sans pantaloons

Ethel Larcombe.

2012-01-25T16:46:00.001-05:00

As described in this previous post, the design work of Ethel Larcombe has been on my wall for 38 years, without me having the slightest clue of it's true provenance.
This is a shame I shall carry forward.
To make some small effort to ameliorate this error of character, herewith find below a bookplate designed by Ethel, commissioned by Talwin Morris for Gresham Publishers in 1907.

It has taken me a while to produce this cover version of the bookplate, and I have taken some licence/license with my version. The original (shown below) looks, to me anyway, like it has been designed for a book with a smaller trim size than that used, and so has had to be embellished to fill the available space, mostly in the vertical. To counter this, I have extended the bookplate slightly, and reduced the embellishment. I don't know if the embellishment is also the work of Ethel, or has been added by Talwin. It looks very much like Talwin's work, but there is no evidence to support that. I can only hope that both Ethel and Talwin approve of what I have done.
This is the first cover I have produced specifically with the intention of making it into a postcard.

This book by John Kirkland, entitled The Modern Baker, Confectioner and Caterer, is part of a six volume set published in 1907-1909 by Gresham Publishing.
I have tried to locate a review written at the time of release, but with no success. The set of volumes is of a specific technical nature, and not of the popular press, although I'm sure the cover must have generated some comment at the time. It almost certainly depicts Ceres, the Goddess of agriculture. Ethel had submitted a similar bookplate as a competition entry to the Studio magazine in 1902-1903, shown below.

It has been noted that the colours/colors used for the book cover are those of the Women's Suffrage Movement. It is another powerful image produced by Ethel, whom I hold in great esteem.
All homage to Ethel Larcombe.

Sans & The School of Tomorrow.

2012-01-19T19:20:00.000-05:00

The wheel of pixels keeps on spinning. As I have said before, I don't have time to study, I'm too busy learning.

Liberty's 1875-1975.

2012-01-11T17:21:00.000-05:00

This image is on the front cover of the Liberty's 1875-1975 Exhibition Catalogue and Exhibition Guide.
It caught my eye, and I am very taken with it, so I have conjured up this interpretation as a computer graphic.
The original can be seen here.
Unfortunately I have not yet identified the original artist, but she, or he, is good. I like it a lot. I will continue my research.

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T20:49:00.000-05:00

Mirror, mirror, on my screen,
what does this Sans strange message mean?
Loudly doth the Church bells ring,
What hope will this new year bring?

Joy to you in this New Year!

Original drawing by John J. Crook. Studio. Vol.29

Something Old.

2011-12-31T20:36:00.002-05:00

The old ones are the still the best.

Seasons Greetings!

2011-12-23T06:10:00.002-05:00

The Seasons Spin Like Weeks.

2011-11-29T18:34:00.000-05:00

Isn't it strange how we don't place any value on the things that are precious.

When my past became my future, I realised I was being carried by Angels.

2011-11-27T12:23:00.006-05:00

I posted these Angels on Christmas Day 2010. and I would like to tell you the story behind them.

When I post homage covers or pastiches of other designers work, I like to make sure that I acknowledge the original artist, ensuring everyone understands that the design work is not mine, so that I am not awarded credit for something I have not done.

These Angels came into my life in 1973 as part of the advertising for the rock opera movie 'Jesus Christ Superstar'.
I was deeply affected by the movie and bought the soundtrack on cassette. The Angels were located just under the title on the cassette cover as shown in the picture below.

I was immediately struck by the Angels, and considered the image so beautiful, I was moved to paint this poster in purple gloss and Humbrol gold paint. It's 24 x 17 inches, on scrap technical drawing paper, and shown below. This scanned from a slide taken with my SLR I purchased in 1974.

And so it was until recently when I had reason to find out a little more about the Angels. The designer is Ernie Cefalu, and his story is here.
He designed the Angels as a logo on the album cover for songs from the musical of the same name by composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyricist Tim Rice, released in 1970.

It is such a powerful image, one knows immediately it is 'right'.
The reason I had need to find out about the Angels, relates to my cover graphics of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh, James Herbert Macnair, Frances Macdonald Macnair, and Talwin Morris, who were brilliant designers and artists, and who had their work published in the Studio magazine; hereafter this group will be known as The Four plus One.

I have posted two parts of my Omega Quest (which is still in process), where in part two, I visited the grave of Talwin Morris and his wife Alice, in Dumbarton Cemetery.

The Studio Magazine was an illustrated fine arts and decorative arts magazine, founded in Britain in 1893, and as part of my research into the works of The Four plus One, I have read a number of The Studio yearbooks, available online here. During an evening browsing session, I was astonished and delighted to find the image entitled 'ISCA' below in volumes 20 to 22, published in 1900. Having painted this image 37 years hence, it jumped out of the screen and slapped me about my bearded visage.

This is the Angels, there can be no doubt.

Who is the artist responsible for 'ISCA'? The artist who received an 'Honourable mention' for 'ISCA' is Ethel Larcombe, of given address Wilton Place, St. James's, Exeter, in Devonshire, England, UK, in the image below.

And who is Ethel Larcombe?

A little further delving gives us 'ISCA' as part of the Latin name for Exeter. The 1881 census gives Laura Ethel Larcombe born in 1877, (although the register of births says 1876, Ethel seems to have always had 1877 put as her year of birth,) at St. Johns Hospital School & Orphanage, High Street, Exeter. Her parents are John S. Larcombe, born 1837, listed as Schoolmaster, and Louisa J. Larcombe, born 1845, listed as Mistress of the Institution. Ethel had three older brothers, two older sisters, and one younger sister at that time.
A newspaper article gives the following in September 1869:
Mr. J.S. Larcombe, for five years master of the Heavitree National School, who has been appointed master of the St. John's Hospital School, in the room of Mr. Gould, has been presented with a testimonial by his pupils and friends at Heavitree. The present is a handsome black marble timepiece, which was purchased at the Civet Cat, in this city; and it was presented on Thursday by the Rev.Preb.Barnes in the grounds of the vicarage at Heavitree.

There are further newspaper references to Mr. J.S. Larcombe at Wilton House School in 1890.

We have found a little history to Ethel, but as a Graphic Designer and illustrator, she is well known.
There is a short biography here, taken from the book Postcards from the Nursery, The illustrators of children's books & postcards 1900-1950,
by Dawn and Peter Cope, which I reproduce below for academic clarity:

Ethel Larcombe was one of a large number of children born to John Samuel Larcombe and his wife Louisa, who ran a school in Exeter, where she lived all her life. Her contact with books and book illustration began at a young age and she became fascinated by the work of artists such as Walter Crane and Kate Greenaway, whose work she copied, to develop her talent. When the Kelmscott Chaucer was published in 1896 she resolved to work in the arts-and-crafts style, being impressed by the pictures of Edward Burne Jones and Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828-1882), and later dropped the mediaeval element in her work, to concentrate more on art nouveau styling. She was a prolific winner of art and design competitions run by The Studio magazine and soon came to the attention of Talwin Morris (1863-1911), the artist and book designer, who, in 1893, became art director at Blackie & Son. Between 1904 and 1912 he commissioned her to work for him, during which period she designed about twenty gilt book bindings for Blackie and its subsidiary Gresham. (Dawn and Peter Cope. Postcards From The Nursery).

Sans Update 16th December 2011.
The E.T.W.D. initals on the left hand side of the photograph stand for E.T.W. Dennis of Scarborough.
Edward Thomas West Dennis biographical details state that he moved to Scarborough, North Yorkshire in March 1870. This is some 277 miles north of Exeter, so this may be considered an unexplained inconsistency. E.T.W.Dennis was a printer of postcards, so that may be a connection between Ethel & Edward, but I don't know if Ethel was designing postcards as early as 1893.

