#masters to be 20 ish ? some in their 30s but they had been elemental masters for basically MOST of their lives

[al-luviec]

I ran out of tag space but oomf had some good notes

smthn easy for today (sorry)

[corneliusthesourdough]

Master Recipe

This recipe is very similar to the master recipe on foodbodsourdough.com, but with some added helpful tips from my gracious Mother, who has been my sourdough guide through this entire journey. I have had nothing but success with this process, but I am in no way an expert. I recommend checking out other recipes and resources for more inspiration and guidance!

Total time is about 24 hours (or longer depending on how long you cold-ferment) from start to finish but requires very little time hands-on. Makes one big loaf.

When starter is at its most active, weigh 50g starter into a bowl and add 350g water. Mix them with hands until starter is mostly dissolved.

In another larger bowl, weigh 500g unbleached flour and 11g salt. Combine well.

Pour the liquid starter into the flour and fold/smush together in the bowl until all the flour is mostly combined. The dough will be ragged (shaggy) and a bit wet. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, a plastic bag, or shower cap. Let sit for about an hour.

After an hour, and while still working in the bowl, go ahead and do a fair amount of stretch-and-folds (I haven’t counted, but something like 20-30). You don’t need to get it super tight, just until you’ve got a smooth-ish ball of dough. For the next 2-4 hours, come back to your dough every 30-60 minutes and do a few stretch-and-folds. After the first round, you will only need to do a few stretch-and-folds each time (I do about 4-6 per round). There’s no golden rule for time in between or amount of folds, but the more the merrier! Cover and leave on counter between rounds.

Now your dough is ready to be covered again and bulk-ferment. At room temperature, this takes about 8-12 hours. Warmer goes faster, colder goes slower. I usually put it somewhere colder overnight and then bring it to room-temp or warmer at the end. You’re looking for your dough to at least double in size and be nice and jiggly. Its fun to ferment in a glass bowl to see the bubbles!

I test it by poking a hole with a wet finger and looking for it to spring back at least halfway, leaving just a little divot. If you made a double recipe, you should divide your dough into loaves after this fermentation.

Now you do a final round of stretch and folds, either in the bowl or on the counter is fine. You don’t want to overwork the dough at this point in order to preserve the air pockets and bounciness. After that round, I plop it on the counter to develop the skin. You can either dust the counter with flour or wet it. Both prevent sticking, but I find that a little bit of stickiness helps push the dough together, so don’t keep adding flour. I find my scraper works great for this process by pushing under the edge of the dough towards the center while turning it gently against my hand. You can also just use your hands, which may work better in a bowl. You’re trying to stretch the top of the dough outwards and down to get a tight skin and a more spherical shape. Basically, the goal is to create tension in the dough for it to rise into. If bubbles form near the surface, just gently pinch them. I do this skin-tightening until it’s a great little bouncy ball, then let it sit for 20-60 minutes, then repeat once more. I’m sure you could get away with just one round though.  Now your dough is ready to go in its proofing basket (banneton)! Lift it gently and place it in the rice-floured banneton/basket with the nice skin facing down, lumpy bottom facing up. You can dust with some more rice flour to make sure nothing sticks. Cover and pop it in the fridge.

If you want to roll your dough in seeds, do this before it goes in the banneton. (Wet the top of the dough and roll in seeds before placing seed-side down.)

This part is the final proof or cold-ferment, where the dough develops its signature flavour and stability. I’ve heard minimum is 3 hours, but I usually aim for 10 hours. If I’m not super confident in my dough, I let it sit for closer to 24 hours in order to develop more stability. You’re ready to bake! A good trick to keep the bottom of the dough from burning is to preheat the oven to 500˚F and reduce it to 450˚F when the dough goes in. This is so the bottom element of the oven won’t come on for a long time. I also pop a baking pan on the rack below to protect it from direct heat.

I preheat the roasting pan as well, but many bakers don’t. Enamel pans heat up and cool down very quickly, so it doesn’t make as much of a difference as with cast-iron.

From your banneton, place a sheet of parchment paper overtop and then a cutting board or plate. Flip the whole thing over so your dough is right-side-up, on the parchment paper. Another dusting of flour (can be wheat flour) will make your score-patterns stand out more for purely aesthetic reasons.

Now you need to score your dough to allow it to open up and expand! Don’t be shy and cut deep, at least ¼ inch. You’ll want to do at least one big score that is surprisingly deep so it has lots of space to grow. My personal favourite is three big scores towards the middle, but I’m getting bolder with more intricate patterns now. After the big scores, feel free to get creative with designs such as leaves (which are just tiny little scores). Look up examples of patterns!

Now, without burning your knuckles, lift the parchment paper and drop it in the roaster. I like to pop a couple ice cubes between the parchment and the roaster to keep it moist. Lid (or tinfoil tent) on, and in the oven she goes!

Now for the hardest part… No peaking!!! You want to maintain moisture and even temperature. You do get to open the oven once, after 30-35 minutes, to take the lid off and let it brown. Once the lid is off, it should take about 25-30 minutes to finish baking. If you have a proper thermometer, the internal temperature should be 205-210˚F, but I have never had to bake it longer.

Carefully lift the parchment paper and place on a cooling rack, then slide the paper out from underneath.

Okay I lied. This my be the hardest part! Do not slice too early! Seriously, it will likely be gluey and sad. I would say wait for absolutely a minimum of 2 hours, but I usually leave it overnight. Once it has cooled a bit, wrap in a clean tea-towel and let it finish cooling all the way. To store bread, I keep mine on a cutting board under a glass bowl for the sole purpose of displaying it to myself. After a few days of this I put it in a bread-bag before it gets too dry.

Congratulations! You did it! A long, but incredibly rewarding process of love, patience, creativity, and confidence. Keep sharing Cornelius with the world! Find recipes for things other than loaves of bread like pizza crust, cinnamon buns, pancakes, focaccia, etc.! Go explore the internet, ask friends and family, find inspiration everywhere! Sourdough Facebook groups have tons of inspiration, tips, and can answer any other questions. Tag your creations with Cornelius’ hasthag #corneliusthesourdough and check out his other babies around the world! Cheers to you both!

[mr-gooseyshoes]

(ASKS ARE OPEN!!! Version 1.1. The original should be referred to as ‘Version 1.0’. Full size of the regular version [3000x1000] in my Sta.sh!

Feel free to ask these guys questions! Or maybe roleplay with any of them. I have enough spare time for both! 😊

Anything with an asterisk is IRL or other matters involving the character.

‘COO’ stands for ‘country of origin’, ‘COR’ stands for ‘country of residence’.)

Info on each character, prepare for a long read.

🍰 Mr. Gooseyshoes 🎸

Full name: Yvan August Gooseyshoes (Originally nameless, then titled ‘Clumsy One’, then was eventually given his current name.)

Species: Humanoid toon

Height: 4'4 ft

Est. age: Mid-late 20s / Canonical birthday: August 31st / ‘Creation date’: Same day, 1931

COO: France 🇫🇷

COR: United States 🇺🇸

True origin*: (When I decided to play around with my Robloxian’s look, I made the limbs and torso different colors: left arm green, right arm red, torso blue, left leg white, right leg black. At the time, I couldn’t easily determine his gender, but he was undoubtedly male-presenting. This dated back between 2013 and -15, possibly making him the ‘youngest’ member.)

Beginning: Starting off in black & white comics translated from French, Yvan was a mischievous slapstick character with a lack of common sense. He had companions; his cousin Kenneth (can also be called ‘Ken’ or ‘Kenny’), and a rogue clown named Barry. He was the clumsiest of all, and was (and still is!) known to swing large items around, knocking the other two over; this lead to a fight, but they made up later.

(cont.) Despite the antics and mean-spirited remarks the two made at strangers without him, Yvan mostly stuck to jokes and harmless pranks…when he’s not accidentally being hit in the face with planks and canes. There were even colored animated shorts of the three, a series which only lasted a couple of years due to budget problems; the three went their separate ways, until meeting again decades later.

📖 Ollie 🎶

Full name: Oliviero Percy Rigatoni (Originally just ‘Oliviero’)

Species: Humanoid toon

Height: 4'3 ft

Est. age: Mid-late 20s / Canonical birthday: September 18th / ‘Creation date’: Same day, 1971

COO: Italy 🇮🇹

COR: United States 🇺🇸

True origin*: (I drew a picture of a man with blue skin and reddish-pink eyes, somewhat like the current design. The only things that haven’t changed are his hair and eyes. This estimates back to 2011.)

Beginning: N/A (TFW you’re too mentally exhausted to continue writing stories about your own characters. Don’t worry, I’ll get to it!)

⛪ Doug the Dog 🎼

Full name: Douglas Noah Beagle

Species: Anthro dog toon

Height: 3'2 ft

Est. age: Early 30s / Canonical birthday: May 21st / ‘Creation date’: Same day, 1994

COO: United States 🇺🇸

COR: See ‘COO’

True origin*: (In this universe, he’s a toon; but in the real world? He’s an arts & crafts sockpuppet from my old church, hence why I gave him a cross and halo. He doesn’t have his ears, but the hair is there. I also based the sweater off his sock design, making the brown a little darker so it didn’t look weird. Est. 2004-5, making him the ‘oldest’.)

