{Music Monday} Last Monday in 2012...

Josh Ritter - Love Is Making Its Way Back Home from Josh Ritter on Vimeo.

What would you do with over 12,000 pieces of colored construction paper? If you were Erez Horovitz or Sarah Graves, you may make a video with them. This video was created with over 12,000 pieces of construction paper shown as it was shot- no special effects and I love it! It's a nice, last Music Monday of 2012, don't you think?

Happy New Year Everyone! 

I'm looking forward to lots of creativity, new discoveries, & projects in 2013 ... and sharing them with you of course. Thanks for stopping by this year!  ~Kristin

{Everyday Inspiration} more paper love...

Here is a little inspiration for your Wednesday. I just ran across the work of paper artist, Mandy Smith via Roadside Projects & I was immediately smitten. Not to mention the book her work is included in, Paper Craft 2 looks incredible!  Given that I'm married to "cardboard man" who makes art often dealing with interior & exterior spaces, I felt the need to share this. 

The Move, Paper Animation from Mandy Smith on Vimeo.

Isn't her work amazing! I just love this paper animation. Awesome!  (Chris this is for you) Hope everyone is having a great week! 
{photos via here}

{Everyday Inspiration} Papercraft Part II- video ...

Remember that cool book I posted about yesterday called Papercraft? Well, I looked through it some more last night and loved every minute of it. The little jewel at the end of the book is a DVD of some video spots made by a few of the artists or design groups included in the book. I was able to find them on youtube so I can share them with you. 

Do you have a favorite? While I certainly enjoy all of them, I have the Audi commercial sort of stuck in my head. Cardboard & Woody Guthrie is a pretty winning combination (not a shabby car either).  

{Paper} A cool way to plan...

You can find a Moleskine sketchbook in every bag I own, tucked away in various closets, in the stack of books by my bed, & in all nooks of my studio.These are my favorite sketchbooks & it was cool to stumble on this awesome ad for the mini Moleskine planners. Some wonderful paper magic...

MINI PLANNERS from Moleskine ® on Vimeo.

Hmmm, mine doesn't do that. Does yours? Hope you are having a nice weekend! {via Paper Forest}

{stop motion} animation in white...

It snowed today here in the northwest and it's very cold and white. It's a perfect sort of night to curl up with some hot chocolate and catch up with some of my favorite blogs. When visiting Paper Forest, I found this beautiful stop motion video from french animation artists Camille Baladi & Arnaud Roi. You know how I love stop motion & paper cut art - so I was excited to have stumbled on this video. It's so cool... and very white. Quite fitting for a day like today, don't you think?

   des pop et des up from upupup ! on Vimeo.
 

Dot...

{image via here }

I'm a huge fan of anything from Aardman Animations (creators of Wallace & Gromit) and  I was really excited when I spotted their new project Dot, on one of my favorite blogs, Kickcan & Konkers. This features the world's smallest stop-motion animation character- shot on a Nokia N8 camera phone that's fitted with a CellScope. The art piece used in the film is also called Dot, and was made by Will Studd an Ed Patterson, of Sumo Science, for Aardmann. 

As always, I am just as interested in how these wonderful little short features are made and I loved watching  this "making of" video too. -Simply amazing. Hope you enjoyed it! 


*I also wanted to say how touched I am at all of the sweet & supportive comments that were left on yesterdays post. Thank you!

{Music Monday} Unique harmonies & song writing...

{photo via the Weepies website}

The iTunes or "genius" feature with the, "if you like this, then you might like this", concept is made for someone like me. I believe that is how I found the Weepies a few years ago. It was one of my major iTunes research & purchasing extravaganzas,  inspired by an iTunes gift card, that led me to the sweet duo. I have been listening to Pandora Radio a lot lately and the Weepies have been popping up frequently. I find that it is nice studio music. I read a little about them and discovered that they had a son about the same time we had Sayer. Because of their new addition to their family, they didn't tour after their last release. Instead they stayed home and wrote lots and lots of songs. But that didn't mean they fell off people's radar though- you may remember hearing their music for a Barack Obama ad campaign, along with various tv shows & films. I look forward to hearing their newest recording that is due out  August 31st. I have a feeling that I may identify with some of their lyrics. The new collection, BE MY THRILL is said to showcase their unique songwriting abilities and harmonies. Any collection where, "Cole-Porter-Esque" & "Dusty Springfield" are used to describe songs, has me curious. 

I was delighted when I saw the Weepies videos on their website. I think I actually giggled a little. I love the creativity and approach shown in each one. I felt like I hit the jackpot.  Hope you enjoy them too. The Weepies just sort of fits my mood these days. Happy Music Monday! 

{Music Monday} A little Squirrel Nut Zippers...

The very first gift that my husband ever gave me was a Squirrel Nut Zippers cd. We were both teaching in the art department at the local college during that time and just starting to hang out a bit. I remember thinking, anyone that would give me a Squirrel Nut Zippers cd on first meeting, was someone to keep around. The cd, "Hot" had just come out (1997) and both it, and Chris, knocked my socks off. 