Ethel Larcombe was one of the artists commissioned by Talwin Morris to produce work for Blackie & Son and Gresham publishers.
It is a small world right enough.

So, back to Ernie Cefalu, and his story of the album cover. There is no mention of Ethel Larcombe. Considering she designed the Angels image some seventy years before his design, I think this is a terrible injustice to her memory.
Although Ernie has stylised and adapted the design slightly, I believe Ethel Larcombe should be known as the designer of the Angels.

It is, and always will be, a powerful iconic image, and there is just the chance that, when reading The Studio in 1900, the image had the same effect on Talwin Morris as it had on me in 1974, and was the catalyst for Talwin commissioning work from Ethel.

It seems that part of my quest is to right wrongs, and undo injustice. I hope this is enough for Ethel.

Postscript.
It would be fitting to postscript this homage to Ethel with her last resting place. Exeter City Council have kindly digitized the alphabetical index cards of the three cemeteries they manage.

Ethel is interred in Exwick Cemetery and her date of burial is shown as 16th December 1940, then aged 64.
Rest in peace Ethel. Your work lives on.

Remembrance Sunday.

2011-11-13T07:22:00.002-05:00

For Jimmy Nicol, who sailed the seas.

"I sailed into Boston USA
Easter Sunday on board
USA destroyer Totland.
Their easter parade was lovely."

P o s t W a r N o t e s.
Easter Sunday was April 21st 1946.
HMS TOTLAND remained at Sunderland until arrangements were made for her return to the US Coastguard Service. Manned by a steaming crew she sailed for Boston, Mass, on 26th March 1946 and was handed back on 2nd May that year. She was renamed USS MOCOMA and remained in use as a Coastguard Patrol Vessel until 15th July 1955 when sold for breaking-up.

Resistance is Futile Blog Tour of the Universe.

2011-11-11T03:44:00.002-05:00

Welcome to my stop on the tour!

The full-size 10 inch by 8 inch graphic (2.8 Meg) of the above poster / flyer, is available for download here should you wish to print it out.

Julia Phillips Smith is having a combined launch and birthday celebration today, to launch her debut novel Saint Sanguinus.

The electronic version of the novel is due to hit e-retailer virtual shelves in a matter of days, and the print version shortly thereafter.

I have had the honour of creating the cover for Saint Sanguinus, and here is a small account of how the Blogosphere has an effect on our lives.

Julia and I first encountered each other in June 2007, meeting as so often happens, by way of a fellow Blogger, Sushiboy in this instance, who acted as a bridge.
I did what I always do and read Julia's Blog from the beginning, and left some smarty pants comments and photo-shopped graphics.
Julia came over to visit my Blog just as I posted about my new fridge magnet, (yes, I lead such an exciting life,) and was taken by my bagpipe fridge magnet which was included in the posted picture.

Julia offered a lobster magnet in exchange for a bagpipe magnet. How could I refuse; and thus this strong bond of intercontinental attraction was born.

In due time, the international sign of peace and goodwill, the fridge magnet, was sent from Old Scotia to New Scotia, although in posting hers, Julia encountered the international symbol of obstruction and hindrance, the jobsworth.

"Sorry Madame, it is not permitted to send strong magnets in the post."
"It's just a fridge magnet."
"Sorry Madame, it is not permitted to send strong magnets in the post."
"But it's not strong, it's just a fridge magnet."
"Sorry Madame, it is not permitted to send strong magnets in the post."
Migraine.

And I very nearly sent Julia a full size replica of William Wallace's sword. The Canadian Postal service would have had apoplexy.

And thus the migraines description, led to the graphic depiction of the sword running through Julia.
Julia obviously recognised some quality in my graphics that she liked, and bore me in mind for her future full-blown book project.

One of my main graphic interests is the work of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, who produced a number of book covers for Blackie & Son Ltd.
It is quite fitting that Blogging should lead me to follow the path of one of my heroes, and Julia allow me the honour of providing the cover for her debut novel, Saint Sanguinus. I hope you like it, and trust that my work does justice to the story inside.

Dona Nobis Pacem.

2011-11-04T00:01:00.001-04:00

For Mimi.

Planet wide we join the cause
A human pool of force
Not for riches nor applause
This quest that we endorse

Inspired by marble round and Mimi on fire
A sparked astound makes this our desire
To simply wish all conflicts cease
That we can live our lives in peace.

The Solace Of Fortitude.

2011-10-15T22:01:00.000-04:00

Sometimes, in the midst of a crisis, there is a place of quiet fortitude.
My place of quiet fortitude lies within a storage box where each compartment has an infinite number of nested infinities, and it is my burden to explore each one.

It may take me quite some quiet time, but I have my fortitude.
And my Ardbeg.

Poorhouse in the Community.

2011-10-11T18:46:00.000-04:00

Pantalunatic News reports today, that, as this Global depression calls each of us to step up to the line, then commands us to empty our pocket-books on the table of austerity, we can take a little comfort that we are all facing this same burden.

So it is then, that as part of the severe austerity measures being implemented here in the UK, the Metropolitan Police guard that stands at the door of Number 10 Downing Street, the residence of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, has been scrapped to save money.

The sentinel duties have been passed to Larry, the No.10 cat, who has been promoted to acting Constable. Larry now sits on guard outside the famous door, keeping his ever watchful eyes out for suspicious mice and delicious men.

Bert Jansch.

2011-10-05T16:33:00.001-04:00

On this wet & windy Scottish day, a star has extinguished.

Cheers Bert, thanks for all the music and entertainment.
It was nice to meet you.
Rest in Peace.

Sisters in the Timeroom of Immortality.

2011-10-01T23:53:00.000-04:00

Sisters strong united in mind
Their exquisite majesty sublime
Strength and harmony entwined
Sensitivity and talent combined
Zen and the art of Optimus Prime
Immortals till the end of time.

Inspired by Madeleine.

Honesty.

2011-09-19T18:35:00.000-04:00

The question then, is what constitutes a good book cover?
The simple answer would be one that sells books, Sans!

I am not satisfied with this answer. If I go to the Supermarket and purchase a tin of baked beans, I expect baked beans when I open it; if instead I find custard, it does not go well with toast.
Trust me on this.

My current stance is that a book cover should inform the prospective reader of the content, as much as possible on a limited space.
Or maybe the question should be do we need graphic book covers at all?
Other than the Title & Author is there any need for images that stir the imagination?
Should there be laws governing what can be implied by book covers?
I shall cogitate further on this. Comments and opinion are welcome.

Dreamers in the Moon.

2011-09-18T21:15:00.000-04:00

The ordered life of a thousand universes marching endlessly,
make less noise than the tired petals of a crimson rose as
they fall together in sleep at twilight.

Words by Major Desmond Chapman Huston.

Dona Nobis Pacem.

2011-09-11T00:01:00.002-04:00

Peace.

One From The Archives.

2011-08-30T21:45:00.002-04:00

We are all entitled to be loved.

Chaste By The Demon.

2011-08-26T20:56:00.018-04:00

The Menu Card graphic posted previously, designed and executed by MMM, was for the White Cockade Lunch & Tea Room, part of the 1911 Scottish Exhibition of National History, Art and Industry.
The White Cockade was situated on one balcony of the Garden Club building which overlooked the Bandstand. The opposite balcony was occupied by by the Grosvenor Restaurant.

Kate Cranston also had another establishment at the exhibition, the Red Lion Cafe, a sister establishment if you will, which followed the Scottish National History theme of the exhibition.
This cafe was overlooking the Music Court at the Palace of Industries, and the Menu Card was designed by the Sister of MMM, Frances Macnair.
Frances tends not to get as much publicity as MMM, which hopefully is changing, as she was a visionary artist.

Herewith below, please find my cover version of the Red Lion Cafe Menu.

