Maura M. Frana

on survival

2011-09-10T20:26:00.000-05:00

A few glimpses of my old bulletin board at studio - I said goodbye a couple weeks ago...and now my new one has basically all the same stuff on it, haha.

A peek at a project I'm working on right now; next time you see it, you won't recognize it.

Quite a bit has happened, and is happening, since I last posted. First, I experienced my first earthquake ever. If I had to choose how to experience one, I'd probably go with exactly the same experience: I was in the office where I'm interning, in the middle of a sentence, when I noticed the bookshelves swaying and interrupted myself to ask the room, "Hey! Why are the shelves moving?? Wait, why is the ROOM moving???" We all proceeded to mildly freak out and then glue ourselves to WNYC to listen to interview after interview of people saying, "The room shook!"; we took turns making fun of the repetition of what was said on the radio and checking out how all the tourists (the office is in SoHo) on the street were reacting (we saw no indication they even noticed). Two days later I helped lead Orientation for 100 people (about 50 more than we'd expected to show), which went incredibly well despite the little surprise (yippee!). Two days after that, I made it through my first hurricane (thankfully very inti-climatic), and then two days after that I jumped into the whirlwind that is semester. It's been an absolutely crazy two weeks, but I'm in heaven. Seriously. Of course I get overwhelmed sometimes, or tired, or frustrated, but it's all part of this big creative cycle that I'm nuts for. I've already read like three times as much as I did all last year, and if you know me...I'm a reader. Give me a well-written book, essay, article, whatever, and I'll soak up every last bit of it. I'm happy to say I'm in an incredibly satisfying, rewarding place right now.

As I fill you in on everything I've "survived" the past few weeks, despite the fact that they've been extremely demanding and exciting, I can't help but feel like they're pretty insignificant compared to what this weekend represents. What I'm really thinking about right now, or trying to find time to think about, is what my city survived 10 years ago. It's a very strange feeling to be busy at times like this - times that demand reflection, introspection, respect - I feel a bit like a jerk for not acknowledging it the way so many are; hopefully writing some thoughts here right now will help with that.

I still remember very clearly where I was when I found out about the attack on the World Trade Center: AP World History with Mrs. Reynolds on the day of my sophomore homecoming assembly. Our AP Economics teacher, Dr. McMann, came into our room, and as I remember it, without saying anything turned on our classroom TV to live footage of the first tower billowing smoke. I'm not sure how long it took for everything to sink in, but I remember watching the second plane hit and I just couldn't fathom what this meant for our country - war was (and still is, despite the past decade) such an abstract concept to me. I remember not being able to stop myself from thinking about what it must be like to be in those buildings or on those planes right then; I was terrified beyond comprehension. And so overwhelmed at the thought of so many lives, families, communities being completely torn apart by the few seconds I'd just viewed through the comfort of a television screen. Now I think about how emotional that event was, and is, for me, despite the fact that I had no real connection to NY, and I wonder what it must be like for people who were here ten years ago - people who had to get themselves out of their homes and back into some semblance of their life pre-attack, had to push through the terror that engulfed the city, and had to band together...I know a few people who are being hit pretty hard by memories and emotions this weekend, which is part of what has prompted me to make sure I find this outlet - so this anniversary doesn't go unrecognized, or my thoughts unsaid. I hope I never have to see something so devastating again.

this is the week my worlds collide

2011-08-21T21:53:00.003-05:00

top to bottom: the taco truck outside my summer office (delicious), Mulberry's SoHo signage that I get to walk by in the morning, Lili being irresistible

sights from Overlook Farm in Rutland, MA - I just could NOT get enough of the baby bunnies!

Okay, that post title may be a little dramatic, but it's true - this week will be my first week wearing all my new hats (student, intern, teaching assistant, and committee member). Classes don't start until next week, so the planning meetings and orientation I have this week will be a little test-run to see how easy or difficult it is to switch from one mindset/role to another...it may be the start of an 8-month test-run. Eep. I'm a little nervous. Actually, a lot nervous but telling myself that I'm not, and that none of these things are new to me – I just haven't done them all at once. I want so badly to accomplish what I'm setting out to accomplish, and I'm really hoping I can find a way to put self-care first, then time management, then expectations. This is all in an effort to do what makes me happy, and to find my strengths within what makes me happy, so I'll have to turn that into my personal mantra for a while.

I was talking to someone in my office about how this time of year always makes me think of running to Target with my school supply list and picking up new bottles of Elmer's glue, fresh markers and crayons (yessssss), and notebooks (I was, and still am haha, verrrry picky about which notebooks I chose; those would define how I wanted classmates to perceive me for the entire year, and I'd have to bear looking at them for a solid 8 months - that's a big deal! I should note, this is the pressure I placed on that decision when I was as young as seven. I think I ended up in the right field). This is one of my favorite times of year - there's still the anticipation of new ideas, challenges, unfamiliar faces, and of the adventures that come from jumping into those new things. In Iowa, this is when it started to smell different outside - the occasional whiff of Fall and a fresh crispness in the air. Ohh, I love it so much. It also happens to be when my birthday lands, so I'm sure that has something to do with my love of the cusp between Summer and Fall.

I still feel a little of that anticipation and swelling of glee in my chest; it's so nice to actually be going back to school and not just continuing the same 9-6 schedule that doesn't react to the seasons. One thing that hasn't changed since I was little: I'm still one of the only people I know who gets this excited about going back to school. I may never understand that. I can't wait, even if I am feeling a little apprehensive. My enthusiasm comes down to the fact that I like who I am when I'm in a classroom - I'm present, thoughtful, and I generate ideas like crazy. I get a thrill from the dynamic of being around other people who are "on" and hearing their thoughts; I love having big, complex questions asked of me. There are few things that I find more satisfying than a solid group discussion in an academic setting. Yes, I am that dorky. You may laugh/smirk/cringe now.

On a very, very different note, I guess I should explain why, when I live in NYC, I have photos from a farm here. Well, I trekked up to central Mass. last weekend to visit Cal, an old friend who's volunteering at one of Heifer's educational farms. What's funny is that it made me recall a lot of stuff from home that I'd forgotten; I don't have any distinct memories of going to farms, learning about farms, etc., but when I was there the setting felt realllly familiar. The area was beautiful, the animals cracked me up (especially the curious little baby bunnies - we took them out and played with them in the grass - they're fast little buggers!), and the air smelled soooooo good. It was a really nice break from NYC, and so home-like to spend a weekend with a friend who's known me for years, and been through so much with me. Mmm. I wish it were easier to do that more often.

I didn't consciously think of this until recently, but I don't know anyone here who knew me before I moved out East; I don't even spend time with anyone who knows what the Midwest is like. That never bothered me, and still doesn't, but I think I realized in the past week how grounding it is to spend time with people with whom I have a shared history. Of course, I'm making history right now, and it's not like the people I know here don't know me...it's just different than someone who knew me before I am who I am today. There's a lot to be said for understanding where someone's come from, and a lot to be said for the comfort that comes from knowing that the other person has that understanding.

A few of my favorite things lately:

Listening to new-to-me tunes: Stornoway, Johnny Flynn & Laura Marling (isn't he cute?!), and Mumford & Sons (love the set design in their video)
Losing myself in tumblr and but does it float
Smuttynose IPA
The grilled shrimp and vermicelli noodle salad from Gourmet Garage (best miso dressing I've ever tasted!)
Shape magazine's workout apps
A little girl on the subway who plunked down next to me and decided to share, among other tidbits, that she does NOT like raisins (I was eating raisins at the time)
Dia Frampton's voice
This funky licorice-type candy I brought back from Holland (I've managed to make the little bag last over 4 months - hopefully I'll be able to go again in the spring and can stock up...yes, I know I'm crazy)
MoMA store cashiers who lend me their scissors and tape so I can wrap my own darn gift to avoid the $5 gift wrap charge
Suits, the sort-of-new show from USA Network
Polka-dot manicures
Painfully cold water (another heat wave is moving through NYC.....)

big life

2011-07-31T00:01:00.003-05:00

I will never, ever tire of looking at big Iowa skies and fields. Aren't they gorgeous? I got to take a couple quick trips home this summer, and I've been treasuring the photos I brought back with me.

In my last post I was in such a different place than I am now! I was in the throws of the end of semester and unsure of what to expect of the summer but looking forward to it. Somehow it's the last day of July and I haven't reported on my summer at all...it's been eventful, thought-provoking, sweaty, short, and extremely motivating.

Right after school ended, I my grandma passed away, and while it wasn't completely unexpected, it wasn't something I'd really prepared for. I'm still not sure if I've really wrapped my mind or heart around the eternal aspect of her leaving. I don't think eternity's one of those things one can grasp easily, so I think I'll just keep acknowledging the little realizations I have at random moments and maybe at some point all of those little bits will build something complete.

It was nice being home for a bit and soaking up all the little things that make it home. I love living in the City, but I definitely miss big skies and vast expanses of land - I spent some time in Prospect Park last weekend and it fed a little bit of my nature craving. I also learned about some sort of game that involves dressing up in Dungeons & Dragons-like gear and fighting until all the players are dead? It was quite nice.

So, I kind of skipped over the fact that I finished my first year of grad school in May. It was a wonderful year; I honestly can't believe that so much has happened between now and last August. I just spent a little time reading through the blog posts I've written since I moved to NYC, and I'd forgotten how nervous I was about going back to school and living in the City, how I'd questioned whether I was in a place where I could handle all of it. I think I shocked myself. I think I got a little lucky. And...I think I'm loving all of it. I ended the year with coursework I was proud of, which alone is a lot to ask for, but I've had a lot of great things pop up since May too.

As soon as the semester ended, I installed an exhibition that presents documentation of the course I helped develop (the one that sent me to The Netherlands this spring), and it'll be up at Pratt all summer. Since this was the first time the course had been taught, the exhibition introduces the course to the department, shows off the work we created, the discussions we had, the trip we took, and also gave me a chance to revisit the entire process of working on the course and soaking up Dutch design culture. I hope it makes sense to people who weren't involved in the course, and I hope it's a fraction as interesting to other people as it is to me. I spent the spring trying to figure out how to facilitate conversations between students in Breda, Holland and here at Pratt; I got to spend a few months talking about my hopes and aspirations and hearing about others'; I worked with a professor who acknowledged my efforts, respected my opinion, and gave me a lot of responsibility...it was great. I already knew that I get a lot of satisfaction out of helping others organize their thoughts and listening to what they really care about; that's a huge aspect of my role in this class, and it reinforced the fact that I should keep looking for opportunities to take on that role. The best part: I get to TA for it again next spring!

