Dead Man's Bones

I don't know why I haven't shared this yet... but Dead Man's Bones (Ryan Gosling? Yes please.) has been on my top played list for a few months now.  I just stumbled upon this wonderful video.  Check it out.  

East Coker

                             East Coker: V

                                 T.S. Eliot

So here I am, in the middle way, having had twenty years-
Twenty years largely wasted, the years of l'entre deux guerres
Trying to learn to use words, and every attempt
Is a wholly new start, and a different kind of failure
Because one has only learnt to get the better of words
For the thing one no longer has to say, or the way in which
One is no longer disposed to say it.  And so each venture
Is a new beginning, a raid on the inarticulate
With shabby equipment always deteriorating
In the general mess of imprecision of feeling,
Undisciplined squads of emotion.  And what there is to
conquer
By strength and submission, has already been discovered
Once of twice, or several times, by men whom one cannot
hope
To emulate-but there is no competition-
There is only the fight to recover what has been lost
And found and lost again and again: and now, under
conditions
That seem unpropitious.  But perhaps neither gain nor loss.
For us, there is only the trying.  The rest is not our business.

Home is where one starts from.  As we grow older
The world becomes stranger, the pattern more complicated
Of dead and living.  Not the intense moment
Isolated, with no before and after,
But a lifetime burning in every moment
And not the lifetime of one man only
But of old stones that cannot be deciphered.
There is a time for the evening under starlight,
A time for the evening under lamplight
(The evening with the photograph album).
Love is most nearly itself
When here and now cease to matter.
Old men ought to be explorers
Here and there does not matter
We must be still and still moving
Into another intensity
For a further union, a deeper communion
Through the dark cold and empty desolation,
The wave cry, the wind cry, the vast waters
Of the petrel and the porpoise.  In my end is my beginning.

Day One of Productivity

Today began my first day of PRODUCTIVITY!  If you haven't already heard, I have thrown the idea of returning to my old job out the window and have settled with finally diving into all the art projects that have been building up in my mind.  Between paintings, spinning yarn, weavings, and other fibrous constructions I have my work cut out for me.  This morning, I continued working on a watercolor that has taken me far too long to finish...a say by tomorrow it will be done! hip hip!  For now, I am about to head out to White Rock Lake with a big fat blanket in my back seat (freezing temperatures in Dallas!).  I am going to cozy up with warm beverage in hand, read, write, and look out at the leaves and lake around me. 

I am very very excited and this is only day one. 

Elana Herzog

Elana Herzog has an incredible portfolio along with an incredible resume.  I have been staring at her fabric and staple installations for a couple weeks now wondering when I can have one permanently in my (future) home.

Mark Bradford

The other day my family, Julia Patton, and I had the privilege of venturing down to the Dallas Museum of Art to see Jean Paul Gaultier and Mark Bradford's exhibitions.  Gaultier won my family's "favorite"exhibit complete with bizarre talking mannequins and Lady Gaga/Madonna-esque trans-gender garments.  It was crazy.  However, my favorite was Mark Bradford's abstract "paintings".  His paint and collage created incredible abstractions using old billboards, advertisements, and hairdressing endpapers.  His work is created through the process of sanding the buildup of layer and material.  It was amazing to see his work, which I have seen in books and on the internet, come to life and fill an entire wall.  The work traces society and race of cities past.  

Check out his website to learn more about him and his work.

Aquasilk

Part of their new color-reform collection, ABC Carpet & Home have really shot it out of the park with these Aquasilk rugs.  

This morning I woke up to the annual "Birthday"- a Beatles classic in the Russell family.

With pure delight, I witnessed my sisters put on a show of their best (spastic) dancing.  They made it through the entire song complete with a bit of huffing and puffing, side stitches, and sore legs.  

I then proceeded to don my birthday best (my calf hair black and white zig zag wedge desert boots), go see a movie (The Descendants), eat, see people, go visit a working sister, get visitors myself, and finish catching up on my newest show-REVENGE.  That is right.  8 episodes. 2 days. AMAZING.

Then we went out to my favorite Dallas restaurant- Si Tapas.  Yet again, it really outdid itself.  