I have taken a great deal of licence/license with this version, mostly because I did not understand what Frances was doing with the hands of the figure. So I did my own homage version.
I hope Frances approves.

The original can be seen here.

Unnecessary Sunshine.

2011-08-15T23:57:00.000-04:00

Symbolic significance is a personal contract between the originator and the cognisant viewer.
It cannot be traded or copied, but it can be continued.

Painting Caves.

2011-08-12T15:25:00.000-04:00

I thought I would get some large versions of these printed. Christmas is coming, and a couple of my relatives still have some empty wall space.
The ones that don't have any wall space left, don't talk to me any more.

I often wonder why. :¬)

The Omega Quest. Part Two of Four.

2011-08-07T18:32:00.008-04:00

This is the headstone designed by CRM for Alice Talwin Morris, (nee Marsh) as a monument to her late husband, Talwin Morris.
Both Alice and Talwin are interred there now. They are placed in a nice spot. Quiet. Contemplative.
The evening I was there, the Sun was shining, the light filtering down through the overhanging branches of the Ash tree planted behind the headstone.

I don't know much of Alice Marsh, only the letters she wrote to Professor Thomas Howarth, providing information for what was to become his book 'Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the Modern Movement,' but I already like her.
At that time in 1948, Alice was aged 86 and living in Bexhill-on-Sea on the south coast of England.
I have to assume that Alice had made plans regarding her resting place, and those would be fulfilled some seven years later when she made her final journey 400 miles north to Dumbarton Cemetery.
Alice had waited 44 years to be beside her husband again. She was, and is, a special Lady and I like her a lot.

I have tried to find a pre-1955 photograph or sketch of the monument, without success so far. This would confirm the actual installation was as shown in the CRM design drawing here.
There is some evidence of other monumental stonework buried beneath 100 years of autumn fall, but it may just never have been installed as designed, or the incursion of the access road may have contributed to the removal of much of the stonework.

The plaque with inscription is also different from the design drawing shown here. but it is possible that any original Lead metal plaque may have been stolen, and the current plaque was installed when Alice was interred in 1956.

The original design drawing inscription:
TALWIN MORRIS
XXIX III MDCCCCXI I

LOVE IS MORE GREAT THAN WE
CONCEIVE
AND DEATH IS THE KEEPER OF
VNKNOWN REDEMPTIONS

may have been suggested by Alice, or by both Alice and CRM. It is taken, I believe, from the novel 'The Dominion of Dreams' by Fiona MacLeod, who was a pseudonym of William Sharp, the Scottish writer, whose works would have been known to both Alice and CRM.

William Sharp is buried at the Castello di Maniace, on the Island of Sicily.
His grave is marked with a Celtic Cross which carries the same inscription, chosen by William's wife. This may be relevant. What do you think?

The "distant country of Splendour and Terror." comes from The Inner Beauty by Maurice Maeterlinck, I believe, but I have no real understanding of the meaning of the inscription with reference to Talwin.

A detail of the upper carving shown below:

A view of the rear right hand side shown below:

A side view of the left hand side shown below:

And, as our evening visit draws to a close, a final view shown below:

On the next part of my Omega Quest, I will be visiting Kilmacolm. I hope you will join me.

An Interesting Post, With Free Summer Frieze.

2011-07-31T19:47:00.001-04:00

Many moons ago, I wrote this post about graphics. It was about how the timeline stretches from early cave paintings to Blogging, and how a graphic travels through time, remaining long after we will turn to dust.
At that time, I was talking about my graphics, and how I live in a cave, but something new has happened.

This new thing pertains to my covers of graphics by CRM-MMM and Frances & Herbert. When one redraws these graphics, it forces one to analyse every line, and ask why it's there. Every line.
I don't pretend to understand the significance of the symbolism, I just hope I can do it justice.

The history of The Four reveals the story of their lives. If CRM-MMM's lives ended unhappily, Frances & Herbert's end was tragic.

Every line.

Covering these graphics is about as close as one can get to a past life; hands in tandem, working every line, moving together with a hundred years in between. With this particular cover of Frances's work, I felt it strongly.
It's like she is reaching from beyond the grave, placing her hand on mine and giving it a little squeeze, asking me to feel her pain.
And I do.

As promised then, another Summer frieze to cool the soul, to marvel at these graphic answers to un-remembered questions. To stare at the index of an id, and recognise nothing; as though one hundred years from now a descendant will stare at a DVD and wonder what it was for, and what message it contains. And they, like me, will not have a clue, but they will cry just the same.

Notes on the Frieze:
This frieze, designed and executed by Frances Macdonald, was definitely used in the Macnair's studio at 54 Oxford Street in Liverpool. The picture below was taken around 1899-1900, and I have photoshopped an impression of the frieze onto the black & white photograph to give a better idea of what it actually looked like.

The frieze design was probably used earlier around 1895-96, maybe for Dunglass Castle. It was drawn and painted onto brown paper, but has since been divided into a number of portions. These are held in various public and private collections.
Some information and a picture of an original piece here.
If you Google 'frances macdonald frieze' it will pop up in it's millions from the poster-shop sites. I believe the last known sale of an original piece realised $47,559 at Christie's. Further info here.

Listen To Delta Sigma!

2011-07-30T17:38:00.000-04:00

Not to Make Light of a Serious Situation. . .

2011-07-29T15:39:00.000-04:00

You know it makes sense!

Passenger on the Sea of Eternity.

2011-07-27T21:29:00.000-04:00

Are we all not passengers,
making our way to journey's end,
ticket in hand destined to be free
forever sailing this eternal sea.

Alan S. Pastonson

Enveloped by the Mackmosphere...

2011-07-19T22:48:00.003-04:00

This graphic is my cover of the carved wood panels that adorn the pulpit of the CRM designed Queen's Cross Church, Glasgow; now the home of the CRM Society.
The design is dated as 1899, and represents, I believe, the Dove of Peace, the Tree of Knowledge, and the Dove holding the Ring of Eternity.

A picture of the pulpit can be seen at Gerald Blaikie's wonderful CRM site here.

This design was somewhat repeated in a wall mural painted in 1901 at St. Serf's United Free Church, Kirkcaldy, in Fife.
The mural was described in the German Arts Magazine, DECORATIVE KUNST IX (1902), the design showed "The dove of peace and the tree of knowledge, the latter represented by three rings - good, evil and eternity"

A picture of the mural being restored from behind multiple layers of magnolia emulsion, shown above.

A 2004 description of the mural and restoration taken from the Glasgow Herald is reproduced without permission below:

A MASTERPIECE of decorative art by Charles Rennie Mackintosh has been discovered hidden beneath white paint on the wall of a church. The distinctive art nouveau mural, which is being described by astonished Mackintosh experts as ''extremely important'', has been uncovered on the walls of Dysart Kirk, near Kirkcaldy in Fife. Painted by Mackintosh, perhaps the most famous Scottish artist, at the height of his powers in 1901, it had been hidden from public view for about 80 years until recent restoration work in the church revealed its patterns.

The complex design shows the dove of peace, the tree of knowledge and three circles depicting good, evil and eternity, and closely resembles Mackintosh designs for the Queen's Cross Church in Glasgow. Last night, Morag Baker, an elder of the church who had proposed the investigation of the mural, said it had been known for many years that Mackintosh had visited the building and painted there, but it was generally assumed his work had been lost forever.

In October 1901, the artist visited Dysart and claimed expenses from his employers, Honeyman & Keppie. Other records show that a fortnight later the church paid the company (pounds) 10 in fees for some ''decorations''. It is thought that Mackintosh - who died in obscurity in 1928 but whose designs are among the most famous and popular in British art - was a friend of the minister or of a prominent member of the congregation.

