Artful alphabets please me. Here is a beautiful early 18th century Italian alphabet currently housed in Berlin, but happily digitized and available online. I like the the fact that my first intial “M” — is graced by Masks and Satyrs (and mules? stubborn girl). It reminds me of Zizola and the Satyrs in The Innamorati. […]
Alphabets, Satyrs, and My Name Read More »
Sometimes a photograph or a work of art inspires a character in my work — sometimes I am looking specifically for them, (I have notebooks filled with images for almost every character I have ever written) and sometimes, they simply appear and demand to be included. This guy did just that — muscled his way
What Is It About a Scythe? Read More »
Here are a small handful of stunning photographs taken during the late 30s, early 40s through the Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information of rural farm life across the country and the military. The images demonstrate the grace with which people weathered a difficult and uncertain time in this country. The faces are rugged, open,
Bound For Glory: America in Color 1939–1943 Read More »
In 2009 John Maloof went to an auction house and purchased for $380 a box of around 100,000 negatives as well as rolls of film, all secretly shot by a local nanny, Vivian Maier . The work had originally been stored in an abandoned locker. It wasn’t until Maloof started looking through the negatives that
The Mystery of Vivian Maier Read More »
Sometimes it’s good to be shaken out of one’s usual fare of fiction, and for that occasion, I want to recommend Ottessa Moshfegh‘s killer short story “Bettering Myself,” available online at the Paris Review, which also awarded Ms Moshfegh the Plimpton Prize For Fiction, given to best new voices in literature. And well deserved, I
Reading Fiction On the Net: “Bettering Myself” by Ottessa Moshfegh Read More »
I love this project by illustrator Jed Henry to take contemporary, iconic video game figures and render them in the traditional Ukiyo-e style of woodblock prints. They are beautiful — combining the exquisite technique of Japanese printmaking and modern fantasy images. The worlds are not so far apart according to Henry — who notes the
Ukiyo-e Heroes by Jed Henry and Dave Bull Read More »
I have been swamped lately: editing my novels and preparing them for publication—shots and shots of espresso in tiny cups. So I feel a kindred spirit in this essay by French author Honoré de Balzac (one of my favorites) who was famous for consuming near-lethal amounts of coffee to help expedite the writing of
Balzac, and the Cure For Too Much Work: Coffee! Read More »
This is why I love reading Shakespeare: Prince Hal: "This sanguine coward, this bed-presser, this horse-back breaker, this huge hill of flesh." Falstaff: "S'Blood, you starveling, you elf-skin, you dried neat's-tongue, you bull-pizzle, you stock fish. Oh for breath to utter what is like thee! You tailor's-yard, you sheath, you bow-case, you vile standing tuck!."
The Very Best Insults Read More »
I am so happy to celebrate St. Brigid’s Feast Day — especially as I have learned that in addition to being an excellent dairy maid (and therefore patron saint of farmers), she was especially fond of beer. We have been learning how to home brew beer (first batch was a successful dark beer with a
The Feast Day of St. Brigid Who Loved Beer Read More »
Canadian Inuit artist Kenojuak Ashevak died last week (January 8, 2013) at the age of 85. She was recognized as one of the notable participants in the West Baffin Eskimo Co-operative studio, also known as the Kinngait studio. She contributed original art for a new print every year from 1959 up to 2012 for the
Remembering Kenojuak Ashevak: Inuit Artist Read More »
