Category: Art

  • My creative boner for those Daniels is stronger than ever. If you don’t remember, I posted about these boys a few years back after I had the pleasure of meeting them at the Vimeo awards. Their vision is so distinct and, I’ll admit, a bit strange but it’s SO good. You’ll never see anything like what they do. True creative geniuses.

  • Beyoncé is obviously not a new topic, but Mrs. Carter is one bad-ass lady who’s new album is really challenging the landscape of the music industry. In a land where record execs just want you to push the hottest single, Bey decided to make a whole VISUAL album. This amazing woman decided to create 17 music videos to accompany her new album and released them ALL. AT. ONCE. The amount of work that went into the planning of all of this blows my mind, and each song and video has such a 90s Madonna-meets-Missy Elliot vibe to it’s look that I can’t help but be giddy watching them all over and over and over…

    Well done, Bey, well done. My feminist anthem of 2014: FLAWLESS… so. fucking. good.

  • ezra_zmaic

    This is the most recent Made By Hand film and it almost brought me to tears. This film follows Ezra Caldwell, a bike builder in Harlem. Although it explores his passions, this film takes a look into a life of a man battling cancer with ferocious optimism. Ezra began taking daily pictures of himself and his life once he was diagnosed and now sells them in weekly, hand-printed batches. Seriously puts things into perspective.

  • zmaic_beauty_is_embarrassing

    I feel like I saw the trailer for this two years ago and have been waiting forever to get to see this, and FINALLY Netflix has it available! I’ve already watched it 5 times in the past two months, and thought I’d share it with you in case you haven’t checked it out yet. Wayne White is an artist and creator who does a bit of everything and is responsible for my obsession with Pee Wee’s Playhouse and the famed “Tonight, Tonight” Smashing Pumpkins video. Most of the things that I grew up with, that I really found visually inspiring, were created by this handsome man. This documentary make me feel sane for getting my hands into everything creative and that there’s nothing wrong with being a Jack-of-all-trades.

     

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    Wayne now paints these incredibly lettered scenic paintings that make me giggle every time I see them. Check out his site and his books.

     

  • Scratch commissions designers to created limited edition nail decals that are high-art, low cost. Flat Vernacular is the guest this month!

  • Jul
    2013

    2

    Sailing Ship Kite

    Check out this amazing kite from Haptic Lab! Not only is it cool, it’s also Fair Trade. Check out their other amazing goods, including my favorite quilt.

     

  • This incredible triple-decker poster was made by the ridiculously talented Isle of Printing out of Nashville, TN. I love the use of negative space and that the design evolves as you add layers, yet each could stand alone. I’ve always wanted a laser cutter, but this just confirms the need.

  • My best friend in the whole world came to visit from Chicago and the girl is OBSESSED with nail art… so obviously I surprised her with amazing manicures from Ria Nailz…. I got ice cream & doughnut nails and she got ice cream and tribal nails.

  • Today is not only my ONE YEAR anniversary here in NYC, but my first day working with the ladies of Domestic Construction. I am officially building, making and crafting things for these incredible girls.

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    I just bought this incredible case for my Kindle (Top) at the BUST Magazine Craftacular today in DUMBO from Rebound Designs. She makes cases for pretty much any kind of tablet you can think of as well as really cute hard-cover, clutch wallets. I love old book cover designs and I am a huge fan of re-purposing things.

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    I created a bunch of song artwork for I Am Lightyear’s new EP, Holding Pattern. Check out her work, she’s a pretty amazing lady.

  • Apr
    2013

    9

    Weird Children

     

    So my boyfriend works his butt off with these crazy fools. Tim Van Horn edited this really cute promo video for their upcoming show with their new singer and I couldn’t be more stoked for them! Check out Weird Children’s  fun, rocky-pop music you won’t might regret it…

  • Recently, someone told me that I reminded them of Fiorucci’s. For some reason, with my obsession with pop art and New York’s hey days, I totally missed this huge chunk of pop culture history…

     

    Fiorucci’s ads (above)

     

    Debbie Harry, Madonna, Basquiat, Warhol, Truman Capote, Betsy Johnson, Marc Jacobs, Maripol…. Pretty much everyone I’ve ever obsessed over or idolized hung out here.

