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.

jj- new work

new favorite !

Pocket Dept.

If you're looking for a place to write and draw and record things, Pocket Dept. is where it's AT. It's a new line of simple and functional notebooks produced by the Art House Co-op in Brooklyn, truly keeping things local. These are the same people who brought you The Sketchbook Project and A Million Little Pictures, a disposable camera themed project. (Psst, have you seen my 2011 sketchbook project?)

But back to Pocket Dept. Since I've been carrying around a bright red backpack lately, and as I'm interested in all things French, the company's French Line (specifically The Backpack Pocket) has captured my heart. As soon as I have need for a notebook, you know where I'll be despensing my dollars. (Did I mention I bought about... 8? 11? notebooks and journals in Paris? I have a thing about blank paper.)

But I really need to sign up for the 2012 Sketchbook Project!

Madrid in color

Tiny Beautiful Things

Her name is Sugar, and she writes an advice column for The Rumpus. 

She was asked a version of that age old question: if you could talk to your 20-year-old self, what would you say?

This is her response.

It struck such a chord with me that I've been thinking about it for days. Especially this part:

The useless days will add up to something. The shitty waitressing jobs. The hours writing in your journal. The long meandering walks. The hours reading poetry and story collections and novels and dead people’s diaries and wondering about sex and God and whether you should shave under your arms or not. These things are your becoming.

Thank you, Sugar, for saying what I couldn't put into words.

And a photo, taken on a long, meandering walk through Madrid.

New Laura Marling

I can't wait!
Out in September.
Pre-order it here.