Never Forget Cousin Corinne's Reminder

For my friend Cristina's birthday yesterday I gave her a copy of a semi-annual publication I have recently come to love: Cousin Corinne's Reminder. It's a hodge podge of pieces from all corners of the art world- prose, poetry, photography, fine art, and more. The most recent installment, "Issue Number Three," has (among many other great pieces from the likes of Emma Straub, and more) a gorgeous spread on fascinating artist Simon Dinnerstein's recently "discovered","The Fulbright Triptych," with an accompanying essay by Jhumpa Lahiri. I saw a postcard of Triptych about a year ago and became enthralled with the images and the stories they told. Upon seeing Lahiri's in-depth "Triptych" essay in Reminder, I knew I had to take it home. I'm glad I did. I have so enjoyed discovering everything in it. The publication does a great job of exploring a vast array of mediums and presenting a diverse, but talented group of artists within its pages. Best of all, it's only $14 an issue, and each issue is quite hefty.

I couldn't find excerpts to show you from Reminder. However, I did find these beautiful images of Simon Dinnerstein's "The Fulbright Triptych" as featured in "Issue Number Three."

 

I purchased my copies of Reminder at Book Court in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn. However, I bet you can find it in most, if not all, bookstores in New York. Hopefully, elsewhere too. Otherwise you can subscribe via their website. It doesn't seem to be terribly updated, unfortunately, but you should be able to get ordering information. I love the cover photos they've used so far. Breathtaking images!

In case you are itching for more Simon Dinnerstein as I am, then I'll leave you with some more of his beautiful artwork. I'm so in love with his style. What I would give to tour his studio and see all of his pieces in the flesh! Luckily, on his website, you can read his personal reflections on his artwork. Such an unusual move for an artist, but as an aficionado I love this opportunity to peer into this thoughts.

Flower Market Rome, 1977-78 ~ Simon Dinnerstein

oil on canvas

Angela's Garden, 1970 ~ Simon Dinnerstein

burin engraving

Garfield Place, 1970 ~ Simon Dinnerstein

Charcoal

Polhemus Place, 1969 ~ Simon Dinnerstein

burin engraving

Monte Casino Daisies, 2002 ~ Simon Dinnerstein

oil on wood panel, plexiglass palette

Solaris, 2003 ~ Simon Dinnerstein

oil on plexiglass palette

Have a beautiful Wednesday!

*All images from this post were from Simon Dinnerstein's website, or Cousin Corinne's Reminder.

Indigenous Stories by Tamara Adams

Gathering of Mexican Women ~ Tamara Adams

As you know from previous posts, I love Mexican art. I love Diego Rivera. And I love art that represents under-told stories. There are many artists in Latin America that still work with the legacy of Diego Rivera creating their own highly stylized paintings with themes of power, struggle, family, and indigenous life, heritage and culture. But here in the states, these are less commonly explored arenas. The work of Pacific Northwest artist, Tamara Adams, picks up just where Diego Rivera left off. Adams creates deep, vivid paintings that explore the rich and spiritual lives of strong indigenous women. With bright colors and artistry clearly influenced by  Rivera and others like him, Adams manages to pull from these painters she admires, but raise her own voice and bring to the fore the stories of women who are often overlooked, but have much to say.

Whimsical Mother and Child

Black Madonna and Child

Nursing Mother and Child

I love the themes of spirituality, motherhood, sisterhood, and oneness with nature that run through Adam's paintings. In many pieces, mothers nurse or care for their young in moments of total devotion and quiet bliss. In Nursing Mother and Child, we sense a profound satisfaction in the mother's care-taking, and that through it she becomes ever-closer to her earthly environment as represented by her surrounding foliage. Adam's images harken to the native spirituality that conquistadors and other colonialists attempted to wash away with their organized religions upon arriving in the new world.  Her sensitive portraits celebrate the beauty that lies in these resilient and thoughtful systems of belief.

Sing Away the Blues

Girl and Birds

Tree Spirit and Ravens

None of Adams' paintings represent the connection between women and nature quite as strongly as Tree Spirit and Ravens. In it, she paints a tree inhabited by ravens with the soulful face of a woman. It's as if she says that women are borne out of the earth just as flora and fauna, and are one in the same. It's a powerful image, and I love how she makes each element such that you don't know where one ends and the other begins. In other words, where does the woman end and the tree begin, or the tree end and the ravens begin? They are all part of one same organism.

 Gathering of Women

Importantly, Adams also delves into the relationships women have to each other. Just as they are bound to nature and youth, they are bound to each other and provide one another with a unique strength. In Gathering of Women, we see four women gifting a sister plants, fruit, a bird, and peppers. It seems to me that the women are saying, "Among us there is an unspoken bond, and together we will always provide each other with what is needed." It's my own spin perhaps, but I think what is sure is that these female relationships are based on loyalty, trust and allegiance.