It was thought that decades of redecoration with plain emulsion had obliterated the design. However Alan Ferdinand, a conservator hired by the church, has found that beneath that paint lies the original decoration in all its glory, painted in pale blue, green and black. Ms Baker said: "I had thought for years that in this mural we had inherited something special and now we have shown that it is very beautiful indeed." The mural design had been published in a German magazine in 1902 so we knew that Mackintosh had been here, and to find it under what must be 10 coats of white paint is extremely exciting. "I personally could not be more pleased, but in 1901 this mural was done for the people of Dysart, and it still belongs to them which is wonderful. "We need money for the renovation of the church and I'd like to think that people will be generous in their appreciation of this wonderful mural."

Professor Pamela Robertson, the chair of the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society, said: "This is an extremely important rediscovery. The design is from Mackintosh's most creative period in the early 1900s and it was always thought it had been removed in the 1920s. What we need to do now is work out the links between Mackintosh and this small parish in Fife."

The Rev Tilly Wilson of Dysart Kirk said she found the rediscovery of the mural to be a moving event. ''A past generation commissioned it to the glory of God and as a visible witness of their faith,'' she said. ''They just didn't put it there just as a nice decoration - they asked Mackintosh to represent the tree of knowledge and the dove of peace to express their Christian faith.'' Dysart Kirk was built in 1874 and was originally called St Serf's United Free Church. It is now part of the Church of Scotland. Once the conservation work is completed, it is hoped to allow access to anyone who is interested in seeing the work.

Jim Swan, the chairman of the Dysart Trust, said: ''It's wonderful that the mural, which has been here for all these years, which no-one living can remember seeing, has now come to light. ''This is a huge bonus for the current regeneration of Dysart which will bring in tourists and international recognition. ''The fact that the congregation had the foresight to commission the work by Mackintosh means that it is still there for future generations to see.''

By Phil Miller Arts Correspondent, Glasgow Herald, 23 Jul 2004.

The Birth of Clarity.

2011-07-11T21:42:00.000-04:00

Absolutely.

The Omega Quest.

2011-07-09T19:16:00.006-04:00

Charles Rennie Mackintosh (CRM), to the best of my knowledge, designed four headstones / gravestones / tombstones. The only reason we know this is because the design sketches for three of them still exist.
There may be others for which the paper designs are lost, and if so, they are weathering away quietly, still beautiful and peaceful, unknown unto the end of time.

It is my quest to visit these four known markers of past lives, and pay my respects. I believe CRM designed these for family and friends, and trying to find the connection is an interesting investigation.
The closest headstone to visit, stands within the Glasgow Necropolis, which is a large Victorian Cemetery in the heart of Glasgow City.

This headstone for Alexander McCall, in the form of a tall Celtic Cross, was designed when CRM was 19 or 20 years old. His father worked for Alexander McCall and the commission came through that connection I believe.
The headstone has been vandalised on a number of occasions, not due to any CRM connection I think, but because it contained a bronze panel and commemorated a policeman.
My old mentor used to say " Never attribute to intelligence, that which is adequately explained by stupidity." The bronze panel would have been a target for metal thieves, and that it commemorated a former Chief Constable, would have been seen as some sort of revenge.
The Necropolis is obviously a magnet for Neanderthals & lowlife when darkness falls, and many of the headstones have been vandalised through the years.
A newspaper report on the restoration of the headstone is here.
Some views of the headstone below:

View from the front shown above.

Detail of the centre carving shown above.

Detail of the bronze plaque shown above. The original plaque has now been replaced with a fibre-glass replica.

Detail of the cross shown above.

Detail of the damage shown as a reverse view above.

Detail of the scroll carving on the sides of the cross shown above.

History and fate weave a strange fabric, embroidered by circumstance. Also resting within the Necropolis are members of the Blackie family, who ran the old-established Glasgow publishing house of Blackie & Sons, Ltd. We will be discussing the resting place of J. Alexander Blackie, his wife Sallie Gemmell, and memorial to their only son Robert.
John Alexander Blackie was the elder son of Walter Graham Blackie, and Chairman of Blackie & Sons from around 1906 to 1917.

Let's go back in time for clarity:
In February 1893, a Gentleman by the name of Talwin Morris answered a newspaper advert for the position of Art Manager within Blackie & Son.

He got the job.

In May of that year Talwin and his wife Alice, moved north to Glasgow to a house named Dunglass Castle on the North shore of the Clyde near Bowling, and Talwin started work for Blackie & Son Ltd.
Previously, Alice and Joseph, her Father, had discovered Dunglass Castle on an earlier house-hunting expedition, possibly inspired by this newspaper advert:

Talwin and Alice became acquainted with the Macdonald Family. It would be nice to think this happened by way of Charles Macdonald, the Lawyer brother of Margaret & Frances, who became a close friend of Talwin.

Sans Clarity Insertion Update 26th Oct 2011.
It is more likely that Talwin was introduced to Francis H. Newbery, the Headmaster of the Glasgow School of Art, by the R.B. in the job advert, the R.B. being Robert Blackie (1820-1896), brother of Walter Graham Blackie (1816-1906), and uncle of John Alexander Blackie (1850-1918) mentioned above.
Once acquainted with Francis H. Newbery, exposure to the work of the Macdonald Sisters, J. Herbert McNair, and CRM would have followed.
Robert was a Governor of the Glasgow School of Art and would have been 73 years old when he interviewed Talwin. Robert handled all the Artistic matters of the publishing business having been trained as an artist by Mr. W.L. Leitch.

With their common interest in Art, Talwin was attracted by the work the Macdonald Sisters were undertaking in their Hope Street Studio, and in due course was introduced to both Charles R. Mackintosh and J. Herbert McNair, and they all became friends.
Talwin obviously knew the firms Bosses, John Alexander Blackie and his younger brother Walter Wilfrid Blackie. Walter Wilfrid Blackie at this time around 1901, lived in Dunblane, and wanted to move closer to the firms offices in Glasgow. Talwin must have been party to this, possibly only as conversation, but decided to introduce his architect friend CRM to Walter Wilfrid Blackie with the aim to discuss the design and building of a house for the family.
This house was destined to become The Hill House in Helensburgh, a CRM masterpiece.
Talwin Morris then, played a pivotal role in the destiny of CRM. But what of the resting place of John Alexander Blackie in the Necropolis? Where does this come into the story.

Talwin Morris designed the headstone which marks the resting place of John Alexander Blackie, but I don't think it was designed for John, but for Sallie his wife.
His Australian wife Sallie died in 1910 aged around 48. I have not found any information regarding the reason for her demise, but John must have had Talwin design the headstone either because he knew Sallie liked Talwin's designs or/and because he was looking forward to his future burial in that same plot.
And thus we have the headstone below, with a carved stylised butterfly signifying resurrection, placed within an inverted teardrop. The text also looks like Talwin's design. It is possible that Talwin's wife Alice, who was an Authoress, and Sallie may have been friends, as they were probably the same age. That is a possible connection for the commission.

A view of the headstone above.

A clearer view of the inscription on the headstone above.

A detail of the carving shown above.

A wider view shown above.

The pivotal role that Talwin played in the destiny of CRM was paid back one year later in 1911, when Talwin passed away. At the request of Alice, now Talwin's widow, CRM designed the headstone for Talwin. The only man on the planet worthy of such an honour.
Talwin was laid to rest in Dumbarton Cemetery and this will be the next part of my Omega Quest; when time, tide and tears allow.

Thank you for joining me on this quest.

Happy 4th July!

2011-07-04T00:01:00.001-04:00

Please accept this graphic amalgamate on this important date.

Summer Frieze.

2011-06-30T14:10:00.024-04:00

Long, long ago, when the world was a better bet, I posted this graphic, which included some notes on the cats. The graphic is now sanished ( sanished means that I have decided to post it, but is way long from finished,) and is presented for your perusal.
The full size graphic is bigger than the Internet, but hopefully this will give an idea of what it should look like.

