art 21 / ecology

I mentioned in my last post that I finally completed my summer classes (both of which I actually enjoyed quite a lot). Well, for my modern art history class, I watched an episode of the PBS series Art21, and wrote a casual, 500 word essay on one of the contemporary artists featured every week. I probably enjoyed it a bit too much and I usually ended up with about 700 words and the desire to write more. I thought it'd be fun to share some of my favorite episodes and mini-essays with you. I found nearly every episode I digested immensely inspiring, motivating, and moving and an affirmation that I am following the correct path in life. Art can be both eye-opening and wonderfully powerful and I feel that this video series captures the very essence of these truths. If you do decide to follow along, I hope that you will feel similarly.

Each essay introduces the episode topic and then delves into which artist I chose and why, a little on the artist's personality, the medium(s) the artist works with, and how the pieces the artist creates relate to the theme of the episode followed by a concluding statement and a question. In addition to the short essay, I wrote a response (at least 200 words) to a classmate's post which included my general reaction to the post and artist the student wrote about, as well as an answer to the student's question. I will not be posting the classmate's post, but you'll get an idea of what it was about through my response. I will post the responses in separate posts, some time after I post the original essay. This first one is on ecology. This was one of my favorite episodes and tears escaped my eyes while I watched it. Hope you enjoy!

/ / /

This episode of Art 21 focuses on ecology. Broadly, ecology is the relationship between organisms and their environment; it is a branch of biology. Though scientists focus their work on physicalities, empirical evidence, and through a lens detached from biases, artists have the freedom to drench an audience in their own reasoning without the need for data, but rather by eliciting emotional response from within viewers. All four of the artists in the episode--Ursula von Rydingsvard, Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle, Robert Adams, and Mark Dion--observed the specific relationship between humans and nature. Though the artists fixated on a common theme, they concentrated on differing angles of this relationship--direct human interaction with nature, politics, destruction, etc.

This time, I chose to write about Robert Adams. After hearing the first sentence he uttered in the program--“the final strength in really great photographs is that they suggest more than what they show literally”--I knew I had to write about him. This simple thought cannot be more accurate when it comes to photography, or really any other art form, I think. Without that something beyond the literal, a photograph (or any art piece) is forgotten easily, maybe even disregarded. But, if it provokes thought, if it evokes a feeling, it has done something extraordinarily powerful. This was my favorite part about his work. Though some scenes may have appeared as ordinary landscapes or simply as snapshots of emerging suburbia, they all transcended what a pair of eyes had glossed over. As a photographer, this is always one of my goals and Adams seems to effortlessly, yet passionately achieve this time after time. For me, Adams appears to be a man nourishing deep emotion and care within him and a beautiful desire to share it with the world. There’s not a better example of this than when he mentions that he pities the individuals who have not been so moved by a tree to at least touch it. Adams is a photographer, but in the video he is also shown very briefly working with wood. Each of his photographs focus on juxtaposing the beauty of nature with its destruction caused by humans. Rarely does he capture a human figure, however his images manage to encase the relationship between humans and nature with such aberrant precision. In his book Turning Back, Adams takes on the heavy and dismal subject of deforestation. The juxtaposition is most apparent in the photograph of the large tree stump on the side of the road on which a lone, cowardly beer can sits and one of the rare photographs including a human figure, the photograph of his wife sitting, defeated near an enormous stump. Both these photos present two very different human interactions with nature (one of anarchy and the other of loss) amongst destruction. Adams’ work relates to the overarching theme of ecology, through his particular study of human interaction with the destruction of a natural environment for the place of one artificial and more menacing.

Overall, I was truly captivated by every piece in this episode and able to relate to what each artist had to say and present. The relationship between humans and nature has always been one of great significance and interest to both scientists and artists alike. In today’s heavy, tense atmosphere of climate change and politics, this relationship provides, I would say, an even greater significance than ever before. If data doesn’t serve as enough of a warning of the constant destruction we partake in, perhaps contemporary art will. Have you seen any other ways that contemporary artists have addressed the topic of ecology? Do you feel there is a certain angle more significant than another (for example, destruction of the planet vs. appreciation of the beauty of nature)?

journal / week 7 + week 8

Just a moment ago I was frantically searching for my pen. I have my scanner to the right of my computer, on my desk and there's a part that slightly juts out and all of my pens disappear under there. And I always forget about that secret spot until I sit at a certain angle and recover three or four missing pens. I'm sure that grabbed your attention, so now we can move on.

