Dizzy Swallows

Little Bits for a Monday

September 26th, 2011 1 Comment

This morning I’d like to share Charlotte Gainsbourg‘s video for the title track from her recently released EP, Terrible Angels. Although the album was produced by Beck, the track falls surprisingly in the dance-pop-stomper category. Nevertheless, it’s a fun ride, and the video features the delightfully disheveled Charlotte dancing about a parking garage with an army of doppelgangers. As anyone who has ever watched Alias knows, however, bad things always happen in parking garages.

Fall is officially here and the rain is makings its return to Seattle. This has triggered an instinctual response in me to don cozy sweaters and break out my knitting. I’ve had my eye on this adorable cable knit sweater from Madewell.

The change in season also has us planning our Winter getaway. This weekend we purchased tickets to Vietnam! Eeee! We will be traveling through Vietnam to Cambodia, intent on Angkor … Continue reading

Atelier Week 1

September 19th, 2011

Hello darlings! The last week has disappeared into the past with a rapidity that boggles the mind. I am now beginning my second week of the Gage Classical Atelier! Here’s a peek at my little drawing nook:

The first week was a blur of introductory jitters, settling in, and putting all my energy towards getting my drawing chops back.

We first years have been focusing thus far on painstaking measurements, sighting, and block ins, working from casts in the afternoon. (Excuse the terrible quality of the below photo – I wanted to give you an idea of what I’m working on)

Mornings are spent in the life drawing room where we are blessed to work for three hours from a different model each day. Heaven.

I’m going to try to manage two posts a week but my time is significantly more cramped than I’d even imagined…and, over-achiever that I … Continue reading

Monday Music

September 12th, 2011

I have just enough time to dash off a quick note to you. While I’d love to give you a full Bits post, time dictates I distill it down to the music. And so, I would love to share this wonderful video from Florence + the Machine. This single, “What The Water Gave Me” is from her upcoming album, scheduled for release in November. It is characteristically, anthemically wonderful and just the short of thing I need to galvanize me on my first new steps this morning. Enjoy sweetlings.

… Continue reading

Paintings by Edward Sutcliffe

September 9th, 2011

The Atelier starts on Monday! I can hardly believe it is here already. How the time flies, eh? It seems a miracle that I will be able to focus solely on my artwork again, and I want to sincerely thank those who have supported me in this endeavor. It means the world.

This morning I wanted to share a few works from the amazingly talented painter, Edward Sutcliffe. Sutcliffe specializes in photo-realistic portraiture, stunning in the minutia of its detail. Often in the art world, “photo-realism” can be a bit of a dirty word, so Sutcliffe likes to explain his style as “squeezing out the juice” of the portrait. His focus on skin tone and unique imperfections aids the dynamism of his work more than any simple copying of a photo.

All images via Art Finder.

Have a wonderful, safe weekend my dears, full of life, hope, and … Continue reading

Laura Marling: A Creature I Don’t Know

September 7th, 2011

A few weeks ago I shared the song, “Sofia“, from Laura Marling‘s new album, A Creature I Don’t Know. The album is set to release on the 13th but you can now hear it streaming in its entirety over at the New York Times, along with a great interview with Ms. Marling herself. Listen here.

I still can’t get enough of her last album, I Speak Because I Can (“Rambling Man” is an all-time fav), and have had A Creature on heavy rotation since its appearance yesterday. Though she’s all of 21 years old, Laura Marling’s songwriting plumbs the depths of British folk with a maturity that belays her age. The evolution of her heavily imagistic lyrics, lilting, pensive voice, and intricate guitar proves she’s a force to be reckoned with. A few of my favorite tracks thus far are “The Beast” and … Continue reading