8.31.2009

adios


As the sun slowly sinks in the west, we bid a fond farewell to June, July and August.




:image dianamuse, santa monica high-rise

8.28.2009


Peaceful weekend, everyone. Wherever you may be.





:image dianamuse, august sky

8.27.2009

eye tripping



The Taking Woodstock poster is a great nod to the psychedelic masters themselves, Wes Wilson and Victor Moscoso, who designed many of the famed 1960s posters for San Francisco’s legendary Fillmore and Avalon Ballroom.

Sock it to me.





:image mojo

8.21.2009


Good weekend, everyone. Wherever you may be.





:from ryan mcginley's latest series, moonmilk

8.19.2009

charles and ray: where they worked

Ray's desk, 1976



Charles Eames said that 'recognizing the need' is the primary condition for design.

Early in their careers together, Charles and Ray Eames identified the need for affordable, yet high-quality furniture for the average consumer, furniture that could serve a variety of uses. For forty years the Eameses experimented with ways to meet this challenge, designing flexibility into their compact storage units and collapsible sofas for the home, seating for stadiums, airports and schools — and chairs for virtually anywhere.
Their chairs were designed for Herman Miller in four materials: molded plywood, fiberglass-reinforced plastic, bent and welded wire mesh and cast aluminum. The conceptual backbone of this diverse work was the search for seat and back forms that comfortably support the human body, using three-dimensionally shaped surfaces or flexible materials instead of cushioned upholstery. An ethos of functionalism informed all of their furniture designs. "What works is better than what looks good," Ray said. "The looks good can change, but what works, works."



Charles's desk, 1976




Did you know? Charles died August 21, 1978. Ray died ten years later to the day.






:images and info eames office; find my other homage to charles and ray here

8.15.2009

the kids were alright


My favorite Woodstock quip:

Woodstock was probably the single best show in history. Townshend doesn't like it because he's an idiot.

- Roger Daltrey






:top image sue jacobs morris, jimi hendrix closing woodstock, early in the morning - via nytimes

8.14.2009



Beautiful weekend, everyone. Wherever you may be.





:dianamuse, russian summer house, 2006

8.13.2009

summer snapshot: no. 7



I'm delighted that my great blogging pal, Lori of everyone's favorite automatism, invited me to participate in her Snapshot: Summer series. Every Thursday from July until September, a fellow blogger shares one image that captures for them the essence of summer. Today it's my turn (yippee!) and I'm contributing this shot of the Pond in Central Park that I took during the High Holy Days of Summer 2008.

Visit automatism and check out the rest of Lori's beautiful Snapshot lineup. Thanks so much for including me, Lori.
Je t'adore.





:dianamuse at automatism

8.11.2009

work detail: old questions, new project



I'm occasionally asked one or more of the following questions by my Internets compatriots: just exactly what do you do for a living? and where exactly do you work? and what exactly do you look like? and (my favorite) who exactly are you?

In characteristic fashion, I don't plan to answer any of these questions directly. Not now anyway.

However, I am posting some close-up shots from my workspace (which is a visual response to the second question—
sort of). And you'll find additional pics at beautimuse, that other place where I post bigger—much bigger—images.


But the very bestest part is that I'm inviting some of blogdom's most fantabulous residents to participate in a new project: I call it Work Detail. Starting in the fall, I'll post images of YOUR wondrous workspaces—be they studio, closet, park bench or houseboat. We can all gather 'round and consider what your creative surroundings say about you. Which begs the question, what do mine say about me?


Stay tuned, my sweets. This'll be fun.




:image dianamuse

8.07.2009


Fun weekend, everyone. Wherever you may be.




:image dianamuse; santa monica beach pier - last saturday evening

8.05.2009

b e a u t i m u s e : twilight on the western front



Time for some pretties, my darlings. I've been away far too long. It's good to be home and it's oh such a pleasure to reconnect with all of you wonderful, patient, wicked-talented visiteurs.

For this evening's plaisir des yeux, we offer a photo from recent travels. This shot of the Wasatch Mountain range is one of several that I took from a 20-mile distance at five-minute intervals. You can see a trio of pics over at beautimuse, the new-ish place where I post Jumbotron-size images.

The shift in colors from moment to moment was stunning. And, lo and behold, the sunset hues perfectly match those of this 1940 travel postcard (below). All that coral and rose saturating the sky must come from years and years of pollution — courtesy of the copper mines. Thanks, Monsanto and Kennecott Minerals.







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