Phantasmaphile

Phantasmaphile on Etsy

I was invited to do a Valentine's Day guest post on the Etsy blog, and it's up now.  It was so much fun to write, and a thrill to get to give some more much-deserved attention to some of my favorite artists - many of whom have been featured here before.  Thanks so much to Alison, and welcome Etsy readers!

Various and Sundry

Lots of tasty news to share with you, so apologies for the Phantasmaphilic potpourri:

First off, my darling husband, Matthew Freeman, has a workshop of his new theatre piece, in the great expanse of space there is nothing to see but More, More, More, which will be opening next week.  He has written and directed it, and it's a sort of avant garde language piece, very poetic and harrowing.  I keep referring to it as his Thom Yorke play.  Performances are Thurs Sept 29th, Fri Sept 30th, and Sat Oct 1st, all at 8pm for $10 admission, at the Brick Theater in Williamsburg:

 

Secondly, the newest episode of The Midnight Archive is up, and it features my frequent collaborator and friend, Mitch Horowitz, giving a brief sampling of the Occult New York Walking Tour we do here in NYC:

We are indeed planning more tours, and I'll keep you posted about them here.  In the meantime, you can check out Mitch in person at Observatory on Friday, October 21st, giving an illustrated lecture on the brilliant esotericist, Manly P. Hall:

Manly P. Hall and The Secret Teachings of All Ages

 

A Talk and Visual Presentation by Mitch Horowitz
Date: Friday, October 21st
Time: 8pm
Admission: $8
Presented by: Phantasmaphile

It is one of the strangest and most beguiling books of the twentieth century: The Secret Teachings of All Ages. Privately printed in 1928 by a 27-year-old occult scholar named Manly P. Hall, the table-top sized volume – brimming with arcane diagrams, otherworldly illustrations, and detailed entries on everything from Pythagorean mathematics and Egyptian geometry to the origins of the Tarot and the secret authorship of the Shakespearean plays – became one of the most successful underground books ever published. Passing through many printings and versions, including a compact “reader’s edition” in the twenty-first century, it reigns as the Encyclopedia Arcana of the modern age – a must-read for every acolyte of mythical traditions, esoterica, and the occult.

Who was the young and preternaturally gifted author of this massive and impactful work? And what were the circumstances behind the early genius of Hall, a man with little conventional schooling who went on to become the most influential occult voice of the last century? In this vibrant and intellectually lively evening, author Mitch Horowitz (Occult America) – who has written widely about Hall’s life and published the recent “reader’s edition” of The Secret Teachings of All Ages – explores the remarkable persona behind this mysterious tome.

Horowitz dissects the unusual career of Hall and explores his legendary status on the West Coast occult scene for most of the twentieth century. From Hall’s art-deco headquarters in Los Angeles’ Griffith Park neighborhood, the arcane scholar not only helped reignite the academic study of esoterica but made an impact on figures as diffuse as Bela Lugosi and Ronald Reagan (who actually quoted from Hall in his speeches). Horowitz also explores the circumstances surrounding Hall’s 1990 death, which is marked by persistent rumors of foul play. Finally, Horowitz considers the wide-ranging influence of The Secret Teachings of All Ages, including the book’s strengths and weaknesses, enduring mysteries, and seismically powerful, yet underappreciated, impact.

***Books will be available for purchase and signing

Mitch Horowitz is the editor-in-chief of Tarcher/Penguin and the author of Occult America (Bantam), which The Washington Post Book World called: “Fascinating…a serious, wide-ranging study of all the magical, mystical, and spiritual movements that have arisen and influenced American history in often-surprising ways.” Horowitz has written on alternative spiritual topics for The Wall Street Journal, U.S. News & World Report, CNBC.com, Boing Boing, and The Washington Post, where he recently explored the relationship between Manly P. Hall and Ronald Reagan. In 2003, Horowitz published the “reader’s edition” of The Secret Teachings of All Ages. He leads Observatory’s popular Occult New York Walking Tours and has discussed alternative spirituality on CBS Sunday Morning, Dateline NBC, and All Things Considered. Horowitz is currently writing a history of the positive-thinking movement, to be published by Crown. Visit him online at: www.MitchHorowitz.com.

 

Magic is in the air...!

Commune with the spirits on TV!

I realize I posted this before, but they've since expanded the scope of the show, so here's the updated version.  If interested, please don't contact me, as I'm just helping out the producers, but send a message to the email listed near the bottom.  Thanks!

