Hurts They're being heralded as "the new Depeche Mode" (they're not), but there is certainly a Violator era Depeche-iness about these two handsome lads from the UK. I'm loving the early 90's L'Uomo Vogue fashion spread flavor of the video for Wonderful Life. Thanks to my blog bud over at BPMMM for turning me on to them.

"Stay" is the track that really gets my manties in a twist. It has a grand, synthy, sweeping melodramatic hook that's very Question of Lust combined with the soaring gospel choir chorus Madonna employed to great effect on Like a Prayer.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart Aside from the tediously long art school angsty name of the band, I'm absolutely enamored with this song. They're reminiscent of Glasvegas, who coincidentally was my most listened to band of 2009. I'm a sucker for music with Phil Spector-esque reverb, Jesus and Mary Chain-y drums, Smiths-y jingle jangly guitars, and sullen romantic lyrics. And I only know them because of the magical witchcraft that is Pandora's spookily accurate algorithms.

Scissor Sisters What can I say other than the song is über catchy and lead singer Jake is running around in boxer briefs while being shot with a sushi cannon. Isn't that enough?

If you want to hear more, just listen to Rural Modernist Radio on the Pandora machine and don't hold it against me if some really weird and random stuff ends up in the mix. So what's in heavy rotation on your Victrola these days?

Big Gay Ice Cream Truck My visual interpretation of Humphry-Slocombe's Big Gay Ice Cream Truck inspired "Tranny Smackdown Sundae" is now available on a t-shirt. I didn't have much more to go on besides the actual ingredients of the sundae: "tranny padding" (shortbread baked by Humphry's Jake Godby), Slocombe strawberry ice cream and marshmallow fluff, smeared "mascara" (dark chocolate sauce), and smeared "lipstick" (Amarena cherry sauce), all topped with Trix cereal. Naturally, this information led me to doing my take on the classic "girl in a martini glass" motif, except with a 7 foot tall drag queen in platform boots and fishnet stockings with her padded ass parked atop a giant pink sundae glass. Wear this t-shirt with pride to your next church potluck or PTA meeting!

Just added: here's Jane Wiedlin of the Go-Go's wearing the shirt and hobbling around with a cane while debuting her new single, "Big Gay Ice Cream" for Big Gay birfday boy, Doug Quint:

My Needle Habit Thankfully, this one doesn't cause those unattractive "tracks" or icky collapsed veins. Carla's embroidery needle only penetrates vintage up-cycled linens, so no intervention is needed. She stopped by the studio recently and bought a few cards and told me about her etsy site and I immediately purchased this "Like A Virgin" linen which goes perfectly with my Madonna Face Project paintings. I'm unofficially placing my order for a nice long table runner embroidered with one of my all time favorite Smiths lyrics from This Charming Man: "Why pamper life's complexities when the leather runs smooth on the passenger seat?"

Small Earth Vintage Our pals Karen and Andy in Michigan have a smartly curated selection of "vintage clothing for the modern person" on display at their popular etsy shop. Even if you're not a vintage clothing devotee, you can easily get lost perusing their beautifully photographed finds from the 40's through the 80's. (They recently hit the mother lode when they purchased several trailer loads of clothing that belonged to a woman who purchased her wardrobe by the armful at sample sales from the 40s through the 70s.) And Check out their charming blog to see some highlights of their visit to our little rural modernist oasis here in the Kerhamptons this summer.

Rural Modernist Studio

3780 Main Street (rear cottage)

Stone Ridge, NY 12484

Open weekends from 1-4 pm or by appointment

* "LIKE" us on Facebarf and follow us on Twatter, too.

If you've never seen these exotic bromeliads in person, stop by the studio and check them out. I designed my ceramics specifically to hold these low-maintenance beauties which require no soil, moderate light, and minimal water (just a good soak once a week). Their graphic, alien silhouettes really pop against the high gloss curves of my pots and provide a perfect organic counterpoint to the most minimalist of interiors. Plus, they have really cool sounding names. Let's meet them, shall we?

Victoriana: the spiky leaves flow up then cascade down the sides kind of like my hair used to in the 80's. That phallic protuberance in the center is the bud about to flower.

Juncea: (left) tall and grassy blades will yeild a tall pink spike with purple blooms if you treat her right. Caput Medusae: (right) velvety green tentacles undulate seductively and will give birth to tall red spikes with purple flowers. (They remind me of the mean Puerto Rican cashier's glamour length nails at the old Gristede's supermarket in the East Village.)

Ionantha: this voluptuous beauty turns pink before it blooms, which is appropriate since it's nestled in one of the most unintentionally suggestive pots I've ever made. Think Georgia O'Keeffe meets Eva Zeisel, with a dollop of vintage Britney thrown in.

P.S. I love the selection at Air Plant Supply Co. They have a beautifully designed website, a great logo (very important), and friendly customer service. Tell them the Rural Modernist sent you.

Rural Modernist Studio

3780 Main Street (rear cottage)

Stone Ridge, NY 12484

Open weekends from 1-4 pm or by appointment

* "LIKE" us on Facebarf and follow us on Twatter, too.

