The Artwork of Kim Simonsson

I recently went to see an exhibit by artist Kim Simonsson at the American Swedish Institute.

A place I have seen some of the most delightful, whimsical art and as someone who has gone to lots of former fancy people homes I can speak with authority to the fact that it also has some of the best wood work, ceilings, and fireplaces in the world. 

It is kept up better than a lot of places and seems to specialize in unique Scandinavian art. 

This exhibit was no exception. 

It had a dreamy, romantic quality with just a touch of creepiness that all fairy tales seem to possess. 

People always point to bright, glossy wedding pictures and proclaim fairy tale, leaving out that fairy tales are darkness filled cautionary tales that include a lot of work to make it to the dreamy wedding/ending. 

I have also attended a few events at the ASI including the Loki Halloween party a few years ago and they are good fun. They sadly never have any vegan treats, but you can usually get a pretty good drink from the bar. 

In years passed, my partner and I used to purchase mystery books in Swedish from the gift shop for his hundred-year-old grandfather which was of great delight to him. 

The shop has a great number of lovely things to behold and I always stop in there as well on a visit. It's probably my second favorite in town to visit behind the Russian Art Museum's shop which has no shortage of wondrous objects. 

I leave you with a collection of snaps I took on this visit: The Moss People

Fire Mama's Spring Bizarre Bazaar

I have been working on getting ready for an event that is very unique. Something I have not yet done as a creator. It is a night market that is a part of a fire arts event. Just crazy fun stuff. Fire spinning, fashion show, bands, djs, and artist market.

You can find the information here and I'll share some photos of some of the things I'll have for sale! You should come!

Just a Bunch of Art from d'Orsay

Another place people write about a lot and I don't have much to add so here is a bunch of beautiful things to look at and daydream about:

Naturephilia

Another way I decided to take a chance creatively was by opening a shop on Society6. I am not a professional photographer in anyway. However, I do really enjoy taking photos. Most especially of flowers and the outdoors. I know it's a cliche, but these things can get you through some long dark days in Minnesota. 

This is especially challenging as I am fumbling around learning to edit products. I have been pretty happy with how they've been coming out as I've had some samples of things shipped to me and I am especially pleased with the pillows and throw blanket and I am looking forward to getting more. They are well-made and high-quality and since I am someone who wants enough blankets and pillows to build the world's biggest indoor fort this is pretty important to me. 

It helped me put more of my focus on positive things and creating this last year than continuing to obsess over things I cannot change. There is a reason why they call it blind rage. It really helps if you can harness it at some point to action and then also for self-care and direction. I currently have 93 designs up. I am aiming to have 200 designs up by December 1 of this year. It's a lot to be sure, but working a little bit each week seems to be keeping me on a good pace. 

You can visit my shop Naturephilia here. 

Have a look at some of the things I've had sent to me:

Thank you for stopping by! 

Paris 2017: Versailles

Since this about the one billionth post on the internet about Versailles I'm not going to get too much into it except for a few thoughts.

If you decide not to do a tour private or otherwise, the best advice I have for you is to get up and get there when it opens. You can even eat breakfast there and have espresso on the grounds where Marie Antionette wandered in her gowns. You will get to see most of the place before anyone else arrives. We saw everything we could that was open and spent most of a very full day there walking the grounds, the palace, and all the surrounding buildings. The town of Versailles itself is quite lovely and also worth a bit of a visit. 

It does get to be a lot, I think, especially for Americans as we are not so used to such ornamentation and perhaps our brains reject a lot of it after a while. There are a lot of travel blogs that will condescendingly tell you it's not worth visiting. If you are someone who gets to travel a lot I am sure a palace would bore you. For us normal people it is fascinating to walk around something so lofty in its presence in Western European History and of course, very important to the American Revolution as well, since the French support of the colonies helped bankrupt the country, not really a certain queen's shoe habit. 

I thought the grounds were especially beautiful and I enjoyed the gardens and seeing the animals. 