Today, I will write various ironic captions under each of these photos instead of laboring over the details of this week's (and last week's) endeavors. Let us start. The one directly above: why don't you take me seriously when I'm about to break a ceramic cup with a horse encased within it and emerging from the side--a cup that I use to water my plants--by placing it atop my head and attempting to keep it there because I'm actually really an expert at balancing things atop my head?

Of course I wouldn't waste time writing captions for photos, I can hardly do that for Instagram, let alone here. But now that I've truly captured your attention with the prospect of poetic captions, let's travel back in time to July 10th. It was a hazy, humid day--maybe. Because I hardly remember that day. Two weeks ago feels like two years ago. All I know is that it's been unbearably and unrelentingly humid for an eternity (or two-ish weeks). And that I've been engulfed in work and the frustration that online shopping is so time consuming and generally displeasing.

So, let's start with Tuesday instead.

I jumped out of bed to the ecstatic thought of replying to e-mails that I hadn't replied to from the weekend and quickly hashing out pin card designs to re-print, but not before hitting snooze once or twice; e-mails are quite alluring, but not as much as sleep is. I pressed the button behind the monitor and woke my computer from its slumber. Ha, you have to wake up early too, I thought. After I got dressed I finally noticed that I had actually slept for too long and that the clock read 9:17 and not 7:17. At that revelation, I decided to instead begin packaging and trimming some prints and preparing shipping labels. Packaging takes a whole lot longer than you would think. And it's simultaneously fun and dull. It also comes with the reality that you actually have your own business and upon roaming over that thought, you become impossibly excited. It's always crazy to remember that you're doing what you had always dreamed of doing. Also, the paper trimmer I purchased a few months ago is a gem to use. I ate a very late brunch before returning to my room and sitting down at my computer. I proceeded to re-design my pin-backing cards. By the time I was done, it was too late to head to the print shop, so I organized my packaging supplies and prepared the files for the next day.

On Wednesday, I was convinced it was Tuesday. I headed to the print shop to order my cards. I requested that they be ready Thursday. I drove home and then realized it was Wednesday, which meant I'd only given them a one-day turn-around for two sets. I worked on a commissioned portrait. More e-mails. More packaging. The next day, I met with a friend and later picked up my cards. They were perfect and ready on time. Amazing. I ran some errands and hurried to re-make one last batch of cards for my cactus hand pin (the ones pictured). By the time I completed the design, it was about 5 PM--which meant I'd only have two hours to re-package a few pins, paint the background on the portrait and finish packaging a few things. Somehow, being the diligent worker that I am, I finished with a half hour to spare--or just enough time to arrive at the post office. I carefully drove (didn't speed at all, of course) to the post office and as soon as the car was parked, I ran through the doors. I made it. And with ten minutes to spare. Everyone would receive their packages on time.

Friday was groovy. I did homework all day. By all day, I mean I literally woke up, got dressed, ate breakfast, and sat at my desk and didn't get up until about ten pm. I turned in my weekly essay about two hours before it was due--a shocking hiatus from the two-minutes-before-it's-due slack I usually allow myself. I really do enjoy my art history class, though, so it's a labor of love. When that was over with, I listened to some records and tried to plan new pieces for my project before drifting off to sleep--which instead ended in me scrolling through Pinterest boards until two. The next morning I let myself sleep in, which isn't actually too rare this summer because one of my talents is sleeping through anything, including my alarm. I went on a mini-roadtrip, destination-less. Upon my return, I realized I had forgotten to finish one more thing for my other class so instead of completing that, I trimmed a set of pin cards, re-backed and re-packaged a batch of 100 cake enamel pins, and then posted my playlist. After doing everything possible to avoid the assignment, I sat down to complete it. Finally, I headed out to catch one of my favorite bands, BRONCHO, with Billy Changer. I had such a great time. Billy Changer opened and sounded terrific (it was so wonderful to finally catch them live). And I got to witness BRONCHO bring their infectious energy to a room of eager people for a second time (I saw them in the fall too). Of course, I was caught in the birth of a mosh pit and I instantly regretted my decision to wear mules, but I danced a lot and was left in awe at what a good night it was. If you have the chance, definitely go see BRONCHO; they put on quite a performance every time. Sunday was relaxing. I headed out to watch my favorite horses and later, I did some sketches.

