Merry Christmas!

Just a quick note before husband and kids wake up. :) This is our first Christmas together with all our families in Jakarta, Indonesia. It sure is one memorable moment for us. Hope you are having a great time with your family too.

Have the merriest day, everybody.

12 Days of Xmas

Have you ever wished to be in 2 different places at one given moment? This is one of those moments I wish I could.


12 Days of Xmas is an urban art showcase hosted by Steal From Work featuring over 70 local and international street artists. Strictly no preview before the opening night, which is today Dec 12, 2008, 7pm at 15 -19 Stokes Croft, Bristol, BS1 3PY, UK. Plus all the work will be available firstly to all those who make it down to the show. No online sale until after the opening weekend.

Click here for its list of artists, and here for more details on the event.



Have a blast tonight!

L'AFFICHE MODERNE, France

L’Affiche Moderne is an art posters online shop based in France, featuring works of young photographers, graphic designers and children’s illustrators. Below are their new arrivals, Nod Young's Puti Tree series, which I adore.



And as I browsed around the shop, I found my other faves, like this, and this, and this, and this, and uhm... maybe this one too. But this one by Pierre Wetzel stole the thunder, with shadows as his subjects, it gives a whole different visual experience. Happy Browsing. :)

Qatar's Museum of Islamic Art

Breathtakingly designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect I.M. Pei. Unveiled Nov 22. Read more here and watch more here.


(image: WSJ.com)

Playing Princess for a Day in Japan

It sure sounds like a smart(!) business to me. Banking on fun. Please read the complete story here.

Design by the Book

I might be the last one in the blogland to learn about this. But I've just read a friendly email from Grace, informing me about her latest project, a collaboration between design*sponge and The New York Public Library.


They are following 5 artists (Julia Rothman, John Pomp, Mike Perry, Moontree Press and Lorena Barrezueta) as they create collections inspired by the library's collections. And they've just launched the first video. And yes, you must. must. must. watch the video above. I surely hope more and more creators, designers, artists, or students would get inspired to visit local libraries. There are exciting things waiting to be found. No kidding, go see yourself.

Get the full story of Design by the Book here.



Thanks, Grace!

3D Wallpapers by Studio Pirsc, Czech Republic

Studio Pirsc Porcelain was founded by Daniel Pirsc in 2005. Their 3D Wallpapers are currently being featured on DesignMagazine.cz (another great design magazine, btw), as they were exhibited at designblok 08 recently.



Don't you just love them? :) I adore their lively combination of raindrops and airplanes. What a perfect wall of art. More pictures here and here. Enjoy!


(via DesignMagazine.cz)

$1,000 for Obama Campaign

For every rug purchase in October, Dan Golden is giving away USD 1,000 to the Obama Campaign. So. very. cool. Click on the above image to see more details. And shop here.


Thanks, Ford!

Lonely Tiger by IVANAhelsinki

IVANAhelsinki will show their Lonely Tiger Collection this Saturday, September 27, 3 pm at the SHOWCASE under the Bridge, Port des Champs Elysées, Pont Alexandre III, 75008 Paris. Be there!



Thanks, Pirjo!

Kinga Burza

Kinga Burza is the music video director of this Kate Nash's Foundations. I love everything about this music video. The settings, the color theme, the angles of every shot, the cute animated objects placed in between, and of course, the lyrics and the artist, too. Every single thing in this music video seems to complete each other, making it an enjoyable experience to watch it. One pleasurable moment, one huge talent. Kinga.


Song Title: Foundations, Artist: Kate Nash. Directed by Kinga Burza.
Click here to read on Kinga's music video directing adventure. And here, or here, or here to see more of her music videos. Kinga is a star and an inspiration. Love. :)


Enjoy!

The Red Thread

The Red Thread is the first of Samsung's Imagination Icon Series, a celebration of outstanding individuals who share Samsung's passion for beauty and creativity. The series will include sites, exhibits, and events exploring each icon's achievements. And in The Red Thread, Samsung celebrates the inspiration and passion of Valentino Garavani.