     

    Dubbed the “daytime Studio 54,” Fiorucci was the place to be in the late 70s – early 80s. The East 59th Street store opened near Bloomingdale’s in 1976 and was filled with glitter, gold, lamé, and skin tight jeans. The store is credited for launching Madonna’s career (her brother worked there) as well as hosting the launch of Warhol’s Interview Magazine and exhibiting Keith Haring’s work. Fiorucci had avant garde, affordable fashions for everyone, waaayyyy before H&M or Forever 21 came into play. Unfortunately, mismanagement of the company led to bankruptcy in 1989. In 2001, the store tried to make a comeback in NYC, but it never would be like it was during Andy Warhol’s New York days. Fiorucci seemed like an amazing place and I wish I could have been a fly on the wall back in its hey day. ..

  • I worked really hard to create these Holiday Survival Kits for some holiday gifts this year. I think they’re finally ready to get wrapped up and shipped! It took me awhile to miter cut each “frame”, stain and screen each box and put everything perfectly in place. I love them and am so excited to send them out into the world.

  • Nov
    2012

    15

    Tea Packaging

    My initial mock-ups for Tribute Tea’s packaging (above) and first-round samples (below).

     

    I finally got my first-round samples of Tribute Tea’s packaging from the manufacturer and, although not perfect, they’re pretty great for first-rounds. I’m really excited to see these coming together and can’t wait to see them on shelves.

     

     

  • Logo and business cards I designed for my client, Tribute Tea. I wanted to do something really organic and the idea of utilizing a tea stain came in mind. I love the way they came out!

     

  • So during the epic Hurricane Sandy, I was down in North Carolina doing hair and makeup for the lovely, Lauren Zettler of I am Lightyear. We spent the weekend running through the forrest, lighting colored smoke bombs and sprinting in circles with sparklers. It was a really good time with some really great people. Last night the actual video for “Lose Myself”premiered at the Converse Rubber Tracks studio. So take a look at the trailer and see me in action.

     

    Video directed by Habib Yazdi.

    Behind the scenes video filmed and edited by Kristen Winter.

  • Nov
    2012

    6

    Acupuncture Site

    My good friend, Jen, was starting her own acupuncture practice and needed a classy site, so we did a bit of bartering and this beaut resulted. It’s a simple one-page, parallax site that really has a tranquil feel. Clean and simple, my favorite. See it live in action.

  • Oct
    2012

    5

    Sleep No More, NYC

    Sleep No More is an interactive play for those of us who love theater as well as the ones who don’t… Hidden in New York City is the best live performance show in town. Sleep No More, loosely based on Macbeth, is an interactive play that completely breaks the barriers between actors and audience.

     

    For starters, there is no theater per se, the performance takes place in the five-floor McKittrick Hotel where the audience is first brought into the parlor for champagne cocktails (think “The Shining”-style lounge) where they are then, group by group, given white masks (think of the orgy scene from “Eyes Wide Shut”) and brought up in the elevator to various floors of the building.

     

    The “audience” is encouraged to wander through rooms, rummage through drawers, and go wherever they please. There are no rules, except that you cannot speak at all for the duration of your stay. The actors are the only ones without masks and perform throughout various rooms, whether you’re around to see them or not. A trench coat clad man zooms past with an umbrella and hordes follow him to see what he’s up to, a man, drenched in blood, de-robes and hops into a bathtub – these are the “scenes” and you might just see the same one twice since more audience members are let up in the elevator continuously.

     

    Don’t expect to see every scene or even every room of the McKittrick upon your first visit. The entire experience is what you make of it, which is why it’s interesting to attend multiple times; no two performances are going to be the same for you. Sleep No More is an incredible experience and even if you have no idea what the hell is going on (most of us) it’s a crazy, roller coaster of a ride.