It has been one month since our baby boy arrived (all 9 lbs. 4.5 oz.) and I already can't imagine life without him. I could do without the 2am feedings, but, I must admit, I'm getting used to this new sleep schedule! *[Oeuf animal hats and booties -- bear, dragon, and wolf available]
I just happened upon this striped, adjustable arm sofa by George Nelson for Herman Miller over at reform-modern. The upholstery is vintage Alexander Girard fabric and "the adjustable arm feature is good for reading or napping." *[Sounds so nice.]
About two years ago, JP invited me to attend a lecture at the NYPL on Czech avant-garde design. It was great. And the mini exhibit afterwards was incredibly inspiring. *[Here are a few magazines from JP's own Czech design collection.]
We're moving today. All of the boxes filling up our apartment remind me of Andy Warhol's Time Capsule Project. Spanning a thirty-year period (1960s through the 1980s), it consists of 610 standard sized cardboard boxes Warhol filled, sealed and sent to storage. A wonderful catalogue of his daily ephemera. *[View some of their contents here.]
Two 8.5 x 11 handwritten sheets of paper: One from the Pan Am in-flight duty free shop with a note written with black ink and the other featuring partial lyrics to the song "Bad" written with black permanent pen. Both in the hand of Michael Jackson. *[More from the collection of David Gest.]
From age 10 on, I spent many summer days on the Honda Trail 90s that were kept at our family's Bucks Lake cabin. We were allowed to drive them as soon as we could set the kick-stand and had strength enough to place the bike upright from a lying position. It was great fun. *[Image from "My Freedamn Vol. 8" available at Colette.]
This is from an incredible type specimen book that JP once showed me. He inherited it from his professor and friend Paul Rand. The book's previous owner, Jan Tschichold, one of the most influential typographers of the 20th century, left his ex libris inside the front cover. An incredible history. *[See and read more at AmassBlog.]
Typoésie by Jérome Peignot is a wonderful book full of typographic explorations. My friend, Anisa, shared her copy with me when we worked together at M/W. I tracked down my own copy from Paris in the days before extensive, online book shopping existed. Published in Paris, 1993, 461 pages. *[Get your own copy here or here.]
The Ephemera Society of America lists JP Williams as a “collector of collections.” His collections include: stamps, staplers, old philatelic covers, and gloves that have been run over by trucks. Now he has a blog to document them all: AmassBlog. Take a look. *[Thank you, JP.]
Published in 1974, after prolonged litigation, "Jacqueline" is a stunning black and white book full of candid photos of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and her children as taken by the notorious photographer Ron Galella. I purchased this used copy a few years ago. *[Get your own copy here.]
In celebration of Mother's Day, the Op-Ed editors over at the New York Times asked six female artists (Ruth Gwily, Nathalie Lete, Collier Schorr, Shary Boyle, Paloma Varga Weisz, and Kara Walker) for portraits of their mothers. In addition, these artists described one thing their mothers can do -- that they themselves can't. *[Take a look.]
My daughter passed away last July due to complications related to Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome. Since her birth last May, I was in close contact with Shwachman-Diamond America, a group founded by a mother of two sons with the syndrome. I have remained involved since. *[The new logo below is the first of what I hope to be several projects for SDA.]
Miffy was created in 1955 by Dick Bruna who had been telling his one-year-old son stories about a little rabbit they had seen while on holiday. Miffy became a girl because Bruna decided he wanted to draw a dress and not trousers for his rabbit. *[JP gave me some of his daughter's Miffy book collection for my future kids. They are wonderful books.]
This past February, my friends (Mara Papa, Katie Hatch) and I started HARVEY FAIRCLOTH, a fashion line which debuted at NYC's D&A with great response. The Fall 2009 collection is inspired by Alexey Brodovitch, Native American beading, The Seven Year Itch, Claire McCardell, and everything we've always loved to wear. Available in August. *[More here.]
In the 1960s, a group called the Diggers opened numerous Free Stores in SF's Haight-Ashbury and NYC's East 10th Street in which all items were free for the taking or giving. Today, in NYC's Financial District we have the recently opened Free Store, started by two artists, where goods can be had by bartering. [*Check it out here.]
