A review by Terry Castle of Elsie de Wolfe’s The House in Good Taste makes me nod my head vigorously. I’m not quite as obsessed as Ms. Castle confesses to being, but certainly I’ll cop to owning a fair number of shelter-related titles. I’m particularly inclined to seek out books like this and this — that purport to show How Artists Live — but then again, I’m equally fascinated by books like this and this, that aren’t really about “decorating” per se, but more about what your living environment says about you and your identity. And thinking about that, of course, can lead you to works like this.
Anyone else like this sort of thing? Other writers, do you ever use books like these to help you figure out where and how your characters live?
coppervale Says:
Tuesday, April 25, 2006 at 3:45 am. |
Hi Sara -
Not so much to use in creation of environments for my characters; but rather, my own work environmemt. The surroundings in which I work are very important to me - like the first book you linked to - and I’ve always been fascinated by artists’ studios (and writers’!)
The ‘Studio’formed when Bernie Wrightson, Mike Kaluta, Barry Windsor-Smith, and Jeff Jones were together, had a huge impact on me - the idea of a creative space where there was something inspirational around every corner, in every nook…
Not a book, but pictures of my own workspace..
http://pics.livejournal.com/coppervale/gallery/00006pa5
Thanks for the links to the books!
James
capn_jil Says:
Tuesday, April 25, 2006 at 4:26 am. |
Because I am lazy, and because I am right now writing what I know (indigent and vaguely decadent twentysomethings) I draw on what I see and what my friends see and do…It also helps that I dig reading that decorating shit anyway… I think I read In My Room like a million times growing up.
I’ve been thinking about what the apartment shared by a taxi-driving hipster robot and a severely underemployed Hopey-go-lucky character would look like though. Perhaps you, or your Live Journal friends, might have an idea! Hapless grin.
capn_jil Says:
Tuesday, April 25, 2006 at 4:29 am. |
Your studio is beautiful.
lkeele Says:
Tuesday, April 25, 2006 at 4:38 am. |
Now I’m going to have that song in my head all day.
a_dozen_katz Says:
Tuesday, April 25, 2006 at 11:49 am. |
so,
i had you added on this name
but i changed it
and..i’m not really sure how to add you again..
i have two names
righto_caito
and
ester_may
i think i commented with ester at one point
anyway. the point is,
i wanted to add you again
but i don’t know how
righto_caito Says:
Tuesday, April 25, 2006 at 11:57 am. |
ok, so i figured it out
anyway, this is my new name
ester_may Says:
Tuesday, April 25, 2006 at 11:57 am. |
this is my OTHER name
by the way
anonymous Says:
Saturday, April 29, 2006 at 8:50 pm. |
Hey, Im a huge fan of yours! Ok well…not that huge cause ive only been able to read one of your books, Empress of the World. I dont check on your site very often, and im just wondering how the sequel is going :)