Andy Beach . net

Andy Beach . net / Blog / Archive

Friday, May 9, 2025

with — Stopping Off Place, Isobel Chiang, Small Editions, Long Prawn, Stealing Beauty, Helle Høgsbro Krag, Harwell Hamilton Harris, Nick Relph, Matt Keegan, Etc.

A rainy and crappy day, discussing the difﬁcult times, and, as always, wondering what to do with myself and my brainwaves. “Nonstuff energy and, and, and, and Miscellaneous Ramblings Part 1” could easily be the name of this blog. (More terriﬁc imagery from Stopping Off Place). Have been thinking a lot about self-publishing and self- (spiral/coil) binding books — keeping an fbmarketplace listing for the Akiles WireMac Combo on standby in my open tabs. Recently discovered designer Isobel Chiang and Small Editions. Some great-looking books, and publishing model. Especially interested in her Paper and Ink, with collected scraps and off-cuts. I suppose it all comes back around to one of my all-time favorites, Stealing Beauty, (ICA, 1999) designed by Graphic Thought Facility. Looking at Saloon Store in Melbourne led me to Long Prawn, another interesting publisher/project. (Note: skinny, spiral- bound cookbooks and 2-color printing). Thinking about other forms of DIY merch and product publishing: CRÈME de la CRÈME à la HELLE by Helle Høgsbro Krag (of Holly Golightly interior/ window excellence). Sorting through images and albums, re-saw these fantastic zillow (or Kubrick?) interiors. A note about the demise of the Lowe House by Harwell Hamilton Harris scrolled by the other day; one of the architetural treasures lost to the Altadena ﬁres. Matt Keegan show opened at Magenta Plains, where I hope to see this stunning piece, IRL. I really like these cardboard box works by Nick Relph (part of The Gatherers at MoMA PS1), who I think is a like-minded kindred thinker-er of sorts; and occasional publisher. (Note: need to rekindle those nice chats we had way back at Ricky’s opening; ditto Alex Baker). Also: these loopy mudroom hooks at Carlo Mollino’s Villa K2. And: The epicly weird and wonderful/terrible scan of Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring.

Tuesday, May 6, 2025

with — Michael Aberman & Son Wim, Erwim Wurm, Soft Baroque, Jame da Vinciguerra, Zekkeraya El Magharbel, KIMA (Lauren Kima Graycar), and Zak Kyes.

Working on a some quick turnaround projects for Gina. Lazily trying to break this 4:00 am bedtime routine of recent weeks. Tonight is Astrid’s last regular season lacrosse game. I’ll miss it! Was a real nice, and regular, routine — with time outside, in the sun — and some great games!

Wish I could hop over to Salt Lake City to see Play Date at Fice Gallery, the little super exhibition by father and son, Michael Aberman and Wim (which was also on my baby name lists). He’s posted a few terriﬁc pics of work in progress. I immediately jumped to Erwin Wurm’s One-Minute Sculptures. Continue to love Julia Leonard’s photos around Los Angeles. There should be a book or two: the snapshots of things she sees and one of her Happy Customers that stop by her excellently-named Either Way shop. Soft Baroque makes things I like, including these one-off occasional frames. Fantastic! Every time I see Studio Vinciguerra’s lettering on IG, I am reminded that I too love to do that (!) and need to spend more time actually doing those things that I actually love to do. Be a man of letters. Poking around the letterpress jobs of Small Works in Detroit led me to Zekkeraya El Magharbel, (wow!) — radical typographer, musician, artist, and Cranbrook’r. I really, really like his integration of type and music practices. Harald Peter Ström is one of my favorite designers, (Konst & Teknik). Very into his understandings and use of the World Wide Web. A great button-ﬁlled homepage. I like the red on blue on this 2009 poster by Zak Kyes for the AA. There was a Tate New Painting Franz Kline poster at Harper’s Books with the same beautiful combo. Also a favorite blue: Petrol Blue 376. I’ve been following Kima (books) on IG for a while and tho I don’t really know much about them, I like what I see and what they share. Their image archive set of books is right in my lane. On a recent trip, they posted lots of pics of fantastic type and lettering in the wild, like this illustrated interior outline situation. ♥ And, lastly, of note: I always freak out at the simple brilliance of the comics, drawings, books, and other works by CF (0utdoors). This little print is an 11-impression rubber-stamped treasure. I should buy it and not wait until they’re all gone.

Monday, May 5, 2025

with — Anton Munar, Ben Jones, Ed Hill, Kettle’s Yard, and Emile Drescher & Harry Were.

