RANDOM WEDNESDAY: Ronald Searle - The New Yorker February 18th, 1991

Cover by Ronald Searle

 

FILM: 40 Days

Film Appreciation

Written and directed by Charleen Weiss and Hannes Stolpe, 40 Days is a short film that follows Grace as she mourns the loss of her brother, Finn. Over the course of 40 days, she navigates her grief while his soul searches for refuge. In a final act of closure, Grace writes her brother a letter—knowing that once she burns it, she'll have to let go and begin to move forward.

via Charleen Weiss 

Alaska y Dinarama - Ni tú ni nadie

Music Appreciation

Alaska y Dinarama solidified their cultural impact with Ni tú ni nadie, a track included on their second studio album Deseo carnal. Although the album was released in 1984, Hispavox and Polydor issued the song as its second single in February 1985. 

Written by Carlos Berlanga and Nacho Canut and produced by Nick Patrick, the song later appeared on the compilation Grandes éxitos (1994). Alaska has noted that Canut drew inspiration from 1950s Hollywood film noir, lending the song a dramatic emotional tension beneath its pop surface.

Musically, “Ni tú ni nadie” is rooted in pop but incorporates elements of baroque and progressive pop, marked by elegant melodies and layered arrangements. Alaska sings in a notably low vocal register, reinforcing the song’s mood of restraint and resolve. 

The lyrics, delivered in the first person, explore the fallout of a painful relationship and the struggle to survive a breakup, insisting that neither the former partner “nor anyone else” can change the narrator. Structurally, the song follows a verse-chorus format, enriched by ringing bells, Alaska’s audible sighs in the instrumental bridges, and even a French horn—part of Deseo carnal’s broader use of wind instruments.

Commercially and culturally, the song was a major success, becoming Alaska’s second number-one single in Spain. It was proposed as Spain’s entry for the 1985 OTI Song Festival, though the idea was rejected by the selection committee. 

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://www.discogs.com/release/216465-Alaska-Y-Dinarama-Deseo-Carnal

https://elpais.com/noticias/alaska-dinarama/

https://www.rtve.es/noticias/20200209/movida-madrilena-cuando-espana-dio-salto-del-blanco-negro-color/2000000.shtml

https://www.hhv.de/en-US/records/item/alaska-y-dinarama-deseo-carnal-pink-and-blue-vinyl-edition-1167982?srsltid=AfmBOop207-A5OxyARRRfE3MhTgk2DaUHMsFdOapE27w2O7P7b6Lm_-D

Dance: Anubis @ Tribal Beat Fest 2018

Dancers: La Catalina, Olga Popova, Natalia Rodikova, Irina Sapozhnikova, and Tanya Zhuravleva

via La Catalina

Cosplay is an Art: Anime Los Angeles 2026

via Kara Mel Photography

Agent Provocateur - "Love Me Tender... Or Else" (2009)

Model: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley

via Roger Rabee 

MODEL: Alisson Nina

Modeling Appreciation

Model: Alisson Nina

Photographer: Ludwig Desmet

via Ludwig Desmet 

Album Cover: Rush - Moving Pictures

Album Cover

Album: Rush - Moving Pictures

Released: February 12, 1981

Artwork: Hugh Syme

Photographer: Deborah Samuel

Models: Mike Dixon, Bobby King, Kelly Jay, Deborah Samuel's family (on the right)

Source: Wikipedia

RANDOM WEDNESDAY: Kenton Nelson "Early Morning" for The New Yorker

Source: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cover-story/cover-story-2025-11-24

Mia Khalifa

Acting Appreciation

Mia Khalifa, born Sarah Joe Chamoun on February 10, 1993, in Beirut, Lebanon, is a Lebanese-American media personality and former adult film actress. Khalifa moved to the United States with her family in 2001, escaping the conflict in South Lebanon. 

Raised in a Catholic household, she described her upbringing as conservative. Khalifa attended high school in Montgomery County, Maryland, and later graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso with a degree in history. Standing 5'2" with a slim build, brown eyes, and long black hair, she worked as a bartender and model before entering the adult film industry.

Khalifa's adult film career began in October 2014, and she quickly rose to fame, becoming the most searched performer on Pornhub within two months. Her career was not without controversy, particularly in the Middle East, where her decision to appear in a hijab during a sex scene sparked widespread outrage. 