You will come across people, eventually, and you will hear over and over how everyone wants to live there or be a princess. But for me, I feel differently. The more I visit palaces, castles, and mansions, the more I have begun to realize the untruth of all the beauty. The dark secrets and disturbing histories of the people who dwelt in these works of art, as if majesty could cover the ugliness of their deeds. Of course, in this case it didn't last, as the French Revolution unfolded in the most dramatic of ways on these grounds as well. I also once again found myself questioning the wisdom of a species having all these grand empty buildings that we dedicate so many resources to while millions of people are homeless and starving. And don't think I'm only thinking about this in terms of France. I think about it terms of all places. I wonder how the future will judge us for such things. 

But perhaps that is the draw of it: the darkness. To wonder if something of beauty can come out of such misdeeds and horror. If we could hide from the problems of the world like the monarchy did, like the very wealthy do now, unaffected by the sickness, war, and misery. It is an entitlement I do not comprehend, to be sure. Even when the world overwhelms me with its unrelenting hurt. 

The truth is, art can relieve a little pain, and a touch of escapism is needed to survive a day. At this point there is not quite anywhere like France for such things. And Versailles is filled with art, pastries, and flowers, even as the ghosts of the damned wander around you.

Focused Energy

As mentioned in a previous post, I've been working on finding projects and creating things as a way to focus my anger, stress, and absolute bafflement of why people are allowing the world to be controlled by horrendous people. 

One of the smaller steps I took was to put together a jewelry project for myself for my Etsy shop and holiday craft shows. So, I created these:

Coffin nail amulets with three 1800’s nails. These particular ones come from the inside of the coffins and were obtained from a practicing priestess. Coffin nails can be used for powerful protection (or hexes, but don’t ok?) I have put three into new amulets bottles. The new jars help to allow power out without interference from the past. I chose three because it represents the mind, the unconscious and the connection between the two. I have also made some with amethyst pieces to enhance clarity of mind. They are thought to have additional properties to protect from poisons.
A perfect gift for anyone looking for some extra care in their lives from the universe especially in these trying times. You can find them here: Coffin nail amulets

In a lot of ways this is a perfect little project for me. When I was a child my mother would have me read her tarot cards and practice the Ouija board with her. She was a devoted Christian and felt these were other tools to divine God's message. I'm not really sure what I thought about it at the time other than it was a way to spend time one on one with my mom. I received my first set of tarot cards in the mail for my 12th birthday from my mother's twin sister. Who used to be a fun, open minded person and has since turned into a racist, self-centered hypocrite. It's pretty disappointing. Of course, one of the things we all learned was that there are more of these people than we wanted to admit and that is in fact where a fair amount of my frustration comes from. The short-sightedness of these dreadful people. Who again, do it all in the name of God. 

Calling on that frustration I put these pieces together. Focusing my intentions.

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The RainDrop Girl Christmas Tree

December is a strange month for me. It seems to both fly by and drag on forever. It is a mix of holidays, art successes and failures as well as the anniversary of my mother's death is in this winter chaos. I have been thinking all week about what a roller coaster it is for me. I can't think of another month that is this way for me. This passed year was not the best one I've ever had and I am both trying to let it go and to appreciate the good things and even few amazing things that came out of 2017. I certainly know I am not alone in feeling like overall 2017 was trash. The world at large is greatly suffering and a handful of spiteful, greedy people are running some of the most powerful countries. The overwhelming news each day coupled with personal going ons that is not great makes each day often a struggle to get through with the idea that anything might work out okay in the end. It hasn't felt much like that for me this last year. Everything from having to cut out toxic relationships and of course, being blamed for it because that is what toxic people do to suffering a tremendous creative loss to basically just wanting to scream each time I read the news. After a while of feeling like I might not be getting anywhere, something I am still trying to deal with each day, I started making more projects for myself. Projects definitely seem to be helping me feel better. From small things like making a necklace to big things like painting the entire main floor of my townhouse. I don't know if this is for everyone, but I have read very often that finding a creative outlet can help you deal with a myriad of things from grief to depression to writer's block. In my case, cleaning my house also helps me. Yes, I know that's silly, but it does. There's something about having to get up and focus on the task and then actually having a tangible result after a shorter time period in particular when writing longer books and stories. 

