Category: Art & Design

January 29 2016

Fun Links of the Week # 10 – Valentine’s Day Edition

How has your week been? I got hit hard with the flu and have been suffering through it for the past week. Stuffy head, congestion, cough, yup, I’ve got it all. Parker and Sam are now in the clear but it looks like Logan and I still have an upward climb. I think my taste buds are slowly returning. (Yes!) Hope you’ve all stayed healthy. I know that I’ve been heavy on the art posts this week (sorry!), next week I’ll try and vary it up some more.

Today, instead of our usual fun links of the week, I decided on putting up some cool products you could buy for your loved one. With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about what to get your friend or significant other. Here we go….

For the art lover: These Hari & Deepti prints would look amazing in any office. Essentially, they’re prints of layered hand-cut paper inside a white light-box that’s illuminated with LEDs.

For your girlfriend: Isn’t this a pretty Valentine’s Day mug?

For your hearts-obsessed friend: This purse of a heart reminds me of that famous Forrest Gump line, “Life is like a box of chocolates.”

For kid’s class: I’m thinking of giving out Parker’s Valentine’s Day candy like this.

For your friend who loves movies: This book.

For your wacky friend who has everything: These plant pots.

For introverts: Unite t-shirt!

For your color-obsessed friend: This puzzle.

For the wanna-be cook: These knives seem like a steal.

For your friend who lives in the office: The cutest paper clip holder.

For the indoor cycling/techie fanatic: This bike.

For your boyfriend who has everything: These hidden heart sneakers.

For your tote bag carrying friend: Gemma Correll always nails it.

For all you moms out there: This t-shirt.

Art by Jean Jullien.

Art & Design

January 28 2016

New Surreal Art Curated by Thinkspace for the LA Art Show

My favorite art gallery, Thinkspace, just revealed, online, the art pieces that they’re currently selling at the LA Art Show. Running from January 27 to January 31, The LA Art Show is one of the world’s largest and longest running events with 150,000 square feet of exhibition space and close to 60,000 attendees last year. This will be LA Art Show’s 21st edition.

Thinkspace will be showcasing a wall of thirty 12×12 inch works from various Thinkspace artists. You can buy these right on the spot. As they say, “These are cash and carry and we’ll be refilling the wall throughout the weekend.”

The full digital catalog for Thinkspace’s booth can be found here. I’ve selected a few of my favorites.

Above: Jacub Gagnon, “Royal Circus”, (2015), Acrylic on wood panel

Casey Weldon, “Swimsuit Issue”, (2015), Acrylic on wood panel

Isaac Cordal, “American Dream”, (2015), Acrylic on resin sculpture

Cinta Vidal, “Thinking Neighbor”, (2016), Acrylic on wood panel

Mario Bellem, “My Strange Relationship With Art”, (2016), Acrylic on hand carved wood and laser cut wood sculpture

Tran Nguyen, “CIO II”, (2016), Acrylic & colored pencil

Thinkspace booth at the LA Art Show

Art & Design

January 27 2016

Giant KAWS Sculptures are Scattered Around Yorkshire Sculpture Park

The scene is set! On February 6, American artist KAWS debuts his first UK museum exhibition at none other than Yorkshire Sculpture Park. I remember first coming across YSP back in July 2011 when Spanish artist Jaume Plensa had his stunningly surreal show there. Now KAWS has stepped up to the plate bringing six massive sculptures, made of natural and black-stained wood and measuring between six and 10 meters tall, to their outdoor grounds.

Judging from the first images, you can see that the sculptures all display a wide variety of emotions. As YSP states, they “are simultaneously spectacular and plaintive. Once bright, iconic characters are rendered in disheartened, world-weary poses; imposing yet full of pathos, they point to an array of psychological narratives, suggesting compassion, surprise and despair.”

KAWS will be showing over 20 works. There will be sculptures in bronze, fiberglass, aluminum and wood alongside large canvases in acrylic paint. You can watch a behind-the-scenes video of KAWS’ ten-meter-tall sculpture Small Life (2013) come to life, below. The show runs from February 6 to June 12, 2016. This is a must-visit!