Despite her brief career in the industry, lasting only three months, Khalifa's fame continues to resonate, and she remains one of the most recognized figures in adult entertainment history. Her popularity was fueled by both the scandal surrounding her performances and the ensuing media attention.

After leaving the adult industry, Khalifa distanced herself from her past work, transitioning into a career as a social media personality and sports commentator. She has hosted shows on YouTube and Twitch, and co-hosted the sports show Out of Bounds in 2017. 

Khalifa has been vocal about the negative impact her brief career in porn had on her personal life, including estrangement from her parents and receiving death threats from extremist groups. 

Khalifa's story highlights her evolution from a brief stint in adult entertainment to a career in mainstream media and social commentary.

Sources:

miakhalifa.com

instagram.com/miakhalifa

twitter.com/miakhalifa

Wikipedia

boobpedia

pics-x.

indexxx

Alberto Vargas

Art Appreciation

Peruvian-American painter Alberto Vargas was born on February 9, 1896, in Arequipa, Peru. He was the son of a noted photographer, which exposed him early to image-making and studio practice. 

Vargas studied art in Europe, including formal training in Zürich and Geneva, where he absorbed classical draftsmanship and academic realism. By the late 1910s, he relocated to the United States, settling in New York and later Hollywood, where he found early work designing sets and portraits. 

His first major professional breakthrough came through work in theatrical and film illustration, including commissions connected to Broadway productions and early Hollywood studios. Vargas’s career reached national prominence in the 1940s when his pin-up illustrations—soon dubbed “Varga Girls”—appeared in Esquire magazine. 

His technique blended precise pencil drawing with airbrush and watercolor, producing idealized female figures with smooth gradients, luminous skin tones, and carefully controlled highlights. Vargas favored elongated proportions, minimal backgrounds, and suggestive yet playful poses, creating images that balanced glamour with restraint. 

During World War II, his illustrations became cultural icons, widely circulated among American servicemen and emblematic of wartime morale.

After a legal dispute over naming rights, Vargas continued his work independently and later found renewed success in Playboy during the 1960s and 1970s. Among his most recognized works are Petty Girl-inspired Vargas Pin-Ups, Vargas Girl with Blue Drapery, and numerous Esquire centerfold illustrations from 1940–1946. 

 Poster for the 1933 film The Sin of Nora Moran

Memories of Olive Thomas, 1920

Hedy Lamarr, 1944

Jeanne, 1996

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://www.artsy.net/artist/alberto-vargas

https://www.theartstory.org/artist/vargas-alberto/

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alberto-Vargas

https://www.artsy.net/artwork/alberto-vargas-jeanne

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/59813501270905846/

Spinners: Jojo Lorenzo - New Wave Dance Mix

via Book Club Radio 

Abi Titmuss

Acting Appreciation

Abi Titmuss—born Abigail Evelyn Titmuss on February 8, 1976, in Ruskington, Lincolnshire—began her adult life far from celebrity. 

Raised by teacher parents, she trained as a nurse, graduating from City University London and working at University College Hospital and the Royal Brompton Hospital. Her early years were grounded and academic, with interests in music (she played the clarinet) before an unexpected pivot into public life placed her under intense media scrutiny.

Titmuss rose to national attention in the early 2000s and soon redefined herself as one of Britain’s most recognizable glamour models. Standing 5’5” with blonde hair and green eyes, she became a fixture in leading men’s magazines, including FHM, Zoo, Nuts, Loaded, and Maxim, earning cover features and ranking prominently in FHM’s “100 Sexiest Women in the World.” 

Her confidence in front of the camera translated naturally to television, where she appeared on Celebrity Love Island, Hell’s Kitchen, and The Friday Night Project, among other programs.

Seeking longevity beyond glamour modeling, Titmuss pursued acting and surprised critics with a well-received West End debut in Two Way Mirror in 2006, earning a Fringe Report Award for Best West End Debut. 

She also authored Ten Fantasies and appeared in documentaries and panel-based television, steadily broadening her public identity. 

