My talented mother recently self-published a historical fiction children's novel. I'm so excited that it's finally on the market after years of it being in the making. Maybe I'm biased, but it really is such a great read for kids.
My ancestors on my mom's side were very involved in the Jewish resistance during WWII in the Netherlands. This is the basis of her inspiration and while the plot is fictional, many of the details were derived from reality.
It's called Maarten's Redempton and you can buy it here.
Also, the cover art by Halifax illustrator, Sydney Smith, couldn't have suited the book any better.
After a year-long hiatus, I started up some needlepoint projects. It's worse than crack because when I start I don't want to no anything else and I can't seem to put it down until there's no more to do. Makes me wonder why I stopped... or why I started again?
I wanted to make something for my mom for her birthday this year so I put my addiction to good use. There are a few recipes that are very precious to my Dutch family so I embroidered two of them onto nostalgic family fabric. Olibollen and appel taart were the recipes I chose, which in English means oil balls (they sound gross but they're really, really good) and apple pie.
I just got back from a two-week vacation to visit family in Nova Scotia and boy did it ever feel good. Canoeing, swimming, lounging, eating, fireworks, dog, garden, ocean, ocean, ocean, family, cheap thrift stores, and all else that is good and maritimey.
Queens County is where I spent most of my two weeks (where I also grew up) and not having visited for a while, I was able to see how unique and special this region really is. Dear to my heart are some of the fiber craft techniques and styles specific to that area. I'm always blown away by the world-class hooked rugs, needlepoint and quilts that might come out of old Betty Whynot or granny Moreau's living rooms and then sold for next to nothing at the annual exhibition. It's a shame to see how these works of art are usually under appreciated for the skill, creativity and many, many hours that these techniques take. Lets hope that the tradition will stay alive for much longer. Here's to you, Nova Scotian crafters!
Yoko Ono: I can't think of the right words to describe how amazing this lady is to me.
Throughout my last stint at art school, I developed some pretty harsh feelings towards contemporary visual art and it hasn't stopped growing out of control ever since. How effective is contemporary art really in the scheme of things? Has all art become a means to create big, abstract, narcissistic and indulgent self portraits? Does anyone who isn't an artist actually care?
Well, clearly after that tangent, I'm no admirer of most of today's art. I do have a point, however! Yoko Ono is one of the few visual artists, perhaps in all of history, to have reached the masses and convey her message as effectively has she has. And all with a beautiful mandate: Peace. She's a selfless lady with a passion for harmony and happiness and she couldn't express it in any better way.
I initially wanted to make a whole post dedicated to her, but then realized that I could never encapsulate all the wonderful things she's done in one mere post. So, I'll fragment it in a series of posts and start off with: Grapefruit!
Considered a staple in the Fluxus movement. She wrote it in the in the form of "event scores" in the early to mid 60's. Here are a few examples of some pages. Why don't you give em a try!
Not being a huge fan of the werewolf genre, I didn't have very high hopes for an American Werewolf in London going into it. Little did I know that I was in for a huge culty treat.
John Landis was the director and although his name might not be so familiar, his work is what most might know rather intimately. He is responsible for Michael Jackson's Thriller music video! AND Black and White!
But while I am a Landis admirer, it's really the movie's makeup artist, Rick Baker who takes the cake in this case. The story was exciting and entertaining but it was Baker's magic that made the film so tasty. Having been made in 1981, this is one of those movies where you keep asking yourself, 'how dey do dat?'. The dangling skin, the rotting flesh, the exposed organs, the species transmogrification... EW! so gross, but I just can't stop staring! (I added a GIF below to demonstrate).
This is a movie for the ages; the kind you could watch every few years when you're in the right kind of mood. Download it now!
Pop Montreal's Le Pop Up Shop vintage sale is just around the corner (April 2nd til April 9th at Off InterArts, 5143 St-Laurent Blvd). ¡Whoopee! I'm selling with the likes of cheap opulance, yeye vintage, cesar pony, supayana vintage, citizen vintage and a bunch of other admirable collectors. On the one hand I can't wait to sell lots of stuff but on the other, I'm already feeling the separation anxiety I get when I need to part with my preciouses. Most of the stuff I'm selling at le Pop Up isn't listed in the etsy shop, so here's a look at some of the lovelies I'll be relinquishing:
I'm mostly excited about all the great 90s wide-legged floral pants and shorts I'm bringing to the sale. They're my latest kick.