During WWII, with fears that Japan would overrun Hawaii, the US decided to issue the $1, $5, $10 and $20 Emergency Federal Reserve Notes with the word "HAWAII" overprinted on the front and back to make each note distinctive enough so that they would know if large amounts were being used to fund the enemy war effort. *[I love the contrast of type.] I'm off to jury duty -- wish me *LUCK*.
Last night was the opening of the new Partners & Spade space/gallery/store at 40 Great Jones Street. They invited gallery owners, designers, artists, and creatives to share their work and collections. These include Mike Mills, Maira Kalman, JP Williams, Jason Polan, Mary&Matt, Mister Mort, and me. *[Go and take a look.] Photos via The Scout.
This 1954 issue of the science journal SCOPE was a wedding gift from JP. Designed and art directed by Will Burtin, he believed that "beauty is not necessarily a matter of form or style, but the result of order achieved." Burtin is most credited for his work for The Upjohn Company from the 1940s to the 1960s. *[He's a true design hero.]
I received this set of The New Illustrated Library of Science and Invention for my birthday. Designed and produced by Erik Nitsche, the design, inside and out, is incredible. Assemble your own set here. *[Thank you Ace Jet 170 and Daniel Neville.]
"Excerpts" paper promo for Champion Paper was designed by Design MW in 1998 (the summer of my internship). I learned a lot at Design MW and often refer back to that time in my design career. Tasked with comping this piece taught me the importance of good craftsmanship. *[Thank you JP & Allison.]
by John Baldessari, is a series of photographic images placed alongside adjectives such as “noble”, “kind”, “troubled”, or "jolly" -- which establishes the various possibilities of image and language as two forms of communication. *[2005]. I like it.
Damn Everything but the Circus by Corita Kent is an alphabet using various quotes she found inspirational and relevant at the time. Corita was a nun and artist during the '60s and taught at the Immaculate Heart College in L.A. *[Buckminster Fuller described a visit to her classroom as "among the most fundamentally inspiring experiences" of his life.] Nice!
Forget All The Rules You Ever Learned About Graphic Design by Bob Gill is a brilliant book. Independent, unorthodox and outspoken, Bob has designed for Apple Corps records, Rainbow Theater, Pirelli, Nestlé, CBS, Universal Pictures, and the United Nations. *[Pick-up a copy here.]
Winter is HERE. To lighten the mood and keep warm, pick-up a pair of these JACK SPADE, limited edition, moustache gloves featuring an American-style moustache on one hand and a French-style on the other hand. More colors available. *[Hold finger under your nose and ENJOY.]
Songs I've had on heavy rotation in 2008: [1] New Schools: The Sea and Cake, [2] Official: Q-Tip, [3] Athene: Hercules and Love Affair, [4] I'm Still Waiting: Bob Marley, [5] Wait for the Summer: Yeasayer, [6] Baltimore: Nina Simone, [7] Onde Eu Nasci Passa Um Rio: Caetano Veloso, [8] Shake It Off: Kelly Makeda, [9] Move: CSS, [10] Tropical Island: Melpo Mene, [11] Do For The Others: Crosby, Stills & Nash, [12] Into Brooklyn, Early in the Morning: The Innocence Mission. *ENJOY!
I found several of these in my grandparents' home which was previously the home of the late artist Florence E. Ware [1891-1971]. These were her 1967 holiday cards -- 3" x 5" Kodacolor prints of one of her paintings with super-imposed Futura type. *[Nice peace pipe.]
At the 2005 kate spade holiday party, Dan Hurley wrote this 60-second novel for me. This December 28th marked our sixth wedding anniversary. After the loss of our daughter this summer, I can't think of anyone I would rather have by my side than my husband. He really is the best gift.
From 1946 to 1966, Herbert Matter was a design consultant for Knoll where he designed the Knoll logo, numerous advertisements, posters, and catalogs. *[For Knoll's 60th birthday, NB:Studio came up with this version of the original logo for the 1998 Knoll Christmas card.]
President Calvin Coolidge hand wrote and issued the first official Christmas message from the White House to the American people in 1927. It was published in newspapers across the U.S. *[White House holiday greetings from the Kennedys and the Eisenhowers below.]
With days as cold as today, man, I wish I had one of these. This "MISS NEW YORK" scarf (and for the west coast gals, a "MISS CALIFORNIA" one in green) is available in kate spade stores. *This was a project I worked on in my last days as a member of the kate spade creative team.