My invitation must have gotten lost in the mail (like Monica Lewinsky's), but perhaps yours didn't.

While all of that marital mayhem is going down 30 minutes south of us in Rhinebeck, all is calm and cool over here in charming Stone Ridge, NY. Even though it's crawling with celebrities at the moment since they're shooting Jane Fonda's new flick, Peace, Love, and Misunderstanding down the road (I saw her at the local roller rink!) along with Chace Crawford (drool), and Catherine Keener. Barbarella is an avid blogger and you can read all about it at Janefonda.com. Oh, and a certain iconic music superstar and his supermodel wife work out at my gym, but if I named names I'd have to kill you. All highly unusual events in this sleepy burg. But I digress.

I've been working on a new series of abstract paintings on 1" thick pine planks featuring modernist Seussian silhouettes based on my ceramics. DNA-wise, they share inspirational roots via Alexander Girard's charming folk art figures, Calder's doodle-esque mobiles, and of course, conjoined twin superstars like Lori and Dori (aka Reba) and Abby and Brittany. (I just read that Brittany is engaged. Congrats!) They can be hung on the wall or stand alone on a table. They're monochromatic, so they look great mixed and matched in little groupings. Peruse them in person this weekend if you're in the 'hood, then after that I'm going to start putting a selection online since people have been asking for that.

Rural Modernist Studio

3780 Main Street (rear cottage)

Stone Ridge, NY 12484

Open weekends from 1-4 pm or by appointment

* Follow us on Facebarf and Twatter , too. And since you read all the way to the bottom of this post, here's Reba Schappell's video for The Fear of Being Alone. You're welcome.

"Got a dime?" The proprietors, Jason and J.R. working the ho' stroll right on Main Street. Real classy.

Are you in the Hudson Valley/Catskills area on this sultry, sweaty weekend? Take a break from fanning yourself dramatically like Blanche DuBois and stop by the Rural Modernist Studio before all of our soaps and candles melt into a messy yet fragrant puddle. Also, the Special Word of the Day is: BEDIZENED. Use it in a sentence when you come into the studio and get a special surprise!

Some of our still solid handmade soaps wrapped in vintage graph paper.

Trying out the Hipstamatic photo app on my new iPhone. Wow. That sounds super douchey doesn't it?

This is Ella, one of our fluffiest patrons.

We guarantee that all of our outsider art will not melt in 100% humidity.

Rural Modernist Studio

3780 Main Street (rear cottage)

Stone Ridge, NY 12484

Open weekends from 1-4 ish or by appointment

* Follow us on Facebarf and Twatter (I still don't know how to use it, but since everyone else is doing it I'll at least make an attempt) for the latest news, announcements, special offers, comments, suggestions, criticisms, previews, polls, dog pictures, gardening projects, etc. (And that's going to be the best way to find out when we're open, too.)

Welcome to the Rural Modernist Studio

It's always been a pipe dream of mine to have a little studio space of my own where I could work on my various extra curricular creative projects at my own leisurely pace and then throw the doors open to the public so they could peruse my various wares in one location. Finally, the dream has come true right here in Stone Ridge, New York in the Hudson Valley.

I still make my living as an illustrator, but I also do custom portraits, Rural Modernist Ceramics (and now handmade soaps and candles), Handsome Devil Press greeting cards, and Doodle Whore. And my partner, J.R. Craigmile, a production accountant for film and t.v. by day, is an avid collector of outsider art by night. When this space became available I just mashed it all together and somehow it all just works. If you find yourself in the Catskills/Hudson Valley 'hood on a weekend, come on over and say hello.

Rural Modernist Ceramics by Jason O'Malley takes center stage (at the moment). I blogged about taking my first pottery class almost two years ago and I'm still at it. You can see J.R.'s outsider art displayed salon style on the far wall.

Jason's Madonna Face Project is throwing shade from the back wall.

Gotta cigarette?

I've really stretched myself by adding matte black glaze to my usual color palette of high gloss white. Baby steps, people.

Rural Modernist soy candles wrapped in Eames-y mid-century flavored papers. They smell clean and fresh and mask a multitude of unpleasant odors with flair.

Rural Modernist Studio

3780 Main Street (rear cottage)

Stone Ridge, NY 12484

Open weekends from 1-5 pm or by appointment

* Follow us on Facebarf and Twatter (I still don't know how to use it, but since everyone else is doing it I'll at least make an attempt) for the latest news, announcements, special offers, comments, suggestions, criticisms, previews, polls, dog pictures, gardening projects, etc. (And that's going to be the best way to find out when we're open, too.)

Hey kids! I'm still here. Really. Yeah, I've been a rotten blogger, but I've been super busy. I recently debuted my line of Rural Modernist Ceramics at KMOCA gallery in Kingston, New York and I've also launched a custom portrait business. I'll be sharing all of the gory details very soon. Anyway, I just wanted to post a pic of our modern easter basket filled with hand dyed eggs. Ok, it's actually a Grassy Lawn Charging Station, but it looks way cooler than a crappy pastel toned wicker basket from the drug store. Since we're on the topic, let's take a moment to remember Edith Massey's indelible portrayal of The Egg Lady in Pink Flamingos: