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.

Ode to the DCW

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

Lots-o-Words

Here is my blog wordle! I finally jumped on the bandwagon and you can get your own wordle here. They are pretty fun to play with...

The Conundrum... Resolved.

There is nothing quite like being called out on your whining by a fortune cookie...

The Conundrum

I love the comics of James Kochalka, truer words were never spoken...
I feel like I have artistic ADD these days! I just can't seem to complete anything, and things that should bee seemingly fun are feeling like one big ol' burden. Do I start with the easy stuff, or the difficult tasks? Finish the ones in progress, or start something new for fresh inspiration? Complete the tasks that will get me paid but are boring, or go in a different direction which will take some time to complete? Or should I just watch a few more episodes of The Wire so that I don't have to think about how much I'm freaking out?!

How does a person balance art as a hobby and art as a profession? And how does one tackle art as a profession when they also need to get $$PAID$$ in the meantime? Such is the conundrum I have been facing lately.

$.42 of Bliss

The Eames stamps are out!!! I realize this post epitomizes my design nerdiness, but I have been waiting for these stamps since I heard they were coming out last year, and I finally have several sheets in my hot little hands. The internet is great, but nothing beats a good ol' card in the mail. Get your own stamps at USPS or head down to ye olde neighborhood post office and pick some up.

On a related note, I just discovered Postcrossing where members get to send and receive postcards from around the world. Too fun. I'm totally signing up.

Grassy

When I finally buy a place of my own this tile is going somewhere in my home. Right now it resides in the bathroom of one of my favorite watering holes, and it makes me smile every time I see it. Too fun! After doing some research I found it online at Imagine Tile where I also found a bunch of other cool tiles along with the option to have my own photos printed on tiles! Can you imagine the possibilities? Hmmmm, maybe that's where they came up with their name... Right now I'm envisioning an ivy tiled wall with a sand/grass tiled floor...voilá Wrigley Field bathroom! Just kidding. The urban asphalt and mixed stones are fun too, as is the idea of a custom tiled mural! Don't settle for boring ol' travertine and graphite people, get grassy!

Simon Says

It is wise advice to dress for success. This applies to job interviews and dates, and it definitely applies to meeting Simon Doonan, which I had the pleasure of doing on Saturday.

What's a girl to wear when she has 60 seconds to make a good impression on one of the wittiest and most creative powerhouses in the world of fashion and pop culture? What will tell Simon without words that I too am on the same trajectory of coolness that he is? Clearly the answer was my good friend the owl. We chit-chatted for a bit while he signed my book, the usual "It's so nice to meet you, how do you spell your name, I love your philosophy on life, etc" banter that typically occurs at book singings while the people in line behind you eye you to hurry up. After he lifted his pen and returned my book to me Simon said "I LOVE your owl pendant!" SCORE! In my mind I thought "I KNEW you would!" We chatted about how it was my mothers and how I should be wearing it with something long and flowy and then he reiterated his adoration saying "It could be worth a lot of money. It's so groovy!" No Simon, you're groovy.

I'm so smitten with this man! I sort of think we are long lost best friends. I couldn't help but notice an eerie resemblance in our handwriting, and I know we share a love for all things witty and British. Basking in the glow of my compliment and newly autographed book I kept thinking how great Simon was and how much I wanted to just miniaturize him and put him in my pocket. Think of all the fun you could have with a mini Simon Doonan in your pocket making jokes and giving you fashion advice! I think this is a great idea, so I would like to debut the prototype here. I give you Pocket Simon: GENIUS! Pure genius! If Pocket Simon was around today he would probably say "Are you seriously wearing that gray sweater that you have been wearing all winter again??" To which I would reply "Yes, Simon, I am. It's a lovely 30 degree day in late April in Chicago and I think it is perfectly appropriate." Then he would tell me to don the owl necklace and all would be right with the world.

Farewell to Fall

Fall was nice this year. I found myself enjoying things like spending time in the woods, carving pumpkins, sipping apple cider and brandy, welcoming the crunch of colorful leaves under my feet, and for once I wasn't freezing. Now that a few snowflakes have fallen I find myself looking back with fondness on a season that I'm usually not that into. I can't seem to embrace Autumn knowing that Winter is getting closer everyday, but something about this year was different. Enjoy this snippet of favorite photos of the season!

360 Degrees

After organizing a bunch of my photos this weekend I have discovered that I have a bit of an obsession with round things en masse. Who knew?! I have no clue what insight this gives to my psyche, but they are fun to look at aren't they? Circularity rules!

Shopping List: Drawers

I'm totally on the hunt for random drawers after seeing this amazing chest from Wis Design of Sweden. Seriously, what is in the water over there that makes these Swedes crank out such beautiful objects? Think of all the abandoned drawers in the world that will find a new home when I construct my very own chest! How many times have you passed an ugly desk or dresser on the street and thought it seemed like a perfectly good piece of furniture, but it just didn't go with your decor? Never? No? You aren't a picky furniture scavenger like me? Well for the sake of this blog just pretend! I would have been on my way to a new stylish cabinet years ago if only I had the idea to swipe the drawers from the countless pieces of furniture I walked by on the street. Better late than never I suppose. This project is going to be placed in the "very long term" category...after I finish all the other pending projects. Remember that chair I was going to finish a few months ago? It's going to go really well with this chest when they both get completed sometime around 2017...

Four-legged Friends

I've been on a quest for some time now to find a set of salt and pepper shakers that I am in love with. Everything that I've come across is unoriginal, too expensive, or completely adorable and already owned by a friend. Well I'm happy to report that I've finally settled on a pair by the amazing ceramics designer Lola Goldstein. I came across these in New York at the MoMA design store, and I knew I had to have them when I decided NOT to buy them on Friday, only to obsess about them the whole weekend. Good thing I was back in SoHo before heading back to Chicago on Sunday. Seriously, how cute are they??? It is impossible to look at them and not smile!

Rock*n*Roll Rebel

What Would Neil Young Do? asks the pile of posters in the installation by Jeremy Deller...
...I'll tell you what he would do: not listen to a sign that says "No photography permitted in the gallery." These naughty neon lights were too fun to not take a picture of!

Overall, the Sympathy for the Devil exhibit at the MCA was really great. The audio tour left much to be desired, but I just hummed a little When the Levee Breaks to myself and I was entertained (thank you Slater Bradley for your cool piece "The Year of the Doppelganger"). The MCA is free for 40 days people!!! Go see some rad art!

Later that night, after a sidewalk ticket ambush from a friend, I found myself at Yo La Tengo. I love randomly falling in love with a band I'm not too familiar with, and such was the case on Thursday night. My rebellious rock star photography continued where "No photography of any kind is allowed."

"Cameras will be confiscated," yeah right.
WWNYD?

Procrastination In Progress

I'm such a procrastinator when it comes to my projects! I think (ok, I KNOW) I have trouble focusing on more than one creative task until the others are complete. This has always been really weird to me since I'm really good at multi-tasking in every other aspect of my life. Oh well, change starts here! This chair had to be put on hold since I have had some art gigs for others that needed to be completed

but now I'm back and ready to tackle that last teeny corner with paint and then lacquer the whole thing! I told myself I wouldn't use it as a chair until it was finished, but that idea went out the window as several months ago when I threw a party. Anyway, operation chair 2007 officially re-starts today! I guess that means I have 15 minutes to work before I go meet friends for dinner. Maybe I'll push back the official start date until tomorrow...oh wait I have lunch plans. Friday! Friday the chair gets painted! Stay tuned.