When I was 'but a lad, all the shops had rolls of brown paper which was used for wrapping purchases. I can't remember if it was as much as three feet wide, but I'm sure it was more than two feet. This is probably the brown paper medium that CRM-MMM and Frances & Herbert chose for their friezes.
It was cheap and best of all, an essentially endless roll. It was also brown, which means that it didn't handle color/colour well, and was difficult to photograph.
Using this medium for a frieze meant the the frieze could be drawn and prepared on the level and then glued or pinned to the wall. Much easier than painting directly onto a vertical wall.
Also, if you got bored with it, you could take it down and hang another graphic. I'm reasonably convinced CRM used brown paper for the frieze in his bedroom, using this design, but decided to use a stencil for the playroom at Kilmacolm.

A bigger view, maybe...

Since the weather in Austin, TX is hot, another big Summer Frieze may be forthcoming. Soon. Soon-ish.
I should add that I have absolutely no idea what the symbolism of the graphic represents. I might do some research on the Japanese version of Gaia. possibly UKE-MOCHI-NO-KAMI. All suggestions are welcome!

Sans Update July 2nd 2011.
Timothy Neat, in his book 'Part Seen, Part Imagined' puts forth the association of the cats with the Clan Mackintosh, the Clan crest having a depiction of a Wildcat.
This may be true, as I have to defer to his greater knowledge.
In continuing to study the piece, I am now questioning whether the cats could be cheetahs or similar. I have drawn them as domestic cats, although obviously stylised as per the original, as far as my interpretative talent allows. Any oriental symbolism remains unanswered. As with most of this journey into the works of CRM-MMM, the ubiquitous answer to the ocean of questions I have is, "I don't know".
Sans Update 18th October 2011.
It has taken me ages to realise that this graphic portrays the head of an Eagle Owl. With the Owl being symbolic of wisdom, I don't think this is by accident. Have a look at the top graphic again, and see what you think. The only way this could be realised is by drawing the whole graphic, since the photographic pictures that exist only show the partial frieze. I had always wondered what the long streamers along the top symbolised, and to realise they form the feathers of an Eagle Owl's head, is perfect elegance. I am not worthy.

A Sans Update of 29th October 2011.
The Parable Pointing to Wisdom.
During my research into the works of CRM, I am always amazed, awestruck, and astounded by the sheer genius of the man. When I first encountered the photograph of the frieze of cats, I was intrigued, and entered it into my list of possible covers to reproduce as a computer graphic. I like to choose material that is not already well known in the public domain, and provides me with a challenge. This frieze certainly did that, as there is limited information contained in the single photograph of CRM's room, and the three photographs of the playroom at Gladsmuir.
It took me probably a year to get to the final graphic, and then another passage of time before I realised it was an Owl's head.

Part of my research included reading the book 'Closing The Circle' by Timothy Neat & Gillian McDermott, ISBN 0954058305, which has the text of the last letter from a 79 year old J.Herbert MacNair to Thomas Howarth dated 27th Sept 1947, in reply to an earlier letter from Thomas Howarth, which I reproduce here to provide context:

Thank you very much for your most kind letter enclosing the interesting photo of 'Toshie's Cat's', which I now, at long last, return - I must indeed apologise for such delay - but, I am sorry to say, I have been again laid up. I caught a bad chill which brought back my old troubles and have had a pretty rough time. However, I am once more on the mend. You are quite right about the 'Cat' frieze - it was for Toshie's bedroom at Dennistoun, also the cabinet, and the fender with tall candle- sticks which I remember so well. The Mackintoshes are a branch of Clan Chattan and he used their crest as his 'motif'. At the same time I made a frieze of mermaids - the mermaid being the MacNair crest. I also designed a cabinet. I was in 'digs' in Glasgow at the time, and my frieze was in water-colour, juicily floated on, and on ingrain paper, my landlady allowed me to fix it on the wall with drawing pins. I think Toshie's frieze was also in watercolour. It is a great pity the photograph has faded so badly as the cats were very cleverly and amusingly used. Later, my little wife to be, Frances, and her sister Margaret Macdonald were on a visit to my people at Skelmorlie, and the three of us adapted the Mermaid 'motif' to decorate the main staircase there.
I thought it very good of you and Mrs Howarth to call on me, Mrs Muir has remarked several times on what a nice young couple you were and I hope too that I may have the pleasure of seeing you both again soon.

With all good wishes, yours sincerely,

J. Herbert MacNair

I have to assume that the above is the full content of the letter, as I have not seen the actual letter which is part of the Mackintosh collection of the Hunterian Gallery, Glasgow. When I first read J.Herbert MacNair's last letter (above), the phrase 'as the cats were very cleverly and amusingly used.' struck me as odd. I was planning my cover version at this time, trying to understand what CRM had done, and could see that the cats were cleverly designed, cleverly drawn, and the frieze cleverly executed, but 'cleverly and amusingly used' did not seem to fit right with what I believed I knew at the time.

Anyway, I was busy trying to constuct a reproduction of the graphic, and put any notion of oddness to the back of my mind.

I now think that J. Herbert MacNair was testing Thomas Howarth to realise that there was something written between the lines, and to further investigate the frieze, with the end result being delight in discovery of the Owl's head.
That would indeed justify the 'as the cats were very cleverly and amusingly used.' phrase.
This does not appear to have happened.

One has to remember that my cover graphic has been deduced and constructed from two pieces of string, a bowl of cherries, and a candle, and may be nothing like the original as executed by CRM; but one thing I'm sure of, is that his original was way better than anything I could ever produce.
I am not worthy.

Sans Update 30th October 2011.
Now, when you consider that CRM designed this frieze for the nursery/playroom of Gladsmuir in 1896, and Edward Lear wrote The Owl and the Pussycat in 1871, can there be any doubt about the genius of CRM?
Ladies & Gentlemen, I give you the Owl and the Pussycat frieze, for a nursery, by Charles Rennie Mackintosh.
A Genius.

Sans Update 16th November 2011.

Timothy Neat has kindly given his expert opinion on the illusion of my 'owl'.

-------------------------------oOo--------------------------------------
Dear Andy - Many thanks for your interesting email. I agree with everything you raise - except for the Eagle Owl! I agree that it is possible to see one, but I do not think CRM intended to create one.

It is the orange and the shading you create that encourages the idea. The orb CRM created is the moon rather than the sun. If your orbs were moon coloured and differently shaded the eagle would be harder to see. Cats howl at the moon. The decoration is certainly fun - and serious. It is decoration that, in my opinion, reflects CRM's desire, as an artist, to achieve great things. The maiden and the moon are images of the life and art toward which the artist strives. The hair of the maiden articulates layers (levels) of artistic and spiritual advancement. The cats are Mackintosh on the prowl (they are at once sacred and profane). The greatest animal of the cat family - the lion - is the totemic animal of clan Macdonald (Margaret's clan). This adds another possible meaning.

I think the small orbs (on the maiden) were, probably, originally, articulated as breasts - the feeding sources that the love-object offers her lovers. The love-object is an image of the art, love, achievement, beauty towards which we strive... Thus it might be worth you realigning the orbs you have designed. Certainly think about the placement of these mini moons (or suns) on the maiden's chest.

Finally, the eagle owl, is not native to Britain. It is part of the American visual consciousness but was not, I believe, part of Scottish consciousness in the late C19th.

All art is open to interpretation but I do not think your eagle owl theory adds anything to our perception/understanding of this frieze. Your brown-paper thesis, however, is I believe, spot-on - and important. It is exactly the kind of thing CRM was interested in and would do. And it creates all kinds of possibilities... But - let the eagle-owl now fly off into the mists. Walt Disney has much to answer for.

Yours Timothy Neat.
-------------------------------oOo--------------------------------------
I would like to thank Timothy for taking the time to provide his analysis, and I fully agree with Tim's opinion that my interpretation of CRM's graphic is open to question regarding my use of colour and method, since these are interpretations that have originated from me, and thus the artifact of the owl may just be an illusion created by my reconstruction of the frieze.

