...Becca Levy

http://www.caring.com/interviews/interview-with-becca-levy-about-her-study-of-television-exposure

Becca Levy speaks about the demoralizing effects of belittling speech and pedantic treatment specifically in elderly populations. The way elderly people are viewed in our culture affects the way elderly people view themselves, which affects their self-esteem, feelings of competence, mental decline and lifespan.

I imagine belittling behavior affects all age groups the same way, though--to different extents.

Becca rocks not only because she thought to study and publicize this problem... but also because of her positive, solution-oriented way of talking about it and her own honestly about her past experience in elder care. She focuses on finding ways to empower people, and offers solutions for people who still want to use "sweetie" and other potentially belittling terms of endearment.

Good heart.

Henri Nouwen

“For as long as you can remember, you have been a pleaser, depending on others to give you an identity. You need not look at that only in a negative way. You wanted to give your heart to others, and you did so quickly and easily. But now you are being asked to let go of all these self-made props and trust that God is enough for you. You must... reclaim your identity as a free self.”

Seymour Chwast's style. He knows how to play.

http://www.aiga.org/medalist-seymourchwast/

His strength is not in rendering, like so many of the “sentimentalists” before him, but in concept and design. A beguiling sense of humor underpins his illustration, and a keen understanding of traditional design governs his method. Chwast and his Push Pin colleagues helped reintroduce the long divorced principles of illustration and design. Moreover, he helped formulate a new graphic lexicon based on knowledge, appreciation and reapplication of past styles and forms—one that has had long term effects on graphic design.

Born in 1931 in The Bronx, New York, Chwast began drawing in earnest at the age of seven, and soon attended WPA-sponsored art classes. He became profoundly aware of the difference between museum and street art and seemed to instinctively prefer the allure of billboards and advertisements to Picassos and Mondrians. Influenced by Walt Disney, the Sunday funnies and serial movies, he gave life to his own cartoon heroes, including “Jim Lightning” and “Lucky Day.” His family moved to Coney Island, where he was enrolled in Abraham Lincoln High School. On the outside this was an ordinary New York City public school, but inside it was a hotbed of graphic design education.

Okay, so carrying on the theme of grieving widowers...

I have massive new respect for Marc Chagall. His writer wife was his principal muse, and after her death, he spent years illustrating her journals in his grief. For some reason I don't expect a famous artist to be in love with his own wife. It's desperately romantic.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/art-news/8514208/Unseen-works-by-Marc-Chagall-reveal-artists-enduring-love-affair.html

Someday I shall virtually sculpt WORLDS. And stories. Epic ones.

http://www.maxon.net/en/home.html

Reading the scripts of favorite movies.

This particular one is for The Princess Bride... but there's plenty more where it came from. :D

http://fringe.davesource.com/Fringe/Entertainment/Scripts/The_Princess_Bride.html

An odd portfolio!

http://phineasxjones.com/illustration/screenprint.php

Phineas really seems to like tentacles. I love his samurai octopus. And the octophant.

A fabulous blogger's fun tribute to Ed Emberley.

http://davidbarneswork.posterous.com/?page=3