Saturday, July 27, 2013

Eye Candy


Greg is having a spontaneous Summer sale at his E-shop. Purchase $25 dollars or more and you can get a discount of 25% by using coupon code: thegalacticsale. This is a great opportunity to get something beautiful and evocative to adorn your special place. Sale ends on Sunday.


Artwork @GregSpalenka

San Diego Comic Con 2013


I wasn't planning on attending the San Diego Comic Con this year. The event has become so massive and evolved into something that is not quite my cup of tea. As the gathering grew closer I decided "What the heck!" it was an opportunity to get away for a few days, which is generally a good thing.



Wednesday morning we packed up the car, made my perfume package drop at the post office and then headed south to San Diego. This year Greg's space was located in Artist Alley, which is sponsored by Deviant Art. Just above the area there were two large digital screens projecting images from the artists in the Artist Alley area. Greg submitted six to eight images, one of them was Figure 1: Noir.


My main intention was to have fun, which meant: gawking at the spectacle, hanging with fellow artists and frequenting a few panel discussions upstairs. I started attending this event back in 2000 when Greg was part of the Allen Spiegel Fine Arts booth and Comic Con hadn't quite moved to the dark side yet. It was a grand gathering and celebration of artistic talent that drew collectors from around the world. Inch by inch, as the film industry took over and the fan base changed, most of the artists began to leave. The event pales in comparison to what it was but still has some bright spots here and there.


Every so often you can see bits and pieces of the past, like this shot of Craig Elliot painting Alessandra Maria dressed as the Khaleesi from Game of Thrones.


Greg's space in Artist Alley was small, but he did manage to find room to paint. This is the image he created for Impromptu re-interpreted as "The Elegant Vampire", part of a Progressions series he will be launching in August.

There are several levels to the event, a bit like the chakras, albeit the majority of the happening hovers around the base of the kundalini. For those of us who are sensitive to highly frenetic activity the San Diego Comic Con can get a bit intense. I suggest having a clear purpose and grounding oneself with roots, I wore Figure 1: Noir and Chiaroscuro daily, with regular anointing throughout the day. I also stepped out of the space to breath fresh air and get some sun on my face.

Since the bigger presentations for upcoming films in the Ballroom and Hall H have become a scene, I opt for the smaller panels with artists and writers. On Thursday I choose to attend the Dave McKean talk about his upcoming projects. It was a tantalizing display of visuals illustrating that one man is capable of multiple skill sets and a huge berth of work. Read more about the presentation here at the BleedingCool blog.

At the end of the day Greg presented an Artist as Brand panel discussion with a few art makers who feels embodies the Artist as brand within the Comic Con event, these luminaries included Stephan Martinière, Donato Giancola, Alfred Paredes and Daniel & Dawna Davis.




The room for the presentation with packed with a very attentive audience, proving the people are seeking this type of information that is not currently being taught at art schools. At the end of the discussion Greg answered questions and did a giveaway for two Artist as brand worksbooks and a free consultation.



On Friday I went back upstairs for a presentation by Grant Morrison about his “18 Days” Saga ss Motion Comics Serial with Gotham Chopra and Sharad Devarajan. I'm a big fan of Grant and his story telling and ideas. I'm not too sure if his talent has been optimized for this new project, persoanlly I would have liked to see stronger, more innovative visuals. There is a really good overview of the presentation with YouTube video links here at Bleeding Cool. Morrison pointed out that our current depiction of the modern super-hero is overwhelmingly dark and immoral, he believes we need a better model for the world to come. He spoke of how the first stories were about God, then demi-gods, then super heros and have slowly de-evolved into stories from the lower depths, like zombies – it is now time to rise upward again. (Yes please.)


This year the Adult Swim booth was a Spa offering 7 minute chair massages which they called "Touching." Don't ask me why, all I know is that I received an AWESOME chair massage and a cute pair of kitty slippers as I departed. Just when I thought most of the attendees were shallow I find myself waiting in line for a massage with an asian dude from Houston and having some deep conversations about mythology, Joseph Cambell and Grant Morrisons view of the super hero.

Saturday afternoon there was a panel titled "Vertigo: The Sandman 25th Anniversary and Beyond!" with Neil Gaiman, Dave McKean and other collaborators on the series. Given the popularity of Neil I assumed this would be a difficult panel to get into, thus I sought out Claire McKean who had me walk in through the backstage with her and the other presenters.

For those, like me, who are not well informed of the history of Sandman the discussion with fascinating. I relished hearing the details of how Dave and Neil met at a Society of Illustrators meet up in England before either of them was well known. I also am extremely found of the way Neil communicates and spins stories. Folks from the UK seem to have a much higher quotient of the Bard gene than other cultures. Read a much more detailed description of the presentation at the The Beat.


The cosplay (costume play) at Comic Con is one of the highlights. This was where I had the most fun, hunting for the most interesting outfits and photo opportunities.








 Here is a very well done, short video highlighting the costumes at this years gathering.