Last week. Monday, I woke up early and headed out to run errands. I stopped by the print shop to drop off some files. At home, I did some office work and packaged more prints. Then, I drove back to the print shop to pick up my prints and other set of pin cards. Then, I drove back home to package some of the prints I picked up. More packaging ensued. 

Tuesday, I repackaged another batch of pins. I cleaned the house. I went to the post office. Pretty much a repeat of the week before. I also tried to take product photos, but the sky was really dark, so the natural light wasn't ideal. Before I knew it, the middle of the week had arrived. This time, I did realize it was Wednesday. I took the day to run more errands and photograph my pins. And I treated my dog to a very long walk. Despite the repulsive humidity, we had a lovely time and he even enjoyed running through various bunches of neighbors' flowers. I got home right as dusk blanketed the neighborhood and I thought I would take a shower and go to bed early. Instead, I became incredibly inspired and sat down to complete an illustration. I worked on it well into the night. And it was well worth it. 

Thursday was the day to begin the research essay I had been dreading beginning. I loved the topic--I chose to research and write about Matisse's "Oceania, the Sea"--but I was more interested in continuing the piece I had created the night before. Despite an infinite number of distractions, I hesitantly embarked on the journey of consulting my many books on Matisse, as well as the vast resources of the Internet. And the day passed and I was left with pages of notes. I always take notes by hand. I guess it does take more time, but my hand-written notes tend to breed idea after idea, unlike my absent-minded typed notes. I showered, scrolled Pinterest, and fell asleep.

Friday morning, I dragged myself out of bed and quickly completed the regular morning routine before heading to my desk to spend the day writing. Because I avoided writing about "Oceania, the Sea" for so long, I was left to write two essays in one sitting. Hours later, I emerged from the confines of my four walls to eat dinner. On my screen, I had a neat five page essay about a beautiful and revolutionary work of art. It felt great to have it done. After consuming my meal, I hesitantly re-entered my room to sit down to watch an hour-long video and to write another essay. I turned it in two minutes before it was due, just as usual. 

Saturday morning came and I coaxed myself to begin the day with the completion of more homework assignments. After which I rewarded myself with a Target run. I ate and then it was time to leave for the Sheffield Garden Walk and Music Fest. I couldn't wait to walk through strangers' gardens. Actually, I couldn't wait to see another one of my favorite bands, Foxygen. After a week of intense humidity, the afternoon air became cooler and breathable. I was able to wear jeans without melting as soon as my legs met the sticky air, as they would have just the day before. With perfect weather, and a pale blue sky, occasionally spotted with drawn out clouds, I left the house. Jessica Lea Mayfield took the stage and pierced the air with a beautiful voice reaching an eager crowd before Foxygen appeared with a jolt of energy. The show was breathtaking and left me speechless. It was nothing less than I expected of them. It was nothing less than an incredible experience. They played "On Blue Mountain" (one of my favorite songs ever) at the very end and there couldn't have been a more perfect way to conclude the night.

Hope you enjoyed this very long journal post, littered with lots of photos of me displaying my daily routine as a companion. Also, my dog wanted to say hi. Go out and pet a dog. Enjoy summer. And come back for another journal or playlist or anything else that might appear here. xx

journal / week 6

I always listen to my discover weekly playlist when I write these posts, which is why they must be so eccentric. This week threw me off (just like that discover weekly right now) since Independence Day was on Tuesday. I still worked on Monday, but then I took Tuesday and Wednesday off. Truly a wild situation.

