Scharffen Berger is one of my FAV chocolates. It was unfortunate to hear the announcement that Hershey’s, its parent company (since 2005), is closing down the original Berkeley plant. Even though times are tough, the design still shines. The site, packaging design, and food photography are all well done–simple elegance.
Street (and gallery) artist Shephard Fairey talks about his philosophy on creating the propaganda-inspired pieces. His manifesto is amazing too.
Some conservatives write off Shephard Fairey and Banksy as mere vandals, but I believe that they’re examples of how art is accessible to everyone and how important imagery could be. Visual artists speak to the senses and enough repetition of certain ones could influence the subconscious in some fashion. Fairey’s Obama image has revolutionized street art, as the public attached their own view onto the image. All art (commercial and noncommercial) seems to be some form of propaganda–either from one’s own agenda or another’s–to inspire, think, or feel. . .
Joyfully Jobless is a fascinating blogsite by Barbara Winters which focuses on entrepreneurship and staying mentally and emotionally happy while at it.
The trompe-l’œil chalk artworks of UK artist Julian Beever are fascinating and inspirational. On a broad scale, he’s a prime example of how art can unify people of different cultures–bringing beauty and wonder to an urban landscape.
In this month’s Digital Output magazine, there’s an article on Digital Textile Printing. The market has changed–from apparel to “bedding, curtains, window treatments, and even shower curtains—all color coordinated thanks to one digital print run—for applications such as hotel interiors”. Some of the printers are using environmentally-friendly inks as well.
Here’s more info on the printers (according to Jan. 2009 publication of Digital Ouput):
-www.3p-inktextiles.com
-www.auroratextile.com
-www.cooleygroup.com
-www.digifab.com
-www.dupont.com
-www.fishertextiles.com
-www.inkjetfabrics.com
-www.mimakiusa.com
-www.mutoh.com
-www.neschenamericas.com
-www.pabric.com
-www.pacificcoastfabrics.com
-www.ultraflexx.com
I often look to other artists for inspiration and came across the beautiful work of Elihu Vedder (1836-1923). Classified as a Symbolist painter, Elihu is best known for his illustrations for “The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam” (classic Persian poem). The Smithsonian has organized exhibits of his pieces–the latest was at the Phoenix Art Museum last year. Here’s an excerpt about him:
“From the moment of its publication, Elihu Vedder’s Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám achieved unparalleled success. Released in 1884, the first edition sold out in six days. Critics rushed to acclaim it as a masterwork of American art, and Vedder as the master American artist.”
Here’s more info from the Smithsonian Institute by Richard Murray here. Some of his pieces could be purchased at ArtRenewal.org.
Last night, I attended the fire ballet of “Dracul: Prince of Darkness” event at The Crucible in West Oakland. The show was so breathtaking that I almost forgot it was a fundraiser. The exquisite movement of the dancers, artistry of set design and overall creativity was a great way to start off the new year. The video above seems to contain different content, but you get the overall gist. It was packed with vampires, swords, ballet, aerial dancers, fire performances, and best of all–a 12 ft. tall (or so) mechanical dragon that moved side to side and spat fire towards his opponent. More info here.
Google and LIFE magazine teamed up for a online photo archive from the 1750s till today. To search only the LIFE images, just add “ZZZ:life” to any Google image search. Apparently, Time Inc. owns the copyright, so they’re not in the public domain, but you could purchase prints for $79.99 from Time Life and QOOP.
Kai Regan is an immense and inspirational photographer. Like many commercial artists, his photo content and style ranges to coincide with different clients and audiences–from pristine imagery to gritty urban scenes. He can be this generation’s Richard Avedon. Kai’s portraits, lifestyle photography, and digital compositions (like the iPod ads, enlisting the talents of Rocket Studio) is a documentary of urban existence.
Another apparel line I’m working on is called “Culture Clash”, influenced by social, cultural, and sometimes political symbols. I just started publishing the shirts, so check it out! http://www.zazzle.com/shaireproductions*
I’ve recently discovered the beauty and grace of Anna May Wong, a forgotten starlet in the MGM tradition. She was the first Asian-American woman who stared in feature films in the 1930s+, but like many minorities of her time, she was forced to play stereotypical roles and was restricted from others because of her race and a tradition in old Hollywood known as “yellow face” (where white actors would play Asian characters through makeup and fake accents, as in the movie, “The Good Earth”, or “Charlie Chan”). Anna eventually moved to Europe who favored her with less stereotypical and more narrative roles.
I wanted to pay homage to Anna’s character and spirit of tenacity and determination.