Accordingly, for the coming year I have another role to look forward to: I'll be VP of a four-person committee that acts as a liaison between the administration and the students in my program. Our first task: organize a successful student orientation in August (how to cut through all those awkward, jittery nerves that come with large groups of people who don't know each other but really want to??...we'll see what we come up with). I'm verrry excited about this because I feel like the four of us really want to make a difference, and I think we're all more than capable of doing so - as long as that whole full-time student thing doesn't get in the way. Regardless, it feels good to have so much to look forward to, and to have so many fewer unknowns at the beginning of this academic year compared to the last.

As for what I'm up to right now, I started an internship a few weeks ago at a branding studio, and I LOVE it. I have such a great time getting up in the morning and going to SoHo; the people in my office are hilarious, hard-working, kind, extremely intelligent, and international; I'm enjoying the projects I'm working on; and I feel like I'm in a really good position to develop the career I aspire to. I'm not sure I've ever had that feeling of confidence regarding a my professional future - it's indescribably great.

These guys keep me company at my desk.

Now, I have some pretty remarkable news: Lili has somehow recovered. In March I wrote about her diagnosis of kidney failure and the trials of accepting it. Well, in June I took her in for her 3-month check-up and got her bloodwork done. Back in March, when I got her test results, the doctor said that the treatments I needed to give her would slow down the kidney failure, but because the kidneys aren't organs that heal, she could never improve. So of course, when I went in in June, I'd prepared myself for worse numbers, but she'd been acting a lot more energetic and I'd been doing my best to spend more time with her; I just hoped the numbers weren't too bad. Imagine my shock when the vet, looking somewhat emotional, called me in to talk to her about Lili's test results and started circling numbers on the test sheet, exclaiming, "Look at these!!! LOOK at these numbers!!!" I of course had no idea what they meant, so I had to say so and she explained that Lili's numbers were back in a normal range, that everything pointed to healthy, functional kidneys. The vet looked like she was about to cry, and said that she'd never seen anything like this before; she kept saying, "This is my first one! This is my first one!" I now refer to Lili as Wonder Kitty and have absolutely no idea what to think of this entire situation, except that I'm extremely thankful, and I'm not quite sure I believe it...there's such a big part of me that feels ridiculous about how important she is to me and how much comfort she provides. It feels too good to be true to have so many things going well right now - from school, to work, and now to Lili.

I spotted the top portrait in May while I was walking down 23rd St. in Chelsea, chatting on the phone with a friend; a couple weeks ago, I was on the phone with the very same friend and happened upon the lower portrait - down in SoHo! I'm so excited; I hope there are a gazillion more for me to discover.

Now that I've thoroughly filled you in on my academic, professional, personal, etc. dramas I think I'll sign off with a simple list of my current favorite things:

Getting asked for directions by tourists and finally knowing the answers (in the past week: "Where should I get off if I want to go to SoHo?" "Here! Go up those steps and you'll be on Broadway!" "Is there a deli open that way?" "No, but if you turn around and go halfway up the next block there's a 24-hour one that has everything you'd need." "If I want to go to W4th, can I get on this train?" "At this hour, all the trains that stop here will go to W4th - you'll be just fine!")
Wearing neon pink lipstick
Re-reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series and enjoying it just as much, if not more, as the first time...enough that I almost miss my stop
Munching on Trader Joe's Peanut Butter Cups Trax Mix while I work at studio
Connie Britton as Tami Taylor in Friday Night Lights
Going to work in SoHo and seeing all the beautiful, eccentric fashionites when I grab lunch
Dean & Deluca lattes
Playing Words With Friends with some of my favorite people who are 1,000+ miles away
Kiwi fruit
Meeting up with friends post-work and wandering around new neighborhoods, discovering cute little bars
Ginger kombucha, tea, candy...anything ginger
Free air conditioning (temps in NYC hit 114 degrees Farenheit the other day!)

in my head

2011-04-04T00:51:00.000-05:00

Here's a peek at some of the work I've done this semester - and a quick explanation, from top to bottom: a typographic representation of a city from Italo Calvino's Invisible Cities in the form of a 26-page book printed on mylar and "bound" by a screw post, four exhibition catalog covers for shows from the past (all curated by Terri C. Smith), and an experimental grid exercise set on a 7-panel accordion-fold spread. I can genuinely say I enjoyed coming up with each one, which is nice.

I've had my mind on the significance of my field quite a bit lately, and I feel this urgency to figure out what I want to accomplish not only in the next two years I'm in school, but far beyond that. That mindset kind of goes against what I've been trying to do the past year or so: focus on the present moment and what I can and cannot control in it...so I am, in a way, at odds with myself (is that possible?). Not only is that urgency pushing me to research, ask questions, seek answers, and challenge myself, but it's really focusing my thoughts on myself and really cerebral concepts...which I also don't like, because I feel like I create distance between myself and others when I'm in stuck in my little ol' head! Blagh! You can read more on those thoughts here.

I don't know if it's because I've kind of been in my head, or because the weather just can't buck up and stay warm, or something else, but I have been so incredibly antsy lately! I just want to run all over the place and do new things and explore the city and goof around...that doesn't really sound like it agrees with the focused/isolated state I just described myself as being in, but it does...I like to go out and do stuff on my own, and as I do, I'm usually pondering the big seemingly important issues of the moment.

Oh summer, come now, won't you? Then I can while away the hours as I please...unless I get an internship, which I actually need to do; then I'll probably be in just as cerebral a place as now. Hmm.

a calm moment at home

still here

2011-03-26T23:33:00.008-05:00

Well, hello there! Bet you thought I forgot about this space. I didn’t, I assure you. I’ve just chosen not to prioritize it lately; not because I don’t love sharing with you, but because I’ve been in a little over my head here and when I’ve felt like sharing, I’ve needed a live person either in front of me or over the phone. So while I do hear from some of you, which is wonderful, I have to be honest and let you know it’s not quite what I’ve needed as of late. On the other hand, I love that when I write here it often helps clarify some of my thoughts and provides a bit of a record of my life, so here I am.

a night view from my Amsterdam room, and the pic above was taken there too

Anyway, enough of that. Let me fill you in on what I’ve been up to! My year started off with some extreeeeeemely good news (very much related to my last post, and very much to do with how I will be earning my degree...), so I can’t imagine a better way to jump back into the fold. This semester I’m a Teaching Assistant for a professor I have an immense amount of respect for—I had him last semester and immediately connected with his teaching style and way of relating to people on their own level—so it’s a pretty awesome opportunity to work with him this semester. In my program, graduate TA’s don’t teach a course as if they were a tenured professor (unlike my undergraduate program); we’re there as another critical resource for the students in the class, and in my case, since the course I’m working on is a Special Projects course (it’s new, and intended to be held just this once), I was kind of the guinea pig in preparation for presenting the material to the class. The entire experience has been wonderful. We’ve been collaborating with students in Breda, Holland for the past eight weeks, and I just got back last week from 7 days visiting them and The Netherlands. Ohhhhhh, it was such a treat... I would have gladly stayed much longer. I enjoyed so many layers of bliss, haha...there was, of course, the normal pleasure of taking a break from my everyday stresses and routine; then there was the joy of discovering the little quirks and treasures of Amsterdam and Breda; and finally it was such a treat to meet talented, much-respected, kind, and humble designers in The Netherlands who were more than happy to talk to me and genuinely hear me out on my thoughts on design—that’s what felt most special about the entire experience. All in all, I came back a very satisfied girl, if a bit less than enthusiastic to be amongst the chaos and scum of NYC that I didn’t miss in Europe. A few pics:

Oh! I almost forgot—on my way over to The Netherlands, I had an 8-hour layover in Dublin, and it was fantastic! I’m half Irish, and I’ve always had this nagging curiosity about Ireland (well, I still do, but the nag’s not quite as strong now); the layover was completely unintentional, and it wasn’t really until a couple days before my flight that I registered that may actually be able to see a good bit of Dublin, but once it sunk in, I couldn’t wait to get over there. I landed at about 5:30 in the morning, accidently a little drunk from my sleeping pills (I failed to consider the 5-hour time difference between NYC and Dublin, and of course thought I was going to be on a much longer flight...that’s what too much work does to the brain...knocks out any sense of logic), but as soon as I saw a jolly little Irish customs official waving and smiling at me, I perked right up. Have you ever met a genuinely friendly—even witty—customs official at 5:30 in the morning? I have not, and never would have expected to, but now that Irishman has set a pretty high standard for customs officials worldwide. I still wasn’t completely convinced that I should venture into the city (if the Dublin transit system’s website was as cooky as MTA’s, I didn’t want to depend on it), so I tentatively asked him if he would mind giving me a few tips—he seemed tickled to do so. I wondered if it was safe to take a bus in and explore if I had a 13:00 flight, and he seemed overjoyed that I was considering it (I hope that’s not because their economy’s struggling so much, because I’m pretty sure I only spent about ten euros in Dublin), and then, this is the funny part--when I asked him what time the sun was rising lately, this was his exact response: “Oh, well now; now we’re getting into dungeon time,”and he chuckled a bit before suggesting 7:30 or 8 (it was up by about 6:30, thank goodness—it was hard to take pictures and stay warm while it was so dark out). Anyway, what in the world do you think “dungeon time” means?! I still have no clue, but the remark sure made me laugh. He offered a little more help, then sent me on my merry way. Nearly everyone I interacted with had that jolly attitude—that, or I was projecting it on them because the Irish accent just sounds so darn happy...

If you’re friends with me on facebook, you can find most of my photos from the trip, and read my captions (once I get around to writing them, oops).

