Ok, well Andy blew me off for lunch at the Tea House a few months back, but it was great to recently see his wife, artist and filmmaker Laura Tyler this past week to give her some supplies for one of her new pieces. Being the dedicated and creative couple that they are, Laura and Andy have been very busy since I have last seen them, including (and while keeping bees thru their collective honey company, Backyard Bees, LLC) conceiving, producing, directing and shooting the documentary short film, Sister Bee. I have yet to see the entire film, but the trailer is stunning, wonderfully stitched with well a composed vocal score, beautiful editing (by Hanna Rudkilde) and curiously interesting narratives. If you have even the slightest interest in our friends the bees, their behaviors and attributes and the joy they bring so many, you will certainly enjoy the film. Congratulations Laura, Andy and Hanna, I'm looking forward to watching this one in it's entirety with my kids.
The Synopsis:
Sister Bee is a lyrical documentary about six beekeepers who find beauty and truth in their work with honeybees. Bee swarms, benevolence, women beekeepers, queen bees, gentleness, choral music, wildflowers, poetic nature documentary.
Sister Bee follows the arc of the beekeeping year beginning with spring queens and ending with the fall honey harvest. It opens with beekeepers approaching their hives. One lights a smoker. Another lifts a cover from a hive revealing the wax city below. A third laughs as she hoists a six-year-old boy to peer inside her tallest hive. “There she is! There she is!” says another when she finds the queen. Each beekeeper’s outlook is revealed through thoughts and gestures. Historical clips define beekeeping terminology while alluding to its timelessness. Expressive sound effects and a score of vocal music, antique whistling songs and acoustic guitar unify Sister Bee into a celebration of honeybees, beekeepers and the changing seasons. Mortality, sisterhood and the palpable sense of connectedness some beekeepers experience while working with honeybees are addressed.
Always anticipated, my unequivocally preferred summer sporting event Le Tour de France 09'. commenced Saturday, with the Stage 1 individual TT in Monoco. Purposefully reconfigured every year, the corkscrewed course sneaks into Spain, Switzerland and Italy adding some new landscape before twisting back into France for the difficult mountain stages en route to Paris. With the return of 7 time winner Lance Armstrong as a member of Team Astana, the spotlight will most definitely shine upon him, however several of his teammates have a solid chance of winning the Tour so prepare for some inner turmoil as Johan Bruyneel determines which rider will be declared the chosen one. However, don't rule out the man in 22 (total number of stage wins) and he didn't get back on the bike to lose no. 8.
If you've never followed the tour and have a bit of curiosity about this amazing sport, it's history, strategies, technologies, awesome landscapes and peculiar nuances, start watching the Tour on Versus coverage, the comprehensive coverage is like no other.
Strategic Chaos, my friend Oscar's daily sketch blog, has kept him on mad artistic rampage (he's an artist, so he's rampaging on other creations all the time) for the last 149 days, challenging himself to keep up the pace for one solid year. While I am constantly (and daily) delighted by his abilities and results rendered during the side sketch project, a recent post inspired by The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy caught my highly trained eye; I needed that sketch. Hey, I offered to pay for it, but Oscar sent it along in the mail, safely protected in a custom envelop. In any event my friend, you are cordially invited for several libations (more than 10.00) in the next week. Thanks much and talk to you soon.
The Sketch: Untitled
In Oscar's words, the orginal post:
I sketched this while I watched Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy tonight. This movie is very agreeable to me. I've watched it several times and I always find new aspects to enjoy about it. It seemed to be lost to a multitude of people, which is unfortunate because there are many creative storytelling gems within it.
Whether you are following or interested in renewable energy sources, our creative society continues to develop unique and useful means of harnessing the sun's energy. I've been doing a lot of research on tensile and stretched fabric shade structures for my project in Egypt so I was pleased to stumble upon this new solar tent concept. Now admittedly and despite living in Colorado, I am more of a day hiker and not much of an overnight camper. I can only imagine who in their right mind would want to schlep this beast while backpacking; the panels don't appear to break down. Nevertheless, I'm enamoured with the design and could dig a night inside the glowing digs, assuming it was waiting right there for me. A primary brand of France Telecom Group, UK telcom giant, Orange has partnered with US design agency Kaleidoscope on this concept solar tent. Using fabric embedded photovoltaics to capture the sun's energy, the structure transfers the captured energy into in-floor heating and mobile phone charging capabilities, all control ed by an LCD control panel. Let's not forget wifi, but that may be where the line is crossed unless you searching survival methods. But that's not all, the creative collaborative have thought of everything; if you're having problems locating camp in the dark hours, simply punch a code in your cell phone and your temporary home will glow in the color of your choice, very cool.
An in-house web/graphic/industrial designer working in Tokyo, Japan, Mac Funamizu is the discovery of the day via, Cor77. Inspired by the classic handcuff and created with care and minimalism in mind, the theft-proof umbrella.
Continuing to work with Sara, founder of NGD Studios and the creative force behind the very successful makemynotebook.com line, she's asked me to begin studying a new primary parent identity for the brand. While I've developed sub-brands within the line like Plane Jane, the new mark will identify all of her products, strengthening the brand when viewed in a retail or trade show setting. Initial studies have included a custom stylized typeface, inspired by the coils of her notebooks, but purposely kept simple as not to distract from the variety of custom cover designs. Additionally, the idea of creating a pattern with the custom type is being investigated....more later.
Enjoying the success and publicity from our ICSC Future of Retail competition submittal, the studio recently put together a celebratory promotional piece geared at conveying to all of our current and potential clients that our agency is in it for long haul....no crying here about the economy. Embracing Crisis and Creating Opportunity, Commarts welcomes the opportunity to solve all of your design needs. For more information, email jmartin@commartsdesign.com.
A solid example of integrated signage and branding, Büro North, hit the mark with their project
Balencea. Not unlike what we are doing with CCDC, the idea of creating a strong repetitive pattern and translating it across a variety of signage and environmental graphic solutions has resulted in a strong placemaking concept. Nice work Büro North.
Spaced one year apart, the dramatic difference in pictures between my regular beach sunsets of the past and the Boulder mountain sunsets of today; dramatically different and fantastic.
With a flurry of activity coming out of Southern California, it's seems appropriate to quickly post a project of which I (co)designed while employed by design agency RSM. Collective strengths were apparent here as our thorough and collaborative efforts resulted in a widley appreciated, updated signage and graphics program for Promenade Temecula, a struggling and outdated shopping center located in in Temecula, California. Along with the typical cast of EGD characters, our team developed a new primary entry element, interior and exterior directories, and updated fountain among others. Principal in charge, Harry Mark, myself, DJ Thomas and David Lee made up the design team. Promenade Temecula is owned and managed by Forest City Enterprises.
Primary Entry ID Exterior Directory Interior Directory Interior Pedestrian Directional
Set to embark upon a short European tour, Dean and Britta are in LA this weekend, performing at the John Anson Ford Amphitheater for the Los Angeles Film Festival where they will be performing songs from 13 Most Beautiful: Songs for Andy Warhol Screen Tests. Additionally, while I was searching for this trailer, I stumbled upon the Silver Cloud installation, originally executed by Billy Kluver, an engineer and one of the founders of Experiments in Art and Technology (E.A.T.) Billy was the father of my good friend Kristian Kluver who I have celebrated a number of times here on Finndustry.
As I mentioned before, the trip was quite random as we had our proposal quickly accepted for a new project, Designopolis, a new development in the Sixth of October City, West Cairo, intended to position Cairo as a formidable design presence. The hope of course is to satisfy the needs of an immensely growing residential and commercial real estate market. A joint venture of Bonyan, Development and Trade and Citadel Capital, Designopolis, the project, will cover an area of 116,000 sqm and contain 200 home furnishing and design retail stores as well as an entertainment centre for families, a children's museum, bookstore and specialized educational facilities, offering courses in graphic and interior design. Designed by SOM as well as our clients, Mona Hussein and Nader Lahzy Kalini, the project is set to open it's first phase later this year, however a number of shops are up and running now. As for our scope, we have been charged with all the signage, graphics ands wayfinding, as well as placemaking elements including primary pylon elements and shade structures.
