That's LIFE: the women He loved, Augustus John

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the handsome John in 1899, painting by Sir William Orfen

Ida Nettleship with Gwen John, an artist in her own right, Augustus' sister.

at far left of drawing is a friend- drawing by Augustus John 1897.

1st wife Ida, with the couple's  baby (they had five sons)

Ida with sister Gwen, Augustus, & their 1st child (at the time Ida & John were married)

Dorelia  at r. painted by John

after Ida died  giving birth- Dorelia & John married

Dorelia (at right) painted by Gwen John-(Gwen-Self Portrait, at left ) 

it is rumored the pair had an affair in defiance of Augustus, & Ida

 Lyric Fantasy

a gathering of John's women, 1909 here, even the late, Ida, at far right

Dorelia & John had two daughters-  

Vivien & Poppet

 artist Vivien alongside a John painting of her mother Dorelia, at left & Poppet painted by her father

Gwyneth Johnstone, daughter of  John & Nora Brownsword,

painted by John, she became a painter like her father

John's daughter, Amaryllis Fleming- from John's liaison with Evelyn St. Croix Fleming, 

Eve- a painting by Augustus John here

& the many Women he painted and loved-likely too numerous to name, or to know-

Luisa Casati 

Elizabeth Bibesco, nee Asquith

Princess Bibesco

Tallulah Bankhead

Lady Cynthia Asquith

Lady Ottoline Morrell, & at right with Dorelia

the menage years later-

Iris Tree

&  standing in for all the others- 

John's The Sphinx

more?

the Augustus John Sphinx is owned by singer Bryan Ferry, at 66, llike the Sphinx-ageless, timeless & like John- a Slave to Love.

for more John paintings see artvalue here

more about John here

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song to the siren

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born this day January 25th, 1882, child of the Victorians.

"It is far harder to kill a phantom than a reality. " Virginia Woolf

photograph Max Siedentopf

Long afloat on shipless oceans

I did all my best to smile

til your singing eyes and fingers

drew me, loving, to your isle.

And you sang, "sail to me, sail to me;

Let me enfold you."

Here I am, here I am waiting to hold you.

Did I dream you dreamed about me?

Were you here when I was full sail?

Now my foolish boat is leaning, broken lovelorn on your rocks.

For you sang, "touch me not, touch me not, come back tomorrow."

Oh my heart, oh my heart shies from the sorrow.

I'm as puzzled as a newborn child.

I'm as riddled as the tide.

Should I stand amid the breakers?

Or shall I lie with death my bride?

Hear me sing: "swim to me, swim to me, let me enfold you."

"Here I am. Here I am, waiting to hold you."

 Tim Buckley

 

the Virginia Woolf Society of Great Britain here 
the Tim Buckley Archives here
Bryan Ferry's Olympia here

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He sings Noel Coward

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beautifully, I might add.

William Orpen's The Empty Bed
 the collection of Bryan Ferry

Voo Doo

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One of the reasons I started little augury,
Yes, Yes,I know you have heard it before, It began as a way of continuing a conversation with a beloved mentor and a promise to keep just a bit of his wit and wisdom alive by sharing it whenever possible. Along with this, an exchange of creative ideas-that was sadly lacking from my day to day design life.
 No More.

Prior to making the decision to -go it alone-in a business of my own, I worked in a place where creative juices were ripe. Working through a design project meant-getting feedback- inspired conversation. The owner of the design firm was a real talent with an acerbic humour that I could match-if need be. He was a great designer-as were a few others working there at the time. I still miss it- day in and out . .

Here is a place I would love to be in-not as a fly, maybe praying mantis. There must be a storm of creativity brewing in their offices on a daily basis. I am simply hypnotized. Cole Porter puts it this way:

Since you came my way

I am bound to say

things I once thought gloomy

now both bright and gay.

I'm so happy now,

and I'm sure somehow,

of this transformation

there can be but

one explanation:

You do something to me,

something that simply mystifies me.

Tell me, why should it be

you have the power to hypnotize me?

Nicholas Haslam and Colette van den Thillart have been everywhere since starting their own blog-they are in demand and with good reason as far as I can see. Colette says the two started their blog because they "thrive on creative exchange." So do I.

Right now Nicky Haslam is featured on the All the Best Blog and on the blog Style Beat. Read his rapid response here and here. He is also  featured in the United Arab Emirates The National.  Here is a bit of what he has to say about the direction of design in this year. "In 2011, I am most looking forward to this idea of 'heritage branding' that Suzy Menkes [the International Herald Tribune style correspondent] is espousing … I want design to be human and romantic. We need books - and not just on our coffee tables! And pictures and candles and layers … a move towards the quietly unexpected and less of this contrived hotel-style decorating."

