The Nightingale and the Rose, Oscar Wilde and Del Kathryn Barton

Imagine my excitement when I came across a beautifully illustrated edition of Oscar Wilde's tale "The Nightingale and the Rose"- illustrated by none other than the ridiculously talented Del Kathryn Barton 

Oh Oscar! your words are brought to life beautifully in song, art, audiobook and of course, trusted dusty dog-eared tomes of your beautiful prose

Here is a beautiful reading, for if you are pottering away...

What a wonderful idea come to life, Wilde's words with Barton's mind-blowing art.

Enjoy!

All pictures courtesy of Pinterest

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Late Bloomer (for the sky watchers)

I don't even really know if its self-righteous to claim the title of 'late bloomer' as I am still very young

(Single-handedly the most reassuring Wiki entry here)

There are days this collective emphasis on 'having it' and 'knowing what to do with your life' is maddening. Some of us just wake up each day and have no clue. Rather than a complacency thing, I see it as almost the opposite, almost paralysed with too much choice. Potential! The one word always thrown back at you when you're struggling

There are days where I feel myself breaking beneath all my 'potential' selves. The weight of this unrealised future gain is holding me back in the present, and a few other Idlers I have met in my travels. It becomes a trap rather than a release of pent up creativity. Comparison is the thief of joy, and the idealised future you could have is one that makes you feel like a loser in the now....

I don't want to be a sheep maaaaaaann!

But it is getting to that point in life where I have to pick something(s) and stick to them, otherwise they will pick me.

 As the saying goes "Let go or be dragged" some words to live by, I need to let go of this juvenile idea that I will be 'everything' I have planned.

BUT!

This post is for the "late bloomers" or as older generations always like to look down and say, the wasted youth.Why do older people always forget what its like to be young?

The future is equally thrilling and terrifying

We are simultaneously faceless yet working towards that golden mask of unrealised 'time' and 'gains' from 'merit' and 'hard work'. The championing of Liberalism frightens me. In order to believe that people worked hard to be at the top, that they 'deserve' to be there, means by default, the people at the bottom deserve to be there too, it is a dangerously simplistic dichotomy to say the least

In the end, this whole idea of ourselves enduring constantly and forever is a myth, we will most likely, just like the billions before us, be forgotten. And rather than that being a pessimist view, I find it comforting. Even if you're working or not has been turned into a moral currency, you're a good person if you work and contribute, and simply bad if you simply don't. 

I am currently going through a bigger than realised at first stage of Funemployment, no one has what I have to offer, but I must believe that one day someone out there will look at my life summed up on paper, and be interested, mustn't I? 

What a curious way to run the world

So it goes.

All pics from Tumblr, Pinterest, general searches.

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Geek Love by Katherine Dunn/ graphic novel

One of the best books ever written, would make for one of the greatest graphic novels ever, I will do this post on the off chance that someone comments/ messages me here on Paper Lantern and artists seriously interested in this endeavour can somehow get in touch with one another? It would make so many literary arty dreams come true?!

(Please note, this is meant as a massive fan post, I truly am delighted that so many artists have shared their works and interpretations of the characters and in return wish to display their work for more to see, if you are mentioned in this post and are worried about copyright infringement, please contact me via comments. ALL pictures have the artists site linked)

(above Laura Park, see below)

I put forth the idea (myself and many many many others) that Geek Love should be turned into a graphic novel. This would of course have to be in agreement with the book's wonderful author, Katherine Dunn who wrote this most brilliant of brilliant books over 25 years ago.

The characters and scenes are all depicted so well, and many artists have put forth their conceptions on their Deviant art accounts, Tumblrs and so forth.

above art by Laura Park her site is here

The above by Deviant art user Jandruff, link here

The above by Brandon Zimmerman link here

This wonderful watercolour creation, I cannot find the original artists name or site, believe me I've tried, please id you know this, link below

another Jandruff as above

modern-replica Deviant art link here

Here is AvatarRutger art based on the story too

It truly has the potential to be a great graphic novel style mix up, like the Sandman series, a combination of artists' work.

I have had these pictures saved on my computer for years and wanted to do a post hoping to probe the waters to see if there is anyone on the worldwideweb who would love to see this dream become a reality!

All pics credited as above

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Iron Giant/ Groot

THANKS VIN DIESEL FOR PORTRAYING HEART WRENCHING CHARACTERS, I get that they both have regenerative powers, but that's not the point!

The Iron Giant and Groot are two of the best characters in films this side of the millennium, both voiced by everyone's favourite speed demon

but WHY! I mean, i get it, they're both back, as evidenced by Groot's dancing:

But so many sads!

All pics from Tumblr

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Flights of Fancy

If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.

Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Took those above photos on Stradbroke Island Christmas 2013, the colours still do it no justice, it's incredibly beautiful.

Metallic bugs come to greet you 

Been reading so much, for uni and for escape from uni times

The Lunar New Year festival in Lyneham had really great food and a wonderful atmosphere. Canberra does have a lot happening, you just have to know where to look!

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Theo Fennell master works book rings

Wizard of Oz

Narnia wardrobe, above and below

Peter Pan

Story of Adam and Eve

Link to master works here

Tiny draw bridge for tiny invaders!

Literary themed jewellery will always win in the end

All pics from here

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Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry

After reading about this illuminated manuscript many moons ago, through one of the finest works of the writer Tom Hodgkinson (editor of The Idler magazine), following his analysis of medieval life with this manuscript with its inner calendar, I had to find it!

I hope the pictures speak for how amazing it is as a piece in its own right, but also considering it was created sometime between 1412- 1416, it's stunning!

Anatomical Zodiac man (what a great name for a band that would be!)

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Each month tells its own story of medieval life, what a gem!

All pictures from the wikipedia entry about it, free for use in public domain ;)

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