Design Folks

Art & Stuff

2009-12-05T11:34:00.000-08:00

One of my early vocational ambition after finishing high school was to be an art curator, so I went to study art theory. I knew on the first day of the course this is not something I am good at. I am not very good at elaborating why a piece of art is good. It is too simplistic for me. Personally, this art piece stirs an emotion in me. I like it because it moves me in a feelings level - it's as simple as that.

Nowadays as a designer, I have come across a few clients who say to me they are not very good at colours or anything artsy. From experience, I tell them design is sometimes about what you don't like and when we can identify that, we can start on what u do like by doing the opposite of what you don't. This is something I learnt from a very good friend and is something I draw upon for inspiration whenever I encounter a roadblock in work as well as in life in general.

Something I have pondered my whole life when people tell me they can't draw, how is that possible? Anybody can draw, you just get a pen, paper and start. You can draw something ugly but it is still drawing. Sometimes the whole point is not about creating something beautiful but getting what's inside out on paper.

I have been looking at lots of art lately, drawing motivation and inspiration. And have seen alot of great stuff, found lots of strong pieces with very evocative subject matter. Found new favorites like Banksy, Kidzoom, James Jean to name a few. But I have found the kind of stuff that really appeals to me tend to be really abstract, organic, somewhat peaceful to look at. Like Dylan Martorell which I have posted before and another artist with similar yet different style - Nathan Gray. Beautiful stuff. Love the colourful origami sculptures that look like alien flowers. These pieces are strange to look at yet very strangely natural and homely for me. Hmm... Is that a good enough reason to like something?

What Makes you Happy?

2009-10-27T18:53:00.000-07:00

I asked my little daughter this simple question and her answer was her favorite stuffed toy "Sheepy". I asked what happens if you loose it? She says "My daddy will find it and I will hug Sheepy and tell him it's ok". Found this video asking the same question.

What makes you happy? - shot on 5DMKII from Jon Rawlinson on Vimeo.

The business of 'threading'

2009-10-17T22:24:00.000-07:00

Happy Divali to all Indians around the world!

Massive celebrations happened here in Sydney at Parramatta Stadium, so big that I had to pay $5 to get in...when these celebrations are usually a community centre or public street affair.

As to be expected there was food galore, many of which are not common at the local Indian takeaways. All lovingly & freshly prepared in the boiling wok of oil out back of tent.
Bollywood performances which no doubt satisfied us foreign visitors & opportunities to get henna tattoos.

I've heard about the technique of 'threading' from Indian friends & my Mum who mentioned that my great grandma had been quite skilled in this ancient art of hair removal. I never really thought much about it until I saw the little old Indian lady in action at the corner stall. Truly amazing to watch!

Trapping the end of a roll of thread in her teeth, she wound the loose thread around her fingers, twisting the thread between her fingers as she deftly guided it over the stray hairs across the customer's eyebrows. Having since read up about it, what actually happens is; the cotton thread is pulled along unwanted hair in a twisting motion, to trap hair in a mini lasso, and lifts hair right out of the follicle.

InGENIOUS! and for only $4 I HAD to see what the fuss was all about!

As tolerant as I like to think I am, I thought it hurt. Not as intense as getting a filling at the dentist, but a constant 'irritation' that you never quite get the chance to recover from before the pulling of the next hair. The areas under the eyebrows definitely the worst!

$4 for a 5min job well done though! It's been a week & I'm still marvelling at the precision of it all!

2009-10-12T21:00:00.000-07:00

Somewhere I would like to visit and LIVE through at some point in my life.

Fishies

2009-10-09T14:14:00.001-07:00

Beautiful music, mesmerizing fish. Kinda bitter sweet for me this one. Beautiful to watch such graceful creatures, sad to be in a tank.

Kuroshio Sea - 2nd largest aquarium tank in the world - (song is Please don't go by Barcelona) from Jon Rawlinson on Vimeo.

My beautiful daughter Tara

2009-09-30T23:09:00.000-07:00

I've told many that I don't see Tara as my offspring it is more like she's my little mother. She has taught me so much about myself, about life, about the important things in life. I've grown because of her.

Tara's middle name is Dolka which is a Tibetan name for Green Tara. Tibetans practice chanting and prayers to Dolka. The practice helps to overcome fear and anxiety, but devotees also believe that she can grant wishes, eliminate suffering of all kinds and bring happiness.

When I was in need of healing, I drew pictures of Tara as a goddess because to me she gives me strength when I need it.

I printed the artwork on some t-shirts and gave them away to dear friends. I have a few more and have listed it on madeit.com .

Strange and Amazing Art and Music of Dylan Martorell

2009-09-25T15:16:00.000-07:00

Love his sketches, installations and music. I am not sure why his work reminds me alot of my childhood - times spent on my own in the garden, watching, growing and learning with nature.

Amazing prints found here http://dylanmartorell.blogspot.com/

He made a soundtrack for growing mushrooms

more here http://www.hiddenarchive.blogspot.com/

Our world from up above

2009-09-24T06:14:00.000-07:00

Those yet to visit Central Oz, have had a taste of what to expect in the last couple of days after our spontaneous dust storm. The iron rich particles that make Ayers Rock such a presence in Central Oz made its way over to the east side with the heavy winds.

Oh to be watching from up above at the swirling red storm making its way across Australia & supposedly across to New Zealand right as we speak, what a sight!

Speaking of watching from up above...it's heartening to know that the Ozone hole actually is shrinking! So says the 'Sydney Morning Herald'
YAY for humankind! Keep up the good work & let's not get complacent now!

' Big hole... left, a September 2006 compiled satellite image shows the ozone hole over Antarctica at its largest - 27.4 million square kilometres. Smaller hole... right, a September 2009 image showing the ozone hole has decreased to 25 million square kilometres. Photo: NASA

The closest thing to Life on Mars in our lifetime

2009-09-23T04:35:00.000-07:00

Wednesday 23rd September will be remembered as that dusty red day in Sydney, along with that day in Sydney when it hailed so heavily it looked as if it had snowed, as well as that day in Sydney when it was so freakishly cold it should have been snowing!

Sydneysiders' Facebook statuses riddled with updates about the red duststorm.

Waking up felt as if we were baking in a claypot oven, without the heat...for me, the red haze a perfect excuse for an extra half hour's sleep in.

My hair feels rough with red particles & I'm sure my chest feels clogged... but what a sight.

Amazing, possibly once in a lifetime images from today's duststorm can be seen here.

What do u get up to on your weekends?

2009-09-21T20:52:00.000-07:00

The issue of Tibet

2009-09-21T19:39:00.000-07:00

Recently had dinner with a friend who came back from a holiday in Tibet and she vented about being pretty disappointed with her experience. She found it overly controlled by militants and she found locals rude and opportunistic, scrounging for money at every opportunity.

After coming back, was looking back into the issue and found this very interesting video on u tube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gC46L5kBsIs&feature=related

Dalai Lama retiring and Karmapa taking over the fight to Free Tibet? Interesting and very hot topic.

Suxs that they won't let me embed it but there you go...