Welcome to BEHIND THE SCENES AT STUART NG BOOKS. New reader? Click on sidebar post "Your Guide.." Stuart does NOT write this blog. All the posts and opinions here are Amy's alone. This is SNB from the POV of the Bride of Bookseller. I'm here to advocate for indie artist creative rights and share resources. Aloha and thanks for visiting!
Stuart has just returned from Pixar studios, where he was able to coordinate with Pixar artists and team to get signed copies of this current release "art of ... " book. Like other indie booksellers, we have to find ways to hold our own against "loss leader" discounts of the soulless empire Amazon.
So much goes on behind the scenes to bring the array of titles on the SNB website and in the store. Very little of Stuart's stock is carried by major distributors. Stuart's contacts, his "eye" for what artists need, and his own "boots on the ground" travels: these are ways books end up in the SNB inventory. For the rare times that Stuart can just place an order with a publisher or distributor for an in-print title, he is also taking a risk with his limited budget for new inventory. In print titles are widely available. To provide these books for our patrons, we have to do it with confidence that we can offer unique benefits. Signed copies of in-print books seem to be a good fit for our customers. Titles like this typically sell-out .. but then allow Stuart to go after other inventory that is more complicated to acquire. When you choose to buy independent.. you are investing in that resource. Thank you for your support...
Above is photo of the gallery exterior... this link to the Gallery's Facebook page has more photos of interior and past exhibitions...https://www.facebook.com/GiantRobotLA
Flat Bonnie friends are hand-made plush with a purpose. Artist Yukari supports pet rescue efforts.. donating portions of her proceeds every month to rabbit rescue. More info and links on the Flat Bonnie website. http://www.flatbonnie.com/
In addition to this great cause.. Flat Bonnie friends who go to new homes don't just get adopted.. they go on travel adventures shared in photos on line -- from all over the world! Some like to go on road trips
Here's the Flatness show from the entrance at the Giant Robot Gallery....
Lots of fun at this Flatness show right from the start..
The exhibit featured Flat Bonnie favorites...
Sloth (far left on shelf) and Red Panda below are perpetual sell-outs...
for this Gallery show, each Flattie was displayed with their name, price, and the number available.
Lots of the tags already had the little red marks to indicate they were sold~
Cactus Flatties.. plus Cactus in the new wall art format...
Flatties are available in stock characters .. Two Flattie Ratties (or Mice) below...
You can also order custom Flatties..and see more on the website store page...http://www.shop.flatbonnie.com/
New wall art Flatties were getting lots of attention. These are bas relief Flattie art .. so clever and fun. Perfect for kids decor .. or kids at heart.
Magical creatures are Flattie specialties. This show featured Batbun .. Mummy Flattie.. and Jackalopes in black and grey...
Flattie sharks help raise awareness about the impact of the trade in shark fins. The flattie shark below left, with the two small fins, where made with a really cool shark-skin like fabric no longer available.
Here's a closer view of these very special Flattie shark items..
Of course, I love the Flattie Batties!
Flattie side views .. yep, they're flat. And Flattie Dragon has spikes and wings!
Lively turn out for this event..
Enjoyed by all ages...
Congrats to artist Yukari.. thanks for all the Flatness fun!
Before the show.. Photographer pal Sarah and I enjoyed some great food at a new find.. just a few doors north of the gallery.
They had bubbles blowing as they were celebrating their first birthday at this location. So much yumminess all on the same street.
Many home made treats. Plus on this night .. a free cupcake with your order. I got a slice of the red velvet cake (glimpse below) Swoon! It was so good (sorry, no picture of mine... I wonder why ?? :)
Adorable tiny camper set on the counter top..
Kid's kitchen play area...
Vintage stove converted to a coffee service... What a wonderful re-invention!
No tables inside.. but a table for standing.. and benches outside. A memorable evening with art show, company, coffee and caaaake! So happy!
Sharing this inspiring story of a couple who had modest means but a love for art. Over the decades they amassed a collection that not only helped sustain the artists they patronized .. the collection became their retirement fund. Buy directly from artists ... buy what you love.... sometimes it gets to love you back....
Photo of Dorothy and Herb Vogel from the National Gallery of Art, Gallery Archives..
UPDATE AUG 24th.... Stunning portrait of Cecil the Lion up for auction... fundraiser for anti-poaching effort.
This story just showed up on my radar.. so showcasing here to help get the word out. Here are images of portrait by (updated info 9.3.15). The artist is CHARLOTTE "Charlie" WILLIAMS http://www.charlotte-williams.com/:
Below is the full final image ... via the artist (Thank you Charlotte :)
According to the link above, after the auction.. a limited number of Giclee prints of the portrait will be available for purchase. The funds raised will benefit VFAPU (the Victoria Falls Anti-Poaching Unit). More on VCAPU here http://vfapu.com/about-us/
Stories and fables aren't just lessons from the past....
Perhaps you've heard the tale of the dentist and Cecil, the beloved, protected lion. The dentist wanted a trophy and photos and a story to tell. He thought he could get what he wanted if he spent a lot of money. Here the story gets sketchy... as the dentist says he thought he was being a responsible hunter, hiring local guides who would secure the proper permits etc.... and perhaps we will never know the entire truth .. but in the end Cecil the protected lion was killed in a gruesome way. The dentist became a world-wide story. Not quite the trophy he thought he was buying. Instead of getting what he wanted, he got to be the most hated man on the internet. A tsunami of karma was unleashed against him. He was hunted on-line and in person. His family went into hiding. His employees lost their jobs as he had to close his business. His world as he knew it was over..... His hubris took more than one life....
