shots. january 2012

Greetings & salutations, comrades!

January turned out to be quite a busy month. My projects included business logos, wedding invitation designs, a ton of typesetting, some new sketches, a mountain of new ideas and a new print up in the shop. I'm happiest when I'm kept busy so it's been a wonderful start to my 2012.

Now, down to business...




Valentine's Day is just a few weeks away! This year I am pleased to offer an upgraded version of our Octopus friend. The Valentine version of Poulpe avec Coeur comes in a set of 5 and is matched with deep red envelopes. Each card is hand-glittered with superfine red glitter.
I personally LOVE these cards and use them year round when I really need to make someone smile. I hope you love them too!

. . . .

This year I intend on staying in better touch with you darlings.

I get occasional emails asking me the story behind some drawings. Sometimes people want me to write a little something about it before they gift a print to their loved/loathed ones.
First of all, I appreciate that those of you who like my work totally understand that each and every single drawing has a story behind it. Every figure has a name and each animal a history.
And second, I'd love to start sharing those stories with you. So stay tuned for that.


I love reading blogs that include a lot of photos of an artist/writer's life. While I've long wanted to do that on here, I am a terrible photojournalist. I mean, I have digital photos from 10 years ago that I've never organized or printed. It's pretty bad.
However! I've realized that my mobile phone is ripe with the bizarre and the boring from everyday life. You can tell a lot about a person by the photos on their phone, no?


Tom is the oldest/craziest of our household and still lives (and drinks) like he's 21. So he needs occasional surgery.


He comes out better than new. I mean look at that smile.


Modigliani's Young Woman of the People. One of my absolute favorite pieces from LACMA's permanent collection. Whenever I visit, there are specific pieces I have to drop in and see when I'm there. She's usually the first. No matter what changes in my own life, she is always there.


It's no secret that I love drawing texture more than I love drawing forms. Sometimes I start sketches just so I have a ton of fur or hair to draw. My flatmate Miss Maus O'Liam said this guy looks like "David Bowie playing Nikola Tesla in squirrel form."


The need for creative storage is constant at the House of Black. My easel is currently home to a black feather boa, East German officer's hat and many many hairflowers & facinators.


Original version of my Peacock. Print now on sale in the Etsy shop.


I tend to have a lot of projects "in the process". This is one of them. I hope you guys like dead girls!


I bake a lot. This is a Coffee Cake with Mexican Chocolate & Cinnamon swirls topped with a Bourbon Vanilla glaze. At least two people wanted to marry me after eating a piece of this.


I hope the month has treated you as well as it's treated me!
Cheers.

current sounds: Kayne West - Gold Digger
current beverage: water

Observations: 2011

Greetings & salutations!
I hope you all find yourself warm, cozy and not too hung over.
In a truly fitting way to sum up 2011, I'm a day late & dollar short. Rather than start a list of unreasonable goals for 2012, I try to look back at 2011 and go over things - good and bad - to see what I learned from the experiences. I have already deemed 2012 as my year for serious self-improvement and I'd like to think that I learn from mistakes - my own or those of others.

I intend on doing a lot more sketching and drawing for fun this year. It's high time I put more focus on my style and technique rather than creating for profit. Having said that, I also plan on cleaning out the portfolio, putting a few originals up for sale and finally offering prints of a few drawings you've never seen before. So stay with me, comrades, and we'll see how it all pans out!

Til then...

11 Observations from 2011

1. Take things a day at a time. I have to repeat this to myself on a daily basis. It's easy for me (and most people, I assume) to get overwhelmed with the amount of things we have to handle. But no one is guaranteed another day, so take each day as an individual mission.

2. Dating requires a sense of humor. I never really understood going out with strangers and getting to know them with the intention of becoming something else. I've been in love several times and I was lucky enough to be friends with each of them first. But this year, I found myself curious, single (for a few months...) and decided to give it a go. The result? People be CRAZY, my friends! One definitely has to have a sense of humor to do this. Being a generally serious person, it was a bit of a shock to my system - but definitely one I am grateful for. I think I learned a lot about human beings in general and it did end up being quite fun. Though - I will admit - not as fun as finding (or re-finding, in my case) someone truly special.

3. Sometimes the problem isn't the problem - it's the way you're looking at it. Situations can be bad - very bad - but they shouldn't be allowed to bring our lives to a complete halt. A positive attitude is the first step in moving on to the next step, the next move and ultimately, the solution.

