Tattoos

I've been thinking of getting another tattoo in addition to the tree on my back. Over the past year or so I've amassed a collection of inspirational tattoo photos. Most of these I've found on Deviantart. Here are some of my favorites:

 

Nico

These Days 

Tarsem Singh

One of my favorite directors, Tarsem Singh, is working on a remake of Snow White staring Julia Roberts as the evil queen called "The Brothers Grimm: Snow White". I can't wait to see it, not because I love Julia, but because I'm a fan of Tarsem Singh's film "The Fall".

Tarsem Singh is an Indian-born film maker who started out directing music videos. This influence is seen in "The Fall". It's a visually striking, bright, and rich. I also love the story which works on a couple levels; as a tragic fairy tale, and as a historical fiction.

Here are some screen shots. 

Catinca Untaru plays an adorable little girl, Alexandria, who has broken her arm. We find her in a 1920s era hospital in Los Angeles; Here she encounters an injured stuntman played by Lee Pace (of Pushing Daisies fame) who tells her a series of fantastic tales. The film depicts these stories through her eyes. We see her fill the tales with characters from her family and the hospital. These stories reflect the adult world around Alexandria, as interpreted by her mind, and are filled with beauty and naivety. Seriously a great movie. 

Greg "Craola" Simkins

 I am such a fan of Greg Simkins' whimsical, dark, and surrealist paintings. He, along with Brian Viveros, Audrey Kawasaki, Sylvia Ji, Mark Ryden, and Banksy are my favorite modern artists. I first saw Simkins' art in the 14th Volume of Hi-Fructose when they featured Greg Simkins in the cover.

Here is a little more information on his background.

Finger Limes

These are limes, believe it or not.




They look like pickles, don't they? That's what I thought when I first saw them. Actually, they're a citrus native to Australia known as finger limes. Citrus australasica, or the finger lime is a gross-looking citrus that produces what's known as "lime caviar".This fruit comes in a variety of spectacular colors including green, yellow, orange, red, purple, black and brown. In fact, it is thought that the finger lime has the widest range of colors of any known citrus.

Wild Finger Lime is a website dealing in the commercial sale of the citrus in Australia. They have some beautiful pictures of imaginative recipes using the caviar. The caviar spheres apparently pop in your mouth and fill it with fresh lime juice when chewed! These fruit are said to have a slightly sweeter, more aromatic taste than other limes. I can't wait to try one!

Here's a sample of the caviar.

From the top, these colors are known as rainforest ruby, rainforest garnet, rainforest jade, rainforest pearl, rainforest diamond, rainforest jade 2, and rainforest topaz. The sale of these limes on a commercial scale has been increasing since 2000, and plans for hybrid varieties in the US are already in the works.

Finger lime caviar can be used in all kinds of ways. Here's an oyster dish using the lime caviar. It can also be used in cocktails and on sushi!

Sugar Skulls

Pretty in Ink is an awesome Esty site. This shop features beautiful tattoo, and counter-culture inspired jewelry.

This ring is my absolute favorite. I love dias de los muertos sugar skulls or "calaveras de azúcar". The bright colors and beautiful filigree make this ring my favorite piece in the collection. 

Black and white earrings!

Mustache necklaces! These are so awesome! My girlfriend wants the blond one. It's called the "Hogan".

Trees

I love trees, and anyone who knows me well will know this too. I love the texture of bark, the intertwining branches, green leaves, the smell of pine needles, and the creak of a trunk blown in the wind. My favorite time to around trees is at dusk in the summertime. There's nothing like it. At dusk, trees tend to take on certain familiar, comfortable personalities in my mind they don't have during the day. I grew up surrounded with trees and vegetation in my neighborhood. I loved playing in the woods for hours with my friends as a child.  Needless to say, when I paint or start a craft project, nine times out of ten, the subject will be a tree. 

Here are some photos of my wire tree creations I made just about a year ago. 

I even have a tattoo of a tree on my back 

Recently, I came across a picture of the Jaboticaba, or "Brazilian Grape Tree". Jaboticaba means "the place where you find tortoises", I'm guessing tortoises go to these trees because the fruit supposedly pretty tasty. The fruit also ferments after a couple of days after being picked, so there is the possibility of the Jaboticaba tree as acting as a sort of jungle saloon. Who wouldn't want to be found there? That's where the party's at, man. I found these pictures here.

 

Aren't these trees beautiful? Those growths on the tree are "grapes", the Jaboticaba tree produces its fruit on its trunk. It's postulated that the tree has evolved in this way because there are no tree climbers to eat the fruit (like monkeys) in their native region, only ground dwellers (sloshed tortoises). Too bad I don't live in the south or close to the equator, apparently these trees like the heat and humidity. I would love to have one of these guys in my non-existent, yard-of-my-dreams. More on the Jaboticaba tree. 

Subscriptions

My girlfriend and I are going through a tight time financially right now, so, in an effort to keep my spirits up, I'm playing games with myself and planning on what I'll spend my imaginary future monies. I've decided that when I do have some extra cash, I'm going to subscribe to several magazines/journals. I love getting good stuff in the mail, and lately all I've been getting are bills and care packages from my mom.  I've narrowed my journal "wish list" down to these three: Hi-Fructose, Martha Stuart Living, and the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis.

Hi-Fructose

Hi-Fructose is a magazine filled with amazing art work. Each issue features up and coming artists and their work, along with articles, and interviews. I really can't wait to get my hands on my own copy. 

Martha Stewart Living

I know a lot of people have a not-so-kind opinion of Martha, because, let's face it, she most likely is not the one coming up with the majority of the ideas and projects in her articles. I still love the magazine, and admire her for her entrepreneurial skillz. I always look forward to the Halloween issue, it's the only magazine issue I consistently buy at the grocery store.

The Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (JABA)

Applied behavior analysis is basically phrenology to people even in the field of psychology in that many psychologists consider behaviorism to be "dead". I wasn't aware it even existed 2 years ago, and now I'm getting my masters degree in it. I think it would be helpful to me to stay abreast of current research by subscribing to this journal, given I will be working in the field as a professional in a few short years.  

Paper Filigree

Rolling paper and folding paper have always been nervous habits of mine. Whenever I would go to church or a concert I'd always end up mutilating my program by the time the show was over. 

I never really got into origami, probably because I'm not great at following directions, but now, I've found a new direction to take my nervous habits. The practice of rolling strips of paper, shaping them, and gluing them together is know as Quilling, or paper filigree, and it sure is beautiful. Here are some pieces by Iron Maiden on Deviant Art. I can't wait to try this out!

Quilling can also be taken in a more functional direction as seen in these chairs by Fernando & Humberto Campana. 

As with most art, quilling began with nuns and monks as a way to decorate books and religious artifacts. The art form originated in France and Italy during the Renaissance. In the 18th century, upper class "ladies of leisure" practiced the art as it was deemed a pastime not too taxing for women. If you're as interested in this as I am, here is a site with all the basic shapes of quilling so you can get started!