This story is still unfolding .. and there are lots of lessons to learn.
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ART as a spotlight .. and a healing process..
It was amazing to see so many artists inspired by Cecil and sharing their tributes to him online. Most of these showed up on social media. Here is a little Cecil art gallery.. with names the artists below each image...
Cecil is a modern chapter in a long story between art and lions. These magnificent creatures have captivated the public and inspired art for centuries...
Cecil (lying in the grass) with brother Jericho (behind him)
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News and Social Media Firestorm ..
The Cecil story exploded on social media.. and in mainstream news... It was a cautionary tale rife with characters that represent the best and worst of human nature. While the reaction was swift it soon veered into the extreme. The longer term lessons are just starting to arise from the questions this reaction brings....
The Yelp page for the dentist's practice has become a forum for venting all sorts of vitriol. Yelp tried to erase these comments.. but folks kept re-posting. Some of the comments were thoughtful.. but many included profanity and became threatening. Is this appropriate?
The dentist had to go into hiding and his office was closed down. It became a memorial to Cecil .. first with flowers and notes and stuffed animals .. and then with bigger signs with stronger language. The dentist released a letter and statement, but the fall-out continued. Collateral damage included the office staff .. and even the patients...
Social Media posts tied the Cecil situation to other animal rights causes ... or despaired that so much attention was given to one lion when there are so many other wildlife causes .. or even causes far afield.. that go unnoticed.
The guide and associate hired by the dentist for the hunt where brought in for questioning.. and there was even talk that the dentist would be extradited back to Zimbabwe. Suddenly Zimbabwe was world-wide news... but this bring up other questions...
The compelling emotional reaction to this story comes from many people, myself included, who have never had the privilege of seeing wild lions in Africa. We love lions.. but are we also mindful that we are coming at this story from our perspective of middle-American experiences and values. Many voices from the mild to the extreme have spoken up, feeling entitled to have a say in this story. The internet gives us all an outlet to express our ideas... but do we also find time to listen and learn....
How much do we really know about the economic and political situations in countries where African wildlife are being studied and managed. Many of the wildlife conservation groups working in Africa are staffed and funded by institutions from outside of Africa. The Hwange Lion Research Project .. the group that was following the radio collar on Cecil .. is connected to Oxford University in the UK.
The Hwange Lion Research Project, which has been running for 15 years, is aimed at understanding, managing and conserving the lion population of Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park through the collection of valuable long-term monitoring data of population demographics, ecology and behaviour. The project is run under the auspices of the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU) of Oxford University’s Department of Zoology which has grown to be one of the largest and most productive conservation research institutes in the world
The study and conservation of wildlife is a vital cause ... but it costs money. Where does that funding come from??? Often it is connected to universities.. but also tourism and economic forces. Would you believe, even insurance brokers???
From the "about us" page of the SATIBTrust website.... In 2013, SATIB Insurance Brokers (SIB) founded SATIB Conservation Trust. For over 25 years, SIB has supported wildlife conservation through the provision of services to the safari, tourism and wildlife conservation industries in Africa and forged relationships with many people working in conservation. In order to formalise their conservation efforts, the Board of Directors of SIB established SATIB Conservation Trust as an independent, non-profit public benefit association – a charity, under the stewardship of newly retired SIB founder Brian Courtenay.
Several network news stories have covered how the death of Cecil put big game hunting in cross hairs. This clip from NBC'S Today Show is interesting, because it explains how most American oppose Trophy hunting.. yet most of the trophy animals are hunted by Americans. This clip also interviews a hunter and one of the Oxford University professors, Prof. David MacDonald, who is involved in the Hwange Lion Research Project. The both discuss the possible benefits of big game hunting...
Brent Stapelkamp, another source associated directly with Cecil and the Hwange Lion Research Project, is quoted in these stories..
man who studied lion talks impact.. and includes some background on Cecil and Jericho... "Cecil had an intriguing story, making him a celebrity in Hwange. He arrived as a kind of lion refugee, alone and wandering after being displaced from another territory. Cecil befriended another male lion, Jericho, and together they grew and watched over two prides, one with three lionesses and seven cubs and another with three lionesses." https://uk.news.yahoo.com/man-studied-cecil-lion-9-years-talks-impact-144337340.html#vApNHP5
The reports of Jericho's death were quickly discredited .. and were another reminder of how quickly news can spread on trending topics.. even when the facts are wrong.
For an interesting perspective... see this blog post by science writer David Shiffman ..
Cecil's story is still being told. Before we raise our voices about the next chapter ... let's try to listen to the lessons here. Let me stress that I don't approve of trophy hunting. However, I learned through decades of working with pet rescue that opposing view points yelling at each other wastes precious resources. We can agree to disagree.. and still work on making things better. Things do change.. but it takes time and patience. Complicated issues don't get resolved with absolutes and easy fixes. The loss of Cecil has wounded hearts. Can we grow from here to a meeting of minds?
What if the momentum of this event helps impassioned points of view find more common ground? Can we at least agree there are complex issues and connections involved with the study and preservation of wildlife? Can we listen.. be respectful of the cultures of other countries... and be examples of the honest, transparent business practices we expect. How can we work together to find the resources needed to fund these programs... raise awareness... make real progress.
UPDATE Aug 5
Six National Geographic Photographers and the Lions they've seen. Stunning art reference shots, plus behind the scenes of the images from the photographers themselves...http://proof.nationalgeographic.com/2015/08/04/lions/
