Yellow Bird Project

Do you like artsy t-shirts, and charity, and indie rock music? Me too. So do the creators of the Yellow Bird Project, a Montreal-based non profit that enlists indie music artists to design t-shirts and other merchandise that are then sold on the YBP website. Proceeds go to a charity of the musician/band's choice. What a wonderful ecosystem of charity, creativity, and cool gear.

Pictured below is a t-shirt designed by Rilo Kiley, one of my favorite indie bands. Proceeds from the sale of this shirt go to the Free Arts for Abused Children organization:

Visit and support the Yellow Bird Project at www.yellowbirdproject.com

The Artist's Drive

Perhaps you read the article in the New York Times this week about 94-year old Carmen Herrera. Herrera, a Cuban-born artist living in New York, has been doing abstract geometric painting for more than fifty years but has only started receiving praise and acclaim within the past five. Her story is not entirely uncommon – many great artists received no recognition or monetary reward for their work until after they were long dead. One could argue that it takes society decades to appreciate and understand a new style, or perhaps the posterity of death shines a new light on the work, making it instantly more intriguing. Whatever the reason, artists often don’t receive the kind of career affirmation that most of us need to stay motivated day after day, year after year.

So what drives the artist? What returns them to the canvas, to the drawing board? Well if you have ever known a true artist of any kind, be it painter, musician, or poet, you know that what motivates them is a pure love for the process and for their medium. From that moment when a flash of an idea comes into the mind, to the hours spent executing and experimenting, finding the right combination of colors, or words, to the deep satisfaction when a piece is completed and a vision is realized. Creativity cannot be catalyzed by external factors like money, or fame – it is a deep, internal desire to express oneself and to put form to a vision that allows the artist to create.

I am reminded of my first art teacher here in San Francisco, Susan. Susan is in her sixties and, like Herrera, has been painting for most of her life without much critical acclaim. She has a small gallery where she displays and sometimes sells her oil paintings, mostly French scenes depicting women in fabulous shoes, small Parisian dogs, and street life. Susan’s life, as I have come to learn about it, has taken many twists and turns. She moved to San Francisco from upstate New York when she was just seventeen; she worked in clothing boutiques and was swept up in the free-love culture. Throughout her life she struggled with money, men, and substances – but art was always a constant, and she never stopped painting, sketching, and creating, and eventually was able to establish her gallery.

Susan is a woman completed obsessed and dedicated to her work – it is her lifeblood, and when you hear her speak of it, you know she creates it entirely for herself. In fact, I have even seen her turn away interested customers from her gallery who did not seem like adequate parents for her paintings. What has kept her going all these years is not recognition from the art world, or wealth – it is the desire to paint the perfect woman’s hat, or to find the right shade of orange-red that will demonstrate the vibrancy of the Golden Gate bridge at dusk. You need this kind of spirit if you are going to survive as an artist – your motivation must be your love for the process, for your medium, and for your work. Perhaps if you are lucky you will receive some acclaim while you are still alive, like Herrera has. Or perhaps you will scrape together enough to have a small gallery. But above all your goal must be to continue the work each day, and be satisfied in that.

NYT article about Herrera: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/20/arts/design/20herrera.html

The Rise of the Victorians

Recently, a movement has come to my attention called “steampunk”. First originated in the 1980s, the term ‘steampunk’ (as defined by wikipedia) denotes ‘works set in an era or world where steam power is still widely used—usually the 19th century, and often Victorian era England —but with prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy, such as fictional technological inventions like those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne.’

Steampunk has gained traction over the past year as the movement spread to popular film, and fashion; several movies set in the era were made (There Will be Blood, the upcoming Sherlock Holmes), and the fashion world has seen a plethora of Victorian styles in men’s and women’s clothing (oxford shoes, vests, bowler hats, and oversized trouser pants). These trends have been well documented by the NY Times fashion editors. The steampunk movement also reaches into the art and design world. For example, this refurbished desktop computer, which has been embellished with brass, iron, and wood, giving it the appearance of being from the Victorian age:

It has been demonstrated by research analysts that most aesthetic or sartorial trends are the byproduct of social, economic, or cultural macro forces. Given this fact, what can we credit with the rise of steampunk and a return to the Victorian era?

Well for one, we are in the midst of a global recession that has spurred numerous references and comparisons to the Great Depression. This has encouraged a look back at the images and objects of our past. Paying homage to the styles of this era seems like a natural response, and a way to connect with our current circumstances. In so doing we are also romanticizing the time period, which perhaps serves to comfort us and helps us believe that we too will make it through this economic crisis, as our predecessors did.

