Maybe you’ve seen it, but we have a new and improved website, and we’re now blogging over there. It’s pretty cool, because you can see not only our latest blog posts, but everything new that’s happening on our site AND in our spaces right there on the front page. We’re kind of smitten. Please check it out, and for continued blog reading, mark http://blog.fairfolksandagoat.com/ in your bookmarks! It will be the same stuff you’ve come to know and love, plus some.

See you over there!

The Team at Fair Folks & a Goat

See you over there!

Aurora and Anthony and Amy

Initially, they take a ton of time and money. 2,000 pounds. Real money and real time straight from the bank account and straight from the sleep account. But also to be considered, heavily, is the loss of opportunity and ability to focus energies and assets in other areas such as sales, marketing, finance and development due to the necessary attention and capital needed in pushing the process forward. That opportunity cost is gigantic short term. Especially when you are trying to follow the NCAA tournament.

The Agony of Defeat

Some advise to update the frame and function of a website over the  holidays or during the summer when things slow down. The idea being you don’t take holidays or slow down during the summer. This includes such things as Christmas and Mardi Gras. Good luck!

Could be either

And that is just to build the ship, wait for the water to get warm. Then you have to sail. It doesn’t have brakes. It never stops. And the further you want to go, the further you set your sights, the more work it entails each and every day at sea. You can’t bite off more then you can chew.

More 80's

The maintenance cost in time is in direct correlation with the complexity of the site’s design. Keep this in mind when your brain is going on creative fantasies.  We are on our 4th version of the site in less than 2 years. Take small bites but don’t stop eating.

Terrible

The other frightening inevitably of the process is that as soon as you think you have  ”it” where you want “it” to be, the world moves forward, and so must your digital presence. Even when you are on time you are late. And like so many facets of business, what doesn’t grow, dies. To keep up in today’s world, a company must demonstrate a constant continuation of growth not only in aesthetic design but functionality and purpose online. If you don’t get a little better you get much worse.  This means that sometimes you have to make the unfortunate decision to begin again despite the sense of satisfaction with something that, on the surface, may seem “finished” or “sufficient.”

We would like to thank Geoff Oliver of Plan8 Studios for his continued work and support, as well as Maggie Sage of M. Sage Design for all of her creative energy.

In addition, we would also like to thank Netta Ruth for her work and Blake Bertuccelli for his consultation.

Happy Tuesday,

Anthony

Photo by Ann Madden Photography

What’s inspiring your work these days?

I recently spent a month in Maui where I filmed an underwater short film for an event I did at The CAC in New Orleans. I used stills from the film and painted a series of Underwater pieces. I am really inspired by reflections in the water. I cant stop painting this water series! I am posting new images everyday on my website www.ashleylongshore.com. I post videos, paintings, new chair designs every other day. Its my life journal.

I am really in this whole adventure phase in my career. My dream has always been to travel to different places for a month or so at a time and create new collections. My next big adventure will be this September. I am going to be living in Holland for a month and creating a new collection. At the end of the month I am having an opening in the Hague. It’s really a dream! Who knows what will inspire  me there!

Have you seen your work in new contexts, used in ways you hadn’t imagined for it?

I have a pretty out of control imagination. I feel that my paintings, chairs and performance art are very directed in the context that they are presented.  Now, how the viewer absorbs my madness?? God only knows?  The performance art always has interesting twists and turns. Here is a link to one of my videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucREJtY24ZU

Does your material usually come before form or form before material?

I see images in my mind and then create them EXACTLY as I envisioned them.

How about function before form or form before function?

The creative process is much more of a feeling than a process for me. I don’t think of my art in terms of form or function. It is what it is. I have an idea and I go for it.

What is your greatest challenge as a designer?

Honestly the challenges are about keeping myself amused. That always shines through in my work. I really like to create conversation pieces and I only like to paint what really humors me. Like this one below. I call it “Elton Johns Junk Drawer” I was laughing hysterically while I was painting this! Now its in a show in Miami. I cant wait to see who buys it.

If you could collaborate with any artist living or dead, who would it be?

Jesus! This is a hard question. I would want to paint with Picasso for the day. Make a movie with Wes Anderson and Design furniture with Andy Warhol. Then I would want to take a nap with Francesco Clemente and have dinner with Alice Neel. Then I would want to go to an after party with Terry Richardson.

What is the quality you are most attracted to in art or design?