4. You owe it to the ones you love to say what you really feel. Life is too short to go around with thoughts left unsaid and opinions buried to keep things smooth. Friends are friends for a reason - I would hope we keep each other around because we better each other. I see it as a great sign of love and respect to tell someone how you really feel - whether it's a project they are working on and would like your opinion of OR something deeply personal like asking for your advice about someone important in their lives. Ultimately, I hope we just want what's best for each other. (Just wait until your opinion is asked for. Nobody likes unsolicited advice.)

5. Allow the ones you love to make their own mistakes. Just be there when they realize they were mistakes. This ties in with #4. In being true to yourself and giving that opinion or advice, know you did the best you could. Where the other person takes that information is up to them. We are each independent adults and all we can really do is be there to pick up the pieces if you end up being right and everything blows up in their face.

6. You are rarely in a victim's position unless you've decided that you are. Being a victim is in your frame of mind, not always in actuality. Horrible things happen to people on a daily basis. It's what you choose to do afterward that proves whether you're a victim or not.

7. Always take time for yourself. The older one gets, the harder this is to do. Life gets really BUSY. But it's hard to enjoy when you're burnt out or realize that it's taken up with obligations for other people. Do something good for yourself on a daily basis. Take a minute to appreciate something small. Buy yourself a latte and sit alone for a while. Take up yoga, pilates, or zumba. Allow yourself a day of laziness if you can. Whatever it is - you know yourself best. Sometimes we just need to recharge.

8. It's possible to love someone unconditionally but know they aren't right for you. Sometimes the timing is wrong. Sometimes the situation doesn't allow for you to function as a couple. Sometimes it's just not meant to be something for the long-run. It doesn't make the relationship or the love any less valid. Love is complicated and there are a lot of factors that can fuck everything up. Sometimes there are people that come in and out of our lives that are meant to take up a space in your heart. It's just part of life.

9. Life changes are good as long as you're doing them for the right reasons. The "right" reason is usually for yourself. I've always felt like one of the main purposes in life is to learn from it and to become the best person you can be... and in being the best person you can be, you're the best person for the lucky people around you. Treat yourself well and others will treat you well too.

10. I get by with a little help from my friends. I don't know about you, but I'm the type of person that handles things for and by myself. I don't like to burden other people and I don't like complaining, as it fixes nothing. I tend to take on a lot of responsibility and obligation (which is a whole other issue to be worked on this year) but every once in a while, I just need for someone to assure me things will be fine. Once, just over 10 years ago, I was moving out of Los Angeles and heading into scary new territory and a totally different life. My grandfather pulled me aside and simply said "Remember that you are never alone." To this day, I repeat it to myself and I'm appreciative that something so simple could make such a huge difference in my mindset.

11. At the same time, understand that you - and only you - are responsible for yourself. Waiting for other people to handle things or change your life is unreasonable and unhealthy. We come into this life alone and we ultimately leave it alone. We all have fucked up problems - it's important to understand that they don't own you and you can either learn from them and move on OR wallow in them and blame them for why your life sucks. And that last option sounds pretty miserable...so no more complaints & excuses, right comrades? Onward!


I hope you all have a good fresh start to the year and are feeling as motivated as I am. Cheers!

current sounds: the sound of Super Mario 3 coming from the flatmate's room.
current beverage: water

Holiday Cards 2011

Greetings & Salutations to you comrades, enemies, and herpetologists everywhere!

I'm very pleased to roll out this year's holiday cards. If you've been around for a bit, you know I offer these every year - and this year I have two new designs for you to choose from! With the exception of one, I've used each one of these designs as my own personal holiday cards. I stand behind everything I create and I hope you like them as much as I do.



The Dapper Cadaver has returned! This guy gets a kick out of Christmas and I can't bear to force retirement on him just yet. As always, he is available blank or with a choice of greetings on the inside of the card. You also have a choice between rich Red or French Grey envelopes.
You can find his listing here.




Darling Olive is back as well, all dolled up for peppermint cocktails & dancing til Santa shows up (she's been trying to teach him the Charleston for YEARS!). She also has a choice of printed greetings and this year I'm happy to offer a gorgeous deep Teal envelope choice as well as our signature French Grey.
You can find her listing here.




Last year, my Abby & Sam holiday cards got a ton of attention online so I'm really pleased to offer them again this year. If you'd like a custom verse in these cards, just let me know! Otherwise, they come completely blank inside for you to write as much or as little as your black heart desires.
Their listing can be found here.