I think perhaps the rise of steampunk in the design world can also be attributed to the recent monumental surge of new technologies. New innovations in Internet technology, mobile communication, and desktop computing bombard us everyday. The aesthetic de-modernization of objects by Steampunkers may represent a desire to slow the rapid spread of technology to all spheres of life. However, the fact that the objects remain functioning, despite their pre-modern appearance, demonstrates an acceptance that modern technology is here to stay. The interplay between these two sentiments is what makes steampunk design particularly provoking, and relatable. We all feel the push-pull of embracing new technologies while at the same time wanting to keep our lives simple and free from the pressures of invasive, ‘always on’ devices.

Steampunk influences are all around – just today I read in the Wall Street Journal that the New York MTA will be running antique subway cars that served the city in the 1930s during four Sundays in December. New Yorkers have embraced the vintage cars, dressing up in early 20^th century attire to ride. It looks like this trend is here to stay, at least until the Stock Market picks up.

Wall Street Journal Article: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704869304574596291960167518.html

New York Times Article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/12/fashion/12CODES.html

Wikipedia Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steampunk

Ork City Neighborhood Posters

I've seen these Ork City Neighborhood posters in a couple of stores and online, and think they are very cool. Maps are always fun, and these posters are an artsy take. Plus, as most city-dwellers know, neighborhood is EVERYTHING. I would hang this in a home office or bedroom.

There are versions for most "major" cities, including New York (Brooklyn and Manhattan), Boston, Portland, Chicago, Washington D.C., and Los Angeles. To purchase visit http://www.orkposters.com

Artist Review: Rex Ray

One local San Francisco artist that I enjoy is Rex Ray. Ray has been doing graphic design, canvas, and collage work since the early 1990s. Inspired early in his career by music, he started off doing posters and CD covers for bands such as The Rolling Stones, Radiohead, and Bjork. Over time his work evolved and now he is best known for his large abstract canvas and collage pieces. I first saw Ray’s work on calendars and note cards at Chronicle Books. His colors, forms, and textures immediately inspired me.

Ray’s colors are unexpected and thoughtfully juxtaposed. A deep, cerulean blue next to a hot pink – colors that in isolation might seem tacky, or jarring, but together appear modern. The colors are what initially draw you into his pieces – they radiate, and I would imagine if they were hanging in a gallery or museum, they would dominate the room.

Secondly, Ray’s use of form and negative space is interesting. Mimicries of natural objects, he repeats egg-like ovals, waves, and plant like branches. Many of his pieces seem like blown-up images from a microscope, perhaps bacteria or cell structures.

A third inspired element in Ray’s work is his use of texture – he uses wood textures frequently, as well as rough brush strokes and sponge-like impressions. The visible texture reminds the viewer that although these works are graphic and modern, seemingly digital, they are in fact handmade and rooted in a craftsman style.

Ray has been quoted as saying his mission is simply to “create beautiful things” – this approach makes his work fairly accessible to the masses, a combination of fine art and “applied art”. Which is exactly what I love about it – beautiful pieces that are interesting on a variety of levels, but are also aesthetically pleasing enough to hang unobtrusively in your home. Crate & Barrel agrees, and has carried some of Ray’s pieces in their stores and catalogue.

See more of Rex Ray’s works at http://www.gallery16.com/index.php?page=artists&artist=rr&rex_medium=collage

The Mad Men Aesthetic

I just finished Mad Men Season 3 (a bit behind as I live in a cable-free zone and download all my media). This acclaimed show is great for a number of reasons: the rich and complex characters, the ways in which historical events are woven together with fictional plots, and the delicate balance created between nostalgia and the recognition of an era wrought with contradiction.

However what has captivated me about Mad Men – and in sticking with the theme of this blog – is the aesthetic that series creator and executive producer Matthew Weiner has created. I read that Weiner is slightly obsessed with the authenticity of the show – from the costumes, to the sets, to the slang, down to the smallest detail such as the type of crystal glass that Don Draper casually drinks his Monday morning scotch out of. As a result, as a viewer you are completely immersed in the era and paradigms of the characters. Of course films allow for this kind of immersive experience, but to achieve aesthetic authenticity week after week with a television series is another level of accomplishment. The hue of Betty Draper’s lipstick, the plushness of the shag carpeting in the Sterling Cooper office, and the plasticity of the ham on white bread sandwich Peggy eats for lunch, all contribute to an aesthetic that becomes a character unto itself. Glossy, sexy, yet at the same time superficial and empty, the aesthetic puts a form to the show’s theme of a collective social anxiety during the brink of a culture shift.

People’s obsession with the Mad Men aesthetic is evident in the plethora of 1950s and 60s styles that have been seen recently in fashion, interior design, even beverage choice (the resurgence of the Manhattan). Everyone loves a good throwback, and Mad Men certainly delivers. Can’t wait to see what visual wonders Weiner recreates next season.