I liked this work by Anton Munar of/on an open extension table. He has an exhibition opening now at Christian Andersen in Copenhagen. Their site wouldn’t load, so googled and spotted another excellent installation (across window) at Peres Projects in 2023. Remember to keep looking; I like these paintings. A favorite potter, Ed Hill, went to Kettle’s Yard, where he took this pic of the wall-hung plate rack. And Ben Jones’ ladder, Shaker peg, basement paneling combination part of his Regionalism show at The Hole. The great woodworker and furniture builder, Emile Drescher, posted photos of his and Harry Were’s live/work space available for rent in Auckland. I really love the feeling and function of this.

Supposin’ this blog ain’t gonna be Closed Mondays.

First Week of May, 2025

with — Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, Matt Connors, Hannah Broatch, Isamu Noguchi, Tadanori Yokoo, Lina Viste Grønli, Truck-n-Trailer, Gijs Bakker, Mr. Charles Burchﬁeld, Gus Van Sant, Espen Friberg, and Seth Cameron.

Sunday night. Haven’t found a routine with this thing yet. I think that was the point though — don’t do it unless you really want to do it. Are you working for it; or is it working for you? Matt Connors and Jacob Robichaux posted so many beautiful paintings and artworks when in Belgium for the opening of Matt’s incredible Mysterious Leap exhibition at Xavier Hufkins. I saw the America On Our Mind book at the Allentown Paper Fair. (That’s where I swiped the POET-TENTIAL UNLIMITED line that ended up on andybeach.net). By Carma and Rich Bartee, “D-train poet” aka “the Love-Nut” guy. I dug for more; the tribute page designs and “More Hugging” certiﬁcate were nice surprises. I really like the Japanese architecture books and Kyoto tours that Hannah Broatch posts on IG; ditto for this postcard. (Note: no photos = postcards). Feels like a friend to the romantic Noguchi postcard (found on ebay after seeing Sam Grawe’s posters on IG) and the weirdo-wonderful Tadanori Yokoo poster. Lina Viste Grønli was in LA installing these spoons at MacArthur Park. Some highlights from the latest issue of Truck-n-Trailer newspaper, picked up at Wawa along with a dill pickle crispy chicken sandwich ($4). Need to use more paper and scissors. Thinking about camouflage led me to Charles Burchﬁeld (again) and landed on the Burchﬁeld Penney Art Center at Buffalo State University. A great resource! Lots of searching and looking. I liked this note about him thinking it “impossible to do straight camouﬂage. I had to have a poetic idea back of my designs.” And the curator’s note that Modern designers might refer to this as “concept”. LOL & Love! Charles Burchﬁeld, Gijs Bakker, Radar, Terry Gross, Anthony Michael Hall, ... more self-portraits. I really like this great poster designed by Espen Friberg, who I have been noticing and following since Yokoland days (25 years!). Been thinking more about graphic design and my interest(s) in it. The image of color studies on a classroom bulletin board is swiped from Seth Cameron’s instagram. He visited a classroom and made special point to talk about color. I really like his sumi ink drawings too. Some kindred-ness there. After spending time with the Robin Williams photo on the new site, I tripped again on regret, for not trying to win the “is it color-by-number?” painting from Good Will Hunting a few years ago, when it sold at Robin’s estate auction for only $1,500 or so. What a thing! Added some pages, like /otherblogs, and will keep adding to and tinkering as long as it feels right. That’s when I went back to Michael Dumontier’s Stopping Off Place and re-discovered so much satisfying stuff, like the computer monitor illustration from a book on DIY animation. Blogs; What A Time!

Still reeling a bit from actually re-launching into the blogosphere. But I think it landed well. Some nice notes and emails from the usual homies and new pals. Thanks (!) PW, Fredrik, Eric, Dean, R$, Lee, Lisa, Stuart, Jonathan, Leon, Matt, Kindra, and John. ♥

Thursday, April 30, 2025

with — Geert van Kesteren, Marisa Takal, Jonathan Maghen, John Chamberlain, Les Levine, Gordon Matta-Clark, SJK 171, DEADLEG 167, Riley Sharbonno, and WARFARE.