Anyway last Sunday,  I headed to the beach. It was rather late in the day, so I didn't expect too much traffic. Of course, there was an absurd amount of traffic. I also failed to complete my homework earlier in the week, so I had no choice but to labor over it in the car (no, I wasn't driving). On the topic of distracted driving, I spotted a lady driving while watching Netflix--or should I say watching Netflix while driving, as she was doing a lot more watching rather than driving. Will this be a new, prominent threat on the road?

What felt like hours later, we arrived at a beach, overflowing with bright red backs, sandy towels, and colorful umbrellas. I really hate the word "sunbrella". It's still just an umbrella, whether you use it in the rain or not. And what if it rains on your "sunbrella". Is it still a "sunbrella" then? Hint: that's some foreshadowing right there. For the record, I checked my favorite app, The Weather Channel, before we left and it wasn't supposed to storm until later that night #ad #justkidding. Lazily, I sat on a blanket and admired the water and chose to ignore the dark clouds looming above the lake. Then came the first clap of thunder. No, that's not thunder. Then another, and the same response. And another, and the same response. Then, I felt a few drops of rain and decided it was time to pack everything up. Right as I scrambled to pick up three times my weight, the sky began to pour buckets of water on all of us. As if we were all going to melt, nearly everyone on the beach screamed and ran through the sand and to the parking lot and to the shelter of their cars. I actually quite enjoyed the run. There's nothing like a good summer rain. And guess what! No one melted.

Monday, I slept in too late. That run must have really took its toll. After all, I haven't exercised in the past three or four years (besides walking and taking photos, of course).

Side-note: If this is getting weird, it's because I'm listening to a song in which the word avocado is used multiple times, including in the title. Is this the peak of music in this decade? Perhaps. I must admit it's pretty good, too.

I did a lot of boring work and replied to e-mails. I planned some more of my project. And hey, I wrote my weekly journal. And threw together my monthly playlist for July.

Tuesday was the first day of two that I celebrated Independence Day. I started off by throwing on my girl power t-shirt and heading to Trader Joe's to buy some things to burn on the grill, and more importantly to buy that legendary vanilla ice cream. And don't forget the annual trip to Krazy Kaplan's to get some illegal fireworks #ad #justkidding. Hopefully shooting off illegal fireworks wasn't part of your 4th of July itinerary, as it wasn't part of mine. Safety first. 4th of July is probably one of the only days on which the people of the suburbs enter the great outdoors--more commonly known as the well-manicured patches of grass attached to their homes. And the fireworks happened to be on the 3rd, so make that the 3rd of July. Anyway, I hung out with my family and some family friends. We ate a great dinner and that great ice cream. I played with their dog and considered kidnapping him (he's just so darn cute). And we watched fireworks from the comfort of my deck. It was really wonderful to catch up with everyone. My mom and I couldn't find the sparklers, so no generic sparkler photos this year and no starting accidental fires. Sorry for the disappointment.

Wednesday, I headed to the beach to spend the day relaxing and the evening watching another set of fireworks. On the way there, I was surprised at the lack of traffic. I spent the day pretending to read (while napping), napping, running into the icy water, and avoiding sunburn. This set of fireworks was lovely too.

The next day, I could hardly wake up. I worked on a new piece for most of the day and took my dog on a really long walk. He was pretty excited that the loud noises had faded from the neighborhood and that he could do his business in peace.

Friday, I devoted the day to doing homework since I'm so responsible. There really wasn't any other option since everything was due on Sunday. In the late afternoon, I decided to take a break and do some shopping. I finally bought myself a beautiful, new scanner. I then decided I'd need some extra space and storage so I set out to buy a side-table. I headed to Target and spotted a wall mirror and a perfect side-table. I swiped my card and they were mine. At that point, I was near broke, but I went online shopping and purchased a blanket. I also decided to leave some of my homework for Saturday morning.

Saturday morning came and I had to wake up early. I ran some errands and didn't do my homework. Upon my arrival home, I noticed my scanner had been delivered. I immediately plucked the box from the front step and ran to my room. I unpackaged it and decided to scan a few pieces in. It works beautifully. Later that night, I realized I'd have to finish my homework. I turned in my essay two minutes before it was due. Last time it was four. Practice makes perfect.

