My favorite Christmas art is when the USSR brought Santa out of retirement to mock the US about losing the space race. Santa was depicted delivering Christmas world wide on Soviet spaceships
That last painting looks like a scene out of John Carpenter's The Fog. Very haunting. The second one, the Christmas tree with the open door, feels more inviting and warm. Overall, pretty cool collection. Thanks for sharing!
Hey Chuck, did you see the questions I asked about definitive text editions on the recent ‘Greener Pastures’ post? If not, I could copy and paste the question here, if you wouldn’t mind.
I’m gonna wait till the 2024 release as I’ll consider that to be the “definitive version”.
Speaking of definitive versions, do you consider the Remix version of “Invisible Monsters” to be the definitive version of that book, Chuck? It’s the only book of yours I haven’t read/don’t own.
P. S. Chuck, you know how the titles of your first two book are oxymorons and this changed with ‘Survivor’ -- which was originally going to be called ‘Natural Disasters’, if I recall correctly -- would you mind sharing what the oxymoronic titles would have been for your subsequent books? Thank you.
Hmmmm... Survivor was going to be "Unnatural Disasters." Diary is a cycle story so it was going to be called "Period Revival." That's when I gave up.
And, yes, the Remix is the actual way the book was written. With "American Gods" Gaiman brought out an "author's preferred text" edition. That term became the marketing language for these original versions. Monica Drake read the first version of Monsters, wherein the reader had to "jump" physically from specific chapter to chapter, like in the novel "Hopscotch." I'd meant to echo how magazines will "jump" parts of a long story to the back pages -- forcing the reader to skim advertising in order to complete reading. That's the physical aspect of Vogue I wanted to recreate. Upon reading it, Monica said, "No reader is going to want to work that hard."
Now if only I could accurately recall things that would be of some tangible, financial benefit to my life like the way I remember anecdotes and otherwise random information like such -- I’d be set, man.
The POV is mainly of someone standing outside a house, looking in through the woods, dark windows on some of the houses. The lurking figures in the shadows turn out to be the silhouettes of bushes. The houses with lights inside don’t have presents or pairs of shoes. The Christmas tree and colorful lights are warm but shine against a mainly monochrome pallet. Lonely in color but rich in tone. The POV is alone on a holiday where people get together.
The paintings feel the way loneliness does. But loneliness who’s appreciating nature. The shadows and light are cozy and lovely, against the loneliness of the color and point of view.
It reminds me of Thomas Kinkade paintings, but minus the flowers and comforting firelight and smoking chimneys. "Shelter porn" magazines like Architectural Digest show the rooms unoccupied so we can project ourselves into each setting. But this "outsider" POV -- through windows, from a wintery distance -- seems voyeuristic. Still, I like it.
Yes, “-minus the flowers.” I like them too, haunting in a nice way. The paintings remind me of Leegan Koo’s work from Bellingham. He paints a similar style of calm winter scenes but adds Jack in the Box heads to the paintings. http://www.leeganart.com/burning
I like them, but I think Christmas lights and scenes always look a bit sinister when there is no human there. I suppose it makes your brain think 'why are they on?' 'who put them on?' 'who left them on?' The answers you naturally form are sinister.
Happy Christmas! Thanks for another good year here. Not been posting as much as I'd like but always reading and trying to take in all the lessons and information. Hope everyone is doing great.
People's perspectives are such a cool thing. I can see different angles/reasons/stories/explanations.
Yes - the POV from within the woods is a little stalkerish (from their POV), but I *also* see the houses' lights as inviting and pleasant for strangers - for lonely & wayward stragglers - to encounter.
Then again - these lights could be lure/enticement/bait for people to approach, thinking they're about to meet with benevolent homeowners when the opposite is true!
Y’all need kids. Nostalgia is all I see. Past few years we’ve rented a cabin in Prescott AZ. Our two boys (7&10) have a blast playing in the snow with their cousins. S’mores by the fire. Headed there tomorrow! Feliz Navidad 🎄
These feel cold and sad. It can be about how feasts such as Christmas offer bit of warmth in the cold, but it seems that it's the pov of someone who is as lonely as that christams tree in the 2nd painting. Wouldn't say a creep/intruder, it reminded me of that scene where Di Caprio broke out of a French prison in Catch me If You Can, and sat outside the window of a house during Christmas, lonely and sad. Wishing to belong.
I love these works. You can look at them and see mystery, which can be seen both as cozy as well as sinister. As they appear very natural and common, I initially see the former, but dig how they can be construed to be dark and possibly scary.
They are reminiscent of the Hansel and Gretel gingerbread/candy house. Middle of the woods. Enticing. Further, we are used to colored lights being the most in-focus part of any visual scene. Here, they are distorted which creates tension.
