inspiration
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Linder Sterling
Love the collage that Linder Sterling created for for bands like the Buzzcocks.
Oh, and she just happens to have put out some of my favorite music all time. Ludus? Yes Please.
Cherry is in Sherry.mp3- Ludus
Her 1970′s punk collages and feminist work is like if the 60′s pop artist Richard Hamilton got together with Guy Bourdin while listening to Siouxsie Sioux.
Perfect xerox heavy collages playing with constructs of femininity and violence.
Linder’s art for the Buzzcock’s album Orgasm Addict
Photo by Guy Bourdin
Richard Hamilton
Tags: buzzcocks, collage, linder sterling, ludus, punk, zines
I’m in the process of two big projects that involve large scale painting, installations, and collage. It’s great, all that prop styling and interior decorating has lead me to create large scale work for environments.
The first project is a mural for the waiting area / entryway of Nylon magazine. I’ll be doing an install of some panels that feature my paintings and collage.
The second project is painting parts of a very cool (soon to open) Parisian taqueria that David and Cheri are working on. I’ll be going out there in late February to work on the install. And then to hit up Paris fashion week.
I’ve been gathering reference for the paintings and it lead me to Clement Greenberg and a group of artists he termed “Post Painterly Abstraction.” They included Frank Stella, Helen Frankenthaler, Jack Bush, Kenneth Noland, Al Held etc. Here are some images I’m channeling for the taqueria paintings. Of course I’m sourcing vintage baja jackets, deco wallpaper, Rockaway Taco, and oaxaca textiles but 60s colors and shapes are definitely in the mix.
Jack Bush
also by Jack Bush, from 1964
By Friedel Dzubas
Frank Stella
Kenneth Noland
Moris Louis
Tags: 60s, inspiration, installation, mural, paintings, paris, post painterly abstraction, reference, taqueria
I moved into a new apartment on November first. I’ve spent some time thinking about how this new space should look and feel and traveled upstate to salvage yards and fleas for the right pieces.
In the process I’ve been looking through World of Interiors and shelter blogs, gathering various images of primitive benches, California Bungalos with their Craftsmen interiors, rough hewn beams, thread bare Persian and Navajo rugs, chimayo textiles, succulents, and whatever is my jam these days. Oh, and reading up on the designers behind Peels and Moto (Taavo Somer and John McCormick).
It seems so long ago that my apartment was totally red, orange, yellow and plastic with super graphics.
I suppose people in the mod mod mod sixties moved into a more “earthy” comfortable and “natural” palate a few years down the line. 1966 looked nothing like 1972. Maybe my timeframe of interior design crushes has followed a similiar trajectory, just, you know, 40 some-odd years later.
Rope, yarn, weaving, epic necklaces, knots. Love it.
I like the lived-in feel of this interior photo.
Also the special divider for plates and the visible hindges on those cabinets.
I think I’ll have my friend make me benches like these. Simple, sorta perfect.
I love exposed shelving with reclaimed lumber and cast iron brackets.
The Restaurant Peels, on the Bowery. My sister’s best friend is the chef there.
I like that it feels rustic but not overly masculine; a marriage between the Victorian oldie-timey thing and shabby chic.
The two cancel out the overdone qualities of either.
picture source
Tolix and French bistro stools. Sundance Catalog has them.
I’m just going to find some 20$ used industrial stools that give off the same vibe.
Tags: benches, home, interior design, john mcormick, nature, taavo somer, tolix
Currently channeling girls living amongst house plants, succulents, rough hewn ceramics.
Ranunculus and peonies: love
Lisa Mayock is the best
I want to take a ceramics class, channel Demi Moore in “Ghost”
Tags: girls, inspiration, nature, plants
You bet.
I think this is by Irving Penn
The Colonel Sanders one haunts my dreams
One of my all time favorite kid’s activity projects. The toddler is petrified!
Possibly the scariest pumpkin ever
Gary Card’s prop styling genius
Jazz age robots?
1920′s Dadaist costumes out of cardboard
Back of the Liliput record cover
Tags: costume, creepy, Halloween, kids, masks
For the last few years I’ve been exploring pattern and repetition when I create personal work. First it was a total obsession with enamel paintings of Islamic and Scandinavian textiles for my patchwork quilt series. Then it was origami paper cut outs covered in resin for Tokion Magazine’s show at Cinders Gallery. I’ve been painting again but now it’s been in the form of backdrops for fashion editorials. The Refinery29 swimwear story I created with James has been my favorite.
I’m once again diving in and manipulating patterns but this time utilizing my old high school standby: collage.
I’ve been cutting up my own paintings, xeroxes of my work, and print outs of my remixed Kuba and Mud cloth or Op Art patterns I’ve culled from Ebay and the internet.