************

SUBJECT: TV company looking for participants interested in working with mystical techniques to contact the invisible world:

Do you feel that you are on the right life-path?

Do you believe you have met your soulmate in this life?

Do you have an important emotional question that you would like to ask a deceased relative?

Do you feel that working with a spirit-channeler, a spirit-board expert, or a tarot card reader might be able to give you some answers?

We are looking for participants that would like to have an individual session with accomplished spiritual practitioners, and who are willing to share their authentic personal experiences on camera.

We are interested in folks who may have never worked with these metaphysical methodologies, but are willing to try these mystical procedures in the hopes of achieving answers from the great beyond. We welcome individuals, couples, and/or families interested in participating.

We are NOT seeking people who want to be reality-TV stars, or those interested in publicity or fifteen minutes of fame. We are ONLY looking for those with legitimate needs.

The TV program is a new documentary series searching for true first-person human experiences in various arenas of metaphysics, spirituality, and the paranormal.

The filming will be done in NYC. Filming currently anticipated to be done the week of July 25th, 2011 (subject to change).

Please email a photo of yourself and any co-participant(s), as well as a brief description of the question you hope to answer, and/or personal life issues you wish to address, and why you might be seeking mystical answers to uXp2011@gmail.com Please put in the subject line: Seeking Metaphysical Answers - NYC

If selected, participants are required to sign appearance releases, including guardianship releases for any minors. Participants will not receive any monetary compensation. Participants may be entitled to receive pre-approved expense reimbursement for direct out-of-pocket travel expenses incurred.

Ouija TV show looking for participants

Hi there.  Apologies for interrupting your regularly scheduled Phantasmaphiling, but this casting opportunity has presented itself, and I said I'd be happy to send it out to my readers to see if there is any interest.  If so, please read and follow the instructions below:

 

SUBJECT: TV company looking for participants interested in a doing a Ouija-board session:

Have you recently lost someone close to you that has passed away?

 

Was there something that you needed to say or hear from that person?

 

Do you have an important emotional question that you would like to ask the invisible world?

Do you feel that conducting a Ouija-board session might be able to give you some answers?

We are looking for participants that would like to have a monitored Ouija-board session with accomplished paranormal author and spirit-board expert Mitch Horowitz who are willing to share their authentic personal experiences on camera.

We are interested in folks who may have never worked with a spirit-board, but are willing to try this mystical procedure in the hopes of achieving answers from the beyond. We welcome couples, friends, and/or families interested in participating.

We are NOT seeking people who want to be reality-TV stars, or those interested in publicity or fifteen minutes of fame. We are ONLY looking for those with legitimate needs.

The TV program is a new documentary series searching for true first-person human experiences in various arenas of metaphysics, spirituality, and the paranormal. 

The filming will be done on the east coast – in the vicinity of NYC. Filming currently anticipated to be done the week of July 5^th, 2011.

Please email a photo or short video of yourself and your co-participant, as well as a brief description of the question you hope to answer, and/or the deceased person you have lost, and why you are seeking emotional closure to uneXplained@AR7Films.com

If selected, participants are required to sign appearance releases, including guardianship releases for any minors. Participants will not receive any monetary compensation. Participants may be entitled to receive pre-approved expense reimbursement for direct out-of-pocket travel expenses incurred.

 

I'm not involved in the production of the show or anything, just sending along to help out.  Sounds cool.

Away for a bit

I'll be away for a bit, on a belated honeymoon.  Blogging will be suspended until my return at the end of Feb.  Have a wonderful couple weeks.  XO

Tumbling

Just a quick note to tell you all I recently started a Tumblr page, so please have a look here.  I'm still maintaining this blog as is, and will be using Tumblr for more freeform, moodboard-style postings, and on a bit wider range of interests.  Hope you dig it!

Ron Regé, Jr.'s YEAST HOIST 15

The awesomeness of comics-maker/illustrator/illuminator Ron Regé, Jr. is neverending.  He just released his latest issue of Yeast Hoist as a beer, via a collaboration with Alchemic Ale.  It's a gorgeous jug with the chemical wedding emblazoned on the front, the words "As Above So Below" on the back, an 8-page mini-comic attached to the neck, and Belgian Abbey Ale within.  We found a one at our local brew emporium, Bierkraft, but you can find it at all these places, too.  It tastes delicious, and the bottle and comic are a forever-treasure. 

Wedded

Alright, friends.  I warn you that this post is chock full of wedding schtuff, so feel free to move right along if that doesn't interest you.  I won't be offended, promise.