I love originality. There is so much repetitive crap out there. It’s amazing when you see something really unique that inspires new thoughts. That is so exciting when it happens! It’s really rare. Fortunately, living in a city like New Orleans I am constantly inspired by music, art, food, creative people. It’s an amazing place to live. As I mentioned I like things that inspire conversation.

What is your most prized possession?

Hmmmmm. I really try not to let “stuff” define me. Its really hard living in America to do that. Now that my career is really taking off, it is VERY clear what is most important. It ain’t cars, jewelry and fancy hotel suites.  The most important thing  that I have is the love of my life, Michael Smith. He makes every day wonderful.

But I also have a massive problem with buying HUGE cocktail rings! I am obsessed with my favorite ring designer PITANGO! He is in Soho. I am weak every time I get around his pieces. I could go broke buying them.

And finally, a picture of where Ashley feels most in her element.

I feel most in my element in my studio painting and meeting clients. This is a picture of me and Blake Lively. She is a big collector of my work. When she was filming in New Orleans she stopped by my studio regularly. She is quite the art collector. I love that I can meet the people that love my work! Clients come in and hang out with me. We have a glass of wine and listen to music while I am at the easel. I have a hard time getting away from that.

Thank you Ashley for a great interview!

Until next time,

Aurora

Way back when (2003ish-2005ish), I worked on 42nd and 5th at 11 West- the same building that housed, and perhaps still houses, Valentino, Michael Kors, and Martha Stewart in one elevator bank, and NYU classrooms on the other. I worked on the 28th floor- the fashion side of the elevators- until Tishman Speyer bought the building, raised our rent to an ungodly price and forced us to move out.

Before that happened I was able to ride the elevator with a great many celebrities and super models on a daily basis, and since this was my first job upon moving to New York I thought it all very regular and part of the “gig.”

Anyway, the day of the year I will never forget was the day of the St. Patrick’s parade where throngs of people crowded Fifth Avenue, and in a desperate search for a bathroom would not only enter our building, but further up and into our elevators, and even attempt to use our bathroom on the 28th floor. That was funny, seeing sanguine faced drunks amongst cubicles and everything else, but not half as funny as my all time greatest New York St. Patty’s highlight, which happened around 2:30 in the afternoon in front of the NYU Law School on West 4th below Washington Square, where I saw two very grown, very manly hard hat, Irish men weeping uncontrollably, and in only passing them for a moment heard in the thickest of Irish accents,

“You’re always trying to tell me how to live me life, brother! Why won’t you just let me be, brother?”

I can recall it and crack up in a heartbeat.

Have a Happy St. Patty’s, wherever you may be, and feel free to cry your eyes out if you wish,

Anthony

But, I just saw this post over on Joanna’s blog about a short that won Sunday night, and it totally tickled my fancy. I’d watch this. And, it’s even showing in theaters!

Reminds me of some of the little things I’ve loved in so many classic films, all packed into 18 minutes.

Until next time,

Aurora

Being back in New York is a bit like a slap in the face, what with the fresh blanket of snow we got on Sunday night.

Right? Easy to sympathize when you consider that contrast. Until it warms up a bit in the North, I’m just going to hibernate and work on my Mardi Gras costume inside (uh, anyone want to feed me some ideas? I’m a little lost on that front), while thinking happy thoughts of Springtime sun (and more king cake).

Until next time,

Aurora

In following up on yesterday’s Valentine Video series of classic songs, and classic Country style tips, and classic video art direction, courtesy of thee Tracy Lawrence, and his handlers which, to quote Lady Gaga, “mastered the art of fame” south of the Mason Dixon during the wonder years of my youth, today, we present perhaps a more “on brand” documentation of style and music, and all the rest. By “all the rest” I  am mainly referring to this film’s inclusion of bocce, a game we will not STOP talking about.

The film, The Talented Mr. Ripley, as everyone knows, is filled with the sort of aesthetic eye candy and hilarious quotes (“Wild horses couldn’t drag me back to New York”) that has spawned a zillion mood boards, Junior years abroad, and blog posts. So why not one more post, especially with Valentines day, er, yesterday.

Anyway, here it is, with a day late love song, and so many style tips.

I am so depressed now. The song, sure. But those Pictures of Italy. Yeesh. In any case, there is no shortage of Jazz, and Vespas, and warm weather in New Orleans. If only there was somewhere to play bocce.

Alla Prossima,

Anthony

ps. “Who wears a corduroy jacket in Italy?”