The approach from Lufthansas flight 582 into Cairo (Al Qahirah) was monochromatic to say the least; what I imagined to be not unlike landing in Tatooine with all it's sandy and mysterious goodness. At 5000 ft, I was looking for a major landmark like the pyramids or the urban density of Cairo's central core, but was only able to see the endless, sandblasted and what seemed like partially demolished housing developments in the desert landscape, making sense to me that Cairo is Africa's largest city with a metropolitan population of more than 17 million people. For the purpose of this post, I won't get into much detail about the history of the country but use this link for some quick additional facts beyond the quick hits of info I will share today.
Lufthansas Airbus A340-300
Cairo: The Landscape
Overall map of Egypt:
Detail Map of Cairo:
Detail of Gezirah (and Hotel Sofitel El Gezirah location):
Day 1: Arrival in Cairo
After a fairly seamless immigration and visa process at Cairo International Airport, we grabbed a cab and headed for our accommodations, The Hotel Sofitel El Gezirah, on the Island of Gezirah in the central part of Cairo. En route it was impossible to not notice the overwhelming state of disrepair of Cairo, the "anything goes policy" with respect to driving laws and the constant "hit or miss" game the cab played played with pedestrians. With the absence of any real street lights or cross walks, people randomly and often without warning, moved in and out of traffic along the freeway and city streets disregarding any semblance of traffic law. Because there are virtually no restrictions on vehicle or industrial emissions, the air and water are extremely polluted. Pleasant conversation with our driver ensued and given the powerful and historic speech "A New Beginning" that Barack Obama had delivered just days earlier, for the first time in a great while of my extended international travel, I felt extremely proud and confident with the manner in which Obama has re-positioned our country in that part of the world. We rode on his executive coattails all week.
Typical street scene, pedestrians taking on the oncoming traffic
3 lanes of traffic becoming 5
After check in and some great perspectives of the Nile and Cairo from the room, we met our clients along the Nile for a traditional Egyptian meal of Tabboeleh, Hummus, Baba Ganoush, mixed grilled meats, and various breads. Enhancing the meal and the experience further, we partook in the smoking of a traditional shisha accompanied with mint tea and regional rice pudding called mahallabiyya for dessert. Fruit infused tobacco smoke filled the air and enlightened our spirits, while we discussed our design challenges that lay ahead for our work at Designopolis.
Views of the Nile from room 518 (first photo by Burdekin)
Day 2: Cairo + Paris
A quick traditional breakfast of fruit, yogurt, breads and coffee and we were whisked off to west Cairo for our first glimpse of Designopolis. Discussing the approach to the project is important here, but I will do a separate post of the project as it's mission and aesthetics quality certainly warrants celebration. Similar to the overwhelmingly decrepit and run down quality of the city core, this extended to the outskirts of Cairo. From the bridges and roads, to the landscaping, billboards and light fixtures, a general state of disrepair and damaged , as though it had been indefinitely neglected. With that and likely, but unfortunately intentional, the landscape became more polished with new development. Gated communities, golf courses, the British School in Cairo and eventually, Designopolis emerged.
Unaware of the history of Egypt, it was this day that I also learned of the long historically romantic relationship between Paris and Cairo, celebrated in Durell's, Alexandria Quartet among other novels. It was also on this day that I realized I too was enamoured with this culture; it had been building for a few days. From the time that Napoleon began his expedition to Egypt, and the birth of "Egyptology," the attitudes and interests between the two countries have been nurtured for hundreds of years. Despite the obviously depressed and repressed quality of the people and the city, I noticed a strong addictive sense of pride and peace. I suppose this evening looking out upon the Nile, anticipating out late dinner at our client's home in the dessert and having traditional music fill the atmosphere, my love of Egypt began. I will look forward to coming back.
Day 3: Les Pyramides
With some time before our driver took us back to Designopolis, Richard and I had the chance to see the Pyramids--look for a separate post altogether. Another long day at Designopolis was followed by dinner at our clients personal restaurant, La Bodega. "La Bodega offers not only an experience for the palate but for the eyes, too. It is a place arranged with much love for the detail, a love hopefully signaling a new trend in Cairo, that is, the will to preserve the more recent past of the metropolis, as we have witnessed with the recent reopening of the Café Riche."
Across polluted Cairo, the view to the Pyramids (photo by Burdekin)
8:00 AM, 78 degrees in Cairo
Day4: The Extra Day
More of the same today, a long day at Designopolis and the pending 23 hour flight home. With the 5 hour layover in Frankfurt, Ross and I hit the regional train for a quick stop in Wiesbaden, Germany for a brew and one of the local favorites--a fine end to the Cairo trip. Egypt, I'll see you again soon.
Busier than any woman I know, Megan had an amazing show last week thanks to her tireless determination and love for fabricating beautiful designs for Miss Magoo, her new full time project. And for all who showed up to support the gig, we thank you. Among all of the amazing designs including but not limited to children's and woman's skirts, key fobs, reusable lunch and snack bags and hair accessories, Megan cranked out a massive amount of custom dog collars, all celebrating an eclectic variety of colors and patterns sure to dazzle and delight. The collars have yet to be posted on Megan's Etsy shop, but if you are interested, please contact her at megan@finndustry.com and let her know which fabric suits your needs. Of course she has a great selection of other fabrics to make your pooch a custom sized collar (for the fair fair price of 16.00), but check the range of colors and patterns below. Enjoy
Living on the east coast as long as we did provided steady opportunities to catch great musical acts; Boston, Baltimore, Philly and New York were all easily accessible and popular tour destinations. So when I was turned onto Luna in 2003, I ended up seeing the band a number of times before they dissasembled; I'm using this term because I believe it's a matter of time before the foursome re-assembles. In the meantime, I will always enjoy Dean and Britta's solo material and the ways in which they are rendering their (and other's) music. Among much of there own work from previously recorded Dean and Britta records, they have been performing Galaxie 500 tunes (Dean's original band) as well as tracks from there soundtrack to 13 Most Beautiful.... Songs for Andy Warhol's Screen Tests.
I've been a bit anti-social these days geeking in the basement late into the night and up early in the AM making paper. As a result, I haven't had the chance to see a many friend or even hit up Cypher13 to check their new storefront graphics and signage. The pics look awesome guys, can't wait to see it up close and hang a bit. See you soon.
With the retail industry in serious jeopardy, and the strength and convenience of internet commerce out-pacing the demand for new regional shopping centers, CommArtshas been busy trying to imagine how over the next few decades, retail environments will respond and reshape themselves; it's what we do. As part of our internal studies, we've developed a design criteria tool, "the ten forces," which are the prevailing items most influential in reshaping retail of the future. Curiously, while investigating this notion, ICSC 09' sponsored a competition called "Future Image", where design teams were asked to depict and describe how retail environments will look and function in the year 2050.
The CommArts Submittal: Detail: A Detail: B
Detail: C
Detail: D
We are pleased to announce that while attending this years conference, Larry Weeks and Daniel Aizenman (2 of the 4 team members which also included Shawn English and Chris Blechar) accepted an honorable mention award among more than 50 entries. While the submittal wasn't chosen as the winner, a great deal of time was spent on the entry and after the presention, Larry was approached by Allison Arieff, former chief editor of Dwell Magazine, editor of the ByDesign column for the NYTimes and editor at large for Sunset Magazine about doing an article on the submittal. The rest is good solid history for CommArts, and the design team. See excerpts and the link below:
By Allison Arieff
"I was brought to ICSC as a juror for the organization’s inaugural Future Image Architecture Competition, which asked entrants to imagine the shopping mall of the future. My expectations for the entries were high — and probably too preconceived. This seems like a watershed moment for malls, much as it does for housing. Surely, I thought, the entries will reflect the extent to which business as usual — i.e., massive anchor retail tenants surrounded by thousands (even millions) of square feet of specialized yet mass retail, in settings only accessible by car — cannot possibly continue. Having just witnessed the Sony-backed Metreon mall in San Francisco shift from its failed existence as a “state of the art technology and entertainment marketplace” to a modest farmer’s market, I’d seen the writing on the wall. Hadn’t the shopping center folks?"