Onto new business!



Sweet Viktor Vulture is just dying to wish your friends & sometimes-loved-ones Happy Holidays. I used him as my personal cards last year and the feedback I got was just incredible! Viktor is available blank or with a printed greeting on the inside (see the listing for the greeting). You also have a choice of rich Red or our signature French Grey envelopes to make him really pop in the mail.
See his listing for more information here.




Last but certainly not least is my Maus holiday card. I created this happy fella last year for my BFF & House of Black flatmate Miss Maus O'Liam and WOW people really loved him. And honestly, how could you hate a guy so happy? I'm dead inside and even I like him. He comes with red envelopes and - like Viktor up there - the choice of coming blank or with our printed greeting inside(see the listing for the greeting).
You can find his listing here.


All of these cards are available now, glittered or unglittered. The listings all mention glitter but I know there are some (crazy?) people that aren't into it so I can always leave it off. I generally ship within a couple of days of an order and send everything USPS Priority so that you get them quick and in perfect condition.

So get to it, ladies & gents!
Naturally, if you have any questions, custom requests, or death threats, do let me know: serpenthes@yahoo.fr

CHEERS!

current sounds: Dean Martin - Sway
current beverage: smartwater

Rx 002: Pan de Muertos

Greetings & salutations, dear ones.
October came and went very quickly for me, comrades. I didn't have the chance to get much done, creatively speaking. I have three more werewolf themed moves to share with you but that's for another day.

Today is Dia de los Muertos and there are wonderful celebrations going on all over Los Angeles tonight. I chose to spend my day doing two things I love more than just about anything else - baking and drawing. These are things that bring me peace and let my hands create while my mind does other things.

I intend on posting recipes a little more frequently - the older I get, the more I really enjoy spending time in the kitchen, especially when I'm baking for the people that matter to me. In our family, recipes are always referred to as prescriptions (as the Spanish word "receta" could mean both) so I'm changing the title of this column from the boring "Mmmmm" to more personally relevant "Rx".

I spent a great part of my afternoon in the kitchen, baking Pan de Muertos. My darling fella kept me company for most of the hours it took for me to bake and I always believe that a happy kitchen produces the best tasting food. And it did, I don't mind telling you, as I am half-way through a piece as I type. I made a test batch of this bread last weekend (I do this with new recipes before letting everybody try something. I have to make sure it's good!) and it ended up being some of the best bread I've ever baked. And I bake a lot of bread. It's a bit dense but the flavors are incredible - it's spiced well, subtle in sweetness and the orange zest undertones really brighten everything up and keep it from being too heavy. I do hope you'll give it a try one day, comrades!


PAN DE MUERTOS
Adapted from an original recipe found in
Frida's Fiestas by Guadalupe Rivera



Makes: 6 medium/large rolls
total time: appox 4-5 hours (3 hours rising time)
In the interest in making all that time worth it, I suggest doubling the recipe. It works well.

I found this recipe a while ago and I've adapted it a bit. The original can be found in Frida's Fiestas - a book of recipes compiled by Guadalupe Rivera, stepdaughter of Frida Kahlo. I must admit, there is something wonderful about using the same recipe that Frida apparently used in her own kitchen.

Ingredients:

4 c. flour (seperate 3 3/4 c & 1/4 c.)
3/4 c. sugar + 1 Tbs sugar
1/2 c. unsalted butter
1/2 Tbs yeast
3/4 c. milk (warm)
3 large eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon*
zest of one orange*
1/2 tsp. anise seed*
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg*
1/4 tsp. ground cloves*

1 egg white
extra sugar for dusting

* The original recipe says the cinnamon, orange zest & anise seed are optional. I've added the nutmeg & the cloves. Do yourself the favor and don't leave any of these out.



Before you do anything, pull out the eggs & butter so that they are room temperature by the time you have to use them. Especially the butter, you'll thank me later.

In a large bowl, combine the milk, yeast, orange zest, 1/4 c. flour and 1 Tbs sugar. Let stand in a warm place for 30 minutes, then add the three gently beaten eggs.

In a separate bowl, combine 3 3/4 c. flour, 3/4 c. sugar, salt, cinnamon, anise, nutmeg and cloves. Add this flour mixture to the wet mixture, kneading with your hands (at this point the dough will feel very sticky, knead until it is only slightly sticky). You may add an extra teaspoon of flour at a time if needed.



Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes. Then add the butter to the dough, working it until fully incorporated. (Aren't you glad you let the butter sit out? You'll get a forearm work out but you'll love how silky the dough becomes. I cut up my butter & put a few cubes in at a time.)

Shape into a ball, grease and lightly flour. Place in a bowl and cover with a damp towel to rise for 2 hours. (Be sure to keep this in a warm place!)




Separate dough into 6 parts. Shape 5 into balls and place on greased baking sheets. Decorate the tops of the rolls with the remaining dough by rolling the dough into coils and strips that look like bones.



Allow the bread to rise for an additional hour in a warm place. Brush the tops with egg white and dust the bones with sugar.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes.



Allow to cool on wire racks or enjoy right out of the oven!




I always make a special/different roll to place on my altar. Coming from a family of bakers and artists, I know they appreciate my efforts. I hope you'll give this recipe a try - the flavors & spices are perfect any time in the fall or winter, and it's amazingly wonderful with a cup of coffee or Mexican hot chocolate.

Cheers.

current sounds: Buena Vista Social Club - Dos Gardenias
current beverage: french press coffee

Boneyard Picture Show 2011: Part 1 - The Wolf Man

Happy October!
If you've been around for a while, you know.
Halloween is a Big Friggin Deal in the House of Black. I've already baked pumpkin muffins (recipe later this month!) and made several batches of Mexican Hot Chocolate - Fall is well under way!

Every year I urge you to watch a few spooky films that I just happen to adore. This year's theme is the werewolf. Over the years I've developed a serious soft spot for them when it comes to film & lore. Perhaps because they're the most human of old world "monsters"? Perhaps because I frequently see myself becoming a crazy monster & can't help it? Perhaps because I like my men a little hairy?
Ahem. I've chosen 4 films for this year - each a different interpretation of one of the oldest legends there is. I hope you'll check them out or see them again!

To start this off right...



The Wolf Man
1941
Lon Chaney Jr., Claude Rains, Bela Lugosi, Evelyn Ankers

The classic werewolf. This was when the world was first introduced to Talbot Hall, Blackmoor, and the icon of the werewolf as it is today. The monsters of back then had style - even when Talbot hit beast mode, he was usually still clad in tweed pants and a dress shirt in the morning. Would it surprise you that when I was but a child, I thought Lon Chaney Jr. was the perfect man? Dashing and tall and kind-faced...and tormented. What can I say, I've always had a type.



This is one of the first instances I can remember of blatantly rooting for the "villain". Obviously the older I get, the more "grey" the idea of a villain becomes and in fact, this is a pretty poor example of one. Sometimes bad things happen to good people. Sometimes good people have to do bad things. Doesn't make us any less human unless you are unfortunate enough to be this guy.



"Even a man who is pure at heart, and says his prayers by night,
may become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms
and the autumn moon is bright."







These days I still swoon over Larry Talbot but I can also appreciate the gorgeousness of the scenery (seriously, steer clear of those foggy moors!) and noticeably beautiful score. Incidentally, if you watch the film - do you notice the bit of music that might have been Danny Elfman's inspiration for the Batman theme song? It's in there.



Being such a nerd about such things, I adore the fact that fellow screen giants Claude Rains and Bela Lugosi are also in the film, even if it's not as the roles that made them legendary.





In my search for acceptable screen caps, I came across some pretty fantastic stuff, including this desktop background created from an old Mexican movie poster:


You can download it for yourself from CinemaIsDope here

A great shot of Chaney being done-up by movie make-up legend Jack Pierce:



And Chaney - in full Wolf mode - taking a nap on his beta.



By the way!
In 2010, Universal re-made The Wolfman starring Benecio del Toro and Anthony Hopkins. My opinion is that's a pretty good remake - it's a bit over-the-top in the story department and Anthony Hopkins chews the shit out of the scenery. But it's beautifully shot, the costuming is wonderful, del Toro makes a perfect choice for a new Larry Talbot, AND it is kind enough to give a few shout-outs to it's original including using bits of the original score and bringing back Talbot's awesome wolf head pimp-stick.



Well my little vultures, that's enough rambling from me for one day!
October is just beginning, I've a lot of things in mind for the month so do come back soon!

current sounds: TV on the Radio - Wolf Like Me
current beverage: Trader Joe's Sumatra blend