a mata ortiz peacock

Beautiful handmade art is the topic for today. This pot is from the small village of Mata Ortiz, Mexico. A dear friend of mine gave it to me after a long journey, so not only is it aesthetically pleasing but it also holds a special place in my heart. It was molded by a woman named Virginia Baca and painted by her husband Salvador Baca. It's hard to believe that this is a pinch pot (not spun on a wheel) as it is incredibly even and thin. I love the juxtaposition of the matte black and the glossy black to create these geometric designs. 
This pot is more than a pot or a piece of art. It represents the life, culture, and tradition of the 
Mata Ortiz people. Their struggles and triumphs, happiness and saddness, and prosperity and poverty can be seen through their intricate designs and unique techniques. So as the world continues to turn and art is unceasingly created, we must constantly appreciate the work of others and also create for ourselves.
On a lighter note, I believe now is a good time to admit that I have a serious fear of birds. No, I am not kidding. Yes, they terrify me. Which means feathers terrify me and quite frankly gross me out. But, the way this peacock feather adds a element of cool colors in the most delicate way made me set my fears aside. 

Some food for thought- "I have no special talent, I am only passionately curious" Albert Einstein

"I could stay with you forever and never realize the time"

sunglasses ray-ban, top zara, gold necklace r.j. graziano, jade necklace gifted, jeans j brand, bag vintage, chanel, shoes j. crew

I've seen love go by my door

It's never been this close before

Never been so easy or so slow

I've been shooting in the dark too long

When something's not right it's wrong

You're gonna make me lonesome when you go

...

Flowers on the hillside bloomin' crazy

Crickets talkin' back and forth in rhyme

Blue river runnin' slow and lazy

I could stay with you forever and never realize the time

You're Gonna Make me Lonesome When You Go- Bob Dylan

Blood on the Tracks, 1975

LA film festival 2012

necklace r.j. graziano, top frenchi , blazer j.crew

The LA film festival featured a documentary titled "The Big Easy Express". It followed a tour via train from San Francisco to New Orleans with Mumford and Sons, Old Crow Medicine Show, and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. Needless to say the music was amazing. This is what touring is all about- no sleep, no showers, and music all night long. It's the joy and pain, disappointment and relief, and the love and anger that continuously inspires the music and keeps these groups going. Quite simply for these artists, it's all about the music, and that was a breath of fresh air.  

"be the woman you want to be"

necklace r.j. graziano, top odille, bag nanette lepore, trousers american apparel, shoes DVF, sunglasses DVF

There's nothing like a great pair of heels to brighten up your day and your outfit. Leave it to Diane Von Furstenberg to create a killer pair to do just that. Her quote that has graced her recent ad campaigns, "Be the woman you want to be" simply celebrates the joy of being a woman. 

We make countless excuses in life, that we don't have the time, money, or resources to do all the things we'd like to do. If the circumstances were different then maybe, but for now it is what it is. But life isn't about waiting and wishing, it's about planning and doing. 

This easily applies to our closets too. Any garment is simply cloth and thread. But it has the power to change your persona; it can make you feel powerful and sexy or self conscious and insecure. Don't stay fixated on what you wish you had but work with what you have and build from there. 

So wear  what you want and wear it well. Be who you want to be and let your clothes and your confidence portray that. 

"It's never to late to be who you might have been"  - George Eliot