On the occasion of his eightieth birthday...

"White. A blank page or canvas. His favorite. So many possibilities."


Happy Birthday, Mr. Sondheim.  "Just keep moving on."

The return of the native...

I suppose if I'm terribly lucky, at least one intrepid individual is out there reading this. Because as you, oh lonely reader, know all too well, I have been neglecting this space for some time now.  In favor of?  Well...  Attending to my life. Examining my life. Probably too much, but I'm a chronic ruminator and it's my way....   And so, emerging from a month of obsessing about moral courage in light of the tragedy in Haiti and the death of Howard Zinn, of not being able to figure out for the life of me how to work full-time, be a mother to a young girl, and have any shred of a personal life (simultaneously), and with the realization that I have more interests and longings than one life can possibly hold; I'll edge my way back into this space with a small list of discoveries and a smattering of thoughts. The pile on the table...so to speak (see above.  I'm sure all my dearest intimates can find the secret message in the photo...).

Re Haiti:  Incredibly grateful for this post by Natalie Chanin that spoke to my own feelings of impotence in the face of such overwhelming need, and for introducing all her readers to the work and spirit of the extraordinary Alison Thompson, who is, truly, the epitome of moral courage.  Updates from Alison from Haiti here.


On those days when winter seems too long and reality too harsh, a few fantasies to deliver us...

The Fantasy Retreat.  Either a quick fling. Or true love .

The Fantasy of the Perfect Childhood.  I can't read a word of it, but now I know that Russia must be fairyland. Let's dance.

And finally, a reliable harbinger of increasing temperatures....The Fantasy Man.  Hmmm...let's see.  How about Sam Shepard in "Days of Heaven" circa 1978?

I feel warmer already...

Beautiful and honorable...

 

I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude when I'm in the presence of work that reminds me to honor what is both significant and intangible:  gift, vision, rigor.....ethics, grace, effort.  The top image is the brilliant work of Manon Gignoux, and below is "Epigram" by Paul Villinski (via Morgan Lehman Gallery).  I began with such beauty to put a bit of a cushion between you, dear reader, and what is about to be a bit of a rant.  And though blogs are supposed to be bastions of positivity and "keeping up appearances",  I have to get this one off my chest.  It's January, and in spite of our collective holiday hangovers, we are admonished to take part in the yearly ritual of the "SALE!"  The phenomenon where the consumer and the retailer do the stand-off dance for the sake of acquisition and clearing out, respectively.  And it's great when someone is able to purchase something they love that would otherwise be out of their financial reach.  What I dislke about the whole thing (here comes the rant part), is that it perpetuates the idea that price should be our sole consideration.  The American consumer is so obsessed with the idea of the "bargain", that the real cost of that bargain is mostly forgotten.  (see this, this, and this...)  Yes, as any friend of mine would confirm, one of the quickest ways to get me going is to utter the dreaded phrase "made in China" or something truly oxymoronic like "Rodarte for Target".  What is sold as "accessibility" is actually faux populism for the sake of corporate profits.  Consumer choices based on principles need to be applauded, not reviled as "elitist". 

There. I feel so much better now.  Thank you for your patience...

What, then, to celebrate?  I'd certainly start with all the lovely people whose creations I love, both the names to the right and the many, many other designer/makers who engage in thoughtful, timeless work. 

The unique.  The skillful.  Beauty that takes your breath away.  (this installation by Emily Ann Nachison has been astounding me for days...)  The poetry of a Japanese blog.

And tomorrow, maybe we should all be a little bit crazy and cause a scene.

As we prepare for renewal and rebirth...

And gaze into the future...

I must first look back over the year gone by and thank each friend, customer, reader of "chelliswilson." for the warmth, encouragement, and approbation you've given my fledgling enterprise.  The camaraderie and connection have been such a source of nourishment.  I need to label 2009 as "The Year of Encountering Incredible People".   And so, as a small token of thanks, I'm having a private sale for all my beloved "regulars", blog readers, and Twitter followers.  For the week (January 5th-12th), when you use the code "FRIENDS25" online or come in or call and mention that you saw the blog post about the private sale for friends, you'll receive 25% off on any purchase!  I love you all!

In my fantasies...

On this Maine winter day, my dreams are all about warmth...

I'd buy a beautiful dress at 818 South Broadway, 12th Floor...I'd have five courses here...I'd listen to this...brilliant, oh so special, and warm.  Yes, Los Angeles is looking pretty good to me today.

Re: 818   My fantasy installation just happens to have been created by Christina Kim in Bologna in 2008.

 

And my video fantasy (for Maria Mastori & Filep Motwary Collection F/W '09*10), so atmospheric and luscious...

Tell me your art fantasies!

Merry and bright...

Hope you had a lovely day, too....

Seeking artists/curators!!  Inviting proposals for future exhibits at "chelliswilson."  I'm open to a wide range of ideas, so if you've enjoyed what you've seen here so far and have a great concept, please drop me a line!  

Forward thinking...

Yes, I know I'm getting ahead of myself but, for me, 2009 was a year of absolute change---in work, in location, in worldview.  Much of that was gratifying and enlivening, other realities were unsettling at best.  And so, I'm eager to press onward to 2010.  In which I've decided to embrace authenticity, transparency, and the full-throttle search for my own creatively engaged tribe.  And, while "chelliswilson." is already operating on the concept of celebrating honorable provenance and the beautifully crafted object,  I'm more committed than ever to use this venue to explore these ideas more fully through art and events.  I thrive on ideas and exchanging ideas with other like-minded souls.  On the surface of things, I suppose I would be categorized as the "shopkeeper".   But as so many brilliantly creative endeavors have proven (Portland's own "Rogues Gallery" being a stellar example), a truly great brand is, at its core, an extension of the worldview of its creators.  Besides, the title "cultural explorer" is much more fun....

What's been inspiring me...

I have a concept for a video piece about the "chelliswilson." that would feature a local fairytale beauty with an edge named K. (if you're reading this, you know who you are...)   What kicked these thoughts into gear was this.  A campaign that's truly moving. (Walt Whitman!)  So fresh and strong.  I'd love to hear from interested filmmakers...

These performances, coming in January to Whitney Art Works here in Portland.  This is the sort of thing I absolutely love...

"What Matters Now", "the work of more than 60 people with big ideas and something to say".

The reminder that compassion is more important than anything else.

The creative process of two of my heroines.

The fully realized example of Rogues alumni, Jay Carroll, that with enough imagination, chutzpah, intelligence, and hard work, life on one's own terms is truly possible.  In the "board" section of his blog, I found the following, my credo for the year to come: