Very cool stop-motion sequence for the upcoming indie craft documentary, Handmade Nation, that I keep hyping up. Tonight was the premiere in Milwaukee and on February 12th at 6:30, it premieres in NYC at the Museum of Arts and Design.
I spent so many hours this weekend glued to all of the pre-inaugural coverage and as the hours get closer and closer to hitting that January 20th mark, the more I just can't contain my excitement and happiness that this is finally (and really) happening!
So, while I have these warm and fuzzy feelings, I thought I would post this incredibly sweet and exquisite video for "Winter Song" by Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson for the all-female album The Hotel Café Presents Winter Songs. This is for all of my wonderful friends in Chicago who are having one hell of a winter, to my friends visiting D.C. who were braver than I to brace the crowds for the chance to witness history (and who are also cold!) and to all of the old friends that have come out of the woodwork of late to find me on Facebook! Wow, talk about an "I love the internet" moment; so great to be reconnected with people who I thought would always just be a part of my memory (and totally 80's style journals and scrapbooks) we tightly hold on to. But, most importantly, I dedicate this song to my mom who will be undergoing a biopsy tomorrow at the exact time Obama takes his Oath; maybe this will help put a smile on her face :)
I am so excited about Beirut's 2/17 release of March Of The Zapotec. It looks like it will be packaged together with another EP, Holland, which includes five solo Condon home recordings under his "Realpeople" moniker (both EP's will be available on vinyl, yay!)
Even more excitement — their new video is amazing. According to Stereogum: Zach Condon headed to Oaxaca, Mexicao -- the weaver village of
Teotitlan del Valle to be exact -- and hooked up with the 19-piece
Jimenez Band band, who helped him get the sounds he needed for his March Of The Zapotec
EP. Condon plans to release some short films documenting the
experience, but in the Owen Cook-animated video for standout "La
Llorna" he stayed home and wrote a narrative about a little dog, a
mourner, the band, a Mexican graveyard, and a puddle of tears (or,
well, rain). It helps to know that "La Llorona"'s "the weeping woman"
in Spanish and relates to a legend about a woman who killed her
children then herself after she was rejected by a man. She spends her
time as a weeping ghost, wandering in search of the kids.
I can't tell you how much I adore this!
Sweet Blitzen Trapper video from their 2008 Sub Pop release, Furr.
I slacked this year and didn't get my holiday cards out in time. So, I decided that in the spirit of all things green this year, I would make you all an animated.gif-card instead!
This year has been full of surprises and has been somewhat of a little roller coaster for many of us. I didn't compile a trillion song best of mix like years past; instead, I decided I would do a much simpler list in hopes for much simpler times ahead. You're about to witness a compulsive list maker force herself to chose 1 favorite thing in each category. So, here is my best shot (and note how brief the category list is!):
1. Best album of the year: Bon Iver's For Emma, Forever Ago. There are some friends out there that would argue on the technicality of this release (self-released in 2007, official in 2008) but, I didn't discover it until this year so it officially becomes my favorite album of the year. Many days were spent curled up with a good book with this album on repeat and those days were the best.
2. Best book read this year: What is the What by Dave Eggers. Wow, what an amazing (and important) book. The superb writing pared with this triumphant story makes What is the What a rare work of art that immediately touches the world beyond the page.
3. Happiest day of the year: November 4th.
4. Toughest decision to make: Leaving Chicago to move back to New Orleans.
That wasn't so bad! I am so grateful for all of you who help make life that much more fun and interesting. Here's to, what I feel to be, an amazing 2009!
I love the work of Jen Stark and admire the patience it takes to execute her concepts — she creates beautiful contemporary sculptures made out of paper. Much of her inspiration is derived from patterns in nature and the end results are more than stunning.
Wooster recently posted an ArtStreet interview with Stark from back in November for her piece "How To Become a Millionaire in 100 Days". For this one, 10,000 pieces of paper were cut per day for 100 days totalling 1,000,000 pieces.
She also creates stop motion animations using only paper:
"Papermation" by Jen Stark from Jen Stark on Vimeo.
Fujiya & Miyagi- Ankle Injuries from Insound on Vimeo.
Another terrific video for Fujiya & Miyagi (I think that makes 3 that I posted so far in the last couple of months). This one uses pixel art dice animation and is directed by Wade Shotter.
The Tale of How from Shy the Sun on Vimeo.
This is beautiful (and fantastic) — Shy the Sun has blown me away, once again. Below, a look back on the Sea Orchestra animation they did for United Airlines.
Sea Orchestra from Shy the Sun on Vimeo
Another great new video from Matt & Kim. I'm such a sucker for their freakishly unstoppable giddiness.
Hi! Perlabra is updated often with my works in progress, ramblings (sometimes) and quick quips (most of the time) about graphic & motion design and things that inspire and motivate me to create. For a closer look at my work, please visit my portfolio site.