I should also qualify my use of Eagle owl. I am not an expert on owls, and should therefore modify my description of the owl illusion as 'an owl with ear tufts'.
I must say however, that for me the illusion is permanent. It is a lovely illusion that ticks all the boxes, including that of 'Der Vogel'.
When I look at the photographs of the real frieze now, all I see is the owl. This is my burden.

Herald.

2011-06-25T07:45:00.000-04:00

Julia Phillips Smith has launched a book trailer for her new forthcoming work, Saint Sanguinus. I am lucky to have had some small involvment with what I'm sure will be, bloody wonderful.
The Trailer:

Poetic Amalgam.

2011-06-22T19:48:00.000-04:00

Some Notes.
The words are an amalgam from Dante Gabriel Rossetti, 'The Willowwood Sonnets' and John Keats, the 'Ode on Melancholy'.
The graphic is an amalgam of Melania, named by the Fabulous Jenn Wehrung, who first appeared in this post, and again in this post, and a design for book cover by MMM, entitled 'The Story Of A River'. I believe the original drawing for the book cover is lost, and now only exists as an image in a book.
There is a tale in there somewhere. All homage to MMM.

Eez Dusty Up Here. . .

2011-06-06T20:04:00.000-04:00

Dusty Old Soul. . .

2011-06-06T09:46:00.000-04:00

Prog Rock.

2011-06-05T21:35:00.000-04:00

Photon Bows.

2011-06-04T14:42:00.006-04:00

Making Sense of the Past.

In a previous post I wrote this,
"This journey is swathed in mystery, and the path is littered with error.
Each trip a lesson, a rabbit hole of pleasure and pain, of imprecision, of seeking cabbages in an orchard of darkness.
A journey of past life, of love, of obsession, of Passion."

The journey referred to, being my obsessive study of the works of CRM-MMM. When I was producing the cover of the Menu Card by MMM. I said that I couldn't do it justice because I didn't understand it.

A little more light has seeped through the melodious curtain of time and cast it's magic photons upon my retina.

The front graphic, the part of the Menu I covered, shows a Lady holding a rose. Part of her dress appears to be a bow, with twins tails decorated with what might be buttons or something else in the shape of a 'C'.

This I did not understand, but simply drew what I thought I saw. The end page of the original menu, which I have not covered, has what I thought to be a pagoda style graphic, which again, I did not understand.

When fellow Blogger togoh commented on the menu Graphic post, I went back to look at MMM's original, and then noticed the 'CCC' at the bottom of the 'pagoda.' This tied in nicely with the possible 'CCC' on the front of the graphic, but only gave more questions.
Then understanding dawned on my simple brain. The 'pagoda' was a stylised bow with tails, the tails bearing the initials CCC for Catherine Cranston Cochrane.
The front of the menu cover must be showing a tearoom waitress, and part of the uniform must be a bow with tails having CCC embroidered on them.
There is only one picture I know of showing CCC tearoom waitresses' , these Ladies Shown below, being employed in the Room de luxe of the Willow Tea Rooms in Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow.

CRM is reputed to have designed these uniforms, although it is unknown to me if alternative uniform designs were made for the 1911 Exhibition Tea Rooms.
Unfortunately this is not conclusive proof, but I think it goes fairly close to being correct. This may have been quite apparent to those more knowledgeable than I. It seems astonishingly simple when one knows, and complete darkness when one does not.
My brain and I live in darkness.

Sans Update 6th June 2011.

Reading Perilla Kinchin's excellent book' Tea And Taste, The Glasgow Tea Rooms 1875-1975'
she mentions 'elegant pagoda-roofed cake stands' being used in the White Cockade Tea Room at the 1911 Exhibition.
I had to go back and take a look at the only picture of the White Cockade I have, and sure enough, there they were.

This may go some way to explain why MMM stylised the bow as a pagoda. Possibly.

Sans Update 8th August 2011.

The CCC motif was used on light fittings for the Chinese Room CRM designed for Kate Cranston's Ingram Street tearoom in 1911. This may, or may not, be significant.

Wid Wide Wobbley.

2011-05-24T17:52:00.002-04:00

I am still. I managed to persuade my aging printer to produce these two prints which I am very pleased with.
I have installed them on the North wall of my private study in the South wing.
The frames are 9 inches by 19 inches.
I'm currently working on graphic covers of pieces by MMM, CRM and Frances Macdonald McNair. Frances signed nearly all of her work after marriage, as MacNair. I'm sure this was because she was always used to signing 'Mac' as in Macdonald.

Power Over Principle.

2011-05-07T20:14:00.001-04:00

Variation 42 in the theme of life.

Lost In The Beauty Of Human Creativity.

2011-04-30T21:37:00.003-04:00

This is my cover version of a poster for the 13th Vienna Secession, 1902, by Professor Koloman Moser.
The original can be seen here.

A Curmudgeon At His Prime.

2011-04-24T17:34:00.002-04:00

Alcohol in, graphics out. Pretty much the perfect life.

Chased By The Demon.

2011-04-24T00:49:00.002-04:00

This is my cover version of part of a design for a Menu card by MMM. This was used for Kate Cranston's White Cockade Restaurant which was part of the Scottish National Exhibition 1911.
I can't do this graphic justice as I don't fully understand it. I can only hope that Margaret approves of what I have done.
The original design and full Menu card can Be seen here.

LONGEVITY.

2011-04-16T18:32:00.003-04:00

As I was walking along the road today, heading for the grocery shop, my mind was whirring around, contemplating the ills and woes of my fractured, crumb filled half-life.

I paused, looked up to the heavens, and asked the powers that be for a sign, any sign, that my life has meaning, and . . .

but alas, it was only temporary.

Fancy Pants.

2011-04-02T22:45:00.002-04:00

Bitten Off More Than I Could Chew...

2011-03-29T18:35:00.002-04:00

The graphic below turned out to be a much larger task than I imagined, when I first decided to produce a cover version in January.
It has taken me 52 days in all, to get to this post. It is also, I believe, my first nude Lady post.
This is my cover of a drawing by German artist Adolf Höfer, published in the German Art periodical Jugend: 2.1897, Band2 (Nr. 27-52)in 1897. The University of Heidelberg has kindly digitized the periodical, and made them available on the web.
The original published graphic is here.

As always, clicking upon the graphic will enable a larger view.

Pyromantic.

2011-03-25T21:29:00.002-04:00

Outlook.

2011-03-16T19:51:00.004-04:00

I really do hope this proves true.

Sanscho Panzaloons.

2011-03-08T21:13:00.001-05:00

And Lady Amalgam came close. I could feel her warm breath upon my face, and she kissed my forehead.
I smiled. A millisecond of chuckle in an epoch of despair.

Loser!

2011-02-25T18:04:00.003-05:00

So that's what 'Not Microwave Safe' means.

Winner!

2011-02-21T15:19:00.002-05:00

Infamy, infamy. They've got it infamy. Should I go?

Loser!

2011-02-15T17:13:00.003-05:00

A big man came and stole my socks, then pushed me in a puddle.

I'm a hard man to ignore, but it's well worth the effort.

2011-02-13T19:03:00.004-05:00

Sans Pantaloons, an underneat understood undermined undergraduate in undergarment underachievement.
But I have a big heart.
Happy Valentine's Day!

The title of this post is a one-liner by the late, great, and sorely missed Bob Monkhouse.

Winner!

2011-02-06T17:55:00.004-05:00

At last! My talent has been recognised/recognized.

To Every Age its Network, To its Network, Art.

2011-01-30T22:36:00.004-05:00

This graphic is my adapted cover of a Vienna Secession poster by Maximilian Kurzweil.