As some of you know already, I married this sweettart on October 16th in New Hope, PA.  Lucky, lucky lass I am.

Now, I certainly don't want to be guilty of over-sharing, but there are so many wonderful artisans and the like who contributed to making our wedding sublime, and the best way I know to thank them is to give them a bit of bloglove in return.  (This is in addition of course, to our phenomenal families and friends who were the true angels of the weekend.)  So without further ado:

The deer-headed cake topper (pictured above) was made to order by Megan Bogonovich via her Etsy boutique, Melabo.  We adore it, and will treasure it forever.

We could not be happier with our photographs, though I'm a bit shy about linking to them here.  But our friend Beau of Beau Allulli Photography did an astoundingly beautiful job, and I can't recommend him more highly.  He's based here in NYC, but happily travelled to PA, and was extremely warm, professional, and totally relaxed.  Please drop me a line if you'd like to see what he did for our wedding, and I'll happily send you our online wedding album.  He's amazing.

Our wedding rings were custom made for us by one of my favorite human ladies on earth, Suzannah Murray, of Lark and Lotus Jewelry, out of New Orleans.  They.  Are.  Stunning.  She also made the necklace I gave to my gorgeous and saintly maid-of-honor/sister, Emily.  Suzannah is a genius, and she can work with you to design your own special baubles as well - or you can purchase from one of her two incredible lines.

As part of our ceremony, we did a Calling of the Seven Directions ritual, and each of my four bridesmaids represented one of the four elements.  I knew I wanted to do something elementally themed for each of them as their bridesmaid gift, and lucked out SO MUCH, by collaborating with Emmelie Brunetti of Little Feather Organics / A Treatise on White Magic.  She worked with me to design a box filled with her signature solid perfume, Black Amber Balm, as well as custom-made element necklaces for each lady.  She also made a little scroll for each of them to unwrap with a message from me inside.  This was all contained inside a wooden box burned with Emmelie's ouroboros/4 elements logo.  My best gals loved these sets so much, they wore their element necklaces during the wedding!  So meaningful.

In lieu of wedding favors for our guests, we made a donation to Freedom to Marry, the leading non-profit organization in the country for legalizing same-sex marriage.  Please donate to these guys if you can, they do amazing work!

So many more shout-outs to give, but I think I'll stop there for now.  Thanks for reading, and thank you to these incredibly gifted artists for making our celebration even lovelier than we imagined.

Bridin'

Mark Ryden  "Awakening the Moon"  2010

So, I think you probably won't be hearing from me for a while, cause I'll be off gettin' hitched to this rapscallion in a few days!  ***JUBILATION!*** 

Wishing you all much love and happy arting for the next couple weeks.  XO, Pam

Image via

OBSERVATORY in Time Out

Exciting news.  OBSERVATORY has been featured in Time Out!  Check out Melissa Stern's glowing article here.  (And all the more reason for you to come to the space this Saturday at 8pm for Judith Schaechter's awesome lecture on beauty).

Thank you, Melissa, and thank you, Time Out New York!

Wedding

Johfra  "The Vision of Hermes Trismegistos"  1985

Exciting news:  my feller and I have become engaged, as of this Saturday, May 1st in Vermont.  Huzzah!  Hooray!  O frabjous day!  Callooh!  Callay!

(And Johfra's chemical wedding painting above was introduced to me by Lady Lavona's glorious tumblr).

Pause

Hi there:  I will be away in Arizona for a few days getting some R&R.  Blogging will commence upon my return next week.  XO, Pam

Phantasmaphile Family News

Thanks for indulging me in some off-topic news, but two of my loved ones have exciting things to share:

My feller, the twisted playwright/sexynerd/boy wonder, Matt Freeman, has a play opening soon here in NYC, which you won't want to miss.  It's called GLEE CLUB (written before that show Glee ever existed, thankyouverymuch) and is a hilarious dark comedy with quite a lot of filthy language, a bit of singing, and ridiculously talented actors including Steve from Blues Clues "like you've never seen him before," as they say.  It's up March 3rd - April 3rd, full info below:

 

Blue Coyote Theater Group proudly invites you to GLEE CLUB, Matthew Freeman’s hilarious comedy about a cut-throat men’s chorus on the verge of meltdown.  A sold-out hit at the Antidepressant Festival at the Brick Theater in 2009, GLEE CLUB runs for 20 performances at the Access Theater in Tribeca, opening Mar. 3.