To experience Valentino's legacy and to celebrate the release of his upcoming film, Valentino: The Last Emperor, please visit The Red Thread at the following locations:

The Red Thread New York, September 4 - 10, 2008
Plaza, The Grace Building
1114 Avenue of the Americas (6th ave. and 43rd str.)
New York, USA

The Red Thread London, September 14 -19, 2008
The Hospital Club
24 Endell Street, London, WC2H 9HQ (Covent Garden)
United Kingdom

Check out The Red Thread's website for more details.


Enjoy!

Working Class Studio :: New Products!

Just got this in the mail. I'm sure you've seen it around the blogland, too. What's not to love..., I adore these two the most, Ben Tumblers and Kay Bowls. Working Class Studio will be at New York International Gift Fair booth 4141 this coming August 17-21, 2008.


Thanks, Jessica!

TROMARAMA, Indonesia

Febie Babyrose, Herbert Hans, and Ruddy Alexander H., the digital artists behind TROMARAMA, are the maker of this R.N.R.M. video music titled Zsa Zsa Zsu. With 1500 frames, 12 kg buttons, and 1 kg colored beads, I only have one word for it. Awesomeness.


TROMARAMA will also be participating at the Singapore Biennale 2008 this coming September. Having born in the year '84 and '85, it looks like they are the youngest artists in the biennale. Very impressive, indeed.

Canape by Jang Lila

Is it a piece of furniture, or is it an artwork? Well, it has all the ingredients of a furniture; wood, cloth and foam. It's a rather unusual furniture, but yet, it is still visually appealing. It's an artwork by a korean artist, Jang Lila. To me, Canape is like a reminder to always look at things or matters differently. Whether you favour it or not, sometimes the outcome can be equally pleasant. :)

Sweets Thoughts

For a person with sweet tooth like me, it's easy to adore these artworks. I wish I could have a wall full of these sweets. Surely my daughters would agree with me on this. ;-) Here are some candies taken from some reputable art galleries.

(top) Ahn Sung Ha, Kate Brinkworth
(bottom) Kate Brinkworth, Hwang Hyun Seung


Have a sweet, sweet day!

Thank you

What an awesome week. First, it was this, then this. Someone should pinch me. hard. :)


Ericka of JuBella.com asked my permission to use my Malang pictures quite a long while ago, and they've just gotten featured here recently. Please visit JuBella.com for more creative inspirations. ;-) Thanks, Ericka!


And, Holly of decor8 invited international design bloggers back in May, to be featured on Domino online. Now, you could (and should!) see all of them here. I'm so glad that I could finally see all my fellow bloggers, after years of blogging. *Nice to see you all! :) And it was so thoughtful of Holly to even mention my Inhabit pillows. For all of these, I say thanks to Holly and Domino!

For first-time readers who came from JuBella.com and Domino, welcome! :)


I think I'll be walking around smiling for the rest of the week now. :) Have a great weekend to you all!

konnichiWHOA! photography exhibition

It's a 2-week exhibition with over 200 photographs of Japan by 24 final-year students from Temasek Polytechnic. Here's a short story about the exhibition.


Individualism is the common thread that binds this exhibition, which offers multiple perspectives on one subject – Japan, seen through the lens of these students, many of whom are first-time visitors to the country. The kaleidoscopic exhibition captures the rich cultures of Japan through the eyes of these youth, its people, architecture in over 200 photographic works. Visitors to the gallery would be able to see their creative interpretation of Japan and their varied photography styles reflected in their photography works and video installations.

You can view some of the photographs here. This is my top fave so far. *Not a common sight in Japan, I hope. ;-)*

KonnichiWHOA! will start from Friday, 18 July 2009 to Friday, 1 August 2008, Monday to Saturday, 11am to 8pm, Sunday, 1pm to 6pm at 2902 Gallery, 11 Mount Sophia, Block B, #B2-09, Singapore. Be there! I know I would. :)



Thanks, Pepper!

Michael Lin

How could I not love this? Found on YouTube, and seen on Le Méridien 100 Facebook page. Click here to listen to his creative podcasts. And click here to see some of his previous work.


Enjoy!

The Affordable Art Fair, New York

I probably shouldn't be blogging while on vacation, but I really have to post this. I've just gone to the preview of The Affordable Art Fair (AAF) on 135 W. 18th Str, NYC, all thanks to Carrie. It was jammed packed, and obviously it's for one good reason, great artworks at affordable prices. Uhuh, for real. It is a must. visit. event(!). With over 70 international galleries, it's so easy to find favorites there. I found quite a few, and I'm sure you'll find yours. AAF will only run until June 15, 2008, so hurry, click here to find out more.



