Design for Living

I just had to take a short break from painting today and watched a hilarious Ernst Lubitsch movie, "Design for Living". Miriam Hopkins was especially great as Gilda.

Tea Time on Fifth Avenue

Violet was Dismayed by her Pets Unruly Behavior

The Good Fairy

I just watched William Wyler's "The Good Fairy", just the boost I needed after a long and trying week. A great escape from modern reality and a happy ending for all. Sometimes that is just what we all need. Here are two great stills, Luisa Ginglebusher goes from orphan girl to glamorous usherette and then she meets Dr. Max Sporum who buys her the genuine "foxine" stole!

two new paintings

available at vivstrauss.etsy.com

Another Day at Pemberly Park

Leonard was feeling as drab as the little brown birds and wishing he had at least been daring enough to wear his red tie. Marie-Therese and Pauline were feeling especially giddy after their day of lunching and window shopping. Francoise was feeling fairly indifferent and was just ready to get home.

new painting!

portrait of Matte Stephens, artist at home

Crafty Wonderland in Portland

I'm very excited about being a part of the September Crafty Wonderland Show!

Dorothy in the Park with Bertram and Benchly

new painting that ended up as a tribute to the late, great, Dorothy Parker. One of the wittiest women ever who also had a great love for her dogs

Pansy, Phyllis and Natalie in Binkley Bixby's Production of Springtime Nymphs

new painting featured on a blog http://prettylittlethings.typepad.com/lori_marie/2008/08/cloud-climbing-and-springtime-nymphs.html

Jacqueline and Brutus - new painting

Portrait in Petals collage

new painting

Pansy Feared that She Would Never be Able to Keep Up with Phyllis and Natalie -- gouache on illustration board

Gertrude Patiently Waits for Her Suitor to Arrive

Stella Starr Strikes a Pose

Francesca Loves the Flamenco, Flemish paintings and Paella

Cha Cha Champion

new collage

DADA Doodad

new collage

She Had an Eye for Design

new collage

A Star is Born

new collage for etsy

latest book I've read

I bought this is a gift for my mother's 83rd birthday, knowing her love of dictionaries and words but when I opened it up to browse through before wrapping it, I became completely enthralled and did nothing else except eat until I had read the entire thing. I can't remember when something made me laugh to frequently.

Simone Dreams

Lucille, Ashamed of Her Lack of Pigment

The Uses of Enchantment

What I'm reading right now. The latest novel by Heidi Julavits is incredible, can't put it down...

Crazed Fruit aka Juvenile Jungle

Great Japanese film directed by Ko Nakahira, watched for the first time last night and then again today with the commentary by Donald Richie. I'm really enjoying all the Japanese films I've watched lately and was disappointed that Netflix didn't have anything else by this great director and that in fact his other films were not done in a like manner because of restrictions placed on him by the producers. One of my favorite scenes is where there is a radio left on a dock playing music for no one but the watchers of the film to hear. The story seems geared towards young men more so than an almost 40 year old female but I thought the way it was filmed was absolutely beautiful.

new collages

finally creating again after a few days off...