Well, that's all for this week. It's been quite an eventful one. Hope you enjoyed my words and these photos. This was probably one of the most spontaneous shoots I've done. I spotted the location a bit ago, but I didn't have plans to come shoot or really much direction for that matter. I love photography for that reason. It's just about the only activity I'm spontaneous in. Anyway, come back for a fresh playlist soon. xx

journal / week 4 + week 5

It looks like I'll be mashing the last two weeks into this post, since I didn't get to that week 4 post, after all. June has gone by hopelessly fast. As if someone swept in and threw a week and then some out of the window without my knowledge. Though time's gone by so quickly, looking back, the weeks seem so long ago that I hardly remember what had happened or what I did. In the summer, I always feel an immense pressure to squeeze as much out of my limited warm days as I can. And I always find myself disappointed come July. There's so much more I could've done. Why didn't I? That's what happens when you set unrealistic goals. It's a lesson that repeats itself in life and maybe something that I'm finally heeding.

No matter how hard I try, summer morphs into yet another busy time for me. And this one might just be the busiest. In between commissions, running my shop, school, family trips, endless errands, personal projects, favors, and self-inflicted responsibilities, I hardly have time for the things I constantly promise myself I'll finally have the time for.

This year, I realized that maybe I don't even care for those unrealistic goals that I set for the summer. Maybe that's why I never truly bother trying to make time for them in the first place. Maybe they're not even unrealistic, but they simply don't align with what I actually want to accomplish. 90% of the time I'm happy with what I do on a daily basis; that's what's important. It's July 3rd and I'm nearly giddy with how good this summer has been thus far. In fact, I've accomplished more of the things on my to-do list than I could've imagined.

Last week, I finished designing a third enamel pin (in case you missed it I also created a "cool cake"). I took some time to draw for part of the project I am working on (hint: the drawing in this post will be part of it). On that topic, I recently decided to abandon all that I had created for it up to this point and to start over the way I had really wanted to. I also completed a lot of homework and spontaneously drove to see the horses at sunset. I designed and illustrated a logo. I rearranged the living room with my mom. More homework. Secret project. And Sunday I ended up at the beach (no sunburn!). 

Monday, I had to block print some more tote bags, since the last one was purchased a few weeks before. It took nearly seven hours. I wrote block printing on my to-do list six times because crossing it off once just wasn't satisfying enough. Block printing is an exhausting task and I didn't do anything after those hours of distorting my back. Tuesday, I worked on another part of that secret project. You must be really excited to find out what this secret project is. I'm probably more enthusiastic about it than you will be, but nevertheless I hope you remain excited. I also picked up prints, trimmed them, packaged illustrations, and headed to the post office. Wednesday, I took care of office work and planning. I responded to e-mails I should've responded to earlier. I don't know what it is, but there's just something dismal about replying to e-mails. Stupid, yes? It's so simple to type and click send, but it's one of my least favorite things to do. That and inputing receipts to Quickbooks. Maybe it's just office work in general that bores me. I planned a couple of pieces and took reference photos and created mood boards. I also created a playlist and posted it here. The next day I packaged more orders and headed to the post office. I ran errands and worked on homework. Friday, I worked on a piece for Local Wolves the entire day. The cake enamel pins arrived at my doorstep and I ripped the package open in excitement. I'm very happy with how they turned out. I watched a video for my art history class. We write a lot of essays and I absolutely love it, though it eats up quite a bit of my time. I turned my essay in 4 minutes before it was due. I guess I'm living life on the edge now. Finally, on Saturday I took most of the day to finish another piece for Local Wolves and the rest of the day to work on my other online class.

That's all for this week. Hopefully the next post will be accompanied with more photos. Happy 4th of July! Stay safe and don't play with fireworks. xx

journal / week 3

Week three of these journal posts and I'm pleasantly surprised by my dedication. Even my shirt (above) proclaims how I feel. This week's photos are a collection of shots from the past couple of days (except for two that I took a bit ago). It was a busy one. And gone in a flash. 

