MELISSALAND

Another couch idea I totally want to steal. This one from designer Christiane Hoegner - totally love it! A sofa built up from stacked cushions. It looks very comfy indeed - plus I perfer deep, bed-like sofas - something good to snuggle in

“We can live any way we want. People take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience - even of silence - by choice. The thing is to stalk your calling in a certain skilled and supple way, to locate the most tender and live spot and plug into that pulse. This is yielding, not fighting.

I think it would be well, and proper, and obedient, and pure, to grasp your one necessity and not let it go, to dangle from it limp wherever it takes you. Then even death, where you’re going no matter how you live, cannot you part. Seize it and let it seize you up aloft even, till your eyes burn out and drop; let your musky flesh fall off in shreds, and let your very bones unhinge and scatter, loosened over fields, over fields and woods, lightly, thoughtless, from any height at all, from as high as eagles.”
- Annie Dillard

Photo: Boys Falling by Mary Frey

Wow. Laura Dawn has an amazing voice.

Last night I caught Moby’s latest project, The Little Death here in Hudson at the always incredible Basilica Industria (for those who are unaware of this space, its a massive empty building down near the train station and the waterfront) - Little Death’s performance was part of an evening called ‘Blue Tsunami‘, a democrative fundraiser and voter rally.  I had not heard of the Little Death prior to this show’s announcement, but after seeing them live I am definetely going to be looking for them again and buying their album. The lead vocalist, Miss Laura Dawn can easily be mistaken for a present day Janis Joplin. Her voice gives you chills. People are still buzzing about it this morning in town.
What a great night…..

(update: wonderful photo from that night of Laura Dawn here)

Le Vetiver by Lubin was inspired by an unusually snowy evening in Paris at the apse of Notre Dame. The cold inspired this “winter vetiver”, which sparked a desire for crackling fires, recalling the frankincense that burned in Medieval cathedrals, where people came in winter to warm up. For children unfamiliar with its meaning, the word “vetiver” became a legendary character invented for the time. They were told that “Le Vetiver” is a Celtic spirit who lives in the deep forests of Armorica. It is as mysterious as Dionysus, savage and refined at the same time. This spirit is a magician who brings life back into nature every spring with a single breath after the harshness of winter. This untamed man radiates true sensuality.

The fragrance begins with a citrus-like freshness, with notes of mandarin, orange, grapefruit and orange blossom. These soon give way to a double East-meets-West accord, evoking both an adventurer who visits the Sultan of Yoyakarta’s palace (Java vetiver, clove, nutmeg) and a Wild West cowboy (bright tobacco and Eastern red cedar). Finally, myrrh and frankincense add a touch of mystery, recalling Christmas Eve and cooling down the spicy Caribbean pepper.

(link: Le Vetiver fragrance)

God, how I wish I could smell that. I adore perfume descriptions. I find that when you ask someone to describe a scent, it can be very difficult for them — one is generally not used to having to describe such things (and to be as poetic about it). But since I cannot smell, it is the descriptions I crave. The perfume above sounds…fantastical. Whoever writes the descriptions for Aedes de Venustas - Bravo!

Yesterday this cute little car was parked in front of the gallery and I had to take a photo. It’s an older model mini van in amazing condition. Seeing this car has further solidified my wanting to own my very own mini. I have two friends that own the cooper and they both love it. Since I have been doing a little car-hunting, some of you may know that I also recently wanted to buy a Jeep — well, look what I found! The Mini Moke!

Apparently it was a prototype for a light military vehicle in the style of the American Jeep. A tad impractical for around here….but not if say, one were living on an island

And since I am on the subject of all things mini, I had to post this photo of a house up the street from where I live in Hudson:

The mini house.

I’m the sun and you’re the moon

I can’t help it, I’m excited. The Nutcracker. New York City. December….

When I was a little girl, I used to have a small collection of Nutcracker dolls. My father started this and used to give me a new one each Christmas. I also had a collection (a much larger one) of musical snow globes which I completely treasured. I haven’t gotten a new one in years, and desperately need to retrieve all of them from my parents basement. For a while I was feeling I had outgrown the fascination, but tonight I am realizing I still very much love what they represent.

(photographs by Walter Martin and Paloma Muñoz)

Next week I start installation on our exhibit with painter Harry Orlyk, whom I have always adored. This afternoon I photographed over two dozen works to be included and have picked some of my favorites to share. The one above is titled Christmas Trucks and Tractor painted last December up by Salem, New York where Harry lives.

“Sitting in the cold in a traditional way, I paint what is before me, sometimes as still as the Eskimo who earns his family’s meal by waiting and watching and thinking. He kills an animal; I make an image. We are linked together by our years of long studied views across a common land. I am so cold sometimes with the windows of my black Dodge van rolled up tight (I never turn on the engine once parked to paint, afraid of carbon monoxide). In a cold-induced trance, painting continues all by itself. Often the final dim presence of light exits while both hands are still at work and I do not know what I have made until the painting is brought into the light of a room.” - Harry Orlyk

I love this one because it is rare for Harry to include text in his work, but you can just make out the wandering letters at the bottom of the piece: “Someday a cold winter wind will come to take you down”

Garden in Mid-Bloom, 2008

Farm Pond, 2008

I imagine if I were to ever move away from this area, that I would like to own one of Harry’s paintings as a nice reminder of how absolutely beautiful New York is. Harry’s New York especially.

If you would like to attend the opening, it is taking place on Saturday October 18th from 6 to 8pm. For more information visit www.carriehaddadgallery.com or email me

Creativity involves breaking out of established patterns in order to look at things in a different way….

(Fun Wallpaper by Rachel de Joode found via Design Sponge)