Sources:

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1519720/

https://x.com/abigail_titmuss

https://www.instagram.com/abigailtitmuss

https://www.babepedia.com/babe/Abi_Titmuss

https://www.boobpedia.com/boobs/Abi_Titmuss

https://yca3.com/babe/abigailtitmuss

https://www.boobieblog.com/abi-titmuss-in-zoo-weekly/

https://babesrater.com/person/23896/abi-titmuss

Spinners: Wave Report - Deep House, Indie Dance & Melodic Techno

@wavereport_

via Wave Report

Cosplay is an Art: Super MAGFest 2026

via Justin Cosplay 

Seltin

Model Appreciation

Seltin, also known online as Seltin Sweet or Seltin Sweety—was born on February 6, 2000, in Russia and has quickly built a visible digital presence since launching her career in 2021. Standing about 5’6” (167 cm), with brown hair and brown eyes, she presents a slim, natural look that contrasts with the highly produced aesthetic common to the genre. 

Her early growth came through cam platforms and Instagram, where her fashion-forward posts and polished visuals helped her amass a sizable following by 2025. Beyond social media, Seltin expanded into subscription-based adult platforms, where she manages her brand with notable independence. 

Her content strategy favors consistency and direct fan engagement, supported by her own website and cross-platform promotion. 

Sources:

https://www.instagram.com/seltisweet/

https://x.com/Seltin_sweety

https://www.babepedia.com/babe/Seltin

https://www.imperiodefamosas.com/en/celebrity/Seltin

https://zoomgirls.net/seltin-sweet-desktop-wallpapers.html

https://mia.gallery/l/seltin-bikini/

https://omgbabes.net/seltin-hot-busty-russian-babe-with-nice-ass-poses-in-sexy-photos/

A Softer Touch, or Just Better Optics?

Pardon the Interruption

After two U.S. citizens — Renée Good and Alexi (Alex) Pretti — were fatally shot by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, the Trump administration sent Tom Homan to the city to manage the political fallout. Both shootings sparked national outrage and raised serious questions about the conduct and oversight of federal immigration enforcement in an urban setting.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem initially defended the operations, echoing claims that Pretti had acted violently and was armed. That narrative was widely repeated by administration officials, including Border Patrol leadership, even as video footage and fact-checks cast doubt on those assertions and showed Pretti was legally carrying a firearm and was recording agents before being shot.

In the midst of mounting criticism, Homan replaced CBP commander Gregory Bovino and was tasked with easing tensions. Minnesota’s governor and Minneapolis’ mayor had publicly challenged the federal operation, and the deaths had eroded support even among some Republicans.

Since his arrival, Homan has negotiated limited cooperation with local officials and announced a partial withdrawal of about 700 federal agents, though roughly 2,000 officers remain deployed — a force far beyond the normal federal presence and one that continues arrests and detentions in the region.

Critics describe the partial drawdown as more of a political concession than a substantive shift in enforcement strategy. The operation still costs taxpayers significant sums, has led to broad detentions, and has been used to arrest not only undocumented immigrants but also protesters and bystanders. 

Public opinion has soured, and even the President acknowledged a need for a “softer touch,” likely because aggressive enforcement is unpopular in key conservative states that depend on immigrant labor.

Dave Granlund, February 4, 2026

 

Alice Chase

Acting Appreciation

Allie Chase, also known as Naughty Allie and credited under the aliases Allie and Allie Chase, was born on February 5, 1977, in Lexington, North Carolina. She entered the adult industry in the early 2000s, first gaining attention as an amateur model and cam performer before expanding into professional adult content. 

Public databases list her as first appearing around 2005, with her most visible period of activity concentrated between 2005 and 2007, though her independent site continued to host archived material for several years afterward. 

Standing 5 feet 6 inches (168 cm), she was known for a slim build, fair hair, and enhanced breasts, with commonly cited measurements of 34D–24–36. Her look and presentation aligned closely with the MILF and blonde niches that were prominent during that era of online adult media.

Throughout her career, Allie emphasized direct engagement with audiences through her personal website, naughtyallie.com, and subscription-based platforms, a model that allowed her to maintain creative control and a consistent online presence. 

She appeared in dozens of photo sets and videos, including work distributed through outlets such as Aziani and major adult streaming platforms, and occasionally collaborated with other performers, including Rachel Aziani. 

