Sabrina Ward Harrison + Joseph Campbell

Thirsty for more

Artist James Pyman has made illustrations for a new edition based on the original vampire story (the one and only, in my opinion). In collaboration with designer John Morgan, Pyman made a lead masterpiece for each of Dracula’s 27 chapters. They’ll be on view at Maureen Paley gallery in London until 21 February. I like the swan one best, but more is here.

Fodder: Little 1 by Ann & Paul Rand

“Oh no, that’s not so,” cried the hoop. “Don’t you know when a circle is empty inside it looks like zero? Just stand here by me, and then we can pretend to be number 10.”

Paper heart

You’ve seen his books in museum bookshops. Now, it’s time to see them in their original form: Rob Ryan’s amazing paper cut outs are being showcased at London’s Exposure Gallery beginning on 4 February.

I like him because of all his love stories. Each can stand on their own. A favorite is above. More on his blog, rob-ryan.blogspot.com.

Fodder: Leon Trotsky

Life is not an easy matter… You cannot live through it without falling into frustration and cynicism unless you have before you a great idea, which raises you above personal misery, above weakness, above all kinds of perfidy and baseness.

In love with a view

O, Steve Powers (aka ESPO, whichever you most prefer)… you’ve got me. I am completely, entirely, girlishly taken so by his recently completed A Love Letter For You project. He made a series of 50 murals for the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, each with a very perfect message of amour. If you visit his blog, you can find out the location of each as well as the best way to view them, which apparently is best done from the elevated transit line running along 45th to 63rd streets along the Market Street corridor.

Now I’m just gonna imagine myself riding the train, watching mural after mural pass me by… Look.

A break from the books

Unbeknownst to me, I went on a book binge. So no more book posts for at least a few days (unless it is something really really fantastic, which is quite probable to occur). Even though I moved into my new apartment weeks ago, I still have yet to have most of my literature shipped. And the stuff I have sent to myself is stuck at the post office less than a block away – I just haven’t had the the time to go and pick it all up. Swoon.

But I digress. Check out this little online library: The Pattern Foundry. They are redesigning their new site, but you can view the current one by clicking the link on the site’s home page. It’s an open database that showcases decorative patterns by chosen artists and designers; a virtual textile archive, if you will. My favorites are the ones by Richard Rhys (his “Cotton Reel” print shown above), Jonas Williamsson and Samuel Nyholm.

Move over, James Lipton

You know I have this secret ambition to become an artist. Not just a “creative person,” a mere writer, but an actual talent that creates tangible things for people to enjoy. Perhaps I’m short-selling myself. But, luckily for me, Joe Fig came to the rescue with his new book, Inside the Painter’s Studio.

In it, he follows 24 contemporary artists on their day-to-day lives, documenting what it really takes to drag oneself out of bed each morning and paint. Fig, a Long Island-born sculptor now living in Connecticut, asked painters Fred Tomaselli, Amy Sillman, Chuck Close, Ryan McGinness and others to be interviewed for the project. The best part: He used photos of them and their studios to sculpt miniature reproductions of their studios, using these as illustrations for the book.

Speechless.

taciturn [tas-i-turn] adj. inclined to silence; reserved in speech; reluctant to join in conversation; dour, stern, and silent in expression and manner.

You could say the word means “uncommunicative,” then, couldn’t you? And so. How beautiful and perfect Marcelo Gomes’ new book “Taciturn Heart” fits the bill.

Entitled title

Black and white and sturdy paperback all over, Mike Perry’s fourth issue of Untitled Magazine is now complete. It’s usually fashion oriented, which is okay, but this time he asked photog Anna Wolf to do the curating. She subtitled the issue “The Art Book,” and put loads of photos, paintings, collage, drawings and words inside. Order this and back issues here.