Domestically Disabled

Sorry for the long absence, I had some health problems to solve...hypotension and hot hot hot Italian summers are not a good mix actually...

Yesterday I was organizing the images saved on my pc and I found a lot of pictures I thought were lost in the mess. In particular I gladly rediscovered an entire folder full of Anne Taintor collages and I spent awhile looking and smiling at them. I always liked her work: 40s/50s images and caustic contemporary humor are definitely a perfect combination.






More than 20 years ago, at a yard sale in Maine, Taintor found a stack of old magazines, finding herself intrigued by mid century illustrations and old ads where the world and the everyday family life was shown as perfection, despite the real drama and frustration. She decided to use them as a starting point from a collage series, adding pinch (or maybe a couple...) of cynical and witty comments. The results - with pretty ladies saying not so pretty words - were great indeed and she become really popular really soon.
At today you can find stationary, calendars and all sort of accessories featuring her artworks, but my favorites are still the classic coffee table books.






Long before any modern desperate housewife, 50s domestic goddess had their Tupperware pastel measuring spoons and their "happy pills". Today we can try to cheer up our days without prescriptions, just with Anne Taintor's collages...