Beginning: There was a drop of Christian faith in the neighborhood. A local church had lost a lot of members over the years, the lack of interest among youth causing too many seats to go unfilled. Thanks to 3 of the churchgoers having a knack for drawing; they passed around ideas back and forth until eventually settling with Doug and his family; his father Harry, his uncle Rufus, and eventually, Roxanne in “Episode 10: Someone I Know Isn’t A Christian. What Do I Do?”. They already had their own website, and Flash animation was all the rage at the time!

(cont.) Was it easy? Not really. But Doug did have fans, even receiving letters from a few of them straight to the church nearly daily. The makers received a lot of attention across the web, the cartoon dog being loved for several different reasons; his important life lessons, his adorable appearance, his kindness, and his relatable nature. Some news: As all 3 animators started raising families of their own, the responsibility of running the series went to younger members so that the original ones could spend time with their kids. (A lot of time passed since 1994. They were 14, 15 and 16 upon starting; the 9 new members are all between 15 and 30.)

📼 Troy ⚽

Full name: Troy Nate Donaldson

Species: Cyclops-esque toon

Height: 3'10 ft

Est. age: 13 years 🔞 / Canonical birthday: December 9th / ‘Creation date’: Same day, 1979 (First televised 1985. Seems he’s been a youngin for an awfully long time…)

COO: United States 🇺🇸

COR: See ‘COO’

True origin*: (Like Ollie, he started off as a drawing; I even drew him with a tornado for a mouth once. The only differences being that I gave him longer hair up front, and a wardrobe unlike his original one.)

Beginning: Two brothers had a great idea for a show; animated figures cross into the real world via portal, walking into the backyard of a human kid named Jesse. Troy would be seen exploring elements foreign to him; such as ladybugs, soccer balls, and the grass being green. Because of time limits, Troy was never given a mouth outside of concept art, which meant not worrying about lip syncing when they had other things to do.

(cont.) Jesse taught Troy how to play 1-on-1 soccer, then taught him how to spell larger words such as ‘dictionary’ and ‘encyclopedia’. The show also had montages of Jesse chasing after the one-eyed people (including Troy), which was a running gag involving disguises and leaving messes behind. The show ended in 1990, 5 years after its first episode, as there was no more of the story to tell. To this day, he is still a child by choice.

📚 Mrs. Donaldson 🍇

Full name: Athena Jessica Donaldson

Species: Cyclops-esque toon

Height: 5'2 ft

Est. age: Mid-to-late 30s / Canonical birthday: April 15th / ‘Creation date’: December 12th, 1979 (First televised 1985.)

COO: United States 🇺🇸

COR: See ‘COO’

True origin*: (I thought of a beautiful cyclops-looking woman. Smart, too. She just popped up into my brain while drawing some art.)

Beginning: Before becoming an art teacher, Mrs. Donaldson was a guardian of her hometown (in our world, that’s like being a cop), making sure no one suffered as a result of crime. One day, she felt that Troy needed to be educated about alternate dimensions, which led her to take him to a vastly different version of America; or more specifically, a human family’s backyard in Tennessee. While the location was random, the weather was just right. Unfortunately, the portal was open for too long, a bunch of Troy and Athena’s people ran out from it with joy, then it closed behind them indefinitely. Due to the fuel inside of the portal wand being extremely hard to find in this dimension, they were gonna be stuck here for a while.

(cont.) They were not ones to panic so quickly; instead, they sought out knowledge and resources from this different Earth. She played the role of protecting these people before, and would gladly do it again. Athena did not star in as many episodes as her son did, her count being 283 out of 294. She also taught morals when not teaching the basics of art, ranging from honesty to sharing. Parents complained about her old outfit, so the brothers had to put her in what she wears now to avoid being cancelled before wrapping things up.

💷 Ken 🚬

Full name: Kenneth Joseph Cross

Species: Humanoid toon

Height: 4'3.5 ft

Est. age: Early-to-mid 20s / Canonical birthday: March 4th / ‘Creation date’: August 31st, 19??

COO: United Kingdom 🇬🇧 (Made by a Frenchman, though.)

COR: See ‘COO’ (Sometimes goes to America, but only to visit relatives.)

True origin*: (Okay, so I thought ‘Why not draw a guy with a large grin/frown?’ I sometimes pictured him in black & white stripes as well, but maybe I’ll use that kind of design for his pre-color days.)

Beginning: N/A

🎭 “Barry The Buffoon” 🔨

Full name: Fionnbharr Patrick Emmett (Originally nameless, then only titled as “The Buffoon”, then was eventually given his current name.)

Species: Humanoid toon

Height: 4'1 ft

Est. age: Mid-to-late 30s / Canonical birthday: May 6th / ‘Creation date’: August 31st, 1931

COO: Scotland (Made by a Frenchman, though. No Scottish flag emoji? Boo. ;n;)

COR: See ‘COO’

True origin*: (I was inspired from watching some cartoon shorts from the 20s and 30s, mainly B&W ones. Plus, I wanted to give this random clown a meaningful role.)

Beginning: N/A

🍮 Buford 🐕

Full name: Sir Buford of Birmingham XIV (the 14th)

Species: Quadruped dog toon

Height: 1'3 ft

Est. age: Bet. 1-5 years / Canonical birthday: September 1st / ‘Creation date’: January 29th, 2003

COO: England 🇬🇧

COR: United States 🇺🇸

True origin*: (I imagined Yvan having a talking dog who truly loved his master, making sure he was happy and healthy. I hope he actually looks like a Scottish terrier, or at least some kind of terrier breed/mix.)

Beginning: Sir Buford was one of the secondary antagonists of a show called ��Canines Out Of Line", an ongoing series about bipedal dogs breaking the law, spending money carelessly, and doing things I shouldn’t mention. (equivalent rating of TV-14) Buford was a dog that gained the ability to speak by accidentally eating a dog treat, which his then-owner pulled out of a strange beaker containing unnamed chemicals. It was meant to be thrown out, but Dr. Mecha (no medical degree) wasn’t fast enough. She marvelled at how her pet (at the time) started talking like an Englishman, taking notes on his newfound vocal abilities.

(cont.) Sadly, when word spread around the neighborhood about a talking dog, the COOL blew up Dr. Mecha’s lab and tried to force Buford to join; he refused, and was held hostage. He fought them off, escaped back to his home, and came back to see the female scientist who cared for him still alive, making it a happy-ish ending. Despite that, things only got darker from there. From the start, he was determined to bring C.O.O.L. down, one way or another.

More characters coming soon?

[mylife-foryours]

gratuitous screencaps & questions for an’dante

1. What is their gender? ... woman-ish?

2. What is their sexuality? Ace-ish, bi-ish. Complicated by a combination of trauma & who she is as a person.

3. Do they have any siblings? How many? Are they older or younger?  Which sibling are they the closest with? No siblings; when she was 3-4 she was... fostered? by her grandparents, and there were a few cousins who lived in the same apartment complex, but she was a very solitary child.

4. What’s their relationship with their parents like? What about other relatives? Her memories of her parents are vague and patchy - her father’s callused hands, her mother’s deep voice singing a Zabraki lullaby. On the other hand, she remembers her grandparents very well. She understands them well enough to know why they left her on the streets of Sobrik, and on good days she can even sort of sympathize - starvation is a hideous way to die. So she isn’t going to, like, hunt them down and murder them, but she has no interest in ever seeing them again, either.

6. What would they give their life for? Orro.

7. Are they in a romantic relationship? With who? How did they meet? She’s in something with Orro. When they first met, Orro had been cornered by a group of offworld thugs, and An’Dante went after them like a feral alley cat. She won more through the element of surprise and nascent Force abilities than anything else, but it was still enough to begin a fast friendship with Orro.

8. What do they believe will happen to them after they die? Does this belief scare them? Either she’ll stop existing entirely, or she’ll become a Force ghost. As appealing as it might be to continue to influence the galaxy even after she’s dead, the fact that ghosts can be bound & their entire self made into a battery for someone to tap makes that prospect singularly terrifying. Even when she was a slave, it was only ever her body that could be broken and fucked and drained of blood. Death wasn’t an ideal escape, but it was always there. No such luxury if her ghost is bound. Nonexistence isn’t ideal, but it’s preferable to that.

9. What is their favorite color? Favorite animal? Her favorite color is sunset red, and her favorite animal is a tooka cat, but the one that I associate with her is a snake, both for the obvious reasons and because of the death/rebirth symbolism.

10. What are some of their talents/skills? Rhetoric, blackmail, politics in general. On a more benign note, unearthing/handling delicate artifacts and translating ancient texts in a way that’s both faithful and aesthetically pleasant.

11. If they could make a mark on history, what would they like it to be? Empress of the Sith Empire, Conqueror of the Republic, the Great Liberator of Korriban. (Practically, she understands that she’d be better off as a combination shadow hand & eminence grise, but she’s not above the appeal of shiny titles).

12. How old are they? When is their birthday? She’s nineteen during the Sith Inquisitor prologue, but not exactly sure when her birthday is.

13. What do they do for fun? Watch drama-heavy serial shows (ideally w/ Fene or, later on, Talik’ime) and snark at them.

14. What is their favorite food? How often do they get to eat it? She’ll eat pretty much anything and enjoy it, but she really loves seafood and rare meat.

15. What was something their parents taught them? Not to get too ANGST-HEAVY, but by omission, probably “you’re an unwanted burden, and will be left behind as soon as it’s physically possible”.

16. Are they religious? Sort of - she’s Sith, and takes the code seriously, but her own interpretation of it is pretty heretical.

