Yay! DENY Designs was featured in this month’s Style Eye Candy section in the May issue of Home Accents Today with Khristian A. Howell’s “Eloise” on a baroque mirror! See us on page 18 of the issue.
Home Accents Today and DENY Designs!
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Graduation Gift Guide 2013!
It’s just about that time of year! Show the coolest, most creative, freshest, radest, funest grad in your life how much they mean to you with a stylin’ gift of congratulations. We’ve put together a fool-proof gift guide full of ideas to get your grad excited about their next chapter of life. Throw pillows, duvets and sheet sets are the perfect gift for a high school graduate that’s preparing for their upcoming college adventure! Imagine them cozying up in the coolest, most colorful throw blanket on their dorm hall making everyone oh-so-jealous.
Or how about one our new clocks, mirrors and magnet boards? They are perfect for adding that statement of personality to proclaim to the world, “I did it!” Whatever you decide, we have over 100 artists and over 3,000 designs to choose from that will make graduates of all personalities yelp for joy!
LA WHITE by CityFabric, Inc. Throw Pillow
YOU ROCK by Heather Dutton Throw Pillow
SEIZE THE DAZE by Wesley Bird Quatrefoil Clock
ESODREVO by Bianca Green Sheet Set
TEXPAN by Fimbis Duvet Cover (pillows sold separately)
WILD MAGIC by Kris Tate Magnet Board
AERIAL DISPLAY by Budi Kwan Throw Pillow
BE SPECTRUM 1 by Kal Barteski Throw Pillow
PRINCETON UNIVERSITY ORANGE by Bird Ave. Throw Blanket
STAR POWER by CMYKaren Baroque Mirror
SO FRESH SO CLEAN by Leah Flores Shower Curtain
Congratulations Grads!
Shop the Graduation Gift Guide Collection!
DENY hearts Boston.
We heart Boston. In the unthinkable acts that occur in our world, the one thing we can count on is coming together as a community. Today, DENY will donate 10% of today’s sales to benefit victims of Monday’s Boston bombing tragedy. Our hearts, thoughts, and prayers go out to all those affected.
Mad Men Meets DENY Designs
We’re MAD for Mad Men here in the office.
With the 6th Season 2-hour opener right on the horizon, we thought we’d celebrate by featuring a one-of-kind Mad Men collection! We’re giving you the best of the best DENY designs that reflect everything we love about the Mad Men series: The 60s era colors and patterns, the New York city retro mentality, and the cool cat vibe that our favorite characters ooze out of every scene.
Matthew Weiner, the creator of Mad Men, took a brief hiatus directing his first feature film, “You Are Here,” an independent comedy with Owen Wilson, Amy Poehler and Zach Galifianakis. Now back in full action, he’s launching Mad Men with fresh stories and new character developments. Especially focusing on Don Draper, Mad Men fans are expected to see new sides of the character and be re-introduced to the cigarette-smoking, whiskey-loving ad executive.
And with new rumors and photos just released of scenes shot of Don Draper and his wife in Hawaii, we’re in for a treat this season and can’t wait to see the beautiful costuming and set designs!
Make sure to set your clocks for the premiere this Sunday, April 7th at 9pm/8pm Central.
See the entire Mad Men collection here to get inspired to bring the glam and 60s attitude into your own home!
The New DENY Wall Collection & A Giveaway!
Get excited for the prettiest mirrors, clocks and magnet boards you’ve ever seen. Most loved for the beautiful statement they make in any room, the new DENY Wall Collection uses chic layered engineered wood covered in beautifully dyed metal in the artwork of your choosing. Featured in two distinct styles, quatrefoil and baroque, and three sizes (small, medium, and statement-making large), your walls will be the belle of the ball again.
And true to the DENY way, you can get any mirror, clock or magnet board printed with any one of our DENY Artists’ 3,000+ designs! When you’re ready to order, we custom print the product and assemble it just for you. We’ll send it off to you with love and congrats for being an art collector of your own home.