My favorite part of this wacky, frenetic, crazy spectacle, and the primary reason I attended was seeing friends, some which I only get to see a few times a year. Olivia Lopez, the significant other of artist Jason Felix who shared a booth this year with our buddy Stephan Martinière. Pictured below is Olivia with the Figure 1: Noir locket filled with Vespertina, it suits her so well doesn't it. I love how she combined it with other jewelry, she has such great personal style.




At next years San Diego Comic Con the publisher Titan books will release a retrospective book of Gregs work.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

LYRA as the Muse


"Rich, full-bodied, sweetly tinged amber, floral fragrance, warm sensuality, hint of licorice." 
~ V.Austin, Sniffapalooza Magazine

A few weeks ago we assembled four beautiful young people here in the woodland to do some perfume photos. The image above, to the right is one of those. The model is Gwen Cunningham, she is wearing an antique, silk nightgown from the family treasure trove in Argentina.

When Greg showed me the photo I thought it would work well for Lyra given her femininity and the pale pink hues. I've paired it with a flacon and the gift box with vintage French woven ribbon and milliner ephemera. The intention with this composition and more arriving shortly, is to evoke the mood of the fragrance, in this case the sweet, floral, amber quality of Lyra, whether its a solid or liquid natural perfume.

Monday, July 22, 2013

Back in the Saddle


I'm back from the surreal, madness of Comic Con, catching up on orders and editing all the photos. Still on a high from hanging with friends and being amongst all that creativity. In so many ways, the spectacle feels like such an alternate Universe as compared to our little slice of peace and serenity here in the Woodland.

Favorite botanical, natural perfume at CC this year...GreenWitch, big surprise there right!?! Although the favorite illumination were the two Figure 1: Noir pieces.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Causing Great Happiness


We are in mid July and the jasmine harvest is in full swing. In the past I would harvest the delicate, white flowers in the morning. This year I am harvesting them in the evening at about 10pm once the new blossoms are freshly opened with their intoxicating fresh floral pure fume. The word intoxicating is defined as "causing great happiness", I can't think of a better descriptor for jasmine sambac flowers at the moment.


Each night the harvest is different, sometimes it will be only a few flowers, tonight it was about twenty with an even larger harvest coming in the next few days. The cycle, like the moon, expands and contacts.

I keep the glass jars with the organic, grape alcohol and flowers in the refrigerator. Once the jar is full I will filter it, remove the spent flowers and continue to add more until once it is full again. Like the blooming cycle, the process of adding new blossoms is a cyclical pattern.


The 2012 jasmine sambac flower tincture appears in the new edition of Blossom, Chiaroscuro and Cimbalom liquid.. I've added samples in glass, mini spray bottles in the shop yesterday. The jasmine tincture in progress will be featured in the next edition of Blossom and subsequent editions of Chiaroscuro and Cimbalom liquid natural, botanical perfume.


Friday, July 12, 2013

Friday Fabulous!


Sandwiched between Thursday and Saturday is Friday, my absolute favorite day of the week. Friday is associated with Venus, the bright star of the morning and evening. The day is blessed by many Goddesses of the devoted to love and beauty.

Attributes of the day are aligned with harmony, pleasure, romance and sensuality. Some traditions associate the planetary cycle of Venus with internal experience, rest and contemplation. Keeping these attributes in mind I am going to suggest Figure 1: Noir as a way to connect with the sensual side of our natures. Normally I recommend jasmine affiliated fragrances for Venusians, thus I am going to layer something like Lyra, Chiaroscuro or Cimbalom over Figure 1: Noir or vice versa.

Speaking of Figure 1: Noir, find all reviews here, there are two brand new ones by scent twins on opposite coasts: Gaia of The Non-Blonde and Tom at Perfume Posse. The labels for the EdP are at the printer, fingers crossed that they will be ready shortly. In the meantime if you'd like a bottle of the EdP with the temporary label please send a note to roxana illuminatedperfume com.

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Getty Center Garden, July 2013


The Getty Center is one of my favorite places here in LA, as I have mentioned over and over and over here at the journal. I feel completely renewed and rejuvenated when I visit this spectacular space. We headed over there in the afternoon, after the post office drop, with Eve and her boyfriend Walker who was in town visiting.


Eve and Walker (above) went off to the Van Gogh show. Greg and I made our way to the Illuminated Manuscript area and from their split up, I headed to the garden, while Greg went to the Overdrive: LA Constructs the Future show. While making my way back toward the buildings from the garden Greg called me to insist  go check out the Overdrive show, which I am so glad I did and highly recommend. Unfortunately the guard told me that I wasn't allowed to take pictures in that part of the museum. Sad face. The only thing I wasn't too thrilled with about the show is that they left out how the LA street car conspiracy.


No surprise there, after all, the Getty is built on oil and the oil companies were the ones that had a vested interest in the street cars being replaced by individual automobiles.


Anyway, but I digress, back to nature, beauty and inspiration. I love how the museum has a list of all the plants in their garden posted on the website and that honey bees seem perfectly welcome there. We had very little time at the Getty and thus I wasn't able to take in all the splendor the Museum had to offer. Another trip is most definitely a must.







All photos ©Roxana, except for the black and white of the Pacific Electric Red cars, that one comes from Wikipedia.