17. Where were they born? Small farming village on the outskirts of Sobrik.

18. What languages can they speak? Where did they learn these languages? She’s a native speaker of Basic & Zabraki, picked up Huttese and snippets of Mando’a in her early-mid adolescence, and learned Old Sith during her apprenticeship to Lord Volcari. Later on she tries to pick up Chenuch as part of her bid to insinuate her power base into Imperial Intelligence, and expands her knowledge of Mando’a with Fene’s help.

19. What is their occupation? Dark Council member.

20. Do they have any titles? How did they earn them? She blackmailed Darth Vox into promoting her to Dark Lord of the Sith before murdering her and abandoning what was left of her corpse in a decaying orbit around Korriban’s sun. Approximately two years later, she escaped Jedi custody with a fair number of stolen relics and detailed knowledge of Tython’s defenses, earning the name Darth Moriah. She became the leader of the Assassin’s Pyramid after defeating Darth Rictus in a Kaggath, and operated as Empress Acina’s unofficial Hand between the destruction of Ziost and the end of KOTET.

Personality:

21. What is their favorite thing about their personality? Her wit.

22. What is their least favorite thing about their personality? Her sensitivity.

23. Do they get lonely easily? Yes, but she’s relatively good at dealing with it.

24. Do you know their MBTI type? INTJ

25. What is their biggest flaw? God, so many. But probably the worst, ethically and in terms of her relationships, is that she’s cruel.

26. Are they aware of their flaws? Sort of. She knows that she’s cruel, but she thinks that her greatest flaw is that she’s weak-willed and dithers over Doing What Needs To Be Done.

27. What is their biggest strength? Her adaptability.

28. Are they aware of their strengths? Yes - some of her arrogance is bravado, but not all of it.

29. How would they describe their own personality? That would depend entirely on who was asking.

30. When frightened, will they resort to “fight” or “flight”? http://pete-walker.com/codependencyFawnResponse.htm

31. Does this character ever put somebody else’s needs before their own? Who do they do this for? How often do they do this? She’d do just about anything for Orro, including framing & executing her own apprentice for treason, but she’d put a lot on the line for Fene, too. She tries to be sparing with displays like that, though - it’s an expenditure of resources, emotional and otherwise. Cryptarch’s qualm and all that.

32. What is their self esteem like? Not great.

33. What is their biggest fear? How would they react to having to face it? Being enslaved again - no surprises there. She’d go nuclear if faced with that - no concern for collateral damage or her own survival, just fighting her way out with claws and lightning and teeth, or, failing that, putting her own lightsaber to her heart.

34. How easily do they trust others with their secrets? With their life? An’Dante’s secrets stay under lock and fucking key.

35. What is the easiest way to annoy them? In terms of annoyance (rather than blind rage), probably telling her that she’s overreacting to something. 

36. What is their sense of humor like? Give an example of a joke they would find humorous. Dark & ironic, with a particular fondness for wordplay and last-minute twists. Pretty much any of these would have her howling.

37. How easy is it for them to say “I love you”? Do they say it without meaning it? Very difficult. She’s said it to.... maybe two people in her life, probably?

38. What do others admire most about their personality? Either her intelligence or her tenacity.

39. What does their happily ever after look like? After winning Orro over to her cause, crushing the Republic hypocrites and their Jedi lackeys, uniting a reformed empire under her rule (with someone else as a figurehead, naturally), freeing the slaves and hanging the masters by their own intestines, I imagine that she’d like to spend her time researching poetry fragments and teaching freed slave children to read.

40. Who do they trust most? Is that trust mutual? She trusts Orro & Orro doesn’t trust her, but Orro is quite trustworthy (& predictable) while she’s decidedly neither.

Physical Profile:

41. What does their laugh sound like? Do they snort when they laugh? How often do they laugh? Quiet and spiteful; if she laughs, it tends to be at people, not with them.

42. What is their favorite thing about their physical appearance? Thanks to her Zabrak mother, she has very sharp, prominent canine teeth, which make her sneer look much more intimidating.

43. What is their least favorite thing about their physical appearance? Probably the brands on her face. But for the same reasons that she doesn’t have any tattoos, she’s not going to get any kind of surgery to remove/cover them up. They’re a reminder.

44. Do they have any scars? If so, what are the stories behind those scars? Per her in-game appearance, she has brands/burn scars on the left side of her face. She also has heavy whip scars on her upper back, a fractal lightning scar that wraps around her torso (result of the one (1) time she mouthed off to Overseer Harkun), and some minor chemical burns from her experiments with poisons and forbidden artifacts.

45. How would they describe their own appearance? She probably wouldn’t, honestly.

46. How easily can they express emotions? How easily can they hide emotions? Hiding her feelings is pretty much second nature. She can express Sith-standard emotions quite well, and quite genuinely - she’s got a lot of anger and fury bottled up, even if it isn’t really directed at heretics - but sadness, fear, and the rest are more difficult.

47.  What’s their pain tolerance like? High.

48. Do they have any tattoos? What are the stories behind those tattoos? No tattoos, and no plans to get any - she’s  played with the idea of getting Sith tattoos to deflect from criticisms of, ahem, heterodoxy, but that would require allowing someone very very close to her face with very very sharp objects, and that’s a hard nope.

49. Do they have any piercings? Nope.

50. How would you describe their style of clothing? How would they describe their style of clothing? Semi-ceremonial light armor with flowy bits & a pronounced inclination towards the dramatic vs. “Robes befitting my station”.

51. What is their height? Weight? 5′3, 210 pounds.

52. What is their body type? Are they muscular, chubby, skinny, etc? Fat, with some core muscle strength.

53. What is their hair color? Eye color? Skin tone? She has warm brown skin and black hair. Her eyes are naturally brown, but intense dark side use shifted them to a molten gold color by the end of Act I. Faded back to brown while she was on Tython (Light Side-suffused environment + force-nullifying cuffs), then went orange/gold again after she escaped. At this point she’s had enough corruption/redemption whiplash that they’re kind of eerie pale grey with red limbal rings.

54. What is their current hairstyle? What have been some of their past hairstyles? Which was their favorite hairstyle? For the first sixteen years of her life, she kept her hair short, both for practicality - she couldn’t wash often, and didn’t want it getting caught in anything - but also so that no one could grab it. Upon being taken as Lord Volcari’s apprentice, she began growing it out. Mostly she left it down, but Fene would sometimes put it up in braids, which was her favorite. After being held captive on Tython, she chopped her hair off to about chin-length, and kept it there until she made Darth. It started coming in white after Ziost, but that was largely a moot point, since by then she had signed on as Acina’s left hand & was wearing a mask and hood. After her final break with the empire, she cut off the few inches that were still dark brown/black, so her endgame haircut is a blunt, chin-length bob.

55. What is their alcohol tolerance like? What kind of drunk are they? How bad are their hangovers? It’s not so much

56. What do they smell like? Why do they smell like this? (Is it the things they’re around or a perfume they wear?) If she smells like anything, it’s mostly old books and tomb-dust. Doesn’t actually smell like blood as often as you would think - she usually kills people via some sort of proxy, and even if she's in a straight-up duel, lightsaber wounds tend to cauterize quickly.

57. How do they feel about sex? Are they a virgin? Doesn’t like sex, not a virgin, the specifics are predictably related.

58. What is their most noticeable physical attribute? Probably her nose; it’s not very noticeable on her in-game model, but I always draw her with a big beaky nose.

59. What does their resting face look like? Do they have RBF? Carefully blank.

60. Describe the way they sleep. Deeply and overlong, now that she doesn’t have to wake at dawn or earlier. It’s one of the few luxuries she can partake of without any guilt.

Environment:

61. Which season is their favorite season? Obligatory “seasons work differently on other planets” stipulation aside, probably autumn.

62. Have they ever been betrayed? How did it affect their ability to trust others? She was baited into an “escape attempt” by one of the overseer’s quislings when she was about thirteen, and never made that mistake again.

63. What is always guaranteed to make them smile? Ironic reversals of fortune.

64. Do they get cold easily? Do they get overheated easily? Gets overheated more easily than she gets cold.

65. What’s their immune system like? Do they get sick often? How do they react to getting sick? Since she’s half-Zabrak, her immune system is hella weak. She hates the vulnerability that comes with being sick, and tends to shut herself up in her compound with enough reading material for several weeks and enough painkillers to wipe out a small army.

66. Where do they live? Do they like it there? She has a compound on Korriban with one of the larger collections of Old Sith epic poetry in Imperial space.

67. Is their bedroom messy? What about their bathroom? Kitchen? Living room? Probably her quarters as a whole have a comfortable level of clutter - there’s some automated cleaning, but she refuses to use cleaning droids, and doesn’t have much time to clean on her own.

68. How did their environment growing up affect their personality? Significantly, but not indelibly.

69. How did the people in their environment growing up affect their personality? The fact that her grandparents wanted nothing to do with her and regarded her as a burden, and

70. How do they feel about animals? Do they have any pets? She likes them well enough, but feels uncomfortable with the idea of owning a living creature - she has some friends among the desert cats around her compound, though.

71. How are they with children? Do they have any? Do they want any? She’s okay with children, if a bit overprotective, but she’s never had any, and even if she physically could (like most half-Zabraks, she’s infertile) pregnancy is a terrifying idea for her. She’d even feel guilty about adopting a kid, since being associated with her would be Absurdly Dangerous - almost none of her rivals would hesitate to go after a child.

72.  Would they rather have stability or comfort? Comfort, largely because she doesn’t really believe that stability exists.