Congratulations again to CommArts, Principals Richard Foy, Henry Beer & Janet Martin and especially the design team Larry Weeks, Shawn English, Daniel Aizenman and Chris Blechar who worked very hard to help celebrate and strengthen the CommArts brand and abilities. Having no expectations other than to spend quality design time with one another, the hard work truly paid off.
A solid idea and great aesthetic improvement to the coffee mug. Designed by Steven Reed, "The fin structures put distance between the hot liquid and the held surface, allowing for a natural grip as heat is dispersed to gently warm the hands." Smart design and stylish nonetheless.
By the end of the week I plan to post quite a bit regarding our major project in Washington DC, the CCDC. This mixed use development will be one of the district's most anticipated new projects, seen as the new "heart of the district." While studying the "jewel box," a primary architectural feature of the common space, we have developed strong feelings about designing and installing a dynamic sculptural LED element acting as a strong focal point for the space. So while doing research, we came upon this installation developed by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich for their 150th anniversary, deserving some props indeed. This LED display builds with 25,000 lightballs, each containing 12 LED units. It can display 16 million colors and 25 images per second creating shapes and forms unlike anything imaginable. Dimensional faces and organic shapes where what caught my eye. Currently installed in Zurich's main train station, the installation will be there until September 2009. For the project design teams web site and far more comprehensive information, I currently don't have the patience to develop, go here and enjoy.
When watching films, us design types "zero in" on specific (or grand) aesthetic details, distracting us entirely away from the storyline at hand. All the classic James Bond films did this to me; setting me off on a tangential trance, marveling and fantasizing about the many tricked out 70's Swiss ski chalets or Karl Stromberg's fantastical underwater city, Atlantis among many.
Thanks to Megan for tracking this one down from Man Make Home, it brings back many good memories of watching Ferris over and over again and a reminder of the pad with which I was so
enamoured.
"If you’ve got a cool $2.3 million, you can purchase Cameron Frye’s house from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (yes, the one with the Ferrari). Known officially as the Ben Rose House – the building was constructed in 1953 and designed by revered architects A. James Speyer and David Haid. Mr. Ben Rose lived there until his death in 2004, and his wife lived there until her death earlier this year. Clearly this house served them well.
The property includes two buildings (one is the infamous garage/ art gallery) – and yes, it sits out over a ravine"
Instead of sitting around moping about the economy (especially the design economy) I've been fortunate enough to have assembled enough side work to keep myself and a few collaborators moderately busy. The extra money has been nice, but more importantly the creativity level has been high, keeping our minds sharp and busy. And given the number of emergency design exercises we have been asked to explore, this has been extremely important. Frantic to meet a deadline for the Craig Daily Press to celebrate their new urbanism development called Hillside, my friend Charlie asked me to quickly develop the new identity for the residential project. Evocative of the rolling quality of the landscape, the local Yampa river, as well as the project name, the first option has a number of possibilities, especially when considering the way in which it can be translated to environmental graphics. Additionally, abstract, but contemporary references to the local flora and fauna have also been explored. Thanks to Ross for helping out, his solid collaborative skills and innate design sensibilities were invaluable.
With the slow down in the economy and the extra time I've been allotted, extreme productivity and collaboration have been on the mind. It's been a great time to learn new skills and take on projects that are geared to perpetuate and facilitate others talents and professions. Along with some of my latest design ventures I've recently posted (Plane Jane, ReuseIt.com, and 2121 W. Division among others), Jason Howard of Archetype5 and I are very excited to present our recent collaborative effort, jimringleyportraits.com, a simple site for Jim, celebrating his portrait works and process.
If you read Finndustry, you probably know about my good friend, spiritual advisor and insanely talented artist Jim Ringley, who has once again amazed me with his incredible skills. From pop-art wood block prints, mixed media collage to technically based large canvases, fine art portraiture's have been added to his long list of talents. Intended to celebrate the high quality of his work and not flashy web stuff, the sites most definite highlights include "the portrait process" where the viewer and get a glimpse into the depth of pencil work involved to create these amazing images as well as the portrait of our crazy little girl Macy. Take a close look at the site and consider having Jim do portrait of one of your kids, they are amazing.
Somehow, sometime in between and likely during a somewhat incoherently overworked and exhausted state I landed upon Subism; gosh darn glad I did as well. Enjoy the full site, full of art, photogs, toys and freebees. Some selections below.
Among the quintesentially milestone rock album covers Andy Warhol designed, "The Velvet Underground & Nico" and The Rolling Stone's "Sticky Fingers," few people realized that during his career, Andy conceived and drew dozens of covers, not just for rock music but other genres including classical, opera and jazz. Published jointly by Prestel and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Andy's specialized album art talents are being lavishly celebrated in the new book, "Andy Warhol: The Record Covers, 1949 -1987."
Illustrated in Warhol's unmistakeable style, from silkscreens, collages and doodles, Count Basie, Tchaikovsky, Aretha Franklin, Lou Reed, Diana Ross, John Lennon, and the Rolling Stones all had their music promoted by Andy Warhol's record covers. From Fred Kaplan's piece in the Sunday NYTimes, "Warhol’s rock covers, especially for the Velvet Underground and the Stones, stand out for their bold strokes and sexuality. But all of his album covers mirrored his other forms of art, which reflected, and helped visualize, the broad popular culture of his times: from the innocent frenzy of the late ’40s and the muted cool of the ’50s to the oversaturated exuberance of the ’60s — the age not just of sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll but also stereo, moon shots and color TV — and beyond."
Gaining final momentum for its grand opening late this summer and after 5 years in the making, 360 Kuwait is becoming fully realized. More of a cultural center and civic gathering space than an traditional retail project, 360 Kuwait was inspired by navigation thru the use of the sun and stars as a means of wayfinding, a notion originally conceived in that part of the world centuries ago. Mitigating the 360 name, the visitor moves thru the "day and night" journey of the project plan in a circular manner proving a cyclical and interesting experience at every turn. Brendan O'Grady of RTKL and NDL and my former partner in crime on this project delivered these fresh shots after his recent trip to Kuwait city. . In addition to the images, the included link shows the fabrication team installing the Chihuly's we conceived and expressed to the client team as critical termination and grounding elements anchoring the "sun and moon courts". Enjoy
Frantically preparing for her National Stationary Show in New York next week, Sara hit me up for some help on a few things including a collaborative design for a new notebook cover for the makemynotebook.com line as well as a new identity mark for Plane Jane, a new concept product which will make its debut at the show. Along with some quick design turn around, I had my much anticipated crash course in silkscreening, going down to her collective studio in Highlands to see how it's done and participate.
step 1: design the thing
step 2: preparing for burn
lets call this around step 4 : final prepared screen
First of all, I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to review and vote for new reuseIt identity exercise. As mentioned before, the new reuseIt brand will initially replace reusablebags.com's proprietary line Acme Workhorse brand and will eventually be used as the over-arching brand of reuseablebags.com, allowing the company to provide a much broader product range of responsible and reusable items. The process of development was a great one, from initial concepts, to shortlisting favorites to the final identity, the new mark has a bold type treatment, emphasizing the quick "ah ha" moment of understanding the breakdown of the words themselves while suggesting motion and the continual cycle of reuse. Referred to as the "bubble scheme," find the final treatments and one product application. Once more, thank you for all the comments and input.
