intentionally cruel post on how good my husband is at, well, everything :

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for our anniversary this year,

tim cheated.

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he's had this on a "layaway" plan for months,

and gave it to me this week, remotely,

because he believes art commemorates the big moments in our lives,

and attaching a memory to art makes it personal.

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this is "ethan green" by brandon herman.

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like most grand gestures,

this one is huge.

literally.  it will take a whole wall.

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which is appropriate for the eighteen years it took to get here.

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BEHIND THE SCENES : a shoot for GUAPO magazine at CHURCH boutique

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part of the evolution in my print work

is tackling as much as i can, on as many different fronts,

trial,

pushing myself, 

finding the sweet spot,

and then pushing again.

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the team was asked by a new men's fashion pub

to shoot an editorial inspired by tribes/savages.

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we followed a "eton schoolboys meets lord of the flies" theme,

and shot on location at the amazing

Church boutique on santa monica in los angeles.

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the store is more curated than it is merchandised,

and between bic owen's amazing stying of their merchandise and jewelry,

jo strettell's insane makeup,

parker tolifson's lighting,

and the inspiring models from NEXT,

we went a little wild ourselves:

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the hundred thousand dollar or so indian diamond and pearl necklace

didn't hurt the "inspiration"

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can't wait to share more.

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i endore and adore : GALERIE HALF

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i'm not going to gush too much about this one,

i think it's simpler to say that there are few places left that stop me 

when i walk in the door.

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galerie half on melrose in los angeles . . .

stunner.

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i could simply and easily move into the space,

and then die,

happy.

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perhaps it's that is sings aesthetically to everything tim and i have grown to love

over the years.

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a blend of industrial spaces with old world/vermeer based colors and lighting.

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intensely clean lined furnishings in masculine fabrics and leathers,

time-worn and tactile woods,

shapes that tell stories to the eye in the way.

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the finishing touches,

from french lighting masters and found factory pieces,

to moss-filled planters and what must have been children's toys:

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how about some vintage louis vuitton?

anyone?

richard christiansen, peut etre?

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i was too afraid to ask about the initials.

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and my new dining room table/work space:

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nice touch with the pew, non?

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best part of the store?

everything matches tim:

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SEE THIS MOVIE : "AN EDUCATION"

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finally,

a movie that reminded me why i LOVED movies.

no special effects.  no big stunts. 

just a plot, killer dialog, great acting,

and a story that resonates.

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that, and carey mulligan absolutely absorbs the lens,

and your attention,

for the whole time.

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go.  now.

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Hilary and the magic BOTTEGA VENETA purse -

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a story of greed, obsession, and unreasonable cruelty against friends.

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so, hilary decides to drop by while she's in town on a buying trip,

(that's what they call it in retail.  also known as "comp shopping". also known as being paid to shop the competitors and see what they're doing.  also known as boondoggle.)

and she came sweeping in as usual,

all smiles and stories,

gossip and goodness,

and plopped this down on the sideboard as she swanned over the bar:

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now you all know me by now.

i'm not impressed in the least by material things.

i much prefer things like character, and integrity.

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but when a material object happens to be shagreen, heavy as a brick,

studded with stones and made by hand in the bottega veneta workshops in italy . . .

it gave me pause.

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also, it matched the sideboard.

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i struggled, gentle readers with an unknown feeling.

it was lust, but lust for an object, not a hot piece of ass.

and you know me,

i'm not about objects.

really.

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(note i didn't deny the lust thing.  i'm also honest with you.)

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so i looked into hilly's kind eyes and newly blonde framed face,

at how she and tim were laughing and downing coctails at east/west,

and thought

"friendship.  that's what really matters in this life.  good, solid friendship."

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i mean, look how cute they are!

so hilly went to the restroom to powder her nose

(no, that is not a euphemism for a drug fueled snow party in the girl's room.  that i know of.)

and there we were.

me.

and tim.

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and a half pound glistening lump of satan's handiwork,

whispering to me

"precious, my precious"

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how did the evening end?

i'll let you draw your own well educated conclusions . . .

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PUPDATE :

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things are still good on the "cute faces you just want to grab onto" front.

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also, on the "i'll hug you, daddy" front:

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and, my favorite,

"avec,  you keep an eye out for tim, i'll be keeping an eye on landis":

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WHAT I DO : something in video form, so you can see what landis smithers is about these days . . .

WHAT I DO : LANDIS - FILM AND PHOTOGRAPHY from landis on Vimeo.

THE KING OF PAIN, from the "KINGDOM" photo series:

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THE PRINCESS BRIDE, from the "KINGDOM" photo series:

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THE COURTESAN, from the "KINGDOM" photo series:

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TITANIA, from the "KINGDOM" photo series:

part of a series of art photos,

reworkings of the concepts of fairy tales, royalty, and nightmares:

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something's starting . . .

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in a good start to a new year/decade,

i just got invited to shoot an editorial for a new magazine out of new york,

and have been given carte blanche creatively.

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i shoot monday,

at one of the best boutiques in los angeles,

with an amazing cast,

and my trusted crew.

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cross your fingers for me, babies,

this is the start of something . . .

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