The original poster can be viewed here.

Robert Burns.

2011-01-25T14:18:00.004-05:00

Since it's oor Rabbie's Birthday this fine day, a small lament:-

The complete works of Robert Burns have now been recorded, and are available online here.

Users accessing the embed from outside the UK may see an error message. For this, I apologise. The BBC has a compressed perspective.

The Slave's Lament

It was in sweet Senegal that my foes did me enthrall
For the lands of Virginia-ginia O;
Torn from that lovely shore, and must never see it more,
And alas! I am weary, weary O!
Torn from that lovely shore, and must never see it more;
And alas! I am weary, weary O!

All on that charming coast is no bitter snow and frost,
Like the lands of Virginia-ginia O:
There streams for ever flow, and there flowers for ever blow,
And alas! I am weary, weary O!
There streams for ever flow, and there flowers for ever blow,
And alas! I am weary, weary O!

The burden I must bear, while the cruel scourge I fear,
In the lands of Virginia-ginia O;
And I think on friends most dear, with the bitter, bitter tear,
And alas! I am weary, weary O!
And I think on friends most dear, with the bitter, bitter tear,
And alas! I am weary, weary O!

Still Got It.

2011-01-25T10:13:00.002-05:00

When you have charisma, there ain't no recession.

Disturbed.

2011-01-15T07:14:00.002-05:00

I just worked out that:
Anal Ass Nonstop
is an anagram of Sans Pantaloons.

I'm not very happy about that.

Variation 64,443 XoLoL.

2011-01-09T22:02:00.003-05:00

To much XoL doth make one dizzy
One finds oneself in a tizzy
Oh, so lovely, Oh so fizzy
One phones the Queen,
and calls her Lizzy!

Variation 64,441 XoL.

2011-01-02T17:55:00.003-05:00

Last nights dream featured Joey Tribbiani from Friends. He was dressed in black leather.
Sometimes I worry about myself.

Barking Up the Wrong Tree.

2011-01-01T11:16:00.008-05:00

Do you have Photoshop?, do you have Paint Shop Pro?, GIMP?

Do you want to be a weird creative individual with wild hair & a beard?

Have you tried, and tried, and failed to understand all those stupid small icons & daft incomprehensible lists and menus?

Have your productions not lived up to your expectations?

THEN YOU HAVE BEEN BARKING UP THE WRONG TREE!

Just consume 1½ buckets* of XoL and your graphics will come out like this -

Representative Graphic shown.
Any graphics produced may or may not look anything like this.
All promises made by Pantalunatic Industries are false, and may be completely untrue, which they are - unless otherwise indicated.

*Bucket size conditions apply.

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T00:02:00.000-05:00

I'm going to try my best to make 2011 a year of growth.

Something Old.

2010-12-31T00:01:00.000-05:00

The old ones are the still the best.

Angels.

2010-12-25T00:01:00.001-05:00

I gave these to Lynn of human, being a few months ago. I think today is the Day that they might be of benefit to another.
If you are that other, feel free to enable a larger view by clicking upon the graphic.

Seasons Greetings!

2010-12-22T17:27:00.003-05:00

Notes on the graphic: This is my cover of an actual New Year greeting card from CRM-MMM.
An albumen photograph of the original can be seen here.
If I manage to stay sober enough till New Year, I may colour the graphic in. (It might happen!)

The Light, The Shovel, And The Deep, Deep Glass.

2010-12-21T21:55:00.003-05:00

I keeked out of the curtains, and there stood Jack Frost. He beckoned me over, and I kneeled down before him. He whispered gently in my ear, "Chill."
So I am, illuminated by the electricity saved from Zed's non-ironing, and stirring my soul with shovels of Malt.
Yes Sir! I am Chill Sansonified.

Every Way.

2010-12-20T23:39:00.003-05:00

Shovel snow and push pixels. It's what I do.

Window On The World.

2010-12-15T08:22:00.002-05:00

This window is loosely based on the recent discovery of a house that CRM possibly had a hand in designing. I have drawn it in the hope that the Sun may shine through it.

I wait.
All I can see is snow.
I wait.

Lady Amalgam Redux.

2010-12-12T14:28:00.003-05:00

Since we are in a retrospective mood, herewith find above a rework of Lady Amalgam.
In their original design, I believe these panels were used at the Ingram Street Tearooms.

Redux.

2010-12-11T14:20:00.003-05:00

After fourteen hours of self-flagellation, I have served penance.
I served it with some shortbread and two and one half glasses of Ardbeg.
And I was happy. Life is good.

Stand Tall.

2010-12-10T11:42:00.006-05:00

Often when I search for images, something I'm not looking for catches my eye. That is what happened with the graphic above. Alas, I cannot identify the original artist, nor remember the link from whence the image came. This is my version however then, of an image by artist unknown. If you can identify the original artist, please let me know and I will acknowledge credit.

Update. After much scanning of my disk drive, I have found the artist and link. This graphic was drawn by Professor Josef Hoffmann, architect, and published in 1903 in the Journal, Ver Sacrum #6.
In 1900, the Group of Four was invited by Josef Hoffmann to exhibit at the 8th Vienna Secession, a show of the achievements of the Austrian and international handicraft community.
My confusion was caused by the original drawing bearing the monogram FW for Fritz Waerndorfer, rather than JH, for Josef Hoffmann. Fritz Waerndorfer was a patron of CRM-MMM, and Josef Hoffmann produced this CRM-MMM inspired drawing as an Ex-Libris, probably / possibly for Fritz Waerndorfer's private library. My version differs slightly, in that I failed to understand that the figures are being used to represent plant forms, their heads/hats in florescence, and their bodies as stems. Thus there are only three 'stems' in the original, whereas I have drawn 'bodies', because I have zero talent and know nothing.

The original can be seen here.

Sans Update 16th November 2011.
If you have arrived here from a search engine, there is a reworked version of this graphic at
http://sanspantaloons.blogspot.com/2010/12/redux.html
and a printed version pictured in my post at
http://sanspantaloons.blogspot.com/2011/05/wid-wide-wobbley.html
It is a beautiful image. All homage to Professor Josef Hoffmann.

Gameplay Gold.

2010-12-05T23:15:00.004-05:00

This game changed my life. If it were not for this game, I would be CTO of some Fortune 50 company right now, instead of shakin' it Boss, I'm shakin' it.

I love this game. I even wrote levels. Memories, misty water colour/color memories. Tearing up, have to stop. . .

Inspired by DadGuy.

Smelling Opportunity #3.

2010-12-05T21:44:00.002-05:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, this is hot, hench, and hunk. Get yours today!*

*Well soon anyway. I've got a warehouse full of the stuff.

Smelling Opportunity #2.

2010-12-04T22:15:00.002-05:00

I walk my memory lane
past the bundles tied in bows
where sentimental scent lingers
recalling the long faded rose

The future plans it's past
with digital flowers for all
a sansimental spin on things
towards our nascent downfall
that's my jaded forecast.

Smelling Opportunity.

2010-12-02T09:30:00.004-05:00

It's fast approaching that time of year where gifts are exchanged. Why not give a gift that shows how much you care? A new camera perhaps?

Whatever you decide upon, please do not give anyone my perfume. It really honks bad. Really. Bad.

(It is useful for taking varnish off furniture though...)

Icicle.

2010-12-01T09:51:00.003-05:00

Icicle, Icicle,
I want to pick my icicle,
I want to pick my ice,
I want to pick my icicle,
I want to pick it when I like.

Under the twin Suns of Scotland, a remnant from the Porridge Wars of twelfth dotice dimension vertice nought one, where Genghis McCann fought William Wallace and Gromit for the rights to cold Porridge distribution, stirred by the ice spurtle of Garthamlock, itself hewn from ice collected from the Straits of Raith.
I shall dance tonight, and celebrate the Gortith of Vure by drinking Xol from the chilled stomach of the forty eighth Kram of Torrance, and feasting on the roast heid of Auchter Muchty.