I have been listening to Andrew Bird a lot in my studio lately (my all time fav) which made me dust off some of my old Squirrel Nut Zipper cds. I had forgotten that Andrew Bird used to play in that band and that it was our introduction to his music. I have been enjoying cruisin' down memory lane along with sharing the Squirrel Nut Zippers with Sayer. He seems to really enjoy the music too- not that i am surprised at all. Sayer loves to get on my lap and watch music videos with me. He comes running when sees me starting to play one. These certainly don't disappoint and the word, "more" is repeated by my enthusiastic toddler whenever we watch them. The second video for Ghost of Stephan Foster, was a Winner of the "Best Animated Music Video" at the 1999 Vancouver Animation Festival {directed by Raymond Persi & Matthew Nastuk}.

I love how listening to early Squirrel Nut Zippers makes me feel. I think it may connect with my old soul and inner tap dancer (I tap danced for 11 years growing up). It's cool to see Sayer get excited and want to sing, play music, and dance to it too. And it's so nice to have a  mini dance partner during the day. I have to add, that I think Sayer is a spittin' image of his dad in these pictures -which also makes me smile really big. Happy (Pre-Father's Day) Music Monday!

{Inspiring Artist} For the love of stop-motion...

{still images via here}

While reading, It's Nice That a while back, I stumbled on an article about Joseph Mann. The article was about the stop motion representation of William Goldsmith's, The Chimney Sweep that Joseph Mann painstakingly created by hand. I loved the image of the two clay figures sitting on the rooftop and immediately looked him up. Mann, finished his last year of school at Glasgow School of Art and has some pretty wonderful work to show. I am particularly taken with, Taller Than Trees, and Me and My Toes. This guy is pretty darn inspiring. Enjoy! 

Getting to know me and my toes from Joseph Mann on Vimeo.

Taller Than Trees from Joseph Mann on Vimeo.

The Chimney Sweep from Joseph Mann on Vimeo.

{Music Monday} Finding music visually...

I bought my first Neko Case cd, because I was drawn to it visually. I really didn't know much about her then, but the illustrations on Fox Confessor Brings The Flood (2006), drew me in. I buy books this way too. Every now and then, it is the cd & book designs that are the most interesting part, but not with Fox Confessor. I instantly became a fan of Neko's voice, interesting lyrics, and music. I find that I naturally gravitate towards musicians that have a honed visual sensibility. {image via artist's website}

I love the animated illustration for, Maybe Sparrow (Fox Confessor). This video is beautiful on so many levels. You will probably see why I like it - I use owl and bird imagery a lot in the klt:studio. 

I recently bought the book, When You Were Small, for Sayer. I had the same immediate response to it visually as I had to the Neko Case cd & video. It wasn't until buying the book, that I made the connection that it was the same illustrator, Julie Morstad. It is apparent that Neko & Julie share the same sensibility. Combining the talents of these two women is pure genius!

I stumbled upon this next video of Neko talking about her creative process for her album, Middle Cyclone. When I listened to her talk, as if I wasn't already hooked, I became immediately aware of why her music has become a studio favorite of mine. The statement that resonates with me the most is when she talks about "happy accidents". This is a phrase that I use often when I teach painting but it is also one that I truly live by. Her philosophy, and the way that she goes about her creative process is something that I really understand and appreciate. I suppose that is why I respond to her work so strongly. This little snippet inspires me with music, words, and a visual language that appeals to me aesthetically. Hope you enjoy it too.

So, thank you Julie Morstad, for introducing me to such an amazing musician through your illustrations! Happy Music Monday!  So, what musician inspires you?

{Music Monday} Oh there will be snacks...

Music makes my world go 'round, there is no question about it. Music is an essential ingredient in my art making, studio time, and living. I view it a bit like food. It keeps me full and ready to participate in the day. I learned a long time ago that I can actually manipulate my palette and imagery (particularly relevant to my painting) by what I listen too. When I teach, I have painting assignments geared towards linking creativity to music. I also took lots of dance classes from the time I was a wee tot until late high school. All of my senses are somewhat fused. I am just wired to respond to music. If you were a bug on my studio wall, you would see me working, humming, and randomly getting up to do a little dance. And watching my 2 year old, it is very apparent that he has music in his heart too. 


With that said, I get serious chills when I hear certain songs. I have the ability to become both physically and emotionally moved. Every now and then, I stumble upon a something that triggers both my visual and audio responses. The song, "Lull" by Andrew Bird  played to the animation of Lisa Barcy makes me swoon. I love everything about it. Additionally, the video animation is part of Barcy's existing film called, Mermaid. The two worked together in the video for "anonanimal" as well.

Andrew Bird is one of my favorite studio mates. His music really gets my creative juices flowing. I found this video of him performing for Pitchfork TV's  Cemetery Gates in June 2009. It stopped me in dead in my tracks and I absolutely had to share it...

The last Andrew Bird video is,  "The Fitz and the Dizzyspells" with special appearance by Mucca Pazza, directed by Digitelio. This may appeal to my former HS marching band days (among other things).  Happy Music Monday!

Andrew Bird with Mucca Pazza - "Fitz & The Dizzyspells”

Andrew Bird | MySpace Music Videos