A Toy-Camera-Missoula-Morning

I just recently uploaded a new app for my IPhone (which is the coolest flippin' thing ever...can't believe I waited so long to get one)...the app is Toy Camera. I decided to take some photos on my morning stroll and set it to random (which means...sometimes sepia...sometimes zingy green...sometimes seventies brown...etc.) So here is what I saw:

I started out down my little ol' street.

Then came across something I have never noticed in all the years I've lived here...not sure what the tree is but looks too exotic for Montana.

Heading down the tracks...a raven keeps guard.

Love this photo

Here's another one I like too...but then again, I'm not going to show you the lousy photos.

Up over the overpass to see a slightly more elevated view of of my fair city.

Came across a few transients...hanging out, smoking....

Here's a bizarre sight.

At first I didn't know what to make of the chalk outlines on the sidewalk. They had done this all down the street. Then I realized they were drawing the shadows cast by the streetlights. Must go back at night!

I thought is was a brilliant idea. In some cases they shadow chalk went up on the buildings as well as multiple shadows.

Time for a quick cappuccino at Liquid Planet

That but the zing in my thing...so back to my stroll.

Missoula is a bicyclers paradise...

In fact they even grow on trees...

Look

Here's my favorite spot for antiques...the Montana Antique mall.

Not far is Circle Square Second Hand...

My friend Raven does the displays here...groovy

Dog days of summer

Time to head back...this time I'll go under instead of over. The Orange Street Underpass. Eerie at night....rumor was there was a hammer murder down there way back when.

Usually a good spot for graffiti

Here is someone's tag. I just liked the way it looked behind the chain link.

Okay...made it out without getting murdered. Looky looky. Here's a cool piece of graffiti on a fence. I'm a sucker for eyes....and devils...this is both.

Strolling home. Here's a guys place who lives a few blocks from me. He's into chopping up cars and rebuilding them. Then he blasts 50's music (and I mean blasts) and cruises the neighborhood...you can hear for miles...with a periodic squealing of tires - in between ditty bops.

Home again, home again, jiggity jig. Hope you liked the stroll.

Dusty Diablos...loomings

A SURPRISE!

I was busy vending away at Art Unraveled and out of the blue my editor appears.

In her hands a sheet of white paper....

Printed on the paper...

The cover to my new book (due out Feb or March-ish).

In my mind I had tried to envision what Geoff at F/W would come up with, and month after month I kept thinking that it might be hard to top the cover of Secrets of Rusty Things...which I loved.

Now the day had arrived...

I was....

Astounded.

Better than I could have imagined.

I LOVED IT.

So here it is for your previewing pleasure...

S

C

R

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L

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.The cover to my next book:

Dusty Diablos: Folklore, Iconography, Assemblage, Ole!

Big Cheese Country...Wisconsin...or the Big Cheesy

Valley Ridge Artist Studio in Wisconsin is coming up in a few weekends. So if you've been holding off from signing up...now is the time.Those who have never been...it is one of my favs. Bill and Kathy are the ultimate hosts and will even host "cow tipping" escapades

...well...not really....but they might if you asked nicely. They have a great property and with views to die for. Always a lovely selection of regional cheese...ask nicely and I'll bet they let you cut the cheese. Well maybe not

Hey speaking about cheese and beef...here is a question...who came first...Mayor McCheese

or H.R. Pufinstuf.

Have you ever n

otice how McDonaldland

looks strangely like the land of Freddie the Flute, Witchie Poo, and Jimmy....

come and sail with me, Jimmy, come and sail with me.

You compare and let me know what you decide...coincidence? or not?

Anyway...sorry for the digression....,

hope to see some of you in Wisconsin. I'll be teaching deMented Toys and the Mad Alchemist's Cabinet. Oh...and I'm going to be visiting a nifty place while...I'm there. More on that later. If you still want to sign up for classes go here and we can talk about art, Hamburglers, and other things. Click here to join the fun.

IMIX: Children of the Night...what sweet music they make.

Okay...

so most of you know I grew up loving vampires (below is one of my favorite photos that I have ever taken).

For me it all started at a matinee watching Billy the Kid vs. Dracula, Here's a little peek of that classic.

Interesting that Dracula is impervious to bullets yet not to guns being thrown at him.

Next was after preschool episodes of Dark Shadows,

Barnabus...he da man

From there it went on and on Bram Stokers novel, the Lost Boys, Anne Rice's books and most recently HBO's True Blood.

I just finished season one. I am so hooked.

So in honor of my blood-sucker obsession, I decided to create a little IMix in honor of the Creatures of the Night.

So here is my IMix..with some explanations of my choices.

Vampiro IMix

1. Back To The Life: Spoon

I love this song....especially because of the maniacal laugh at the beginning. Perfect way to start off the mix.

2. Back to Black: Amy Winehouse
Amy might not be a vampire... but she most definitely is not human.

3. King Volcano: Bauhaus
The likely choice from Bauhaus would have been Bela Lugosi's Dead. I decided to not go for something so obvious. There is something very Romani about this song. As for the lyrics....unusual and cryptic. If you can decipher 'em let me know...I'm lost.

