people are poetry

Sometimes, I see a person (usually someone who is doing nothing in particular - standing on a street corner, drinking coffee in a sunwarmed window, walking a dog, leaning against a building at just the right angle at just the right time of day...) and I am suddenly struck by the fact that they are alive. That there before me is another human being. Complete, though unknown, full of their own memories and thoughts an ideas and philosophies... and I have to resist the urge to run up to them and demand of them their life stories, or slide in beside them at the corner booth and just sit quietly... or break out the sketchbook... In general, I'm successful.


But I'm intensely grateful to The Sartorialist for taking snapshots for me, so I can look and look and get lost in the vast, spinning universe of another person... at leisure. And without the threat of police intervention and multiple restraining orders. 


Here are a few souls to get lost in.

all images via the sartorialist

See people today. 

Shuffle and Wry,

-shawnacy

Something Pretty, Something Smart

Because every week should contain

Something Pretty,

Something Smart,

Something to do,

And a bit of art.

... and also one or two things just for fun.

Something Pretty

## I don't know if this counts as pretty, but it is pretty seriously awesome... and the rest of the stuff at LennyMud is fantastic too. 

I would totally roll out of bed and start 'pitying' every 'fo' who got in the way of me and this teapot. love. it. 

## Grey skies? no problem. keep a rainbow in your pocket. great idea from Masa-ka.

Something Smart

## Ever read those choose-your-own-adventure novels as a kid? They were my road-trip staple. Love this comic, philosopher's version from Luke Surl: 

## If you happen to be a physics geek, like me, or if you've ever read Flatland by Edwin Abbot, you will appreciate This Video from Tenth Dimension. If you hated physics and wouldn't touch Flatland with a 40 foot pole made of duct tape and pool cues... watch it anyway. it will change your mind. 

Something to do: 

## First.. go Here to Jackson Pollock [dot] org and fingerpaint  online. Seriously. GO. i'll wait.

...

ok. you know you feel better now. 

## Then look at these...

images found via a cup of jo

and go find some ugly thing you can make beautiful. 

A bit of art:

## Since we seem to be on the subject, I'm a huge fan of street art. HUGE (i blame it on a too-young-and-impressionable viewing of Basquiat). I may or may not have defaced certain pieces of public property in the name of art once or ... thrice. these are pretty rad.

image

the above two images

 image

pvc pipe! genius.

## and OH MY WORD, look at THESE insane sidewalk chalk images. 

and... one for the road...

Remember this - the hug me pillow -  it's still just about the creepiest thing i've ever seen.

why would anyone want to share a bed with half a man's upper torso?

it's a valid question. 

wonderful weekend wishes to you all. 

Graffiti and Ganglion, 

-shawnacy

Artist Love: Lizzy Stewart

I am completely enamoured of the work of Edinburgh artist, Lizzy Stewart. 

It seems to be at once alive with joy, and quietly melancholy. 

It has things to say,

And says them eloquently.

Things to teach,

and with such grace.

She has a new project that has just come out called Toska, which is an illustrated book (it's breathtaking) based on the uniquely Russian experience of Toska, as described by Vladimir Nabokov. He says, 

“No single word in English renders all the shades of toska. At its deepest and most painful, it is a sensation of great spiritual anguish, often without any specific cause. At less morbid levels it is a dull ache of the soul, a longing with nothing to long for, a sick pining, a vague restlessness, mental throes, yearning. In particular cases it may be the desire for somebody of something specific, nostalgia, love-sickness. At the lowest level it grades into ennui, boredom.”

Go and check out all of her work, and take a moment to be abashed. These are the things, folks. The things that make us human and alive. 

You can find her at her site, Here, 

Her blog, Here

And her Etsy shop, Here

I'll leave you with a few more, for good measure

Whirlwinds and Wonderlands,

-shawnacy

super quick

Just had to share this Unbearably Fantastic Broadside called the Aardvark Manifesto by Aardvark on the Sea. I saw this first over at 123 O'Leary (which is the blog of the lovely children's book author, Sarah O'Leary), and my need to have this hanging in my house has only increased in the intervening minutes. [note: I am especially fond of the inclusion of the word "wonky" on this incendiary document. It has long been one of my more favored adjectives, and has never - in my opinion - received the acclaim it deserves.] 


Dontcha love it!?

keep it wonky, folks. 

stunning

i'm taking this quiet moment (seriously, if i get 45 minutes, today, i'll be thrilled) during nap time to make my 30 days of lists book. [i'm secretly giddy at the idea of making something purely for the fun of it. ... whee!]

so i'll get back later with some pics of the creation. :)

till then, though, LOOK. AT. THIS. 

this guy, Brian Dettmer, is amazing. he hand carves EACH AND EVERY PAGE of these books - medical journals, encyclopedias, etc, to make these unbelievable pieces. 

enjoy. 

so thankful to my friend Mike for the link to 

THIS  amazing and unbelievable display from the book surgeon. 
it completely blew my mind.

GO HERE to see more of the gallery.

i can't even imagine what it must be like to see these in person. soooo fantastic. and a great way to lead into book month! (note: books are good for other things aside from sculpting... just a reminder :)

artist love

oh wow. how much do you love these illustrations from Fall Down Tree's Adam Record.

here are a few of my faves:

they make me all kinds of happy.

... and there are so many more!! hop over and check out his site, HERE,  or the etsy shop, HERE.

then, get all inspired, and go make something of your own! 

that's it, GO!