ann kent

Thoughts.

  

The First Days of Spring Official Trailer from charlie fink on Vimeo.

I found a new photography blog.  I really like it.  While perusing that blog, I found the clip above and was transported. 

The Creative Life, Not Necessarily What You Think.

I haven't blogged in some time.  Summer fun and travel didn't leave much time.  But I found a blog post recently and it speaks to me.  I think I find it interesting because I am increasingly seeing the merit in a full time job with benefits.  And having such a job does not necessarily preclude the living of a creative life.  And that is the message of the blog post.  The piece is from a very successful blogger, creative, and artist who was recently hired by Anthropologie, one of my favorite stores ever.   The girl is Alex Beauchamp.  Very smart move Anthropologie (owner of the image above) and many  congratulations Alex Beauchamp!

Peace (and inspirational blog!).

                

Time off at the Beach from alex beauchamp on Vimeo.

Factory Girl: Art, Fashion, & Destruction

I recently watched the film, Factory Girl, starring Sienna Miller.  The movie is an artful, fictionalized depiction of the story of Edie Sedgewick, an heiress who became the muse of Andy Warhol in the 60s.  Andy's studio was named "The Factory" and as you can imagine, all kinds of hi-jinks were rumored to have played out there.  

Factory Girl was an entertaining experience on many levels.  Sienna Miller was amazing.  Watch the clip below to see her as gamine Edie and note in particular the nuances of her expression.  I had no idea that she is such a talented actress.  I loved her character's 60s-style fashion especially the A-line dresses and boots.   I was skeptical about seeing someone portray Andy Warhol as he was a bit eccentric and could not imagine that any actor could make me believe that I was watching Warhol.  Yet, Guy Pearce met the challenge.  He was perfect.

Although there are numerous aspects of the film to enjoy, you will find that the story does not present Andy Warhol in a favorable light.   However, there are those that say that as Factory Girl is part fiction that Warhol's role with respect to Edie was not as depicted in the film.  In any event, the idea of Andy's role in Edie's downward spiral does inevitably give one pause.  Nonetheless, if you are intrigued by 60s era pop culture, this is definitely a film to see.

Here are some shots from the film and a clip.  Enjoy.

 
 

It's A Matter Of Taste.

This is really interesting.  Ira Glass from This American Life speaks regarding the creative process and why one finds it difficult to begin and continue ...

         

Andy Warhol Butterfly Magnets

I found this package of Andy Warhol's butterflies posing as magnets at one of my favorite stores last year (Marshalls) and they have added color, whimsy, and fun to my refrigerator for the last year.  The magnets are large.  One is 3" by 5".  Every time I glance at these hovering alongside my favorite snapshots, I smile.  You can acquire your own from The Andy Warhol Museum  in Pittsburgh, PA!

Friday Bug and A Book: Andy Warhol, Fashion

I found Grace Bonney's Twitter account recently and noticed that she has a little feature called "Friday Bugs" wherein she articulates a pet peeve.  Well, I thought that was a bit of a dandy idea under the right circumstances and of course, I had something in mind immediately.

A few days ago, I meandered through the shoe department at my favorite discount store and this particular shoe department was HUGE with names like COACH, Dolce & Gabbanna, Juicy - yes, the names that we covet.  And so, I was enjoying my leisurely stroll. 

Suddenly, I heard a young boy say excitedly, "Wow, look at all these different shoes!"  I smiled but then ... SMASH.  His mother responded, "Yes, and what is the point of that?"  I shuddered.  What a horrifying response and what a perfect way to destroy that boy's appreciation for creativity and variety.  I looked at the mother and sure enough, she clearly had no interest in clothing as a means of creative expression.  Well, that was a sad moment for me. 

On a lighter note, I found the loveliest book which documents Andy Warhol's fashion illustrations from the 1950s when he was a well regarded advertising illustrator and commercial artist for Barney's, Neiman Marcus, I. Miller, Glamour, Mademoiselle, and Harper's Bazaar.  The book, Andy Warhol, Fashion, is out of print and, therefore, not easy to acquire; however, one can usually find a copy here.  Here are a few illustrations from the book:

 

Enjoy the weekend!

 

Elliott Puckette's Art In The Royal Tenenbaums!

              

For those of you who have been following my Elliott Puckette posts, here is a little quiz.  Find Elliott's art in this clip from The Royal Tenenbaums (and have a wonderful weekend)!

I Love This Artist No. 1 - Elliott Puckette

Pssssst ... I've always been drawn to the refined, sophisticated curves of certain calligraphy.  In fact, I am generally obsessed with it.  I even signed up for a course once; unfortunately, the course was cancelled due to lack of interest.  Apparently, there isn't much modern day interest in calligraphy.  So, when I meandered through an old issue of Elle Decor (2000) yesterday and found Elliott Puckette, well let's just say that the writing was on the wall; I am a fan.  Stay tuned tomorrow for more about Elliott and a look at her home which inspired Wes Andersen when he chose the flming location for The Royal Tenenbaums' apartment.  Here are a few images of Elliott's work from here, Earl McGrath Gallery.