The Drop Edge of Yonder

Enjoying this book after hearing an interview with Rudy Wurlitzer on Bookworm. The book is an extended adaptation of an un-produced screenplay called Zebulon, which both Sam Peckinpah and Hal Ashby considered making. As a novel it sits on par with Cormac McCarthy for unbridled mountain man darkness. Wurlitzer also wrote the screenplay, and appeared in Monte Hellman's Two Lane Blacktop, losing to James Taylor in a drag race.

Denim Underground

This pair of Levis 201's from the 1890's were recovered from a mine in the Mohave Desert, California, covered in candlewax, presumably from the miners candle as he worked away underground. They just went out at US $36, 099.00 on ebay. Seen first on Reference Library.
* Apparently these went to a private Japanese collector.

5.4

Yes we had an earthquake yesterday - my first since living in Los Angeles, awesomely terrifying for 10 seconds, bending bookshelves and swinging lamps etc. Read more here.

New Balance

From the studio of BCR comes this beautiful minimal mobile, created, balanced and installed for baby Van's optical curiosity. Materials = polished brass rod, painted/unpainted linen, string and brass grommets. Thanks Brett for the craftwerk and photos.

Artwork Included

The cheapest house in Highland Park, Los Angeles, needs paint....see more details here.

More Bitters

Recent Stan Bitters buys. Two textured tile samples for Del Webb wall commission, Fresno, CA, late 1960's. Signed Bitters on side profile, available from 10 Ten, Silverlake, Los Angeles. Small stoneware bowl with clear glaze over slip, signed Bitters 62 on underside, won on ebay for a song (has hairline crack repair).

ebay curves

Incoming forms. Foglio wall light, Tobia Scarpa for Flos 1966. Pipe holder (double), Carl Aubock, 1960's, stamped Aubock, Made in Austria on underside. Re-polished with good ol' Brasso.

A Young Thomas Pynchon

Fishing Line

Traditional structure for drying/preserving fish and storing nets in Iceland. Jago sent me these shots years ago, and I just found them again......fearful symmetry.

Death Letter

Handbuilt Ceramics, CA

Hand/slab built ceramics available from South Willard, Los Angeles. Made by David Korty, Kelly Breslin, and Stan Bitters (top to bottom).

These Things Too

Weekend leftovers. A well taped Box, if Matt Connors made sculpture?. Peter Pepper Products model 500 clock. Ennis House clean up. The Real Estate Agent's Mustang-a hand me down from Grandpa.

Frank's Bees

Bees like Frank Lloyd Wright's window frames. Barnsdall Park details, Los Angeles, CA.

The Painter/The Geologist

Beige on Beige. The Painter is capturing the view down into Los Feliz from Barnsdall park. The Geologist is taking notes (wooden parquetry clip board obscured) on the structural integrity of a 1920's river rock retaining wall which just may lead to our new home........more on that later.

Lenny's World

Lenny is awesome, anyone who can accommodate a dog into their life should do so, dozens of great candidates out there at your local shelter. Lenny with Stetson-Joshua Tree. At rest on Woolrich dog bed. With legs at Millard Canyon Falls. At home and alert on his Borge Mogensen high back sofa w/ Pendleton throw.

Peter Walker Plays LA

Peter Walker brings his guitar to the Echoplex next Tuesday night. His late 60's records for Vanguard (Rainy Day Raga and Poem to Karmela, or Gypsies Are Important) are up there with the best of Robbie Basho's recordings and pre date those of Sandy Bull for Eastern infused acoustic Wizardry. The Tompkins Square Label has released two albums of new recordings by Walker in the past year. Thanks Matty for the show tipoff!

More Lamps And Denim

Rose Bowl finds for July. Pair of beautiful copper industrial lamps, marked KIM MFG CO L.A CAL. These are going to make perfect exterior lamps, they have a workshop/marine look about them, not sure of their original purpose. JC Penny, Foremost, 1940's denim jacket, same pleats and buckle back design as 1st edition Levis 506xx big E jacket - I like the lower set front pocket. Tag detail of 1950's shop apron with owners name stitched into collar. Ladies French linen house shirt, great thread covered buttons and horse rider detail on front and back-from Euro-Linens stall.

leather + lace

Custom suede shoe additions, homemade and well worn by Japanese kid at Rose Bowl today.

Mr Obvious

Reading, enjoying and recommending this.....

'We are more likely to fail as craftsmen, I argue, due to our inability to organize obsession than because of lack of ability'

Richard Sennett, The Craftsman. Yale University Press.

The Last Thylacine

Into The Ground

Lesley and I finished our miniature works for Imaginary Thing today. The exhibition, guest curated by Peter Eleey for the Aspen Art Museum, is literally an underground affair - taking place in an excavated hole in the ground. For the duration of the exhibition a different artist's work will be placed in the hole each day, eventually being filled with concrete to create a permanent yet invisible archive.

R.I.P Bruce Connor

Market Composition

A bunch of innaresting things that didn't end up in my trunk today.......

On Sitting, Grooming and Preservation.

A few PCC finds from today. Framed collage 'Canadian Winter Souvenir' watercolor and postage stamp cuttings, made by nuns, yes nuns of Quebec. Narrow side chair, painted wood, 1920's, nice construction, seat to be re-caned. Preservative jars by Ball, Atlas and Smalley's. Japanese wood plane (Kanna), FLR, Writings and Buildings paperback, mens comb with sterling silver casing, Wrangler bandanna. Detail of Kanna showing inlaid Oak brace to prevent further splitting.