This year we took in a forth cat. He is a total pain in the you know what just like all cats. I have often asserted the one truly selfless thing a human can do is adopt a cat. I haven't been able to put up a Christmas tree for the last couple of years because they will destroy it. This is hard for me emotionally because Christmas was a big deal when I was a kid and one of the few times in my memories that I recall my mother actually enjoying herself. But what can you do? You adopt animals, you make the concessions needed to keep them from eating tinsel and destroying your house. You don't always win, but you know, you try. 

To try to head off the usual massive bout of sadness I encounter I decided I would make myself a tree. I bought a small, black, sparkly tree and made all the ornaments in the theme of a short story I wrote The RainDrop Girl. It was my first time using clay which I got at Micheals and you could easily bake at home though I would suggest running a fan as you do so if you cannot open a window. And I made raindrops, clouds, and a moon topper. Then I took pillow filling and made it a "tree skirt" so it seemed like a cloud. Currently, I am trying to decide if I should leave it up or not since it is not especially Christmas looking. I fitted some of the drops with quartz crystals and threaded them with silver ribbon. I did also make some to give as gifts. Cuz I guess that's who I am now. 

It did help get me through the holidays. It was small enough to move around the house so when I could watch it I had it downstairs and when I can't I keep it in my office. Since my office is filled with my toy collection it seems to rather belong in here. I wrote another short story this year about a mermaid so now I am wondering about making a mermaid themed one....

Wild Hare Salon and Gallery, #shoplocal

Some completely lovely humans invited me to bring some objects and books of my own creation to add to their gallery they opened this year. 

I get my hair colored here, and well it's a wonderful and magical place. Not like how everyone uses the word magical because they can't think of another word. It is actually magical.

There is an event again this weekend. Look at the pictures and tell me I'm wrong. You cannot. 

Info here: Art shopping event

Art by: Rudy Fig, Rachel Girard, Masha, Gabrielle Angelicus 

Weekend Road Trip: The Paine

Back in August while on my way to chase the eclipse, I took a side stop to a place I didn't know existed until a photographer I fell in love with a couple of years ago announced she was having a show there. The Paine is an English style estate in the small town of Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Which is actually a pretty famous place for other reasons and I'll write about that soon. 

Kirsty Mitchell created a magnificent body of work after a personal loss titled Wonderland. It is glorious to behold and if you can make it to the final weekend of the exhibit to see it, I really can't encourage you enough. The Paine its self is also a lovely place though I do wonder to the wisdom of building a house so large that no one lives in. It is lovely to look at and they do host events there too. It's worth a visit if you are in the area. Especially if you like details. Which I do. 

See some of the house and work here:

Moreau on a Monday

Tucked away on a much less busy Parisian street is the home and atelier of symbolist painter Gustave Moreau.

He was a teacher as well as a painter whose pupils included Henri Matisse. He has work in some museums but mostly kept his work together with the idea of bequeathing a great collection that would be impactful in presentation if together. All told he produced some 8,000 works in his lifetime including illustration and sculpture, much of which is in the residence that is now the museum. 

The place is truly beautiful and he remodeled it so the working and display space were much bigger than the living space. Filled not only with his work but that of friends from around the world. I have read that some people become overwhelmed by the work and space, but I did not feel this way. Maybe it's because I have been to House on the Rock that I would not find anywhere overwhelming anymore. I also just like the style of decor a great deal. It is a touch gilded, a touch handcrafted but also indicates the use of at the time modern technologies. Artfully put together it makes the impression of someone vastly enamored of books and the world in general. He also did not whitewash all his work which I can appreciate a great deal. 

