June/July '09
The Quilted Garden - Jane Sassaman
I had seen a couple of samples of Sassaman's work in the book Masters Art Quilts. Coming from a strong graphic design background, Sassaman's works are unlike any quilts I have ever seen. The designs are strong and bold, rarely using more than the smallest of patterns in the fabric. Nor are there any of the traditional patterns or maudlin, saccharine themes so commonly seen in quilt art. Sassaman incorporates weed leaves, writhing vines, jagged spikes and more into her nature-inspired quilts. Check out her site for the book, her line of Prairie Gothic fabric and a portfolio of her amazing work.
Pheromone - Christopher Marley
On our honeymoon last year we stopped by the gallery in Prairie Edge Art Gallerie in South Dakota. A few of Marley's insect pieces were on display and we were fascinated. Each piece is a small collection of real, exotic insects. Pheromone shows many of his pieces, along with some additional macro-photography. Often the insects are laid out into a pattern to show wing color gradation or sizing. Other images are show incredibly sharp and clear close-ups of insects so oddly constructed they don't seem real. All the images are stunning. While Pheromone focuses solely on Marley's insect work, his online portfolio also contains minerals, sea-life, plants and more. Gorgeous stuff.
Murder at Graverly Manor - Daniel Edward Craig
By far the best mystery I've read in months, Murder at Gravely Manor is creepy and gripping. Former hotel manager Trevor Lambert decides that his life-long ambition is to own a B&B, despite never having mentioned this ambition previously. When he finds that he eccentric Lady Gravely is going to sell her historic B&B, perhaps at a steal, he enters into a bizarre month of training. Lady Graverly careens from one personality pole to the other. At times she dotes on Lambert - at other times threatens and berates him. The rest of the staff leave, one after the other, leaving Lambert alone with a women he is increasingly sure committed a murder 40 years previously. Gothic, dark and wonderful.
Little People in the City - Slinkachu
Artist Slinkachu sets up teeny-tiny dioramas of teeny-tiny people doing naughty things throughout London. Using the surrounding "big people world" his minute people interact with their sets as though their size is perfectly normal. Amazing and devious.
The Baker Street Letters - Michael Robertson
The premise of The Baker Street Letters is probably the best part of the book. Lawyer Reggie Heath rents the offices at 221B Baker Street. As part of his contract, all letters sent care of Sherlock Holmes are to be answered by a member of his staff. A letter sent by a little girl 20 years previously sparks a murder, Heath's brother goes missing and he must leave his comfortable little world to head into the underbelly of L.A. A moderately good read with a rather weak ending. Still, the premise does hold through most of the book.