I hate chairs. Not because I hate sitting or any simplistic reason like that; actually, it's a very deep-seeded hate, stemming from a former awful office job that revolved around the attempted manufacturing and distributing of those godforsaken items. However, I can't resist the kitschyness of these handmade semiprecious metal pendants made by Bruxe Design in Montreal. Tiny Little Chairs are available for purchase and are sure to please any sitting enthusiast with an eye for design. Picture taken from Swiss Miss.
As a veteran apartment dweller and frequent mover, I often lament the fact that painting the walls in my temporary dwellings is often not an option. I love how a good coat of fresh, bright paint has the ability to completely transform a space where I generally have to rely on quirky knick knacks and wall art. However, Etsy has put together a great collection of the available wall decals here, which are a fantastic way to spruce up a room without having to completely re-paint it year after year! Here's a few of my favorites (just in case any of my friends were wondering what to get me for Christmas- fast approaching!) Crystal Chandelier by singestonestudio Silverware vinyl decal by circlelinestudio Birds around the Cherry Blossom Branch by DecorDesign Sugar Skull vinyl decal by Beepart Winter Trees by PopWall
Thanks to a flurry of activity such as moving, new job, holidays, etc. I took what was supposed to be a short break from blogging! Thanks to the infinite wisdom of Cox Communications, this break was extended much longer than it should have been, and I still do not have access to my computer. To everyone desperately waiting, hoping, praying for an update, I assure you they are coming. I've stockpiled a few choice items that have just been ripening and are ready to hit the web. Once we get this whole internet shenanigan figured out (hopefully this week) we'll be back in business! Stay tuned...
Photo courtesy of KRonikle. Any serious toy collector eventually runs into the problem of just what the hell to do with their toys! Soon no amount of shelves or displays will be able to contain the mass collection of any apartment dweller, and you've got to get creative with ways to show off your hard-earned prizes. KRonikle put out a great article, Toy Collector Apartment Crash about Kidrobot employee and toy enthusiast Grace who had to roll up her sleeves and hit the drawing board for ideas on how to display and utilize her toys as interior decoration. My personal favorite placement choice was the bathroom Labbit, which is a bizarre and deliciously voyeuristic location for such an object. Check out the rest of the article for your own ideas and motivation!
To the millions of Sanrio fans out there, LISTEN UP. This weekend kicks off what should prove to be a great show in LA titled "Three Apples"; in honor of the 35th anniversary of Hello Kitty, this phenomenal event is unlike anything that America has seen before, taking place at Royal-T (LA's first Japanese-style cosplay café). Unless you've had first hand experience of the Japanese mania surrounding this iconic figure, you have no idea the impact it has made in our country and around the world. The fact that this cutesy cat has lasted through over three decades of worldwide fame and is recognizable in virtually every country in the world is a testament to the designer who created her, and her entire band of Sanrio friends! Come view the work of many of the big contemporary artists today, including Amada Visell, Buff Monster, Frank Kozik, Friends With You (FWY), Gary Baseman, Huck Gee, Luke Chueh, Natalia Fabia, Ron English, Simone Legno, Tara McPherson, and more! Don't miss the Happy Hour specials on Saturday after the opening; the show runs from October 23 through November 15. Plenty of time to stop by and getting cheered up/ creeped out by the perpetually perky feline!
8910 Washington Blvd Culver City, CA 90232 T 310 559 6300 F 310 559 6633
I love finding and reading other blogs- in this information age, it's difficult to have your voice heard amongst the cacophony of millions of others just like you! Still, it's a great feeling whenever your passion for your work is recognized, so whenever I am introduced to a particularly interesting outlet, I like to pass it along and say hey! Take the time to read this!
My sister brought glow.like.berlin to my attention; it's a sleek but confusing, exploding, bright, subtle mess of words that make deciphering the entire point of it almost impossible. Nonetheless, the wide range of topics from music to fashion to art to Germany (Berlin specifically) make for an interesting read. Just don't expect the expected. Her Etsy post specifically caught my eye, and her design*sponge-esque way of laying out her favorite DIY selections left me drooling for all of her picks. It would be silly for me to post pictures of work that she/he too has posted, so do yourself a favor and check it out. If you think you can't commit to a whole afternoon pawing through the posts, just read the first page. Even that is chock full of so many goodies that I feel confident you too will become a believer.