KAWS at YSP
Photos by Jonty Wilde via Supertouch

Art & Design

January 26 2016

Breathtaking New Wire Sculptures Wrap Figures in Flowers

Artist Gavin Worth just sent word that he’s created a whole new series of wire sculptures called “Flora.” Made completely out of bent steel, figures are beautifully wrapped around in an array of flowers. I first discovered Worth’s work back in September 2011, when he was bending back black wire to create freestanding line drawings. Since then, he’s refined his process, using heavier metal. I love that, this time, he shot each piece with and without its shadow.

Read my short interview with Worth, below.

Where did the inspiration for this series come from?
These pieces are rooted in the exploration of the fragility, of that delicate tipping point, between beauty and decay. When does growth become decline, and what is the ambiguity between them?

I suppose these were inspired by big changes. I moved from Egypt to Switzerland. I’m living close to nature again, where the cycle of life is very pronounced. I’m married to the love of my life. I’ve experienced profound illness and lost loved ones. These things alter the lines you draw.

Visually, I’ve been obsessed with the work of the Vienna Secession artists. The way that Klimt, for example, was so successful in creating such beautiful decorative pieces that combine forms from nature with an intimate psychology has been a huge influence on me.

How long did these take to create?
The design process for each sculpture is intensive and takes quite a while, but once the concept is roughed out, worked through, and refined, it takes roughy 2-3 weeks in the workshop to bend the steel, cut the rods to precise fits, weld them, and grind them to a finished state. The bases for these pieces are also shaped by hand, so in total, each piece takes roughly a month to make.

I noticed that you are now showing the shadows on the wall. Why?
To me, the shadows emphasize the fragility and transience of the pieces. The medium echos this. The sculptures are largely empty space — steel lines barely and briefly defining air and light into something that resembles a form. The shadow of something so intangible is even more fleeting, and I hoped this would underscore that sentiment.

What do you hope others get out of these works?
Simply and truly, I hoped that people would find some beauty here. And I hoped that I might explore a small aspect of how things pass away, and perhaps capture a glimpse of the quiet, languorous melancholy that resides in the heart of that.

Worth will be showing this body of work at his first solo show in Milan, Italy beginning this Thursday at Barbara Frigerio Contemporary Art. The exhibition has been aptly titled, “Sketches in the Air.”

Gavin Worth’s website

Art & Design

January 22 2016

Fun Links of the Week #9

It’s been quite a week! Just when Logan was starting to feel better, Parker came down with the flu and Sam and I got colds. I had to take a “sick” day yesterday just to get my bearings. Looks like we’ll be in hibernation mode this weekend so we can all get some much needed rest. February’s filled with lots of weekend trips so we’re all trying to get healthy before the excitement hits! Have a great weekend, everyone. Oh, and enjoy these fun links of the week.

February 8th, 2016 kicks off the Year of the Monkey. The Aquamarine Fukushima in Japan has opened a must-see exhibition.

Swimming puppy + rain = adorable.

I really like Chris Hadfield so I’m hoping this is good.

What does President Obama keep in his pockets?

You don’t even have to be a comic book geek to get excited about this. (Warning: Lots of violence.)

For the animated gif lover.

I need this cloud cutting board (and everything else in this list).

This Shiba Inu holds the key to my heart.

Good tips on how to survive your first year as a freelancer.

8 places to indulge yourself in 2016. Ooo Morocco!

Jacob Tremblay’s speech was adorable and his dancing is spot on!

Tips on the art of collecting. “Buy what you love, but really look and see what you like. Ask lots of questions and don’t be put off by snotty gallery owners.”

Cleverest key car key holder.

Photo by Christophe Jacrot.

Art & Design

January 20 2016

7 Million Small Dots Make a Stunning Floral Composition

France-based artist Xavier Casalta just completed a stunning floral composition called Autumn. It took him an astounding 370 hours to complete and it contains around 7 million small inked dots. Using the stippling technique, where tiny dots made of a single color are applied with a pen, he created this breathtaking piece that consists of flowers, fruit, and even a pumpkin. You have to look at the close-up, “making of” images to really appreciate all the work that went into making this composition, the attention to detail is astounding.

