In conjunction with yesterday’s post on street art, today’s column will highlight the remaining 10 artists who have each contributed to the global street art movement in highly original and unique ways.
Design
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From its outgrowth of the graffiti movement of the 1980s, contemporary street art comprises of many techniques and has since grown into a global movement. Often providing social and political commentary, street artists rejuvenate public spaces and initiate lively discussions on the democratization of art.
If the lady in the picture here woke up, I would be the first thing she saw. She is opposite the small secretary desk in the Crocker boudior, facing the bed. Continue reading
Accessories are the true gems of any room. Thoughtfully added, they provide the “finished” look that no garish 60-inch television can ever hope to match. Today’s post will celebrate Scandinavian design and their penchant for creating beautiful and highly functional accessories. Continue reading
Ellen and Portia are looking to sell their massive estate in Beverly Hills for $60 million dollars. I know, I know, this may not be as unlived in and well kept as Huguette Clark’s 42-room Fifth Avenue Manhattan apartment, $32 million Cold War bomb shelter in Connecticut, or her Santa Barbara estate but it does look pretty nice. I mean, Ellen did buy it for $29 million initially and has put $19 million towards snapping up surrounding mansions. The new, even more massive estate sprawls across an impressive 24,000 square feet which is not too shabby for the star of Mr.Wrong.
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I think IKEA can peer into our very souls and find all it needs to continue a successful business making furniture out of toothpicks and laughing manically while you buy said tower of non-weight bearing splinter-shards, attempt to put it together, fail miserably…and then return for more Scandinavian bludgeoning. I’m not kidding. They are absolute geniuses. Their whole dynamic plan of execution is fantastic. I’ve never seen a place more proud to sell crap, mock you mercilessly while doing so, seduce you with cooking items for a mere pittance…thereby sustaining the addiction, and then taunt you with meatballs.
Let’s break down the sport that is IKEA.
While some people may feel that dumping documents, books, and clothing into bankers boxes, or heaven forbid, Rubbermaid containers is an effective “organizational” strategy as witnessed above, I’m afraid they’re doing it wrong. In most cases, there is an objective and measurable “right” way of de-cluttering and storing. Once again, it’s time for Scandinavians to show us how with a few examples below.
Being a graphic designer, there is probably nothing that raises my hackles more than the idea of crowdsourcing. For me, it is yet another thing helping to monetarily and creatively devalue my career in this time where no one has any budget for anything. Yes, I admit it, I’m bitter and this may or may not be sort of a rant. I went to school for design and have spent many years trying to get people to understand that it is not about drawing nice pictures but helping a client communicate his or her mission the most effective way possible. Now, with lack of budgets and people continuing to undervalue my service profession, I am getting more and more squeezed out. Rather than a lawyer, a doctor, or an accountant whose service people seek out, I am becoming no different from someone whose job has been shipped overseas. So how is it possible to make peace with something that threatens my very livelihood? Whether I like it or not, this is not a new phenomenon nor will it go away and how should I learn to make it work for me?
Marimekko has turned 60, kittens!
Founded in 1951 by Viljo and Armi Ratia, the Finnish-based company is world-renowned for its high-quality clothing, eye-popping textiles, bags and accessories. Let’s take a look at some of their gems from the past 60 years.
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We all have bizarre idiosyncrasies, strange things we’re afraid of, paranoias that just seems irrational. Have you ever wondered what it’s called? Well, here is a completely random list of phobias that may or may not relate to you.
Phobophobia – fear of having a phobia.
So you’re afraid of being afraid, so you become even more afraid, causing you to become even more afraid of being afraid than you were in the first place, and so on. It’s like a dream within a dream within another dream, within a movie screen. Only not really.
Agyrophobia – fear of crossing roads..
What about jokes about crossing roads? Why did the chicken cross the “AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!” No? OK.
Anthophobia – fear of flowers.
I don’t understand – this seems perfectly natural.
Ablutophobia– fear of bathing, washing, or cleaning..
I believe this is the patron phobia among hermits. I love taking showers and being clean, but I hate picking up after myself. Can I be considered partially ablutophobic? Would it be called hemi-ablutophobic?
Chorophobia – fear of dancing.
Well, some people just shouldn’t dance anyway.
Now I’m afraid of dancing.
Somniphobia – fear of sleep.
I just can’t even conceive of that. Sleep is what I do when shit has hit the fan and I’ve been exhausted by stress. Sleep is a sweet, sweet escape from the world. I am most definitely pro-sleep.
Ergasiophobia, Ergophobia – fear of work or functioning, or a surgeon’s fear of operating.
Seriously? “Sorry boss, can’t come in today, I have Ergophobia. Yeah, it’s a thing.”
Of course surgeons could be imagining this.
Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia – fear of the number 666.
I’m afraid of words of that length. What’s that called?
Kinemortophobia – fear of the undead, specifically zombies.
Who wouldn’t be afraid of zombies? Are there some sort of warm fuzzy zombies that bake pies and give back massages I haven’t heard about that most people wouldn’t be afraid of?
Koumpounophobia – fear of sewing buttons.
What about sewing on snaps? Hemming something? Having buttons thrown at you? I need more information!
Nomatophobia – fear of names.
But…. Why does it have a name?
Oikophobia – fear of home surroundings and household appliances.
“Home surroundings”? As in walls? Or just your toaster? In which case, I understand.
Paraskavedekatriaphobia, Paraskevidekatriaphobia, Friggatriskaidekaphobia – fear of Friday the 13th.
These names have to be made up. They probably are – I’ll admit my research was minimal.
Tetraphobia – fear of the number 4.
This must have made being a Brett Favre fan rather difficult. John Madden most definitely does not have this phobia.
Coulrophobia – fear of clowns (not restricted to evil clowns).
Does anyone actually like clowns? How about this – who would you rather have direct contact with; a dentist or a clown?
Exception to the rule? Fizbo. Thus is the power of Cameron, of Modern Family.
So what did I miss? Feel free to add to the list with your own favorite phobia. My real phobia, which I didn’t even know was a thing until a few weeks ago? Trypophobia – I just went to google image it to share pictures, and it just about made me cry. So, no visuals for that one (at least not from me).
Until next time!
MP