It's almost April...

and your new DIY pop-up desk calendar is here, no foolin'!

The Curiosity Group monthly calendar club

The view from here

I'd like to think that writing this blog inspires me to look at the world through a different lens and take the time to note these observations and images. Often, though, I'm guilty of simply going through the motions of the day, not seeing anything special. I'm determined to change that, especially as spring approaches and its easier to explore. Saturday was a spectacularly beautiful day in Ann Arbor - crisp but with a warming sun. We made a trip to the UM Art Museum and amongst the beautiful artwork and sculpture, I found a few architectural gems that when seen in a different way, are works of art in their own right.

This is the start of a new chapter, a chapter called "being a visitor in my own town". Stay tuned for more!

One more thing: talk about putting things in a new perspective, the "French Spiderman" climbed Dubai's Burj Khalifa yesterday, adding the world's tallest building to his insane resume of 70 buildings. Imagine the view from up there...

The Beginnings

A new watercolor project - birds on a beach. The project started with the photo (upper right), followed by a value study and composition sketch (upper left), and then the first layer of watercolor washes. I'm looking forward to continuing this one.

Update 4/1/11:
Success! I really enjoyed the way the birds popped out of the painting via their cast shadows.  The log may still need a little work, but I'm cautious about doing more and perhaps messing it up.  I'm very happy with this one.

Japan Relief

It only seems right to stay on the topic of the tragic events in Japan given the long-lasting uncertainty that the situation has created for everyone in the Pacific Rim.  I feel like I'm half a world away from the epicenter, yet the news still moves me.  In the spirit of combining art and aid, here is a very small curated list of items whose proceeds will assist those in need in Japan.

Sinjuku, 6:43 by Joseph O. Holmes. Proceeds benefit Japan Society Earthquake Relief Fund

Birds in the Bush by Susan Schwake.  Proceeds benefit Doctors without Borders.

You can find many more items whose proceeds benefit Japan on Etsy, or simply donate through the American Red Cross.

And for a little philanthropic levity...

Sushi Slippers by Sushibooties on Etsy

A Bear Hug for Japan by Sleepyking on Etsy

Dreaming Up

This recent horrific earthquake and tsunami cause the rest of us to pause and re-prioritize what's important. One of which is knowing that dreams are important but that the journey towards fulfillment is not always easy.  This is why these pictures from National Geographic's recreation of the balloon-lofted house in Up is so important right now.  If they can do this, we can surely make our flights of fancy a reality too. - l.o.d.

National Geographic via My Modern Met

Piece of Cake

Cupcakes. That was the theme of my watercolor class last night. I sense your skepticism but I was curious. I knew the theme was pop art, but I wasn't quite sure where this was going because I thought (disappointingly) that they were treats for our class.  Then our instructor set the stage by introducing us to artist Wayne Thiebaud. I began to see these cupcakes in a new light, literally.

I started to see the geometric patterns and shapes he perfected. I saw the bold cast shadows creating hyper-realistic settings.  The use of color to convey shape, pattern, texture, frosting.  My mouth started to water. Funny, that didn't happen when I looked at the real cupcakes.

Painting these cupcakes last night was a lesson in playful patience. Our class enjoyed experimenting with color, volume.  Some folks made frosting look like meringues, marshmallows, crescent moons.  Some elongated the cupcakes to look like rolls of corrugated cardboard.  Some floated sprinkles on cubism's flattened-plane shapes.  Mine was left incomplete, halting at the critical step of how to solve the ridged wrapper dilemma.  As Wayne Thiebaud said, "artists are problem solvers".  My problem is to figure out the color of the slim cast shadow of each ridge on a yellow-orange cake.  Blue? Purple?

As for Mr. Thiebaud, he has made a very long career of being a humbly successful artist.  He still lives in northern CA at the age of 90.  Meet him by watching the video below.

"If we don't have a sense of humor, we lack perspective."
     ~Wayne Thiebaud

Virtual Tourist

Art museums have always been a place of worship for me, a fortress of solitude, and an origin of awe. I spent many years as a young precocious child wandering around the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC with my aunt and grandfather who conveniently lived in New Jersey. During an extended trip abroad in my twenties I discovered the powerful sense of place at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, and in my early thirties, I discovered my love for Paul at the Annie Leibovitz show at the Detroit Institute of Arts. My life because of these experiences is like a Seurat painting; full of wonderfully individual colors up-close and a beautiful canvas, complete and full, from far away.

So when I saw the Google Art Project I made an audible gasp; right here at my desk is a glimpse into the premier museums of the world including incredible close-ups and gallery tours.  It's all here; visitor guides, history, floor plans, live cameras.  Curious about Versailles?  Check it out before your trip.  Always wanted to go to the Van Gogh Museum?  You can today.  Truly amazing if you think about it. Museums used to be a pilgrimage destination but now they are coming to us.

BUT...I cannot imagine how to replicate the goosebumps and chills that washed over me when I saw the beauty of the Birth of Venus hanging before me.  Or the timeless royalty of the halls of Versailles.  So, I'll let this site pique my interest, but I'll never, ever let it replace the real deal. - l.o.d.

Jackson Pollock

It's Monday, officially the toughest day of the week. It's time to shake the cobwebs off, push aside the desire to sleep in, and ramp yourself up for the week. When I'm feeling a little lackluster I turn to a paint-your-own-webpage JacksonPollock.org that is quick and easy fun.  Use your mouse to make ink spots, tracks, and smears around the page, click the mouse to change colors, and then use the space key to clear the page and start over.  The faster you move, the slimmer the mark.  Give it a try - your creative juices will flow. Your boss will thank you. - l.o.d.

 

Infographics

I'm working on a particularly important data project at work that is making me crave some visual stimuli for reporting data.  For inspiration, I googled the keyword "infographics" and wow, I found some pretty amazing stuff! There are seemingly dozens of creative-minded data nerds making really cool, accessible ways to represent their work for the rest of us.  Check these out!

The best place to sit on a plane

Interactive weather wheel

And this is a super cool website Infosthetics "where form follows data".  The mastermind behind all of these graphics explains the projects and corresponding graphics in detail.  His site includes video, real-life examples, and basically anything under the sun, like the materialization of wifi strength superimposed on a street, pictured below.

WiFi strength materialized

Makes me really think about building some great graphics to accompany my project, the impact of the visual may help my case. What infographics have you seen that have made a big impression? - l.o.d.

Bikes just hangin' around

 

 

Wow, now that's a bicycle store that I can appreciate! Read all about this clever marketing gimmick on the Unstitched blog.  Now, what happens if I want to take one out for a test ride? - l.o.d.