He was a sickly child and as such his mother(who was deaf yet managed their home and his career) lavished attention on Moreau  and he cared for her till she died. He was a childhood friend of Degas when they both were in Italy. He also at the time met Alexandrine Dureux whom he introduced to drawing. She would remain, right up until her death in 1890, his “best and only friend”. They never lived together but she had a home a short walking distance from his and they were together nearly everyday. When she died he bought all her possessions and burned all their correspondence. 

Moreau only had one solo exhibit in his entire life. 

He entered a piece into the famous Salon in which he received a medal and bad critical reviews so he did not exhibit again for many years. 

 

I took some pictures of some of my favorite pieces but not the one that truly took my breath away. I didn't see the point. There is not a way to capture it. I will include a link to it and some of its history. I encourage you to look at it but know that it does not do it justice-Jupiter and Semele 1895

Weekend Roadtrip: Nelson-Atkins Art Museum

I have a wishlist of museums I hope to visit. I got the chance a couple of months to mark some big ones off the list by visiting Paris(where else?) and was so overwhelmed at times with joy and excitement it actually brought tears to my eyes. Traveling is a big deal to me. In this world of -been there-done that -posted it on social media-it can seem like there's nothing left out there that is new for anyone. This is not true of course and that perception can be somewhat disheartening. And in reality less than 20% of the world's population ever gets on a plane(another disheartening fact). It is a privilege to travel and I don't think I am ever going to stop feeling that way. The more I do it the more I want to do it. Genuinely the more I want everyone to do it. It does on the whole seem to make us better people. Yes, there are exceptions to this rule but I have yet to take any trip that I didn't get something out of it. Learned something, experienced something. Big or small. Short or long. Everywhere has something to offer. I've written a few times about Kansas City here and here and this is one more post to encourage you to visit sometime because there was nothing that was more of a delightful surprise than visiting the Nelson-Atkins Art Museum. 

I knew there was an art museum in KC, I just had no idea how lovely it truly is until I got there. It's also fairly sizable and I enjoyed my time here a great deal. It opened in 1933 and has somewhere around 30,000 pieces of art in it's collection. Some of the exhibits are set up as though you are entering temples and cloisters and that adds to the atmosphere. I was there when a big, dramatic storm was rolling in over the city as well. Being in a museum when it's raining is one of my favorite ways to spend a day(or night).

At Home with Monsters: My favorite pieces in the exhibit.

The At Home with Monsters exhibit has no doubt been written and photographed more times than pretty much any art exhibit ever. I am no exception here. I went to see the exhibit three times spending many hours examining, reading, photographing and trying to soak up every detail I could from the magnificent collection. Not the least of which was Del Toro’s personal notebooks. I didn’t get my creative life off the ground until much later in my adult life. It is one thing I do wish that had happened and I try very hard not to wish for things. Only to work towards them. I did not grow up in any kind of environment that allowed for what was considered something so frivolous and a few times as I got older (into my early 20’s) I had a couple of boyfriends who informed me I had no talent and shouldn’t be bothered. And for some time I didn’t. I was surrounded by creative people and their talent intimidated me and I was quite sure I would never be one of them. 

Then I just stopped worrying about it and started to do things. I can’t even say exactly why but I know part of it was that I just got tired of not creating anything and only consuming it. Don’t get me wrong, I am critical as hell of myself and I am nowhere near where I hope to be someday but I no longer wish for it and I try hard not to worry about empty, critical comments. Genuine critique sure but someone just being an ass, nope. It takes time to learn the difference but once you do, you sort of just smile and shrug. Possibly make sarcastic remark. Go about your business. 

I am drawn to the weirdoes for inspiration. We have reached a peak in the creative world where the weirdoes have really taken over too. Monsters, fairy tales, superheroes, villains, etc…all the things we were shunned for when we were younger all sit on top of the popular culture heap. 

Del Toro’s work is certainly for outsiders but it turns out that the outsiders number into the many thousands and even millions at this point. The universal appeal of the monster that lives in us all is something he has genuinely been able to communicate to the world. And that monster doesn't make us bad. And that brings comfort to many souls. 