And to introduce our new line, we’re doing a GIVEAWAY!
Yeah, yeah, we love you, so what. Here’s how to enter:
1. Like us on our Facebook page if you haven’t already. (Don’t worry, we only post the coolest stuff)
2. Go to DENY Designs and find your favorite piece from the new wall collection. Team Quatrefoil or Team Baroque? Clock, Mirror, Magnet Board? Then pick your favorite artist and design.
3. Once you pick your favorite piece, tell us what it is and where you would use it in your home in a comment below.
The best answer will be voted on by our office and the winner will get a LARGE size of their selected piece! Contest closes Monday, March 11th at 12pm EST.
Now the only question left is, which team are you, Team Baroque or Team Quatrefoil?To help give you a head start on picking your favorite, we’ve highlighted some awesome combinations below!
Team Baroque
Are you on Team Baroque? Let’s find out if this sounds like you:
- When you get dressed up to go out, you call it “peacockin.”
- Over-accessorizing is not in your vocabulary.
- You’re the life of the party and smiling is your favorite.
- If you had the choice between owning a deserted island or unlimited clothes, you’d be one well dressed human.
Team Quatrefoil
How about Team Quatrefoil? Let’s find out if this rings a bell:
- You’re middle name is “class” and you know how to use it.
- Your home is laid back, clean-lined, but not lacking color.
- You’re the most lovable at any party.
- You’re poised, calm and ready to take on the world.
Now what are you waiting for?
The new DENY Wall Collection comes in three amazing sizes:
Small: Perfect for livening up your office space or getting a head start on decorating your dorm room!
Medium: Not too big, not too small, but always makes a statement.
Large: For the folks who live by the motto Go big or go home. This size is a color-radiating anchor to set off any room right. Go ahead, make the Jones’ jealous.
Stop dilly dallying. Go pick out your favorite and let us know!
Colorado Expression & DENY Designs!
Art Outside the Lines.
“The left side your brain says:
Art must hang on the wall.
You must have a warehouse full of inventory to start a business.
Artists must starve.
DENY Designs is proudly right brained – the creative side. DENY’s unconventional thinking is looking pretty smart.”
We were so thrilled to be featured and interviewed for the February/March 2013 edition of Colorado Expression. They wrote a beautiful article on us and we are pumped about it! Check it out for yourselves at your Colorado newsstand or bookstore! Thank you Colorado Expression!
2013 Oscar Nominations Inspire DENY Designs
We’re just giddy for the upcoming Oscars. The lineup of Best Picture nominees is out of this world and we’re having a hard time deciding who we think deserves the gold. The nine nominees this year have produced heart wrenching, beautiful stories that inspire us in so many ways. Haven’t seen some of them yet? Never fear! We’ve recapped each film and matched it to a DENY Artist Collection that will help guide you through the best of the best.
Amour
Amour: True love is put to the test in this heart-wrenching tale of a couple in their eighties. The story follows Georges who becomes the caretaker for his wife after she suffers a stroke. Don’t forget your tissues for this one.
See the 2013 Oscar Nominations Inspired Amour Collection
Argo
Argo: It’s not always glitz and glam in the movie making business. Based on true events this suspenseful flick about a rescue mission in Iran will keep you biting your fingernails ‘til the last second.
See the 2013 Oscar Nominations Inspired Argo Collection
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Beasts of the Southern Wild: Hush Puppy is one fierce little gal who won’t let a hurricane in the Louisiana bayou bring her down. An inspiring and fantastical tale with the most dynamic six-year old we’ve ever seen.
See the 2013 Oscar Nominations Inspired Beasts of the Southern Wild Collection
Django Unchained
Django Unchained: Yep, he’s an outlaw, all right. A sometimes gruesome tale (but hey, it’s Quentin Tarantino!) of a slave out for revenge, the performances from Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, and Leo DiCaprio are definitely worth a look. Tarantino shows us again that sometimes history just needs to be re-written a little…
See the 2013 Oscar Nominations Inspired Django Unchained Collection
Les Misérables
Les Miserables: You know the characters. You know the music. So what’s better than seeing it come together on the big screen? Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway excel and (almost) make up for Russell Crowe’s singing… if you can call it that.