Sources:

http://www.naughtyallie.com/

http://www.alliechase.com/

https://www.nudevista.com/?q=naughty+allie&s=s

https://www.babepedia.com/babe/Naughty_Allie

https://www.thenude.com/Allie_Chase_10330.htm

https://www.boobpedia.com/boobs/Naughty_Allie

https://www.freeones.com/naughty-allie

https://x.com/NaughtyAllie

https://www.instagram.com/naughtyallie

https://www.lanasbigboobs.com/models/n/naughty_allie/

Two Door Cinema Club - What You Know

Music Appreciation

Released on February 4, 2011, "What You Know" is a single by the Northern Irish indie rock band Two Door Cinema Club. Written by band members Alex Trimble, Kevin Baird, and Sam Halliday, the track appeared on their debut studio album Tourist History. 

While it wasn’t a chart-topper, it gained steady popularity and eventually peaked at number 64 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming one of the band’s most recognized songs thanks to its infectious energy and widespread use in media.

Lyrically, "What You Know" explores themes of uncertainty and emotional detachment in relationships, delivered with a sense of upbeat resignation. The track’s crisp, guitar-driven arrangement—built on rhythmic riffs and a tight drum pattern—epitomizes the clean, danceable indie pop sound that defined early 2010s alternative music. The chorus stands out for its catchy hook, layered vocals, and shimmering synth textures, offering listeners both a feeling of immediacy and introspective distance.

The music video, directed by Lope Serrano, enhances the song's dynamic tone through bold, stylized visuals. Featuring six Spanish dancers—Patricia Suárez, Laia Santanach, Naya Monzón, Alicia Atienza, Adriana Barrabés, and Marina Cardona—the video is set in a minimalist studio space with vibrant color schemes and choreographed routines. 

Among the video’s most striking elements is the inclusion of a freestanding bathtub, a visual nod to Blur’s “Country House” video. 

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://www.reddit.com/r/twentyonepilots/comments/gsu057/i_recently_found_a_song_called_what_you_know_by/

https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/the-200-best-songs-of-the-2010s/

https://unmask.us/songwriters-t-z/two-door-cinema-club/

https://imvdb.com/video/two-door-cinema-club/what-you-know 

RANDOM WEDNESDAY: Evan Peters as Quicksilver Saves Students from the Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters

via TopMovieClips

Angel Cassidy

Acting Appreciation

Angel Cassidy was born on February 3, 1976, in San Diego, California. She entered the adult entertainment industry in the early 2000s after first performing on websites, gradually transitioning into film work in 2002.

Early in her career, she focused on girl-girl and softcore projects that appeared in major men’s magazines and online platforms, building visibility before expanding her on-screen repertoire. With blonde hair, green eyes, and a statuesque height of 5'7", Cassidy projected a polished, camera-ready presence that suited both editorial and cinematic formats.

As her profile grew, Cassidy broadened her work to include boy-girl scenes, beginning with Sex Money Power in 2004. That same year, she co-produced Beauty Within with Nick Manning Films, signaling a move toward greater creative control. 

A standout all-girl scene in Fem Bella earned an AVN Award nomination in 2005, further establishing her credibility. Between 2003 and 2005, she worked as a contract performer with Michael Ninn’s Ninn Worx, known for high-production aesthetics and stylized erotic cinema.

Beyond performing, Cassidy demonstrated entrepreneurial ambition by launching her own site and forming Dream Angel Inc., positioning herself as both talent and producer. She later ventured outside adult film, modeling fitness apparel for Fantasy Fitness and pursuing mainstream acting opportunities, including theater and stand-up comedy appearances.

Sources:

https://www.babepedia.com/babe/Angel_Cassidy

https://www.boobpedia.com/boobs/Angel_Cassidy

https://www.silkengirl.net/angel-cassidy-sweet-pornstar/

https://www.nudevista.com/?q=angel+cassidy&s=s

https://www.indexxx.com/m/angel-cassidy

https://www.freeones.com/angel-cassidy

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1218939/

https://youtu.be/aCuQH-_fsSE

Isla Fisher

Acting Appreciation

Isla Fisher was born Isla Lang Fisher on February 3, 1976, in Muscat, Oman, to Scottish parents working abroad. When she was six, her family relocated to Australia, where she was raised in Perth. Fisher began appearing in television commercials as a child, showing an early comfort in front of the camera. Known for her petite stature—standing 5’2”—and expressive presence, she developed a screen persona that balanced physical comedy with emotional precision.