Remember the DMV incident that sparked a nationwide overhaul of identification applications? Or how about the Klown Klux Klan? And who can forget the smash hit "Bum Rock"? Well, the classy guys from DaybyDay who brought you Teenagers from Marz and Teenagers from Uranus now bring you THE BEST OF THE BEST! The last 3 years have been busy for the Richmond collaboration, working on new material for Stupidface and now bringing you the creme de la creme of their efforts. Richmonders, if you love laughter, gratuitous gross out comedy, or collar-pulling antics, don't miss the premiere at Empire (corner of Laurel and Broad) this Friday for FREE. Don't miss what will be the most hilarious event in the city since the premiere of Teenagers from Uranus at Alley Katz!
The dawning of a new era! Today I had the privilege and pleasure of starting at No Boundaries, Inc., home of Oopsy Daisy and Studio Avo- wholesale website of fine art and miscellaneous items for children and adults! The day was filled with paperwork, tutorials, and introductions, and I think I'm going to be very happy to be a part of this dynamic, interesting, and creative environment!
The BEST part of my day was when the girl who sits next to me and I got to pick out our new wall art! New people means new views, and after flipping through the catalog we decided to go with two pieces by Andrea Cobb, a North Carolina based artist who had studied Illustration at Parsons School of Design in NYC: Morning Pond Evening Pond (images used from Studio Avo and are copyrighted Andrea Cobb).
I'm incredibly excited to be a part of this, and I'm looking forward to much more exposure to art and artists that I'm not familiar with. Check out both sites for extremely high quality, GREAT stuff for all ages.
Your favorite DIY toy has come individually, super-sized, glow in the dark, mobile, and now Kidrobot is introducing the Munny FRIEND! This indecipherable shape (giraffe? goat? cat?) lends itself to the imagination and is not yet available in stores or online. Keep checking back though, Kronikle just announced this launch and with rabid fans chomping at the bit, they're sure to drop soon!
In the meantime, check out the other Munny merch to satiate your desires. Personally, I'm partial to the Houndstooth Munny tee. Christmas, anyone??
Attention color nerds! If you like coffee (fuel for designers everywhere!) then snag your favorite Pantone color mug here! Pop Deluxe had originally carried these in sets of 10 only, but the demand for custom colors became so great that now you can order them individually. As a coffee AND color nerd, you can bet that one of these will be gracing my kitchen ASAP.
Crafting is at an all-time peak interest, with fantastic organizations like local Craft Mafias and independent crafters worldwide offering handmade goods on private sites and Etsy. Teresa Cole of In Stitches (and Richmonder!) offers hand-dyed yarns for the DIY knitters at reasonable prices, along with hand-knitted baby items and made-to-order knitted goods. Check out her iCrave store to pick up some fantastic custom dyed yarns for your next project!
To all those who loved Helvetica, I have every confidence that you will also appreciate Heroine, set to release September 15, 2009. FountainType brings you another feature length film exploring the oft-ignored but ever-prevalent world of type and how it permeates everything in the world around us. Only a true design lover can appreciate the nuances and enjoy an hour and a half discussion of the history of type- count me in!
Heroine is a typeface inspired by the typeface Windsor, which is most recognized as the font in Woody Allen movie titles (obviously!) Designed by Göran Söderström, this modern take includes alternate letters and a variety of differentiations that keep the eye enthused and the design clean with a throwback to the early 1900's. Enjoy this preview of it, which promises to be just another step to bringing the importance and interest of clean type to the public eye!
Noah Scalin- Richmond legend, owner/creative director of Another Limited Rebellion, and most famously known for his Skull-A-Day project; recently he had an exhibition at none other than Quirk Gallery, and just to make sure his work continues to be appreciated here's just some more note-worthy work to feast your eyes upon!
Design and Design recently awarded him with recognition for his work seen here. Actor's Choice Book Covers
Scandinavia obviously has the global upper hand in all things kitsch. Marimekko is just another Finnish design powerhouse with worldwide recognition in textile design. I got my first taste of their bright splashy designs at Quirk, where we carried a few lines of their goods and I fell in love. Their lines of clothes, interior decorations, and bags all carry their signature bright and modern designs, and now they've introduced wallpaper!