His unusual upbringing which includes odd things like his father winning the Mexican National Lottery and growing up in a tumultuous part of Mexico- that at one point his father was actually kidnapped and the family had to pay ransom to get him back- twice, brings with it a not ordinary point of view. Del Toro’s work is a wonderful example of how not white washing everything in the states keeps storytelling from growing stale. It’s not a secret that the horror, fantasy and sci-fi genre can sorely lack inclusiveness and for some reason that I have yet to comprehend this is a subject of battlement with some caucasian writers(can you hear my eyes rolling, I wonder).

I am so glad I got this peek into his personal world. His commitment to his art. His success in a world that does not make it easy for the weirdoes. Even though the weirdoes always tell the best stories. Literally, we all know this-with that here are some photos of my favorite pieces from the At Home with Monsters Exhibit.

Things Learned and Facing Facts about Yourself Creatively

My first year of craft shows wrapped up with the end of 2016. I had previously had open houses at my own home but I had not participated in an actual show outside my home until last year. I had applied to some and been turned down over and over. Minnesota is flooded with makers and artists so the competition is pretty high. As a pretty new creative person, as frustrating as it was, it also was not all that surprising. I also don’t know anyone here in the arts organization. I know other artists, many of whom I have supported for years, but they tend to their own business and I try not to ask for their help.  I know how much work it is just to find time to do any little bit of creative work in day to day life. I’m not even sure what I would ask. And as a jewelry maker not many people really feel the need to buy my jewelry over and over. I have a few kind and loyal people around who have bought pieces here and there(and I am very grateful to them, it genuinely means the world to me) but overall no one pays much attention. That is when you think that you should quit. 

Don’t.

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The truth is, I love making jewelry and even if no one ever wants to wear it again- I will still make it and recognizing that has helped me a great deal. 

I do on occasion ask people to repost things on social media. Very few people do and I’m not really sure how to grow the interest, but maybe I should just accept that if they are not interested they are not interested and leave well enough alone.

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I really run into this with my books. Almost no one that I know will read anything that I write. I have read threads on authors sites and apparently this is not exclusive to me. It is pretty common that the majority of your friends and family will not read any of your work no matter how you ask or what’ve you done or how you are related. No one is really sure why. I would imagine there is a variety of reasons and I try not to get frustrated by it. It is not easy. Especially when you did/do support others and their creative endeavors (and in many other ways) for years, but it is also not constructive. It took some time but I don’t think about it anymore. I offer that as a bit of advice. Of course you want the people you like and respect and support to do it for you, but you should be ready to accept that they might not. They really just won’t think about you. And yes, for a while I thought this was just because of me and that people generally don’t like me, but that actually does not seem to matter. I can’t imagine the dozens and dozens of posts I’ve read about this mean that all of those people are un-liked. In fact, one time I was helping a woman in the bookstore I used to work at find a copy of Coraline by Neil Gaiman. It was some years ago now and as I handed it to her she laughed. She looked at me and said, “I’m buying this for my daughter and you know what? My cousin is married to him and I’ve never read a single thing he’s written. Isn’t that terrible?” She laughed again and went to check out and I had no idea what to say.  I had actually forgotten about this encounter until just now. So there you go. 

The good thing that has come out of it most especially is that it has challenged me to refine what I do. Working on better displays, organization and products. Not to mention looking outside the usual suspects. My first craft show wasn’t even in my own town and it was really great. It was something new and unexpected. I enjoyed it immensely. I should probably say this even if it is obvious to some that these things are an INCREDIBLE amount of work. But if you don’t love it, you shouldn’t do it. I loved that the display was mine, the work was mine, the idea of what bags to use, boxes, everything was mine. My ideas, my work, every little detail.