These (especially the last one) make me feel like a stalker. What is the viewer doing in the woods (or in any of these spots?) Are the headlights those of my accomplice, or the unsuspecting family coming home from some holiday party? Either way, ominous indeed.
Haha love these. I saw on Reddit a while ago someone asking what they think of people with a bunch of Christmas decorations in their yard, such as those inflatable blowups. The top comment was that they think these people have too much money and are a giant sign for home burglars saying “please rob me”...
Merry Christmas, Chuck, and everyone on the this substack. I received 'Bait' and 'Legacy' this year and blown away by how gorgeous they are. Fantastic concept.
These are bleak. Recalls Edward Hopper and his Nighthawks, but at least those figures had each other. In any of these homes an axe murderer could have been weaned…
https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2022/12/jeremy-miranda-holiday-paintings/
That works better as a link-link...
A total dreamland-vibe. I dig it
Merry Christmas Chuck!
The last one, with the green lights, you get the feeling you wouldn’t want to be there at midnight.
Reminds me a lot of these types of opals I've been looking at lately. Boulder opal. You have dark fossilized wood with colorful opal growth in the rings. I'm a sucker for this type of design! https://www.zmescience.com/other/geopicture/geopicture-of-the-week-tree-fossil-with-opal-growth-rings/ and https://www.opalauctions.com/auctions/165ct-23x16mm-yowah-boulder-opal-lob-2678-782771?epik=dj0yJnU9MWYySVM1NTZCclJPMW1Rb0hzSWhmUk9zX2wyYVZnSzgmcD0wJm49OWNZQ0pvckU5eWxPR3BiN3BXNUFudyZ0PUFBQUFBR09vdUsw
They all look like they are painted from the perspective of a stalker / intruder. Creepy.
Yeah...it's like trespassing.
Looks like I need to file a restraining order against Vincent Van Gogh lol
Yes, that nails it. Completely.
Like a person alone on Christmas who wanders and watches others have a good time.
The first and fifth remind me of Kingston
Right?
My favorite Christmas art is when the USSR brought Santa out of retirement to mock the US about losing the space race. Santa was depicted delivering Christmas world wide on Soviet spaceships
https://hyperallergic.com/476788/vintage-soviet-santa-postcards-were-propaganda-for-the-space-race/
I find them atmospheric. Although, now that it's in my head, a little Evil Deadish
That last painting looks like a scene out of John Carpenter's The Fog. Very haunting. The second one, the Christmas tree with the open door, feels more inviting and warm. Overall, pretty cool collection. Thanks for sharing!
The dark blue cold lighting in these paintings, combined with the snow, has me thinking of John Carpenter’s ‘The Thing’. Very festive!
I defy anyone to look me in the eye and tell me that Michael Myers wouldn’t look right at home if he was painted in the background of one the pieces.
Hey Chuck, did you see the questions I asked about definitive text editions on the recent ‘Greener Pastures’ post? If not, I could copy and paste the question here, if you wouldn’t mind.
Sure. I've not seen it. Post it here.
Thanks. Here’s the question(s):
I’m gonna wait till the 2024 release as I’ll consider that to be the “definitive version”.
Speaking of definitive versions, do you consider the Remix version of “Invisible Monsters” to be the definitive version of that book, Chuck? It’s the only book of yours I haven’t read/don’t own.
P. S. Chuck, you know how the titles of your first two book are oxymorons and this changed with ‘Survivor’ -- which was originally going to be called ‘Natural Disasters’, if I recall correctly -- would you mind sharing what the oxymoronic titles would have been for your subsequent books? Thank you.
Hmmmm... Survivor was going to be "Unnatural Disasters." Diary is a cycle story so it was going to be called "Period Revival." That's when I gave up.
And, yes, the Remix is the actual way the book was written. With "American Gods" Gaiman brought out an "author's preferred text" edition. That term became the marketing language for these original versions. Monica Drake read the first version of Monsters, wherein the reader had to "jump" physically from specific chapter to chapter, like in the novel "Hopscotch." I'd meant to echo how magazines will "jump" parts of a long story to the back pages -- forcing the reader to skim advertising in order to complete reading. That's the physical aspect of Vogue I wanted to recreate. Upon reading it, Monica said, "No reader is going to want to work that hard."
Gave up? Didn’t Irvine Welsh having one word title books that were popular have something to do with it? Could of swore I heard that somewhere.
And thanks for the confirmation! I’ll now seek out and get my hands on Remix.
Yes, that's the case. My editor, Gerry Howard, liked how the Welsh books were branded with one-word titles, and he wanted to copy that effect.