Earlier I mentioned that it was nice to take a break from the stresses of life here. Well, I wasn’t only referring to schoolwork. Among other things, right before the trip I received some really difficult news: Lili, my ten year-old cat, has kidney failure. Unfortunately, the kidneys are not organs that recover from damage—they just continue to get worse, and apparently this disease is fairly common in cats...but I’d never heard of it, and I certainly wasn’t expecting that diagnosis when I thought all she had was a stomach bug. After some serious thinking, I decided to put her on a treatment that involves twice-daily pills and every-other-day fluids through an IV (as you can imagine, she’s not exactly enthusiastic, let alone cooperative with the IV). For now, she seems to be living a comfortable life—I honestly can’t tell she’s sick at all, which is comforting in a way, but still very painful when I have my [relatively frequent] reality checks that she’s not the perfectly healthy little kitty I always thought she was. There have been a couple especially hard points in this whole diagnosis/treatment process—the first, when I didn’t realize how helpful the treatments really could be for her, and I thought I would have to put her to sleep almost immediately; that was an extremely difficult and shocking position for me to be in—to one day think I have a healthy companion, and the next feel responsible for giving or taking her life when she still seemed fine...ugh, I think I spent about twelve hours crying until a close friend told me about how common kidney failure is, and how, depending on her stage, she could have quite a lot more comfortable, happy time ahead of her. That helped so much. The second, was that I was worried it was something I caused because of my hectic and inconsistent schedule and the fact that she’s confined to a single room now. I’d been worrying and feeling guilty for a while that maybe she wasn’t getting as much affection as she needed, or was used to...but my friend assured me that just as kidney failure is common, it’s also nothing I caused. Lifting my responsibility for her disease and life helped a lot, but it’s still really hard to know, deep down, that her time here is going to be much more limited than I wanted to imagine. I often worry about sounding like a crazy cat lady because I love her so much, but I’m going to set that aside and just ask you to humor me on this one. She’s a wonderful pet, and an extremely comforting companion. Just to prove my point, as I typed that last sentence, she crossed the room, jumped up on the bed, and snuggled into my lap. See, she’s that good. I think my relationship with Lili is pretty special—she’s been around since I was fourteen, so she’s been a part of a lot of different stages in my life, and seen me through some especially difficult times. It may sound sappy, but I thought she’d be the pet who got to see me “grow up”—you know, the one who would still be with me when I settle down and possibly even when I start a family...she’s been healthy her whole life, and is still a pretty spunky sickling, so in my idealized version of reality, she was totally going to be the 24 yr-old cat that my husband and young child[ren] loved/resented, haha. Is that crazy? Apparently, yes. But it’s still a little hard to accept. For now, I’m just trying to give her as much love as possible each day.

whoa!

2010-12-04T02:19:00.016-06:00

What I'd like a little more of...

That's all I can eek out right now: whoa! Okay, maybe more than that, for your sake...because it'd probably be frustrating for you to see that I have a new post and then realize I didn't say anything. Let me elaborate...

I'm less than two weeks away from Survey--when I have to present my entire semester's worth of work to my department. And I'm in the middle of four disparate and extensive projects. And I barely put any time into any of them the past ten days because I was scrambling to put together an application to transfer into Pratt's MFA program in Communications Design (right now I'm in the Master of Science, which I'm loving, but the MFA has a greater emphasis on theory and abstract, conceptual projects, with the intention of preparing students to teach, which is all a better fit for my interests). I didn't really have an up-to-date portfolio--definitely nothing I was happy with, anyway--so I worked through Thanksgiving and poured a lot of sweat into building something I was proud to submit. And you know what? I did! For the first time, I felt like I gathered a body of work that I wasn't embarrassed to present. I've always been shy about sharing my work, never confident that I have anything valid to show. But I felt different this time, and it was such a great feeling.

I've had that same feeling a lot the past few months, and I think I bring it up almost every time I post...partly because I want to reassure those who read this that I'm doing well and am happy, and partly because I'm just so thankful be content and excited about my daily life. I am insanely busy, and there are definitely drawbacks to that (no time for exploring, no time for friends, no time for weekends away), but I love what I'm doing. I can see my work improving every week, I get to learn new things about the field every day, I am in a very positive, constructive environment, and the people in my program are incredibly sweet, conscientious, talented, motivated, and funny people; I absolutely love working with them. I feel very fortunate indeed.

Here are a few pages from my portfolio, if you'd like to see!

Typographic Exploration

Twelve of thirty typographic compositions meant to encourage the exploration and discovery of uses of type through individual letters, words, graphic elements, textures, and the pairing with image.

Crossover Creativity and Reflective Illustrations

With this six-page book, illustrations of the myriad and unique ways in which people interact and move through New York City are juxtaposed with texts from Mark Twain and Stephan Sondheim where the authors ponder unavoidable impersonal experiences within this community of eight million people. The purpose of this assignment was to learn how to manage and produce files with crossovers in the spreads.

Exploring Process Through Form, Pattern, and Collage

The challenge of the first project of Visual Communications 1 was to spend six weeks translating an object through form, pattern, and collage as a means to develop a process of working methodically, refine observation and analytical skills, and examine abstraction as a tool to clarify, among other things. The resulting product is a very layered, non-linear visualization of process—through a set of 15 cards and a poster. The cards are divided into three groups, each representing explorations of form, pattern, and collage. The image pairings within the cards signify which drawings inspired certain patterns, and which patterns inspired certain elements of the collage. The poster also represents each stage in the exploratory process, but while the cards communicate “aha” moments through juxtaposition, the poster uses scale to illustrate which patterns, drawings, and collage inspired new interpretations of the object.

I hope you enjoy looking at a bit of what I've been doing--I'd love to hear what you think.

My friend Emily showed me this the other day--I've been watching it whenever my brain gets stuck:

And I've been listening to Patrick Park's Blackbird Through the Dark album nonstop:

balanced, my foot

2010-11-06T22:24:00.007-05:00

I jinxed myself. I no longer have the awesome balance of excitement and the mundane. It's all excitement (read: stress), all the time. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love everything I'm doing--I'm just missing sleep a little right now. Actually, I miss it a lot. Above are some of the little sketchbook exercises I've done lately--my bits of respite from more intense work. The top is a composition I came up with after being asked to create something in only white (it looks nice when backlit too, but I keep forgetting to photograph it that way), and the lower pic is a color study (sorry it's fuzzy...honestly, I wasn't motivated to set up a tripod just to shoot an exercise)--practice matching colors in a found ad, and suggested good/bad additions to the existing palette (good = lower left, bad = lower right; one color at a time, not all four). Isn't that Gucci ad delicious? The colors are so saturated--I had such a good time just scribbling away with colored pencils...that's what I call meditation. I'm in the middle of producing a little book of illustrations, and hopefully it will be in a state to share soon--I think that's a bit more interesting than these exercises. I'm also trying to write and produce a short book (10 pages, mainly imagery) on typographer Colin Brignall, and I'm having a rough time finding published material on him. Only one of the journals Pratt has access to briefly mentions him in a short article. This guy won the incredibly prestigious Gold Medal awarded by the Type Directors Club, and yet nothing substantial is written on him! If anyone has suggestions...let me know.

I desperately don't want to become a "cranky New Yorker," but today I had one of those days...a day that made me wonder why there aren't more pissy, grumbly curmudgeons in this city. I spent a good eight hours in the studio, chugging away on my work, and then intended to head to a friend's place for dinner and more work...so I sauntered down to the 1, swiped my card, and waited on the tracks for a while...only to notice, after about ten minutes of waiting too long, a sign stating that the 1 would not be stopping at 18th street this weekend, thank you very much. So I took an express train to the next station and tried to transfer to the PATH. Except the PATH train is ridiculously hard to find if you've never taken it from 14th and you have a wool scarf on that's boiling your brains but you don't want to take it off for fear of losing it like the one you lost two days ago in a frantic transfer to the E train. Needless to say, I found my train. And then I proceeded to get off at the wrong stop (see above: boiled brains). Luckily, several fantastic events followed: 1) The previously frigid air felt fantastic (again, I was boiling underground); 2) I ended up surfacing next to one of my favorite pet stores (they always have French bulldogs in the window!!!); and 3) I brushed shoulders with Joanna and Toby and nearly fainted. She's the blogger who got me into blogging! I hope I don't sound too creepy...

I know he looks a little sad, but he was just too, too cute not to cheer me up.

If this post makes me sound a little rattled, it's probably because I am. But life is so good; I had a chance to see Dr. Anna Akbari, Marian Bantjes and Bruce Mau speak this past week, which sent my thoughts racing at about 1,000 miles per hour the entire week, I may get to be a TA next semester for an inspirational professor, a dear old friend was just in town, and my biggest struggle right now is harnessing all my ideas before they've faded.

That makes me happy.
As do sparkly lights on cozy little stoops.

And playing with type.

thoughts of late

2010-10-17T21:55:00.001-05:00

It's [past] time for another dump! Want to hear something funny? If I go too long between posts, I start craving time to sit down and share here. I hit that point today--I couldn't focus on any more grids, type, photos, or layouts, until I combed through my latest photos and reflected on what's happened since I last wrote.

Do you think Lili's actually looking at anything? Sometimes she does this--hunkers down and stares at what seems to be nothing. Maybe she's like me and needs time for reflection?

If you asked me what my favorite part of life in NYC is, I'd probably say how darn easy it is to find interesting events to attend--any night of the week, in any field of interest. I could happily exhaust myself by going to everything I'm interested in...but I don't. Because I like rest and sanity.

A few weeks ago I stopped at the AIGA: 365/31 Annual on opening night, and it was a bit of a madhouse. I love seeing who comes out for these things, but I was a little disappointed I couldn't see much of the work! I should have known, after working on exhibitions the past few years, that it's almost impossible to actually see any work at the opening. I also couldn't snag Milton Glaser for a photo op--just had to gaze from about 10 feet away. Creepy? No way...

A couple weeks ago I spent a quick weekend in Chicago, and you can bet yer booty I got my hands on deep dish pizza while I was there! LouMalnati's makes one of my FAVORITE pizzas in the whole world...and that hyperbolic statement is totally appropriate, because the pizza's amazing. Oh, and I also caught up with my wonderful friend Rachel who's there for med school. That was nice too. Hehe, actually, it was more than nice--there's nothing better (not even deep dish) than great conversation with someone who just *gets* you.

The stunning location of my oldest friends' wedding (the reason I ventured to Chicago): the Cheney Mansion.

Last night, Emily and I went to see Los Campesinos at the Music Hall of Williamsburg--SO GOOD! I somehow had never made it to Williamsburg, so finally seeing the neighborhood was a treat in itself, but combined with delicious margaritas and the introduction to a great band...what a night! Want to hear something a little weird? The venue smelled good. Yea. Who's ever heard of a good-smelling concert? Not that I minded...it just threw us for a loop...And I wanted to share.

On another note, do you really think the Department of Homeland Security would have a license plate that reads "The Law"? Aren't they supposed to be humorless? And if it's not really a DHS plate, how does one get away with driving around with a fake plate?

I feel like my life is a pretty great balance of excitement and the mundane--but I don't really share, or even reflect on, the mundane part. Isn't that a little strange to realize? For someone who treasures my moments of quiet, and having a routine, I don't necessarily think that's what others want to know about me. A dear friend of mine just sent me an email update, and she included a lot of the "little" things that, to me, were really big; I could actually picture her daily life, and knowing that she was excited about finding cheap brownie mix made me feel that much closer to her...so for those of you who I wish were actually a part of my daily life, here's a peek of the less exciting stuff.