ANDDDD most importantly,

THE winner of celebratory texts and voicemails goes to my dear friend, Matt Callison.  Pretty good, eh?

A Roadtrip In Passing

We made it.

from Georgia to Texas.

*Sigh*

There it is.  I just finished my last class of the quarter.  It is so strange to think that in less than twenty four hours I will be on my way back to Dallas.  I feel like I was just back there (maybe I was, but still).  This quarter FLEW and I finally understand what people mean when they say that time gets faster and faster.  It really does.  I am happy to have finals behind me but sad to be leaving the home of 2420 Reynolds.  I have never seen so much procrastination in my life!  

ice cream, late night snacks, and Claire Barnhardt

(this last one is Spencer's arm getting stuck in the railing- toooooo classic)

This place brings me such joy and I will miss so many things about it...

Things I will miss about this place

running route through the palm trees

cinnamon rolls at Back in the Day Bakery

the cat across the street that acts like a dog

impromptu dancing

top 100 hits of the 2000s

sitting in the kitchen and sweating because I get so hot but still sitting because I want to talk to everyone

weekend trips on the east coast

how big my room is

my roommates

people hiding my smorkin' labbits in places I can't find myself

Foxy Loxy

etc.

The great thing is... the break is only for six weeks and soon I will be back refreshed and ready to spend six months here in Savannah.  School is hard and I am ready to relax a bit. 

Dallas, here I come.  

BAAAAAAAILLE younkman

Finals are in full swing.  Just two more classes left and one more project to complete.  

workworkworkworkworkworkwork.

Speaking of finals... I got to be a part of a dear friend's final for Intro to Fibers.

 

This morning I was involved in a photoshoot for one of my lovely and talented friends, Baille Younkman.  Check out her stuff on her website.  These pictures make me laugh because I am in them (and look like a fool-admit it), but Amelia looks great and so do the clothes.  Good work Baille. You deserve an A. 

Lex + Loren Resurfaced

It is a slippery slope...

Last year I was introduced to the lovely inspiring romance of Lex + Loren.  These two strangers have filled me with a lot of hope and you can't help but melt.  Sounds girly, I know.  Just give the "save the date" a view and see for yourself! The video has resurfaced in our home and I may or may not have watched it multiple times this morning.  Yikes... like I said it is a slippery slope.  It is fine though, it really is.  

Lex & Loren - Engagement/Save the date! from Brinton Films on Vimeo.

Check out their wedding pictures here.

It is worth it.  

I really do like these strangers. 

Staying In Please

Today was spent with the intention of doing one of my favorite things- staying in.  With final projects and papers due next week, I decided to shut my door, stay within the confinement of my room, and work.  It is only five o'clock and so much has been accomplished.  I am thankful for work days because it is so thrilling to see the work that comes from just a matter of hours.  The day is not over, so I will return to my music, coffee, pencils, and paints.  Farewell. May you have a great Wednesday night.

Matthew Harris

 

RIP Petri

Aye me!  This post comes with some heartache.  A post of remembrance, if you will.

On November 5th, 2011, our dear friend and pet, Petri died at a premature of unknown causes.  If you know my sister, give her a big hug when you see her.  After five years, we have all felt Petri has become a part of the Russell family.  It is sad to see him go, but he will be remembered.  

May the spirit of Petri live forever!

Dallas, Here I Come.

On my way to Dallas to join my family and friends in the celebration of the soon-to-be Joseph and Callie Shumate!!! It is so close and I realize that I have fully entered into the wedding portion of my life. I am excited for this phase. Let it begin.

(this is so exciting)

Come On Anthro.

Alright, so the other day I went to go see Sheila Hicks' exhibition and was truly amazed at her work over the last 50 years.  If you haven't looked her up yet, do it NOW.  She is incredible. 

The real point is... the other day, I, an Anthropologie rewards customer, received an email about their latest window displays.  I can't help it but I got very angry upon reading their inspiration page and the reasons why they did what they did!  They talked mainly of the gourds and nothing, I repeat NOTHING, about the window's obvious connection to Sheila's work.  This makes me a little disappointed in Anthro- just give the fibers genius some recognition.  Come on now.  

A word from Anthropologie.