Goethe Month: the Eternal Feminine, or, “Heaven is a hell of a party.”

Alles Vergängliche ist nur ein Gleichnis;
Das Ewig-Weibliche zieht uns hinan.

All that is perishable is but an allegory;
The Eternal Feminine draws us on.

(Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Faust, Act 5, “Heaven.” Final lines of the play.)

I interpret that to mean this: The things of men’s making that fade and grow dusty and entropically fall into disuse and destroy themselves in time are not to be worried over in their passing because they were never intended as anything but pictures to make us understand the continually Creative beyond that awaits, endlessly pouring out life, when we follow our dead objects to the grave.

Photograph by Michael Demeo.

I have contemplated it for about thirty seconds and I think I really dig this dynamic vision of Heaven suggested in the final lines of Faust. It is more exotic and vibrant than the tired old “flights of angels/peaceful rest” saw, yes? Like you are expecting to alight on some pastel cloud and hear harp-arrangments of soothing Bach chorales while you kick back with a lemonade, and instead someone shoves crazily-bubbling champagne at you, a tall fancy neverending flute for each hand, and the invisible stereo plays only ODE TO JOY, the good part, OVER AND OVER, forever and instead of the pastel cloud you are instantly transported to the front row of an endless big bang!, watching the universe eternally fling fire and stars at itself! for all time.

Turns out heaven is a hell of a party and all your friends are there and your dead pets are live again and in their prime waiting to play whenever you like only they don’t shed anymore and your family all get along great and you can finally tell all the people you liked in your life but never told about your true feelings for fear you’d look like an idiot that you always liked them so much and they are all great with that and like you back and no one is bothered about sharing. And you are holding a sparkler. On a rearing t-rex.

“Fuck, yeah, Heaven!”

Goethe Month: Everything in nature is connected

Photographed by Walter Bird, c. 1930s.

In nature we never see anything isolated, but everything in connection with something else which is before it, beside it, under it and over it.

(Johann Wolfgang von Goethe)

And so it goes with ourselves.

William Blake Month: Proverbs of Hell

The pride of the peacock is the glory of God.
The lust of the goat is the bounty of God.
The wrath of the lion is the wisdom of God.
The nakedness of woman is the work of God.

(William Blake, excerpt from “Proverbs of Hell,” The Marriage of Heaven and Hell.)

Langston Hughes Month: “Songs”

“November Under Light.” Sam Haskins, November Girl (1966).

I sat there singing her
Songs in the dark.

She said,
“I do not understand
The words.”

I said,
“There are
No words.”

— Langston Hughes, “Songs.”

A beautiful and true sentiment.

Take-Two Tuesday — Art of the nude: Andre de Dienes

I knew I had one more. Originally posted January 14, 2010 @ 11:06 am.

Photograph by Andre de Dienes.

An idea whose time has come

I saw Alice in Wonderland last night with Special K in 3D, and, though we both agree that the 3D felt tacked on and in no way enhanced the look of the film (we think Disney saw how successful 3D was getting and crammed it down Burton’s throat so he did the bare minimum required to satisfy them while still maintaining his vision), it did remind me of this badassical photography project I had to share!

Bust out them red ‘n’ blues.

Breasts … in … stereoscope!*

*(Please read that in the “Pigs in Space” voice.)

Anaglyph images are used to provide a stereoscopic 3D effect, when viewed with 2 color glasses (each lens a chromatically opposite color, usually red and cyan). Images are made up of two color layers, superimposed, but offset with respect to each other to produce a depth effect. (the wiki)

This project, called 3DD, is something I saved on my computer before a crash. I lost all the credits. Someone please help, because I feel awful about losing my bookmark of the artist, and my google searches are just turning up useless nonsense about Lindsay Lohan (?) and digital porn.

Hey. Nice bongos.

Usually the main subject is in the center, while the foreground and background are shifted laterally in opposite directions. The picture contains two differently filtered colored images, one for each eye. (Ibid.)

When viewed through the “color coded” “anaglyph glasses”, they reveal an integrated stereoscopic image. The visual cortex of the brain fuses this into perception of a three dimensional scene or composition. (Ibid.)

Cool, yes?!

Final thought. Dig that jar in her hand in the above shot: “Kitchen Blend” of sprinkles. As though there are rooms or situations which would call for not only sprinkles, but a different blend altogether of sprinkles. Sprinkles appropriate to the locale. “Prison Yard Blend.” “Airport Bathroom Blend.” “Shallow Grave in the Wilderness Blend.” Don’t you hate it when you are digging a shallow grave in the wilderness and you realize you accidentally brought your Kitchen Blend of sprinkles? Like, Crap, this night just went in the toilet. Dang it — I brought the wrong sprinkles. Bummer City.

