Book 'Em, Mike!

photo by Dave Kinsey via FecalFace.com

The altered book ain't nuthin' new. That being said, the stuff artist Mike Stilkey is doing at the moment is totally rocking my world. I may have emitted a tiny gasp when I came across his work, I was so impressed! As a bibliophile, art lover, and color maven who organizes her book spines in aesthetically pleasing ways (nerd alert), his stuff is right up my alley. The Fecal Face interview gives a great glimpse into his studio as well. Reading and painting... can't go wrong with that.

Brad is Rad!

Simplify, simplify, simplify! This is usually good advice for any situation, and it is especially true when it comes to good design. Speaking of good design, know who gets me all hot 'n bothered? Bradbury Thompson, that's who.

Let's all get into our time machine and head back to the early 1940's when Thompson started cranking out awesomeness for Westvaco Inspirations, and pushing graphic design into the future simply by using old tools in new ways. His use of photography, typography, and color is so inspiring, Google image search his name and I promise you will not be disappointed. The above spread is my favorite, and has been since I started studying graphic design.

...Use Color for Bait.
Color, states the scientist, is a wavelength. But color is more, says the artist: color is the lighted tree at Christmas, fireworks on the Fourth of July, the Mardi Gras, the Rose Bowl game, New Years Eve on Time's Square, the flower vendor with his pushcart crowded with geraniums, the girl in a striking hat who turns heads in the Easter Parade, the first night at a smash-hit musical show, the midway at a County Fair, the crack drum and bugle corps that swings down the Avenue on parade. Color is everywhere, because, as any artist knows, the whole sweep and movement of life vibrates with color...

Some day I will find an old lady selling a bunch of mid-century Westvaco issues at a garage sale 20 for $1 and be in Bradbury Thompson design heaven; until then I will continue to be inspired by his innovation, honesty, and simplicity.

Heavy Rotation

The Blakes - The Blakes

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros - Up From Below

Crocodiles - Summer of Hate

Handsome Furs - Face Control

The Cribs - Ignore the Ignorant

When I'm too busy to update my blog, what am I busy doing, you ask? Lots of stuff - all of which is accompanied by good music. One of these days I will make my loyal blog readers a downloadable mix, until then go find these goodies at your local record store. Happy listening!

Change Is In The Air

I think we both know how much I have been slacking on the blog in recent months. I'll spare you the lengthy apology and explanation for my absence, so let's just pick up where we left off shall we? In addition to life keeping me busy these past months, I have also been invited to be in an art show - Collective Conversations In Clay: Merging Media. The show opens this Saturday (please come out and support me!) and my finished piece, No. 9, is that lovely square accompanying this post. I am pretty damn proud of it, but I am more proud to say that along with its completion I have set many wheels in motion for the months ahead.
It's good to be back. Now that's keen.

Panes!

This post will do a body good, not your waistline per se, but you will be at peace knowing you have discovered one of the best sandwich shops in the city:
Panes Bread Cafe at 3002 N. Sheffield.

I cannot take credit for finding this gem (that feat belongs to Amber), but I can take credit for eating a gazillion sandwiches and deeming them all to be delicious. Loyal readers you know I am a sandwich connoisseur and I would never lead you astray, so trust me when I say you cannot go wrong with any of Panes' goodies served on their homemade breads. Turkey Turkey, Super Panes, Portobello Mushroom, Roasted Beef, Sloppy Pollo... the list goes on. Chips are included and you will get a ton of food for not a lot of cash; speaking of which, they are cash only so come prepared and make sure you have a little extra for dessert: the amazing monster cookie. If salads or pasta are your thing they have those too, but the bread and sandwiches are where it's at.

One More Reason to Love Summer

Seriously stop what you are doing right now and get thee to a grocery store.
You need this salsa.

Tostitos Summer Salsa may be the tastiest salsa ever invented, and trust me I know my salsa. Tostitos website acts like it doesn't even exist, perhaps because it is so delicious you swear you just imagined it? I can find zero info about it online so allow me to be the first to sing its praises. It is the perfect blend of fruits and peppers, a little sweet and a little heat if you will. I snagged several jars at my local Jewel (and plan on hoarding more for the winter months) and you should too. YUM.

Music to My Eyes

I love a good cassette tape just as much as the next guy, so obviously I am totally digging this art by irI5. These portraits are so spot on, and the creative use of the otherwise out of date cassette is genius. If only I would have been inspired by these in my youth instead of wasting valuable hours desperately winding beyond-repair tapes back in to their case with the end of a pencil...
Make sure you take a look at her flickr set for more fun pieces.

Ode to the DCW

Just finished this housewarming gift. Who doesn't love a little more Eames in their life?

