I'm guessing getting engaged, going to a wedding, and picking out wedding rings keeps that particular item of jewelry on the mind, so today I would like to share one of my recent finds that I think would be a totally awesome wedding ring option. Fingerprint rings by Etsy seller fabuluster are a great way to say I do while keeping a unique momento to commemorate the union. Apparently, via Kaboom this is the latest Etsy trend, but I'm sure by next week Etsy will have come out with some other totally awesome and unique rings for me to pine over.
I'm at the point in my life where I can remember a time when only rich people and photojunkies had digital cameras, and the rest of us normal folk used those crazy little boxes with film that had to be taken and developed. Stacks and stacks of negative sheets still haunt my mother and fill her basement with blurry photos with a horrible-to-acceptable photo ratio of roughly 1,000,000 to 1. Ah, the days before a preview screen!
When Polariod announced the discontinuation of its extremely popular vintage instant photo camera, there was a major backlash from the artist community and nostalgia lovers. People across the world stockpiled the hard-to-find film packs whose numbers are only dwindling as the days go by. Still, there's a few options that have sprung up to fill the analog need in a digital world, one of whom is the Fuji Instax Mini Instant Camera by Photojojo!
This lil' box of adorable packs a different wallop than the square photos we all know and love- the pictures that print have the immediate satisfaction like the digital cameras of today, but portray a dated look of yesteryears. Described as "Polariod's little brother", these little puppies are only about the size of a credit card and have a few upgrades from their outdated brother, such as four exposure settings for indoor/outdoor shooting, a built-in flash, and a sweeping wide angle so you can still have a bit of control while maintaining the 'surprise' aspect of instantaneous shooting! With film that costs just over a dollar per print, it's not the bargain of the century, but for the magical moment when it pops hot and fresh into your hand, it might just be worth it.
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)...
Today is the happiest day of my life. With the soul-crushing realization that I had neither the funds or time off work to go to Comic Con (that plus the weekend tickets sold out in a day) I resigned myself to my absenteeism and thought, well, it's for the best, I'd just spend a crazy amount of money anyway. Well, when I found out that Kidrobot was having an exclusive release of Shane Jessup's "Fortune" gold 8" dunny in a series of 1000 (already sold out online), my interest was piqued. When I found out that there would be a SDCC exclusive colorway limited to a run of 200, I was VERY interested in acquiring one. I reached out to all my like-minded nerdy friends in the slim hope that A) someone was going that day, B) would be there at that time, C) didn't have another signing or event, and D) was willing to put up with some sort of hassle I'm sure to get this for me. I didn't get any response until my friend Justin asked me 2 days before the big day if I still needed someone to try and get it for me. Hell yeah I did!
Against all odds, even with his number being 209 on the list, somehow, someway, this beautiful specimen of humanity did it. He did it. He not only got me the limited edition SDCC Luck Dunny- he got it signed. Not only did he get it signed, he got the certificate signed. I am now the proud owner of one of the most limited runs of Dunnys around, with Shane Jessup's John Hancock to boot. I pick it up tonight bearing cash and a 12 pack of Guinness as a small token of my enormous gratitude.
Before this, I was having a pretty crappy day. I slept terribly, there was a giant spider in the office, and my banana was bruisy and gross. This completely turned my day around. There's a nice little UV protected display niche waiting for this guy at home!
Bike enthusiasts unite! This weekend (starting tomorrow) the Bicycle Film Fest makes its way to Richmond, VA, where I'm sure it will be met with rabid enthusiasm from the bikefans of River City. Hosted by Gallery5, the festival consists of 2 shorts and 1 full length film, each $10 or $23 for all 3 with 2 showings of each. Here's a note from the founding director about the fest: The Bicycle Film Festival celebrates the bicycle.
We are into all styles of bikes and biking. If you can name it-Tall Bike Jousting, Track Bikes, BMX, Alleycats, Critical Mass, Bike Polo, Cycling to Recumbents- we've probably either ridden or screened it. What better way to celebrate these lifestyles than through art, film, music and performance? We bring together all aspects of bicycling together to advocate its ability to transport us in many ways.
Ultimately the Fest is about having a good time.
We have been fortunate enough to include works of established artists such as Jorgen Leth, Mike Mills, Jonas Mekas, Blonde Redhead, Swoon and Michel Gondry among others as part of our programming.
Many of the artists who have participated in the Bike Film Fest such as the Neistat Brothers and Lucas Brunelle are gaining more and more recognition for their work.