Now I have had plenty of Halvah in my day; mostly the good stuff and from as early a time as I can remember. As a young boy, when most my age were intolerant to any foods out of the ordinary, my late great grandfather, Aaron A. Austin (formally Ostrosky and not Aaron Austin the adult film star) would regularly take me to Stanley's Delicatessen in Cincinnati where I earned my formal degree into the decadent world of properly executed Jewish foods. From briskets and hot pastrami to gefilta fish and koogle, the meals were invariably culminated by a freshly sliced slab of the sesame goodness, typically and most proudly displayed under a glass cake dome. Since the good old days I've tolerated substandard Halvah's of all types, mostly mainstream brands, if for no other reason than to remind me of all my great times with AAA. Digging around in the food aisles of Peppercorn last week, my eyes of course gravitated to the stylized serif'd type and strong packaging colors of Camel's Halvah but I never believed that perhaps this could be my reintroduction into how good halvah could be; indeed it was. Of all the 100% natural options, the Deluxe, composed of a perfect blend of vanilla, pistachios, pumpkin seeds and sesame was one of the best confection I've ever tasted, truly.
With a small amount of freelance coming in, I've had some independent inspiration as of late but I'm very excited about the Wave Sport Kayak hull graphics competition. While living in California last year I participated in the Salomon snowboard competion, treating the underside and top. In the case of the Wave Sport, three sides will be addressed. Look for updates as the deadline is looming, May 25.
"How much do we really know about the food we buy at our local supermarkets and serve to our families? In Food, Inc., filmmaker Robert Kenner lifts the veil on our nation's food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that's been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of our government's regulatory agencies, USDA and FDA. Our nation's food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and our own environment. We have bigger-breasted chickens, the perfect pork chop, insecticide-resistant soybean seeds, even tomatoes that won't go bad, but we also have new strains of e coli--the harmful bacteria that causes illness for an estimated 73,000 Americans annually. We are riddled with widespread obesity, particularly among children, and an epidemic level of diabetes among adults.
Featuring interviews with such experts as Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation), Michael Pollan (The Omnivore's Dilemma) along with forward thinking social entrepreneurs like Stonyfield Farm's Gary Hirshberg and Polyface Farms' Joel Salatin, Food, Inc. reveals surprising -- and often shocking truths -- about what we eat, how it's produced, who we have become as a nation and where we are going from here
I continue to be impressed by Joy's ear and our similarity in audible interest, especially when she personally feeds me tracks that I find myself listening to over and over again. Check Joy2thewww for steady sound updates certain to keep you out of a musical rut.
Via my boys at Diagonal Creative, thanks for the reminder because I can't wait to see the flick.
A film by Gary Hustwit, director of Helvetica.
“Objectified is a feature-length documentary about our complex relationship with manufactured objects and, by extension, the people who design them. It’s a look at the creativity at work behind everything from toothbrushes to tech gadgets. It’s about the designers who re-examine, re-evaluate and re-invent our manufactured environment on a daily basis. It’s about personal expression, identity, consumerism, and sustainability.”
Post by Alexey (Partner with Diagonal Creative)
"This film is probably based on our pre-recession ideology of irrational exuberance which should make it interesting to see the film’s outlook on the future of industrial design. Is the film already outdated? Either way the study of consumer’s choices and habits are important and worthy of exploration.
I am not a fan of consumerism but I love design. Unfortunately, or fortunately for designers, our economy is based on consumerism and the design and creation of new and better things. Why do we constantly feel the need to have the newest and latest? Is it the deceptive marketing? Our envy or our friends? Or is it our intrinsic nature to create? There has to be a better way of doing things."
Next time I'm in India, I'm certain a local shop will serve up a cup of Chai with the same vigor and superior quality as Bhakti Chai, but until that much anticipated journey, this stuff will unequivocally due. After her three month jaunt to India, Boulder business owner, Brook Eddy developed a real taste for quality masala chai, but had a rough time finding anything comparable domestically. Now in a situation like this, most would just sit back and fondly reflect. But creative types take action into their own hands; thus the micro-chai brewing process began for Eddy. Creatively composed combinations of clove, fennel, cardamon, ginger, black pepper and love all contribute to the fiery taste of this RIGHTEOUS chai. And like all good things, when the word get's around, organic things happen as Bhakti is a hit among all the local coffee shops in Boulder as well as the natural foods giant Whole Foods. In addition to the regular combo, you can also enjoy Barackti Chai, Kenyan coffee infused with the chai. Congratulations and much thanks for feeding my habit daily.
Lost resource for below:
"The word bhakti is Sanskrit for "devotion through social action," something that is integral to Eddy, who has a background in social policy. Eddy makes sure the tea is organic and fair trade, she composts the waste left over from brewing, and she donates to organizations such as Boulder Valley Women's Health Center. "From the very beginning it was very important to me that we had sustainable practices," said Eddy. "The company is based around the idea of bhakti, around volunteering and service.""
I'm certainly not going to spend any time trying to convince people to give this show or any other I may still post a listen, but if you never had the chance to see (or listen to) The Grateful Dead when Jerry was with us, now may be the time to start. With each night on the road of their Spring tour, the boys (+ Warren) are fine tuning, listening to each other well and successfully departing to that tangentially trippy, improvisational place we all craved back when, if not for only a few magical moments during a show. Hit play, settle in and enjoy.
option: a option: b (slightly revised) option: c option: d
Sorry for the delay people as I'm still trying to calm down after the intense Chicago design weekend hosted by the Division St. Cobb's. In addition to a variety of exercises (all of which I will get to eventually), I was tasked with creating a new identity for ReuseIt.com, the soon to be new primary "parent" brand for Reusablebags.com. Mentioned several times before on Finndustry, I would urge all of you to take a closer look at Reusablebags as the site offers a variety of responsible choices for reusable bags and bottles, offered specifically to help drastically reduce the mindless consumption of plasic bags and bottles globally.
With the (4) shortlisted choices shown above (pay no attention to color and click to enlarge), I am hopeful that all of you will help express your opinion of a successful mark (based on the information I've provided below) by voting for your favorite. Make sure to find the temporary voting poll in the upper right corner of Finndustry as well as the client's design brief as the end of the post. Thanks for your input.
Overview:
It's all about the phrase, don’t take attention away from it. Create a very powerful, clean to read, clear typographical treatment. Keep it simple. The first use will be as a basic product label for rebranding of our proprietary line, ACME Bags.
Brand Promise & Qualities:
Smart, progressive, innovative, everyday basics to help cut down on use & toss items. The mark should have no BS, practical, cool, sensible and the real thing. It’s a commandment & a statement to wake up, take action & make a difference. It needs to represent brand voice and qualities from reusablebags.com.
Apologies for the delay, but it's late, I'm in Chicago, and very wired but wanted to post something quickly and quite interesting. From Thisaintnodisco, a site curiously dedicated to the well executed and designed work (usually design) environment comes Nothingamsterdam's office space, fabricated from corrugated cardboard stock....have fun with the video and make sure to thoroughly check the disco for great ideas.
A swell time was had for all this past Sunday when the crazies and I hit the Denver Art Museum for The Psychedelic Experience: Rock Posters from the San Francisco Bay Area, 1965-1971 show. Featuring over 300 original pieces from the era's major contributors, we (mostly me,) were visually hypnotized by the wildly experimental, surreal and typographically rich works that promoted shows and "happenings" of the late 60's and 70's; all enhanced of course, by the ambient sounds of The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane and Janis.
Darrin Alfred, Denver Art Museum's AIGA assistant curator of design arranged the works in a way that helped illustrate how the artists were influence by the stylistic periods of the past including Art Nouveau, the intense colors and type of the Pop period and later, the surrealistic period fueled by hallucinatory drug use. The usuals suspects, Wes Wilson, Bonnie MacLean, Victor Moscoso, Rick Griffin, Lee Conklin, David Singer, and design duo Alton Kelley and Stanley “Mouse” Miller, were all thoughtfully represented.
The remainder of the exhibit was equally impressive and entertaining, especially for Finn and Macy where we experienced a "Side Trip," sampling vintage sounds at the "listening station," made calls to the "Wayback Machine" revealing our deepest secrets and finally, entertaining crowds with our trippy light projection show.
