Documentary producer Sheila Nevins tells the truth

I watched this CBS Sunday News clip three times now (twice when it first aired last week).  Thought maybe some of you would be interested in her journey, from "Mad Men" style worker to the queen of documentaries.

Happy Birthday, Miss Fitzgerald

Today would have been Ella Fitzgerald's 100th birthday, isn't that crazy?  She suffered through a lot of tragedy, this songbird who gave us beauty through her jazzy, bluesy, incredible voice.

HBO Girls Season 1, Episode 7 Welcome to Bushwick aka The Crackcident

Prince - It's been one year

I said to some friends and coworkers yesterday, tomorrow will be one year since Prince died.  I was sad.  All over again.

A year ago, I thought, I'm going to gather together all my books and magazine articles on Prince and shove them together in one photo to show to all my devotion and love to all his music.  As if doing so would prove to the world how much he meant to me.  To show, I suppose, the depth of my grief.  The loss of that voice, his suggestive eyes and moves, his incredible, electrifying guitar ability.  But I didn't do it--take the photo, that is.  I just couldn't bring myself to see it lain out in front of me.

Earlier this week I had read and re-read accounts of when he had died along with some updated articles from the NY Times you can find here, an account of phenomenal singer Judith Hill on the flight that landed in Moline, IL, 6 days before Prince's death, here.  There are more links to other article within these two articles.

There was also an article in The New Yorker from April 6th, in which the author, Ben Greenman, says,

When I encounter someone else who is as devoted to Prince’s music as I am, I tend to turn away from that person, embarrassed by the recognition of mutual interest, eager to return to the safety of private joy. There’s an early Prince song, “Private Joy,” in which he jealously keeps a lover to himself: “Ain’t gonna tell nobody nobody ‘bout my little pretty toy.” I knew what he meant.

I know, too.

When you love an actor or musician or author so much--when their work affects you so deeply and has become a background benchmark to numerous events in your life, your loss isn't fleeting.  It's deeply personal and deeply cutting, and painfully lasting, or as Prince sang in the song Adore. "until the end of time..."

My tribute from this day last year.

HBO GIRLS Season 1, Episode 6 The Return

HBO Girls A Tribute Season 1, Episode 5 Hard Being Easy

HBO Girls - A Tribute, Season 1, Episode 4

Hannah's Diary

HBO Girls - A Tribute Season 1, Episode 3

All Adventurous Women Do...

HBO Girls--Endings, Beginnings, Tribute - Season 1, Episode 2

Tonight, in 15 minutes, the final show, the series finale, of Girls is going to air on HBO.

Back in January, I decided I would honor the show by making a drawing of each episode.  I couldn't, of course, include everything that happened within the episode on my page, but I could include the scenes/phrases/images that struck me the most.

Well, I only posted the first drawing of this undertaking.  I'm not sure why, probably because I have a lot of balls in the air, but now I find this last episode starting I haven't shared much with you.  I've drawn 17 shows.  I naively thought I could put together each show in a day, but it ended up being way more labor intensive.  I watched each episode quite a few times before I even decided what to put into my piece.  So, I'll begin with Season 1, Episode 2, and work my way forward.  Let's go!

Thanks for the incredible run HBO, Lena Dunham, Jenni Konner, Judd Apatow, Allison Williams, Jemima Kirke, Zosia Mamet, Adam Driver, Alex Karpovsky, Andrew Rannells, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach & so many more excellent actors!  You created something amazing, sustaining, & magical!

 Just as a reminder, here's how it started.

Are you a frustrated Artist? Here's some advice

Here's some really wonderful advice from Shoo Rayner on succeeding as an artist, or for that matter, whatever it is you want to do or be.  He reminds us to not let lack of an art degree or specialized training stop you.  I love this!  Basically there's always a way around lack if you're determined enough!

Lost

I had been feeling disheartened for a few days.  Part of it had to do with the gloomy weather we had been experiencing, which is strange, because I actually love rainy, gray days.  It probably was a combination of things, but that was the background for this emerging portrait I had drawn last night.

LOST

Below, I put the portrait behind the doors of a bookcase, giving it a slightly different story.

Bartendar - I still draw

Here's a sketch I began drawing in a meeting.  I'm listening, but I have to draw to listen.  You know, like Tyler Henry, the Hollywood Clairvoyant Medium, who scribbles on paper while he does his readings.  With the pen moving, the brain can focus.