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I have trouble talking about my work, most especially my books. That is definitely a work in progress. It gets more difficult when you are not signed by a giant publisher that people know because at that point they just assume something is wrong with you and won’t heed any attention to you. This multiplies my difficulty in talking about my writing about a thousandfold. And of course, I am not an ace at social media. I have spent time on my social media accounts but the truth is those accounts are not where I want to focus my attention. I feel like I want my energy to go into my work. I don’t know how to curate my lifestyle or nor spend all my time color coordinating. Their are some people who can do all this and their art and it is very impressive. I am not one of those people and I doubt I ever will be. This is also something that used to frustrate the hell out of me. But once I made the decision of where the majority of my energy was going to go the frustration melted away. Now I just do it because I like something or went somewhere cool I think other people would like. If it’s not fun, don’t do it. It’ll just make you miserable. Plus we should probably not forget the world was filled with amazing, creative people before the whole world could like something on Instagram. I know that social media has opened up the art world a lot for some, but it doesn’t for most and it helps not only to remember that but not to let it affect what you do. Use it for inspiration. Not comparison.

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Now the craft shows. So yes, they are fun. I did have one that was not a success financially but luckily I do have one very good cheerleader who reminded me of the fact that I spent a big chunk of time talking to an aspiring young sci-fi writer and she seemed so happy to talk to me that he kept telling me that mattered more than selling anything. And he was right. I have stayed in touch with this person and they seem to value my input. I can barely comprehend this but it is really amazing.  SO there is another good lesson: What you take from these experiences doesn’t always tally into numbers. 

Talking to people all day can get very tiring. You don’t want to just say the same thing over and over to people. And figuring out what experience to give each person is not an easy task. 

 This is most assuredly true since you don’t ever want to be seem tired nor rude. Choose your words carefully and yes, sometimes you have to because people say strange things to you that can either confuse or annoy you. For example: People looking over your stuff and outwardly tell you that they are going to copy your ideas. Yeah that is pretty darn frustrating. I don’t have one good response to this. I try to generally smile and tell them I appreciate their admiration but the reality is if they are going to copy something you did, you can’t stop them. I try not to make more than one copy of things I make intentionally to give someone a unique piece (I do on occasion if I have matching materials or a special request). I do try to go out of my way not to copy other people. I also try not to infringe on others intellectual property without paying my fair share. This gets tricky if you’re making fandom things which I do on occasion but I do try to pay for what I use and I don’t make other IP the focus of my work. I can’t say I always succeed but I am not without intention- I try to be my own person. And developing what that means takes time. I have often given myself endless amounts of grief for not filling a certain niche. Why is it I am not completely Goth? Or completely girly pink? Or sporty? Well, I am not. And that is that. Don’t try to force yourself to be something you’re not. You won’t like it. And really, no one is all one thing. Some people, like I mentioned earlier, are just better at curating a lifestyle to sell. 

Some of the worst things I try to contend with is when people put themselves down at my table. (Yes people have insulted me, but I don’t even really feel like that is worth talking about it. Just laugh and thank them for stopping by, they’ll go away). One I ran into a lot at my last show in March was  “I’m too fat to wear this stuff.” “This won’t fit my fat neck.” I absolutely hate people saying this stuff. For a lot of reasons. And anyway, in my case it’s really not true. There are a few pieces I can’t change the size of but I learned early on one size DOES NOT FIT ALL and you don’t even want to be that person. You want to create things that include everyone. All shapes, all sizes, all genders. My very first sale at my very first show was to a little boy buying himself a necklace. It was beyond delightful. 

Now, there is always the chance that no matter how tactful you are you will put your foot in your mouth. I ran into this a few times as a party host at conventions. Some people are just sensitive and it is not always easy to figure out who can laugh at themselves or the situation and as such you could inadvertently insult someone. If this happens again, smile and thank them. More than once if necessary. 
Be kind. Point out that this is not the case. That yes you do have things that would fit them. And if it’s in your ability to do so, offer to adjust the size of something for them. This will often diffuse the situation. Not always, as some people just can’t let the thought go. But more often than not just being friendly and saying “hey you know what, this is a place for everyone, even those of us having a bad me day” works great. 

These couple of things, and I suppose people insulting me, are the most challenging things conversation-wise in my opinion. You can also end up being the person people try to use as an information booth but I would recommend that you do not let them. I almost fell into this trap and I am very careful about it now. Send them to the actual information booth. There is always one. Do not spend your time selling the show. That is not your job. Your job is your work. The information booth is there to answer questions about the show. Let them do it.

