The Lady of Shalott

Sidney Harold Meteyard

JW Waterhouse

37   There she weaves by night and day
38   A magic web with colours gay.
39   She has heard a whisper say,
40   A curse is on her if she stay
41       To look down to Camelot.
42   She knows not what the curse may be,
43   And so she weaveth steadily,
44   And little other care hath she,
45       The Lady of Shalott.

- Tennyson, 1842

My love of The Lady of Shalott began shortly after my love affair with Anne of Green Gables did. In kindergarten I implored classmates to push me while I lay flat on wheeled milk crates, hands crossed over my chest, reciting what slivers of the poem I could remember from Kevin Sullivan's perfection of a miniseries. In middle school I covered my room with Pre-Raphaelite paintings, my favourite always the Waterhouse depiction of doomed Elaine. Even now, you will scarcely find me more animated than when I open my mouth to speak of the romantic poets, authors and painters of the past. Reading this poem still fills my mind's eye with that wonderful untouchable world that once existed so vividly in my imagination and inexplicably is able to move me to tears (which, is a welcome change from my overly stoic disposition. Nice to know I have a bit of water in me, even if it is a horrible bit of Victorian sentimentality). It's perfectly fitting then, as I'm working on my first collection under my own name, to find inspiration in this early love of mine. How this bit of inspiration will manifest in these first designs, well, you will have to wait and see, hehe.

Arthur Hughes

JW Waterhouse

Charles Edwin Fripp

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Varying Degrees of Absurdity

Selections from Landon's recent exhibit at the Art Los Angeles Contemporary fair. The complete collection sold out and now it's back to the studio with him to work on the next exhibition opening later this month!

See more of Landon's work here.

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Visions of Arcadia

Paul Cezanne

Henri Matisse

Seemed appropriate, if not a little premature, to share these spring scenes given the unusually balmy (heh, 42) temperatures over here in New York. This colour palette has been haunting me since we visited the Philadelphia Museum of Art for the Visions of Arcadia show this summer. It was a beautiful and transportive show on the theme of earthly paradises that we viewed, fittingly, after eating the best philly cheesesteaks around (it was my first and totally unlike and way better than I expected), another variety of earthly paradise.

I want to wrap myself up in these in an attempt to combat the bleak cement grey haze that's been the city since the holiday's end. How delicious are these colours? Were I a clever blogger I'd have found all sorts of clever ways to incorporate these glorious colours into your own collections! Alas!

What pick-me-ups are you indulging in this dreary time of year? I recently picked up this handsome Canal House cookbook at Aimee's recommendation and am anxious to try and make my dinners taste as good as those pictures look!

Henri Matisse

Paul Gauguin

Henri Matisse

Edgar Degas 

Pablo Picasso

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On Water

On Water (I), 2012, Dye on canvas

Landon's latest series. You can see the full selection on his website here. The photos really do not do this series justice, they're so striking (and large) in person! Landon has such a talent for movement, something I've never been able to capture in any of my artistic endeavors. It's fitting though, he's so fluid and comfortable in his interactions with the world. Walking through the neighbourhood with Landon is a constant stop and go of hugs, handshakes and fist pumps. When Landon was a baby he wanted to touch everyone in the room, he'd be nursing and sticking out his toe to touch whoever was nearby. Which, if you know Landon, makes absolute sense; he still loves to touch people with his feet. (Wray, Siri, Rebecca, Ammirite?) 

Tonight Landon and I are playing music at the Soho Madewell for a style event hosted by our pal Liz. If you can't make it I made a small sampling of songs we'll be playing here

Instagram round-up after the cut! 

Studio Visit II

A couple Sunday afternoons ago Landon was hammering away in the studio and wanted his guests to stay entertained so he suggested that we (Emma, Siri and I) mix some colours for fun. Well, let me tell you, this operation opened the floodgates! Those of you who have been friends for awhile now know that I've long struggled with a creative block that has left my pens and paints neglected. Lofty goals of "painting like the masters" combined with a discouraging lack of self discipline left me dejected and disinterested in further pursuing my painterly side. So I was especially shocked to find that I really, truly, thoroughly enjoyed painting (who knew it could be a pleasurable activity and not one where you felt worse at the end of it all). Abstract painting is really fun! Approaching my "art" (feel very presumptuous saying that, apologies) without expectation or judgement is a most incredible and freeing experience. One day I'll try again at the other stuff but for now this feels too good to stop.

Dolce & Gabbana

I think this might mark the first pure capital F fashion post on this blog since it's inception five years ago! Above are a handful of looks from the nauseatingly enchanting Renaissance inspired FW12 collection from Dolce and Gabbana. This collection has erupted in me the same emotional response that I remember having in highschool after seeing a Chanel presentation on Fashion TV (prompting me then to pick up a couple yards of tulle and start banging away on my mum's sewing machine for the first time). It has been that long since a show absolutely gutted me (Alexander McQueen shows aside). This is my favourite rooms of the Met and my textbook portraits of Tudor family members come to life. In my dreams where I have unlimited funds and skill this is what I sew for myself. This collection makes me want to cry and throw up.


See the whole glorious collection here.


Pictured with Jan Brueghel - Flowers in a Vase, Botticelli - Primavera, Quentyn Metsys - Elizabeth I & Nicholas Hilliard - Elizabeth I.


In other (related I think) news it is almost time again for The Borgias and Cesare's tight leather pants!

art presents?

Dear friends, see something you like? Contact LandonMetz@gmail.com for inquiries.

We've found ourselves in a bit of a pickle as we wait on unpaid invoices and would be eternally grateful if you were to consider making a home for Landon's art. These are the smallest pieces available (and therefore the most affordable) but if there is something that catches your eye on his site please don't hesitate to ask about it!

Thank you!

Marcel Dyf

The last painting has hung on our wall for the past three years and shamefully I only just recently discovered who was responsible for this favored flea market find (thanks Tumblr), Marcel Dyf. His paintings have such a perfect gracefulness that I find incredibly inspiring and I can't help but want to emulate the bouffant hairstyles of his model (wife, Claudine). Dreamy.

A new 8tracks mix for you :).

**I've had a lot of questions in emails regarding  the painting to the left. I think there are some rather real looking prints on canvas of this painting out and about in the world and folks seem to think that they have the original. While I would love to antiques roadshow your art collection I simply cannot as I'm not an authority on the matter! Though I will say it is highly unlikely that you've magically stumbled upon a Dyf original. Sorry, pals.