert Einstein's Princeton desk (taken 1955 hours before his death).
Artist John Currin speaking about the process of painting said:
"... a big part of painting is getting used to things not looking good while you're working on them."
(The exact opposite of that hateful saying "a tidy desk is a sign of a tidy mind" or whatever it is. I prefer a messy desk is a sign of a genius.)
(Can it apply to other areas, I wonder? Like a tip of a kitchen is the sign of a fabulous chef? A mess of a garden is a sign of a brilliant horticulturist? OK. Enough. Stop it.)
Getting used to things not looking good while you're working on them. For me that's when your working on an early draft--say of a picture book--and if you are worrying about how it looks you will clamp down, cramp up and get small and stiff and boring.
You have to keep it playful and messy and far too long. And let it be that way. And be patient. Knowing that when it's time you'll know what belongs and what doesn't. The book will tell you. But if you force it, if you try and tidy it up before it's time, you might be tidying away the best bits. You might be killing it.
Like weeding when you don't know what's a weed or a flower--disastrous. It might be all lovely and clean and tidy and, in the end, just a garden of tidy weeds.A picture book is like a seed. It grows but in its own time. You can't rush it. You just have to keep showing up each day. Watering it. Tilling the soil. Like a good gardener. And not for too long. For me that's not more than 2-3 hours for an early draft (after that I start unraveling everything I've done because that's the time the chopper and cutter and efficient weeder editor person takes over).
Getting used to things not looking good. That's also something about trust and faith. Following clues. Knowing you're not making it up so much as discovering it. And for that you must be open. There. And listening.
Getting used to things not looking good. Would that include yourself when you're in the middle of creating? Probably. Is that why some writers look a little bit disheveled?
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Metropolis: the missing 25 mins
One of the most celebrated movies in cinema history--has not been seen in it's full length (approx 2 1/2 hours) since shortly after its premiere in Berlin in 1927 when it was amputated and presumed destroyed.
But, 80 years later, the missing 25 mins have been found. And Fritz Lang's Metropolis will this week start showing at Film Forum and around the country and later out on DVD. (The newly found footage is more grainy so it's easily distinguished from the rest of the film which was partly restored.)
The footage changes the arc of the movie and apparently makes it no longer a science fiction story. Can't wait to see it. It's one of my most favorite films ever.
The route to the discovery of the missing footage reads like Indiana Jones. Read more at the NYT.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
do you speak Chinglish?
Daily life in China offers some interesting English signs and labels.
When I lived in Singapore, we came across them on menus and even shoes. (I once had a pair of Kickers--remember them?--yes, except mine, when you looked more closely--written in tiny writing around the eyelets were called "Knockers". I was mortified walking around school with a pair of "Knockers" on my feet.)
Anyway, I am delighted to furnish you with yet more examples today. So that, should you find yourself in China, you'll know exactly what you're talking about:
Do you take an extra large size? Then you'll be needing the "Lard Bucket" or "Fatso". What about an ATM? Go to "Cash Recycling." Feeling Peckish? Try some delicious "Fried Enema." Exploring new neighborhoods? Why not try the "Urine District" or "Racist Park"? Thirsty? What about this thirst-quencher: "The Jew's Ear Juice."
Yes, and here's a lovely one: Walking on the grass? Please don't "The Little Grass is Sleeping Don't Disturb It."
and did you know? "Long Time No See"--comes from word for word translation of Chinese.
I hope they don't get rid of it. I love Chinglish. Could we maybe class it an endangered language?
via the NYT
Monday, May 3, 2010
Logorama (the oscar winning short)
saw this at the theater
along with the other oscar nominated shorts
i kind of hated it
mostly because i thought it didn't have heart
but clearly i missed something because it won
what do you think?
Friday, April 30, 2010
the children have spoken... (+ they LOVE piggies!)
BEING A PIG IS NICE
is indeed VERY nice
is indeed VERY nicejust heard... it's on the CBC/IRA 2010 Children's Choice list! (The CBC/IRA Children's Choice List is a collection of approx 100 titles chosen by CHILDREN each year.)
No better judge! (in my book).
No better judge! (in my book).
Oh. Look. Here's the trailer...
QUICK! rush and get your copyMore info about the CBC/IRA Children's Choice List: here.
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