73. Do they prefer the indoors or outdoors? Indoors.

74. What weather is their favorite? Do they like storms? Her favorite weather is dry and slightly chilly, with a bit of a breeze. Enjoys thunderstorms as long as they’re not on Dromund Kaas.

75. If given a blank piece of paper, a pencil, and nothing to do, what would happen? She’d practice her Old Sith calligraphy.

76. How organized are they? She’s a wee bit paranoid about committing things to paper, so her things are as organized as she can keep them in her head. When she’s doing well, it works fine. When she’s not...

77. What is their most prized possession? Either her saberstaff or the holocron that houses her ghost friend. Probably the saberstaff, since thinking about what’s essentially someone’s phylactery as her possession would probably make her queasy.

78. Who do they consider to be their best friend? Fene.

79. What is their economic situation? Probably pretty good - I imagine that Dark Council members get a hefty salary.

80. Are they a morning person or a night owl? Night owl.

Miscellaneous:

81. Are they bothered by the sight of blood? Sort of, but she’s had lots of time to get used to it.

82. What is their handwriting like? Neat & cursive-adjacent, but she writes with a very heavy hand, since she was almost twenty when she learned how.

83. Can they swim? How well? Do they like to swim? She can Sort Of stay afloat, and enjoys swimming so long as she can keep doing that. Deeper water makes her nervous, though, mostly because she’s spent so much time on Dromund Kaas: deep water is where the fish made entirely of teeth and pincers live.

84. Which deadly sin do they represent best? Fucking hell. Gonna say it’s a three-way tie between Pride, Envy, and Wrath.

85. Do they believe in ghosts? She literally keeps one in her pocket, so yeah.

86. How do they celebrate holidays? How do they celebrate birthdays? Hmmm... as a member of the Dark Council, there are probably certain state holidays that she’s expected to publicly celebrate, but on her own time I imagine that she keeps things low-key.

87. What is something they regret? Stabbing Orro in the back, physically and metaphorically. It’s worth nothing that this is at least partially because she didn’t actually get anything out of it - Jorgan recaptured her in fairly short order. (Part of her hadn’t really... adjusted to the fact that there were other people in Orro’s life by that point)

88. Do they have an accent? Xanthe Elbrick’s performance has grown on me a lot in my billion-odd playthroughs of a female Sith Inquisitor, but in my heart of hearts, An’Dante has a Slavic accent.

89. What is their D&D alignment? Neutral Evil.

90. Are they right or left handed? Left, but she’s trained herself to be ambidextrous.

91. If they were a tweet, what tweet would they be?

92. Describe them as a John Mulaney gif.

[shreyasaha1987]

20 Provinces of Isaan Thailand in 20 Days – Day 16

Isaan – North-Eastern Thailand, the least touristy region of Thailand – is so beautiful and has left me amazed for the last 15 days. I have been to Nakhon Ratchasima, Ubon Ratchathani, Mukdahan, Khon Kaen, Udon Thani, and other neighboring provinces. Next, I headed to Loei and Nong Khai. These North-Eastern provinces are bordered from Laos by the mighty Mekong river. Both Chiang Khan and Pak Chom are riverside towns in Loei, which are worth visiting for outstanding Mekong riverside resorts. While many tourists flock to Chiang Khan, I preferred to spend my day in Pak Chom, a more sleepy and remote riverside-town located 70 km east of Chiang Khan, which ensured rustic relaxation next to the nature.

Highlights of the Day

Udon Thani to Pak Chom

Leisure at Mekong Riverside Resort and Camping

Udon Thani to Pak Chom

I checked out from the hotel in Udon Thani, took a songthaew to Bus Station No. 2, and got a ticket for the 9.30 AM bus to Loei. Bus had air-con, comfortable seats, not a lot of leg space but manageable – it had no toilet. It took 2.5 hours to reach Loei including one stop for toilet and refreshment on the way. I had some vegetarian Thai curry with rice as lunch on the way where the bus had stopped. Blue-colored minibuses run from Loei bus station to Pak Chom. They look like wooden songthaew. It took 2 hours to reach Pak Chom bus terminal.

The way to Pak Chom was remarkable – beautiful sights of the green mountainous terrain with small villages on the way

The weather was windy and too cool – enjoyed each and every moment of the journey and the view from the minibus

I already booked a room in advance at Mekong Riverside Resort and Camping. Mike, a Canadian guy, and his Thai wife, Ben are the owners of the resort. When I was about to reach Pak Chom bus terminal, I called up Mike and he came to the bus station to pick me up. I reached Pak Chom bus station at 2.30 PM and in 15 min, I reached the resort – thanks to Mike!

Mekong Riverside Resort and Camping

I was happily welcomed by Jennie – the mommy dog – and Morgan – Jennie’s son. They were so excited to have me there.

The place is a modern stylish boutique resort in a quiet natural setting on the banks of the Mekong river. Laos is located on the other side of the river. The resort also has a campground. Mike helps in cleaning and managing the place while Ben cooks food for the guests and also manages the place. They have a very personal approach to take care of the guests, which impressed me a lot. After a little cuddling session with Jennie and Morgan, I was shown my room – room 101.

They have only 4 rooms – the room I got was simple yet elegant, clubbed with minimal contemporary design and modern amenities

The room had a comfortable king size bed, air conditioning, and LCD flat screen TV

The room also had a refrigerator with mini-bar, en-suite western bathroom with hot water shower, and free Wifi

I loved the private deck each room had set in gardens overlooking the river that provide the ideal place to enjoy the splendor of this natural environment

The resort offers a sunset boating tour but I chose to just relax. Also, the boating tour is more meaningful when the river water is high during the rainy and post rainy season. Instead, I enjoyed the sunset right from the huge resort campground. Later, I had some playtime with Jennie and Morgan.

The resort has a huge campground – you are welcome to bring your tent and camp here at a minimal fee

Jennie is calm but Morgan is full of energy and very playful

It is a great feeling to get back to the nature and the natural elements – look at this beautiful butterfly

Uncountable photo sessions of the sunset across the river and the mountains continued

Can I capture this sun and see it setting and rising always? I am a big sunrise- and sunset-lover!

I had mentioned Ben while booking that I am a vegan, and she took care of that nicely. She cooked hot vegan Masamman Curry with potatoes, carrots, peanuts, and coconut milk in it. She served it with roti and jasmine rice. It was very delicious. I had our dinner while enjoying the sunset – it was a paradise.

Vegan Masamman Curry served with roti for dinner by the riverside

When it was dark, I got busy playing with Jennie and Morgan again. After a while, I crashed on the comfortable bed and fell asleep right away.

I highly recommend this resort whether you come alone or with your partner or family or friends

20 Provinces of Isaan Thailand in 20 Days – Day 17

I highly recommend to stay in this resort for at least 2 nights. It is unfair to leave this beautiful place in a day, but I had plans to head to Nong Khai. Nong Khai is a small border town in the far north-east of Thailand. The first Thai-Laos Friendship Bridge was constructed here across the Mekong river connecting Nong Khai (Thailand) and Thanaleng (Laos) on the other side. Not only a border town, but Nong Khai is also a riverside paradise. It is a very cool place to chill for a night or two before or after you cross the Laos border. Even though I was not crossing any border, still I booked a beautiful riverside guesthouse in advance to spend a night there.

Highlights of the Day

Checking Out at Mekong Riverside Resort & Camping

Pak Chom to Nong Khai

Mut Mee Garden Guesthouse

Bye Bye Mekong Riverside Resort & Camping

The morning mists and the expansive view of the unspoiled river wetlands from the room wished me a very good morning.

Jennie and Morgan came to wish us good morning

The panoramic views of the river, gardens and lush surrounding landscape from the room was breath-taking during early morning

Ben cooked some Western breakfast – a cup of green tea, hot brown bread toasts with scrambled tofu served with a bowl of freshly cut apples and a glass of orange juice. It was a lovely and tummy-filling breakfast. I had a beautiful and memorable time at the resort. I truly relaxed and unwinded in the tranquil scenic setting of the resort. It is a perfect location to explore all this wonderful area has to offer. It was difficult to leave such an amazing site and say goodbye to Jennie and Morgan – but I had to do it.

Pak Chom to Nong Khai

Mike dropped me at the bus terminal at around 10-ish and the minibus departed at 10.15 AM. The exhilarating view of the minibus journey was so photogenic and memorable. I reached Loei at around 12.30 PM. I grabbed a plate of delicious Pad Thai from Big C that is located few meters away from the Loei bus terminal. Shortly, I got a bus to Nong Khai that took around 3 h to reach the bus station. From there, I took a tuktuk to the guesthouse I had booked in advance for only 30 ฿.

Mut Mee Garden Guesthouse

Julian is an excellent host, always with a smile. He would prefer you to contact him personally through e-mail or phone for booking rather than booking through online agency.

Mut Mee Garden Guesthouse offers clean and inexpensive rooms of different types that would suit your taste. There are simple single rooms with fan and also family room with aircon, hot shower, and also a balcony overlooking the Mekong river. I got a single room with fan for ฿350 per night. I booked for 2 nights. The restaurant provides the most delicious food in Nong Khai, catering both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options.

Mut Mee Garden Guesthouse is perfect for you if you are looking forward to enjoy tranquility by the banks of the Mekong river

The room is really cute and comfortable

Lisa, one of the owners of this guesthouse, has an art gallery nearby. You can also practice yoga, meditation, reiki, and astrology from Beatrix and Pancho – the professional yoga masters. Moreover, you can also enjoy the facilities of massage, personal fitness training, well-stocked bookshop, and a floating live music bar.