Here are a few pieces that are works in progress
Tags: art, movember, painting, patterns, space15twenty, textile, workinprogress
In 2003 I stumbled into an Adolf Wolfli show at The American Folk Art Museum. Spent today revisiting his work as I prepare some new personal pieces for a upcoming Giant Artists group show at Space 15Twenty in Los Angeles.
As a big fan out outsider art, especially the likes of Henry Darger, seeing Wolfli’s work was nothing short of a relevation.
The parts of his work I love best are his use of pattern, repetition, and especially sneaky characters! I’ve been drawing people with bandit masks for as long as I can remember. Wolfli is definitely a kindred spirit.
Here are some of his awesome pieces
His handwriting has so much personality!
If he worked today (and wasn’t a crazy) I could see these letterforms making for amazing wallpaper designs.
Really love the color combination of yellow with graphite + the color of the aged paper
A lot of his works involve symmetry and ornate patterning going around and around his figures and scenes.
This one clearly focues on a Jesus like figure on the cross with little sneaks wearing cross-crowns.
Not normally into religious iconography, but the colors and shapes of this one are great.
I’d never think to use purple and orange with green.
This is one of the most orate of the images I’ve seen.
At the American Folk Art Musuem I was surprised by how large scale his pieces were.
This one seems like some Battlestar Galactica inspired futurist image, but yet those towers and fortresses recall something Byzantine.
Really cool.
The perspective is all wackadoo found in an Emaki or the horizontal Japanese illustrated narrative handscroll.
Think “Tale of Genji” by Lady Murasaki Shikibu.
Unfortunately the images I found aren’t the best. I tried!
Tags: adolf wolfli, inspiration, outsider art
Spent today revisiting Sonia Delaunay and the Orphism movement. Delaunay was known for her use of geometric abstraction, modernist pattern design, and crazy lyrical color combinations. In a recent interview, Rachel Comey mentioned Sonia is one of her favorite designers. Makes sense. They both use textiles and color in unexpected ways.
While I don’t like everything Delaunay created (some of her colors and compositions hurt my feelings) there are others I really enjoy. Especially those using subdued hues or fewer colors or involving costuming.
Here are some I find inspiring
These images are from FIT’s archives, blog entries at swim two birds,the textile blog and of course google images
There are some nice colors here. Very serene 1930′s (or early 1980′s) going on.
Tags: color, design, gemoetry, pattern, sonia delaunay, textile, vintage
Here are some of the references Elizabeth Weinberg and I sent over to Tokion before we worked on a fashion editorial for their September issue. Turner and Erica Blumenthal styled it and our lovely models were Matthew Mosshart (Alison Mossheart from the Kills is his sis) and Tilda from Img.
The images are ultimately going to run elsewhere (ummmm long story!!), but for time time being… I thought it’d be fun to share what I was channeling.
We were going for images inspired by sixties documentary photography, in particular those of hippie encampments like the Mystic Arts Commune. We used bows and arrows by Fredericks and Mae, I created a teepee, painted axes and walking sticks, and covered the forest with toilet papered streamers. It all looked amazing!
Tilda Lindstam at IMG (one of our models)
Antique Navajo patterns. Reference for my teepee
Pippi Longstocking. My all time favorite muse
Bows by Fredericks and Mae. They were kind enough to loan me masks, a bow, and kites as well!
60′s psychedelic interiors and teepee inspired shelters. The book Spaced Out is good reference.
Nomadic fashions, fur, braids, lots of jewelry
My moodboard (including fashions by Rag and Bone, Suno, and D&G’s Fairisle looks)
Tags: 1960's, elizabeth weinberg, fashion, hippies, inspiration, models, photography
I’m putting on an event by the end of the month.
One that requires me to think on a very large scale, prop styling meets party planning.
This entails imagining how to make a location look like an astral alternate dimension.
Think: sixties “happenings” and 1990′s house parties, complete with glitter, dayglo, and toilet paper streamers.
Tags: geometric, inspiration, space is the place
Working on some fun projects involving prop styling and illustration. Until I can post the images, here are things I’m currently inspired by.
Kleenex / Liliput album covers, especially their Dadaist theatrical outfits made of cardboard
Bleached out cotton gauze that looks like constellations. This jumpsuit is by Electric Feathers and sold at Maryam Nassir Zadeh
Twiggy’s amazing headress in Ken Russell’s “The Boyfriend”
Sunglasses that flip up, especially those in “Postcards from the Edge”
Tags: fashion, inspiration
Look at these coats! Don’t you want to crawl inside everyone one of these warm snuggly oversize soft things? I do. We are hopefully pulling some Burberry for our upcoming shoot and I hope it’s not too hot that day, because I plan on pretending I own it and wearing all over that woods upstate.