Haslam finds inspiration, "what I like to call 'a germ of an idea' everywhere - from the grandest palaces to the most unexpected 'moments' … like a moss on a wall or a foil wrapper on a sweet … I am constantly inspired by fine (and not so fine!) art, fashion and shop windows - Louis Vuitton's and Harvey Nichols's have been fabulous." Haslam has recently begun blogging (you can find it at www.nh-design.co.uk/blog) and admits to rather liquid approach that includes Cool Hunter, All the Best, Little Augury, the Peak of Chic and An Aesthete's Lament.

The gentleman even sings.  A recent performance at the Savoy's Beaufort Bar Nicky says " I performed (note: not sang, am only too aware my talents lie in interiors and not singing!) the magical songs by Cole Porter whose lyrics have such depth, I simply adore his music." Since no video exists of this magical night Yet, I am hoping something will surface very soon. Here is a bit of voo doo from a sorcerer friend of Mr. Haslam's in serenade to the pair of design wizards-

 

and flowers-

 Mostly this twosome inspire. They inspire each other & are thoroughly inspiring others- especially me. Both cite the other- for their own inspiration- design twins? I think so.

(here & above)  Schiaparelli in collaboration with  Jean Cocteau

I could be a kissing cousin. No?

Colette recently wrote about "oily green"-a favorite color of the Haslam set. She cites the glossy green Hammersmith Bridge- that she traverses everyday to work as the color in question.

I'm sold on it obviously. Right now, I am using it in a Library. 

Here it is- still very much in the works.

Colette also talks about pink and violet as decorating neutrals.

I like it-

 some of my favorite colors, projects and  personal collections.

 read all of my recent NH Design posts here for inspiration (here), & go to Nicky and Colette's blog (here). I check in every day, you should too.



1st image of the great Jean Cocteau.


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House of Beauty & Culture Book of...

"DISPENSARY TO THE SOUL"

Library Inscription in Trajan's Forum

bust from the estate of YSL

Recently a favorite blogger- House of Beauty and Culture- stopped curating his almost daily postings. A favorite, an inspiration. It seems much like a favorite book- reading through and when finished- You don't want it to end- You don't- but it does. You remember it, quote it- it leaves a lasting impression.
now playing





What Books are on your Summer reading list?

Downcast Eyes: The Denigration of Vision in Twentieth-Century French Thought
by Martin Jay

Bright Young People: The Rise and Fall of a Generation 1918-1940 by D.J. Taylor

Rougues' Gallery by Michael Gross

Iris Origo by Caroline Moorehead

Maeve Brennan: Homesick at the New Yorker by Angela Bourke

Little Me by Patrick Dennis

Diary of a Drag Queen by Daniel Harris

Madeleine Castaing by Jean-Noel Liaut

Geoffrey Beene by Kim Hastreiter

Is there one book you honestly don’t expect to get to? Why?

Don't think I will finish the Castaing book. Only because it is in French and requires a greater degree of attention.


Where do you read and When? Does the genre you are reading dictate the place you read- in other words, Do you take just any old book to bed?


I read on the sofa, better known here as the raft of the Medusa, in the living room. The book and time depends entirely on the mood. Which works well as there are usually three on the go.



What is you all time Favorite Book for its sense of place?

Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin




What is your favorite Genre?

Biography and art/fashion monographs.

What is your most recent purchase in this category?

why?

I find creative people interesting.

What is your Security Blanket Book?



What about Books you are reading for a second or third time? Why? Any disappointments on second reading?

Don't reread per say, I dip back into for favourite passages.

Latest Obsession Author, Designer, Photographer?


Going out on a limb here –define LIBRARY in the nontraditional sense?

Anything (whether it be fabric samples, images, or music) that is referenced and serves as an inspiration.



...this answer I adore. It says what I could not quite put into words. Indeed, that is what the Blog -House of Beauty of Culture was for Me- and likely other of its readers,

An inspiration.

A constant source of joy, humour, of learning-

A Library.

photograph from HOBAC's latest obession

*all grotesque letters from Bibliodyssey.

How do you define A Library? a beautiful book waits for your answer-What does a Library look like at your house? music, textiles, children's books, photo albums? I'd love to hear about it-the book HOME awaits you- HOME by STAFFORD CLIFF (pb) "5o Tastemakers describe what it is, Where it is, What it means."