Anyway, here's a pen on paper crosshatch sketch from last week.

Robbie Robertson, Al Pacino, and a Sunday Spa - Enlite Super Face

I woke up very early today, and began it with a 4 a.m. bath.  Yes, crazy!  I did catch one of my favorite movies (1999), "Any Given Sunday" with my man, Al Pacino, and Jamie Foxx...such a great movie and a lot of great music.  Robbie Robertson from The Band (if you're unfamiliar with Robbie's place in music history, please watch Martin Scorsese's "The Last Waltz" and see him also backing Bob Dylan in the film, "No Direction Home."  Click HERE for his autobiography, "Testimony.") was in charge of the music, so no wonder it was great.

Anyway, before that viewing happened, I took a bath and slathered on  this Enlite Super Face Liquid Assets Detoxifying Platinum Peel-Off Mask.

Whew!  Yes, that's the official name.  I bought it at the drugstore one day ($19.99) when I was feeling the need for some beautification.  I happen to love peel-off masks, because they're so futuristically fun.  This one comes off in rubbery, deflated balloon-like, metallic strips.  Try to really let it fully dry. The parts on my neck that never quite dried because I kept accidentally submerging myself in the water took some time to rinse off.  It was like it was "slippery" on my skin, and just wanted to stay on there.  My skin did feel and look softer in the reveal. (-:

Look how fabulously thick and metallic this stuff is.

(Is it just me, or do you also see a happy eel head on this finger?  See the eyeball on the upper, left-hand side and the smiling mouth underneath it?)

Peel away.

Here's the product description:

Make a smart investment!  This unique, mineral-rich peel-off mask contains a proprietary anti-oxidant blend of Colloidal Platinum and Malachite Extract, along with a cocktail of anti-aging peptides.  This mask helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and improve skin luminosity while it strips away dead skin cells and impurities to reveal immediate and visible results. 

Contains OPTISHIELD™ our proprietary anti-oxidant complex to help protect against free radicals and environmental aggressors.

It doesn't contain:

• No Parabens, No Sulfates, No Animal Testing

Directions:

Smooth a think layer over clean, dry skin, leave on for 20-30 minutes or until completely dry.  Gently peel off from outer edges and rinse off any residue with warm water. 

Happy April!

I have been on hiatus from my blog for quite a long time.  I've been overhauling my art studio and investigating different passions of mine.  I haven't quit making art, I just haven't been posting as much on my blog.  You can find most of my output over on Instagram at @jujulabean.

There's a weird thing that has to happen every so often in your life.  I read recently that you cannot always have expansion.  That thought resonated with me, because it was exactly the way I was feeling.  I'm still doing the work--making art--but I had to think in which way I wanted to head.  It takes time to back the truck up, spin it around in repeated reverse/forward, reverse/forward lurches, and drive into a different direction.

I'm still mapping my way, but with the start of spring, and especially with the beginning of a new month, I feel ready to begin putting my fingers to the keyboard again.

I'm going to go a little freestyle in subject matter from here on out.  For over 4 years I posted painting after drawing, drawing after painting.  And although art is and always will be a huge part of my life, I also love fashion, cooking, chocolate, MUSIC, and things of beauty--including beauty products!

I've got an itch this year to complete a chocolatier program, to cook a new soup every day, and to continue illustrating every episode of HBO's Girls which is ending its series after 6 seasons.  Look, some people only have one path.  I feel like there is so much to see and do in this world before I croak that I want to skip down as many paths as I possibly can!

So I'm going to let my current stream of thought be my freewheelin' jazz approach to this blog until it goes through it's next metamorphosis. 

Let's begin with the following.  One of my favorite chocolatiers is Vosges Haut Chocolates based out of Chicago.  You can find their website here, and specifically, their Easter offerings, here.   Vosges is not, shall we say, inexpensive, but it is soooooooo delicious.  Made with the finest ingredients, I respect the cost.  Does that sound strange?  To my way of thinking, just like calories, the cost doesn't matter as much when you're getting something for it...or as my great grandma used to say, cheap is expensive.

Watch for specials in shipping and percentages off which Vosges offers frequently.  Finally, indulge and ENJOY!

From far left, Blueberry Lavendar Petunia Rabbit, Strawberry Lemon Max Rabbit, Crunchy Piemonte Hazelnut Emma Rabbit and Sicilian Pistachio Luella Rabbit Look at those sweet boxes, too! I'm a sucker for fine chocolates AND beautiful packaging!