Marcel Dzama

Marcel Dzama is an artist from Winnipeg, Canada who paints small and surreal figurative watercolors. Even if you've never heard of him, you've probably seen his influence on young artists today.

The paintings are hard to categorize, but if I had to free associate some things they connote for me I'd say WWII, Little Red Riding Hood, the forties, Grimm's Fairy Tales and bleak winters. There are dominating themes of sex and violence, illness and death and repressed emotions. Some characters are missing limbs, some are dressed in stylish military garb, some smoke cigarettes and dance gleefully with tree people. His predominant color choices are hunter greens, deep roses and layered browns. He's mentioned previously that he achieves his desired browns by painting with root beer.

I just treated myself to a collection of Dzama's drawings from McSweeney's. Included was a copy of one of his eclectic scrapbooks. Even outside of his artwork, he definitely has a penchant for old timey photos, nature and science, military paraphernalia and other oddities.

Above are some of his paintings. Below are a couple pages from his scrapbooks...

December Girls Got It Bad

Winter solstice came and went. Which means the daylight will begin to slowly invade the night hours. Minute by minute. Creeping oh so quietly. In the meantime, we still have months of winter to contend with, so a girl's mind gets to wandering. My urge to travel is overwhelming.

I was thinking back to the last big trip I took years ago to India. (Posted above are a few pictures from this amazing village called Hampi and the ruins of Vijaynagara. Apparently it is believed that Vijaynagar was the second largest city in the world at the end of the 15th century with 500,000 inhabitants.) It was definitely one of the most amazing places I've ever been. But it's been far too long since that trip and my daydreams are getting stale. So where next? I am thinking Iceland. Their economy could certainly use the help. Where would you go if you could?

Hoppy Halidaze

Ugh, I am a terrible blogger! I blame it on the holidays and some meds I am taking that have made me not quite myself. However, to the three people that actually read this blog, I promise to be blogging more in the new year! Speaking of, do you think the way you welcome in the new year dictates how the rest of your year will go? My friend Dylan and I were talking about this today. If that is true, it might account for why the last two years have been such poop. Moreover, the pressure is on for me to do something spectacular this New Years Eve. Does sitting at home watching Harry Potter movies count as spectacular? Hmmm. Verdict still out.

(And, yeah. I posted that picture because I felt like everyone needed a little more love this holiday season. Is that so wrong?)

the greatest

look across to the building parallel to you.

there are plants in the windows, outlines of hunched figures, 

starched white shirts and gray gray gray.

they are living your life backwards.

they are living your life upside down, inverted, inside out.

they are in love, they are lonely, they are angry, they are wistful.

they are curious about you.

NEW CAMERA!

(Alternate blog title: Why do I have hands like a monster??ROWWW!) Stay tuned for the exciting adventures of Olivia and her monster hand/Ashton Kutcher camera in New York!

My Top Ten Scary Muppets

How amazing is this! http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Muppet_Wiki

Three cheers for useless, nerdy cataloging! Actually this wasn't useless at all. It came in quite handy for researching my top ten scary muppets of all time.

Yeah, so I was a scaredy cat as a kid. Although I would jump around manically every Sunday night when I heard the "Den den den den-den-den," there were many, many muppets that freaked me out (some more easily explained than others). I have arranged them here from "I find you vaguely unsettling" to "Dear lord you are going to kill me."



1. Dr. Bunsen Honeydew

"Why is that other guy so scared! What are you doing to him? Where are your eyes???"

2. Statler and Waldorf
"I don't understand your jokes! Crazy old men! Why are you laughing?"

3. Sam Eagle

"So angry! So patriotic!"

4. Swedish Chef "Leave those lobsters alone! Look out, lobsters! He's got a knife! Look out chicken!"

5. Sweetums
"Yikes! Lips too big! Eyebrows too bushy! Too Big!"

6. Lew Zealand
"Don't you throw a fish at me, you. Don't you throw a slimy smelly fish at me!"

7. Alice Cooper

"What the..."

8. Newsman

"Oh god, I just know something is going to fall on your head. I just know it! Why are you just sitting there? Where are your eyes????"

9. Harry

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

10. Louis Kazagger (Sportscaster)
"That pointy nose! That pointy wiggly nose! You are going to kill me aren't you???? AAAHHAHHHHHHHHHHH!"

'Tis the Season(al Affective Disorder)

My Top Five Songs to Rock You Out of a Winter Depression

1. Man Called Aerodynamics-Guided By Voices
2. Left-handed-Lali Puna
3. Mistaken for Strangers-The National
4. Only Shallow-My Bloody Valentine
5. Here Come The Warm Jets-Brian Eno

I didn't pick these songs because they are cheery and fun (but that could be another post). I picked them because they are robust and angry. They have gravitas. Like a good butternut squash soup. Er, what?

Anyways, since I am technologically challenged I have yet to figure out how to post songs to my blog, but when I do I will post these songs and spread the heavy, heavy love.