Her early acting career took shape in Australian television during her teenage years. Fisher gained national recognition playing Shannon Reed on the long-running soap Home and Away from 1994 to 1997, a role that earned her two Logie Award nominations. During this period, she also worked in theater and continued training, establishing herself as a disciplined performer rather than a fleeting soap-star success.

Fisher’s international breakthrough came with Scooby-Doo (2002), but it was Wedding Crashers (2005) that firmly positioned her in Hollywood. Her performance combined sharp comedic timing with unpredictability, leading to a steady run of high-profile roles in films such as Confessions of a Shopaholic, The Great Gatsby, Now You See Me, and Nocturnal Animals. She has also maintained a strong presence in voice acting and television, including Arrested Development and Wolf Like Me.

In her personal life, Fisher is married to actor Sasha Baron Cohen, with whom she has three children. She converted to Judaism prior to their marriage and tends to keep family life relatively private. Beyond acting, she is an accomplished author of young adult novels and the Marge in Charge children’s series. Fisher supports several charitable causes, including Save the Children and global education initiatives, aligning her public profile with measured, consistent philanthropy.

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://www.babepedia.com/babe/Isla_Fisher

https://celebmuse.com/celebrities/isla-fisher--

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0279545/

https://www.womensweekly.com.au/news/celebrity/isla-fisher-family-career-75387/

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/jun/30/this-much-i-know-isla-fisher

https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/about-us/who-we-work-with/celebrity-supporters/isla-fisher

The Flying Lizards - Money

Music Appreciation

The Flying Lizards' offbeat cover of "Money (That's What I Want)" appeared on their self-titled debut album released in February 1980, following its initial single release in mid-1979. Originally written by Berry Gordy and Janie Bradford and first performed by Barrett Strong in 1959, the song went on to be recorded by The Beatles in 1963. 

The Flying Lizards version, masterminded by David Cunningham, embraced a deliberate eccentricity -- sharp, minimalist beats and experimental instructional textures combined with found-sound processing -- to deconstruct the classic into a quirky new wave anthem.

Deborah Evans-Stickland's deadpan vocal delivery -- flat, precise, and detached -- became a defining feature of this hit, transforming it into a cult favorite often heard in media reference to "money," from news broadcasts to film soundtracks. 

In the 1979 Jeff Willis-directed music video, filmed in an nondescript house, Cunningham appears playing with tape machines and effects boxes behind Evans-Stickland, whose emotionless recitation heightens the song's ironic mood. Their stage-toy setups--homemade audio gear, cardboard props--mirror the track's studio-built oddness, cementing their roles as pioneers of avant-pop satire. 

To this day, that stripped-back cool continues to underline every cheeky commentary on cash.

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://rock-reflections.com/blogs/videos-lyrics-facts/the-flying-lizards-money

https://www.stevepafford.com/money/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Holly Jane Johnston

Modeling Appreciation

Holly Jane Johnston first caught my attention with her curvy figure and an unpretentious, soccer-mom energy that feels genuine rather than staged. That mix of confidence and approachability made it easy to understand why her audience grew quickly—and why I followed her on OnlyFans soon after. 

Born February 2, 1983, in California, Johnston entered the adult-modeling space in 2021, bringing a perspective shaped by motherhood and everyday life rather than industry polish.

Professionally, Johnston balances modeling with influencer work, presenting herself as a housewife-turned-creator who owns her choices. Her content leans into body confidence and wellness, pairing fashion and fitness with candid reflections on parenting and self-care. 

Visually, she favors clean compositions and natural styling—blonde hair, green eyes, and a compact frame—while emphasizing health over numbers. That focus resonates with followers who value consistency and relatability more than spectacle.

Sources:

https://www.instagram.com/holly.jane.johnston

https://onlyfans.com/hollyjaneloves69

https://x.com/Hollyjane469

https://www.facebook.com/therealhollyjane/

https://beacons.ai/therealhollyj

https://www.babepedia.com/babe/Holly_Jane_Johnston

Dance: Tinashe - Nasty

Choreography: Marion Kang

via Tiana Shern

Cosplay is an Art: Vienna Comic Con 2025

via Mr. Green 

Suzanne Jackson

Art Appreciation

Suzanne Jackson was born on January 30, 1944, in St. Louis, Missouri, and came of age during a period of social and artistic change. She studied art in San Francisco before relocating to Los Angeles in the 1960s, where she became a student of Charles White. These early years shaped her belief in art as both a personal practice and a communal act, grounded in observation, discipline, and lived experience.

Jackson’s career spans painting, poetry, education, set design, and gallery ownership. In Los Angeles, she founded Gallery 32, a vital, community-centered space that supported Black artists such as Senga Nengudi, Betye Saar, and Emory Douglas. After closing the gallery, she turned toward theater design, earned an M.F.A. from Yale, and later taught at the Savannah College of Art and Design. Her visual work resists fixed categories, favoring light, movement, and open composition over rigid form.

Hilton Als profiles Jackson as an inventive, light-focused painter whose work reflects decades of engagement with nature, community, and intuition. In his discussion of her exhibition Light and Paper at Ortuzar Projects, Als notes how works from 1984 to 2024 explore light as a shifting force—never static, never resolved. Jackson’s use of acrylic, netting, fabric scraps, seeds, and bamboo results in surfaces that feel suspended between painting and sculpture.

Among her most recognized works are Frozen Elsie (2000), a luminous meditation on color and perception, and 9, Billie, Mingus, Monk’s (2003), a layered homage to jazz innovators. As Als argues, Jackson’s art occupies a liminal space—between memory and material, control and chance—capturing the quiet persistence of light and creative life.

Frozen Elsie, 2000

9, Billie, Mingus, Monk’s, 2003

El Paradiso, 1981-1984

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzanne_Jackson_(artist)

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/10/07/suzanne-jackson-art-review

https://www.ortuzar.com/exhibitions/suzanne-jackson2

https://missionlocal.org/2025/10/sf-suzanne-jackson-art-sfmoma-exhibit/

https://hammer.ucla.edu/now-dig-this/artists/suzanne-jackson

http://frieze.com/article/suzanne-jackson-profile-247

Barnett Newman

Art Appreciation

Barnett Newman was born on January 29, 1905 in New York City to Polish-Jewish immigrants and grew up immersed in philosophy, literature, and politics. He studied at the City College of New York, initially pursuing philosophy rather than art, a background that later shaped the intellectual rigor of his work. 

During the 1930s and early 1940s, Newman painted intermittently while working as a teacher, critic, and civil service examiner. Much of his early figurative and expressionist work was later destroyed by the artist, reflecting his dissatisfaction and his search for a visual language that could address fundamental human experience.

Newman emerged as a central figure of Abstract Expressionism in the late 1940s, though his approach differed sharply from the gestural style of peers like Pollock or de Kooning. He rejected dynamic brushwork in favor of large color fields interrupted by vertical bands he called “zips.” These zips were not compositional devices but structural elements, meant to assert scale, presence, and immediacy. Newman sought to evoke the sublime—an encounter with vastness, creation, and existential meaning—using simplicity, flat color, and monumental scale.

Among Newman’s most recognized works is Onement I (1948), which introduced the zip motif that defined his mature style. Vir Heroicus Sublimis (1950–51) remains one of his most ambitious canvases, enveloping viewers in red while confronting them with scale and intensity. His series The Stations of the Cross: Lema Sabachthani (1958–66) stands as a stark, spiritual meditation, using black and white to explore suffering, silence, and transcendence.

Onement I, 1948

Vir Heroicus Sublimis, 1950-51

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://www.moma.org/artists/4285-barnett-newman

https://www.guggenheim.org/artwork/artist/barnett-newman

RANDOM WEDNESDAY: Anders Erickson Makes an Old Fashioned

via Anders Erickson 

John Collier

Art Appreciation

John Collier was born on January 27, 1850, into a prominent British family deeply connected to public life. He was the son of Sir Robert Collier, later Lord Monkswell, and grew up in an intellectually active environment. 

Collier trained at the Slade School of Fine Art in London before continuing his studies in Paris and Munich, where he absorbed European academic traditions. Early in his career, he gravitated toward portraiture, quickly earning recognition for his ability to capture psychological presence alongside physical likeness.

Collier is best known for his restrained realism, clear composition, and controlled use of color. His subjects ranged from leading political and cultural figures to scenes drawn from classical mythology and literature. 