Last Sunday, I took a trip to the beach and successfully avoided sunburn, but not traffic. The sun was tired after the majority of the day passed and was much more forgiving during the time I sat in the sand. Despite this, it was unbearably hot, so I took my first swim of the season. When the wave first gripped my feet it felt as if sharp, icy hands had wrung out my toes. But like the kid near me who shouted out to his friend as he pushed him into the water, it's not that bad after a few minutes. Walk further into the ice bath, pause, and it becomes the perfect temperature. 

Monday, I headed to Trader Joe's to pick up some of my favorite things. Have you ever tried the french vanilla ice cream? It's heaven in a pale-beige, half gallon carton. It comes in a quart too, but that won't last you long enough. I haven't come across richer or more velvet-y ice cream in my entire life. If I could, I would live off of just that luscious ice cream. But, don't worry, I bought some fruit and vegetables too. And lemonade. #ad. Kidding, this is not an ad, I just love Trader Joe's. It's the best grocery store. 

I spent Tuesday working. Working and taking a few trips to Target (I went twice). I caught up with things I've been meaning to complete but haven't had the chance to. I also worked on my assignments for those classes I decided to burden myself with (actually, they're pretty enjoyable classes but admitting that just isn't reality TV material and I know that my description of french vanilla ice cream is). And I got a hair cut. Hair grows back. That is all I am going to say about that. 

Wednesday, I woke up with a sore throat and crazy hair and spent most of the day drawing and then took a spontaneous trip to the Art Institute. I got there about an hour before it closed. It was like a marathon. I raced through as many rooms as possible and absorbed everything I could. I spent most of my short time there looking at modern and contemporary art. There's just something special about running (ok, fast-walking) through an art museum. Try it sometime. The remainder of the evening I spent in the park with the roses and by the lake. Thursday,  I worked too. I was supposed to see Chastity Belt play at one of my favorite venues, but I decided to stay home. 

As soon as the first beams of morning light shot through my curtains on Friday, I woke up and finished my homework. It was the day I'd get to visit my horses. They're not actually my horses, but they're always excited to see us and greet us (and we're there an awful lot), so essentially they are. My mom, brother, and I got in the car and drove over. The sky was littered with storm clouds which rolled in and out, exposing a clear blue sky for random periods of time. The air was pleasant and a joyful breeze brought with it only the best memories of past summers. It couldn't have been a more perfect day to spend watching (and petting) those beauties. I can't describe my love for horses. Maybe it's their velvet soft ears or gentle noses or the fact that they give so much unconditional love. They're like dogs, except much bigger. I can't imagine living on a farm, but if I only had to take care of horses, I would. 

That's it for this week. I'll try to post my next journal on time (so maybe on Saturday). Oh, and that block printing post? Hopefully it'll be up this week since I'll be doing some block printing anyway. Until next time. xx

journal / week 2

A little late, but here I am with the second installment of my weekly journal. Let's travel back in time to last Saturday. That's when I wrote my last journal post and when I decided to stay home for the day. My sunburn lingered, I worked on piecing together a playlist for June, and I wrote my post.

Sunday. The awareness that summer classes were starting the next day loomed in the back of my mind. Thoughts of homework and essays and checking another e-mail account on top of my three other accounts slithered in between project ideas and anything else I was planning. There was also a feeling of immeasurable, childish excitement because on Monday I was seeing not only Phoenix, a band I'd been crazy about and dying to see live since middle school, but also The Lemon Twigs (Do Hollywood was one of my favorite albums of 2016). To distract myself, I polished up some things I'd been meaning to fix around my blog, including my portfolio*. So lots of coding and organizing and excitement and apprehension all day long. 

*Self-promotion; go check out my portfolio, it's better organized now. Sort of. 

Monday came quickly because working on my blog always steals my time with hardly any of my knowledge. Hours are devoured as fast as my dog swallows lettuce. He's really got a thing for lettuce. I don't know why.

Like Junie B. Jones waited for her sleepover at Lucille's Nana's home (I just read that one to my brother recently), I waited for the evening to come. I jumped out of bed early, ate breakfast, and got dressed and headed straight to the stairs so I could sit on them until I could drive to the Aragon Ballroom. Not really. It didn't go that far. I guess my story isn't quite parallel to Junie B. Jones'. Instead, I replied to e-mails, packaged orders, started on some office work--I haven't logged receipts since, well, the beginning of the year--sketched out business card layouts, and ignored the presence of my (very much) extant online classes. 