Completed in 2006, the new addition to the Denver Art Museum, designed by Daniel Libeskind, has been the host to world class exhibits and collections, drawing art lovers, architects, students and inspiring artists from all over the world. Make sure to check it next time you visit the west.
As designers, visual referencing and image bookmarking are normal everyday practices, enabling us to stay inspired and connected in a variety of ways. So when YWFTlaunched their insanely ambitious project Buamai, I was stoked to have another solid image source along with many of my other fav's like ffffound.com and sharesomecandy.com
Fear not people; if you thought you would have to settle for one version of Buamai, you were wrong because the the long overdue wait for the Bankok based crew finally ended this week with the approval from Apple for their much anticipated Buamai app for iPhone. Nice.
"The Buamai iphone application was created to grab random images from the Buamai server to cure your boredom from time to time. Images found on Buamai are mainly of Graphic Design, Art and Architecture interest, but with some random strange images thrown in for variety. ..."
Nice job guys, I've snagged it already hit you up on Joyengine.
I'll be headed back to Chicago next week to do some simple custom graphics for Vince and Marni at Casa de Cobb. With the goal of dialing up the dull stairwell, I've created some very simple urban graphics (helvetica infused no doubt), announcing the building address to visitors, directing them to floors and celebrating the unit id's. Supporting the cut vinyl, (2) sub-landings will receive a concentric square paint graphic to add some visual interest--should be fun install indeed.
San Francisco's innovators of design and fashion, Upper Playground, have a new collection of apparel and home accessories for your perusal. Connecting you to culture and counter-culture, UP celebrates well established and emerging talents in a variety of ways, positioned to insinuate itself into any lifestyle....perhaps even the stiffest!
Given the long standing relationship many of us had with The Grateful Dead, especially Jerry, admittedly it was tough to move beyond the end of that era and Garcia's passing in 1995. To this day, his death (aside from AAA) still represents one of my only feelings of "true personal loss" which I suppose is a testament to the impact the years of 1985-1995 had on me personally. The memories, experiences and friendships created during my tenure with the band were and still are influential, especially when considering and listening to music (new and old) and improvisational music compositions; somehow my ear is and will always be a keen one. Having said this, I have, for quite some time now, been in acceptance that Jerry is gone and have spent the last 10 years catching up on other types of music. From jazz to indie, electronic to basement, I'm all ears. Of course I still listen to the boys often, but when I heard about yet another attempt at a Dead reunion tour, skepticism loomed. No one will ever be able to replace Garcia or even come close but I have to give much credit to Warren Haynes of Government Mule who was asked to sit in on lead guitar for the Dead's spring reunion tour. Having fully established his own band and style, Haynes brings a fresh perspective to the unique recipe of the band, at times mimicking sounds of late 70's Garcia "whuh whuh" while unmistakable blending and weaving his own tricks and talents. Have a listen to the first show of the tour, 04.12.09, Greensboro, NC. We may be in for something quite nice this spring heads! And FYI, the whole show is here.
My first preference would be to resist purchasing bottled water altogether, but if you must, this may be one of the better ways to go. Grand Rapids based (hi ho Sherry), Boxed Water is Better, LLC has the right intentions with their old school (and effective) solution of using the paper box container instead of plastic. As well, by using responsibly harvested, ethically managed timber sources for paper, BW is doing their part. But that's not all so make sure to check the site for the rest of their solid mission. For additional sources of responsible water vessels, check reusablebags.com for great designs and styles. Klean Kanteen is one of my favorite.
Again from Sub-studio, more groovy wallpapers.....or let us just call it art. A native to New York City, designer Aimée Wilder is inspired by the contemporary graphic design world; including type, identity design, street art, plush toys and textiles...all the things I like. "Aimée’s current projects include designs for home textiles and accessories, fashion and print, including an exciting collaboration with Netto Collection." To view the entire collection, check her it here
Congratulations goes out to our little boy Finn for having his piece, Fish, selected by the Boulder Valley School district to be displayed along with artwork from students,K-12, at the Boulder Public Library. Of course we are biased, but check the thoughtful composition of mixed media, full-on accurate proportions, the eye "highlight" and the textural depth created with the stamped repeat background pattern; mad skills from the little man if I say so myself. Nice job Finn...we love you!
As a parent of young children, I am delighted on almost a daily basis with their discoveries, revelations and new interests. So needless to say I wasn't surprised when my little man Finn (6), randomly mentioned to me the other day that he wanted to learn chess. Since then we've had several matches on the Mac OS, but if the interest continues, as most of his do, I will be seriously considering Tonfisk's new alterable chess set. Not only are the forms and materials stunning, but the notion of adjusting and changing the walnut and white oiled oak board's landscape is insanely creative. The porcelain chess pieces are made by hand and each is unique.
Fortunately, living here in Boulder where responsible ride sharing and strong public transportation is celebrated, the notion of carpooling isn't a foreign one. However, I thought this was an important story to pass along.
"I'm a carpooler, and almost never with the same people. It's a screwy concept dreamed up back in the 70's energy crisis. Here's how it works: drivers stop at one of the many pickup spots(see map) in the East Bay (Berkeley, Oakland, Hayward, etc.) and 2 complete strangers get into your car. You say "good morning" and drive away, through the carpool lanes past much slower traffic, bypass the $4 toll payment and zip across the bridge. Take the first exit off the bridge and drop your passengers off in the heart of the business district, right beside a bus terminal. This process saves me probably 15 minutes and $4 a day.
I know it sounds odd at first, but you'd be surprised how "normal" it gets to be. The strangers aren't really strange at all -- no car-jackers (they don't like standing in line at 7am waiting for victims in Volvos) -- mostly just people commuting to work. We just ride and listen to NPR. It all works because we have some common needs and values: get to work on time, save some money, conserve fuel. That commonality overcomes traditional barriers to interaction.
Seems like we're doing that in business a lot these days. Our clients, partners, contractors and staff -- we're all feeling the pain, trying to create value and hang onto customers (and our jobs) with a much diminished expectation about rewards. That commonality is overcoming traditional barriers to transparency. We're talking with our clients about our challenges, exploring new business models, lowering our rates, cutting our margins, aggregating the buying power of our clients to find cheaper ways to help them achieve their goals.
When the 70's energy crisis ended, the carpooling continued and thrived (all the way through another fuel crisis in 2008 and beyond). I expect that when we have made it through this rough economic period, the economic-carpooling we're learning now will have forever changed the way we interact."
I've been running the Mesa Trail here in Boulder for years but this afternoon was one of those magical times that reinforced why the trail will always be a solid standby run, regardless of the conditions. With a series of Spring snow storms, the snowpack levels for the state is strong, often leaving interesting trail conditions and amazing views of the Flatirons. So on this day, the approach to the flatirons was somewhat clear, but by the time we reached some elevation, the experience became wildly different. Not unlike skiing in the trees after a layer of fresh powder had been deposited, the experience was serenely quite and peaceful, with every turn of the trail offering new views and terrain compositions. Whether I was ducking through wet snow covered "tree tunnels," jumping over frozen brooks or emerging into foggy clearings revealing the craggy tips of the Flatirons peeking above the snowy front that had quickly rolled in, the run today was a non stop visual delight.
For comparison I've included a few summer shots of the range as well to entice all you runners to come experience Boulder and the Mesa Trail.
My malevolence for the plastic bag was temporarily immobilized today while being delighted by the art group Luzinterruptus' celebration of the vessel, with an "impromptu garden of light," installed near The Prado Museum in Madrid. The installation, called “A Cloud of Bags Visit the Prado” was illuminated for a period of about 4 hours and included roughly 80 recycled baggies, which were inflated with the aid of the wind.
"Luzinterruptus is an art group based in Madrid that creates art interventions that deal with light. They are also responsible for another fascinating temporary installation that delivered emergency supplies to urban weeds. Soon the dandelions and the plastic castaways will unite and save us all– or at least make some stunning art."