Just another typical Scottish Winter night.

CRM Cover.

2010-11-30T20:45:00.003-05:00

This is my version of a design for a bedroom wash-stand that CRM designed in 1903 for the Dresdener Werkstatten fur Handwerkskunst (Dresden Workshops for Arts and Crafts.)

I have taken rather a large piece of interpretation with my version, since most of the drawing is obscured by the jug & basin. The original drawing can be seen here. I don't know if this design was ever realised/realized.

Today.

2010-11-30T07:03:00.003-05:00

On this cool day, as I dig myself out of the deep snow that surrounds me, I bid you all have an EXCELLENT day!

A Bird In The Hand, Is Worth Sans Too..

2010-11-23T20:24:00.004-05:00

So please find a bird being pointed at, but hopefully not cooked.
And of course, this being Thanksgiving in the US, please find a lean, mean, hench machine, to feast upon. The Model is Marcus Schenkenberg, his website is here.

Sans pantaloons of course!

She Lives!

2010-11-20T18:59:00.002-05:00

The CRM pastiche box light version 2 has been connected to the Earth's Lightning Storms and has been granted Life! A colourful / colorful life to boot.

I have only to do a wee bit of jiggery-pokery, and box up the electronic gubbins and then she can take pride of place next to her colleague version 1.

In other news, if anyone is interested in my recent Hamilton historical fieldtrip, it is here.

Honesty.

2010-11-16T03:59:00.002-05:00

Margaret and Frances Macdonald shared a studio at 128 Hope Street, Glasgow, from 1894 to 1899. This piece by Frances known as the 'Honesty Mirror', is dated around 1895-96.
Methinks, the Honesty plant is apposite for a mirror.
Since the original work is is a beaten tin metal frame, a great deal of Pantalunatic licence/license has been took. The licence/license what I took, is taken, by me. Yup.

The original can be seen here.

As always, clicking upon the graphic should enable a larger view.

Lest We Forget.

2010-11-14T06:16:00.002-05:00

The above, Bothwellhaugh Cairn War Memorial.

The above, Hamilton Parish Church War Memorial.

It's Been A Long Decade This Week.

2010-11-11T18:56:00.004-05:00

Sans time, sans sorrow, sans regret.
I should point out this design is by Richard Müller of Dresden (1874-1954).

Audacious.

2010-11-08T21:09:00.002-05:00

Just In Time For Christmas.

2010-11-07T08:48:00.005-05:00

Update on the CRM box light version 2.

Shown above, the boards being fitted with LEDs. Two each of red, green, blue, and white.

Shown above, the boards assembled and the LEDs under test. Very pretty colours/colors.
The lamp itself will function more as an entertainment device. I will use a PIC microcontroller to cycle the colours/colors and produce dimming effects via pulse width modulation, while leaving the white LEDs under linear dimmer control via a potentiometer.

Shown above, a photoshop mock-up of how the finished lamp will look, once I bash out another copper dome for it.
Version one is now installed above my PC, and provides illumination on many levels.

Dona Nobis Pacem.

2010-11-04T00:01:00.001-04:00

The Quest for Peace, an endless war
With outright victory, false hope
We must however, unite in kind
And win this Battle, with our mind.

Alan S. Pastonson

One For Zed.

2010-10-30T17:32:00.006-04:00

For Zed.

Notes on the graphic:
J. Herbert McNair, was the Brother-in-law of CRM-MMM, and the husband of Frances, making up the group of Four.
This design was used by Herbert on a poster for the Liverpool Academy of Arts in 1901.
The original can be seen here.

Notes on the Cats:
The cats and nimbus are part of a frieze that CRM stencilled or painted on his bedroom wall sometime between 1890 and1896, then aged 21 to 27.
There is only one piece of photographic evidence for this, and the date cannot be narrowed further. ( I'm working on it.)
The frieze was later reproduced on the playroom wall of 'Gladsmuir', the home of William Davidson, when CRM designed the interior in 1896.
Although these cats represent Frankie and Johnnie, it is reputed that CRM-MMM also had two cats, whose names were Lancelot and Guinevere.

Weclome Back Zed!

2010-10-24T20:49:00.000-04:00

Lady Amalgam.

2010-10-19T20:48:00.001-04:00

Since I have little luck with dating these days, I have made another Lady for myself. This Lady is an amalgam of two CRM designs that can be seen here and here.

As always, clicking upon the graphic will enable a larger view.

Roses Are Red.

2010-10-12T19:12:00.004-04:00

One hand spins electronic wire, while the other spins electronic oil.
And indeed, my glass is half full. Yum, yum slurp.
There, now it's empty. Time for another.

Anyone would think I'm an ~~algohocik~~, ~~alcologik~~, ~~alco~~, bugger, opera fan.

One For ChrisSD.

2010-10-09T20:07:00.002-04:00

This is a CRM cover for ChrisSD, aka Sky-Dad.

Please click upon the graphic for maximum bigness. It's not often I describe how I have constructed a graphic, but the recipe for this one involves wisdom, peace, serenity and luck.

Sans Mon 4.

2010-10-06T20:12:00.002-04:00

We have been here before.

Sans Mon 3.

2010-10-06T11:08:00.002-04:00

I know nothing.

Now Lost.

2010-10-04T19:44:00.007-04:00

This is my impression of a leaded glass design which was displayed above the fireplace just in front of the inverted teardrop mirror, in the Room de Luxe of the Willow Tearooms, Sauchiehall St. Glasgow, Scotland, shortly after it opened in 1903.
The size I believe, was approx 24 inches tall and 18 inches wide. It was last displayed at the Memorial Exhibition held in the McLellan Galleries Glasgow, on 3rd May 1933, just months after the death of Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh.
I don't have any further information on the piece. It is now lost.

You can see the inside of the Willow Tearooms at Gerald Blaikie's website here.

Gerald has kindly given permission to use one of his images to illustrate where the design was originally displayed. I have photoshopped an impression of the piece in situ, shown below.

The image above is credited to Gerald Blaikie, and used with permission.

Variation 26.

2010-10-02T20:11:00.001-04:00

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who put you there and when?

The Missing Left Hand Cabinet.

2010-09-30T17:54:00.003-04:00

This is a photoshop impression of the missing left hand Rowat cabinet.To the best of my knowledge, only four original cabinets exist. CRM designed these as a pair, but as far as I am aware, only the right hand versions were made. The reason for this is a mystery.

I feel sorry for this cabinet. It's brothers and sisters command million dollar prices, and are proudly displayed in museums and private collections, but this cabinet was never given that chance.
So, as a small testament to a rightable wrong, I have given a mystery a little half-life.
You are as beautiful as your siblings. Open your doors and let the internet in.

CRM Cover Your Ears.

2010-09-28T09:38:00.002-04:00

The graphic above is my cover of the Washstand for the main bedroom, The Hill House, Helensburgh, Scotland.

It can be seen in the right hand side of photograph below.

Being a Pantalunatic, I cannot explain why I am obsessed, other than these words;

It's not about copying what you see, it's about drawing what you feel.

This is a journey I have embarked upon for reasons unknown to me, with an outcome I know not where.
For this journey is swathed in mystery, and the path is littered with error,
Each trip a lesson, a rabbit hole of pleasure and pain, of imprecision,
Of seeking cabbages in an orchard of darkness. Of life, of love, of obsession, of Passion.

CRM Cover.

2010-09-26T20:04:00.005-04:00

I am s o o b s e s s e d.

CRM Cover.

2010-09-25T23:32:00.002-04:00

I am o b s e s s e d.

CRM Cover.

2010-09-24T22:47:00.003-04:00

For Miss Alex, who is as beautiful and delicate as a Rose.