Sign up for the email list or just come out and enjoy our 9th Annual Bicycle Film Festival.
Thanks. Brendt Barbur, Founding Director
P.S. bikes rule
Check out this great trailer for the event, and be sure to check out the RVAMag article about it here. OF COURSE when it comes to San Diego I won't be here, but that event is August 8. Sign up to be a volunteer and get info at their site BFF.
Holy cow. What a week. Things have been absolutely insane for me, so TGIF to the maxxx! Still, a bright spot in the week came from the news that Issue 1 of Born Ugly mag is now a reality! Jim Callahan (aka Barf) is already a Richmond underground icon with his memorable Municipal Waste art, Nowhere Skateboard line, and Tales from the Underground comic (check it out at Velocity- best place in Richmond for your comic and graphic novel needs). The link above is to the online .pdf of the mag, so be sure to snag a print copy wherever you can. Michael Brock of Wilted Roses was kind enough to pop one in the mail for me, so whenever I get that will be a happy day. If you're in the Richmond area, be sure to get to the launch party tomorrow, Saturday May 9th at Holly Street Park at 4 pm. I'm sure it will be a debaucherous event filled with only the finest of Richmond's youth!
Generate Design is a super-cool site with a ton of stuff for the design lover. Their prices range from the wallet-friendly to back-breaking, but I assure you whatever you pay for you get your money's worth. This lamp is my new personal favorite thing ever, and I for one will not rest until I have fooled everyone with this illusion of suspended animation. Personally, I think it's a little on the pricey side, but what it lacks in affordability it makes up for in style, and isn't that what's really important?
Available in wall or table versions. Red or white interior. Product Specs
Materials: Iron PlateLiquid Lamp Designer: Kouichi Okamoto Price: US $199.00 (red interior add $28, table lamp option add $11)
Gloomy day? Down in the dumps? Well, if it's raining in LA, Miami, SF, or NYC, head over to your friendly neighborhood KidRobot store to score the new John Burgerman Rainy Day Dunny! The 3" Dunny is only sold on days when it's raining at the city the store is located in, and sporadically through the website. What a cheeky gimmick to cheer up even the most depressing of drizzly days!
I have a Twitter account. Believe me, I was a HUGE skeptic when it first came out, and when even now when I sit down and try to grasp the actual concept it still seems ridiculous. That being said, I follow Rainn Wilson's Twitter (Dwight from the Office) and his posts are always silly antics of online taunting with a few worthwhile links thrown in. His new background is courtesy of Mike Mitchell, an artist I'd never heard of- he hails from Los Angeles (where else) and a is self-proclaimed cat enthusiast. His work largely deals with animals, comic book characters, mixed in with a dash of silly, a splash of ridiculous, and some adorable grotesquerie. Take a peek at a few of his pieces (all used directly from his site)
These are just a couple of my favorites (wow, I like bunny art and a zombie ice cream- how totally unlike me!!!) Mike is also a brother in blogging! Check out his blog and shop for even more stuff from this darkly original artist. Shirts, prints, the works! He seems like a fun guy. Mike, if you ever see this, come on down to San Diego and we'll discuss important topics, like crime fighting slugs and spontaneously combusting kittens.
I feel like I might have seen and/or posted about Thomas Doyle's miniature worlds, but who cares. It's amazing enough for even TWO mentions. His site is home to his Distillation Series, Bearings Series, and Reclamation Series, all focusing on presenting a minute view with universal ideas. I've included only one picture from each of the series, because I want to tantalize you enough to go directly to the site without going batsh** insane and posting his entire portfolio.
UCLA is hosting a weekend-long book festival at the end of the month that is FREE!!! Nothing in LA is free, but somehow this is (however, parking is not). The Los Angeles Festival of Books will take place Saturday and Sunday, April 25-26 on the UCLA campus in West LA. There will be book readings, signings, and local authors on hand peddling their wares. Click the link above to get more information on what's happening and who will be attending. Tickets are free but required to enter some of the events and panel discussions.
Mondays are sometimes difficult for me, and today was no exception. Getting up early has never been an easy task, especially over a long period of time. Just ask Momma D- I assure you that even the mention of the phrase "morning person" around her will ignite her into such a frenzy of explanation about how I am simply NOT ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE that your ears will literally bleed at the montage. Still, somehow after our debaucherous weekend filled with cooking spaghetti and re-planting our herb garden I managed to ooze my way out of bed this morning to get to work by 7 sharp. It takes me longer than usual to get into my normal work mode on Mondays after actively atrophy-ing my brain into mush over the weekend, so I was perusing some of my personal emails and came across Fecal Face's Kill Pixie interview. I'm sure that at one time or another I've come across his work, but the vivid colors really struck a chord with my addled brain cells not quite functioning on 100%. Also I am very jealous of his LA pad. I would hate to live in LA for any other reason besides art, but I think I would thrive there as an artist. Then again, that's what everyone says.