See the 2013 Oscar Nominations Inspired Les Misérables Collection
Life of Pi
Life of Pi: Man’s best friend: a dog? Nope, it’s a tiger. Based on the best-selling novel this magical adventure story comes to life in a huge way. Orangutans, zebras, and hyenas, oh my!
See the 2013 Oscar Nominations Inspired Life of Pi Collection
Lincoln
Lincoln: Sure, sure, we all know the story. But do we? Daniel Day Lewis transforms himself as the leader of our country during one of the most significant points in history with the passing of the 13th Amendment.
See the 2013 Oscar Nominations Inspired Lincoln Collection
Silver Linings Playbook
Silver Linings Playbook: What happens when two people with emotional problems who can’t function in society spend time together? A dance competition, of course!
See the 2013 Oscar Nominations Inspired Silver Linings Playbook
Zero Dark Thirty
Zero Dark Thirty: This political drama based on the assassination of Osama Bin Laden is not for the faint of heart. It’s unapologetic in showing the realities of war and the brutality of interrogations, but with cinema sweetheart Jessica Chastain in the lead it’ll definitely surprise you. She’s one bad motherf****r.
See the 2013 Oscar Nominations Inspired Zero Dark Thirty Collection
All movie images are property of their respective films, except Argo, found here
We’re in this month’s HGTV!
Check us out in the Jan/Feb 2013 issue of HGTV magazine!
This issue features Khristian A Howell’s Nolita Chevons and Kaui Blooms throw pillows as best “bangs for your buck” when outfitting your home with unique style!
Check out the stories on page 43 and page 50 in Jan/Feb 2013 issue of HGTV Magazine!
And shop Khristian A. Howell’s designs here:
Hilarious Fingerprint Portraits by Artist Dito Von Tease
Recognize any of these fingerprints? Well you should thanks to the elusive Italian artist known only as Dito Von Tease.
Dito has embarked on a project called Ditology that features eerily familiar portraits of celebrities on the ordinary human finger. The faces produced on each solo finger range from the well-known public personality (Steve Jobs) and political figure (Che Guevara) to the fictional icon (Mr. T) and religious guru (Dalai Lama). There is no person that is off limits in this lighthearted, comical series. Every “person” in the presented portraits is intricately adorned, costumed, and given an appropriate backdrop.
In addition to the ongoing project’s humorous nature, the artist behind the work adds another level of playfulness through his entirely appropriate chosen name “Dito” that translates as “finger” in Italian, which would also mean that Ditology translates as Fingerology. What’s perhaps most ironic in all of this is that we often use fingerprints to identify people, yet Dito Von Tease has managed to retain some anonymity by only exposing his fingerprints.
Mirror, Mirror: Artist Uses Reflections to Create Amazing Artworks
via This Is Colossal:
Photographer Daniel Kukla who has a background in both biology and anthropology has a new series of work called The Edge Effect where he photographed square mirrors propped on easels in locations around Joshua Tree National Park to catch the reflection of the horizon behind him.
The resulting images create the bizarre effect of looking at a paintings sitting in the middle of the desert. Of the work Kukla says:
In March of 2012, I was awarded an artist’s residency by the United States National Park Service in southern California’s Joshua Tree National Park. While staying in the Park, I spent much of my time visiting the borderlands of the park and the areas where the low Sonoran desert meets the high Mojave desert. While hiking and driving, I caught glimpses of the border space created by the meeting of distinct ecosystems in juxtaposition, referred to as the Edge Effect in the ecological sciences. To document this unique confluence of terrains, I hiked out a large mirror and painter’s easel into the wilderness and captured opposing elements within the environment. Using a single visual plane, this series of images unifies the play of temporal phenomena, contrasts of color and texture, and natural interactions of the environment itself.