For more information about movements geared toward the effort of banning plastic bags read articles like this. As well, for all your reusable bags and reusable bottle needs, make sure to check my best pal Vince's site and company, Reusablebags.com.
Since randomly taking my first plunge into facebook late last year to track down some old friends, I have logged far too many hours of online time, posting purposefully meaningless ambient awareness updates (with the typical intention of inviting a reaction), reviewing ancient photos of days gone by and begrudgingly participating in a variety of semi-enticing polls and surveys covering everything from the "albums that shaped me" to determining whether in fact I am or am not, a genius. And my love-hate relationship with facebook continues.......without any real end in site as I must admit that I'm sticking with it for a while to see what happens. I will say however that knowing my tendency for the abrupt eradication for all things unimportant, it could be only a matter of time before I pull plug and bid adieu to the construct forever! For now though, I've convinced myself that especially given these difficult times, building community, supporting existing friends, making new acquaintances and re-connecting with my past life is one of the participatory roles I can actively play with respect to the reparation; if that is in fact, what is happening in this new Era. In the meantime, and to feel some vindication for my current pastime, I wanted to pay respect to Peggy Orenstein and her "spot-on" article about the users and reality of Facebook. Peggy, a contributing writer for the NYTimes, is the author of the memoir “Waiting for Daisy.” For your amusement and to celebrate her brilliant observations, I've highlighted in bold,captions and observations that struck a particular chord for me personally. As for those of you who have supported and enjoyed Finndustry so far, as long as I'm still around (on Facebook that is), feel free to friend me.
"Someone I haven’t seen in decades just posted a snapshot of me on Facebook: there I am at 16, dressed in an unfortunate cowl-neck sweater, my hair cut to resemble a Semitic cotton ball. William Faulkner, I suspect, would love it — Facebook, after all, is the best evidence yet of the undead past. Ever since I signed up a couple of months ago, I have felt thrust into a perpetual episode of “This Is Your Life” (complete with commercials). “Friends” from nursery school have resurfaced, as well as high-school teachers (including the one who pinned me to a wall during a graduation party and slurred, “You’re not much to look at now, but when you’re 30 you’re gonna be terrific”). I have reconnected with the brother of a friend who was killed; rediscovered college chums and colleagues from my early days in New York. I am by turns amused, touched and horrified by these gentle breezes and icy blasts from the past.
All of which is possible because I actually have one — a past, that is. As do most people my age, and apparently, we’re digging its excavation: there was an estimated 276 percent increase in Facebook users ages 35-54 during the last six months of 2008, bringing their total to almost seven million. Still, that number is dwarfed by the nearly 25 million users under 25. That gives me pause. They can’t be doing what we’re doing, right? What do they have to look back on? For all the discussion Facebook has prompted — over its “25 random things about me” narcissism, its mangled syntax (“Peggy is weekend”), the tricky politics of whom to friend (actual friends? strangers? “kinda knows”?) — its most profound impact may be to alter, even obliterate, conventional notions of the past, to change the way young people become adults.
Six of my nieces will head off to college over the next several years. Some have been Facebooking since middle school. Even as they leave home, then, they will hang onto that “home” button. That’s hard for me to imagine. As a survivor of the postage-stamp era, college was my big chance to doff the roles in my family and community that I had outgrown, to reinvent myself, to get busy with the embarrassing, exciting, muddy, wonderful work of creating an adult identity. Can you really do that with your 450 closest friends watching, all tweeting to affirm ad nauseam your present self? The cultural icons of my girlhood were Mary Richards of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and Ann Marie of “That Girl,” both redoubtably trying to make it on their own. Following their lead, I swaggered off to college (where I knew no one) without looking back; then to New York City (where I knew no one) and San Francisco (ditto), refining my adult self with each jump. Certainly, I kept in touch with a few true old friends, but no one else — thank goodness! — witnessed the many and spectacular metaphoric pratfalls I took on the way to figuring out what and whom I wanted to be. Even now, time bends when I open Facebook: it’s as if I’m simultaneously a journalist/wife/mother in Berkeley and the goofy girl I left behind in Minneapolis. Could I have become the former if I had remained perpetually tethered to the latter?
Online social networks are so new that it’s impossible to know their long-term impact.There’s some evidence that college students have mixed feelings about being guinea pigs for the faux-friendship age. One student interviewed for a study of why and how college students use Facebook, which was published last year in The Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, admitted that being privy to the personal details of “friends” who she had not seen in years made her uncomfortable. “Someone from earlier in her life had broken up with a boyfriend,” an author of the article, Sandra L. Calvert, a professor and chairwoman of the psychology department at Georgetown University, told me. “She felt she knew all these intimate details about this person, yet they hadn’t actually been in touch for five years.” On the other hand, a study published in 2007 in The Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication suggested that hanging onto old friends via Facebook may alleviate feelings of isolation for students whose transition to campus life had proved rocky. Evidently they took comfort in knowing that “Dylan is drinking Peets.”
That may well be, but something is drowned in that virtual coffee cup — an opportunity for insight, for growth through loneliness. Perhaps my nieces will find a new way to establish distance from their former selves, to clear space for introspection and transformation. Perhaps they will evolve through judicious deleting and updating of profile information, through the constant awareness of their public face. Maybe the Greek chorus of preschool buddies will be more anchor than albatross, giving them strength to take risks or to stick out tough times. It could be that my generation was the anomalous one, that Facebook marks a return to the time when people remained embedded in their communities for life, with connections that ran deep, peers who reined them in if they strayed too far from the norm, parents who expected them to live at home until marriage (adult children are already reclaiming their childhood rooms in droves). More likely, though, the very thing that attracts us oldsters to Facebook — the lure of auldlangsyne — will be its undoing. Kids, who will inevitably want to drive a stake into the heart of former lives, may simply abandon the service (remember Friendster?) and find something new: something still unformed, yet to be invented — much like themselves.
Again from Reform School, I present to the Buddha Bowl. Likely to become one of your "go-to" favorite vessels, celebrating a plethora of contents, this 18 oz. bowl has been designed to rest in the palm of your hand keeping you on the move while munching a bowl of early morning Muesli. I dig it and the palette, hand made in the US of A!
I've talked a bit about Starfucker lately, but like Happy Happy Joy Joy, I've been obsessing over their debut record, Starfucker. An American indie electronica band founded in the summer of 2007 in Portland, Oregon by Josh Hodges, Ryan Biornstad, and Shawn Glassford with Hodges on drums and Biornstad and Glassford on multiple instruments including keyboards, turntables, synthesizers and drum machines, Starfucker's self-titled debut came out on September 23rd, 2008 via Badman Recording Co.
Again with the ISO50, Scott Hansen thing....hey Scott, maybe you should throw a few sponsorship dollars my way. Nonetheless, the new 1976 tee on Tri-blend (Tri-Blend (50% Polyester / 25% Cotton / 25% Rayon) construction) heather blue is rad and I want one badly. Check the ISo50shop for all the goods.
Going deep into the archives of IS050 tonight, I was immediately struck by both the packaging design and overall concept of 100% Chocolate Café. An extraordinary epicenter for chocolate lovers, everything was thought through here, embellishing the experience of tasting a variety of cocoa's in a thoughtful environment. From the wood ceiling resembling the traditional forms of bar chocolate, the transparent vessels blended flavors on display and the chill, clean interior vibe, I would bet the café is constantly packed and supremely successful. Reviewing the plethora of imagery, I'm still kicking myself for not making the move officially over to Wordpress, because this is one of those posts where I could have gone overboard on the wealth of content. Make sure to hit Flickr and the website for more info but find some data and pics below.
"100% Chocolate Cafe, located in Kyobashi, is a cafe dedicated to chocolate. Chocolate is used in all food and drinks in the menu. They offer 56 different types of solid, square chocolates. No.1-22 are single-bean chocolate, each made of cacao from one country. No. 23 & 24 are bitter chocolate with small pieces of cacao beans. No.24 to 28 are variations of sweetener - one uses brown sugar, another one uses honey, and so on. No. 26 to 36 are the variations of milk. No. 37 to 51 are the variations of flavors including fruits and herbs, and No. 52 to 54 are the healthy choices."
