silhouette [ˌsɪluːˈɛt]
So, I was going through my blog’s draft files on WordPress the other day and came upon this 1/2 finished post.
(one of 99 no less, speaking of Short Attention Span Theatre :-()
I’d been inspired by a shot I’d taken of my older son’s girlfriend cooking in our Sun Valley kitchen last winter.
With the light behind her and the sharp angle of her pretty hair, I was reminded of those old fashioned silhouettes.
A hundred years ago, you’d have been hard-pressed to find a home that didn’t have a silhouette or two hanging on the wall.
jenny lee fowler
They were insanely popular the world over, from the grand salons of France to ‘Little House on the Prairie’ cabins across America.
I remember making silhouettes in art class back in elementary school and having my own silhouette done at a fair…
Don’t you?!
Linen napkin image via Remodelista
of course once I started writing the post I began to see images of silhouettes everywhere.
Was it just that my radar was up, or were they enjoying a revival?
Someone once showed me how to take a photographic silhouette with the settings on my camera. Unfortunately I neither practiced nor wrote the settings down, so that info’s gone….poooof!
I googled it, but most internet directions involve using ‘Photoshop’ after the fact.
and there’s another thing I’ll never learn.
How do you do get the light at the front and dark right behind it??
via here
or this effect?
Marie Antoinette silhouette via Janelle McCullogh’s “Paris” book
slim paley photo
Restoration Hardware
perhaps they are having a bit of a renaissance.
This image via Graham Moss is a nice example of how silhouettes can be used to ’modern’ effect.
Jenny Lee Fowler
Indeed, they have changed with the times.
Contemporary artist Kara Walker turns the traditional concept of ‘Silhouettes’ on its head with her cut-paper images that critically address gender, sexuality, race and power within an antebellum tableau.
Kara Walker
Passers-by in the Raval, Barcelona by geoffbcn on Flickr
Slim Paley photo
More recently, I caught our young sweethearts in another fun moment at the Chicago Museum of Modern Art.
*Note; a few days later my son cut off a full foot of his hair to donate, so I’m happy to have this ‘vintage’ silhouette.
The moustache…I’m still working on. 
Slim Paley photo
an almost comical silhouette warns of pickpocketing on the streets of Portugal
Last month, the NYC Police vandal squad were busy searching for the elusive British artist Banksy, who’d promised to unveil an installation a day during his month long ‘residency’ in NYC.
Mayor Bloomberg was not amused.
with perfect irony, Banksy’s work of art was tagged right after it was finished…what’s good for the goose…
supporters of Banksy supposedly removed the graffiti.
The question (which arose once before on my “Graffiti” post) as to whether these clandestine installations, both on public and private property, constitute ‘Art’ or not is an interesting one.
Though I appreciate arguments on both sides of the aisle, I found myself chuckling at this comment left on one site;
Unfortunately (actually, he probably doesn’t give a toss as it only brought him more publicity) Banksy lost many supporters after he harshly criticized the design of the new World Trade Center.
and usually the British have such good manners!
photo by Ara Guler
Slim Paley photo
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I’m still rather chuffed with the Instagram ‘silhouette’ I took in Utah a few months back.
It’s always all about the light, isn’t it?!
~
Leaf silhouettes via Jenny Lee Fowler
Blast from the Past: PHySicAl GrafFiTi
all other uncredited photos via Flickr or Pinterest
Prawns on fluoro ice.
Happily ensconced in my lovely hotel in NY, all travel turmoils forgotten (as you just read, haha) I was happy to hit the ground running.
Speaking of peeling…a wall down by my son’s neck of the woods reminds that “Art” is always in the eye of the beholder
Not sure if it was the heat, but I also decided to chop off my long hair. I will probably cut a few more layers still, but I was nervous to do anything too drastic all at once.
There were a lot of these going on already, but I was more in the mood for walking than shopping.
That being said, I did drop into Barney’s shoe department which was like a hill of fire ants. I feared for my life. Not enough to leave mind you, but I was mighty scared just the same. Aside from the predominance of fluorescents, yes, still (upcoming post) I’m guessing there’s going to be a lot of brogues, saddle shoes, and flats in the coming months. Adorable if you can carry them off. I saw Muiccia Prada in person recently and she was wearing a knee-length gingham dress, ankle socks and saddle-y brogues. Of course she is Muiccia Prada, worth 7 billion dollars due to her fashion sense and was on the cover of the NY Times Style magazine last weekend, but as much as I appreciate her iconoclasm, I have too strong a fear of looking like Betty Davis in “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane” to attempt this look at my age.
One day, the designated meeting point with my son was at ABC Carpet down on 17th. Truthfully, I could have spent the day in there, but the weather was so divine it would have been sinful (and my son would have killed me) so we walked around downtown all day instead. Such great people/dog/window watching there, especially on hot days.
You may read more about Lotus Land in one of my older posts 
”Art” once again, in the eye of the beholder.
“Cecil Brunner” climber outside my office window this week.
I’m totally in love with the look of these photo books you can create at 
Then…
Cameos & tats, who’da thunk it?!
Italian Vogue
Arizona Muse via Vogue China
They even customize. A loved one, or perhaps a favourite pet, or just beautiful initials.
Both images via Amedeo
These are not your Grannie’s cameos
BTW, shouldn’t the Dowager have a cameo on her collar?!
A most beautiful head in the Palace of Versailles
and the most beautiful head in movies. No contest.
right??
Rugs by 
via The Libertine magazine
Tumblr
Lanvin
Lanvin
credit unknown
and make sure to have fun with it.