Enjoy!

Away

It's that time of the year again. :) School holiday has started, we will be leaving on Wednesday for 3 weeks.




Luckily, Jo Scholar told me about the Design Show Liverpool, the upcoming show where she'll be exhibiting at. So there are plenty(!) of designer links and product pictures, from the show's website, for your browsing needs while I'm away. ;-)

There's a 2-for-1 ticket offer, just enter code 'EXH241' when you buy tickets online at www.designshowliverpool.com. Jo will be here, and click here to see the rest of the exhibitors. You'll like them, really. Go on and browse, or visit the show.



Take care, and have a great summer!

Couture: Girls and Boy by Marcel Wanders

A friend of mine drop this on my FB wall this morning. Couture: Girls & Boy is the new collection of luxurious wall prints created by Marcel Wanders for Graham & Brown. Click here to see Suzanne, Alice, Grace, Kelly, Audrey, Isabella, Stella and Henry, the names of the Couture: Girls & Boy wallpaper collection. *hmmm.... this Henry must be quite a popular boy then. ;-)*


Thanks, ciska!

Tropicalia by Patricia Urquiola

A recent check on Moroso's site had fed my latest obsession of colorful lineworks. So I just had to post it here. :) *nice web design, too, heh?*



Tropicalia collection, designed by Patricia Urquiola, offers three different materials (polymer, polyester HT, leather) and colors used. One can be playful with thermoplastic polymer threads, or sophisticated with leather, or simple with HT polyester double plaited cords. The colored Tropicalia is made using three threads, combining different colors and creating color mixes. And yes, this piece above is it.

DESIGNSPOTTER relaunch!

Have you checked out DESIGNSPOTTER's new look? It's now online with the beta version. Here's one cool new feature, for designers who'd like to be published on DESIGNSPOTTER, you could easily build your profile page and upload your product images yourself. Brilliant, isn't it? :) Read more about it here.


Congratulations to Markus and his team!

Colorful Lineworks

As promised, here are some masterpieces that had me head over heels for the past few weeks. I'm amazed on how simplicity could generate such powerful artwork. Lines, lines, and more lines in various colors, creating various shapes, movements, and emotions. They are just so captivating. so memorable. so addictive. It's my latest obsession. All thanks to the Jim Lambie's installation I saw weeks ago. :)




From left to right:
(top) Yoon Lee, Frank Stella
(middle) Eric Sall, Frank Stella
(bottom) Atsuko Tanaka, Rudi Mantofani


Enjoy your long weekend!

Dwell on Design, June 5 -8, 2008

You must've heard it around the blogland, dwell is having the 3rd Annual Dwell on Design on June 5-8, 2008 in Los Angeles. It includes Conference (June 5-6) , Exhibition (June 6-7), and Home Tours (June 7-8).



Here are the highlights of the events:

Conference: June 5-6
More than 50 incredibly talented and diverse speakers ranging from legislators to practitioners to activists, discussing everything form urban gardening to a mandated LEED program for LA.

Exhibition: June 6-7
More than 200 exhibitors and an entire neighborhood of full-scale, pre-fab, sustainable structures completely landscaped and furnished by Dwell.

Home Tours: June 7-8
Saturday covers single-family dwellings on the Westside, and Sunday covers urban dwellings downtown.

Party at the Los Angeles MoCA: June 6
Dwell Live Design Challenge: 6-9 PM

• Designers will challenge each other using Wacom Cintiq tablets, competing in heats with their imagery projected on the museum walls.


• Live DJs and Indie Music Performances


• DETAILS

Party at FORDBRADY Gallery

LA Design Gallery Tour: June 7

And here are the goooodies for you!!: *we all love goodies, don't we? :)*

• Coupon code for Discounted Exhibition Ticket (20% Off): ADODED
  
• Coupon code for Discounted Conference Ticket ($50 Off): GRP22SP
  
• FREE 1 Month Digital Issue of Dwell Magazine: LINK

Interested to join the fun? Save the dates, book a flight, click here for registration, and have a blast! :)




Thanks, Cory!

