Munny made a friend!

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??

Pantone mugs!

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.

In Stitches- Teresa Cole

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!

Photo: Western Sky Knits Collab.

Heroine

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

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


The Richmond Vegetarian Festival 2009 Poster


Fair Share Campaign


First Vote Postcard


Artseen Invitation

It's hard not to envy such talent.

All photos courtesy of Design and Design.

Marimekko

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


Anna Danielsson


Pia Holm


Courtesy of Design*Sponge

Allison Schulnik

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.





All images copyright Allison Schulnik.

New York Book Fair

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!

Kidrobot Dunny 2009 Series

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.

Benjamin Jones at Quirk

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.