Every time I walk to the neighborhood grocery store (fantastically name Super Foodtown), I try to make sure I give a moments' thought to a cute little set of paw prints in the sidewalk. There's something so precious about them that's heightened by their proximity to the rough construction paint, gritty cement, and heavy pipe cover. Don't ask me how I spotted them in the first place (maybe my bad habit of looking everywhere but directly in front of me when I'm walking?).

My favorite part of coming home after a trip to Super Foodtown: trail mix that still has raisins & candy in it! I practically live off of mixed nuts, and of course I eat the raisins and candy first...

(completely unrelated to my eating habits: why do so many people wear Chuck Taylors??? Obviously I own a pair, but every time I put them on I immediately want to rip them off--they're so uncomfortable!)

One of the greatest challenges of studying design, for me, is explaining to others what exactly that means...it's so all-encompassing that I haven't found a one-sentence explanation for it yet. But I will! And when that day comes, I will share. Until then, the best I can do is show you some of the projects I'm working on and try to illustrate the greater purpose of them...I hope you find it interesting!

For my Visual Communications class, I get to spend an entire semester focusing on how little details in a piece impact the way a viewer perceives it. Our first project involved working with a random object for about 6 weeks--we had to draw it using a variety of materials and focusing on different aspects of the object, which ultimately was supposed to reveal how to effectively communicate weight, texture, form, function, among other aspects, without using words; we also played with patterns and collage (I LOVED the pattern part...I can't stop thinking in patterns now, haha). Our final challenge was to represent our entire process through two representations: 1) a literal illustration of how we explored our object, and 2) a translational illustration. We could do this through two of either a poster, set of cards, book, or animation. I chose the cards and poster, and above are the pieces I presented for review a couple days ago. I have a few changes to make, but they're almost finished.

When I share work like this, I never really know if it's interesting to people who aren't in design--I've lived with this project for so long, that it's so hard for me to rewind and consider what projects like this actually look like to others. I look at it, and I think about the little adjustments I want to make, the little lessons I've learned ("don't forget texture" for instance; or, "a touch of hand-drawn keeps this approachable," even, "this isn't straightforward enough for a logo, but for an accent pattern...yes!"). Do those thoughts seem completely obscure to you? I'm curious.

You can read more about my projects and thoughts on design-related stuff here, if you'd like.

(by the way, that window-shot is the view from one of my classrooms; the gold building is an elementary school, which sometimes has little ones playing in its "schoolyard" several stories above ground; I try not to let it distract me)

This is what my room looks like right now...oh man, I could spend days on end in that bed; it's so comfy.

Lili's favorite spot. She's been curled up right here for a majority of the time I've spent writing this post. I'd forgotten how insanely cuddly she is--with all the heat we've had the past few months, neither one of us wanted to snuggle up, but with the relief of Fall air she and I have been clocking in a lot of time together. I love it. Oh Lili, what would I do without you? Now I just have to find a way to keep you from asking for food every 30 minutes and you'll be the perfect companion!

a full life

2010-09-25T17:07:00.000-05:00

A good friend of mine and I were talking a couple weeks ago about our current state of things, and she mentioned that she feels like, for the first time in a long while, she's in a place where she can finally give back--emotionally--to others. That completely resonated with me--she said it, and a little *ping* went off in my head and I thought "YES!". We've both gone through some trials the past year; trials that have left us a bit spent and just kind of shells of our selves...but now we're back. I've spent a good amount of time the past month reflecting on how well my transition to NYC has gone, and how shocked I am that I'm already having such a wonderful time (largely without pangs of loneliness or moments of panic)...and while I think there are numerous reasons for why that is, I'm sure the largest ingredient is just how available I am to experience all of it--I'm not a shell anymore. For me, that's huge! A large part of my personality yearns for strong connections, sharing a lot about myself, and having something to offer (this could possibly stem from the 14 years I spent being painfully shy, haha)...and for a while those were missing in my life because I just couldn't hold up my end. Suddenly, they're back--I'm back! It's fantastic.

Life is feeling very, very full--my courses are stimulating, rewarding, and encouraging (much of what I expected from this return to school); I'm having a great time meeting new people and checking in with old friends; the city is so much fun to explore. The possibilities of discovery feel so wonderfully endless.

Let me give you a brief overview of everything picture above--top to bottom. A few weeks ago my dear friend Callie stayed with me for a night on her way to Spain (!!!); we went for some strolls, happened upon puppies, a red dress, and good food (not pictured: great convo and laughs!). I went to CT on the heel of her visit to see my friend Terri's exhibition "In the Company Of..." which is a really thoughtful, intentional show inspired by Andy Warhol's approach to integrating social structures into his practice that examines contemporary artists who have similar patterns in their work. I also got to see another friend's exhibition of photography, but my darn camera battery died, so I don't have any shots of it. Ergh. The weekend was a blast, and really invigorating--a nice break from city life. Last weekend was kind of a rush of socializing, including drinks and [crazy] good food at The Breslin, the Ace Hotel's bar--I'd been wanting to go for such a long time, and it definitely lived up to my expectations. The decor was beautiful and quirky, the menu...was interesting (think British--ie: sweetbreads) & delicious, and the drinks, divine (I had a really refreshing gin & tonic with cucumber, mint, and something else that was really nice but escapes me). Yesterday I caught CreativeMornings for the first time--to read about that, see my post here, which leads me to a little announcement: I've started another blog! The blog is technically for a class of mine, but I'm going to use it as an opportunity to develop this blog into a more personal space, and the other into a professional outlet. I may not post here as often as I used to, but I'll do my best to make it good when I do!

And now some more puppies, because one can never have enough puppies.

a mega re-cap

2010-08-29T20:01:00.000-05:00

I have completely neglected this blog. I'm sorry! It's been for a very good reason: I'm having a wonderful time--exploring, meeting new people, settling in, pinching myself to make sure it's all real...haha. This first month of living in NYC has felt like a big accomplishment; all the fears, nerves, excitement, dread, giddiness beforehand...have been worth it. You know when you jump into something new, and there's just such an extreme mix of thoughts and emotions flowing through you that it's numbing? That's how I felt before I came, and and I'm kind of thankful for the numbness--it helped me focus on how excited I was, and how empowered I felt to be taking this (what I consider) big jump into a new chapter. I'm only just beginning, but just like I said in the last post, it feels right. There's a lot of opportunity, adventure, lessons to be learned, and hopefully other good things ahead, and I can finally see what some of that looks like! There were a lot of unknowns in my life a few months ago: will I get into grad school? where will I live? what will I do? who will I be spending my time with? will I be happy? And on, and on, and on...but I've finally reached a point where a lot of those questions have been answered (eeee!). With the wonderful freedom from those unknowns, I've been having a good time...let me share. : )

A couple weeks ago I got a fantastic surprise: Rosa--my neighbor freshman year, actually--now lives in NYC!!! We've been catching up over brunches, dinners, shopping, and bowling.

Last week I spent an afternoon with a new friend, and we ended up catching the Lee Bontecou and Matisse exhibits at MoMA. I especially enjoyed Bontecou's show--the curator included a range of her work across several decades ('58 - '98); I liked imagining her working through some nagging issue that kept surfacing in her work. The cherry on top was a concert in the sculpture garden! I couldn't figure out who the group was...they were French, I think?

These are shots from a couple shows at the Delancey, in the Lower East Side. A good friend of mine's son Antonio is in House of La Rosha (bottom pic, on the right), and she's also friends with the drummer in the group in the top picture. I don't think I'd ever been to a gay bar before that, so to be frank, I was a little apprehensive, but after arriving, I just felt silly--I really enjoyed myself, and I'm glad I got to see Antonio perform after spending some time with him outside of performance mode.

One not-so-glamorous part of moving to NYC (or any new place, for that matter): assembling furniture. I'm on a pretty tight grad student budget, and definitely am not attempting to have my own car in NYC...so I bit the bullet and had IKEA ship me a couple items. I spent an entire day assembling a set of drawers (there are so many darn pieces to drawers!) and a desk. Assembled pictures to come--I still need to organize a little more before I want to publicize shots of my living arrangement!

This past Thursday was my birthday. And my first day of orientation for school. So there wasn't a party, but I still had a lovely day! It started with one of the most delicious clementines I've ever had--sweet, juicy, easy to peel...mmm. Because my birthday was on a weekday, and people I know work, I treated myself to lunch! I'd read a good review of The Diner a while ago and decided it would be just right for a celebratory meal--it was a great choice. I snagged a table outside (the weather in NYC was ideal on Thursday), my waiter was great and had a fun sense of humor, and my veggie burger with loads of guac and fresh sprouts was scrumptious! Before orientation, despite it being my birthday, I ran a few errands...something about the Post Office struck me as picturesque, so...there you are. haha

I'm so excited to be going back to school--for the inspiration of working alongside other designers (instead of just seeing finished work), for new ideas, for new people...for all of it...and even more so, now that I've met my classmates and faculty and spent a little more time experiencing the Pratt CommD (Communication Design) program. Thursday night we paid a quick visit to MAD, and while I enjoyed their current exhibitions, my favorite part was meeting the artists in residence and watching their quick demos. I took home one of J. Morrison's prints, which now resides on my wall, right below a huge poster of the subway system.

Now, don't think that just because I celebrated my actual birthday on my own, I didn't eventually get a gang together! Last night a bunch of us (new friends, old friends, friends of friends) went to Republic for dinner and then out to some random bar for drinks. It was a great night.

Tomorrow's my first day of class...and according to several second-year grad students, my Typography prof is a hit! Yay. More to come soon...

a new place called home

2010-08-11T18:58:00.000-05:00

I've been in NYC for nearly a week now, and I've done so much! It's kind of unbelievable. This place still feels very new to me, but at the same time...it feels right. Being here feels right. And that's exciting.

Back to what I've done: I arrived last Thursday, and I couldn't believe how smoothly the whole day went; Lili did great, I made my connecting flight with only a 10-minute gap between my first flight's landing and boarding time, the cabbie who drove me to my apartment was friendly, and my new housemates are very sweet (and guess what? My ceiling is nearly 14 feet high and I have a huge window--I thought that wasn't supposed to happen in NYC?). On Friday I hopped a train to Princeton, New Jersey to visit a friend and his family (so much fun--I'd never spent any time in NJ); we enjoyed some pool time, lots of laughs, and a spontaneous trip to an apple orchard with a cute petting zoo. Saturday I headed to CT to visit the old gang, enjoyed laughing over wine and stories of summer. Sunday I got to spend the evening with my friend and his lovely grandparents (who have a fantastic mid-century modern apartment in Manhattan); it's so nice to know I've already met some wonderful people who will be nearby...for times like today when I suddenly feel lonely in a city of nearly 9 million people. For the past couple days I've been churning out freelance projects and trying not to melt away. The fan in the last picture is all I have right now...and it's so darn hot here. Really. I was spoiled with AC all summer, and now I just can't cool off! Ergh. I could have worse problems.

is it hot out?

2010-08-10T16:20:00.000-05:00

My aunt sent me this, and it's exactly how I feel!

As you can see, I figured out what was up, and can load pictures now. I'll round up some of my favorite shots of the move here and post them tomorrow.

something's up

2010-08-10T14:06:00.000-05:00

For some reason, my photo-uploader isn't working. I have a bunch of great shots of my first few days in my new home, and I can't share them yet! While I'm getting down to this, take a look at Christoph Niemann's blog for the NY Times--it's filled with wit and nice illustrations about his everyday thoughts. I'm off to ~~peruse the archives~~ fix my blog.

this song makes me smile

2010-08-05T00:28:00.000-05:00

soaking up iowa

2010-08-04T17:57:00.007-05:00

I move tomorrow. It's so hard to believe! Twenty-four hours from now, I'll hopefully be arriving at my new apartment in Brooklyn, Lili on my shoulder, and a neighborhood to explore. The past couple weeks have been a whirlwind of wrapping up responsibilities at work, laughing with old friends, packing, and trying to enjoy everything I love about Iowa...including deep-dish pizza. Lots of it, hehe. There are two amaaaazing Chicago-style places in the area, and people are generally divided about which is best--Zoey's or Tomaso's. I love them both. Equally. In my memories, Zoey's was home to the choir crowd in high school; we stopped there after our annual large-group competitions, crowded up to ten people around a little booth, chowed down on deep-dish and laughed for hours. Tomaso's was more of the jock hang-out; I spent a lot of time there with track girls, visited a teammate who worked there, loaded up on carbs, and enjoyed each other's company. It's so nice to have those memories come flooding back! That's one of the things I love about being home.

I have pretty mixed feelings about leaving Cedar Rapids; it's been a very healing summer, and the comfort of being close to home has had a huge part in that. I'm a little nervous about venturing away again, so soon after coming back, but that's always been the plan. Living in NYC is going to be amazing, and there are so many exciting things I can't wait to jump into (for instance, I just signed up for a free seminar with Noble Desktop on using real fonts on the web). I can't wait to fall into even more opportunities...and make new memories.

**afterthought**
Somehow made it through this post without mentioning how wonderful it is to have friends who are still in the area...how did I do that?! They're what has made this summer so absolutely wonderful! I'm not sure if it's common to have friends you've known for 2, 6, 10 years whom you can go without seeing for months or years at a time and then see them and feel like you see them almost every day...but that's how a lot of my friendships are. Whatever did I do to deserve such a gift? I feel so lucky. There's nothing that can replicate the connection with people who knew you when you had to wear headgear at sleepovers, who have seen you snort water out your nose when caught in a laughing fit mid-sip, or who know exactly how to hug in just the way that makes you feel safe and known. It's these people, more than any city or pizza place, that I dread leaving. But the thing is, they're all dispersing this month. So really, this chapter of old friendships rekindled is ending for all of us. Kind of poetic, isn't it?

holy humidity

2010-07-14T17:13:00.002-05:00

It's hotter than dickens out--temps in the upper 90's and humidity around 80%...which, according to the local weather station, means it feels like it's about 110 degrees out. I believe it. And guess what? I decided it would be a good day to wear pants. And didn't leave myself time to change if needed. Fantastic. Luckily the A/C in my office works reallllly well, I don't have to drive around much today, and I have a gym membership so I don't have to go for a run out in the middle of the heat advisory. So really, it's not a big deal. Just fun to ~~complain~~ talk about.

This image from The Big Caption cracks me up, and has for a while now (I secretly keep it on my desktop and open it once in a while just for a good chuckle); it seems appropriate for the mood I'm in today. Not that I would ever kick flowers.

sweet illustrations

2010-07-09T21:01:00.000-05:00

Design*Sponge featured illustrator Jen Corace in their monthly desktop wallpaper series a while back, and I absolutely LOVE the piece she created for them--I had her work on my desktop for at least three months; still kinda wish I did, but I misplaced the file and it's no longer available on the D*S site. Bummer. Anyway, I just got around to checking out more of Jen's work, and I really enjoy all of it! At least what's available to peruse on her site. Gosh, even her site layout is charming.

i'll carry their hearts

2010-07-09T11:22:00.000-05:00

I'm getting ready to move to Brooklyn in a couple weeks, and I'm feeling the pressure to soak up as much Midwestern love as possible before I leave! I keep thinking about the future and what it will be like to start over yet again, and I really hope I'll be able to connect with new friends quickly. I realize it doesn't do me much good to focus on the unknown, but it's still there. This poem, although a bit romantic, haha, is kind of how I feel about leaving friends and family.

I carry your heart with me (I carry it in

my heart) I am never without it (anywhere

I go you go, my dear; and whatever is done

by only me is your doing, my darling)

I fear

no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) I want

no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)

and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant

and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows

(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows

higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)

and this is the wonder that's keeping the starts apart

I carry your heart (I carry it in my heart)

I Carry Your Heart With Me, by E.E. Cummings

giggle

2010-07-08T12:53:00.001-05:00

A friend of mine showed me these drawings by Lars Kreyssig a while back, and I just happened upon them again. I love them! I took a peek at Lars's blog too, and it's a stitch. Definitely one to bookmark. I love to revisit anything that will make me giggle, and these qualify big time.

Hurray!

in memory of the butterflies

2010-07-07T19:50:00.000-05:00

This weekend there were a lot of butterflies fluttering about between Ames, IA and Minneapolis along I-35. I'm afraid I hit quite a few. Each time I saw one coming, I'd look for a way to swerve around it, but most of the time there wasn't a very safe option...so I'd hurriedly check my rearview mirror to see if I could see if it managed to avoid me. Sometimes they did, sometimes they didn't. That makes my heart ache.

photos by irenesuchocki

a comforting gift from a friend

2010-07-06T01:58:00.001-05:00

The Sun woke me this morning loud

and clear, saying "Hey! I've been

trying to wake you up for fifteen

minutes. Don't be so rude, you are

only the second poet I've ever chosen

to speak to personally

so why

aren't you more attentive? If I could

burn you through the window I would

to wake you up. I can't hang around

here all day."

"Sorry, Sun, I stayed

up late last night talking to Hal."

"When I woke up Mayakovsky he was

a lot more prompt" the Sun said

petulantly. "Most people are up

already waiting to see if I'm going

to put in an appearance."

I tried

to apologize "I missed you yesterday."

"That's better" he said. "I didn't

know you'd come out." "You may be wondering why I've come so close?"

"Yes" I said beginning to feel hot

and wondering if maybe he wasn't

burning me

anyway.

"Frankly I wanted to tell you

I like your poetry. I see a lot

on my rounds and you're okay. You

may

not be the greatest thing on earth, but

you're different. Now, I've heard some

say you're crazy, they being excessively

calm themselves to my mind, and other

crazy poets think that you're a boring

reactionary. Not me.

Just keep on

like I do and pay no attention. You'll

find that some people always will

complain about the atmosphere,

either too hot

or too cold too bright or too dark, days

too short or too long.

If you don't appear

at all one day they think you're lazy

or dead. Just keep right on, I like it.

And don't worry about your lineage

poetic or natural. The Sun shines on

the jungle, you know, on the tundra

the sea, the ghetto. Wherever you

were

I knew it and saw you moving. I was

waiting

for you to get to work.

And now that you

are making your days, so to

speak,

even if no one reads you but me

you won't be depressed. Not

everyone can look up, even at me. It

hurts their eyes."

"Oh Sun, I'm so grateful to you!"

"Thanks and remember I'm watching.

It's

easier for me to speak to you out

here. I don't have to slide down

between buildings to get your ear.

I know you love Manhattan, but

you ought to look up more often.

And

always embrace things, people earth

sky stars, as I do, freely and with

the appropriate sense of space. That

is your inclination, known in the

heavens

and you should follow it to hell, if

necessary, which I doubt.

Maybe we'll

speak again in Africa, of which I too

am specially fond. Go back to sleep

now

Frank, and I may leave a tiny poem

in that brain of yours as my farewell."

"Sun, don't go!" I was awake

at last. "No, go I must, they're calling

me."

"Who are they?"

Rising he said "Some

day you'll know. They're calling to you

too." Darkly he rose, and then I slept.

True Account of Talking to the Sun at Fire Island, by Frank O'Hara

independence day and a little freedom from fear

2010-07-05T22:30:00.001-05:00

I'm wrapping up a whirlwind of a weekend in the Twin Cities, and it's been great: a goodbye/space-themed party involving space costumes, a late screening of Spirited Away, an afternoon of chatting at Lake Nokomis, some lounging in the oppressive heat and humidity, and lots of good food, fireworks, and laughter.

Tonight I'm feeling a deep wave of gratitude for the people in my life--friends who are open and honest and genuinely caring. Honesty and trust has been on my mind a lot the past week...about how essential I believe both are, but how difficult they can be to live by. A variety of experiences in the past few months and years have really made me question my innate trust in others (I think it comes from my Midwestern roots); I lost hope in honesty. But this weekend helped remind me that that's not who I am, nor how I want to live. Thank you, dear friends, for showing me that transparency and kindness are still out there, and that I can hope for it in the future.

Holidays are always good for a little reassurance--as I get older and grow out of my childhood excitement surrounding holidays, I feel like the magic of holidays hasn't died, but transformed from excitement to ease. Now I look forward to real conversations, recalling shared memories, familiar infectious laughs, and comforting hugs. Those moments, to me, are magic.

(photos by edmenendez)

flat tire

2010-06-30T16:30:00.000-05:00

I got caught in this storm last Friday night, and as luck would have it, I got a flat tire from driving over an--UNCOVERED--manhole! I was actually pulled over on the side of 35W, about 20 meters outside of this frame (I know I was there when the picture was taken because the interstate was closed after I pulled over, and reopened before I left). Here's a video from that night, taken only a few blocks from "my" manhole. Yikes.

little critters

2010-06-30T15:39:00.001-05:00

These are so beautiful. Photographs from marine biologist Natalia Chervyakova of sea angels and sea devils under the Arctic ice. Images like these make me daydream about mermaids and undersea fantasies.

squeeze

2010-06-28T19:23:00.003-05:00

I just got back from a fantastic weekend in the Twin Cities, and I have some nice pictures I'll share in a bit, but I've been itching to post about these guys before I forget. A good friend and I happened upon a cute little stationary shop yesterday, where she discovered these hilarious stress balls by Cao Maru. They not only make me laugh, but they feel realllly nice. I had so much fun playing with the displays and nosing around the rest of the shop... Faces available online here, and a little background on the faces:

These unique and compelling Cao Maru stress balls were created by Japanese design student, Makiko Yoshida. The odd little faces in the series of four are meant to represent the different faces (not phases!) of the moon, and are made of an extremely pliable polyurethane resin.

The designer of these Cao Maru faces, Makiko Yoshida, graduated from the Design Department of Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music in 2003. She has remarked that her special ability is memorizing people’s faces (but she can’t remember their names!).

soccer typeface

2010-06-24T10:31:00.000-05:00

I've watched a good portion of the 2010 World Cup, and whenever Italy plays I get a little excited--not because I'm a big fan of the team (they're a little overdramatic, no?), but because I love the typeface on the back of their jerseys! Ha! It's similar to Lisboa, which I also like.

venn diagram of life

2010-06-22T14:18:00.001-05:00

I received twice-weekly emails from A Jen Bekman Project, and Wendy MacNaughton's Things Happen was today's. My life feels a bit out of sorts and up in the air right now, so Things Happen hits home. I like Jen's story behind finding the piece so much that I'm going to share it with you!

Summer swelter-y Tuesday greetings, collector friends! I'm really excited about today's edition by one Wendy MacNaughton—a diversely talented, globe-trotting woman who's put her way with words and images to good use for a startling array of worthy causes. Her do-goodery manifests itself in a big picture save-the-world kinda way via humanitarian and civic projects she's done in Africa, while her regular stream of daily observations rendered in pen and ink provide a more meditative day-to-day comfort for behind-the-desk-and-glued-to-a-monitor sorts like myself.

The distinct sense of relief I felt upon discovering Things Happen prompted me to share it on my Tumblr about a month ago and with the internet being the echo chamber that it is, Wendy noticed that I noticed and once I noticed that, we got to chatting via @replies and DMs on Twitter. The next thing you know, we agreed to create a 20x200 edition with the image, which brings us to the here and now. (And she's now very high up on my list of favorite internet friends to boot.)

Perky as my inbox persona may be, my seemingly unbreakable habit of over-extending myself means that I'm often overwhelmed, anxious, stressed-out, snippy and/or downright feeling sorry for myself about the mess I've gotten myself into. I came across Things Happen during one of those low moments, and it both lifted my spirits instantly and became something of a touchstone. Wendy finally puts one of those pesky Venn diagrams to good use, mapping out the circular reasoning that can run one's spirits into the ground in a flash, and in doing it with a bit of playful edge, she makes it easy to laugh at oneself without feeling like too much of a fool. Also, she's right—the fact is that we all divert enormous amounts of energy towards worrying about "all the things you can't do a thing about",
and there's really just a very small slice of it that's worthy of our attention.

Last week was one of those weeks for me—by the time Friday rolled around, I was bone-tired and wrung out and, being a heart-on-my-sleeve kind of girl, it was hard to miss. Near the end of the day, Sara dropped the proof for Things Happen on my desk and said, "I thought you might like to look at this now." I took it home and left it out on my kitchen table all weekend, both to remind me that what Wendy drew was true, and also because
it had me looking forward to this very day, when I'd get to share it with all of you.

And Wendy MacNaughton's artist statement:

Since settling in San Francisco, I have traveled mainly by public transportation where I observe, draw and paint hundreds of my fellow passengers. I also create maps that convey geography as a transient psychological experience, and personal diagrams that plot feelings and thoughts as mathematical territory. This is one of those diagrams.

laptop carriers, covers, and other caretakers

2010-06-21T19:23:00.001-05:00

I'm in the market for a new laptop (before fall craziness hits), and because I've seen what happens to two different laptops over the years, I really want to pick up a few key protective accessories to keep my new investment in top-top shape as long as possible.

Refinery 29 has a really great post on iPad covers today--I followed their [more affordable] sources and all of them make great products for laptops too. Here are some of my favorites (links embedded in images):

i'm back

2010-06-20T18:19:00.002-05:00

...and I'm in Iowa. A lot has happened since I last posted, all of which has sent me to Iowa to soak up time with my favorite midwesterners before Fall...when...drumroll please...I start grad school! Following my big transition, I found out that I was accepted to Pratt's Master's program in Graphic Design, so I am using the summer as an opportunity to spend time with friends and family. Then I'll move to Brooklyn and dive back into the crazy life of a student. I'm really excited about moving into the city--the past couple years in CT allowed me to spend a lot of time in NYC, but nothing like living there. Despite growing up in Iowa and spending lots of summer vacations camping, I love big cities! But for now, I'll be among the fields for a while. I'm working in Ames, IA and for the past month and a half, I've been visiting friends and family in the Twin Cities and Cedar Rapids on the weekends. I feel like the past couple months have gone by in a whirlwind, and I wouldn't be surprised if the next few do too.

From the top: Driving driving driving, a beautiful brunch, with great friends, remains of the banquet, my parents' back yard, beautiful sunset in northern Iowa

bring it, bolivia

2010-03-09T10:20:00.000-06:00

Forecasts for La Paz (above) and Riberalta (below)

Victor and I fly out Friday afternoon for a two-week spring break in Bolivia! I can't wait. Despite the crazy forecasts from weather.com (which I hope are really really wrong). This will be my first time in the southern hemisphere, and most importantly, my first visit to Victor's home town (Riberalta). We'll land in La Paz, spend a few days with Victor's dad's side of the family and seeing sites, then fly up to Riberalta to see V's parents, sister, and nephew, and childhood hotspots. Should be pretty great! I'm going to try to schedule posts for while I'm gone, so stay tuned, and look forward to lots of photographs when I'm back.

alice now

2010-03-08T14:44:00.000-06:00

We went to Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland Saturday night, and it completely met my expectations (in a good way--I set them pretty high). For as long as I can remember, I have loved the story--from Lewis Carroll's book, to Disney's animated film, and so on. I wasn't sure what to expect--I hoped for something as magical as what I imagined when I read the book, something a little more complex than the animated version, and I was pleased by Burton's twist! This version definitely highlights the darker side of Carroll's tale, which wasn't a surprise, but what DID surprise me was the score. I thought the music was beautiful--an aspect I hadn't even considered. I also expected Burton to follow the original storyline, but he didn't--it was Alice's return to Wonderland, which offered him a great opportunity to develop more character depth, and I think that depth became my favorite part. I was a little underwhelmed by the Lord of the Rings-esque landscapes, Anne Hathaway's ditzy depiction of the White Witch, and the slightly muted color palette of the film (the PR images were overly saturated and really fairytale-ish), but all in all, loved the show and would definitely recommend it.

our planet

2010-03-08T13:37:00.000-06:00

Aren't these beautiful? I stared at them for at least 5 minutes straight before looking away. Apparently, they are the most color-accurate shots of Earth to date. I wish I could give you a little more info, and image credit, but I can't figure out where on BBC News I found them.

On another note, if you're reading this after my three-week hiatus, thank you! I needed to take some time to feel out my new venture into freelance, and reflect on the circumstances that brought me to this point, and I definitely have a lot more to digest, but I'm happy now to dive back into blogging.

Isn't it hard to believe that almost all of us are in one of the pictures above (sorry South America, Australia, and the southern bits of Africa)?

valentine's 2010

2010-02-15T21:09:00.000-06:00

We had a great Valentine's Day this year--we spent the morning chilling with Lili, then headed to a cute coffee shop in Fairfield where a bunch of little kids were running around screaming half the time (I caught the little curly towhead as she ran past), then Victor got to work on a surprise dinner. I wanted a "process" shot but got shooed away, haha. Dinner was positively scrumptious: a cheese platter (I was too hungry to photograph that), then an impressive rack of lamb with rosemary-infused potatoes and green beans with toasted almonds, topped off with chocolate-covered strawberries and brownie fudge ice cream (eeek!!!!). It was so good. So. Good. Victor seriously out-did himself. I love him. After dinner we tried to take a commemorative photo, but my darn flash made us blink every time except once--so you get to see our half-open eyes. : ) I also realized that I just shouldn't try to take pictures when I'm hungry and excited. I promise the food looked a lot more appetizing in person!

final touches

2010-02-15T19:46:00.000-06:00

A few days ago I mentioned that I'm going through a big transition. Well, I decided to leave my job. That's my big transition. I decided that I needed to take a risk and try to create more time in my life for producing graphic design. It's a really scary move for me; I'm the kind of person who likes consistency and routine. If I can depend on certain parts of my life to remain the same each day, then I can free up space in my head to focus on other, more exciting and creative ideas. But right now I'm facing a big leap into the unknown. The funny thing is, I'm finding a lot of comfort in my to-do list. All the little things I want to tie up before I leave. My tasks are slowly getting checked off (the list above is only page 1--it fills the next page too), but after Tuesday they'll be done. And then...I'm not sure what my days will look like, or what exactly I'll be working on, but I hope it makes me happy.

Speaking of the future, careers, and hoping to be happy, the BBC has a nice article, When I grow up I'll be a..., about a 50-year study on what helps childhood dreams come true.

rebrand valentine's day?

2010-02-12T21:57:00.000-06:00

Could this possibly become the new symbol of St. Valentine's Day? The new heart and representation of all things lovey-dovey? I'm not sure I buy it, but I sure get a kick out of the idea. Studio 360 challenged Bryony and Armin to rebrand Valentine's Day. No more cupid (Jessica Hische's replacement below is pretty cute though), no more roses, no more bright pink or hearts...it may be a pretty saccharine holiday, but it's fun to get into it once a year, right? Check out the solution. I hope you have a wonderful weekend whether it be full or devoid of all things Valentine-y.