 

Tickets are $25.

Previews (Wed., Mar. 3–Fri., Mar 5 @ 8pm) are $15.

IF YOU ORDER BY Mar. 3, ticket code WEDS10 can get you unlimited $10 tickets to any WEDNESDAY performance throughout GLEE CLUB’s run! That’s almost 60% off the regular ticket price, but this offer ends once we open so order now!

You can order tickets thru Smarttix at http://www.smarttix.com/show. aspx?EID=&showCode=GLE1 or find out more about the show and order tickets at http://www.bluecoyote.org (and check out the progress on our sparkly new website!)

 

ACCESS THEATER
380 Broadway, 4th Floor (@ White Street)
(Subways: N/R closest, A/C/E/6/1/9)

Starring Bruce Barton*, Robert Buckwalter, Steven Burns, David DelGrosso*, Carter Jackson*, Stephen Speights, Tom Staggs* and Matthew Trumbull.*

Sets:Robert Monaco
Lights: Wheeler Kincaid
Costumes: Jonna McElrath
Stage Manager: Susan Sunday
Press:  Karen Greco Entertainment

“A hoot…stylishly mean and funny, it’s a fine dark comic showcase…”
Martin Denton, NYTHEATRE.COM

“Pitch Perfect!”
Aaron Riccio, THAT SOUNDS COOL NEWS, thatsoundscool.blogspot.com

“Transportingly Delightful…Spot-On!”
Sean Williams, SEANRANTS.COM

“The feel good tragedy of the year!”
James Comtois,  JAMESPEAK, jamespeak.blogspot.com

“You Need To See This S**T!”
Qui Nguyen, BEYONDABSURDITY, beyondabsurdity.blogspot.com

ALSO:  My sister, Emily, does phenomenal work assisting people struggling with mental illness as a recovery specialist for Care Plus NJ.  She recently started a private consultancy business specializing in helping children and their families navigate the mental healthcare system and getting the guidance they need.  Do check out her site and read her blog -- and please pass it along to anyone you think would benefit from her amazing insights and experience.

Follow me

That's right kids.  Grandma finally set herself up on twitter.  There will be arty things.  And most likely more personal musings of the "I've got a headcold" variety - fair warning.  https://twitter.com/Phantasmaphile

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to you all.  I'm grateful to have your readership and support.  I'll be hanging with my family for a few days, so blogging will be on pause for a bit.  Enjoy your holiday: relax & relish.  XO, Pam

Happy 4 Years Together, Phantasmaphiles!

Remedios Varo  "The Calling"  1961                       

I've been so busy juggling the various spheres of my life recently that I managed to miss this blog's 4 year anniversary on October 29th.  Last year, I celebrated by sharing a painting by my personal patron saint, Remedios Varo.  I decided to make it a tradition, since her work has such profound meaning for me, and crystallizes so much of my intention for this site -- and for my life in general.

I thought this piece in particular was an apt visual summary of my experience with Phantasmaphile over this past year.  During these last 12 months in particular, this blog has been a true conduit for so many exciting developments for me:  curating my first art show, starting an amazing arts and events space with kindred spirits here in Brooklyn, and meeting so many marvelous, new friends.  I've learned to be much more trusting and open to whatever adventures Phantasmaphile brings my way. 

I thank you from the bottom of my heart, dearest reader, for coming along on the journey.  And I'm looking very much forward to seeing what this next year will bring.

So sorry...

...for the radio silence, been snowed under with some personal plans and other projects.  Blogging will commence later this week.  XO, Pam

All-Star Pattern Seekers Trading Cards

I covet The Imaginary Foundation's new All-Star Pattern Seekers Trading Cards.  So happy to see my main man Joseph Campbell made the cut, and at #3 no less:

Wish there were some more ladies though. 

Via

This Weekend

Poster by Molly Crabapple

There are two things you must do this weekend if you are in NYC:

 -  MoCCA Festival is my favorite festival ever ever ever.  It features comics and comic art, but is generally way more indie and experimental than the usual comicons.  Loads of small presses and self-published stuff to be found here.  It never fails to introduce me to new books and artists to fall head over heels in love with.  I'll be highlighting some of my acquisitions on the site soon, but for now JUST GO, last day is Sunday, June 7th.

-  Matt Freeman (playwright/boy wonder/beloved rogue) has a new play called GLEE CLUB opening at the Brick Theater's Antidepressant Festival.  The play is twisted, hilarious, and melodic to boot!  First performance is also Sunday, June 7th at 2pm, and are three more, so buy tickets and GO SEE IT!

