Stitched Portraits: Kermit the Frog

With the most recent Muppets film now thoroughly embedded into our current culture, Kermit the Frog has seemed to be even more real than ever. I mean, how can you watch this scene and not feel it?

So, although his birthday is probably a little bit of a mystery - Many have concured that May 9 is an acceptable day to celebrate.

Kermit even wore a tux for the event:

Stitched Portraits: Michel Gondry

Gondry is the tops. From Bjork's video for Human Behavior to his brilliant films: Science of Sleep and Be Kind Rewind, he carefully moves the weird world of handmade things.

His obsession with hands features prominently in a series of short clips he directed. One of which inspired yesterday's portraits. (...must watch for clarity)

Check out michelgondry.com to see his portraits.
And check out his stitched portrait below:

Stitched Portraits: Władysław Reymont

As a slightly Polish man with a seriously Polish last name, I tend to have an affinity for Polish artists. Reymont was an accomplished writer and upon looking at his picture yesterday, I felt an instant connection. A recipient of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1924, he also wrote a book called Bunt which told of animals that revolted and took over their farm. This was written in the twenties - two decades prior to Animal Farm.

Twisty moustached and chain-link spectacled, Władysław Reymont:

Stitched Portraits: Karl Marx & Sigmund Freud

May 5th and May 6th saw the birthdays of Karl Marx and Sigmund Freud, respectively. This had me checking to see if Nietzsche was born today... (he isn't - that would be way too convenient). This, of course, led to a suspicious weekend and 2 portraits that came together too easily - probably thanks to my new studio companion (more on him in another blog).

Here they are, like 2 mountains - Karl Marx and Sigmund Freud:

Stitched Portraits: Pete Seeger

After tearing up the town with wild and spirited friends, and politically charged motivation, I came home and drew this man. It was almost too easy.

Truly a troubadour, Seeger was born yesterday, 93 years ago.

Pete Seeger (Wailing):

Stitched Portraits: Pinky Lee

It was another one of those days where I got to find out about someone new. Pinky Lee - special to me... but I didn't even know it. Gifted with boundless energy, he hosted his own children's television show in the 1950s. He later went on to be a school teacher.
Yes and Yes...

Known for wearing all plaid, Pre-cursor to Pee-Wee, Vaudevillian, Slapstick specialist... Check him out.

Pinky Lee (ebullient):

Stitched Portraits: Wes Anderson

I remember being a young teenager and stumbling upon Rushmore with my brother while looking for something special in the video store. The cover of the film is a thing to behold and for a couple of sheltered little boys it was fresh. Luckily we loved Bill Murray, so we rented it.

That film opened my eyes to what a film could be, and Wes Anderson has remained an influential presence and a strong voice for bright light in a dreary world.

Check out his acceptance speech for NBR here.

Fantastic Mr. Fox really was, and Wes made choices that were hard for some to understand. Most notably he decided to shoot the stop-motion at 12 frames per second in order to give it that 'Rankin/Bass' feel. Also, using real goat hair and toy fur for the animal skins made the movement appear magical. It reminded me of the way Svankmajer films make objects dance.

Anderson's films have really proven his proclivity to children's themes and his latest is making me giddy just thinking about it. Moonrise Kingdom should be a masterpiece.

An inspiration, Wes Anderson (with Mr. Fox):

Stitched Portraits: Kirsten Dunst

Lux Lisbon is the pure feeling of fluttery love. The Virgin Suicides is a perfect film. As I watched it again last night while making this portrait, I was reminded of those 2 facts.

And how could you not have a little crush on Kirsten?

Kirsten Dunst (as Lux):