What To Do in the Evening?

At 5 PM every evening, there is a sunset boat cruise leaving from the temple next door. You can either choose that or just witness one of the most beautiful sunsets from the riverside guesthouse. I loved my own time in the evening in this pretty riverside place.

Mut Mee has a beautiful tropical garden filled with trees in a magical setting

The garden setup has many different corners where you can be alone or with others

You can always pick a book and chill on a hammock set up in the garden

The guesthouse has a raft afloat on the river with a music bar on it called the Gaia Live Music Bar, where many people have played music from around the world

Delicious pumpkin soup accompanied by baguette was my light dinner for the day

20 Provinces of Isaan Thailand in 20 Days – Day 18

There are few interesting sights to explore in Nong Khai. I had a nice fruit platter for brunch at the guesthouse before I headed to the sightseeing tour of Nong Khai. Julian arranged a tuk-tuk for me for ฿200. The driver took me to a Buddhist temple, a market, and an interesting sculpture park. I have visited a similar sculpture park in Laos which is on the other side of Nong Khai. However, and I heard this one in Thailand is good too – hence I did not want to miss this one. The Buddhist temple of Nong Khai is also a popular one and the border market is unmissable.

Highlights of the Day

Sala Keoku

Wat Pho Chai

Tha-Sadet Market on the way back

Sala Keoku

I left the guesthouse at around 1 PM. The park is situated around 6 km away. The tuk-tuk took me there within just few minutes. However, I took at least 2 hour’s time to explore this mysterious park.

Sala Keoku is considered to be one of the most extraordinary creations of South-East Asia. It contains more than a hundred dazzling sculptures that rise more than seven stories high. The sculptures are inspired from a wide range of ancient beliefs, including animist folklore, Hindu mythology, and Buddhist traditionalism.

You have to pay a mere fee of ฿20 as an entrance fee of the park. The park opens at 6 AM and closes at 6 PM.

The park was made by Luang Pu Bounleua Sulilat, a Lao man who spent most of his early years gaining mystical knowledge from an abstinent hermit named Keoku, who lived in a cave in Laos. He actually started the park in Laos, which still exists on the other side of the border – it is called Buddha Park or Xieng Khuan. Due to Communist rule in Laos, he was forced to abandon that park, but in Thailand, he created a similar park called Sala Keuko – this one is more carefully maintained and looks more complete. I liked this one more than Xieng Khuan.

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The greatest sculpture of all is the Wheel of Life at the far end of the park

Life in Luang Poo’s view is a cycle of influences and phases, which start at one’s conception and end at one’s death

Wat Pho Chai

Next, the tuk-tuk stopped at the holiest temple of Nong Khai. It hosts a large Lan Xang-era bronze Buddha image with a solid gold head and embedded with precious stones.

The temple complex is big, and it houses many monks – you would also come across many Thais burning incense and praying for health and fortune

The elaborate and colorful wall murals of the temple were breathtaking

Tha Sadet Market

On the way back, the tuk-tuk stopped by the popular Thai-Laos border market by the Mekong river. Tha Sadet Market. Sadly I do not have photos – out of battery, err! You must visit the market anytime between 7 AM to 6.30 PM. You will find varieties of products from Indochina and East Europe, including dried food, processed food, home appliances, utensils, etc.

Chilling in the Evening at the Riverside

I was back to the guesthouse by 5 PM. I was tempting for some yummy dinner, so asked Julian what’s special. He recommended me the tofu and aubergine curry with hot jasmine rice. I enjoyed a lovely dinner at the most beautiful Mekong riverside guesthouse. After exploring so many places followed by such wonderful food, I did not take much time to sleep off.

Hot and delicious tofu and aubergine curry with jasmine rice for dinner at Mut Mee

NET EXPENSE FOR 1 PERSON (IN THB)

Let us have a look at the expenses of Days 16-18 in Thailand – Loei and Nong Khai.

Bus from Udon Thani to Loei: 125

Round-Trip to Pak Chom from Loei: 60

Stay at Mekong Riverside Resort & Camping (1 night): 1200

Bus from Loei to Nong Khai: 125

Stay at Mut Mee Garden Guesthouse (2 nights): 1000

Getting Around in Nong Khai: 30

Sightseeing in Nong Khai: 200

Entrance fee of Buddha Park: 20

Food and miscellaneous: 400

Total expense (roughly): 3160 THB

For a more customized itinerary, whether for solo or couple or group of any number of people, feel free to contact me on Contact Us page.

If you are planning for a much-organized, tastefully-curated, stress-free yet exciting vacation, consider booking your holidays at Travel Love Repeat. It is going to be a treat for sure!

3 Days in Mekong Riverside in Loei and Nong Khai, Thailand 20 Provinces of Isaan Thailand in 20 Days - Day 16 Isaan - North-Eastern Thailand, the least touristy region of Thailand - is so beautiful and has left me amazed for the last 15 days.

[nofomoartworld]

Hyperallergic: Beer with a Painter: Suzanne Joelson and Gary Stephan

Suzanne Joelson “Crackrakecrate” (2016) paint, vinyl graphics on wood panel, 50 x50 inches (all images courtesy the artists)

Gary Stephan and Suzanne Joelson live and work together in a building in TriBeCa. Within the building they each maintain individual floors, so my suggestion of a “couple” interview was a bit of a radical experiment. We had to decide how and where to stage our visit. Luckily they were game, ready with Captain’s Daughter IPA, and an array of cheese and snacks.

Their zones are distinct: Stephan doesn’t keep anything extra around — leaving only some minimal, modernist furniture, a vintage rowing machine for exercise, and a fantastic rotating easel. Joelson’s area is full of color, with layered collections of fabrics, textiles, and clippings in full use. Stephan says he’s lucky that he can borrow supplies from Joelson when he needs them; he refuses to buy anything in advance. They use examples from domestic life to illustrate their aesthetics: Joelson apparently doesn’t like closing closet doors — it denotes a system of closed deductions. More than anything, I’m struck by their open, inquisitive nature with each other.

This rigorous but open questioning permeates both of their practices. Joelson asks what happens when two unexpected elements or techniques bump up against one another: collaged, industrial fabrics  and the painterly, handmade gesture. Stephan refers to a formalist vocabulary, but turns any lingering obsession with the “framing edge” upside-down. There’s a curiosity in their work about different permutations of “meeting in the middle,” which is, in fact, echoed by the terms of our three-person conversation.

Stephan was born in Brooklyn in 1942, studied at Pratt Institute, and received his MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute in 1967. He has had solo shows in New York at Susan Inglett Gallery, Bykert Gallery, Mary Boone Gallery, Hirschl and Adler, and Marlborough Gallery; in Los Angeles at Margo Leavin Gallery and Daniel Weinberg Gallery. He is currently represented by Kienzle Art Foundation in Berlin, where he will be the subject of a solo exhibition in the fall.

Joelson was born in 1952 in Paterson, New Jersey. She received her BA from Bennington College in 1973. She has exhibited at galleries including Nature Morte in New Delhi, Fernando Alcolea in Barcelona, and White Columns in New York. She was the subject of a solo exhibition, Slipping Systems, in the fall of 2016 at Studio 10, Brooklyn, New York.

*   *   *

Jennifer Samet: Suzanne, can you tell me about any childhood memories you have of making art?

Suzanne Joelson: My mother was a painter. When I was twelve I helped her paint scenery for a local theater group and got to keep the paint. When friends came over we painted the walls of my bedroom with stripes and dots in clashing colors right over the patterned wallpaper. My parents were fine with this and I continued to alter the room until I left for college. All these years later I am back to combining paint and print.

Suzanne Joelson  “First Back” (2012) interior of wood panel/hollow core door, 40 x 30 inches

I did not have many toys but I remember breaking, cutting, and reassembling the ones I had. Doll houses got major overhauls. At some point my mother hid the nicer dolls either to protect them or avoid cramping my style.

In high school I had a geometry teacher who did not like me. But I was oddly good at geometry. I just got it and did not need the class so she let me spend the time in the art room.

I went to the Noguchi Museum recently and thought that it was a bit like the art that I grew up seeing. It is beautiful and essentialist, and yet it’s not enough.  There’s always a sense of Noguchi being a little too good.

JS: Gary, where did you grow up? Were you into drawing as a kid?

GS: When I was a kid living in Levittown, on Long Island, like a lot of guys, I loved drawing planes and cars. I remember that in the fifth grade, I was very enamored of this other kid’s drawings. His planes looked so much better than mine, but I couldn’t figure out why. I befriended him and finally said, “Bill, let’s be candid, your planes are much better than mine. Why?” He said, “Rivets. I draw all the rivets.” I realized that was it. He had all these little dots, so it felt like it had been built like a real plane.

We would go to Mass in Levittown Hall, where local artists put their work up on the walls. The work was full of the tropes of late 1940s art: caulk balls dipped in white paint, held together with sticks, on a ground of sandpaper. It was slightly Miró-ish, or like Picabia drawings — quasi-mechanical things. I did not understand what they were but I was attracted to the physicality of them, and the curious form-making. So the plane drawings and my interest in that work run along next to each other.

Gary Stephan “Untitled” (2008) acrylic on canvas, 32 x 32 inches

I had flunked 7th, 8th, and 9th grade. Eventually I got an art teacher who saw me drawing cars all the time and said, “You know, there’s a name for that. It’s called industrial design.” I decided that was it, and that I would go to Pratt for it. But then I fell in with the painters and, before graduating, I went out to the West Coast. I went to the San Francisco Art Institute for my Masters.  Eventually, the two forces came together. A lot of my approach to painting is still with that clear, coherent, “What’s the project?” mindset of a designer.

JS: Gary, I wanted to ask you about your Catholic background, because you have said Catholic imagery, like the cruciform shape, has infiltrated your painting.

Gary Stephan: Although I’m now an atheist, I still have some of the Catholic furniture. Every once in awhile, its forms appear, or ideas about above and below: the spiritual plane and the bodily plane. I don’t resist it, but I don’t embrace it. I just let it roll into the mix and then it rolls out again.

When I was in first grade at Catholic school, I read a story called “The Prince’s Dessert,” which was the beginning of my fascination with paradox. The prince asks for a dessert that’s hot and cold at the same time. The punch line was that it was a hot fudge sundae.

I was disappointed with the outcome of the story — because a sundae is alternately hot and cold. It isn’t simultaneously hot and cold. As a boy I felt tricked by the answer. Anyway, these kinds of polarities have interested me since childhood.

As a Catholic, I never thought of the concept of shades of gray in ethical, moral, or emotional questions. That idea did not occur to me until I was well into my second year of college. It was uncomfortable for me, because it didn’t come to me naturally. I was constructed by my parents and by my church to be fundamentally binary. I know the world is not like that. It is fascinating how disappointing that is.

JS: Did the two of you meet originally through art? Suzanne, you were working for Robert Rauschenberg, right?

SJ: I worked for Merce Cunningham as the liaison between Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns, and Merce. I was hanging out in that period with Ross Bleckner, Julian Schnabel, and David Salle. Gary had an opening at Mary Boone, and I went to the opening with Julian. Gary and I talked for about an hour. I was completely smitten and thought I’d made a big impression. But I wasn’t even invited to the after party.

Then, two weeks later, Gary came to a Cunningham event at the Joyce Theater.  I was with Ross, and after we took him to Studio 54, I took Gary home. He didn’t even remember me.

GS: It took a while for it to click, but once it clicked it was crazy great. We’ve been together for an amazing amount of time — 38 years. I’m incredibly lucky.

JS: Suzanne, do you think your use of recycled fabrics and materials from the street is related to the experience of doing costume and set design?

Suzanne Joelson “Broken Cocoa” (2016) paint,vinyl graphics on wood panel, 24 x 54 inches

SJ: I hadn’t thought about it but one of my favorite tasks working for Cunningham was recreating Rauschenberg’s set for “Winterbranch” (1964). At some point in the nocturnal piece Rauschenberg would drag what we called “the monster” across stage. It was usually a rolling ladder with an array of battery-operated lights and things he would find on the street. I loved doing it, even though I wasn’t as good at it as Rauschenberg was. He always had a more unlikely thought.

There is something about working with preexisting materials, adapting things outside one’s control. After Hurricane Sandy, I carried my wet paintings up six flights of stairs in the dark, with two assistants. The paintings were on hollow-core doors and water was sloshing around in them. When I ripped off the backs, a roughly applied cardboard substructure was revealed. Its diamond pattern was almost like African Kuba cloth but by different means. We arranged the paintings around the loft to dry with all the backs ripped off, and took photographs of the arrangements.

The effect of that experience was an idea of being very transitory about the work: being less caught up in the craft of it, less concerned about permanence. For a long time, I was a “pure” painter. At some point I started bringing the world back into the paintings. I don’t believe in zero-degree formalism.

JS: I am curious what you think about this, Gary: the idea of pure painting and formalism.

Gary Stephan “The Future Of Reading 5” (2016) acrylic on canvas, 20 x 20 inches

GS: My elevator pitch for my work is that I am using the tools of formalism to build the house of surrealism. I see formalism as a set of appearances designed to create something that’s visually dependable. The contribution of Surrealism is that it problematizes the reading of the world. If you take the appearance of formalism, but bang the cues into each other in such a way that the picture space wobbles or flickers, or doesn’t work properly — you are making a surreal proposition about formalism.

When I came to New York, the big division was between the sharp guys who made serious, formal objects, and the crazy aunt in the attic — of surrealism. Richard Serra would say, “The problem with Donald Judd’s work is that it is surreal.” He was referring to the concealed surfaces – things you can never know. Anytime you conceal, you’re essentially making a surreal object. That’s why Serra’s sculptures are solid steel. Anything that existed outside our vision would become secretive, mysterious, and romantic. The work has to be in plain sight and experiential.

But I could not just blow off de Chirico and Magritte. The contribution of de Chirico is that, for almost the first time in history, aside from Caspar David Friedrich, concealment is content. It is subject matter.

In my work, I try to have enough dependable information that there is a way to compare it to the missing part. The purpose is to re-engage viewers so that instead of them passively taking in the work at the level of style, you offer them the opportunity to engage the problematics of the picture space. In engaging them, they become co-constructors.

SJ: There’s also a lesson in that: that nothing is reliable. Your paintings seem like an inoculation for our collective anxiety about the contradictions of the world. You practice not being able to depend on a predictable space.

GS: Absolutely. It gets to the Russian idea of defamiliarization and the Brechtian idea of alienation. What they want to do is get the viewer into the pain of responsibility in a difficult world at the level of play. You are making art, so it should be fun, but it is also dealing with essentially difficult questions.

It has to do with the citizen’s relationship to the world. For example, I think one of the reasons Trump is appealing to people is that he is saying, “Only I can solve this problem.” It is essentially a paternalistic model. The academic model of painting was essentially paternalistic. It says, “We’ve got all the cards; we know what art looks like; we’re in charge; you’re in good hands.” It’s very Trumpian. What happens with the Impressionists is they say, “Who knows how this works? Get involved, maybe you don’t like it, maybe you don’t trust it. You can co-construct this if you’re so inclined.”

JS: Suzanne, can you tell me about how you deconstruct order and sequences? I know you utilize the Fibonacci cycle in constructing your paintings and multi-panel pieces.

SJ: I tend to start with an order, which I resist. But sometimes it is the other way around and I tug the visual cacophony toward a system. I utilize the Fibonacci cycle, but contaminate it with a degree of lived life.

Suzanne Joelson “Massaging Kale” (2016) paint, vinyl graphics on wood panel, 48 x 84 inches

My cousin who lives in Paris visited recently and we had a sort of French night out in Soho. On our way from Lucky Strike to dessert at Balthazar, we passed the biggest mass of rats I have ever seen in New York. On a shop-filled block we crossed the street to get out of their way. In the context of that evening it was the most exciting part.

GS: Wow. There’s a unique take — “Dessert was great, but the rats were even better.”

SJ: I’ve had lots of great desserts but how often have I seen that many persistent rats? They were undeterred by gentrification. I think about the fact that now, psychologically, so much is colored by what is happening with the Trump presidency. I constantly contend with the question of how much news and information I can digest.

GS: I’ve thought for a long time that if I paid really close attention to politics and then didn’t say to myself, “How can I consciously translate this into a work of art,” but let it leach into the groundwater of my brain, it would show up on some level. I think it does. The conversation I’ve been having with friends is basically, “What can be the relationship of abstraction to politics?”

Gary Stephan “Untitled” (2009) acrylic on muslin, 60 x 42 inches

JS: So this has to do with an idea about incorporating experience and contaminating “pure painting” with daily experience?

SJ: The interest in the Fibonacci sequence and spiraling goes back to the way I have thought about experience, which is as a coil. You go on a route and arrive at a shard of light, and recognize where you are. Then you keep going, and get back to that part again. But you are not going in circles, you are constantly staging a step up…or down.

In Proust’s Remembrance of Things Past, the narrator describes traveling from Balbec in a stagecoach. The coach is going up the hill and away. As it turns along the switchback, he can see back toward the town he has just left. He keeps looking back toward it, but from a little farther, as he is heading toward the future. Then, on the switchback, yet again, he looks back on where he just was, but now he is turned even more. That becomes a metaphor for how memory works.

Thomas Nozkowski came to my studio once when I was working on something that was overly coordinated and he said, “Jump cut.” That was all he needed to say. Now it is my mantra.

GS: It is related to the mosque you loved so much in Turkey, I’ve also always thought that a lot of Suzanne’s work had to do with translation.

SJ: Yes, the interior of the Rüstem Pasha Mosque in Istanbul is beautiful and perfect. There are four doors outside, and the door farthest from the entrance is completely broken up. The original tiles were found and put back on, but not in the original order. I love that kind of patching. It is similar to the Winchester Cathedral in England, where one rose window on the north transom was broken into smithereens and reassembled out of broken bits.

I consider different materials and methods of application in terms of translation. The model is conversation. For example, this format of today’s conversation is unusual for all of us. We can’t anticipate each other’s questions or responses, or the gap between what is said and what is felt or experienced, and how it will read on the page or screen. These change in the context of the situation. I am interested in how the familiar becomes strange, and the structure becomes fallible. A new thought emerges or an old thought can be re-imagined.

JS: Gary, you have described having “two masters”: the object and the painting. Can you explain what that means?

GS: That phrase, “serving two masters,” came from a chapter heading in an old fundamentalist Christian primer that I found. In terms of painting, at one end of the spectrum, you have the master of the concrete object — someone like Robert Ryman. At the other end of the spectrum, you have somebody like Frederick Church — the illusion of a space that can be entered. With Church, you want to experience Niagara Falls uncontaminated by the resistance of the object. With Ryman, you want the clarity of the object without any of the froufrou of the picture space.

