Sunday, November 30, 2008
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Eva
This is a vintage movie poster for the movie "Eva". Jeanne Moreau is one of my all time favorites, especially in "Eva", "Mademoiselle", "Bay of Angels", "Elevator to the Gallows" and "Le Notte".
Mrs. Evelyn Bradstreet of West Palm Beach with her Dog, Winnifred
Mrs. Evelyn Bradstreet of West Palm Beach with her Dog, Winnifred
Originally uploaded by viviennestrauss
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Geraldine & Josephine Decide that Fishing Isn't so Difficult While Gustave Longs to be Back on Solid Ground
Geraldine & Josephine Decide that Fishing Isn't so Difficult While Gustave Longs to be Back on Solid Ground
Originally uploaded by viviennestrauss
Monday, November 24, 2008
Suki Was Much More than the Fashion Plate Everyone Assumed Her to Be
Suki Was Much More than the Fashion Plate Everyone Assumed Her to Be
Originally uploaded by viviennestrauss
Sunday, November 23, 2008
all of us were born November 23, but I'm the only one who is still alive
all of us were born November 23, but I'm the only one who is still alive
Originally uploaded by viviennestrauss
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Everybody's Talking About Mabel, She's the Talk of the Town
latest painting, available at vivstrauss.etsy.com
Friday, November 21, 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
No Matter What They Said, Brenda Maintained that the World was Not Just Black and White and if You Knew Brenda, You Knew She Would Never Give In
Duplication or Extinction
I don't usually explain my work and I apologize for the rather boring summary I wrote of a truly wonderful short story. This collage is called Dummy Duplication and is inspired by Susan Sontag's short story, "The Dummy". In the story, the narrator's life has become intolerable to him both at home with his wife and children and at work. He determines that there are only two ways to solve problems, either through extinction or duplication and because he does not want to commit suicide, he chooses to duplicate himself. He creates a dummy that is physically identical to him and is able to function just as he would. Not only does no one notice, the dummy smokes and drinks less, excels at his job and his wife seems as satisfied as before. The narrator had planned on leading many exciting lives while the dummy fulfilled all his obligations but he states that the "experiment failed for lack of interest, from exhaustion" and instead leads the life of a derelict. He thought he was tired of being the person he was, turns out he doesn't want to be a "person" at all. Then things start to go wrong, the dummy falls in love with his secretary and wants to leave the wife and children. There is a shift in the dynamics, the narrator defers to and now must copy the dummy who has become more "him" than he is now. The narrator convinces the dummy to keep the status quo until he can build another dummy to replace the first who is just as convincing both at home and work. Both dummies go on to lead happy and successful lives while the narrator continues to drift, occasionally visiting both the dummies, neither seeming happy to seem him. I think after this, I will stick to my paper and glue and leave the writing to others.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Francine
new collage
I thought that Francine had a sweet and thoughtful face and can't decide if she is having maternal feelings or trying to understand what she sees in the camera...
I thought that Francine had a sweet and thoughtful face and can't decide if she is having maternal feelings or trying to understand what she sees in the camera...
Monday, November 17, 2008
Fern and Nigel on a Typical Sunday Afternoon at Home
newest painting available at www.vivstrauss.etsy.com
Friday, November 14, 2008
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Happy Birthday Eva!
A little over a year ago my husband and I took a trip to NY and got to meet two of the world's greatest designers in history, Irving Harper and Eva Zeisel. Today is Eva's 102nd birthday, may she have another wonderful year.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Things Were Either Looking Up or About to Come Crashing Down
new collage. I think I'll call him Edward.
Portrait of the Mind
Once again I was awake at 3 a.m. and unable to drift back to sleep. Finally decided to think about all the images I had been cutting out for the last week and this is what evolved.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Lorna was Tired of Being a "Bad Blonde" and Starting Today, Things Would be Different
Lorna was Tired of Being a "Bad Blonde" and Starting Today, Things Would be Different
Originally uploaded by viviennestrauss
Sunday, November 09, 2008
It Was a Beautiful Spring Day and Bernadette was Feeling Especially Happy, Lille, France 1947.
It Was a Beautiful Spring Day and Bernadette was Feeling Especially Happy, Lille, France 1947.
Originally uploaded by viviennestrauss
Friday, November 07, 2008
Umberto D.
What a beautiful movie! Directed by Vittorio De Sica (The Bicycle Thief) which I also really liked but somehow I found this one even more moving, probably because it involved an animal. The synopsis of the film given on the Netflix envelope was not very accurate, made me wonder if the writer of it watched the entire film...
Chloe Had Found the Perfect Shoes for Her New Dress, Unfortunately They Were a Size Too Small and Her Feet Were Killing Her
Chloe Had Found the Perfect Shoes for Her New Dress, Unfortunately They Were a Size Too Small and Her Feet Were Killing Her
Originally uploaded by viviennestrauss
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
a great post from a super Chicago Lady!
you can read the post here http://www.lindacrispell.blogspot.com
Phoebe had Chosen the Road Less Traveled and Found that it Had Made All the Difference
Phoebe had Chosen the Road Less Traveled and Found that it Had Made All the Difference
Originally uploaded by viviennestrauss
Monday, November 03, 2008
Daisy Pauses While Reading "Ship of Fools" as Maxine waits Sullenly for her afternoon Walk, spring 1962
Daisy Pauses While Reading "Ship of Fools" as Maxine waits Sullenly for her afternoon Walk, spring 1962
Originally uploaded by viviennestrauss
Saturday, November 01, 2008
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