I caught up with Casalta to ask him a few questions.

How did you decide on which flowers to use?
I collaborated with Swallows and Damsons. She is an amazing florist from Sheffield, England. She has an incredible knowledge about nature and was able to select the elements that represented this season at its finest.

Where did you take inspiration from?
I had a photograph taken by Swallows and Damsons that I was able to use as a basis. It contained the most important elements like the big flowers and the figs, I then worked on different elements to create the entire composition, to get something really homogeneous.

What’s the next season you’ll take on?
I plan to do the winter one now. As it took me a few months to create the first one, I’m guessing that the full four drawings will be completed in one year.

What was your greatest challenge in creating this?
I think the most difficult part was to keep motivated. I watched the same piece every day, for weeks. Sometimes I felt discouraged by the amount of work that still remained.

Xavier Casalta on Behance

Art & Design

January 18 2016

Rami Malek’s Wins a Critics’ Choice Award!

Though he didn’t nab the Golden Globe, Rami Malek shined bright last night as he won the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series. I’m over the moon for him and the Mr. Robot cast for winning three top prizes: Best Drama Series, Best Actor for Rami Malek and Supporting Actor for Christian Slater. Rami gave a short but sweet speech where he thanked his mom (“she’s fearless”), his cast, the crew and the writers. He gave special shout-outs to fellow actor Christian Slater and show creator Sam Esmail. He then ended his speech with a beautiful line: “It’s not just good to be different; it’s better to be different.” Right on.

On a side note, did you catch Rami on Ellen? It was his “Ellen” debut. So great that Ellen’s a fan of the show. Watch the video to the end. (Loved how he gave Ellen a sweet walk down memory lane. I had no idea that she was the first female comedian to be invited by Johnny Carson to chat on the The Tonight Show‘s couch.) Rami’s such a class act. I can’t get enough of him.

Art & Design

January 18 2016

Remembering Martin Luther King, Jr.

How was your weekend? Parker came down with a fever and a nasty cough on Saturday so we had to take it easy. His fever spiked again last night so he’s at home resting. Sam also caught this “bug” so my whole family feels like it’s down for the count. When it rains it pours, right?

Today, we take a moment to remember the late, great Martin Luther King, Jr. While we’ve all heard his “I Have a Dream” speech, we know that King’s legacy included much more than that. Buzzfeed put together a list of 17 Martin Luther King, Jr. quotes you’ve never heard. I like their last quote the most, which was pulled from his sermon on February 4, 1968 called “Drum Major Instinct.” To give you some context, “Drum Major Instinct” was first told by J. Wallace Hamilton, a well-known, liberal, white Methodist preacher in 1952. They refer to as King put it, “a desire to be out front, a desire to lead the parade, a desire to be first. And it is something that runs the whole gamut of life.”

Now here’s part of King’s sermon, where he imagined his own funeral. This powerful speech, spoken from the pulpit of Ebenezer Baptist Church, would be told just two months before his assassination.

“If any of you are around when I have to meet my day, I don’t want a long funeral. And if you get somebody to deliver the eulogy, tell them not to talk too long. (Yes) And every now and then I wonder what I want them to say. Tell them not to mention that I have a Nobel Peace Prize—that isn’t important. Tell them not to mention that I have three or four hundred other awards—that’s not important. Tell them not to mention where I went to school. (Yes)

I’d like somebody to mention that day that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to give his life serving others. (Yes)
I’d like for somebody to say that day that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to love somebody.
I want you to say that day that I tried to be right on the war question. (Amen)
I want you to be able to say that day that I did try to feed the hungry. (Yes)
And I want you to be able to say that day that I did try in my life to clothe those who were naked. (Yes)
I want you to say on that day that I did try in my life to visit those who were in prison. (Lord)
I want you to say that I tried to love and serve humanity. (Yes)

Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. (Amen) Say that I was a drum major for peace. (Yes) I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter. (Yes) I won’t have any money to leave behind. I won’t have the fine and luxurious things of life to leave behind. But I just want to leave a committed life behind. (Amen) And that’s all I want to say.

If I can help somebody as I pass along,
If I can cheer somebody with a word or song,
If I can show somebody he’s traveling wrong,
Then my living will not be in vain.
If I can do my duty as a Christian ought,
If I can bring salvation to a world once wrought,
If I can spread the message as the master taught,
Then my living will not be in vain.”

Art by Ihsanulkhakim Mokhsen.

Art & Design

January 15 2016

Fun Links of the Week #8

What are you up to this weekend? It’s Logan’s 2nd birthday. (Hence the photo tribute.) We have two small family gatherings taking place. I can’t believe my little one is already two! Logan is a funny one. He used to get the occasional push or hit by his older brother but now he’s the one starting the fights! What an instigator. I can’t help but wonder what he’ll grow up to be.

Enjoy these interesting links of the week!

Love all of the creative marketing for this movie.

How to make perfect soft-scrambled eggs. On the heat, off the heat, stir, stir, stir.

Just signed up for some design, photography and cooking courses. Pursuing goals for 2016.

I need this bookshelf.

While we’re at it, I’ll take this dining table, too.

5 habits of creative entrepreneurs. (Favorite line: “Gather courage from your smallest successes—they count!”)

Kudos to ambitious designers.

A rooftop infinity pool? When can I move in?!

This week we lost a legend. Here are some tributes from around the world.

A brilliant (and adorable) mash-up.

I’d love to go to this show (but it’s too far away). Isn’t it cool when you find out one of your favorite artists is a fan of another one of your favorite artists? Murakami –> Yoshitomo Nara.

Makes me miss my golden retriever. (RIP Buddy.)

Loved watching this inspiring video with my husband. (Yes, he loves Reddit.) Elon Musk is Tony Stark.

I love me a good light festival.

A sweet series, Dad Time.

Art & Design

January 15 2016

To Kick Off the New Year: Three Books to Read

We’re only halfway through January, so we’re technically still kicking off the New Year. One of my New Year’s resolutions was to read one book a week, but I’ve already surpassed that goal getting through three books in the past two weeks. (High five!) Today, I thought I’d share them with you. I know the picture (above) is from The Martian movie, which I have yet to see, but it’s relevant enough for this post (and I love the detail in that astronaut suit). Ok, here goes.

Author Andy Weir hit it out of the park with The Martian, a sci-fi book about an astronaut stuck on the planet of Mars. His name is Mark Watney and he’s got a hilarious sense of humor, which I guess you have to have if you’re stranded all alone on the red planet. Using his skills both as a mechanical engineer and as a botanist, he overcomes challenge after to challenge in order to survive. The book goes heavy on the science but you come to appreciate all the little technical details. It’s interesting to note that the author, Andy Weir, is a “lifelong space nerd” whose hobby it is study “relativistic physics, orbital mechanics, and the history of manned spaceflight.” The guy was made to write this book. Enjoy the funny scenes (ah, so that’s why it was in the Best Picture Comedy category at the Golden Globes) and then hold onto your seats for the thrilling end. (Can’t wait to see how Matt Damon pulled off Mark Watney.)

I finished the second book by Mindy Kaling, called Why Not Me?, last night. Whereas her first book, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? felt like we were just getting to know a young version of Mindy, her second book feels like she’s all grown up. Each chapter brought something refreshing, especially the last few, her speech at Harvard Law School had me in stitches (you can watch it here), her rant about her weight left me shouting “hell ya!” (we’re the same size), and her speech on confidence/hard work made me fall in love with her. The book is told in such a casual way that you feel like you’re just catching up with your childhood best friend. Mindy, keep writing and I’ll continue to buy your books.

An article on the blog Core77 brought me to Design the Life You Love: A Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Meaningful Future by Ayse Birsel. It’s better not to Kindle this book because it’s filled with pages where you’re asked to complete some fun exercises about your life. Birsel, an award-winning product designer, believes that life is like a design problem full of constraints like time and money. By laying out the life that you have and the one you’ve always wanted, you can begin to see where you want to go. I breezed through this book but plan on going back and really spending time with each exercise so I can get the most out of it. In the new year, if you’re looking to unleash some creativity inside of you, look no further than this book.

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Category: Art & Design

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