Check out some of the photos below, and you can see his website for several more photos.
Friday Forecast: PANTONE Reveals Top 10 Colors For Spring 2013
It’s that time of year again! With New York Fashion Week in full swing and designers showcasing their newest looks for Spring 2013, PANTONE has just revealed what colors you will see the most next year.
Now you can plan that Spring wardrobe ahead of time – just make sure it includes something that is ‘Monaco Blue’ – PANTONE’s top color for the spring fashion season of 2013. According to PANTONE Color Institute’s executive director, Leatrice Eiseman, she describes Monaco Blue as a “wonderful, calming and anchoring color” to the rest of collection.
What other colors can you expect next Spring? PANTONE’s other top 9 colors include ‘Dusk Blue’, ‘Emerald’, ‘Grayed Jade’, ‘Linen’, ‘Poppy Red’, ‘African Violet’, ‘Tender Shoots’, ‘Lemon Zest’ and ‘Nectarine’.
So, do you love or hate these color choices?
Would You Like Fries With That? The World’s Largest Burger
Would you like fries with that? We don’t think you’ll have room after this one… The Black Bear Casino Resort in Minnesota just set the Guinness World Record for the world’s biggest burger on September 2, 2012.
This record setting beast weighed 2,014-tons, and consisted of 60 pounds of bacon, 50 pounds of lettuce, 50 pounds of sliced onion, 40 pounds of pickles and was topped off with 40 pounds of good ole’ American cheese.
While on the grill, the massive burger required a crane to flip it over – and took about 4 hours to cook in a special outdoor oven, while the toasted bun took 7 hours to bake.
“What I saw today was a feat of remarkable teamwork that resulted in a world record burger that actually tastes really good,’ said Guinness Records representative Philip Robertson.
After the record was confirmed, the burger was sliced and diced for the crowd to enjoy — for free! Yum!
Foodie Friday: Typographic Posters Celebrating Cuisines From Around The World
Combining his love for food and typography, Phiadelphia-based artist and creative director Roni Lagin has created a brilliant series of typographic posters that foodies around the world are sure to love. The poster series celebrate the renowned foods and cuisine types from each of the different cities from around the world.
His series, titled ‘Delicious City Prints’ has covered some of the most popular foodie capitals around the world – such as New York, Paris, New Orleans, London and Chicago, creating a visual, fun way to check out cuisine from around the world!
Check out some of Lagin’s posters below: 
Diamond Jubilee Color Guide: A PANTONE Color Chart Fit For A Queen
These days, it seems like PANTONE is everywhere. So what better way to commemorate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebration than with a super cool color guide made from selections matching the Queen’s wardrobe over the years?
PANTONE and advertising agency Leo Burnett London chart six decades of style for Queen Elizabeth II with the launch of a limited-edition ‘Diamond Jubilee Color Guide’. The guide is designed to capture and commemorate some of the Queen’s most memorable color choices since her coronation – featuring PANTONE Color references and citing the date and location that determined her outfit color choice.
Selecting feature colors from the Queen’s wardrobe, PANTONE featured some of these colors – the reason behind them? Check it:
PANTONE 13-0755 Primrose Yellow - The Queen’s royal wedding outfit from 2011 was Primrose Yellow. Yellow is a color that speaks to the future with hope and optimism.
PANTONE 13-4411 Crystal Blue - Blue is a colur staple in the Queen’s wardrobe, is also seen as de-stressing so it’s no surprise she was sporting a serene blue to a Royal Garden Party in 2010.
PANTONE 16-2124 Pink Carnation - In recent years, she has been seen in trendier bright pinks, defying her age and communicating that she is a monarch modern in thought and spirit.
PANTONE 13-5414 Ice Green - During the Queen’s landmark state visit to Ireland, the first since the country gained independence in the 1920s, she was seen in a cool shade of green.
