100 Colors, 100 Writings, 100 Days October 12, 2009

I saw this on Design Observer’s twitter and thought Rachel Berger’s project was so good, I had to blog about it.  I sat after dinner in the kitchen reading Rachel’s favourite forty paint chips.

The project is simple. For 100 days, she picked a paint chip noted the name of the colour and the number of the day (of 100) and responded to it by writing. Everyone knows that there is memory in scent, but a shade or tone of colour can also remind you of things. And it most certainly can influence moods and emotions.

Rachel’s writing is thoughtful. The kind of writing I love. There is a lot of personal experiences, quirky observation and some random facts. Everything that makes for great reading is here.

08 Candied Yams “I bought my first yam this week. I wanted sweet potatoes, which sound a bit friendlier, but the store didn’t have any. The yam is quite rooty, forever looking freshly pulled from the earth — something that is born, grows, and dies in darkness. It’s bumping around my cupboard now, rolling into view when I take out the sugar canister, tin of anchovies. It’s clumsy and bulky. I rudely shove it back, out of my way, further into the darkness.“

48 Moss Landing “Ken Kesey’s Sometimes a Great Notion opens with a description of the frightening, dripping, verdancy of Oregon. It continues for many pages, and it’s all true. In Portland, moss grows on the roofs of the houses, ferns sprout from cracks in the sidewalk, even the best maintained streets and buildings are prone to sliding around during the dark wet winter. One time in college, I came home for a holiday, and there were huge gray mushrooms growing out of my bedroom carpet.“

52 Glacial Tint “I’m stranded at my father’s house, what Joanna calls “the Greenway Inn,” on Greenway Avenue, way up in the West Hills. It snowed all night and is snowing now. Seven, ten, thirteen inches. Never in my life has it snowed this much in Portland. When I describe the white carnage to people in Connecticut and New York, they are not nearly impressed enough. They think Portland is like I think Denver is, snowy, cold, mountainous. I was shocked when I finally visited Denver and it was flat and sunny.“

57 Cool Melon “Only three times in its hundred-year history has the Crayola company changed the name of a crayon. Prussian Blue became Midnight Blue in 1958 and Indian Red was renamed Chestnut in 1999, both in response to requests from educators. In 1962, the company voluntarily changed Flesh to Peach, partially in response to the U.S. Civil Rights Movement.“

I urge you to read the full set of Rachel’s musings here.

Two by Two October 6, 2009

Keetra Dean Dixon creates magical art in the vein of Miranda July. Just Between You and Me features various objects that require co-dependency. I especially love the objects above. The glasses you wear to see eye to eye would definitely help reach compromises. The shadowing shoes = hugwalks and the balloons that take two to blow up.  Now that it’s getting colder, I am feeling rather romantic and daydream of walks on fallen leaves, wrapped in layers with the boy.

On the topic of sharing and togetherness, I recently spotted the Loving Cup by Maria Lintott Ceramics. The double handled cup  makes it easy to pass hot drinks, which will make it perfect for when it gets colder. While you’re on the website, check out the moustache-protector cups too!

Weekend Away: Paris August 26, 2009

I have always dreamed of being in a band. And when I was in Paris at the weekend, we spotted this on the ground, outside my favourite shop in Montmatre.

I’ve been to Paris a few times now, but have never seen any of the cemetries there. We went to Cimitiere Montparnasse because I wanted to see Jean Seberg’s tombstone. It was very sunny that day. And she was nowhere in sight.

I found Serge Gainsbourg’s instead.  His was filled  with cigarettes, metro tickets other curiousities like this Bob charm.

It was a funny coincidence as only two days ago, my friend Siobhan was telling us how she liked the name Bob. We decided that the Bob in Twin Peaks was one Bob we didn’t like.

The best thing about being away is having the time to walk about. I remember when I lived in Edinburgh thinking that it was lacking a river. Having a river = having bridges. Bridges make a city very pretty.

Walking around a city is the best way to discover hidden gems. Nothing is better than stumbling upon a spot of beauty.

Or spotting the prettiest petits fours. When travelling, breakfast can be long and leisurely. Not unlike a weekend brunch. We had a breakfast of freshly baked breads. We were served a selection of yummy jams and nutella. Mmm..

I like revisiting cities that I love. You end up with a list of favourite places. Almost like you lived in that city.  In Paris, a favourite gallery is the Fondation Cartier.

The exhibition we saw was Grafitti- Born on the Streets. On the way out, we spotted a bunch of grafitti artists tagging a wall propped up in front of the building. It was a nice touch by the curators.

