Pop Inspiration: Loki

Artists are always inspired by the manifestation of beauty, whether it be a tiny bubble of dew on the petal of a perfect flower or the honey-sweet note of a song. I never expected to find reverence and awakening in a film like the Avengers. Sure, there's a lot to experience in such a blockbuster, but Tom Hiddleston's portrayal of the movie's villain Loki is truly a thing to behold. In order to be believable and ultimately feared, a villain must have a blinding depth. Mr. Hiddleston plays this character as if every moment is an evaluation and Loki's soul is found wanting time and again. That drive for approval and self respect is what fuels his deadly fire.

A Pain That I'm Used To

Photoshop and Wacom tablet

Creative types fall prey to disappointment and defeat so easily. Though some may find it strange to be uplifted by the 'bad guy' in a comic book film, that's just what's happened. Watching this character come to life, shaped by the hands of the masterful Hiddleston, was just the tonic for me. Perhaps that's what being part of the creative community is about; using your talents to help others reach their potential. To quote the actor, “Never let anyone tell you what you can and can’t do. Prove the cynics wrong. Pity them for they have no imagination. The sky’s the limit. Your sky. Your limit.”

Glorious Burden

Original vector art

A Toast to the Derby

The Kentucky Derby is almost upon us. Since the late 30's, the official drink of the Derby has been the mint julep. Served in either a silver julep cup or commemorative collectable Derby glass, the julep has roots in Virginia. Now it's a Kentucky tradition. You can find a simple recipe on the poster below. Enjoy the race responsibly!

Mint Julep
original vector illustration

Color Flavor: Porcelain Berry

In my youthful explorations, I learned a lot about wildflowers, plants, and topography. I can instantly identify a number of native flora and fauna and know where you're likely to find them. A few years ago, I saw something I'd not seen before, a porcelain berry. A plant native to Asia, this climbing foliage is considered an invasive species in this country. It is quickly spreading across from the eastern states and must be controlled as it can choke out native vegetation.

The porcelain berry has grape-like leaves. It's a trailing bush, growing up to 15 feet tall, with drooping branches. Perhaps the most striking thing about this plant are the berries. The berries are small and opaque with tiny flecked spots. They range in color from magenta purple, cloudy sea blue, to pale earthy green, most of the time in the same fruit bunch.

Dusty magenta isn't an easy color to incorporate into designs of any kind, at least not quietly. It is almost certainly going to be seen as feminine. Keep this in mind. This color would work well as an accent for a women's boutique or salon. It would also be appropriate for a bakery since it mimics closely the color of many berries used in baking.

In interior design, these hues work well in rooms that tread the line between warm and cool. Bedrooms and bathrooms benefit from the relaxing blues and imaginative magenta. Add a spring-like yellow green for interest. Above, Behr's Peru (UL100-19) is the accent wall color paired with Bayside (510F-5) and Waterfall Mist (W-D-510).

 Patterns featured above can be found here, here, and here.

Kentucky Bourbon Pie

The dew hangs loosely on the petals of the red roses. Golden sun slips over the famous spires, casting a long shadow on the track. Energetic thoroughbreds in hues of golden pecan, dark chocolate, and cream are wound ready like springs. Ice tangos with mint leaves and amber bourbon. It's the first Saturday in May and something special is happening.

Every year, the world turns its eyes to Louisville, Kentucky and the most exciting 2 minutes in sports, the Kentucky Derby. At Derby time, the parties are historic, the hats amazing, and the horses spectacular. Louisville knows how to celebrate a horse race and what party would be complete without the perfect dessert. 

In 1950 the Kerns at the Melrose Inn in Prospect, Kentucky created a pastry that is now synonymous with the Kentucky Derby, the Derby Pie (© Kern's Kitchen), a chocolate and walnut tart. Though the Kern's pie is quite tasty with a dollop of whipped cream, I prefer the version of a chocolate nut pie I make myself. I use pecans, dark chocolate, and a shot of quality bourbon. This pie is great for any occasion, but especially on that first weekend in May.

The pie before baking, yum!

