Every human should be required to read Letters to a Young Poet

Turn therefore from the common themes to those which your own everyday life affords; depict your sorrows and desires, your passing thoughts and belief in some kind of beauty– depict all that with heartfelt, quiet, humble sincerity and use to express yourself the things that surround you, the images of your dreams and the objects of your memory. If your everyday life seems poor to you, do not accuse it; accuse yourself, tell yourself you are not poet enough to summon up its riches; since for the creator there is no poverty and no poor or unimportant place.

Rainer Maria Rilke

new works + more

Here are some photographs from my work so far this semester, the ones I find myself to be most attracted to. I'm considering making a collection out of a few of them and perhaps putting a book together. I feel that I'm constantly working towards having enough material, and indeed making progress, but the problem is finding the time and focus to do the book project. To buckle down... we shall see.
Next semester's schedule is set and terrific (modern art seminar! photo III! feminist theory! digital photo!) Plus, I'm going on a service trip to western PA during spring break to build houses with Habitat for Humanity, among other things. My team for that is so great, and my photo 'team' (department? enclave?) has been particularly inspiring for me lately too. I'm feeling rather held up by all the good things in my life. And just in time for Thanksgiving too...

I'm still here

I know... it's been a while. I needed to drop off for a little while, 'specially during October. Life's just been busier than ever, but things are beginning to calm down now. And so.

I haven't yet scanned any photographs that I've made this semester, but I like what I've been doing and I think you will too. Later today I'm heading to northeastern CT for a wedding at a manor house, an old family friend. I packed three cameras.

In other internet news, here's what you should know:

- pick up this book if you haven't yet!
- lend an ear to this album if you haven't yet!
- watch this trailer if you haven't yet!
- these ceramics
- these photographs
- this [new and brilliant] literary mag
- oh, and this genius blog.

I'm still on a lady singers kick!

I've got long johns under slacks for blustery days

It's not here yet, but I feel it coming.

It Happened One Night

She'd have to be the sort of a girl who'd jump in the surf with me and love it as much as I did. You know, nights when you and the moon and the water all become one. When you feel you're a part of something big and marvelous. That's the only place to live... where the stars are so close over your head you feel like you could reach up and stir them around. Hey, I've been thinking about it. If I could only find a girl who was hungry for those things...

homework haiku

America's past

is as dry as the powdered

wig on Washington

that is all.

All week long...

The National

call me back, i'm on a plane

i think i'm somewhere over spain

i'm in a dark without the stars

i've never seen a black so dark

thought i'd be above the rain

somewhere on a higher plane...

I nabbed tickets to see these guys with The War on Drugs in December. I'm quite excited for it. They've always struck a chord for me, but since I was in Paris, up through the summertime, they've gone from great to downright brilliant. I can't get enough. I may even be going to this if I'm not working that night... !

Luis Camnitzer

my inspiration lately...

 

 

My Favorite Song

This song, originally by Bob Dylan, is my favorite song of all time. It has rhythm, soul, poetry, a little rhyme, and the perfect bits of sentiment all rolled into it. I never get tired of listening to it– that counts too. Blood on the Tracks is my favorite album of all time too (if I absolutely had to pick one.)

This cover is one of the best I've ever heard. I really enjoy Marissa Nadler's voice, her little lilt and almost squeaky harmony. It works here, the high note to low note dips and all that jazz. Her detail adds something to it without detracting from the essence of the original.

Speaking of female vocalists and soaring harmonies... talk about a song/ an album I can't stop listening to! Buy A Creature I Don't Know immediately and it will quickly become your most worthy purchase this week, promise.

Aristotle

"This is why, when we enjoy something a great deal, we do not really do anything else, and when we are only mildly pleased by something, we do other things; people who eat sweets in the theatre, for example, do it most when the acting is bad."

He really knew his stuff.

Paula Scher, Designer

ARTIST SERIES: Paula Scher from Hillman Curtis on Vimeo.

"And it doesn’t smell right! It doesn’t smell like an art supply; it smells like a car."

- Paula Scher on computers 

I'm taking an intro class to graphic design programs this semester, and my professor showed us this video on the first day. I have to say that design and the world of typography are some things I know nothing about, so seeing videos like this is rather eye-opening for me.

Posting may be light around here as I adjust to my new and enormously stressful workload, but I will pop in to say hello and share fun things as often as possible.

Autumn dressing, chez Anthropologie

Click each picture to be transported to each style. How luscious are these prints? combinations? cuts? textures? It's a sensual overflowing of gorgeousness. If I had $1,052, I would buy all four of them. 

Valencia in black and white

I know it's been forever since I've posted. I took the month of August, as the French do, to relax. I needed time away from my little corner of the internet, and I think it was well worth it.

I've been organizing and archiving my negatives and prints lately, which is suuuuuuch a good feeling. These are some shots from Valencia back in April. I've been getting lots of medium format photos printed (see my flickr on the right) and I hope to be shooting a lot more like them. I'll put some new ones up here soon. 

p.s. have you all seen Rachel Getting Married? if you haven't, you really must. brilliant.

today

I would give most anything to be in Paris today, looking out of this window into this blue sky, eating fried eggs and drinking tea and speaking French. Standing on that balcony to feel the warm sun. Being quiet.

the north fork

Spent a great day on the North Fork of Long Island with my family last week. I'd love to live in a big colonial house out there one day.

Sylvia Plath

I've been reading her 'Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams' collection of short stories.
Listening to these recordings of her is so fascinating. Her accent is terrific and she is so interesting. She's officially added to my list of deceased people I'd like to dine with. (Everybody has one of these lists, right?)

morning walks

I got up early this morning at 8 am though my alarm was set for 9:30. My body was boiling with energy, so I decided to go for a walk on the Upper West Side. I always knew I loved this neighborhood, but every time I explore a different part of it I fall in love even more. I discovered a Mint boutique that I didn't know existed, a Steven Alan outpost, a very cute restaurant called Good Enough to Eat, and Amsterdam Gourmet, a quaint market with everything from French pastry to yogurt to breakfast sandwiches to wine. I bought yogurt, and then stopped at the Greenmarket and found blackberries!! Local ones! So yummy.

New photos are on the way. I found my stash of never-before-printed 120 negatives, and I decided to invest in seeing how they came out. I've also been knitting a whole bunch, and I made my first socks. I was completely inspired by Jenny over at Wiksten, who is not only a wonderful knitter but an even wonderfuler clothing designer. I hope to soon catch one of her shop updates in time to snag a piece for my own!

Here are two recent photos of mine that I'm quite liking. The first is from this downpour, and the second from a sunset in Madison Square Park one evening with friends over some Shake Shack grub, my absolute, 100% not-so-guilty pleasure.

where have I been?

right here. 

I have no idea.

It's been a weird month, this July creature.

Here's to making August last.

photo by Lisa Smit.

click it !

New music from Feist!

It's about time! I'm quite, quite excited. The album is called Metals and it won't be out until October– but I like having something to look forward to. Big thanks to The Alternate Side for the heads up.

Etsuko Ichikawa, Artist

This is the most interesting and unique art form I've come across in a very long time, possibly ever.

If you're looking for inspiration of any kind, take in this article from the anthropologist. 

Then visit Etsuko Ichikawa's personal site for even more brilliant work. Wouldn't you love to own one of these?

notes on today

- I got caught in the craziest rain shower in Astor Place. The wind and rain blew down east 8th street like they were racing to see who could hit people faster. I ducked into a parking garage with my friend and took out my camera. I jumped out onto the sidewalk and shot a picture. The sun was in the middle of two buildings a bit off center. It was perfect. It was so bright you could see the streaks of rain. They looked like pick-up sticks falling from the sky. Then I ran to the subway alongside everyone else. There were lots of shouting and random exclamations. Climbed onto the R soaking wet. It was really thrilling.

- Stumbled across the greenmarket in Union Square today. I always forget it happens on weekends and wednesdays. I bought so many veggies, including a lovely batch of golden beets. I'm going to bring them home and make mash for my family on Monday night.

- I'm in the market for a medium format camera. Something that won't break the bank (like that precious, drool-inducing Hasselblad 503CW). The main contender is a Seagull GC-105, but the reviews are awful. A friend of mine has a Lubitel and likes it. My other friend has a Yashica Mat and likes it a lot. Any opinions, fellow photographers?

- I painted my toes this fun mint green color. My digital camera is a big piece of nothing.

- The gallery where I'm interning represents a photographer named Jose Picayo. First off, his work is incredible. But his portraits are the thing. I know there is a method to doing it, but he has some way of making the center or a certain part of the person's face in focus while the rest remains out of focus. I attempted to do that with my feet photos above, kinda, ishhh. Mildly successful, I think.