This Marimekko striped textile was designed by Maija & Kristina Isola from the Winter 2008/2009 fabric collection. Pattern: Aino (1979). Material: 100% cotton velvet [Stripes do not repeat]. Priced and sold by the yard @ $68/yd.
Salvor is a graphic project which first began about 3 years ago in a basement studio below the sidewalk on Prince Street right off the Bowery. They printed all kinds of things from wall treatments to t-shirts to yukata to doll-like sculptures. *[Sample Sale Dec. 6th | 13 Essex Street, NYC!]
Jason Polan is nice and he loves to draw. His most recent project is Thrilla in Manila: Jane Mount vs. Jason Polan -- a no holds barred draw-a-thon at Jen Bekman Gallery. Drawing Hours: 12/03/08 - 12/06/08, Noon - 6pm. *Swing by.
Andy Beach of REFERENCE LIBRARY will bring his blog into the 3rd dimension with a 10-day-long shop at KIOSK that opens on Friday. *[A few booklets of patriotic, vintage stamps I put together will be available in the shop.]
I bought this Graphis/Diagrams, edited by Walter Herdeg [1974], on Ebay a few years ago. Selected with the graphic designer in mind... this international review will serve as an abundant source of inspiration. Indeed it has.
My friends over at kate spade have been busy designing clever, new, soft goods -- all handcrafted by women in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Buy a pair and "directly support a woman as she rebuilds her life, family, and
community." Wonderful.
This is a spread from "200 Millions D'Américains" by John Craven. This is one of my favorite books. With 540 photos, it is a photo essay on life in the United States, circa 1967. [Happy Voting!]
Alvin Lustig did many cover designs and illustrations for the New Directions book series. My friend and mentor, JP Williams gave me my first Alvin Lustig designed book cover. This one, which I purchased, has a nice autumn feel.
Exhibition designer Robert Guest has been getting up at dawn every school day for the past 15 years to write a note to each of his two children, Joanna and Theo. Here are some of the thousands of letters he wrote. [Esopus, Spring 2008]
We worked on Maclaren while I was at Design MW and Kate Spade. This vintage Maclaren stroller is in the MoMA's permanent collection [Baby Stroller. 1966. Aluminum alloy tubing and saran polythene fabric]. Nice.
My friend Gillian designed this poster when we were both working at Kate and Jack Spade. A great collection of objects -- some of which were Gillian's own -- all of which collectively capture the brand's aesthetic. [Nice stuff.]
I used to love looking through the album covers in my Dad's record collection (last I remember there were about 500+). Just as graphically compelling as album covers, these record sleeves were found in this online library.
This is the packaging for the brand new figure set designed by French artist Genevieve Gauckler. It was created to celebrate her last exhibition in Japan called "Tokyo 41% Paris 59%". [Limited Edition]
I remember when I paid 10 cents at school for a small carton of milk. Those were the days. [“Hamburger, Popsicle, Price” by Claes Oldenburg, 1962. Materials: Enamel paint on canvas stuffed with kapok.]
Speaking of school, a new 'university' was launched in London, led by a group of artists, writers and intellectuals in a small shop in Bloomsbury. "The School of Life" was designed to help busy people appreciate the finer things in life, like art, books and travel. Take a look.
For lovers of Clarendon, a slab-serif typeface created by Robert Besley in 1845, is this new Clock by Lemnos, design by Riki Watanabe (designed when he was 92 years old). 12.2 cm x 7.2 cm. 85 Euros.
4 spiral-bound issues of L'Architecture D'Aujourd'Hui, Architecture Urbanisme Décoration, [No. 2, 3, 5, 6] architecture and interior design magazine directed by Andre Bloc. Beautiful typography.
"Let spring blossom on the tip of your toes with this pair of Nike Dunk liberty printed." Dunk Hi Liberty Wiltshire and Pepper. Only 40 women's pairs available at colette. Limited edition: 185 pairs. Available May 3rd.
This t-shirt (inspired by Milton Glaser's NY version) is for sale at the Paris based store colette. The t-shirt was imagined by La Clique from Le Paris Paris, Le Baron and La Johnson. I LOVE it. 35 Euros.
The Sterling Ruby: CHRON exhibition ended a few weeks ago at The Drawing Center in NYC -- collage from show (below). Prison (detail), 2004. Collage and pencil on paper, size: 31.5" x 23.75".
