Hana Pesut Does the Old ‘Switcheroo’…

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Art, culture, Hana Pesut, iPhone, Photograph, Photographer, Photography, Portrait, Social Commentary, Switcheroo, Tallulah Bankhead, Vancouver

Sandra & Simon by Hana Pesut, ‘Switcheroo’ Series
(Images © Hana Pesut 2012)

They used to photograph Shirley Temple through gauze. They should photograph me through linoleum. (Tallulah Bankhead)

I come from a family of indifferent photographers. I remember a time as a teenager – back in the olden days, when you had to wait until your film was developed before seeing what your pictures looked like – when my father got some film developed and there was a span of almost ten years between the first and last image. True story.

My photographic skills are no better. I’m a snapper, really. Point-and-shoot cameras were designed with people like me in mind. All the images taken by me on this blog are done on my iPhone. Getting the picture…?

Actually, it’s really only since I started blogging that I have become interested in photography as an art form. The web is a great medium from which to share images. As a result, I’m sure followers of TSL will not be surprised to learn that I am completely captivated by the kooky images of Hana Pesut and her ‘Switcheroo’ series.

According to her bio, Hana is a self-taught photographer currently living in Vancouver. Her main focus in photography is getting the ‘little moments’ that people sometimes miss and later wish they had captured. She hopes to inspire others to take more photos in their day to day life. I reckon’ if I prove to be a better photographer than crochet-er, she’s converted one more person to her cause!

See what you think…

Amy & Joe by Hana Pesut, ‘Switcheroo’ Series
(Images © Hana Pesut 2012)

Sarah & Carl by Hana Pesut, ‘Switcheroo’ Series
(Images © Hana Pesut 2012)

Nick & Margaret by Hana Pesut, ‘Switcheroo’ Series
(Images © Hana Pesut 2012)

Mallory & Norman by Hana Pesut, ‘Switcheroo’ Series
(Images © Hana Pesut 2012)

Another simple yet inspired idea! There are loads more examples of the old ‘Switcheroo’ on Hana Pesut’s website here. I think her images are just fab’.

Anna Garforth’s ‘Guerilla Gardener’ Graffiti Grows On You…

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Anna Garforth, Art, Banksy, community, culture, Design, E M Crane, Exit Through The Gift Shop, Graffiti, Green Graffiti, Guerilla Gardening, London, Moss, Social Commentary, Street art, Typography

‘Park’ by Banksy (Los Angeles)
(Image from here)

A wall is a very big weapon. It’s one of the nastiest things you can hit someone with.(Banksy)

The word ‘graffiti’ stems from the Italian word graffiato, meaning scratched. It can range from simple written words to elaborate wall paintings and it has existed since ancient times. It often has a reputation for being part of a sub-culture that rebels against authority, and certainly, artists like Banksy have used it as a tool to spread their point of view in a clever and satirical manner*.

While I am certainly a fan of Banksy’s work, I’m loving this new trend of ‘green graffiti’ installations. It ticks all the boxes for me – quirky, clever, the tiniest bit subversive AND it’s environmentally friendly.

Anna Garforth is one artist who is worth a squizz when it comes to the growing art (ha!) of green graffiti. An artist who works with a diverse range of mediums, I reckon’ her wonderful moss typography pieces are just sublime.

Her ‘Grow’ moss typography adorns the wall of a secret spot she found in London behind locked gates in a disused plot awaiting the arrival of new flats… 

‘Grow’ – Green Graffiti by Anna Garforth
(Image © Anna Garforth)

‘Grow’ (Close Up) – Green Graffiti by Anna Garforth
(Image © Anna Garforth)

‘Spore Borne’ was Garforth’s first experiment in moss writing. She is quoting from a poem written by Elenor Stevens…

‘Spore Borne’ – Green Graffiti by Anna Garforth
(Image © Anna Garforth)

‘Spore Borne’ (Close Up) – Green Graffiti by Anna Garforth
(Image © Anna Garforth)

Although I suspect there is slightly more to Anna Garforth’s gorgeous installations, if you are just the slightest bit tempted to try your hand at green graffiti, wikihow has a great wee tutorial on just how to do it!