(via swiss miss)

snow days: then and now

2010-02-10T12:54:00.000-06:00

It's snowing like mad in Stamford today, and I'm so excited! We've only had a tiny bit of snow this year, and I'm used to feet upon feet of snow (I grew up in Iowa, then lived in the Twin Cities for a little while, so I expect it to be white 6 months of the year). The picture on top is Victor sledding in the backyard of the house I grew up in (don't let the angle of that shot fool you--the hill is STEEP!)...and the bottom picture? That's our view of today's snowstorm. Haha, not quite so picturesque, but it certainly does feel cozy in our little apartment, and the falling snow is beautiful. I love snow days! I think a batch of hot cocoa and popcorn is in store.

movie crush

2010-02-10T09:52:00.000-06:00

Victor and I rented Pixar's UP over the weekend, and I can't get over how much I enjoyed it! I laughed. I cried. I cheered. I cringed. I admired that Mr. Frederickson's stubble was so well-illustrated. And I fell in love with little Russel. It's a beautiful movie. I highly recommend seeing it if you have not already. Disney seems to be keeping a short leash on the embedding features of the previews, so I had to include stills, but this is the trailer I would have included. Oh, and my favorite thread throughout the movie isn't even included in the trailer, so now you really need to see it.

pretty little things

2010-02-10T08:08:00.000-06:00

I love these rings from mociun. They're familiar, but still feel unique, they're made right in NYC, and they're only a glimpse of a great collection. I chose to limit the post to jewelry, mainly because I go through jewelry phases every now and then, but Alyson Fox's photographs of the bands of color, fall 2009, and spring 2009 collections are also worth a visit.

(via Lena Corwin)

failure and imagination

2010-02-09T20:08:00.000-06:00

I'm going through a pretty big transition right now, which is one reason why I'm having a hard time posting as often as I like, but I also think it's why J.K. Rowling's speech at Harvard's 2009 commencement rang true for me. Titled "The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination," I couldn't agree more with the various points she made. I know this is a little off the beaten path for this blog, but I have a huge amount of respect for Ms. Rowling, and her words affirmed much of what I have been dwelling on the past few months, so I want to share. I hope you enjoy it too.

(via Harvard Magazine on Vimeo)

ccs bard

2010-02-08T10:03:00.000-06:00

Yesterday Victor, Terri, Bernd, and I went to CCS Bard for the grad students' thesis exhibitions. It was my first visit to the Hudson Valley, and it was absolutely gorgeous. Densely wooded hills, beautiful open fields, great views; I grew up in the middle of the woods, on a big hill, with a huge sloping back yard, so I felt right at home. I'm hitting myself for not bringing my camera, but I pulled a few images off Bard's site of bits of campus. The top is Olafur Eliasson's Parliament of Reality, which looks amazing in that shot, but was pretty lackluster in person. It didn't help that it was surrounded in deer fence with a huge sign blocking the entrance that read "KEEP OUT THIN ICE". I also thought Frank Gehry's Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts, which faced the Eliasson, stole the show. Bard doesn't have information on the thesis exhibitions up yet, so I don't want to ramble about them without giving you a solid point of reference!

I hope you had a great weekend--it's always easier to start the week after a couple days' of disconnecting from everything.

bowie meets the presidents

2010-02-04T10:37:00.000-06:00

Hahahaha.

(via The Morale Agency, via tonx)

wallpaper. yes, for walls

2010-02-03T08:08:00.000-06:00

I'm not much of a wallpaper girl (except for my desktop), but these patterns from trove are achingly beautiful.

want

2010-02-02T12:50:00.000-06:00

I will find a use for this, I will find a use for this, I will find a use for this...

(via Mostly Useless Things I Want)

collage crush

2010-02-02T10:33:00.000-06:00

Tilman Daminka's collages. I think they're great, and I especially enjoyed this interview with him over at Not Paper. I've had a long-running love of Willem de Kooning's Seated Woman, which his work reminds me of.

(via Not Paper)

hopefulls

2010-02-02T08:10:00.000-06:00

I would really like to add these to my print collection! Our walls aren't quite covered...

Bold & Noble, Rifle Paper Co.

balloon sound

2010-02-01T20:09:00.000-06:00

I've been wishing I could listen to music on my shuffle without headphones!!! Little did I know how absolutely darling the solution would be. Thank you, twentytwentyone.

(via happy cavalier)

radio silence

2010-02-01T08:29:00.000-06:00

Good morning! Happy Monday and...February 1st (?!?!?)! I'm going to be a little absent today, but I'll be back tomorrow. Have a great day and thanks for stopping by! xo

(photo: radio love by kaylovesvintage, on flickr)

listen, darling

2010-01-29T08:35:00.000-06:00

I'm working on the branding of an exhibition right now, and I'm looking (and looking, and looking, and looking...) to Jack Pierson for a little inspiration.

designing for haiti

2010-01-28T11:26:00.000-06:00

I posted a while ago about a little sign I have on my bulletin board that says "Design Can't Save the World," which I still love, but I do think design has the power to motivate people. The poster project at RISD (above) is one example. To submit your own poster, go here.

I also think these t-shirts by Mike Fretto (below) are a great way to support the relief effort while reminding people that Haiti is still there (I already bought one!).

(via RISD and Pitch Design Union)

sea marks

2010-01-28T09:36:00.000-06:00

The father of a friend of ours just opened an exhibition he's in at the Drawing Center in NYC. I haven't been yet, but it looks great. I can't wait--I love seeing shows, and I love discovering new galleries--double win!

Jerome Marshak, both Untitled, 2009

pechakucha

2010-01-28T08:13:00.000-06:00

I really want to go to PechaKucha New York #8! But it's not yet scheduled. Ergh. There was one in New Haven last night, which is about an hour from me, but of course I had a haircut scheduled. Ergh, ergh. PechaKucha started in Tokyo as an opportunity for young designers to get together to share their latest work through quick presentations, and has expanded into a global effort for people to gather and just share. Each person is limited to 20 images and 20 seconds per image. The rest is up to the individual! There are some presentations archived online. Imagine how much there is to learn from all these amazing people!

dailies

2010-01-27T13:49:00.000-06:00

The little things that make me smile every day: Lili's favorite perch, the claws on my purse, the way the light hits my (gross, office) keyboard in the morning, my cactus (with fake, glued-on flowers), and the awesome name of my cactus, my bulletin board, especially the lower right corner of it.

for my wall

2010-01-26T13:59:00.000-06:00

I wouldn't mind hanging this on my wall!

amusement park patterns

2010-01-26T12:46:00.000-06:00

Rosemarie Fiore's "Scrambler Drawings". I wonder where she gets the rides?

tempting

2010-01-26T08:27:00.000-06:00

All by A Alicia.

(via all the mountains)

beardfolio

2010-01-25T12:07:00.000-06:00

Beardfolio, by Matthew Rainwaters. I lost myself in his portfolio!

green computer (?)

2010-01-25T10:39:00.000-06:00

Design Hara's green computer...much of the casing is recyclable; there are still plenty of things about it that aren't green, but perhaps it's an improvement?

(via Public School)

a little blue

2010-01-25T09:20:00.000-06:00

This is the view from my window. Dark. Rainy. Monday mornings are always rough, but on the bright side, the river looks pretty cool! It's quite blustery right now, so there are actually a few white caps on the little river that flows by my office.

friday...at last!

2010-01-22T15:29:00.000-06:00

Have a great weekend!

sights unseen

2010-01-22T15:07:00.000-06:00

Ther BBC has a lovely audio slideshow up right now about the photographs of the show "Sights Unseen," at the Association of Photographers Gallery in London. The exhibition features work created through the UK charity PhotoVoice (above), which teaches "sensory photography"--to blind photographers.

Amazing, right?!

rock of the month club

2010-01-22T12:04:00.000-06:00

By complete coincidence, this post also has a nature-inspired theme. Chris Mottalini just announced his newest series, Rock of the Month Club, from which these two beauties came.

An excerpt from his statement: "I photographed these rocks in various "natural" settings occasionally introducing foreign elements (packing materials, etc.) in order to highlight the constructed realism/manipulation of the photographs."

Rock of the Month Club 5, Rock of the Month Club 12

web repair

2010-01-22T08:08:00.000-06:00

Aren't these amazing? Nina Katchadourian mended spider webs over a six-week period in 1998, as part of her "Uninvited Collaborations with Nature" series. Often, she found her repair job on the ground the morning after, rejected by the spider. I have a hard time not freaking out around spiders, so not only do I admire this project for its simple beauty, but the COURAGE! Whew.

(via gus & other things)

fall again already?

2010-01-21T12:36:00.000-06:00

Lanvin and Jason Wu are topping my pre-fall 2010 chart!

(via Refinery 29)

funny face

2010-01-21T12:15:00.000-06:00

I love everything Erin Jang, over at The Indigo Bunting, does, but these Table of Contents spheres for Esquire especially make me grin!

squanderless

2010-01-21T08:26:00.000-06:00

Have you heard of squanderless? As of September '09, designer Jean Brennan has been documenting her family's trash to create "an online product catalog of refuse." According to her, "Tossing things in the trash is an unconscious act. Squanderless offers pause." The project lives through a website, blog, and prints of the waste. A great multifaceted project with a tasteful reminder to stay conscious.

(photo via Jean Brennan's squanderless)

pie charts, etc.

2010-01-20T12:34:00.000-06:00

I love the infographics in this silly survey! Reminds me of Daytum.

(via ValetMag and Cup of Jo)

business cards

2010-01-20T08:15:00.000-06:00

Thank you, design*sponge for yet another great project! I'm definitely scooping up one of these custom stamp kits asap. I can't wait to see what comes of this. I wonder if they make type sets in Archer Hairline? : )

Kate posted a while ago on another source for custom rubber stamps, but I can't find the post--let me know if you do!

(via design*sponge)

type cont'd

2010-01-19T16:06:00.000-06:00

Since today has turned into a hand-drawn type day, I have to include work from the designer I would consider today's queen of custom type: Jessica Hische. Whenever I'm feeling a little dull-minded, her work always perks me up!

writing with light

2010-01-19T14:26:00.000-06:00

Speaking of hand-written type, this is in the same family, and so cool (and sweet!)!

great book

2010-01-19T08:44:00.000-06:00

Ironically, I already planned to post this before I happened upon the Pledge to Read the Printed Word project yesterday. Hand Job: A Catalog of Type by Michael Perry. Love. It. I really want to make more time to experiment with hand-drawn type, and this book is an awesome source of inspiration. You can look at basically the entire book here or buy it online here. I happened to purchase my copy (above) at the amazing Strand Bookstore.

i read real books

2010-01-18T10:58:00.000-06:00

You may or may not have noticed my little pile of books off to the right. Well, I just added it as my Pledge to Read the Printed Word. Christine at pretty pretty paper and east side bride teamed together to vouch for paper, and binding, and book smells, and texture, and all things good that come with print...by creating this little pledge. Feel free to join in by adding a button.