Now if only I could accurately recall things that would be of some tangible, financial benefit to my life like the way I remember anecdotes and otherwise random information like such -- I’d be set, man.
Do one-word titles have a different effect on potential buyers/readers than two-worded titles?
The POV is mainly of someone standing outside a house, looking in through the woods, dark windows on some of the houses. The lurking figures in the shadows turn out to be the silhouettes of bushes. The houses with lights inside don’t have presents or pairs of shoes. The Christmas tree and colorful lights are warm but shine against a mainly monochrome pallet. Lonely in color but rich in tone. The POV is alone on a holiday where people get together.
The paintings feel the way loneliness does. But loneliness who’s appreciating nature. The shadows and light are cozy and lovely, against the loneliness of the color and point of view.
It reminds me of Thomas Kinkade paintings, but minus the flowers and comforting firelight and smoking chimneys. "Shelter porn" magazines like Architectural Digest show the rooms unoccupied so we can project ourselves into each setting. But this "outsider" POV -- through windows, from a wintery distance -- seems voyeuristic. Still, I like it.
Uncomfortable kitsch
Yes, “-minus the flowers.” I like them too, haunting in a nice way. The paintings remind me of Leegan Koo’s work from Bellingham. He paints a similar style of calm winter scenes but adds Jack in the Box heads to the paintings. http://www.leeganart.com/burning
I like them, but I think Christmas lights and scenes always look a bit sinister when there is no human there. I suppose it makes your brain think 'why are they on?' 'who put them on?' 'who left them on?' The answers you naturally form are sinister.
Happy Christmas! Thanks for another good year here. Not been posting as much as I'd like but always reading and trying to take in all the lessons and information. Hope everyone is doing great.
People's perspectives are such a cool thing. I can see different angles/reasons/stories/explanations.
Yes - the POV from within the woods is a little stalkerish (from their POV), but I *also* see the houses' lights as inviting and pleasant for strangers - for lonely & wayward stragglers - to encounter.
Then again - these lights could be lure/enticement/bait for people to approach, thinking they're about to meet with benevolent homeowners when the opposite is true!
Y’all need kids. Nostalgia is all I see. Past few years we’ve rented a cabin in Prescott AZ. Our two boys (7&10) have a blast playing in the snow with their cousins. S’mores by the fire. Headed there tomorrow! Feliz Navidad 🎄
Merry Christmas!
They’re eerie, but in a beautiful way. Reminds me of Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.
These feel cold and sad. It can be about how feasts such as Christmas offer bit of warmth in the cold, but it seems that it's the pov of someone who is as lonely as that christams tree in the 2nd painting. Wouldn't say a creep/intruder, it reminded me of that scene where Di Caprio broke out of a French prison in Catch me If You Can, and sat outside the window of a house during Christmas, lonely and sad. Wishing to belong.
Chuck thinks those images are scary, please
Individually they wouldn’t seem eerie, but as a collection they do because the perspective always stays outside, removed, looking in.
I love these works. You can look at them and see mystery, which can be seen both as cozy as well as sinister. As they appear very natural and common, I initially see the former, but dig how they can be construed to be dark and possibly scary.
The second picture feels like it’s trapped in resin because of the shine off the floor
They look like if someone recreated via painting, crime scene photos but opted to leave out the gore. Creepy, stoic, functional. I love them.
creepy with a little hope thrown in.
Oh, I love them! 😻
They are reminiscent of the Hansel and Gretel gingerbread/candy house. Middle of the woods. Enticing. Further, we are used to colored lights being the most in-focus part of any visual scene. Here, they are distorted which creates tension.
These (especially the last one) make me feel like a stalker. What is the viewer doing in the woods (or in any of these spots?) Are the headlights those of my accomplice, or the unsuspecting family coming home from some holiday party? Either way, ominous indeed.
They're wonderfully creepy and cozy, warm and cold
Haha love these. I saw on Reddit a while ago someone asking what they think of people with a bunch of Christmas decorations in their yard, such as those inflatable blowups. The top comment was that they think these people have too much money and are a giant sign for home burglars saying “please rob me”...
Merry Christmas, Chuck, and everyone on the this substack. I received 'Bait' and 'Legacy' this year and blown away by how gorgeous they are. Fantastic concept.
These are bleak. Recalls Edward Hopper and his Nighthawks, but at least those figures had each other. In any of these homes an axe murderer could have been weaned…
For me the feeling changes based on what I choose to project onto the paintings.
Holy shit these are scary AS HELL. Like Friday the 13th Christmas shots.
The are no people in the houses. What we are seeing is a crime scene being documented.
Sinister