Modern Marriage

Modern Marriage

This past week I read an article in NY Mag entitled “Married (Happily) With Issues”. Written by San Francisco author Elizabeth Weil, the article chronicles her and her husband’s attempts to reinvest in their marriage. Their renewed efforts exposed deep-seeded problems, from financial disagreements to communication issues to conflicting ideas on how to spend free time – in short, the same issues that most married couples seem to encounter. What made the article interesting to me was a particular point Weil made about the ways in which we approach and invest energy in romantic relationships – or rather, the surprising ways in which we don’t. We take relationships for granted and don’t invest the necessary energy to maintain or create them the way we do with other parts of our lives – careers, health, hobbies, etc.

This got me thinking about “the modern marriage” and the next generation of relationships and unions. I am 26 and most of my friends are in their mid to late twenties – approaching what traditionally has been that time in life when you invest in relationships and take the plunge into the marriage pool. Interestingly, hardly any of my friends have taken that plunge. Of my friends who are in relationships, most cite logistical reasons for not taking the relationship to the next level - both parties are in school, thinking about school, or are dating long distance as career choices take each partner to a different city. Others are content with the current state of their long-term relationship, but fear further commitment because “what if he/she’s not really the one?”

Amongst my single friends, most say that they want a serious romantic relationship, yet are not willing to take the tangible steps necessary to make it a reality. Whether it be working too much, moving frequently, or simply taking a lackadaisical approach to dating, most are more interested in developing their own sense of self and purpose than pursuing a commitment with another.

Of course there are still many who are pursuing serious relationships and marriage – but the number who are not is interestingly significant. Which brings me to the question: what does the future of marriage and relationships look like for my generation of driven, urban professionals? Why do many remain unattached and uncommitted, despite stated intentions or desires? There are a few theories out there.

One is that we are being guided by the false expectation that a great relationship will happen, regardless of effort. It’s the classic “you can do and have everything just by being you!” sentiment, catalyzed by our parent’s desire to shield us from the hard work and ladder climbing that they had to do, as well as the depiction of effortless romance and fairytale relationships by the media.

Another is gender equality – as women continue to enter the workforce and pursue not just vocations and part-time work but full-time demanding careers, marriage becomes more nuanced. Decisions around geographic mobility, family planning, and child rearing involve negotiation and collaboration in a way that can create added stress. It is possible for two ambitious, career-oriented people to enter into a successful union – I have seen it work with my own parents – but not without an acknowledgement of the increased energy and investment it will require. Furthermore, as women gain financial independence, marriage becomes less an economic necessity and so marrying latter in life is more viable, even desirable.

Finally, the increased rate of divorce over the last twenty years or so has, in my opinion, scared some people into solitude. It is common for people to look towards their parent’s marriage as a model, and for those whose parents had an ugly break-up or painful divorce, marriage hearkens feelings of fear and doubt. A prevalent sentiment is that it is better to be alone than to fail.

None of this is particularly new and there is a lot literature out there on the topic, but it continues to fascinate me. The fact that cultural and sociological shifts and macro-level forces can affect something so central to people’s individual lives – to my own life even – is pretty mind-boggling. I welcome your thoughts on the future of the modern marriage and relationship.

The article by Elizabeth Weil I referenced can be found here: http://www.nytimes.com/indexes/2009/12/06/magazine/index.html

Night Owl Paper Goods Calendar

One of my favorite things to obsessively shop for is calendars - big wall ones, small desk ones, yearly ones, daily ones. For me calendars represent an opportunity to combine art with function (what's more practical than marking and tracking time) in daily life. So, choosing the right calendar(s) to adorn my apartment and office can be a long, thoughtful process for me. What images do I want to define the year?

For now, I've chosen this Night Owl Paper Goods desk calendar. It comes with 6 (two-sided) wooden slides, one for each month, that you stick in a plastic display case. I love the simplicity of the graphics and the thinly sliced wood (which is eco-friendly sustainably harvested yellow birch). More and more designers seem to be utilizing wood - I've seen jewelry, wall art, vases, and many more design objects celebrating its raw quality.

You can buy this calendar and other Night Owl Paper Goods items at http://nightowlpapergoods.com/

Rob Ryan's 'This is For You'

Picked up this delightful small book at Nest on Fillmore Street in San Francisco today. Illustrated and written by London-based artist Rob Ryan, the illustrations are done with papercutting. Loved the innovative story-telling technique and the uplifting story - a great gift, or night-stand book to flip through once every couple of months.

His website is coming soon at http://www.misterrob.co.uk/. You can also purchase his books, art, and design objects on Etsy (http://www.etsy.com/shop/misterrob)