Thinking a lot about these radical works of letters. Marisa Takal, (I’m a big fan!), following on IG and seen at Studio Route 29. Always loved this John Chamberlain poster. This one is at LELLI. Gordon Matta-Clark’s Graffiti show at White Columns still on my mind. (Note: Business card). Also saw these great Les Levine poster pieces at Harper’s Books, where I also spent not-enough-time investigating the Geert van Kesteren books: Baghdad Calling and WHY, MISTER, WHY?. (!!) Need to spend more energy with this work and these books. And poked around Jonathan Maghen’s site again — as I was looking at more and more things, getting in the mindset, to build my own site(s) — where I saw this great 1978 STRANGLERS flyer, via Michael Worthington. Otherwise: Have been eating poorly, but happily. Unbuttoning has become required. Made a verygood double batch of the chocolate-chip cookies with cinnamon and chile. (Note: Add a recipes page to the blog/site). Other things piling up: dishes, To-Do’s, undo’s, redo’s, shoes, blues, clues. Recently: LAX games; swim carpools; Astrid passed her driving test and is a licensed driver; Tully got a haircut;. ~~Pulled~~ Still pulling an all-nighter getting these site(s) sorted out. Mayday! And, still Looking.

Movie: WARFARE. 9:45 at Marple 10. Reminded me of Riley and His Story (designed by Matthew Rezac).

Friday, April 18, 2025

with — R. Crumb, Come Tees, Sonya Sombreuil, Jessi Reaves, Thomas Vinterberg, DOGMA 95, Julie Peeters, Bill magazine, John Armleder, Ken Price, Glenn Murcut, and Mr. Terry Ellis.

After the day in New York to see Gordon Matta-Clark’s NYC Graffiti Archive at White Columns, Claes Oldenburg at Paula Cooper, Adam Charlap Hyman’s selections at Tina Kim Gallery, Laura Owens (book-boxes!) at Matthew Marks Gallery, and Mungo Thomson’s really fantastic Time Life videos at KARMA. But I forgot to go down the street to see the lenticular prints. I also meant to go to Gordon Robichaux for Gerald Jackson and to The Rainbow LEGO Show by Christopher Knowles at Bridget Donahue, and hoped to stop by American Art Catalogues, but I didn’t allow myself the gift of enough time. I took the pic of the John Armleder postcards at Harper’s Books, where I also saw a great Sturtevant poster, and noted the paper in Martin Kippenberger’s Sand in Der Vaseline. Plus: the Dashwood Books 40%-off sale; (Russell Lee and Gee’s Bend). Then: 3+1 tacos at Carnitas Ramirez (into trying to recreate the red onions with oregano and apple-cider vinegar). And: 2-scoop sugar cone with salted chocolate and “smooth-n-delicious” strawberry at Morgenstern’s.

Week of Monday, April 14, 2025

This is the new BLOG SPLOT. I have been thinking about re-blogging (for, I dunno, ten years). This slower, more deliberate Blog / Archive / Portal came about while I was tinkering with my old, unrealized, semi-pointless domains, and updating my “Portfolio” site. Home alone while the rest of the family was in Michigan for Spring Break; struggling with the side effects of unemployment and ~~lack of~~ too much ! direction (and distreaction). I spent some late nights unraveling what I think I actually want to do—well, at least for this blog anyway. Once I got past the login of it all, I got going with a very basic start page, but, as soon as I added a links list with a few meaningful-to-me names, I knew a new blog could again be the place for me, to express something, about myself. It would need to be self-afﬁrming, but would spiral into daydreamy. I can’t help but be reﬂective, yet gotta be forward-looking. Something I could wear. And maybe the practice of writing, sharing, and maintaining it, might help me to

S L O W D O W N.
The needlessly neanderthal navigation assures that. Everything is made and posted within rickety, old-hat html text editors (no wysiwyg platform, or anything that’s ease of use here, folks.) Idiosyncratic, singular, over-expository, contradictory, obtuse, obscured, obnoxious, hard to read, difﬁcult to know, never shuts up, but never says nothing. I’m not yet sure what it’ll be called, if anything. What I am hoping though: Is that it ♪ Let’s me know just who I am. ♫ 1, 2, 3, 4, I love the Blog-core. My core, My core. Your core, Your core. Our core, Our core! Mmm Good, Mmm Good. Feels Good, Feels Good. Is Good, Is Good! Real Good, Real Good. Tastes Good, Tastes Good. Mighty Good, Mighty Good! Good for You, Good for You! Good for Me, Good for Me!!

Start at the beginning.

Re: REFERENCE LIBRARY

(?) Does the old blog still blog (?) Yes and no. Although never intended to be The End, a closing post was made on March 3, 2014. And since then, the blog exists, in limbo, but never totally dormant. I hope it continues to be a useful resource, nostalgia machine, and/or archive of a particular time. It may not ever be updated, appended, or deleted. For now, it just is.

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