UPDATE: also via pretty pretty paper, and completely unrelated to books, a video that would have fit right in to my lineup yesterday, which made me laugh my face off.

sunday afternoon

2010-01-18T09:28:00.000-06:00

I spent a good part of my Sunday afternoon watching Improv Everywhere's videos. They are HILARIOUS! I wish I lived in NYC so I could partake, hehe. A few of my favorites: Look Up More, Frozen Grand Central, and Best Game Ever. You can find out more about Improv Everywhere's "missions" on their site, and swiss miss has a great presentation with founder Charlie Todd on CreativeMornings.

shade bar

2010-01-18T08:30:00.000-06:00

Good Monday morning! I'm happy to report I had a very fulfilling, relaxing weekend. It started off Friday night when Victor and I met up with some friends at Shade Bar. I didn't have my camera, so I found this shot, and surprisingly the bar is bright and cheery during the day, but at night it's just the right measure of dark and moody. The service was good, and we had a very nice time indeed.

(photo by Carmen Lopez and AJ Wilhelm)

enjoy

2010-01-16T12:25:00.000-06:00

I plan to have a very relaxing weekend, which I'm very excited about. I think Lili is too. Have a great one, and enjoy the holiday if you have it off (I don't, so enjoy it for me)! xo

haiti

2010-01-15T10:40:00.000-06:00

It's really hard for me to enjoy posting about all the things that normally tickle my fancy when they suddenly seem so shallow in the wake of Haiti's disaster. I have a heaviness in my heart, and my words can do no justice to the devastation millions of people are living through.

Chris Sacca put together a list of ways to help. I chose the Red Cross option: text "Haiti" to 90999 for each $10 donation. It's charged right to your phone bill.

dress code at mad

2010-01-15T08:02:00.000-06:00

I went into the city last night to hear Dan Covert and Andre Andreev, of dress code*, speak at MAD. The talk was great, as was the location. I'd recommend checking out Slash: Paper Under the Knife. The exhibition was a bit repetitive, but the work was still amazing.

*Please, please, please excuse the crappy screenshots. They're stills--these guys do a lot of video!

a brief from dreamland

2010-01-14T11:12:00.000-06:00

After mentioning one item on my bulletin board, I felt some resentment resonating from this star (above). So I had to post. I think it speaks for itself. *sigh*

And again, I have no idea where I found this. It's been up for a while.

poster d'elisava

2010-01-14T08:01:00.000-06:00

From Elisava. One of the many things that make me want to hop on over to Barcelona.

bulletin board inspiration

2010-01-11T11:11:00.000-06:00

I've had this on my bulletin board for at least a year now, and it still makes me chuckle. I have no idea where I found it, but I managed to trace down the originator: illustrator Frank Chimero. Apparently, the design was born of a pretty intense reaction he had to this.

i'm archer hairline

2010-01-08T10:01:00.000-06:00

What type are you? Pentagram has put together another fun project! A friend of mine just sent me this--the password is "character".

a times sq. snowball fight

2010-01-04T12:03:00.000-06:00

Hahaha, I love these--I can't help but laugh! A snowball fight in Times Square on 12/19/09--the night before I flew out. I'm so glad that snow allowed for so much fun AND didn't keep me from going home!

Doug Kim, these are fantastic.

p.s. I'm flying back to CT today. Hopefully it all goes smoothly--I'll have Lili with me!

(via A Cup of Jo and Chasing Light )

orbs

2010-01-01T11:00:00.000-06:00

Carlo Van de Roer's Orb 5 (Long Island, New York) and Orb 3 (Blue Lagoon, Reykjavik, Iceland).

Nice, no?

(via 20x200, A Jen Bekman Project)

ring in 2010!

2009-12-31T18:00:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year! I'm celebrating Memphis style. I'll have to fill you in on what that means later....

(photo by akathryna)

big art

2009-12-31T08:00:00.000-06:00

Those are tire tracks!!! Check out artist Jim Denevan's site to see how tiny the trucks are...amazing. Vitruvian man is flashing through my head.

(via Pitch Design Union)

laser cuts

2009-12-30T08:00:00.000-06:00

I'm leaving today for a wedding in Memphis--my first time there, and my first winter wedding. Aren't these cut-out shoes nice? I just bought the top ones to wear with a gorgeous black lace dress. And the bottom ones would be great with skinny jeans and a blazer...Fun!

graphic tops

2009-12-29T08:00:00.000-06:00

Aren't these two Need Supply shirts simply lovely?

hands-on

2009-12-28T08:00:00.000-06:00

Designed by Roland Reiner Tiangco, Dirt Poster is a poster the recipient completes by revealing spot-varnished type with hands made dirty by handling the poster, teh back of which is coated with powdered pigment.

Pretty great, huh? Both the concept, and the experience.

(via swissmiss)

gingerbread wonder

2009-12-26T08:00:00.000-06:00

I know this might be a little late, but I couldn't resist! A gingerbread house inspired by Where the Wild Things Are. Beautiful.

(via vic, on A Table for Two)

little women

2009-12-25T15:04:00.000-06:00

My favorite movie to see during the holidays (oh, and White Christmas, too!). I'm watching it right this minute. Don't you just love their wallpaper and carpet?

merry christmas

2009-12-25T13:58:00.000-06:00

I hope you're safe and happy.

(photo by clare nicolson)

party time

2009-12-23T10:41:00.000-06:00

For all the lovely holiday parties! Don't the shorts look super-comfy-yet-cute for a little party with your closest friends? All found in Opening Ceremony's Sale--if only I could knock a couple hundred more bucks off the prices...

Top to Bottom: Opening Ceremony, Asymmetrical Wrap Dress; Opening Ceremony, Pleated Shorts; Toga, Metallic Floral Dress FH067; Alexander Wang, Matted Shrunken Vest; Opening Ceremony, Quilt Pleat; Hussein Chalayan, Bonded Pinch Dress; Opening Ceremony, Twist Back Dress; Katy Rodriguez, Fancy Dress; Peter Pilotto MultiSilver Encrusted Skirt

brrr

2009-12-22T10:31:00.000-06:00

Love this look on Refinery 29 --now that I'm in snow-covered Iowa for two weeks, layers are absolutely necessary!

MoMA store

2009-12-22T08:00:00.000-06:00

I'm sure the MoMA store gets plenty of press on its own, but I just can't resist mentioning the little things that tickle me most when I'm there. Honestly, I could spend an entire day just fiddling around with everything they have--even though I've seen it all before!

The Architectural Model Series by Naoki Terada is fascinating--and could fit in my palm. The figures are smaller than my pinky nail. Can you imagine trying to cut that by hand? Thank goodness for lasers...

I must have a weakness for anything animal- or office-related, because the "porcupine" above, and the paper clips below (they also have ducks) just get me every time.

The banana bunker is worth a mention just for the name.

I'm also a sucker for anything cheeky, like this "diamond" ring.

watches

2009-12-21T08:00:00.000-06:00

Every now and again I go through a watch phase where I can't help but notice every wrist (and accompanying watch) I pass...I have to try really hard to remind myself that I don't need, or really want, for that matter, a new watch. But it doesn't hurt to admire. Aren't those colored ones nice??? Of course a Rolex rip-off never fails either.

(top to bottom: cataci, fredflare, Nixon)

sigh

2009-12-18T08:00:00.000-06:00

Do you ever go to a lecture, read an article, or do something else where you indirectly find out a lot about someone, and you think, "Gosh, I would love to just sit and chat for hours with them"? Well, I went to an AIGA Small Talk the other day, and Craig Ward (of GREY) was the guest lecturer, and that's exactly how I felt after! It was such a lovely evening, and learning about his work and his process was so refreshing. I wish I could make it into the city every week for events like that (I live in Stamford, CT, about an hour from Midtown).

p.s. I highly recommend his article, "You can't make people read, but you can make them want to " for Creative Review's May '09 mag. I think I said to myself, "Yes, EXACTLY!" every other sentence.

(photo by Conor Masterson)

lili goes east

2009-12-17T08:24:00.000-06:00

My darling, wonderful, sweetheart of a cat, Lili, is coming back East with me after my holiday in Iowa! I am so stinkin' excited. I was raised with a beautiful yellow lab, but my whole childhood, I really just wanted a cat. Whenever I crossed paths with a cat, I always asked if I could take it home, and for thirteen years the answer was: "No, Maura." And then one summer day, I was watching the local noon news, and they had a guest veterinarian on who had a few little kittens with him, which happened to be in need of a home. Of course I didn't miss my line--but to my surprise, my parents actually said, "OK, I guess it's time!" An hour later, I was across town playing with kittens, when one looked me straight in the eyes, licked me on the nose, and took her post on my shoulder. Lili. I remember turning to my mom and saying, "Mom, I think this is the one." Yes, it's a bit fairytale-ish, but I love the story. And now, after 6 years apart (college and a big move to the east coast), we'll finally be back together! I. Can't. Wait.

DIYing

2009-12-16T20:05:00.000-06:00

After spending too much $$ on holiday presents (and holiday outfits!), I think it would be wise to start making my own versions of what I'm wishing for...especially because all of the designers seem to be channeling me this year. That, or I've lost my discerning eye. Eeek!

Isn't this necklace amazing?! When I was a kid, my family spent several summers climbing/repelling in Colorado, and this rope brings back sweet memories. Plus, I love the crazy neon color. I have a whopping two weeks of vacation starting on Sunday, and I think a DIY version of this lovely might just have to happen!

(via Greedy Girl)

Oh, and maybe this...and this! So gorgeous.

jazzy

2009-12-08T21:56:00.000-06:00

I went MIA last week because I was installing an exhibition like mad--and that's the invite I designed for it. Ever heard of Milt Hinton? I hadn't, but I've learned what a wonderful, charming, sweet, and loving man he was, let alone a musical genius. We have an exhibition of 40 of his photographs up. Yep, photographs--he documented his life through over 60,000 shots. There are some nice behind-the-scenes moments of greats like Aretha Franklin and Billie Holiday.

retail therapy?

2009-12-08T21:48:00.000-06:00

I just got this sweater! GAP had a great sale (as always), and I couldn't pass this up--the navajo-ish pattern is all over the place, and not nearly as affordable anywhere else. I've worn this three days in a row now (is that gross?? mostly in the evenings at home...). So comfy, AND cute.

creatures of the deep

2009-11-23T20:36:00.000-06:00

Did you see this article on BBC News? I'm itching to make a greeting card series with illustrations of these goofy guys...some live over 16,000 ft. below the water's surface! Nerrrd.

(Photo by Larry Madin)