So will you be seen using the Diamond Jubilee Color Guide? Or will you steer clear of this PANTONE look book?
Coca-Cola Couture For A Great Cause
As the part of its “Tribute to Fashion” charity project, Coca Cola asked some of the best Italian designers to put their stamp on its limited edition bottle, including Moschino, Donatella Versace, Angela Missoni, Alberto Ferreti, Consuelo Castiglioni and Etro, who showcased their creations at the Milano Fashion Centre.
The bottles, dressed in their high-end Italian designer couture even strutted their stuff down the runway to launch the campaign.
“Italian designers revamp Coca Cola Light bottle! It’s thirsty work visiting fashion show after fashion show, but we doubt anyone could drink through a Coca Cola bottle this big, as seen at Milan Fashion Week.” — [Metro.co.uk]
These Coca Cola Light designs initially went on sale September 25, 2011 in Italy, and all profits from sales will help young women from the Abruzzo area find scholarships.
Versace
Moschino
Moschino
Alberta Ferretti
- Etro
Blumarine
We love these! Almost too good-looking to even think about drinking though!
Incredible 360-Degree View Landscapes
Wow, talk about an entirely new way to view the world. Literally, a 360-view of some incredible landscapes.
New York City-based photographer and filmmaker Randy Scott Slavinhas stitched hundreds of photographs together to form stunning spherical panoramic projections.
Titled ‘Alternate Perspectives’, his collection consists of surreal images of various cityscapes and landscapes.
“I developed a technique that could realize my desire to turn the real into the surreal,” says Slavin. “The result is something rebellious, beautiful, and provocative. My series is a collection of the works culled from these photographic explorations.”
Pretty incredible. At least we think so. Check them out:
[via DesignTaxi]
Fun Fact Tuesday: How Famous Brands Got Their Names
You learn something new everyday! We found these knowledge tidbits on DesignTaxi – and they are actually pretty cool.
You hear the names of famous brands probably at least once a day. Names like Coca-Cola, Nike and Adobe. These brands are world-famous and some of the most advertised; and their logos, instantly recognizable—but do you know how their names came about and what they actually mean?
Based on the Wikipedia list, online magazine Bored Panda has made a visual list of famous company name etymologies.
So how many of these fun facts did you already know?
That’s One Big Bunny
Artist Florentijn Hofman has once again left us in awe with his “Big Yellow Rabbit” art installation that he created last summer in Orebro, Sweden – Floretijn Hofman was the same mastermind behind the big yellow Rubber Duckie that floated its way down the river in France.
The Big Yellow Rabbit was a temporary 13 meter high sculpture. The rabbit was created as an enlarged cuddle toy made out of swedish products thrown against the statue of Engelbrekt.
Hofman’s work often deals with simplistic happiness – his signature oversized installations serve as diversions that ease the tension of modern life. His work often gives onlookers a moment of serenity amidst times of economic and political turmoil. We can’t help but appreciate this.
Lunchbox Awesome: A Lunch Way Too Good To Eat
Graphic designer, Mom (and maybe aspiring chef) – Heather Sitarzewski made a decision to stray away from the typical “brown bag” boring school lunches, and create unique ‘bento’ lunch boxes for her son every day. Her ‘bento’ lunch box project is appropriately titled “Lunchbox Awesome”.
However, unlike your usual bento boxes, she manipulates the food into various shapes and patterns to form characters from cartoons, games and movies – which are shockingly recognizable, and look way too good to eat!
Sitarzewski has created over 120 different bento lunch boxes for her son, featuring characters such as Spongebob Squarepants, Harry Potter, Ninja Turtles, Hello Kitty and Angry Birds – we wonder how popular her son must be at school now (he must never want to trade his goods for the coveted Snack Pack).
She keeps a Tumblr account of her masterpieces, which can be viewed here. But here are some of our all time Lunchbox Awesome faves:
Way to go Heather – these are incredible!