A Pretty Way with Doilies July 30, 2009

Mhari McMullan makes beautiful things. She does this best with doilies. I particularly like the idea of making a lot of different doily art and displaying them on the wall like you would with china. Look at the doily art individually- each one is so different.

She also creates some really delicate pieces using doilies, including a postcard for Lula.

Check her website for more beautiful works.

Cardboard Clouds July 17, 2009

You wouldn’t really be able to build a castle on these clouds but cardboard boxes do provide shelter for many homeless people.

This exhibition in the Norwegian Centre of Design and Architecture (DogA) is designed by architects from Fantastic Norway studio and features a giant pixelated cardboard cloud.

The exhibition is environmental and budget-friendly. Running until August 23, the boxes will be taken down and recycled.

One to go to if you find yourself in sunny Oslo. via Dezeen

Fish & Stitches and other Woolly Food June 9, 2009

Kate Jenkins crochets with a huge sense of humour. I love her range of breakfast fry-ups and wool sculptures of British favourites like Lyle’s Golden Syrup and Heinz Ketchup to tinned anchovies.

I have just read that the Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery will be hosting an exhibition of this knitwear designer’s foodart, aptly titled Kate’s Cafe.

I can’t wait to go. It looks like it has the right ingredients to warm anyone’s heart.

Ai Ai! April 29, 2009

I love, love Rachel Ortas‘ cute little illustrations of her outer space characters Ai Ai. (Funnily enough, in Mandarin Ai means love). The wonderful Clapham Books has a really nice window display of Okido magazine and Ai Ai monsters at the moment.

The Ai Ai remind me a little of Yoshitomo Nara’s work where the characters are seemingly cute and innocent but have a darker side to them. The key elements to making successful characters for children and adult.

This is confirmed by previous exhibitions that were held in my favourite stores like Tatty Devine and Magma.

Victorian Love Songs for the 21st Century March 18, 2009

Something in the sunshine and the blossoms that have exploded on the trees make me a dreamy customer. I have discovered spring’s sentiment in the music of The Long Lost. The electroacoustic melodies coupled together with Laura Darlington’s beautiful voice make perfect ingredients for earfood. A lovely discovery is that Alfred and Laura Darlington are friends with another artist-couple, Kozyndan.  As I sit on my bed with a print of Uprisings framed above me I am very happy to have found their painting of Laura on their Flickr photostream.

I await eagerly for their gig on Thursday in Bardens Boudoir. Daedelus is the other half of The Long Lost and this is his side project with his maiden muse (wife). The music is magical and I hear that they perform in Victorian garb. I read an interview in Flavorwire and especially enjoyed the fact that The Long Lost was described as a collaboration that came about as natural as a date.

Something in the sunshine and the blossoms that make me believe in love and in songs of love.

Clouds Take my breath away March 5, 2009

Imaginary Drizzle is a series of photos taken by Carl Kleiner.  I like these photos and his other works a lot. Funny that I came across these photos  as I had just read and seen the photos of Stuart Semple’s art installation on South Bank. Happy Cloud was an installation of over 2000 smiley face clouds that were released at the Tate Modern on 25 February. The best art installations are always the ones that alter your perspective and change your environment.

The happy clouds reminded me of some cute little jewellery pieces. Clouds, like rainbows make such nice designs. They remind you of being a child. I am quite sure the cloud is one of the first shapes you learn to draw. In reality a cloudy sky isn’t great but the magic of clouds lies in the marshmallow fluffiness and the desire to dive into them. I like sitting by the window on airplanes on daytime flights because I love looking at the clouds and going off on a bit of a daydream. For awhile I was obsessed with taking photographs of clouds and have an album on my lomohome dedicated to clouds.

Cloud necklace by Kyoko Hashimoto

Finest Imaginary Cloud Earrings

And for those with their heads in the clouds, try lying on some cuddly clouds instead. I love Donna Wilson’s cloud cushions- available in three colours.

I am enjoying having a night in listening to Gui Boratto’s Take My Breath Away. The melodic synths are putting me in quite a dreamy mood, securing my cotton wool head a place in the clouds.

#2009 (Go Bang) December 31, 2008

I woke up this morning thinking of Arthur Russell. Today being the last day of 2008 is when I’d like to spend a bit of time lamenting and reflecting on the year that’s been. 

I remember watching Wild Combination at the ICA. The film added many layers of meaning to the music I’ve always been fond of. I remember  listening to a lot of Arthur Russell after watching the documentary because it made the music a bit more personal and important.

So today, before the partying starts and it goes bang into the new year I quite like to have a bit of quiet and fill my head with the wonderful sounds of Arthur Russell. 

I hope that despite the economic gloom, London will still be a city of wonder for me in the sort of magical way like City Glow by Chiho Aoshima.