I’ll be honest, this month was a bit weird because I spent the back half either avoiding leaving my house due to wildfire smoke or being sick.
Works in Progress
Album: Emotions Archive
I have a producer! Earlier this month I messaged my dear friend Tonie about producing this album and we’ve signed a contract for the first four songs (building in a break in case I need more time to figure out financials or track list). We’ve already started production on the first two and I’m really excited about where they’re heading.
I’ve also begun working on art direction for the album because I just can’t help myself. A snippet of moodboard for you:
Finished Work
Block Prints for NYC Charity Turtle Race
Another year, another turtle race! I carved a few new blocks for a blockprinting workshop I ran during race day. It was fun carving some fruit-themed blocks to go with the poster that I had designed and I love seeing how people use them day-of!
Film Photography
I got another roll of film developed! I think these photos turned out better than the first batch overall and I’m getting a hang of the camera.
What’s Feeding my Brain
Watching
Paprika, Satoshi Kon
This movie has been on my list since watching Perfect Blue in my college film class and boy was it everything I dreamed it would be. Trippy, beautiful art, and a blurring of dreams and reality that makes a rewatch mandatory to fully process it.
The Lost Boys, Joel Schumacher
Oh to wear a leather jacket and ride a motorcycle and immediately be recruited into a vampire motorcycle gang. This movie was fun with a satisfying ending and great aesthetic.
Bottle Rocket, Wes Anderson
It was super interesting watching Wes Anderson’s first film, where he didn’t have the same budget and his signature auteur style was just beginning. I love thinking about how creative people come to be who they are so it was fun to get the tiniest glimpse into an earlier Wes.
Reading
The Double, Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Finally finished this one! If I’m totally honest this book got a bit difficult to read, especially when I was tired (which was and is frequently), largely because of the increasing amounts of somewhat incoherent rambles that the main character goes on as his mental health deteriorates. But overall I did think it was a good read and worth reading.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, Gabrielle Zevin
I’ve of course decided to switch gears to something more contemporary after reading a classic. This one is supposedly being adapted into a movie, and I enjoyed the read overall.
Listening
Garden Voices, Jasmine Jang
My friend Jasmine recently released an album! Technically it had only been released for about a day in the month of July but I listened to it all the way through twice on release day, and once at her listening party, so I’m counting it. This album is beautiful and introspective: favorite tracks include “More than Ripe,” “Keep on Saying Goodbye,” and “Missed Your Birthday.”
Coming up
August is going to be an absolute doozy! I’ll be participating in a 48 hour film competition, throwing a birthday party for my girlfriend, and meeting/working with my producer in person! I’m also anticipating really getting started on some of the artwork for my album!
Tuna Tax
As always, a pic of my cat for making it through.
love that film photo of the flowers! and excited for the new music!!