*Yawn*

Is it just me, or are there not enough hours in the day? I feel like there is no time to accomplish my to-do list AND get a good night's sleep, and I am always trading off one or the other. I think it is time to take drastic measures and go to bed at a reasonable hour and wake up earlier. I can hear those of you familiar with my night-owl behaviors and love of sleeping in laughing out loud as I type, and trust me, I too think it is a crazy idea, but it just might be crazy enough to work... famous last words.

Firstly, I think a snazzy alarm clock might make waking up more fun. The red clock above is made by Twemco and can be found here. I am also very intrigued by this contraption: The Soleil Sun Alarm Clock, which mimics the sunrise to gently wake you without sound.
Ahhh I am feeling more rested already...

This whole waking up with the sun concept brings me to my second energizing plan, purchasing Spent, by Frank Lipman MD. His theories on energy and exhaustion have been getting a lot of buzz lately, and it is worth a look at his website. Normally I wouldn't buy into the hype, but when I read a recent interview his reasoning really struck a chord with me.

"When I started seeing so many patients who were exhausted, with no energy and low immune systems, I obviously started thinking about why this was happening. And I realized that the only time I never saw patients who had these symptoms was when I was working 28 years ago in Kwandebele, a rural area in South Africa. I was seeing diseases symptomatic of poverty and malnutrition, but not the same types of problems I see today in New York City or when I worked in urban areas in South Africa, where patients are more likely to come in complaining of fatigue, insomnia, depression or various aches and pains. There was no electricity, indoor heating or refrigeration in Kwandebele. They went to bed when it got dark, they arose with the sun, they ate whatever foods were available in season. They lived in accordance with the cycles and rhythms of nature."

I can say based on my short time in Africa that I have never in my life felt as rested as I did when staying in Tanzania. I truly feel my energetic state had more to do with how I was sleeping (in bed by 7:30 or 8, up at 6) and what I was eating (fresh bananas, avocados, pineapple, etc ) and less to do with the fact that I was on vacation. I have been trying to recapture that circadian rhythm for a year now, but it is tougher to do in a nation where most children aren't even in bed by 7, and the snow on the ground impedes the growth of anything fresh. I will keep you posted on my journey, and hopefully my increased energy will bring about many new blog posts! Now if you will forgive me, it is past my bedtime...

Docs Rock

photo by Gour, Kids With Cameras

I am so gung-ho about watching documentaries lately!! While I can appreciate a good Hollywood story, so many movies are a poor adaptation of a book or a lame re-make, so if I'm going to watch a flick inspired by something it might as well be real life, right? When I saw Slumdog Millionaire I thought it was so wonderful, but watching the trials and tribulations of these young children in India reminded me of the amazing movie I just watched last year, Born Into Brothels. It came out a while back, won an Oscar, and is pretty much a must see in my eyes for anyone who is an artist, has a passion for photography, or wants to be inspired and humbled by a bunch of talented kids. Just writing about the movie makes me want to go watch it again, and if you are friends with me you have probably heard me gush about it once or twice. If you are a fan, it's worth your time to take a look at Kids With Cameras to see what the kids from the movie are up to and admire the other photography projects the organization has in the works.

As far as other docs are concerned, here is what's on tap in the Netflix queue:

Helvetica
Wordplay
King Kong: A Fist Full of Quarters
The Sound and the Fury
The Corporation
The Devil and Daniel Johnston.

I really want to see Madonna's I Am Because We Are when it comes out too. Suggestions?? Recommendations??

Hello Capricorn!

1.25.08 So guess what happens on this date at precisely 8:37pm central time??? Pluto enters Capricorn!! Woo! Not to get all new-agey on you, but the reason for all the bogusness in my life for the last 12 years was because Pluto was in Sagittarius, obviously! I have been dealing with Pluto taking it's sweet time since 1997 and I am so ready to enjoy it's stay in Capricorn for the next 15 years. If you are a fellow Taurus circle the 25th on your calendar! I figured I better make this news public so when something awesome goes down Sunday night my astrological beliefs will be validated. As long as I'm not on the couch watching Rock of Love* as would normally be doing at that hour I will consider the Capricorn kick-off a success! Stay tuned for the follow up blog...

*Don't judge loyal readers. You know you watch and love that trashy show too.

Relaunch!

Yo. Has anyone else noticed that it is 2009 already? How the heck did that happen??? I don't know about you, but I am rubbish at making and keeping resolutions. Sometimes if I call them "goals" I fare better, but this year I am taking a different approach and pretending the new year hasn't really begun. I'm starting to get into the swing of things and slowly but surely embrace what I need to do... like be more diligent about updating my blog. My horoscope the other day told me to get ready to be catapulted out of a rut, and to that I say bring it on! In the spirit of resolutions past, present, and future I give you an old drawing...that has since been updated...involving a habit I am trying to kick. Here's to a fresh start! Happy (slightly belated) New(ish) Year.