With a packed day, the time to leave snuck up on me swiftly. I didn't even get a chance to head to the post office or really notice that it was late. I changed into pants, speculating the evening would be on the cooler side (big mistake; it was sweltering in the room) and threw on a blouse. I also opted for boots rather than my clogs so I wouldn't get stepped on. I tossed my tickets in my backpack and ran to the car. Traffic is always horrible, so I tried to leave as early as possible. Traffic was horrible. I parked, opened the door, and stepped into a deep, murky-green puddle. At that moment, I was very thankful I made the decision to wear boots and not my clogs.

The line wrapped around the building and was infinitely long, but actually pleasant to stand in. People were grilling and eating burritos and tacos in the sidewalk and everyone was undeniably excited. The time passed effortlessly and before long, it was time to get the tickets out. Squeezing towards the stage was fine. I was early enough to secure a nice place. 

The Lemon Twigs filled up the room with their eccentric brand of glittering, '70s soaked, baroque rock and inexplicable and contagious energy. I really don't think my words could do their performance justice, but try to envision the already exquisite Do Hollywood, about 50 times more amazing. I imagine if I were to travel back in time to the '70s, a perfect rock show would be reminiscent to this one.

Phoenix came on after about thirty minutes of eternal anticipation. And, they delivered nothing less of what I had expected. In fact, I couldn't even fathom how far beyond perfect their set was. Nearly two hours of all of the songs I loved screaming along to for years, seamlessly integrated with new gems from Ti Amo, bounced off the walls. A room filled to the brim with smiling faces and so much love was drenched in an unforgettable laser show. And when they started playing "Trying to Be Cool", my eyes welled with happy tears. It was definitely one of the best shows I had ever been to and I will never forget it. 

Obviously with such a crazy start, the remainder of the week did not even begin to live up to Monday's experience and for the next couple of days I only listened to Phoenix and The Lemon Twigs. Conveniently Ti Amo was released on Friday so that powered even more listening.

Anyway on Tuesday, I hesitantly woke up. Exhausted and with aching feet, I got to work on commissions and then took a trip to IKEA with my little brother and mom. IKEA is my brother's favorite store. I ended up purchasing yet another basket (I have an obsession with baskets) and we grabbed a pale pink plate set. I'm especially enthused by the bowls in the set. We always spend a few hours there, so I didn't get as much done as I thought I would.

Wednesday and Thursday were dedicated to work. I drew all day on Wednesday and reworked a pattern for a business card. Thursday, I ran errands and stopped by the print shop to pick up some prints. I took my dog on a very long walk during which I sat on an overpass and drew some more. In the shade, the air was sweet and pleasant. I spent a few hours in the same spot, without a desire to move. Walking home, the clouds looked like freshly-spun, pale pink cotton candy and the moon began to glisten as a tiny dot in the sky. 

Did you notice how this entire time I had been avoiding my online classes? Well, I tried to forget about them. But, I'm the type of person who needs to get everything completed off my to-do list before I can enjoy anything. So, the entire time my brain was nagging me to sit down and get to work. It drove me crazy until I finally buckled down on Friday and began what I had been dreading to complete. It took most of the day and it wasn't bad, just a lot of reading and video watching. And by the end of the day, I listened to Ti Amo for the thousandth time. 

Everything complete for the week, Saturday came and with it, a heatwave. I began planning more illustrations for my project and played around with colored pencils. After the sun stopped beating down so hard on the pavement, I went out to shoot some photos (most of the photos in this post). I haven't posted a proper photo series since September? Mainly because it was too cold for good ideas. Which is why I love summer. I'm constantly brimming with ideas and if I'm not, I can just go outside and find inspiration nearly everywhere I look. 

Looks like that's everything for this week. I'm planning on posting a playlist (and maybe, just maybe) a little block printing diy this week. Remember to go outside and to recycle. It's important. xx