Valentine Vixens: Inaugural edition featuring Margaret Scott

Today, instead of crawling back in to bed, I am forcing myself to find a new project that will hopefully start me writing every day again. You know me and the playmates: spoonfuls of sugar help the medicine go down! With that idea, twenty-nine rays of sunshine to light up your lonelyhearted February are headed your way: a Valentine Vixen a day. Beginning right … now.

Photographed by Baumgarth Calendar Co and purchased by Hef in 1953.

Another of Hefner’s fortunate discoveries from the well-filled files of the John Baumgarth Calendar Company in Melrose Park, Illinois was pretty-in-pink Miss February, Margaret Scott. Miss Scott’s shapely figure and ultrafeminine dressing-room set apparently made her an instant hit with the readers who purchased the third issue of Hef’s infant magazine: she became an extremely popular Playmate, drawing stacks of letters from the legions of her enthusiastic supporters. There’s even a chance that Margaret posed again under another name. See Miss April 1954. (The Playmate Book, 1996)

In April 1954, Margaret appeared as the “gatefold” model under the name Marilyn Waltz, again in a picture purchased by Hef from Baumgarth Calendar Company (rest assured, I am chasing that lead down to see more pictures or my name is not Cheesecake McVintagepants).

Photographed by Baumgarth Calendar Co.

For her first official Playboy shoot, the lovely and talented Wisconsin-born model posed again as Marilyn Waltz the following April, in 1955, as the Playmate of the Month. Why, look at that, I already have that one saved due to the fact that I was planning a thingy on vintage centerfolds in tacky capri pants — there are laughably plenty.

Photographed by Hal Adams.

Thanks to her caginess and Hugh Hefner using nudie calendar photography during the fledgling years of the magazine Marilyn/Margaret can lay claim to being one of only two women who are three-time Playmates, giving them the most appearances as centerfolds of any women to ever be featured in the magazine. (The other is Janet Pilgrim, Miss July and December 1955, and Miss October 1956.) But Marilyn did not reveal her multiple appearances for over forty years.

After Hef broadly speculated as to the similarities between Marilyn Waltz and Margaret Scott in 1996’s The Playmate Book, Marilyn contacted Playboy and confirmed that both models were her: she had posed for Baumgarth Calendar Co. as Margaret Scott when she was younger, but had posed under her real name subsequently.

Waltz received more fan mail — ironically, for her Margaret Scott appearance — than any other Playmate in 1954. Her February 1954 Margaret Scott centerfold appearance is seen as a classic. (the wiki)

Marilyn Arduth Waltz Jordan died December 23, 2006, in Medford, Oregon. She was 76.

Catherine Brooks’ Personal Mythologies: NSFW and beautiful

“The Phoenix and the Fruit.”

Extraordinary contemporary artist Catherine Brooks is based in Richmond, VA and I think she is rad.

“She traveled alone.”

My paintings are part of a story, a science fiction diary, rich in allegorical symbolism.

“Mirror Gaze.”

They are not self portraits, but instead physical manifestation of the lives within me.

“Waiting for Epimetheus.”

At a superficial blush, I think her paintings deal with imagery and conventional styles that are popular right now in the commercial world of art: lissome nymphs interacting with the natural world, an almost photo-realistic style, like a photograph or illustration recreated with oil paints, but I feel like that is, like I said a superficial comparison. The truth is that she really finds the darkness at the heart even of the popularity of those images, and more nakedly and skillfully tells the story behind them.

“Isabel’s Secret.”

The work has authority. I suppose maybe if you were to just striaghtforwardly describe her painting next to another, similar product on Etsy or something, telling only what you literally see vis-a-vis the subject matter and depiction, it could be accidentally mistaken for one of this genre of lesser and more wanly committed artistic storytellers, trendy but sort of twee, but that is not the case for me with Brooks.

“Wanderingbel.”

Besides her obvious superiority even of strictly mechanical talent — which gives her paintings a sophisticated weight lacking in some illustrations that deal with similar subjects and imagery — for me, there is more going on thematically in her compositions.

“The Gaze.”

I feel like if you look at her work, Brooks digs much deeper, like her work is a more authentic prototype than a lighter imitation, a more complete interpretation of an older and overarching theme.

“Reverent and revered.”

I am fascinated by the legends and tales that have been passed down through the rise and fall of empires and how they are weathered by oral tradition and cultural change.

“A Promise to Return.”

I work with my own personal mythology to reflect ideas on love, memory, and the inexplicable human talent for anthropomorphizing the cycles of life and all its manifestations. (via)

“Isabel and the Life Web.”

Adjusting to being Single and Living in Richmond is a bit of a roller coaster ride, but I’m pretty sure its more Tank Girl and less Hope Floats so it ain’t all bad. (blog)

Love Tank Girl. Sold.

“Driving Into the Sun.”

To discuss commissions or wholesale orders (or just to say howdy!) please drop me a line at: Robotroadkill [!at] gmail.com. (etsy)

“Half a second,” my favorite one.

I should first mention that all my analogies of life tend to be nature based, I was raised in an all female landscape business that was founded and run by my mother, for years we shared generations of stories over the tops of the flowers we cared for. Those ecosystems provided a framework and context to talk about the more complicated parts of life. That is where my imagery comes from. (interview)

I think it’s beautiful.

Daily Batman: Art of the nude

“Batwoman,” by Albert Penot.

Art of the nude: Andre de Dienes

Photographs by Andre de Dienes.

Sam Haskins Month, Day 18: “Mood swings”

“Mood swings,” 2006.

This picture actually juxtaposes the covers of Sam’s books Haskins Posters (1972) and November Girl (1966). He put it together a few years ago for a different book. The images as a single unit have become a very popular print.

Sam Haskins Month, Day 17: Kate and Rosie, the plot thickens

I feel like I should mention I’ve been putting these up out of sequence so I don’t totally spoil the plot for you. Don’t forget to add Sam’s Cowboy Kate and Other Stories, the Director’s Cut to your Christmas wish list. You can get it from Powell’s Books, Amazon, or get on a mailing list with Dashwood to see when they get another copy.

Sam Haskins Month, Day 10: Pioneer of in-camera montage techniques, now fallen by the wayside

One of the things Sam Haskins is known for is his in-camera montages, which made him highly sought after for advertisement and design layouts. “Big Apple Face,” directly below, is an example from his official site.

Haskins achieved amazing effects well before the advent of the computer software used today to digitally reach the same look. He explains the composition of another famous piece, which shows a model seemingly embedded in rose fabric, in one of his blog entries:

Here is a 1970’s reminder of a pre-Photoshop montage world. This image is to be included in my new book. Its a single exposure with the model viewed through optical glass at 45º and the fabric positioned to the side.

Lindy Mirrored Roses

At the time there was zero retouching after the event. Now of course I have the luxury of scanning the transparency to clean and refine the image in Photoshop – God bless its digital socks. (Sam’s blog.)

“God bless its digital socks.” He’s so funny. Was. That’s depressing. This whole suicide thing really shocks me. It just didn’t jive with what I’d always read and heard about him, and his high-humored sense of fun. But his son said his stroke changed his personality. I guess it was very frustrating to him and he considered it very limiting. I just don’t know how I feel about the whole thing.

Sam Haskins Month, Day 8: “Fair and gentle nymph,” Photo Graphics

“Fair and gentle nymph,” Sam Haskins, 1980.

The graphic experiments first seen in Haskins Posters (1972) and related exhibitions at London’s Photographer’s Gallery and National Theatre resulted in a book called Photo Graphics (1980). The title of the book coined a new term in photography that has since become widely used. (the wiki)

Sam Haskins Month, Day 6: Gill the art student, Girl Two

“Gill, the art student with ribbons in her hair.”

Click to see larger.

“…images from my book Five Girls. The model, photographer and in this case the Rolleiflex camera are all comfortably anchored flat on the floor.” (Sam’s blog, April 13, 2008)

All five of the models in Five Girls, like Sam, are from South Africa. That’s where he shot the book. I’ll see what else I can dig up on the girls.

Sam Haskins Month, Day 5: Five Girls – Bes in braids

Five Girls represents many things to me.

A serious project that served as a clearing house for graphic ideas which were floating around in the back of my mind.

A fun project which was a relief from highly disciplined advertising illustration.

An opportunity to control the full cycle of an undertaking, from the first conception of the idea and choice of approach, through the photographic processes and selection of pictures, to the final detailed layout and design.

I do not like to dream up explanations for my work.. That is why this book is, quite simply, me – thinking pictures. (Sam Haskins, forward to Five Girls, 1962)

Many of the pictures from Five Girls, along with other prints of Sam’s work, are available as “signed, museum quality photographic prints;” hit up his official site’s order form to learn more.