Help restore the Buckland Museum of Witchcraft

Photo by Metadromos

I came across the following press release on my web wanderings:

May 8, 2009
Contact: Wendy O’Brien, WillowTree Press Author Promotions Group
Email: promo_dept [at] willowtreepress.com

REVEREND VELVET RIETH TO DISPLAY WITCHCRAFT MUSEUM
WTP Author Brings Buckland Witchcraft Museum To Midwest

Raymond Buckland gathered artifacts and placed them in a collection which ostensibly became the first museum of Witchcraft and Magic in the United States. It was officially opened to viewing in 1968. The collection continued to grow and by the early 70’s was moved, with selected pieces also being loaned to other museums, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In later years the museum was moved again and eventually languished in storage, unseen by the public.

More recently, WillowTree Press Author, Reverend Velvet Rieth, was appointed curator of the Buckland Witchcraft Museum. She has undertaken the task of returning the collection to its originally intended purpose - to be viewed as a historical representation, and teaching tool, for and about Witchcraft and Magic.

Reverend Rieth will be a special guest at the 2009 Heartland Pagan Festival, located at Camp Gaia in just outside of Kansas City, Kansas. She will be overseeing an exhibit of selected pieces from the Buckland Museum while at the event.

For more information on Reverend Rieth’s speaking engagement at Heartland Pagan Festival, visit WWW.KCHSA.ORG

You can also donate here to help raise funds to restore the museum back to its permanent home in New Orleans.

Out of Town

I'll be out of town for a few days with my feller to relax and recharge in the lovely Hudson Valley.  Posting will commence upon my return.  Have a great week, Phantasmaphiles.  XO, Pam

Georgia Guidestones

Dan Winters/Wired

I read this awesome article in this month's issue of Wired about a strange US monument called the Georgia Guidestones.  I had never heard of them before, but am now determined to see them one day in person.  No one knows who had them built, though there is speculation that their multilingual engraved messages are intended to communicate with post-apocalyptic survivors and/or extraterrestrials.  Like Stonehenge, their coordinates are calibrated to the sky and the movement of the stars.  How cool.

REMINDER: Trinie Dalton at OBSERVATORY on Saturday (tomorrow) at 7pm

Don't forget:  Trinie Dalton will be presenting MIRROR HORROR, a visual discussion of the motif of mirrors in horror movies and art.  It's tomorrow (Saturday) at Observatory:

Admission:  Free.  But bring cash for wine & copies of the gorgeous book, MYTHTYM.  Trinie will be happy to sign it for you.

When:  Saturday, April 25th, 7pm

Where:  Observatory (same building as Proteus Gowanus, Cabinet Magazine, & Morbid Anatomy Library).  543 Union Street (at Nevins), Brooklyn, NY 11215

Subway:  R/M to Union Street ~or~ F/G to Carroll St.

Directions:  http://observatoryroom.org/directions/

Phantasmaphile presents MIRROR HORROR with Trinie Dalton!

I'm thrilled to be presenting Phantasmaphile's first event at Observatory, a very special space I've become involved with in Gowanus, Brooklyn.  Trinie Dalton will be presenting MIRROR HORROR, a visual exploration of mirrors in art & horror films, as per her essay in her incredible book, MYTHTYM.  Mark your calendars for Saturday, April 25th, 7pm.  Free admission, but be sure to bring cash for wine & tax-free copies of her book!  Looking forward to seeing you there.

"Confronting Mortality with Art And Science" Book Release Party and Film Screening, TONIGHT!

Please put on your winter boots, and come out to this very fine event:

This will be the first event at a new collaborative lecture/gallery/classroom/event space I am involved in called "Observatory."  The space is sandwiched between Proteus Gowanus Interdisciplinary Gallery and Reading Room, Cabinet Magazine, and the Morbid Anatomy library, all housed in a re-purposed turn-of-the-century box factory located at Union and Nevins in the Gowanus district of Brooklyn, New York.  The collaborators include myself, Joanna Ebenstein of Morbid Anatomy, animator/illustrator/musician G. F. Newland, Michelle Enemark and Dylan Thuras of the Curious Expeditions blog, Herbert Pfostl of Blind Pony Books and Paper Graveyard, and video and book artist James Walsh.  More on Observatory, and its many upcoming workshops, symposia, events and spectacles to come!  We've got some glorious things planned...