Kentucky Bourbon Pie

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

1 cup pecans, chopped

1 shot bourbon

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup chopped dark chocolate

1 unbaked pie shell or 1 roll of crust

Notes: I use Woodford Reserve in my pies. If you choose to omit the bourbon, use 1 cup of sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. I usually use chocolate with a cacao content of 60% or higher. If you wish to use 75% or higher, use in combination with milder chocolate unless you're looking for a stronger chocolate flavor.

Combine sugar and flour well; add eggs and melted butter. Add chopped nuts, chocolate, vanilla, and bourbon, mixing well. Pour into unbaked pie shell and bake at 325 for 40-45 minutes. Serve warm with whipped cream or for an extra fun treat, bourbon whipped cream, recipe here at Food & Wine.

This year, why not try a slice of a new tradition. Mix up a julep, pick your pony, and enjoy some Kentucky Bourbon Pie. A dessert this decadent is a sure bet!

Disclaimer: My recipe is in no way intended as an infringement on the copyright held by Kern's Kitchen.

Idea Seeds: Dogwood

With spring comes a lot of inspiration. Everything's waking up after a winter's nap; there are colors and textures everywhere. One of my favorite things about spring is the dogwood tree. Dogwoods are pretty trees most of the year, but their blooms are something special. That's why I've chosen dogwood as this Idea Seed.

Viewed by some as a religious symbol and prized by landscapers for its foliage, the dogwood comes in both tree and shrub varieties. The blooms can range from a chartreuse shade of white to light and dark pink and have four petals with a distinct dark spot on the tip. These blooms are showy in spring and give way to simple leaves for summer. Eventually, they produce bright berries.

Sun Salutation
watercolor
©Rachael Sinclair

If you have a dogwood tree in your yard or know where you can inspect one, take a good look. Does the shape inspire you? How about the color? What textures do you see? Sit under a dogwood and let your mind drift. You never know what magic you'll find!

These PMS colors and CMYK breakdowns were sampled directly from the bloom of a dogwood tree

Color by COLOURlovers

Lemon Sunshine Cake

About this time of year, I crave lemon confections. There's almost nothing as decadently refreshing as a slice of spongy lemon cake. I adapted this recipe to use butter instead of oil and stress the use of lemon zest and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Lemon Sunshine Cake

1 lemon cake mix (I used Duncan Hines)

1 4-serving package of lemon instant pudding
(I used Jello pudding)

1 cup water

4 eggs

1 stick butter, melted

zest from half a lemon

1/3 cup (approx) powdered sugar

5 tablespoons (approx) fresh lemon juice

remaining lemon zest

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a Bundt pan. Blend cake mix and pudding mix together. Add water, melted butter, and eggs; mix well. Stir in lemon zest; note, batter will be thick. Pour into pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pan for around five minutes before removing. Stir together glaze of powdered sugar, fresh lemon juice, and zest. Drizzle glaze over warm cake.

Michael Graves

St. Coletta School, Washington D.C.

Humana Building, Louisville, KY

If the animators responsible for The Incredibles, Wall-e, and Meet the Robinsons, had a patron saint, it would be Michael Graves. Born in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1934, Graves eventually became one of the New York Five and is a household name thanks to his collaboration with Target on domestic products. His buildings and products are futuristic and strong, but not entirely cold like some other modern designs.

Graves uses glass, marble, and metal to paint a picture with his architecture. His work takes chances and liberties with the skyline that stay pleasing in spite of their age. Some may push the envelope with modernism as Graves does, but their work never manages to break out of the current trends, resulting in a heavily dated look as the years pass.

In his product design, Graves uses a great deal of glossy metal and a signature grey blue. His pieces are almost always easy to identify and, like his architecture, lend artistic whimsy to a home no matter the interior scheme.

With hundreds of architectural triumphs to his name and his products revered in homes everywhere, Graves has quite the legacy. His bold style pushes boundaries without becoming garish, cultivating an inspiration of confidence and fine attention to detail.

Louwman Museum, the Netherlands

Sources: Wikipedia, Michael Graves & Associates