“I obey time, but do not try to manipulate it” said South Korean artist Myonghi Kang, referring to her painting “Le temps des camélias” (“The Time of Camellias”), which took her 30 years to complete. We are heartened by her assuredness and courage, even, striking in a world where the pressure to be productive seems to inform every moment.
Read MoreThe Ultimate Productivity Practice (from the Best Productivity Hacks of All Time)
At the great Kevin Kelly’s newsletter Recommendo, he mentions “the best, most succinct roundup of productivity techniques I’ve seen”. We learned a few seriously useful tricks that compliment our current theme of deconstructing our old driven routines into a more spacious life. We are heartened by the all-time best practice…
Read MoreThe Liberations of Long-Handled Paint Brushes, and Art Paired with Poetry
A favorite instagram is gallerist Brett Gorvy’s, which pairs an artist and his/her work with a poem. It makes for a powerful dose of illumination. Take this sublime photograph by the great photojournalist Harry Benson*, of a young Brice Marden painting with a long-handled brush, illuminated, as if by fireworks, by a poem by Margaret Atwood. Perfection. Which got us thinking about that amazing brush…
Read MoreKurt Vonnegut: ‘We are Dancing Animals…’
A compelling Kurt Vonnegot quote came over our transom recently, the prolific and best-selling author’s answer when asked his thoughts on replacing human contact with electronic contact. It cuts to the heart of who we are as human beings.
Read MoreSojourner Truth’s Fierce Poetry
When we saw this photograph of American abolitionist, former slave and women’s rights activist, Soujourner Truth we thought, ‘No description is necessary. There is a person who is completely herself, embodying strength, forthrightness, clarity’. Then we read the extemporaneous speech she gave in 1851.
Read MorePossibility Thinking with Stacked Brick Plant Stand
Spotted at @communedesign, a compelling idea for an impromptu plant stand at @hotcactus_la: stacked bricks. It reminded us of a story about bricks we saw in Apartamento years ago. What if we drew on some of THESE beauties from the vast and surprising world of bricks?
Read MoreA Poet Defines a ‘Blessing’ (John O’Donohue)
For a long time, I was hard-pressed to find a good definition of “blessing” that encompassed its quality of kindness, possibiity and transformative power without referencing formal religion. I found it in ‘To Bless the Space Between Us’ by poet John O’Donohue, and in one of his exquisite blessings.
Read MorePatti Smith Breaking the Strings She Plays
We love this clip of Patti Smith performing at Royal Albert Hall, in rumpled black, gray hair a wild frizz, singular, age-defying, theatrically, purposefully breaking each string until she was down to one, the broken strings shivering around like electricity. And especially, her words…
Read MoreTent as Artist’s Canvas Sparks Mary Oliver
Spotted at artist Izhar Patkin’s instagram: the tent he has on his New York roof deck with an interior painted by Scooter LaForge. We can imagine hiding out in its dreamy magic… A fragment of a Mary Oliver poem comes to mind:
Read MoreThe 8 Songs Brian Eno Can’t Live Without + Other Desert Island Discs
Our friend Ruth Kissane sent this message: “Have you heard this? The songs Brian Eno couldn’t live without?” The 8 songs come from a BBC Radio 4 show, Dessert Island Discs, which interviews people-of-note about what eight tracks they would take to a desert island, and WHY. We love how Ruth reframed the question.
Read MoreWe Savor the Last Tomatoes of Summer (Neruda with Recipes)
In late September, as cool weather creeps in, I become aware that the waning moments of summer tomatoes are imminent. I hunger for a last bit of lusciousness that only food in its season can convey. I pick out some “real” tomatoes at the farmer’s market to savor the perfect, simple way I learned from my friend Anthony Giglio, and to preserve for winter enjoyment. And I read Pablo Neruda’s ode.
Read MoreThe Tender Message In Christo’s Arc de Triomphe Dream
Sixty years after the artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s first visioned wrapping the Arc de Triumphe I’m fabric, the project has come to fruition for all to e see, touch, interact with, for free. In this short video, Christo gives insight into the meaning of their unusual — and ephemeral — life’s work spent transforming huge outdoor spaces at great cost in money and time.
Read MoreShared Harmonics in Nature and Art Makes Us See in a New Way
Do you ever wonder why we humans tend to feel good in nature? Annie Murphy Paul’s scholarly The Extended Mind: the Power of Thinking Outside the Brain gives the simple, obvious gist. It’s message is surprisingly echoed in art…
Read MoreMichaela Coel: “See What Comes To You in the Silence”
Michaela Coel won an Emmy for her fiercely powerful drama I May Destroy You which she created, directed and starred in. Her stunning 30-second acceptance speech offers remarkable counsel to writers and artists longing to make truly meaningful work.
Read MoreToday We Are Possible (Lucille Clifton)
I don’t remember where I came across this perfect, short poem by Lucille Clifton, only that it had the effect that Emily Dickinson said made her know something is poetry…
Read MoreThoughts on Failure for Robots and Humans (Samuel Beckett, Oprah, Brian Eno)
A video has been making the rounds of robots leaping and jumping easily from one obstacle to another. We prefer the tempering view of the many fails the robots endured, harsh face-first crashes that are as clumsy as a knocked-out boxer hitting the mat. It got us thinking about failure…
Read MoreA Couple of Radical Ideas About Living (Niall Williams & Henry Miller)
In This is Happiness, a beauty of a novel by Niall Williams, I found a nugget of gold that has been subtly transforming my view. It reminded me of Henry Miller’s radical philosophy of living.
Read MoreA Cunning Stacked “Bookshelf” with Twine
Recently I stumbled an article about lighting designer and photographer Christopher Baker and potter Odette Heideman’s home in Maine in House & Garden. Amidst a trove of clever ideas was one I plan to steal.
Read MoreHeading for Deep Analog, We’ll Be Back in September
We’ve suddenly realized that we’re heading into the home stretch of summer, with September in the too-near distance, and feel, well, we really need to STOP. We are world-weary, still. So we’re heading OUT, to immerse ourselves in deep analog.
Read MoreRespite from The Fearful Zeitgeist: Somersaulting Tibetans (Reprise)
Here’s a moment’s respite from the dire state of the world and the palpable feeling of fear that seems to permeate everything these days. It had us laughing out loud which, we discovered, keeps us right smack IN the moment
Read More