Colorful Prayer Icon

I'll be in Oregon later this summer, and I'm hoping to make a trip to see Tamara's radiant paintings in person. The glimpse of texture I can glean from web images must be stunning in person. If you can't make it to Oregon like me, you can purchase Tamara's work on Etsy, or visit her website for more images and information. Posters of several prints are also available for purchase on allposters.

Goddess Portrait with Bird

What do you think? Are you moved by Tamara Adam's work like me? Share your thoughts!

*All images for this post were taken from Tamara Adam's Etsy shop.

Let Sophie Blackall Find Your Missed Connection

Although I am an adult, I refuse to ever give up my devotion to illustrated stories. Sophie Blackall's Missed Connections: Love, Lost & Found, if one of my favorites of the moment. Sophie is such a fantastic illustrator, and her book- a visual journey through the world of Craigslist's Missed Connections ads- is a heartfelt depiction of the search for love and relationships in this massive and sometimes alienating city. Her simply stylized illustrations paint beautifully fleshed out stories gleaned from the short, black and white pages of the classifieds. While I have my attractions to gloom and darkness just like the rest of the world, I think that seeing the warm glow and depth of such superficially pedestrian things as Craigslist is a pretty special ability, and I love that Sophie Blackall is able to do that. Just check out some of her inspiring excerpts. My favorites are the Bear Costume and the Music Girl and Boy. Can you help falling in love with these strangers yourself?

You can buy Missed Connections online, or in virtually any bookstore in NYC. I've seen it at all of my favorite shops- Book Court, Spoonbill, McNally Jackson, and more. Also, if you are an NYC resident, keep an eye out in the subways. You may have already seen Sophie's recent MTA poster- and my favorite of all of them- which you can also purchase from their website here.  

Plus, make sure you check out Sophie's Blog, and her Missed Connections Blog. They're both fantastic.

Have you searched for your missed connection today?...


*All illustrations in this post were by Sophie Blackall.

Bringing Nature Home by Ngoc Minh Ngo (Rizzoli)

I've been trying to carve out time to put up some book posts this week, but I've been swamped with activities and apologize for my slacking off. However, today I have a great new book that I hope will make up for my absence. You may have heard of this one already as publicity for it is popping up everywhere, and deservedly so. Bringing Nature Home is the new photo book from phenomenal interior, food, and garden photographer, Ngoc Minh Ngo. Her passion for the seasons, plants, and the home are all on display in this Rizzoli-published book, which she put together with help from well-known floral designer, Nicolette Owen, of Brooklyn's Little Flower School. There a million places to get full-on reviews of this beautiful book, so I'm going to let you follow those links at the bottom of this post for those. But first, here is a taste of the breathtaking photography of idyllic tableaux you'll find inside.

If you are in the New York Area, you are in luck! There are several opportunities coming up to meet Ngoc Minh Ngo and Nicolette Owen. They've teamed up with West Elm in Chelsea for an upcoming book launch party, a floral pop-up shop, and a flower arranging class- all of which are open to the public. For details click here!

To read more about Bringing Nature Home, be sure to check out the current issues of Martha Stewart Living, House Beautiful, and Garden Design. Of course, to purchase the book itself, go here, or purchase a signed copy at West Elm next Tuesday, April 10!

*All photos from this post are by Ngoc Minh Ngo from Bringing Nature Home.

Celebrating Change the Handcrafted Modern Way

Handcrafted Modern by Leslie Williamson (Rizzoli)

This is a huge week for me. Last week I ended my full-time job, and today I am starting my career as a full-time Voiceover Artist. This is an achievement I have been working towards for many years, and I am very happy and proud to finally be making this jump. It is a very exciting time. Naturally, it is also a very busy time. I'm in the midst of many schedule changes and life adjustments. Thus, I'll be unable to post in too much depth this week.

As I don't want to leave you completely hanging, this week I will offer up some books that I am dying to add to my collection. First and foremost is Handcrafted Modern by photographer, Leslie Williamson. I have been gushing over this book for so long, I can't even recall the start of my love-affair.  In celebration of my new career change, I have decided that I am finally allowed to purchase it! The book peeks into the homes of famed Mid-Century designers like George Nakashima, Wharton Esherick, and Charles and Ray Eames to name a few. Here are a few photo excerpts, but for more on the book check out Light Waves Imaging's website. They served as the printers for this Rizzoli-published gem.

You can purchase Handcrafted Modern by Leslie Williamson here.

Keep checking in this week for more book recommendations, and  I'll be back next Monday with in-depth Collectionaire features!


*All photographs from this post are by Leslie Williamson and from Handcrafted Modern.