Secret Still

Stuck somewhere in time and dimension between folk art and zine revolution is the work of Jack Teagle. Words I’d use (am using) to describe it:

1) Charming: in that I am charmed by it. I would probably buy it a drink and then talk about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with it.

2) Wonderful: in that it is full of wonderous things, and also fills me with wonder. The good, childlike wonder like the kind that clouds inspire.

3) Energetic: there’s a lot going on in each piece, not a lot of casual negative space. But not so much going on that I would say it is frenetic.

4) Homely: in that I want to have it in my home, or take it home with me after buying it a drink (see Charming).

Jack Teagle

I was reading through a great Juxtapoz interview with Anne Faith Nicholls earlier, when it occurred to me that I have probably never mentioned her before. I tend to leave out the more established artists, because I assume that, if I’ve heard of them, you’ve heard of them. This is stupid. I don’t know half the things you do, and I shouldn’t expect more out of anyone else. We’ve all got our knows and don’t knows. So, Anne Faith Nicholls is a fantastic artist that you might throw into the Neofolk style that’s been popping up for the last few years. Probably has a lot to do with the revival of Craft. That shit is all interconnected. But anyway, I’ve got a big art-crush on the way she uses perspective, her imagery, and the fact that she apparently has wicked scars all over her torso from being born with a backwards heart. Rife with metaphors if ever I’ve seen them. Go look at her work, read the interview, and, if you live in LA, go check out her shop in Venice Beach called Curio. We’re all walking away winners from this.

Anne Faith Nichols

What is, in my opinion, the best holiday of the year, because it openly supports my food and alcohol addictions, as well as my nap fetish, is once again upon us. I will be celebrating in the traditional fashion: with friends and the aforementioned ingredients. I’ll catch ya on the other side of the biggest carb coma of the year. Tell me what you want for December’s gift holidays, and I’ll do my best to steal it for you. The joy of giving.

XOXTX,

Brad

Whet your appetite.

Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti - Round and Round

The Hoof and Hell - Fireworks

The Full Package: Lem Villemin

Patton Oswalt

Seymour Bits - Put It Back Down

And for your listening pleasure (while you’re cooking/napping)

ISO50 Playlist#10

Dry Waves

Better than anything I have ever drawn on a full-sized piece of paper, John Kenn’s post-it notes are little, detailed, scary slices of pure gold. The textures he creates with his millions of pen strokes are making my brain dance. His trees alone are worth studying for an hour. At least, that’s where my last hour has gone; you might not be so obsessive, or as I like to call it — focused.

John Kenn

Oh-ho-ho yes.

Famous When Dead

Drown in these pixels.

Man and Cat at the End of the World

Tahiti 80 - Solitary Bizness

Dark Side of the Lens

Mumdance - Don’t Forget Me Now

Dick Figures: A Bee or Something

Reflecting the Bright Lights

Jose Parla: Fragments

Wolf Parade - Yulia

Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

I read a long time ago that the Zen masters believe (and so do a lot of other people I’ve met) that, to be a master painter, you should be able to convey whatever it is you’re painting in 6 strokes or less. 6 seems like kind of an arbitrary number, so I always just took it to mean that you should be able to use the absolute minimum lines to make the image. Way easier said than done. Alex Asher Daniel has gotten pretty close to this mastery from what I can see; taking a few lines to create the subject, then layering them in chaos. It’s like a koan: simple in structure, but complex in meaning. Yeah, I’m pulling the Zen analogy pretty far, but it just fits so well. Go ahead and meditate on that for a minute.

Alex Asher Daniel

Oh My God.

Gettysburg

The Sandwich Movie

Ida Maria - Oh My God

I’ll Be Gone

Casteller

Cee-Lo Green - Bright Lights Bigger City

Aryz

OK GO - Last Leaf

Artisan Screenprinting

You had me at Flaming Lips poster, Doublenaut. Someday, when I have a room that is my own (study/library/office), I will probably cover one whole wall in Flaming Lips posters. No band has influenced my life more, and no band ever has cooler posters. Maybe Ween. Kind of a tie, really. But Doublenaut’s arsenal isn’t limited to a Flaming Lips poster; these two aren’t a one trick pony. Their portfolio is stacked with example after example of their graphic superiority in the form of show posters, logos, apparel, and anything else you can think of. I looked through everything and could find no fault, but I knew they were great from the start. They designed a Flaming Lips poster; that’s all I need to know.

Doubelnaut