Everybody conducts his or her practice along that continuum. That is what is meant by the serving two masters. Anytime you show fealty to one, you’ve weakened your fealty to the other. I was once given a hard time in print for “being compromised”: for the work vacillating between its allegiance to objects, and its allegiance to picture space. That vacillation was seen as a failure of nerve. I think times have changed enough that now it is considered a good way to look at things.

JS: You work on paintings from all directions and sides, and use a rotating easel to turn them around. Is that related to these ideas of concealment and moving between the object and the image?

Gary Stephan “Untitled” (2017), acrylic on Canvas, 30 x 30 inches

GS: The circular easel allows me to mess with expectations about gravity and the punch line. Sometimes I give way to the more obvious expectation, because I don’t see any reason to be obscure. Sometimes, it is too easy, so I turn them backwards, so to speak. Then they are slower. When you finally get to the punch line, it is more of a surprise.

JS: You think of the paintings as having punch lines?  What does that mean?

GS: I definitely do. It is a term I got from Tom Nozkowski years ago. He would say, “Well, the gag of this painting is…” Some people see them right away, and some people never see them. I’ve had any number of people think they’re simply delightful, flat designs, and I think, “Okay.” I’ve gotten over the artist as educator part of my life.

SJ: Whereas Rothko hoped that people would fall to their knees and start to cry in front of his paintings, you want to hear people chuckling.

GS: Yes. I want them mildly chortling under their breath.

The post Beer with a Painter: Suzanne Joelson and Gary Stephan appeared first on Hyperallergic.

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[framboisezakuro]

101 Questions with Fram

1. What is your full name? Do you have a nickname? Framboise Zakuro. Though most of the company has taken a liking to the nickname “Fram.”

2. How old are you? When is your birthday? I am 23 at this point. I was born on the 21st Sun of the 1st Umbral Moon.

3. Where were you born? Where do you live now? Are you patriotic? I was born in the Jadeite Thick, located in Gridania. As for patriotic…hmn…I wouldn’t consider my feelings towards Gridania ‘rigorous’ or akin to 'devotion’…but I am fond of my homeland, yes.

4. Who are/were your parents? (Names, occupations, personalities, etc.) I do not know my parents very well. I was raised by my older siblings.

5. Do you have any siblings? What are/were they like? I am the eighth eldest of my siblings. When I left home, there were twelve of us total. I don’t think you wish to be bored by the minutiae of my siblings respective personalities. The one thing we all share in common, though, is that we are all intelligent.

6. What is your occupation? I am a magic user. Most people think of me as a Healer primarily, but I aim to master most of the magical arts.

7. How tall are you? How much do you weigh? 5 Fulms 11 Ilms…as for weight, er…I haven’t checked lately. I’m afraid to find out.

8. What color is your hair? What color are your eyes? Erm…(And this is why she keeps her hair short, so she can’t really think about it.) My hair is an icy pale blue with berry-ish highlights (the blue came in as I got older…I was born with primarily berry-colored hair, which is where I got my name). My eyes are pink. Albino pink.

9. What is your race? Miquo'te, Keeper of the Moon

10. To which social class do you belong? Adventurer seems to be its own social class, wouldn’t you think?

11. Do you consider yourself to be attractive? Do others? …the timing of this question couldn’t be worse. I do try to take some pride in my appearance, keeping myself properly groomed and dressed, but…well, I don’t consider myself to be above average.

As for others, well…several girls seem to think so, but they’re my friends, so I’m certain they’re just being nice.

12. What is your style of dress? Typically it’s practicality vs. frivolity, however I tend to favor pastel hues.

13. Do you have any scars? Tattoos? Birthmarks? Other unique physical features? Outside of my usual tribal marks, no. Some people consider my coloring unique, but otherwise, I’m rather ordinary.

14. Do you have any allergies, diseases, or other physical weaknesses? No allergies, fortunately. As for physical weaknesses - I get cold rather easily, and start to get dizzy when there’s lightning out. I’m not very strong, though I do think I have fairly decent stamina. I just cannot carry a lot.

15. Are you right- or left-handed? When using a staff or wand, I am right-handed. I write left-handed, however.

16. What does your voice sound like? Japanese: Kuwashima Houko English: Kelly Sheridan

17. What kind of vocabulary do you use? Whatever best suits the situation, really. I was told once that you needed a dictionary to hold a conversation with me, but I believe that to be exaggeration.

18. List three quirks or other defining characteristics. I rub the back of my neck when nervous or tense, or ruffle the back of my hair…I tend to hold my chin when I’m thinking hard. 

19. How often do you bathe? Do you wear perfumes? Every day, if I can help it! It’s one of the few luxuries these days I make time for. As for perfume, I tend to favor orange blossom, rose, or lavender.

20. What kind of facial expression do you commonly wear (dour glare, wry smile, etc)? Wide-eyed wonder is a facial expression, right? That or a thoughtful stare.

21. Do you use body language? How? I fear that I am quite an open book when it comes to conveying my emotions. I shy away, shrug, hunch my shoulders, the whole gamut. Sometimes I don’t realize I’m doing it, other times…well, I just wish others would be attentive enough to pick up on non-verbal cues…

22. Do you have a commonly used saying? Not that I’m aware of…though I’ve found myself calling others 'reckless’ more often than I’d like.

Childhood

23. What is your earliest memory? I do not remember how it was done, but I had broken my leg when I was very tiny. One day my siblings hid my crutches from me and I had to spend the entire day crawling with one good leg until I could find them.

24. How much schooling have you had? Did you enjoy it? Before pursuing my magic, I was taught to read by my older siblings. All other schooling was entirely self-instigated.

25. Where did you learn most of your knowledge and skill? Primarily from the masters of Conjury found in Gridania, though I’ve been gleaning so much from the other guildmasters in Thaumaturgy and the masters of the Arcane…they don’t realize it, but I learn a great deal from my friends in the Company and, well…every day is a learning experience, when you’re someone whose calling is in nature and the life-force around us.

26. How would you describe your childhood in general? I would rather not describe it at all, thank you. But if I must…it was noisy, chaotic, and you had to look out for yourself. Everyone had their 'favorite’ siblings, but that didn’t mean you weren’t ridiculed by them, even if it was all in good fun. I rarely saw my parents, if ever. They may have been aunts and uncles, or siblings, for all I know.

27. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? Something other than “Number Eight.”

28. When and with whom was your first kiss? …it is not common knowledge, but…(now she feels bad for lying about it) It was shortly before I left. I had feelings for someone, but they were family. Who else would it have been? We were very insular, so…I couldn’t leave without telling him - my uncle - how I felt. Had he answered me different, perhaps I never would have left. But here I am.

29. Are you a virgin? If not, when and with whom did you lose your virginity? My first time time was around three years ago with my adventuring partner and co-owner of the Floating Leaves, Galen Aubrey. As of two years ago, he is no longer around, though I aim to find him.

30. Do you have a notorious or celebrated ancestor? Does that affect you? (Fram mentally rolls her eyes. Her entire family is notorious.) No.

Influences

31. What do you consider the most important event of your life so far? Leaving home, by far.

32. What do you consider your greatest achievement? I do not think I’ve done anything worth bragging over. Perhaps becoming an archon mage, though I have much further still to go.

33. What is your greatest regret? See: First Kiss.

34. What is the most embarrassing or shameful thing ever to happen to you? See: Greatest Regret.

35. Do you have any secrets? If so, what are they? If I told you I had none, you wouldn’t believe me. So instead, I’ll tell you: I have plenty of secrets. Truth always comes out in due time. This is not that time.

…and, erm…perhaps I fib a little bit about how naive I am. That doesn’t mean I enjoy talking about it!

36. What is the most evil thing you have ever done? I suppose that depends upon who you ask. I have slain many creatures in my travels. I would be shocked if that hasn’t contributed to the wrath of the elementals.

37. When was the time you were the most frightened? My first thunderstorm away from home. I quite sincerely believed I would be washed away or struck by lightning.

38. Have you ever traveled outside of your country? If so, to where? I tend to stay close to those I am familiar with. If I were to travel further, I would want company.

Beliefs

39. What is your alignment? I try to do what is right and fair for all involved. I shy away from breaking rules when I can help it. (Lawful Good)

40. Are you basically optimistic or pessimistic? Primarily optimistic, I like to think? Though perhaps pessimistic in certain realms…

41. Do you believe in a god? If so, which one and why? I believe in the existence of greater powers. Often others find themselves worshiping these greater powers as their 'gods.’ While I do not deny their existence, I do question their sovereignty.

42. Do you believe in an afterlife? I believe in Reincarnation, if we wish to go into the specifics of what happens when you die.

43. What is your greatest fear? That all that I am putting myself through will be for naught.

44. What makes you angry? Sad? Happy? Why? Suffering makes me sad. Ignoring it makes me angry. Putting an end to it is what brings me joy. If you have to ask why, you are part of the problem.

45. Do you think people are basically good or basically evil? I think people are basically selfish. You’d assume that such a quality would mean that they are evil, but everything requires balance. If you neglect self, those around you will suffer as well. I believe everyone is capable of balance, though it may require more work for others.

46. What are your views on politics? Religion? Sex? My family either manipulated politics to their benefit, or acted starkly against them. I tend to operate independent of them, though I suppose that’s impossible after a certain point, considering the current Eorzean climate.

While I do not subscribe to a current faith, I do find religion to be something that is typically of benefit to society. If religion is what drives people to do good for others, I find the end justifies the means.