Friday Interesting: Most Popular Fashion Brands By City
Not exactly design-related, but we stumbled across a recent article from Lucky Magazine that profiled the most popular fashion brands by city and were inclined to share.
Shop It To Me—an online personal shopping assistant that tracks discounts on your favorite brands—crunched the numbers and analyzed the brand preferences of their users in 23 major U.S. cities and ranked the most popular brands 1-50 in each of them.
Check out the images below – and tell us, do you stack up with your city’s preferences? Or is your wardrobe in an entirely different zip code?
MIAMI
Top Brands: Victoria's Secret, BCBG, Nine West
Shopping Forecast: Out of all cities, it's where Michael Kors is ranked highest. Maybe it's all the neon pink and electric green he's been using lately?
SAN FRANCISCO
Top Brands: Banana Republic, Marc Jacobs, BCBG
Shopping Forecast: It's the only city where comfy-casual brand Ella Moss makes the top 50. (Lightweight cotton dresses might make trekking up those city hills a little easier.)
SEATTLE
Top Brands: The North Face, 7 for All Mankind, Victoria's Secret
Shopping Forecast: North Face is #1. Rain gear that's tough but not overly sporty— like this military green slicker— is probably why.
BOSTON
Top Brands: J.Crew, The North Face, 7 For All Mankind
Shopping Forecast: J.Crew's really popular, but it only ranks #1 in Boston. Is it all the college kids? The industrious, adorable outerwear? Those chunky striped sweaters?
CHARLOTTE
Top Brands: LOFT, BCBG, Nine West
Shopping Forecast: Betsey Johnson makes the top 50 in each of the cities we analyzed except Charlotte. It's a little surprising, considering the designer's Southern belle-friendly dresses like these.
MINNEAPOLIS
Top Brands: Victoria's Secret, Banana Republic, J.Crew
Shopping Forecast: At #8, Express ranked higher in Minneapolis than anywhere else. Maybe it's the on-trend pieces like these printed pants?
PHILADELPHIA
Top Brands: UGG, Michael Kors, Steve Madden
Shopping Forecast: It's one of only two cities where UGG made the top 10. (The other one's Boston.)
PHOENIX
Top Brands: Guess, Juicy Couture, True Religion
Shopping Forecast: It's the only city where Guess makes the top 10. (Maybe locals play up the Southwestern vibe in concho belts and faded jeans like these.)
NEW YORK CITY
Top Brands:: Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, Gucci
Shopping Forecast: It's one of only three cities where Louis Vuitton makes the top 10. Which means New York shares some common ground with LV-loving Houston and Miami, two cities with styles that seem really different than typical NYC looks.
BALTIMORE
Top Brands: BCBG, The North Face, Victoria's Secret
Shopping Forecast: At #50, Tory Burch barely made it on Baltimore's rankings, unlike more Tory-friendly Boston and Los Angeles (which rank the brand #31 and #36, respectively).
SALT LAKE CITY
Top Brands: Express, Nike, Victoria's Secret
Shopping Forecast: It's the only city where Old Navy made the top 50. (We hope everyone there stocks up on boots like these: so versatile, and even less expensive than a movie date.)
CHICAGO
Top Brands: DKNY, Banana Republic, J.Crew
Shopping Forecast: Along with Detroit and Atlanta, it's one of just three cities where DKNY makes the top 10. (This trench would be good for braving windy days.)
HOUSTON
Top Brands: Ralph Lauren, Nine West, Steve Madden
Shopping Forecast: Although it might seem like a New England brand, Ralph Lauren only ranks in the top 5 in two southern cities: Houston and Atlanta.
LOS ANGELES
Top Brands: Free People, Juicy Couture, Steve Madden
Shopping Forecast: Along with San Francisco, it's one of just two cities to count Miu Miu in the top 50. (We would've thought New York would be in there too. Although, sorta interestingly, Prada ranked in the top 50 for all cities analyzed.)