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When the show gets off to a shaky start and it seems like everyone else is busy and you’re not, you’re going to fall into misery. I am as guilty of this as anyone. Just don’t. Next to impossible to do, I know, but don’t. You literally have no flipping idea how your show is going to turn out and yes, sometimes the result financially is going to suck. But the reality is you’re likely going to get something out of every one that you do. Oh, and if it’s a two day show, seriously, most of my business in my last show was in the last few hours of the weekend and it was non-stop busy and made up for all the rest of the weekend. Completely the opposite of the year before. You will spend hours trying to figure out why. Don’t bother. You can’t, and even if you can pinpoint a few things like weather and stuff like that-it’s not like you can do anything about any of that. You will save yourself hours of misery not worrying about what you can’t control. The reality is you win some, you lose some, but you can control how you approach it next time. 

One thing I learned last year, for example, was that my packaging sucked. I was using boxes with cotton to display my pieces. This was not great as people always want to pick things up and people always drop the cotton and it makes a mess. So first thing I did this year was research and invest in new display pieces and cards. They are so much better this year and I am glad for it but I am still working on some of the pieces. Beware of what is happening. What are customers having a hard time with? What would streamline the process?

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On the subject of time devoted to your work: Once you seem like you have your ducks in a row people are going to try to use you as a short cut. Now it is up to you whether or not you let them. I take it case by case. And anyway, information is different for every person. But you can let them know right up front that you have spent a lot of time trying to work something out and that you think that it’s best that they take their version of the challenge and research it themselves. I am hesitant to give advice about editors, business, display etc… because I am not expert and even if I was I still would have no idea how that is going to turn out for you. And truthfully, until I see your work or read it, I doubt I am going to attach my name to it unless I think it’s good. And I don’t feel bad about that anymore. I used to try to recommend everything but I don’t anymore. It’s not truthful. I want to like something and trust someone is doing a good job. 

I *WILL* take the time to look into someone’s work most definitely. I try to give everyone a chance. I do try to support as many people as possible even if I don’t have a wide reach. But as far as the short cuts part-there are none. Seriously. People will tell you this all the time who are at the top of their game and they are not lying. Yes, sometimes they had it easier because they had all the money in the world to try something but think about it….unless what they did was amazing-is it still around? Nope. 

And yes some people have connections. Good for them. You don’t. Get used to it and find another way in. No I don’t know where it is.

You need to get used to fucking up. And rejection in all its forms, be it from strangers or from your dearest friend whose work you have read thousands upon thousands of words of and they won’t look twice at what you write. And if you can’t, you won’t get far. And you can take that from someone who has come very close to giving up more than a few times.

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American Gods and the rebirth of Laura Moon

I’ve been excited to watch American Gods. I was a little behind everyone else but now I’m caught up and I'm still pretty excitable about things. It's so crazy to think this book is 16 years old and to see it turned into such a huge production is really cool. Especially since Neil Gaiman is actually getting as much attention if not more attention than the actors. When does that happen? Having been a fan for more years than I can recall (hah j/k I just don't want to talk about how many years), it's always so heartening to see decent, hardworking people getting rewarded in a world that seems to reward jerks more often than not. The House on the Rock event in 2010 was definitely one of the coolest weekends ever. It's really the perfect place to spend Halloween. Plus I was with my friend Emily plus MPR picked my question to ask Neil Plus Neil told me he thought I was pretty and always dressed nice when he saw me(took this as marriage proposal was totally off on that one). Plus then I died(metaphorically as one does) and haunted the event with Emily.  

Came back to life as pretty goth girl gave me handmade black cat brooch when I was creeping out on the Infinity Balcony. Yeah. Happy Memories for a particularly disturbing story.