Let's face it, there is certainly no shortage of hip boutique hotels across the country these days. In fact, even mainstream chains have been rethinking their aesthetic and brand, beginning to transform and update their interiors to appeal to the "inclined for the refined". Taking the approach of the "resourceful rehab" the design smarts at Ace Hotel Group give reclaimed buildings new life (in case of the Palm Springs location, a repurposed Howard Johnson's) with furnishings from salvage shops, kitsch from local flee markets and art installations from the local talent stream, composing unique, expressive interiors sure to leave a memorable impression. Along with the killer accommodations, count on all local businesses supporting the street level of the Ace Hotels; from coffee shops to restaurants, the goal is to create a "layered experience of culture and ideas with premium retail at every level in a relaxed, non-stuffy way.' This may not be the place for Hess.
With the industry as volatile as I can remember, as a designer I've (we've) been making every attempt to not only please our existing clients but to show them our desire to go beyond the norm; digging deep to prove our loyalty, appreciation and comprehension during these tough times. Nothing can be taken for granted anymore and I believe clients will remember those who take the time to execute the given tasks with great care and value in mind. In order to express our thorough understanding of a new scope of work for CityCenterDC, a highly prestigious mixed use development in the heart of Washington DC and a project we have been working on for some time now, our design team developed, designed, printed and fabricated a 6 fold strategy poster with an accompanying custom fold over envelop. Not only was it a blast to make but the effort paid off with the good news being relayed today that our proposal for additional services was accepted.
Of course all people can make their own choices but I have never really been a big fan of smoking. Being somewhat hypocritical however, because I have "smoked," I don't know what it's like to make a full blown attempt at quitting the bad habit; perhaps the new e-Cigarette will give some new hope. Despite the good intentions though, my prediction is that it will have adverse effects, opening the door for a multitude of possibilities. New flavors, varieties, moods and club cool concepts all immediately come to mind. Maybe you'll even be able to smoke something that is good for the mind and body. Interesting one Larry.
Continuing to reinvent the way we see music, the product design department at Bang & Olufsen seem to have things figured out. The Beosound5, an extravagant objet d'art for those who covet the extravagant (Hess) has learned "on the fly" features, visual libraries for your records, podcasts, favorite internet stations and varied mounting options to satisfy your spacial placement requirements, among others. Check the site for more info and a steady sampling of tunes.
ISO50 has been and continues to be my go to source for solid ambient electronic music-- a genre I have reconnected with as of late. Like classic jazz, chill or the Dead (when they weren't singing), I work well with background ambient music; compositions structured in a way which enable the listener to drift in and out of the sound. Author of ISO50 and one of the best graphic designers out there, Scott Hansen provides a steady stream of these sounds; guarenteed to send you into a daydreamy trance. Whether turning us onto his daily discoveries or sounds from his own label, Tycho, I always look forward to the electronica injections.
Often an overlooked gem of the film industry, especially during the coveted Oscars and other award shows, a recent section of the Sunday NYTimes reminded me that title sequences set the tone for the journey the viewer is about to embark. Whether highly simple or technologically advanced, the discipline of imagining and executing these "mini-films" deserve far more recognition than they are given. Let's hope this will change in the future as pioneers such as Saul Bass, Stephen Frankfurt and Pablo Ferro continue to inspire young designers. Below are some of my favorites and for more, check the link.
I'm really excited about this idea--it's a few years old, but great troubleshooting nonetheless. In some countries the process of moving and collecting fresh water usually involves demanding, stressful physicality, placing great burden on the body. Making it possible for virtually anyone to move large amounts of water, Emily Pilloton, founder of the San Francisco based nonprofit, Project H, solved the problem by creating the Hippo Water Roller. Holding up to 20 gallons, enough to last a family of seven for three to four days, the rollers holding the fresh stuff can be pushed , rather than the typical process of balancing it upon ones head. Nice idea.
With blik, modular arts panels and other new materials flooding the rehab market, conventional wallpaper is back as well, with a vengance. Megan recently turned me onto this very sweet resource of70's wallpaper.
Sticking with the beverage theme, some of you my have read my negative review of Pepsi's new identity campaign with my primary concern being the introduction of a variety of sub-brands and how they will ultimately confuse. To the contrary however, the packaging concept for Pepsi Natural (or Pepsi Raw), in my opinion, has really hit the mark. Being released for testing in several cities across the UK, the verdict is still out as to whether the cola giant's attempts to dive head first into the natural beverage market will be successful. Nonetheless, the design is basically spot on; from de-emphasizing the new mark in the embossed glass, celebrating the natural color of the cola in the unadorned clear glass bottle and strengthening the term "natural" with a simple typeface were all good moves. Read more.
I'm not entirely sure how this what his eco-friendly about this product, but I was initially intrigued by the packaging design. I do know that the product is brought to us by the Grans Brewing Company, Norway. Via Dieline, my favorite new site.
Recently debuted at the Frankfort Airport (Fraport), Litefast 360° displays broadcast real time, Minority Report style information to the jet set passersby. With cylindrical displays viewable from all sides and attracting far more visitors than conventional flat screens, these multi-functional multimedia LED displays are solid for advertising, digital signage, real-time information and entertainment. I can't wait to see one in person.
Yes, industry will thrive if we focus on good design but if I can be honest, I just hated that stupid vacuum and all the commercials. I mean really, who needs to spend 450.00 for a plastic upright? Take your shoes off at the door and the bulk of your problems will be solved, free of charge. One step better, just get rid of the carpeting. However, inventor-entrepreneur James Dyson landed on brilliance when he rolled out his lastest--the Dyson Airblade. Hanging at the Founding Farmers eatery in DC last week, my men's room visit was embellished by impressive interiors (all reclaimed and recycled materials) and the awesome power of the Airblade. Said to be "the fastest, most hygienic hand dryer," the touch free operation satisfies the germ freaks (like me), looks great and uses up to 80% less energy and rendering no waste while sending a 400mph high velocity blade of air, drying hands in just 12 seconds. Nice and responsible James.
For those of you who read Dwell Magazine and are familiar with a typical spread, you know the usual, an "affordable" housing solution imagined by a Bay Area or LA architect, then read on because I may have uncovered a source that undoubtedly will add the cool factor to the kid's room of your fantasy modular abode. Consistently arranged and composed articles, the many elements the reader would discover includes a stunning family, a seemingly endless supply of cash, a perfect blend of mid-century and contemporary furnishings and perhaps a Warhol litho or two. But without a doubt, their children's rooms (which are conveniently styled in quite the unrealistic fashion) showcase some of the most beautiful toys I've ever seen. Where to find them you ask? Anywhere in Copenhagen for certain, but you should start with Kidsmodern.com. There you will find several brands including the Swiss company NaefSpiele AG who has been making handmade toys, created in cooperation with intellectuals and designers for over 50 years. Call me crazy but I believe the company has also struck a deal with many the designer types because their colourful and functional Bauhaus collection among others grace the pages of almost every design periodical available. It makes sense though, they're beautiful, imaginative and offer those perfect additions to the empty shelves in any kids room.
Courtesy of Michelle Wentworth, purveyor of the paint palette, comes this beautiful experiment in brand celebration and messaging. Now Resene isn't your average paint company people; and based on the length to which they have gone to celebrate their mantra of grouping colours "according to emotion as oppose to technical specifications," it isn't likely that you'll be picking a gallon of this stuff up at the Home Depot. In order to convey her new line of Karen Walker Paints, fellow Kiwis, stylist Katie Lockhart and artist Gidon Bing created this series of incredible Bauhaus inspired models, showcasing Walker's new color line. From interior walls, and mid-century furnishings, down to mini replica's of Bing's sculptural delights, the compositions render combinations fit for the minimilist in all of us. Once completed, photographer Mathew Williams captured their beauty for all. Thanks for this gem Michelle.
