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Posts from May 2009

Of making many books there is no end

Curtains_volumes
New curtains brighten the front room as late afternoon sunlight (fabric is Volumes and Plumes by Anna Maria Horner) / April 2009

Books, books again, and books once more!
These are our theme, which some miscall
Mere madness, setting little store
By copies either short or tall.
But you, O slaves of Shelf and Stall!
We rather write for you that hold
Patched folios dear, and prize “the small,
Rare volume, black with tarnish'd gold.”

~ by British poet Austin Dobson (1840- 1921)

It's on the bag

Bag_after_pressedflowers
A fabric patch adds style to a dull bag (Anna Marie Horner's Drawing Room line of heavy-weight cotton; Pressed Flowers in Rose) / May 2009

Renew. A tired old bag gets new life with splashes of color and design. My travel bag was looking dull and bedraggled. I sewed on two fabric panels to spruce it up. The front one covers the flap and ugly logo (see a before picture after the jump). I measured the size of the patches, made a template, cut the fabric and then hemmed the edges under. At first I was going to use fabric glue, but wasn't sure it would adhere well enough and I was worried about lots of air bubbles. It was easy to sew on and if gets dull and bedraggled again I can easily sew on another patch.

Continue reading "It's on the bag" »


A fountain's slender spurtle

Anitasgarden
Dusk in Anita's magic garden with the Manneken Pis fountain / New Jersey / April 2009

SIR POET, ere you crossed the lawn
  (If it was wrong to watch you, pardon),
Behind this weeping birch withdrawn,
  I watched you saunter round the garden.
I saw you bend beside the phlox,
  Pluck, as you passed, a sprig of myrtle,
Review my well-ranged hollyhocks,
  Smile at the fountain's slender spurtle;

  ~ from A Garden Idyll by Austin Dobson

Creatively endowed it

Nanxi_inknotink
Fashion City by Nan Xi, 2008, ink on pape / ink not ink exhibit

Nan Xi composes his art using fading ink dots -- similar to a faxed or newspaper photo with many round dots -- and the techniques of broken-ink, accumulate-ink, stained-ink, and washed-ink.

He has "created a metaphor-featured painting mystery close to history and reality. The intention and value of the original images has been doubtlessly disrupted to a large extent and provoked brand-new reflection and questions. Therefore, his recent works always give people various thoughts -- it is certainly not easy to achieve."

"Nan Xi brought us great inspirations. Under the circumstances of digital age, when somebody considers the wash and ink media insignificant and no longer coordinated with the colorful and volatile new life, and have to develop towards abstract ink and wash, he has not only persisted in seeking the new possibilities for this traditional media, but also creatively endowed it with new cultural attributes and mode of expression."

~ Lu Hong writing about the works of Nan Xi


Desire to fly

Pengwei_fly
Ink on hemp paper mache, silk, iron wire; ink not ink exhibit

I'm here and desire to fly
~ by Chinese artist Peng Wei

A release of mood

Wuyi_thenight
Detail from The Night, III, ink on paper, 2008 by Wu Yi; part of the ink not ink exhibit

“I think I draw for a release of mood rather than anything else,” said he, “and I do my works according to intuition and nature only.”
~ Chinese artist Wu Yi

In the realm of ink and wash Chinese painting, Wu Yi advanced the theory that color and ink are of the same origin, thereby bringing change to the traditional school of Chinese painting, which has favored the ink and wash technique. Art critics praised his paintings which combine tradition and originality. In their words, Wu Yi represents a new generation of artists who paint images embodied with meaning.”
~ a description of Wu Yi from the Association of Modern Chinese Art

Art as therapeutic agent

Lijin_eating
Detail from a work by Li Jin; ink on paper

... In the appearance it seems like the promotion of business world in a fine line, but in fact, it is quite a contrary to the capitalist proposition with conspiratorial strategy to push people to consume and enjoy the world so as to destroy the rivals. And actually no one can live a good life in the crazy consuming pushing but intensive competition among people only. Perhaps art enjoyment is the only therapeutic agent for human being in our era.

~ Li Xianting writing about the art of Li Jin; from the ink not ink exhibit