I need. Don’t even care which.
Tags: burberry, coats, fall2010, fashion, ineeeeeeeeed, inspiration
Elizabeth Weinberg collaborated with me on my first foray into prop making. It was a portrait for Death and Taxes featuring El Perro Del Mar.
Tomorrow morning we’ll be having another go of it. We’re traveling an hour upstate to a secret cave and doing our first fashion editorial together. Our 15-passenger van will include Billy Keith doing hair, Jenna Rainey styling, two beautiful models from IMG, Nadja Nebas our make up artist, Elizabeth and Me. The shoot is themed around light; exploring shadow and reflections and inspired by Jen Kao, Cushnie et Ochs and Jeremy Scott’s recent collections. And Lady Gaga (obviously).
I made several headdresses in gold and silver backed mirrors. Lots of faceted shapes. I really hope they photograph ok in the caves!
The whole process has been a learning experience; finding people to collaborate with, calling modeling agencies, creating pdf pitches to send around and shop our idea. But now that I’ve worked it out I know it’ll just be that much easier when I do another shoot next week.
The first version of these were originally created for Lindsey Thornburg.
There are more where these came from. I’ll post more after the shoot.
Some of the collections i’ve really been feeling.
Headdress research
Tags: collaboration, crown, electric feathers, elizabeth weinberg, faceted, fashion, gemoetry, geometric, headdress, img models, jen kao, lady gaga, mirrored, nylon magazine, reflective
A few weeks ago I went to Palm Springs, Joshua Tree, and LA for James’ birthday. He had been dying to go to the desert since we first met and I can now see why. A bagillion amazing photos, great weather, prop sourcing for a Virgin Suicides themed shoot, and a fantastic stay at the Ace Hotel followed. There is a healthy dose of photos from our trip on his blog, but I’m just going to post the pictures of me. This is my blog and I can do what I want!!
See more here: http://www.jamesryang.com/blog/
Tags: joshua tree, me, photography, the desert
I’ve been drawing and painting ladies in varying states of undress for a couple of seasons: bikini clad girls fighting, centerfolds painted in enamel, x-rated collages. There’s been a variety of references and homages to my favorite muses and films, be they Marianne Faithful, Mia Farrow in Secret Ceremony or Charlotte Rampling in The Night Porter.
The last few shirt graphics I did for Blood is the New Black explored similar themes, while taping into darker motifs and several referencing my relationship to Ancient Egyptian iconography. I just found out that Oak (one of my favorite stores) will be carrying two of my shirts from my recent “film series.” Here they are:
Tags: ancient egypt, blood is the new black, charlotte rampling, muses, shirt, the night porter
Spent all of yesterday looking up photography and posters from May ’68.
In the midst of my research I realized a lot of the X-girl tees I lusted over by Mike Mills in the 90′s were totally channeling these graphics. I’m sure to most, this is a no brainer, but when you’re 17 and have no idea what the French New Wave or Situationism is, these references are totally lost on you.
Anyway, I’m working on Mai ’68 inspired graphic tees. Which, I guess, means I’m making images that are retro 60′s-retro-90s. Like 70′s does the flapper 20′s or 90′s does the cardigan clad bowling shoes 50s. Now it’s twentytime does nineties does sixties. NEXT LEVS. My brain might explode.
Trying to do my own take on the imagery while using the classic phrases tagged around Paris.
Love simple French words like "oui" and "non" this season
This is a classic. Simple red & white graphic, love the janky fist
This one is rather timely
Tags: graphic design, may 68, posters
Siouxsie Sioux is a reoccurring woman in my arsenal of eternally inspiring ladies. There were a couple years where I listened to girl punk (Riot Grrrl which lead to the likes of Kleenex and The Slits) in High School almost exclusively. Then Crass and Siouxise and the Banshees took over my life when I was sporting a bowlcut and wearing dolly dresses. Kinda inappropz, but whatever!
Lately, the clothing I’m channeling is either inspired by Kelly Bundy (slutty 90′s bodycon numbers), floral and crushed velvet ala 1993 Contempo Casuals and witchy lace frocks, and lots of monochrome androgyny stuff. Now that I am in possession of a pair of black leather pants, early Siouxsie, Debbie Juvenile, Sue Catwoman and Westwood’s Seditionaries inspired looks seem highly appropriate. PS did you know Adam from Adam in the Ants used to be so PUNK? I will post some photos later. What a babe.
Looking for a vintage amazing band tee but none fit the bill. The likelihood of finding one from the Delta 5 is slim to none. I may end up just making one on Zazzle. HA!