Influenced by the Pre-Raphaelite circle—particularly John Everett Millais, whose studio practice he admired—Collier favored strong outlines, even lighting, and calm, deliberate poses. His paintings often balance narrative clarity with emotional distance, allowing viewers to engage intellectually rather than sentimentally. As a writer, he also articulated his views on art practice, contributing to debates on realism and technique.

Among Collier’s most recognized works are Lady Godiva (1897), Lilith (1887), Circe (1885), and Clytemnestra (1882), paintings that combine mythological themes with modern psychological tension. He was also a sought-after portraitist, painting figures such as Charles Darwin and Rudyard Kipling.

Lady Godiva, c. 1898

Lilith, 1887

Clytemnestra after the Murder, 1882

Charles Darwin, 1882

Circe, 1885

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/the-hon-john-collier-101

https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp00970/john-collier

https://artuk.org/discover/artists/collier-john-18501934

Body Art: Nelson Montoya - Supergirl

Model: Karen Blanco (@kattyblakeoficial

via Nelson Montoya SK imagen

Ashe Maree

Modeling Appreciation

Ashe Maree, born on January 25, 1993, in Los Angeles, California, is an American social media personality and cam model. The 5'9" beauty started cam modeling in 2011 and in 2016 she received an XBIZ Award for Live Cam Modeling of the Year. 

In interviews, Ashe Maree stresses that camming is "not for everyone," noting that admirers often mistake curated visuals -- her apartment, pets, or aesthetics -- for the full reality of the job. Maree emphasizes the labor behind the scenes: hours of preparation, lighting, and performances in a space she designs to be both calming and professional. 

In another interview, she advising aspiring models to choose platforms that match their style -- social, explicit, or a blend -- and to lean into what they already do well rather than copy others. Authenticity, she argues, is the most durable strategy, even if it sounds cliché. 

Ashe Maree is equally candid about misconceptions around confidence and appearance. Maree reiterates that her body reflects unresolved gastrointestinal health issues, not a regimen worth emulating, and she cautions viewers against seeking health or body advice from her. On confidence, she admits to anxiety and insecurity, describing her on-camera poise as something she “puts on” because it reads better than visible discomfort. What sustains her, she says, is freedom: control over schedule, content, and the trust of an open-minded audience willing to follow her creative experiments. 

Sources:

https://www.instagram.com/kittenisodd

https://www.babepedia.com/babe/Ashe_Maree

https://x.com/ashemareexoxo

https://bsky.app/profile/ashemaree.bsky.social

https://linktr.ee/AsheMaree

https://www.youtube.com/@AsheMareeMeow

https://youtu.be/-7A-HkpiiMQ

https://youtu.be/G5IDzGIM8Ok

SPINNERS: T-Sia - The Best of House 90s and Classic House

via T-Sia 

Cosplay is an Art: A Wild Wild CMV

via CamLeeGamess 

Modeling: Paulina Pastel

via Manfred Baumann 

Nicolas Lancret

Art Appreciation

Nicolas Lancret was born in Paris on January 22, 1690, into a modest family and initially trained in engraving before turning to painting. He studied under Pierre Dulin and later came into contact with Claude Gillot, whose theatrical subjects and lively figures shaped Lancret’s early direction. 

Although he briefly sought instruction from Jean-Antoine Watteau, the relationship was short-lived, pushing Lancret to refine an independent voice within the emerging Rococo movement. By his late twenties, he had gained enough recognition to be admitted to the French Royal Academy in 1719.

Lancret became best known for his fêtes galantes—elegant scenes of leisure, music, flirtation, and outdoor amusement favored by the French aristocracy. His work shared Watteau’s interest in grace and sociability but leaned toward clearer narratives, firmer composition, and brighter color. 

Lancret’s figures often feel more grounded and theatrical, reflecting his interest in contemporary manners and popular entertainment. His paintings circulated widely through engravings, extending his influence beyond France and helping define the visual language of Rococo genre painting.

Among Lancret’s most recognized works are The Four Ages of Life, The Dance Before a Fountain, The Actress Camargo Dancing, and The Picnic. These paintings capture movement, costume, and social ritual with clarity and charm, offering a vivid record of early-18th-century French leisure.

The Four Ages of Man: Childhood, c.1733

Dance Before a Fountain, 1724

La Camargo Dancing, c.1730

Picnic after the Hunt, c.1735

Sources:

Wikipedia

https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/artists/nicolas-lancret

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nicolas-Lancret

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