Tip the hat to KEXP Seattle for getting me thru yet another week of work, work, work, late into the evenings. Enjoyed equally, but offering a variety of moods, find below my selections for the week.
Contrary to popular belief, not all the Emirates have taken on the hedonistic approach to that of Dubai. Abu Dhabi, Qatar and others have positioned themselves (for the future) to satisfy desires beyond shopping and entertainment. With the massive undertaking of Saadiyat Island , Gehry's Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Nouvel's Louve Branch and Hadid's Performing Arts Center, Abu Dhabi is paving the way and leading the UAE's cultural arms race--to be seen as a serious contender within the global art community. The real question is whether instant culture can be fabricated and the implication it will have on the rest of the world. The February issue of ArtNews discusses this topic at length with the article "An Oasis in the Desert," a very compelling essay worth reading, enjoy.
We would like to send good wishes and congratulations to both James and Merry and their new arrival Astrid for putting the finishing touches on their union this past Saturday night. In a gallery style soiree, the two art dealers celebrated late into the evening with friends and family at the Merry Karnowsky Gallery. Megan and I were very disappointed for not being able to attend but hope to see the happy new family soon. Congratulations again.
I know Hess will disagree and she isn't exactly new but Adele is arguably one of the best female vocalists today. Have a listen to one of many NPR sessions.
Go figure that during what is quite possibley the worst of financial times during my very existence, my foder-n-law, Grampa Billy and Mums are on the classic, "round the world" tour, covering literally every corner of the globe. Am I jealous you ask....hell yes! Nonetheless, they look to be having a fantastic time. If all the planets align, the hope is to dovetail into their path somewhere in the Middle East next month. With that new Leica he's sporting, I'm sure the great shots will continue to roll in but in the meantime, find some beauteous shots of Melbourne and such below in montage.
For the design inclined....MocoLoco never disapoints, bringing us, the creatively obsessed community a steady stream of righteous content from all across the globe. One of their latest post, paying respect to Paris based Studio FRST is definitely an eye catcher. Their new flat panel concept, the 16943, conceived as a technological sculpture, may take our national pasttime to a new level of respectability. Intelligently offering two formats for viewing: a 16/9 format for films and 4/3 for television, this concept may take flexible viewing to a whole new level.
While pretending to live in Southern California for a year I was always enamored with Nixon, (not the Ex-Prez, despite living in his home town of San Clemente)the company; impressed not only with their solid identity but also a versatile, well designed product line. Admittedly, I am susceptible to the seduction of a strong branding campaign, regardless of the goods or promise but the Nixon crew continues to crank out impressive and imaginative additions to their collections, especially the watch line. Meet the Newton-- simple, clean and supremely functional, tiny LED electrons march around silicon injected piece providing a unique way to celebrate any point in time during your day. Make sure to check the rest of the products including the headphones, hats and bags--they will transplant you right back to SoCal.
During this rather unfortunate and unsettling economic roller coaster we are all currently riding the design industry, certainly along with others, has taken a rough hit resulting in many job losses. Now clearly this isn't news to anyone but I wanted to use the small voice of Finndustry to dispatch a "job seeking R2 unit" across the globe with the intentions of bringing awareness to some real talents. Thankfully I am still employed but I have been distressed by the fact that many friends and co-workers are out of work, pounding the pavement with attempts of drumming up a new position or at best, a freelance gig or two. Now from what I can tell, there is work out there for designers, but far limited in scope and for considerably less fee than what we've been use to. No doubt that the times have changed, perhaps rightly so despite the anguish it's caused.
So on the topic of real talents, ones that offer skills currently in demand, I'd like to recognize my friend Andy Catterick and his truly astonishing 3d visualization skills. While with RTKL, I had the pleasure of visiting with Andy in the London office many times while collaborating on 360 Kuwait, a project I have mentioned here on a number of occasions. Always a pleasant experience working together, Andy was consistent as a skilled manager and production director of RTKL's 3d Visualization Studio, creating a number of unprecedented renderings and animations for clients all around the globe. When Andy recently sent me the link to his new website, I had no idea what I was in for upon viewing his work. Having recently transplanted himself from Brighton, UK to NYC, Andy's work is truly some of the best, most realistic architectural stills and renderings I have seen anywhere, ever! But don't just take my opinion, check for yourself and make sure to view all of his other works, perfectly arranged on the beautifully minimal site. Congratulations Andy, I feel some serious gigs coming your way soon.
Prepare to waste some serious time on this one....a very entertaining and challenging visual test. I think my best score was somewhere around 2.2 or so. Courtesy of How About Orange.
Out of sight, but definitely not out of mind, Kluver continues to experiment and excel in the shop with plastics and other materials, refining his skills down to a marketable science. Along with new iterations of the imaginative Box Pig series, Kristian has helped Lucien at Joyengine finally realize the long awaited Baby Eater Belt Buckles, limiting the handmade production to 60--get yours today. Let's hope we see a great deal more of Kluver's exploratory work as TB is pushing to get his pieces into a gallery asap. Nice work Kristian.
Unpleasantly forced upon me last week as an aesthetic alternative to a design direction I had already developed, Ukrainian-born, American artist, Louise Nevelson's pieces are actually quite nice and beautifully composed. Known for her abstract expressionist "crates" in which she uses found object and discarded items, Nevelson crafted "assemblages," giving new life to previously discard items.
I stumbled upon this one today....a Prague based agency with a broad range of products and well executed designs. And among the many projects celebrated on their site, this interior fit out of the St. Bartholomew's Church in the Czech Republic is by far my favorite. A classic blend of the old and new, my attention could definitely be held (for a while at least) in this environment with the Panton chair for the congregation and Eames chairs for the clergy.....very nice. Check Qubus.
In response to the wildly informative and motivating piece written by Michael Pollan, Farmer in Chief, a full scale initiative has been launched, with nominating a genuine White House Farmer as the ultimate goal. So, with the votes tallied and the official recommendation forwarded to the Obama camp, let's see how serious this administration will actually be with respect to the future of food. Via Bluementhal.
BOULDER, Colo. — When times are tough, creative solutions are in greatest need. As our newest President calls for innovation to address our economic malaise, energy needs, jobs, and planetary changes, many of us just hunker down and try to avoid further exposure, further risk.
What may help is to remember that risk is essential to creativity. Creativity means leaping past established, ordinary processes, transcending traditional ideas, rules, patterns and relationships. Creativity disrupts norms and challenges comfort levels because it departs from the known and ventures into the vast abyss. Creativity gambles that the hope of benefit is worth the risk of loss or failure. Creativity creates tension, it's scary and risky. The more creative, the higher the risk. Making creativity productive rather than reckless requires knowledge, competence and experience.
Another amazing go to resource....and for those graphic designer who use image strategy often, if you haven't been using photos of HDI's in the past, you will be now.
If you are novice to type and have the desire to see how it's really done, look no further than Hoefler & Frere-Jones. HF&J are the absolute purveyors of typography, having assisted a variety of publications and institutions to develop their voice through typography--Wired, Condé Nast and The Wall Street Journal most notabely. From slab serifs to outlines and ornaments, their font collections would impress even the typo novice--make sure to check all the 46 new Gothams, a must. Via Wentworth.
Over the past year plus this exercise of blogging (posting, microblogging........whatever you want to call it) has brought me a lot of joy. The habit (that's what it is, bordering on addiction) has educated, inspired and empowered me--bringing me close to some and distancing me from others. As well, transforming my brain matter into a veritable file cabinet of potentially usable, viable (and even project related) visual references--perhaps adding to my value.
I've struggled a bit with how to celebrate post No. 400 for Finndustry. And if I'm being honest, my grand plan was for it to be monumental and thought provoking. Of course, I have post No. 401 thru.....say.....425 (at least) figured out, but this one I struggled with--at least until today. When this postcard arrived in the mail the decision became pretty clear.
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