DETROIT
Top Brands: Victoria's Secret, The North Face, Nike
Shopping Forecast: Detroit may be famous for brutal winters, but it still ranks Victoria's Secret's little lingerie as its #1 brand of choice.
AUSTIN
Top Brands: Nike, 7 For All Mankind, Ralph Lauren
Shopping Forecast: Along with Houston and New Orleans, it's one of just three cities to rank BCBGirls in the top 50. (Perhaps because floaty dresses like this one would work so well on humid summer days.)
NASHVILLE
Top Brands: LOFT, Steve Madden, Nike
Shopping Forecast: At #15, Kate Spade ranks relatively high in Nashville, compared to Houston and Miami (where Kate Spade is #30 and #39, respectively).
DENVER
Top Brands: 7 For All Mankind, J.Crew, Nine West
Shopping Forecast: Banana Republic ranks #1, which means Denver shares sartorial taste with Austin, Salt Lake City and San Francisco.
PITTSBURGH
Top Brands: Nike, Express, Banana Republic
Shopping Forecast: Along with Salt Lake City, it's one of only two cities to rank Tommy Hilfiger in the top 50.
NEW ORLEANS
Top Brands: Gucci, Nine West, Ralph Lauren
Shopping Forecast: At #15, New Orleans ranks Kenneth Cole higher than in any other city. (In Boston the brand ranks #39 and in L.A. it ranks #40.)
WASHINGTON D.C.
Top Brands: The North Face, Marc Jacobs, Victoria's Secret
Shopping Forecast: At #7, LOFT ranks relatively high in D.C, where political types might wear blazers like these.
ATLANTA
Top Brands: Steve Madden, J.Crew, DKNY
Shopping Forecast: Atlanta is one of only two cities to exclude Urban Outfitters from the top 50— NYC is the other— even though the store has really cute things like this.
DALLAS
Top Brands: Juicy Couture, Banana Republic, Ralph Lauren
Shopping Forecast: Coach makes it in the top 50 in Dallas, along with Detroit, Houston, Minneapolis, Phoenix and Pittsburgh. It must be a non-coastal thing?
Oversized Rubber Ducky Bringing Oversized Smiles to Onlookers
You cannot help but to smile when seeing these images – and that is just the reaction that artist Florentijn Hofman wanted. Sometimes it is the simple things in life that mean the most, and to tap into those feelings, Hofman created his giant yellow duckie with the mission of simply bringing people together through the presence of art.
Treating the Loire as a giant bubble bath, as The Rubber Duck cruises, it brings a message of joy, without political or sociological connotation. Hofman’s work often deals with simplistic happiness – his signature oversized installations serve as diversions that ease the tension of modern life. His work often gives onlookers a moment of serenity amidst times of economic and political turmoil. We can’t help but appreciate this.
“The duck itself is a durable vessel, made from an inflatable plastic shell, a pontoon boat, and a generator to help propel it forward downstream. It gently moves throughout the environment without disrupting the nature of the marine life in the river below. Rising 82 feet by 82 feet wide, the bath time toy conjures up childhood memories and nostalgic narratives, undeniably creating smiles as it passes through each town.”
The Rubber Duck traveled a 40 mile stretch from Saint-Nazaire to Nantes, France as part of the Loire Estuary art exhibition. The Rubber Duck has already delighted the shores of both Osaka and Sao Paulo, and it will likely continue its journey to other waterways around the world, surely spreading joy and smiles everywhere it floats.
We hope this ducky makes it’s way across the pond to visit us sometime soon – what an incredible sight!
Absolutely brilliant.
The 72-Room Bohemian Dream Home
Abandoned building? Nope, actually only three people live in this building (and no, they are not squatters).
A few years ago, New York Magazine revealed that this graffiti-covered old bank on the Bowery (that we all probably thought was abandoned or filled with bums) is in fact a single-family-home. Yes, you read that correctly. Single-family home.