Sunday, July 7, 2013

APILOGUE



The two bee hives here in the hills of the woodland are doing fabulously. We are planning a hive inspection this evening and will have further news shortly. In the meantime a fellow bee'k from my club, the Backwards Beekeepers, posted this little piece, enjoy.


APILOGUE

(Excerpt from Stein, Stung)
My mother was a queen and I am a queen. I was nurtured in a queen’s chamber. Catered to. Cleansed. Fed a steady diet of royal jelly. One of my sisters was born in a royal chamber, too. Our destiny was to meet. Oh, yes. We met. And she is no more. Her will was weak. Her body snapped under mine. The battle was ghastly and short. Only my mother, the queen, now stands in the way of my destiny. I seek her out. She knows why I have come. I place my young, fertile body against the aging brittle shell of hers. There is room for only one of us. She tests my will and I hurl her down. I would do what is needed but allow her to choose exile. She signals her followers. They leave in tens, in thousands. I will never see her again. The past is gone. There is only the future.
The scent of my pheromones becomes the new tone key of the hive. It is my colony. My entourage will anticipate and attend to my every need. My sole purpose will be to become an object of desire. There will be an evening, warm and gentle, when I will make my virgin flight into the world. The air will be dizzy with fragrance, none more erotic than my own. He will find me. He will be drawn to me out of the air. He will descend upon me in flight. When I have taken from him every cell he has to give he will fall away and I will be taken by another. He will encircle me, beating his frantic wings. He must have me or die. Yes, I will say to him, yes and yes.  He has me and dies. And when he is done there is another who must have me or die and a dozen more. When I return to the colony the future is within me. I will never again return to the outside.
I will lay eggs. Filling every chamber with my legacy. My genes. My pitch. Legions of incomplete females and stingerless males. From the moment they break through the wax, all the days of their lives will be a succession of services to me. They will clean the nursery. They will tend the brood. They will construct new comb to store honey for the winter. Their wings will beat in unison and keep the colony at perfect temperature. They will search for nectar and pollen that will feed us. They will explore for miles. They will return with unerring accuracy. They will ride on currents of light and fluctuations of heat and magnetism, scent and ultra violet. They will guard against invaders. They will fight for me to the death. Tens of thousands may die that I shall live. So it must be. I am the future. I am the life. I am the heartbeat. I am the essence. I will lay two hundred thousand eggs this summer and the next and the next. Among them shall be the one who will be destined to supplant me.
If she lives.
The queen is dead. Long live the queen.

Stein, Stung by Hal Ackerman,  available via Amazon

Vital nature perfumes related to this post: To Bee and Vera.

Image: Honey bee on lavender at the Getty Center ©RoxanaVilla, ask before using.

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Circle of Bliss


Blossom Eau de Cologne is now illuminated! Greg created the image with a photo of Gwen Cunningham, a local beauty who came by our little woodland abode back in the Spring when everything was blooming.



I've listed a few bottles of Blossom with the temporary label while we work on getting new labels printed. The print is available for purchase in Greg's E-shop.

Happy Fourth of July, may freedom and bliss rule for all!

Monday, July 1, 2013

Movie Monday: Kubrick


For the last seven months Los Angelenos have had the privilege of a Stanley Kubrick retrospective show here at LACMA. We journeyed over the hill to go see it last week, just days before it closed.

Stanley Kubrick began his career at the age of sixteen with a photograph he took of a newspaper vendor on the streets of NYC.  His early photographs for Look Magazine give us a glimpse at his genius behind the lens which will become the backbone of his film work.

I bow to Kubricks artistic, singular vision and passion for detail. As a fellow creative I can sympathize with his attention to all the fine points of his creation in order to achieve a magnificent, beautifully crafted work of art.


Elements of his interests and life journey are weaved into his story telling throughout all his films. At age twelve his father, Jacob Leonard Kurbrick, taught him to play chess which Stanley confides: "If chess has any relationship to filmmaking, it would be in the way it helps you develop patience and discipline in choosing between alternatives at a time when an impulsive decision seems very attractive."
The chess board later turns up in Paths of Glory as a prominent symbol in the film.


He completed fourteen films, the last one A.I. was a co-production with Steven Spielberg.

Fear and Desire (1953)
Killer's Kiss (1955)
The Killing (1956)
Paths of Glory (1957)
Spartacus (1960)
Lolita (1962)
Dr. Strangelove (1964)
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Barry Lyndon (1975)
The Shining (1980)
Full Metal Jacket (1987)
Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
A. I. Artificial Intelligence (co-directed)

All of these films along with Napoleon and The Aryan Papers, two projects which were never completed, were exhibited at the LACMA including the original photographs, intricate charts, props and camera lenses all displayed in ingenious forms.


The exhibit also had small quotes, images and diagrams adhered to the walls. One quote which struck me, as I have been thinking the same exact thing but in terms of perfumers was this:

"A director is a kind of idea and taste machine; a movie is a series of creative and technical decisions, and it's the director's job to make the right decisions as frequently as possible." – Stanely Kubrick