This is just another motivator for me to get my own house. Design*Sponge offered the first look at this exciting venture here, and I was blown away. Texture and pattern rules without overwhelming the rooms, while keeping with the Marimekko aesthetic. The line is launching at IIDEX in Canada this month, and their new line of autumn fabrics are available to view here. Maija Isola
Enter a world where the grotesque meets the natural, thick layers mask shape, and the despair overwhelms the seemingly joyful faces presented as sculptures, drawings, and paintings so thick they take on a 3 dimensional life of their own. Allison Schulnik, an LA artist with a BFA in Experimental Animation from CalArts who works in EVERY DIMENSION... EVEN THE TWILIGHT ZONE PERHAPS?!?!
Her work explored the forlorn, abandoned, those who wish to be loved and when rejected present themselves as fierce, beaten, or dejected. Although she studied animation, her paintings, drawings, and sculpture add to her portfolio along with her films. It's a tightrope of disgusting and delicate that pulls the viewer to experience with eyes open and stomach clenched. Check out the interview by FecalFace here, and check back for several show openings in the coming months.
I'm hoping of the approximate 19,490,297 New Yorkers that at least a handful of them make it to the New York Book Fair at P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center in Long Island City, Queens on October 2-4. This event is being presented by Printed Matter, Inc., the world’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion of publications made by artists. With over 150 international presses, DIY bookmakers, artists, dealers, and more, this is going to be a massive creative gathering force assembling for 3 days only. Events include a special exhibition of emphemra, books, and posters by Richard Price and the Contemporary Artists' Books Conference, along with a fundraiser hosted by Deitch Studios on October 1st. All of this, and more!, can be experienced by anyone with a love for books and transportation to Queens. If anyone were to pick up some kitschy limited edition print and send it to lil' ol' me, I wouldn't be disappointed!
As of Thursday, it's here! The Dunny 2009 Series hits stores everywhere, so don't miss your chance to snag some of these hot items from designers like Amanda Visell, Andrew Bell, Amy Ruppel, Brandt Peters, Dalek, Devilrobots, Gary Taxali, Mori Chack, Huck Gee, Jeremyville, Kozik, Kronk, Luke Chueh, Mad, Pon, MR. Shane Jessup, Shawnimal, SupaKitch, Travis Cain, and Thomas Han. Not only are there 20 designs by these artists and more, try to catch the 2 chases and the Golden Ticket for a 3-inch Dunny not for sale anywhere!!! All images copyright Kidrobot.
Every city with any sort of arts community has their version of First Fridays- the nights when wine flows, friends gather, and galleries open their doors for monthly openings and small shows. Quirk is always the toast of the town in Richmond with their ongoing commitment to unknown artists and big names alike, as long as they are innovative and bright stars in their niche.
Friday, September 4th from 6-10 Quirk opens their Main Gallery to Benjamin Jones, "an internationally acclaimed artist whose small drawings are full of deep emotion and intricate, yet ambiguous, story lines. The images walk a line between humor and horror, seducing the viewer as he sees bits of themselves, the artist, and the fictional collide." His show of small works runs until October 17th, so there is no reason why you should miss this great show.
Art jewelry is a booming underground niche in contemporary art circles. More and more galleries dedicated to the 3-dimensional handmade are popping up, my former alma mater Quirk included. Sienna Gallery is another space dedicated to the innovative, the craftsman, the wearable art that is taking hold in big and small towns alike. Nestled in Lenox, Massachusetts, this idyllic town has served as the perfect muse for generations of artisans; they specialize in the display of traditional and non-traditional jewelry presentations as works of art.
Sienna boasts a large, varied, and proud group of represented artists, such as Susie Ganch (Head of Metals at Virginia Commonwealth University), Sayumi Yokouchi (featured in Quirk's Sparkle Plenty 2), Barbara Seidenath (participant in Sparkle Plenty 3), Giampaolo Babetto, Lauren Kalman (an especially interesting artist whose unconventional unique work speaks volumes about body adornment and alternative social values), and a variety of assorted jewelers each making exciting statements about the way we present ourselves through ornamentation.
San Diegans! Living in such a hub of culture while still maintaining the laid-back, small town feel that so many millions of people love is a tough job! Still, if you have any inkling of what is going on in the land of shoes, you've heard of TOMSshoes. Buy one, give one pair away? Great stuff for activists and just shoe-wearin' folk alike! Be sure to check out their event at Mint Shoes in Hillcrest one week from today. Bring a book to the book drive to enter a chance to win a TOMS prize pack! As a new TOMS customer, I can attest to the comfort and fashion points you will glean from wearing these cozy lil' things. If that doesn't get you excited, they promise to have refreshments also. What's not to like??