The old 30,000 square foot, bank was bought in 1966 for a mere $102,000 by photographer, Jay Maisel – who still occupies the now 72-room dream home with his wife and only daughter. Today, real-estate brokers estimate it’s worth at least $50 million.
New York Magazine was given a peek inside the Bohemian dream home, here are some of the incredible photos from the tour:
The Master Bathroom
Originally office space. Maisel designed it, putting down a plywood floor and installing a marble shower stall.
The Dining Room
The bankers had their meals here. It’s at one end of the open living room. The pressed-tin wall is original.
Amanda’s Bedroom
Maisel built the platforms so his daughter can look at the skyline while lying in bed.
The Kitchen
The Maisel kitchen is on the site of the bank’s original kitchen, where staff cooked for the bankers.
The Kitchen
The Maisels on the Roof
Linda has a small garden in one corner; this year, she grew tomatoes, basil, peppers, and parsley. The building’s copper trim is still intact.
The Fifth Floor
The plastic tubing runs along the ceiling and carries cold air. Part of Maisel’s collection of curiosities lines the hallway.
The Elevator
Maisel used mirrors to enclose the original copper elevator cage for safety.
The Third Floor
Once bank offices, now gallery space. The original door frames are oak.
Maisel stores his work in the original safe-deposit vault.
Pretty incredible right?
Sit. Stay. High Fashion Dog Portraits
Artist and photographer William Wegman, along with his editorial dog Man Ray – had a partnership that produced some amazing photographs. I don’t know if the photographs themselves or the fact that Wegman could get Man Ray to sit still for that long is more impressive – but either way, I need the name of his doggie trainer.
This is the story behind William Wegman and Man Ray:
It was while he was in Long Beach that artist William Wegman got his dog, Man Ray, with whom he began a long and fruitful collaboration. Man Ray, known in the art world and beyond for his endearing deadpan presence, became a central figure in Wegman’s photographs and videotapes. In 1981, Man Ray died. It was not until 1986 that Wegman got a new dog, Fay Ray, and another collaboration began marked by Wegman’s extensive use of the Polaroid 20 x 24 camera. With the birth of Fay’s litter in 1989, Wegman’s cast grew to include Fay’s offspring — Battina, Crooky and Chundo — and later, their offspring: Battina’s son Chip in 1995, Chip’s son Bobbin in 1999 and Candy and Bobbin’s daughter Penny in 2004.
LEGO Architecture: Towering Ambition
Artist and architect Adam Reed Tucker—who’s also one of 11 LEGO Certified Professionals in the world— how do you get that job?- along with other LEGO artists, have recreated the world’s tallest skyscrapers using more than 15,500,000 LEGO Bricks.
The collection is currently exhibited at the National Building Museum in Washington DC features detailed LEGO versions of iconic skyscrapers, such as the Empire State Building, the John Hancock Center, the Petronas Towers and the Burj Khalifa.
Tucker himself created 11 of these buildings—each of which took about 200 hours or more to complete. The Museum’s LEGO® Architecture exhibition is among the most popular in Museum history and has had more than 214,000 visitors since it opened in July 2010.
The exhibition called ‘LEGO Architecture: Towering Ambition’ runs through ‘til 3 September 2012.
Design Makeover: Disney Movie Posters
I’ve previously seen minimalist posters of Pixar and famous Hollywood movies, but I am absolutely loving these. When ! stumbled across these on DesignTaxi, I had to do a double-take. I was shocked to see Disney classic movies with a whole new design makeover. It almost makes me want to watch these movies again.
This time around, Liverpool-based graphic designer and artist Rowan Stocks-Moore has rendered Disney films the minimalist feel with his latest series of posters. Taking on classic Disney titles like Snow White and The Seven Dwarves,Pinocchio, The Little Mermaid, The Lion King and many others, his posters feature strong silhouttes and iconic graphics.
Check them out:
Pretty cool right? Which one is your fave?