Jordan wearing a sweater by Seditionaries. She stars in the punk film Jubilee (which I don't particularly recommend) but it's an interesting historical document nonetheless
Seditionaries. Some of these are very Rodarte
love her tuxedo and over the knee boots
Is that a mesh bodysuit I spy? Also, asp arm cuff!
Obviously channeling 1974's film "The Night Porter"
Dunno where this is from, but I want this dress! Also, black lipstick?
me rocking mesh over longsleeve kindaaa more likely
Kiera Knightly is that you? Maybe Siouxsie is her secret mom
Viv looks adorable here. Both these shirts are fucked up but I want
I need to start silkscreening again
Amazing punk flickr sets here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/romanywg/sets/72157602289036890/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/agallix/sets/322013/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/seditionaries_punkpistol/
Check out http://www.raystevenson.co.uk/ for some great photos (although, small)
And if you wanna buy the original Seditionaries clothing: http://punkflyer.com/seditionariesclothing.html
Tags: fashion, inspiration, punk, punkrock, vintage
In my studio it’s been an all out exploration of hard edged things, celestial iconography, geometric shapes, day glo, pyramids, sparkles. Sometimes this leads me to iconography of the early 60′s and the space race, other times into disco era album art with its shiny surfaces, silver, mirrors, and flares.
These two images are from darklorddisco
Right now I’m channeling an old obsession of mine: art school early 80′s complete with angular music, geometric shapes, day glo, early computer graphics. Cyber punk, Neuromancer, films like Blade Runner and Liquid Sky, bands like the Lemon Kittens, Lene Lovich.
Yesterday while on a fashion editorial shoot at Milk Studios (I made the props- will post them soon), the make up and fashion styling reminded me of early new wave and especially the characters in Liquid Sky. It’s unsurprising that nobody had a clue what I was talking about when I recalled the little known 1982 b-movie totally themed around heroin, orgasms, and aliens. But if you were a fan of Adult. and heard their cover “Me and My Rhythm box” or shopped for huge UFO pants in the East Village circa the 90′s, you’d instantly recall this “classic” and the store that shared the same name.
other geometric and inspiring images from darklord disco. i love:
Tags: cyberpunk, disco, fashion, film, geometric, new wave
I love a long epic necklace.
Huge jangles from Morocco, those that channel my nine years of Girl Scouts, diy affairs full of knots and braided rope, lanyards, embroidery, and metal. Monkey’s Fists! Carrick Knots! Friendship Bracelets! I will channel them all.
Elizabeth came over, after a trip to the hardware store, for a necklace Crafternoon. A few days later, new friends, and a round two of necklace making that involved cutting up old teeshirts, keychains, knotted clothing line, tassels, and twine. Photos of our successes to come.
Here is some great jewelry, a lot of it by smaller designers, from Kabiri. I love this website and what they sell! If only dropping hundreds on a necklace was no big deal.
+ Kapow Wow
+ Uli Rapp
+ Lizzy Fortunato
+ Lanyard
+ Fernanda Pereira
+ Comfort Station
If you can, buy this stuff, or you can have a Crafternoon and make your own version that is janky but a totally fun activity whilst watching the Rachel Zoe Project and this season’s craptastical Project Runway. Nothing a little hardware store, some wine, and old teeshirts and clothing line can’t take care of.
Tags: crafts, jewelry, shopping
Kenyan and I first met about six years ago when he was working at The Apartment, in Soho. I had my first exhibition of my artwork in their store windows and he hung the whole thing. Flash forward, and he is now the go-to guy for rustic prop styling- notable for the amazing aesthetic of Earnest Sewn and The Smile.
His and Grace’s house in Upstate NY, has been featured on The Selby. And for good reason. It is NEXT LEVEL. Straight out of a movie. There are like six bedrooms, each with its own array of curiosities and antiques. There is even a stable and barn. It’d be an amazing place to have a wedding, do a catalog or editorial photo shoot, or they could start their own bed and breakfast. Obviously, I like that idea.
While we were upstate, our gang of merry pranksters also made it up to the Renaissance Faire in nearby Tuxedo, NY. Lots of fat alterna-goths and families. It felt less magical than the one in Novato, CA. I guess 20 years of awareness will do that to you. Regardless, it was still fun dressing up in my 1905 lace wedding dress.
The weekend was amazing. At night we roasted s’mores, each meal was delicious: pancakes and barbecue and grilled burgers, flashlight tag, racing scooters and bikes in the field, photo shoots, dance parties in the barn, dueling in vintage medieval costume and handmade swords, karaoke.
These photos are a mix of ones I took and ones James took:
CLICK FOR MORE AMAZINGGGGG PHOTOS!!!!
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Tags: antique, apartment, architecture, decorating, FRIENDS