I think my favorite thing about the episodes that have aired so far is what feels like a more substantial development of Laura Moon. Looking back she was a bit one-dimensional in the story and of course, sometimes you want to change what you create after time has gone by. I would be interested to know if this was a deliberate choice by Neil Gaiman or someone else’s. I am a long time fan of Bryan Fuller’s as well. The only work of his I have been unable to get through is Hannibal because I am especially squeamish to cannibalism. I am not even sure why it unsettles me when so little actually does *especially* considering the current state of our government is some sort terrifying dystopia. 

Bryan Fuller and Neil Gaiman are a good team for one particular reason in my mind. Bryan Fuller has a knack for telling the story of women who don’t live up to their potential in what society would consider the right way or timely manner. He creates characters who usually are too smart for their own good and not entirely sure what to do with it. Partial commentary on our society’s lack of opportunities for such people it seems to me. He uses unconventional situations to give women characters the opportunity to make a difference in the world around them and he does it without being condescending. He doesn’t force them into having children or getting married or other traditional roles as deemed ok by the world. 

Neil Gaiman adds to this as he’s never been one to write a story where a woman has to be rescued by a man. In fact, Laura Moon is most assuredly on her way to rescue Shadow. The creative team of the two of them is a good example of male allies to feminism in the arts. 

Laura’s affair having seemed like it was central to her turnaround when in fact it was a symptom of something deeper rooted in who she was when alive and who she did not want to be in death. Recognizing that she only did it because she thought she did not feel anything else or believe anything. Only to be shown she was not only wrong but had loved another person and did not realize it as she was so mired in being lost in indifference to life(not dissimilar to Georgia in Dead Like Me. George’s love being for her younger sister.) She also did not really cared for being judged for it. Something I personally fully support. I am curious to see how this will continue. I know the story centers around Shadow and the battle for America’s soul but most particular at this point in history how could that not possibly include the women?

Here are some snaps from the event at the House on the Rock. Happy Easter!

Jin Xing, Women's History Month

Today's post is a completely amazing story. One of my favorites thus far. Jin Xing, born August 13, 1967 in Shenyang, Liaonin is a Chinese ballerina, modern dancer, choreographer, actress, and owner of the contemporary dance company Shanghai Jin Xing Dance Theatre. She is the host of the Chinese television show The Jin Xing Show. She can speak Chinese, English, Korean, Italian and French. Jin was the first transgender woman in China to receive the government's approval to undergo a sex change, and she is also one of the first few transgender women to be officially recognized as a woman by the Chinese government. She is a married mother to three adopted children and is apparently worth almost $2 billion dollars. Hollywood Reporter is a bit of a silly rag but they have a great article and interview with her here: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/…/meet-oprah-china-who-hap…

Other sources: 

CNN.com

Huffington Post

Yma Sumac, Peruvian Icon Women's History Month

Zoila Augusta Emperatriz Chavarri del Castillo was born in Cajamarca, Peru, September 13, 1922. She grew up in Peru—in a family she described as being descended from the Incan emperor Atahualpa (the government eventually supported this to be true)—and began performing in Lima before moving to the United States in 1946 where she embarked upon a singing career as Yma Sumac.

Her vocal range spanned four octaves and is rumored to have been up to five. She appeared in a Broadway Musical in 1951 and in films.

Her album Voice of Xtabay quickly sold 500,000 copies, and was No. 1 on Variety’s best-seller list at the end of 1950, surpassing albums by Bing Crosby and Ethel Merman, she would fetch $25,000 a performance in Las Vegas (at the time an unheard of number).

She was awarded the Order of the Sun by the Peruvian government in 2006. Performer Dita Von Teese cites her as a muse frequently. She passed away in LA at the age of 86. *It was impossible to pick a photo of her as they are all beautiful. Visit her website here: Yma Sumac News

Sources:

bio.com

NYtimes.com

Ella Cerulean's Instagram Account

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GeekCraft Expo

I've been working on pieces for my next show in Madison, Wisconsin at the end of March GeekCraft Expo. I had such a great time last year so I'm pretty excited to be going back. Plus, I'll have my third book for sale! 

Take a look at what I've been working on so far....

Ella's World

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