SUNDAY NOTES 029

A Sunday for surrealism: Building a surreal world, and a miniature set I've begun, plus a special thank you to my subscribers

Melody Hansen

Mar 03, 2024

A Sunday playlist: Edward Scissorhands by Danny Elfman (1990)

A Sunday watch: Building the Surreal World of Poor Things 5 min

March:
You are courageous,
you are bold,
you are capable,
you are strong
on Sundays and tomorrow.

Find the time to rest,
to be at peace,
so your mind can dream
on Sundays and tomorrow.

A poem from February’s calendar month

I’ve been seeing Poor Things drawings on my IG feed so I thought I’d join in

I’ve been building a miniature set this week out of an old gift box I’ve had lying around catching dust, because it’s been on my mind and I’m trying to do more of what I picture in my head

I’ll be sharing the final result in this week’s part 2 of Once Upon a Time: Alice in Wonderland

Something I’m thinking about:

Are challenging seasons just making room for change and adjusted alignment? Can you be stretched without obstacles? I want to reach shore, not be in the ocean.

Something that inspires me:

Because I’ve been working on my miniature set this weekend, I’ve been watching some behind-the-scenes work by one of my favorite set designers, Shona Heath. I started following Shona Heath’s work some years ago, primarily because of her work with photographer Tim Walker. I used to have magazine cutouts of Tim Walker’s photographs and sets on my walls when I was in high school. An absolute dream seeing Heath’s work as production designer on the big screen in Poor Things.

shona heath jo malone london — *Jo Malone London,* 2021

*Cate Blanchett for The New York Times Magazine*, 2022

Poor Things / Senior Art Director - Production Designer for film, commercials, television and interior architecture — *Poor Things*, 2023

A quote:

“Be as a bird perched on a frail branch that she feels bending beneath her, still she sings away all the same, knowing she has wings.
—Victor Hugo

Before I end, I wanted to personally thank you for reading and subscribing. I reached 200 subscribers this week and I’m so grateful for your interest and appreciation of this newsletter. Sometimes it’s hard for me to stay consistent and share what’s on my mind, but being committed to this helps me push past my doubts and shame, and create, still. This season of my life has been particularly stressful, but being able to stay inspired brings me a lot of hope. Thank you for journeying through creativity and this season with me.

Until next Sunday,