With such a huge influx of "hot" designers and "must see" shows at any number of galleries across the world, it's sometimes hard to keep up with the real movers and shakers of the art industry as opposed to the 15 minute famers. Ghost Town Design, a screenprinting and design firm, seems to fall into the first category, having been in business since the early 2000's, with their client list including CBS, CMJ, Epitaph, Hard Rock Cafe, HBO, HellCat Records, Interscope, Reebook, Rolling Stone, Warner Bros., and more!
You've probably seen their work hanging on club promo boards or online at some point, so be sure to check it at the source. Ghost Town definitely seems like it is here to stay!
I'm pretty sure any and all of the Richmond readers are familiar with the BFD escapades of years past, but this year carries on the tradition of being bigger, better, and more badass than the year before! Best Friends Day 8 is poised to blow all years out of the water, returning to its 4-day glorious extravaganza of bands, buds, and beer!
Thursday, August 20th, kicks it all off at Plaza Bowl, where they are welcoming us back after a 6-year hiatus. Young Widows, Ultra Dolphins, The Measure, Future Virgins, and Pysched to Die will rock your face off starting at 7 pm.
Friday things get into full swing with the annual Scavenger Hunt starting at 12 noon at Vinyl Conflict in Oregon Hill- but be sure to get there early to sign up your team! That night, prepare to have your mind blown at Alley Katz, where for $12 at 6 PM the show goes on with Strike Anywhere, None More Black, Off With Their Heads, No Friends, Blotto Ringers, and Gatorface. A not-to-miss show.
Saturday your mind will continue to be blown at the free Magrudergrind show in the parking lot of Fine Foods before heading to the main event- Hadad's Lake! The centerpiece of the weekend, if you can only make it to one event, I'd say this is the place to be (except for the None More Black show because they are awesome.) Don't get drunk too early or you risk missing the group picture! 12-7, with bands like Torche, Pink Razors, No BS Brass Band, Gull, Lemuria, Wasted Time, Tubers, and Sexy Crimes.
Sunday be sure to drag your hungover ass to the Bike Lot to see the final event at 1 pm, Asshole Parade, Cannabis Corpse, Snacktruck, Monikers, Virgins, and Constrictor. FBM bikes will also be hosting a world class event- a bike jump contest over the world's biggest plate of nachos! This event will be MC'ed by Oderus Urungus of Gwar, so DO NOT MISS THIS SHOW!
RVA was good enough to put out the promo video with Tony, Shelley, Ward, and (insert dude's name here because I'm not cool enough to know it)...
I always get excited for the new Dunny releases, and Amanda Visell is an especially exciting artist with her whimsical and playful imagery. An resident of that place we all know and love, Los Angeles, she proudly states that she never went to art school and has an exclusive line at Disneyland! Pretty impressive stuff for a self-taught artiste! Her Wood Labbit SDCC Exclusive, partnered with Frank Kozik, was a smash hit and now for the perfect forest partner- the Wood Donkey Dunny!
"Discovered in the woods and raised by lumberjacks, Wood Donkey spends his days chopping down trees.After a lifetime of terrorizing the forest, all the living creatures fear him, forcing him to chop himself up to make new friends.
Watch your fingers, because Wood Donkey's always looking to expand his circle of friends!This 8-inch figure is sold with a bonus stump and axe, and features delicate vinyl leaves as fingers.
Limited to 1500 made worldwide." Don't miss your chance to snag one of these beauts up for $75 at its release on August 20th!
I apologize to the vast millions of readers I have for the brief hiatus, but vacation calleth! Our weekend in Richmond and week in Vermont was one of the best getaways I have ever had, and let me just tell you that not only is Vermont the land of Ben and Jerry's and maple syrup, it is BEAUTIFUL. One of the most picturesque places I've ever been to. If you haven't been, I highly suggest you visit it immediately. To entice you and get your feet itchin' to travel, here's some eye candy to enjoy while you ponder your existence:
All images and words used are copyrighted beth demmon 2008. Any theft or plagarism will result in criminal charges and possible castration. P.S. Any images that I use from another source will be credited as much as possible; they are only used to further expand creative horizons for everyone.