Regardless, here's some of his drool-inspiring work. These are all taken directly from Fecal Face. He's got a few shows coming up, one in LA and one currently in Australia. Some life, right?!?
Jeremy Fish's largest print to date is for sale now! It spans a 22" x 34" area, and looks awesome in the frame (but that adds a significant cost!) He's been a big name in the contemporary illustration/paint/street art/etc. scene in the past few years, and this San Francisco based artist has the world by its balls. His collaboration with Aesop Rock is a sight to see. I really like his condensed but articulate pallete and his re-occurring anthropomorphism. A weird detail that I always like in his work is also his edges! Clean, crisp, and perfectly balancing the entire work. Wonderful.
Cotton French Terry eBoy's Krauts PEECOL grew the embroidered pattern all over this 380gm 100% cotton French terry hoodie.
Features custom ribbon drawstrings, cord ends and an interior ipod pocket with a buttonhole for your headphones!
Individually numbered out of 270
Developed by German pixel-art group eBoy for Kidrobot, PEECOL is a revolutionary new platform figure. Watch the world around you flip into a collectible microcosm with this interchangeable figure that toys around with conventional stereotypes and social nuances. You'll never look at toys the same way again!
Find out the entire story of PEECOL here.
Size Chart
Save 80% off Suggested Retail price of $175.00 $35.00
Kidrobot is having THE SALE TO END ALL SALES. If I had less willpower, I would blow my entire paycheck that just got direct deposited today on this stuff. Here's a sampling of some of my favorites of the insanity they are offering at (finally!) reasonable prices! I mean, there's definitely a market for t-shirts priced at $75, but at $15-$20 we're speaking my language!
It's been awhile since I've looked at Tiny Showcase, but every once in awhile I manage to find my way through the crazy entanglement of the interweb to reach this exquisite site. I was looking through the past few weeks' work and loved this print from Stephanie Specht "Apple Tree". She selected OrcaLab for her donation, which is a research lab located in Canada dedicated to studying marine life without interfering with the natural habitats of these creatures. They also place an emphasis on stopping commercial whaling and rehabilitating the animals who are in need.
I love gray! When it's juxtaposed against bright vibrant colors it's truly a delight to my eyes. And lambs are awesome. The only thing that would make this better is if it were bunnies. But disregarding that (and my obvious insane bias), this is just one great print of many. I highly recommend visiting her site, where you can feast your design-hungry eyes on her really simple, clean line work. She runs the design studio Stipontwerpt in Belgium, so hop over there and give it a peek.
Words cannot describe my excitement. Right now, at this VERY MOMENT, the BEST BOYFRIEND IN THE WHOLE WORLD is walking into KIDROBOT SAN FRANCISCO to add to our ever-growing Dunny collection!
Only this is no ordinary trip for Dunnys. Yesterday the latest in a long line of amazing series was released- the Ye Old English Dunny Series!
I DON'T GET THEM UNTIL SUNDAY BUT I AM ALREADY DROOLING WITH ANTICIPATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Barf is a Richmond art icon who has got his tentacles wrapped up in most aspects of Richmond life. His work includes Barf Comics, Nowhere Skateboards, Municipal Waste, and a plethora of other underground independent things. I'm happy to say that his print of a cat vomiting a stream of undesirable objects graces the wall in our kitchen next to the refrigerator. It pleases me to stumble in blindly before work, attempting to get some orange juice before facing the day to look up and constantly be startled by the intensity feline face.
Anyway, Barf's got some new jamz going on, with his new Nowhere "Stab Bat" decks, available here for $45.
My only encounter with Barf was at a Municipal Waste show at the Canal Club, where I proceeded to take shots of whiskey with him since I always forget Anica's inability to consume the deadly beverage and continued to buy unwanted shots. It was a good night.
Sweet! Kidrobot is kicking it PUNK STYLE! 3 different figures from '77, '80, and '84 from your favorite toy designers, featuring your favorite albums of the year.
1977: Sex Pistols
1980: Dead Kennedys
1984: Black Flag
Big shoutouts to Black Flag, Dead Kennedys, and the Sex Pistols. Whoever's idea this was is awesome.
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.