Faceless at Pombamarela

I received an email from Ana of Pombamarela earlier this month, informing me about the Uterus cancer alert campaign in Portugal called “Passa a palavra” (translation ”Spread the word”). The intention of the campaign is to alert women/families about a new vaccine for adolescents that helps to prevent this terrible disease. And Ana would like to be part of this campaign by donating half of her etsy sales during the month of May to this “Passa a palavra” project.


Ana is a multi-talented person, a crafter, an artist, and a photographer. She loves doing projects with different kind of materials and always pushes herself to achieve a better artistic level. Amongst her creations, I have to say her "Faceless" photograph series are the ones that really grabbed my attention. Above is my top pick. I can really sense Ana's strong confidence in her photography works, and it's obviously shown on the piece above. "Faceless" is definitely not an easy subject for a commercial photograph, but the fact that Ana chose this subject is surely admirable.

Click here to support Ana. Spread the word!


Thanks, Ana!

Paper Plates at Working Class Studio

I first learnt about Working Class Studio over at d*s a long while back, but I've never talked about it here yet. For those who are not familiar with Working Class Studio, below is a short introduction, provided by Jessica of Working Class Studio.


Working Class Studio is a product development venture of the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) that cultivates and promotes the work of talented SCAD artists. Each academic quarter, students are selected as interns to form an interdisciplinary design team which designs products to be sold in the marketplace. The studio also regularly collaborates with faculty and alumni to produce lifestyle and home interior goods. An innovative concept for an educational institution, Working Class Studio married function with art to deliver a well-curated, ever-expanding mix of original stationery and home décor lines sold in retail stores across the United States and internationally.


Paper plate and napkin collection is the latest addition to Working Class Studio's innovative home décor and stationery lines. One collection is a wildly vibrant explosion of color, while the other offers a chicly minimalistic motif. My choice? of course..., the wild one. ;-) Click here to find out where you can get them. Plus, they are open for wholesale purchase, too. They will be at these tradeshows if you're interested. :)



Thanks, Jessica!

hello, dear...

Sorry for neglecting this blog for waaaaaaaay too long. :) I went for a one-week short course and then got myself obsessed with contemporary arts. All of a sudden, my spare time in the blogland was completely taken up by art discussions and enquiries with gallery managers, artists, and a contemporary-artoholic friend of mine. I might not be able to share everything here, but perhaps, I could show some artworks that had me head over heels, one of these days.

Meanwhile, let me sort my emails first, there are few that really deserve a shoutout here.


To all mommies out-there, wishing you a Happy Mother's Day, May 11!

Ribbon Pouf by Maria Pergay

This is the kind of thing that would make you gasp for breath, and eventually, melt your wallet (or life savings!). If you are a true fashionista or an art collector, this Ribbon Pouf by Maria Pergay is definitely a must-have. How could you possibly resist? It only comes in an edition of 12. And boy. stainless steel has never(!) looked. so. good. Available at Demisch Danant, New York, USA.


Seen on Vogue Living Spring/Summer 2008.

Links for you..

As promised, here are some links for you. Since I haven't been reading blogs the past few weeks, below links are taken either from my emails, or my bookmarks. If you need more good reads, you could rely on my right sidebar links. (look ----->) :)


Young Illustrator Awards 2008

Claudia of Illustrative 2008 told me about the Young Illustrators Award 2008 currently accepting artworks from talented illustrators, animators, and book artists worldwide(!). 20 finalists will be shortlisted to participate at the Illustrative 2008 exhibition this October in Zürich. Wanna know what the dateline and the top prize are? Click here to find out more.


Baden Baden, Japan

Baden Baden is another great Japanese design shop. I have to say they have a really good eye in selecting their products. I love most of them. :) But if I had to choose, Pendulum lighting is definitely(!) my top favorite.


textile+music, Japan

textile+music was founded in 2003 by textile designer Yuji Muzita. I learnt about textile+music from Baden Baden. Above are some of his wonderful work. You should see the rest of them here.


More Singapore-based design blogs

Here are the latest Singapore-based design blogs added to my links recently, Trend Insights and DesignHeir. Trend Insights is run by a team of professionals from advertising/design industries, and DesignHeir is run by D. Heir, a Creative Director, who happens to be my former classmate in fabric printing course. :) Folks, please join me to welcome them.


Take care now, I'll be back in two weeks.