You can learn more about the very talented Anna Garforth’s typographical work here. 

I shall leave you today with some good, old-fashioned bathroom wall graffiti…

I was here but now I’m gone
I left my name to carry on
Those who liked me
Liked me well
Those who didn’t can go to hell
(E.M. Crane)

* If you haven’t seen Banksy’s ‘Exit Through The Gift Shop‘, it’s an absolute winner. Seriously clever.

Waking Up With Dan Golden’s ‘Positive Energy’

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Art, Colour, Contemporary, creativity, culture, Dan Golden, Humour, Interior design, Photos, Pillows, Positive Energy, Rugs, Social Commentary, Textiles, Tom Waits

'Positive Energy' Rug

OK – now that I’ve woken you up with Dan Golden’s ‘Positive Energy’ rug (are you feeling it, yet?), let me tell you a wee bit about the man and his quirky, fun and fabulous work…

Dan Golden and his partner in crime, Jen Huh make up the art & design team that is Dan Golden Studio, based out of New York. The firm specialises in concept development and is currently designing new textile, lighting and furniture collections. They recently launched a range of home decor products for CB2 (which now ships to Australia!).

Dan Golden’s art and design work has been featured in many magazines and websites including The New York Times, The New Yorker, Fast Company, Interior Design, Veranda, The LA Times, Shelter, FORM, Angeleno, David Report, Behance and MoCoLoco. And now, it has been featured right here in This Sydney Life, too! 

While I was tinkering about preparing for this post, I came across a CB2 interview with Dan.  Two things jumped out and really stuck. 1) the man is a massive dog lover.  He has a dog named Nutley (who is clearly massively loved), and 2) Apparently, years ago — when he was a waiter/aspiring singer-songwriter – he met Tom Waits. HE MET TOM WAITS! Dan says that Tom’s advice was to “be original and not try to be like anybody else. This advice was simple and true, and applies equally to being a designer.”  Looking at Dan Golden’s work now, I rather suspect Tom Waits’ advice was heeded.

The Dan Golden Studio pieces all have a recognisable design handwriting to them – for me, they are contemporary and clever, fun and humorous, uncluttered and, sometimes a wee bit ironic. I think it’s all great.  But then, I kinda’ like anything that looks good and makes me smile or think…

Check these out:

'So Long Suckahs' Rug

Safe Place rug

I want me one of these 'Jazz Superheroes' pillows

'Morphine is the Best Medicine' pillow

'Hole to Another Universe' Wall Sticker

Do you have a favourite Dan Golden piece?

(All images sourced from Dan Golden Studio)

Blog Stalking ‘Were I So Besotted’…

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Blog, Blog Stalk, Blogging, Brooklyn, craft, creativity, culture, Design, Embroidery, Fibre Artist, Iviva Olenick, London, Photos, Pratt Institute, Social Commentary, Stitching

When I lived in London, I remember walking home from work in the wintertime after the sun had gone down.  I loved it. It was dark enough for lights to be turned on, but not late enough for curtains to be drawn.  I could see into the windows of houses as I walked past. Those small snap-shots into other people’s living rooms were fascinating to me.  It was especially wonderful at Christmas-time…

I suspect many of us in the online world take the plunge to enter the blogging fray after a period of blog stalking*.  I will admit to my share of this.  It’s a little like looking into other people’s living room windows.  You get a wee taste of their world.

One of my earliest blog finds was Were I So Besotted.  Brooklyn-based Iviva Olenick is a hugely talented fibre artist who creates the most beautiful and original narrative embroidery.  She calls her small-scale, usually autobiographical pieces her ‘hand-stitched blog’.  Her work is both charming and honest.  I love it.

'Williamsburg Hug'

'How We Met Sunset Park'

'Fulton Park'

'Cowboy' (for friend, Sarah's birthday)

'Sweetie'

Iviva is active within the embroidery community.  She runs workshops at venues like the Textile Arts Center and teaching stitching at the Pratt Institute.

If you have some time, go and check out her blog, Were I So Besotted.  It’s gorgeous.

(All images sourced from Iviva Olenick’s blog here)

*blog stalk: to religiously check a particular blog of interest for any new content