4. Little One: Beck
Ghostly...thats is all I have to say.

5. O Death: Camper Van Beethoven
Here's a remake of an old folk tune, you may remember it from O' Brother Where Art Thou. Camper punks it up a bit.

6. Trouble: Bitter:Sweet
I really like this song. If vampires were hipsters this would be an appropriate theme song.

7. La Llorona: Blame Sally
I know that la Llorona is more of a troubled Latin spirit than a vamp...but she is creepy and plus, I haven't come across any songs about the more vampiric chubacabras.

8. Enjoy the Ride: Morcheeba
Wandering through a graveyard has never been so enjoyable.

9. Sidi Ifni: Cracker
Not really a vampire song but certainly very tomb-ish

10. Lunático: Gotan Project
A vampire carnival if I ever heard one.

11. Hunter's Kiss: Rasputina
Ah...Rasputina...the goth girls and there frilly dresses and red and white striped stockings. A sad tale about hunter an prey...it ends tragically...otherwise I guess it wouldn't be a sad.

12. Evil Night Together: Jill Tracy
I fell in love with Jill Tracy's music when I discovered that she composed a soundtrack to the orginal Nosferatu.

13. Black Wings: Tom Waits
If Johnny Cash was a vampire...this would be his theme song.

14. White Tooth Man: Iron & Wine
Okay, so the song is not about Dracula but I thought it seemed appropriate.

15. Twice: Little Dragon
Not sure why, but this song reminds me of the Nosferatus. I think it is all the mirror references. Look up this video on youtube...shadow puppets...nifty.

16. Hold On, Hold On: Neko Case
Haunting...with a country twang.

17. Vampire: Sinéad O'Connor
A reggae version by Sinead about vampire hunters...Ja Ja sent us here to catch vampire...

18. Is She Weird: Pixies
A Goth theme song if there ever was one...there seems to be some debate about whether this is literally about a vampire. I'm not really sure but "Is She Weird" is weird.

19. This House Is Haunted By the Echo of Your Last Goodbye: Holly Cole
And a nice jazzy number to close out the set.

Happy Listening...bwahahahaha

Day of the Dead itinerary

Oaxaca News:

Oaxaca and deMeng de los Muertos is just around the corner. I just got this years Day of the Dead itinerary from Colleen. Should be a blast.

deMeng de los Muertos

October 25 - November 3, 2009

Calaveras y Diablos, y Santos…Oh My! click here for class description

Itinerary:

October 25 (Sunday) Arrive in Oaxaca and get settled after a long journey. Enjoy a walk to the Zocalo (town square) for dinner and sight seeing in the evening.

October 26 (Monday) Breakfast 7:30 – 10:00 A.M. Class begins at 10:A.M. We will walk to the Zocalo to explore our supply options. The market, religious store, hardware, paper store and lots of treats along the way will help us all get oriented to the variety Oaxaca has to offer. Lunch at 1:30 Return to class. Evening is free.

October 27 (Tuesday) Breakfast. Class begins at 10:00 A.M. Break for lunch. Late afternoon and evening free.

October 28 (Wednesday) Breakfast. Class begins at 10:00 A.M. Break for lunch. Late afternoon and evening free.

October 29 (Thursday) Breakfast. Class begins at 10;00 A.M. Break for lunch. Finish up projects and get ready for the critique” the good, the bad, and the ugly” Celebrate a fabulous class with a group dinner.

October 30 (Friday) Breakfast. 9:00 A.M. Tour to Ocotlan market and the Aguilar sisters, known for whimsical ceramic figures. On to San Martin Tilcajete home to some of Mexico’s finest woodcarvers. Lunch and back to Oaxaca. Evening free.

October 31 (Saturday) Breakfast. 11:00 A.M. tour to the Ethno-Botanical Garden. An amazing place even if you aren’t into plants Lots of photo opportunities. The only way to visit is with a guide. Lunch at a garden restaurant. A visit to the new textile museum for anyone interested, or just spend the day visiting the sights of Oaxaca. Lots of ofrendas and sand paintings and some parades will be going on around the zocalo. This is the first night of the Dia de los Muertos celebration. It is an amazing experience and a time to be very respectful of the people. Please ask before taking photographs.

November 1 (Sunday) Breakfast. 9:00 A.M. Tour to Mitla and the cemetery. Here the celebration begins during the day. A visit to a weaver’s home and lunch in the countryside. In the evening a visit to the city cemetery

November 2 (Monday) Breakfast. Last day in Oaxaca to spend as you wish. Shopping, eating, drinking or just sitting in the Zocalo taking it all in. Group dinner and our last night together.

November 3 (Tuesday) Breakfast. Fly away home

If you're interested contact:

Colleen Darling

950 Ballard Canyon Rd.

Solvang CA 93463

805-688-1221

colleen950@gmail.com