I have heard many differing views on sex. I do not find that the possibility of dying is justifiable reason to bed with anyone you fancy. After all, what if you survive the next day and regret it? You have to weigh one regret against the other, and I would rather not deal with that.

47. What are your views on gambling, lying, theft, and killing? If someone chooses to gamble, that is their own business. Everyone lies. Sometimes it’s for their own sake. The truth always comes out, and they will have to face the consequences when it does. If that’s the choice they wish to make, so be it.

Theft is unacceptable. There are plenty of groups and parties who distribute goods out of charity. It is only a matter of finding them.

Killing and murder are different things. Both are unfortunate, while murder is something that must have its consequences.

48. How far will you go to defend your beliefs? It depends on what’s at stake. Different beliefs can co-exist, after all.

49. How much do you value money? I like to have enough to afford the creature comforts I’d rather not do without. But I do not feel the need to hoard all that I earn.

50. In your opinion, what is the most evil thing any human being could do? The torture and slaughter of innocents.

51. Do you believe in self-sacrifice for the greater good? Only if you are absolutely certain it will work.

52. Do you believe in the existence of soul mates and/or true love? …I haven’t given it much thought.

53. Are you superstitious? Oh, no! Haha…absolutely not.

54. How much do you respect the beliefs and opinions of others? I…believe I am pretty respectful? I at least try to be. That isn’t really a question you should be asking me.

55. How honest are you about your thoughts and feelings? I may not give the entire truth, but I always give the truth. Almost always.

56. Do you have any biases or prejudices? I tend to favor those who exhibit some form of self-restraint. I do not find such behavior to be difficult, so I cannot exactly wrap my mind around why people would be so reckless, loud, or flamboyant.

I also tend to look down on those that are lazy. Inexcusable.

Dealing With Others

57. Who is the most important person in your life, and why? I…don’t know. (those words feel so strange coming out of her mouth) I mean, it sounds strange, but I don’t feel as though I deserve to claim that any of my family is, but I haven’t really known anyone that long, and…I don’t know. I don’t have anyone. (Which is strange. She’s never fancied herself a Lone Wolf.)

58. Who is the person you respect the most? Despise the most? Why? There is such a fine line, how quickly love can cross-over into complete hatred, isn’t it? (That may be the best answer she has to offer.) As for respect, there are several. Perhaps what attracted me to Galen so long ago was the respect I had for him.

59. Do you have a significant other? Who? I did, once.

60. Do you have a lot of friends? Who is your best friend? I have several friends. Who I may feel I am closest to may not be reciprocated. I’m afraid to say.

61. How do you relate to members of the same race? Class? Sex? I have found that I have yet to run into any other Keepers that have quite the same outlook as I do. They are usually much sharper and cunning than I am. I fear they typically run circles around me. They are usually in much better shape physically than I am, too. More ruthless, more dangerous. I really am no match for them.

I’ve noticed a peculiar dearth of Healers so far. I wonder where they all are?

62. How do you relate to members of a different race? Class? Sex?

There are too many variants to the 'race’ aspects that I could not even endeavor to answer that concisely. I seem to get on best with Arcanists, since they are the next closest thing to Conjurers. I have a healthy respect for Disciples of War, for they do something I would never be capable of.

As for members of the opposite gender, as long as they are polite and not over-bearing, I think I am able to carry a conversation with them. I’m not sure if I can 'relate’ to them, however…

63. Have you ever been in love? If so, describe what happened. How does any young girl fall in love? A man, often older than you, pays you the smallest amount of positive attention, extends an act of kindness, and in a matter of seconds - minutes, at most - he becomes your world. He is none the wiser, and ultimately, all the better for it.

First love is always foolish, and nearly always doomed. It is often romanticized as some magical moment, but for me, it was poison. It was the only thing that kept me nailed to complacency, and it wasn’t until I had destroyed it myself that I was truly set free.

64. What do you look for in a potential lover? I don’t look. Even if he were to push me, challenge me - love is for comfort and settling, is it not? There is no place for the word “love” in my vocabulary.

65. How close are you to your family? …I am close to my family in varying degrees of intimacy. Some I would rather not engage with, others I miss daily.

66. Do you want a marriage, family, and/or children? Perhaps when I am satisfied with the person I have become. I have not reached that point in my life.

67. Do you tend to argue with people, or avoid conflict? I am rather fearful of confrontation, though if someone states something that is blatantly false, I consider it a duty to speak out against it.

68. Are you a listener or a talker? …I have been known to veer on both sides of that extreme.

69. How long does it usually take for you to trust others? Longer than I would like, and with good reason.

70. Do you hold grudges? I do not forget patterns of behavior, but everyone gets one slight against me. After that I tend to keep at arm’s length.

71. Do you tend to take on leadership roles in social situations? Oh, I would really rather not. There are far better people for those sorts of roles. Zi, for one. A’Mirah, Arcene…anyone, really.

72. Do you like interacting with large groups of people? The larger the group, the easier I blend in…

73. How well do you express yourself? I think I am proficient at expressing myself when necessary. There are times when others don’t understand me, but I don’t think that’s my fault?

74. How quickly do you judge others? Quite quickly. And usually–though not always–I’m pretty well on the mark. I think.

75. Do you care what others think of you? Not terribly. I tend to keep to myself. (She totally cares.)

76. Do you have any enemies? How or why are they your enemy? I have people I like to stay away from. Why would I ever want to mingle with unsavory sorts? I’m not sure if I would call them enemies…they would have to know who I am, for starters, and I’m just a nobody.

Personal Taste and Opinions

77. What is your favorite pastime? Color? Food? Possession? Bathing. (Totally serious.) Aqua blue and pink (wasn’t she asked this a few times before?). Fish and other seafood.

And I have a beautiful knife with a pearlized handle adorned with jewels. It’s…rather expensive-looking, so I don’t usually pull it out unless necessary.

78. What are your preferences in arts and/or entertainment? Culinary arts is my preference, actually. I haven’t had much exposure in most other arts, I’m afraid. I find literature to be my favorite form of entertainment.

79. Do you smoke, drink, go whoring, or use drugs? Why or why not?. …I’ll drink something if it’s sweet or floral enough. Typically it’s if I’m too tense or if I’m mentally stumped on a problem. Other than that, I do not partake in any other indulgences along those lines.

80. How do you spend a typical Saturday night? Either working or practicing some alchemy.

81. What is your most cherished fantasy? To make a noticeable dent in the world’s suffering as a result of my knowledge.

82. How long is your attention span? …admittedly not very good, unless I isolate myself. My mind never really stops going, and it’s quick to derail any train of thought I might have…Perhaps if I were to focus better, I’d be further along my studies by now.

83. Do you laugh a lot? What do you find funny? I’ve never thought about it…I suppose I laugh when I find something amusing, or if I’m flattered by something…which is often enough, so, I suppose I do laugh more than average?

84. Is there anything that shocks or offends you? If so, what? Oh, far too many to list. I strongly believe that there are many things that should be kept private, so when I hear people talking about their affairs in such lackadaisical ways, I find myself at a loss.

85. How do you deal with stress? I bathe. Or read. Or–both, actually! Usually with a nice cup of rose or lavender tea.

86. How much athletic ability do you have? Artistic? Athletic? Absolutely none. I am a complete klutz. I’ve been that way since early childhood. (See: Earliest memory.) Artistic..? Hmm…I don’t really think I have anything along those lines, either. I’m more analytical than creative.

87. Do you like animals? Do you like children? I like both of those things very much! Enough to want to dedicate my life to protecting them.

88. Are you spontaneous, or do you always need to have a plan? Always. Plan. Ahead. Always.

89. What are your pet peeves? …spontaneity? –And laziness.

Self-Image

90. What is your greatest strength as a person? Weakness? My intellect is my greatest strength. My weakness is most certainly my inability to focus. (At least, this is how she sees it.)

91. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? …it’s hard to narrow it down to just one thing. I suppose that lack of focus would be a good place to start. And maybe that thing that seems to summon rain whenever I step outdoors…(but she’s not superstitious or anything) My near-sightedness would be lovely to rid myself of too, come to think of it. My inability to wear a longer hairstyle? Though I suppose short hair is more practical…oh! And it’d be nice if I could be a little more intimidating. Perhaps then thugs and rabble-rousers would stop pestering me. I’d also like to be a lot prettier. Maybe larger breasts?

92. Are you generally introverted or extroverted? Most definitely introverted, unless around others of my profession.

93. Do you like yourself? …well, nobody’s perfect.

94. Do you have a daily routine? How do you feel if your day is interrupted? Nothing is routine, except for my hot bath at the end of my day. If that doesn’t happen, the morning to follow will be horrendous.

95. What goal do you most want to accomplish in the next six months? Your lifetime? Next six months? I would like to master all of the magic arts there are to learn in Eorzea. As for my lifetime…I would like to see a time of tranquility before I die, even if it’s just within my small circle of friends.

96. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? 20 years? I cannot even begin to imagine. Perhaps founding a magic school of my own? I think I would do well as a teacher.

97. If you could choose, how would you want to die? Peacefully, surrounded by those that I love. Barring that, saving someone else.

98. What is the one thing you would like to be remembered for after your death?

I don’t need to remembered for any one thing. I would just like to be recalled fondly.

99. What three words would you use to best describe your personality? Diligent, studious, private.

100. What three words would others probably use to describe you? Gullible, boring, bossy.

101. Why are you risking your life to adventure? For the sake of knowledge, and to make adventuring less “risky.”