Joëlle Jones has been hard at work in the comics mecca of Portland, OR with several independent projects. Recently, she worked with ‘Dr. Horrible’ writer Zack Whedon on a sold-out issue revealing the back-story of Neil Patrick Harris’s character. Jones is poised to become one of the industry’s hottest talents with the release of ‘Troublemaker’, written by New York Times bestselling author Janet Evanovich.
Miss Schnabel of Bloodmilk is not your average jeweler. You won’t see diamond engagement rings, mass-produced pendants or hoop earrings in her collection. Instead, she believes that jewelry provides “psychic armour.” Her work is thoughtful, & exquisitely strange.
If the love of your life is more a fan of the Brothers Grimm than Jon & Kate Plus 8, maybe a Bloodmilk bear tooth engagement ring is what she’s always dreamed of. Perhaps a sterling silver ouija planchette necklace is more her cup of tea. This is jewelery worn by unusual girls, the type who read tarot cards & prefer absinthe & wouldn’t be caught dead in Urban Outfitters. From two-finger owl skull rings to sparrow claw lariat necklaces, Bloodmilk pieces are dark but delicate, beautiful & obscene.
I’m what one might call a Doctor Sketchy’s veteran. Or an almost-veteran, at the very least. By some bizarre twist of fate, a former roommate of mine happened to be the head of Sketchy’s LA a few years ago. It was through her that I met and became friends with Skecthy founder Molly Crabapple, and it was thanks to her that I ended up posing for four or five Sketchy’s sessions, so far. When Molly suggested that my husband and I pose for a Master and Margarita-themed Sketchy’s on its home turf in NYC, I actually, literally squealed. There could be no idea more enticing, considering Ales and I are both huge fans of this literary masterpiece, and I love New York, and he’d never been to New York, and, and, and! Excitement all around. If you’re unfamiliar with The Master and Margarita but can’t read Russian, I recommend you pick up this translation and consume it as fast as your schedule allows. It’s both a critique of Stalinist regime and an elaborate parable of good and evil, where cats swig vodka, curse, and shoot guns, the Devil himself wreaks havoc on 1930s Moscow, and love conquers all. Sort of.
When good artists die, they go to New York Central.
For three generations, New York Central Art Supply has been dealing Bristol board to the most famous names in the art world. Jeff Koons shops here. So did Louise Nevelson and Basquiat. Owner Steven Steinburg once so delighted De Kooning by personally delivering a mat cutter that the artist did a drawing just for him.
Teetering Bulb (1/2 Kurt Huggins, 1/2 Zelda Devon) is a super powered illustration team decamped in a tiny Brooklyn apartment. With an razor-disciplined yet lushly evocative style and a client list from Vertigo to Random House, they’re poised for Art Stardom. I got to chat with them on design. teamwork, and the mechanics of drawing a boob.
Today had to begin a very specific way before I sat down to write this piece: I had to eat cake for breakfast. That’s because the the Dark Arts Festival entertained their guests with a real-life cake-eating contest, in the spirit of the event’s second night’s theme: “Let Them Eat Cake: The French Revolution” Inspiration is important, after all.
Delphic, Jon Fratelli, Fresh Fries, an open bar, and ice cream…what more could you ask to be included in one evening? This menagerie of amusement was hosted by Dangerbird Records and JBL at the Dangerbird headquarters on Thursday. The party turnout was superb, especially given the fact that the NBA finals were on, with the Lakers fighting tooth-and-nail for the title. Dangerbird was kind enough to play the friendly host card and provide outdoor television screens for those internally conflicted between the bands on stage and the purple and yellow on screen.
The Heidelberg Project was created in 1986 by artist Tyree Guyton and his grandfather Sam Mackey as a form of political protest to the deteriorating Detroit neighborhoods of his youth. It is comprised of numerous decrepit houses adorned with stuffed animals, brightly colored dots, and strange number patterns. The main goal was to develop the city’s first indoor/outdoor museum, creative center, and neighborhood gathering space.
Amber Ray is one of the world’s top burlesque performers. She jets from Australia to Vienna’s Life Ball, leaving a trail of glitter in her wake. Amber’s a chameleon, known for her exquisitely surreal costumes. She’s been a lotus blossom and a danger-tape wrapped dominatrix, a peacock and the showgirl whose tassel twirling set off a raid of one of New York’s most infamous speakeasies.
For the first time ever, Amber lets fans peak inside her bulging closet. We dish on her art, her costumes, and her Swarovski crystal addiction.
After years of bringing saucy poetry and art to the New York underground, The Poetry Brothel has sprouted a new branch right here in Los Angeles, under the guiding hand of miss M. Saturday saw *The Best Little Whorehouse in Los Angeles*, the *Brothel*’s second LA night in effect, with special appearances by Julia Voth and Clint Catalyst, music by Daniel Ribiat, as well as the art of Josh Burian-Mohr, Miss Withers, **and yours truly on display. Other performing poets included Laurel Ann Bogen, Tad Piecka, Jacqueline Lincoln (Simone A’ Clef), Beanie Manifesto, Richard McDowell, Jean Marie Spicuzza, La Fille, Tiger Moon, Peggy Dobreer, and Morrison Keddie, with burlesque by Red Snapper, Olivia Bellafontaine and Dolly Danger.