I just had to share this amazing book art by Isaac Salazar. Explore more at ArtistADay and Salazar’s Flickr.
I recently went on a tour of the Mission District here in San Francisco. (Learn more about that from Diary of a Smart Chick). One of the things that I noticed was that there was a lot of text incorporated into the murals. Combined with the images of the murals and the stories behind them it all looked like poetry (and of course some of it was intended to be that way. Here’s a glance at the writing in murals:
Just a quick note to share this amazing gallery of books-as-art (located at Fresh Pics but found via a post over at SFist). Altered book art of all kinds is something that I really adore and want to get more into myself. Some of these creations are just absolutely astounding in their creativity as well as in their execution. Absolutely inspiring!
I’m spending most of today getting caught up on wireless technology news for some articles that I am working on for various clients. This has caused me to think back upon my favorite wireless articles that I have written in the past. For me, the clear winner is a pair of articles that I’ve done for DialAPhone on cell phones used in various types of art.
I am always really fascinated by the merging of technology and the world of art. This can include everything from technology as a subject of art to technology as a medium for producing or altering art. Regardless of the place on the spectrum where the merging takes place, I find the merging of interest because it takes two completely different areas of innovation (science-based innovation and creativity-based innovation) and brings them together.
Check out the original articles:
San Francisco’s downtown / SoMA is in the process of architectural change. A number of new buildings have cropped up that look modern and unique from the rest of the cityscape. When they first started being erected, I have to admit that I was resistant to the change. I love the city’s architecture and didn’t like the alteration. But as they’ve developed, I’ve started to appreciate the new buildings.
As a result, I’ve gotten more interested in design and architecture than I was before. And I’ve been particularly interested in hyper-modern design. There are a number of different buildings that show off modern styles. Below are three images of just such buildings. The pictures all come from Global Construction Watch and you can learn more about these buildings from their blog.
What’s inspiring about these is the way that the incorporate modern technology into their design. They’re forward-thinking and yet rooted in what currently motivates our lives. It’s an interesting development in design and one I’m intrigued by.
Question of the Day: What do you think are the hottest new buildings around the world?
[Tags] design, art, architecture, high-tech, building, inspiration [/Tags]
I recently received a note card that was printed by a group called THASC (The Handicapped And Senior Citizens). This group employs a series of artists who use art as a form of rehabilitation. The art is sold in the form of notecards and other promotional items in order to raise money for the group.
The notecard that I received had a beautiful pencil drawing of a lighthouse. The back of the card informed me of the following:
“LIGHTHOUSE” is an original artwork drawing by Bill Whiting, resident of the Wolverine State, Michigan. Paralyzed following a trampoline accident twenty two years ago. A self taught artist. Drawings are accomplished with a pencil held in mouth.”
I think it’s obvious why that’s inspiring. The persistence and commitment to artwork, the astounding detail in the drawing and the broader setting of the THASC group all serve as creative inspiration.
I haven’t been able to find out anything else about Bill Whiting – and he doesn’t appear to currently have any work on the THASC website – but the card was inspiring nonetheless.
Question of the Day: Which other artists should I check out who have created art despite formidable odds?
[Tags] art, thasc, bill whiting, drawing, inspiration [/Tags]
Inspired is a daily column here on Real Words that reveals all of the different things that inspire me throughout the week. What I’m finding inspirational today is this stunning photograph of the insides of a beautiful flower. It comes from Caught in Time Photography where you can go to check out galleries of other impressive photos.
I find this inspiring as a writer for a few reasons. These reasons include:
- Quality photography eludes me. My medium is words. I love images but I’m not skilled at capturing them in any form. I’ve definitely never gotten to the point of being skilled at capturing great close-up photos with a camera. Someone else that can do it inspires me as an artist.
- The attention to detail. As a writer, you can never get too much attention to detail in your life. Breaking everything down to those small little pieces makes it easier to understand. Knowing how to look at details helps you to capture nuances in your own work and to really allow readers to connect with what you’re trying to describe.
- The light and shadow. Writing boils down to showing off the light and shadows in life. I love seeing that complex notion captured simply in photographs such as this one.
It’s also just a really beautiful picture that I can gaze at to inspire daydreams.
Question of the Day: Why do you think flowers have so often been a source of inspiration to artists of all kinds?
[Tags] photography, art, flower, inspiration, writing [/Tags]
I first discovered SARK when I was in my late teens. There was an independent bookstore in my town where I would go to discover things that they didn’t have at the chain bookstore where I worked. In addition to books on creativity and alternative living and artistic endeavors, this bookstore had posters. One of them was a poster of SARK sayings.
For those who don’t know, SARK is an artist and author from here in San Francisco (although I didn’t realize she was from here when I was still living in Arizona). She writes her books in colorful handwriting and dares her readers to dream. She provides simple mantras for living a more creative life, allows space in her books for readers to color outside of her lines and embraces the idea that every page can be a starting point for something else.
I’ve come back to SARK again and again over the years. In periods when inspiration is weak, I’ll remember her writing and print out a copy of one of her sayings to hang over my desk. I’ll remind myself that it’s okay to spend an afternoon coloring or to take a lazy day to just be in bed with a book; things I learned from SARK when I was overworking and making those rare stops in independent bookstores.
Learn more about SARK here.
Question of the Day: Which creative writer inspires you most?
I mentioned not that long ago that I was starting to get really interested in altered art. Specifically, I was looking at altered book art. However I was also just kind of getting inspired to start making more collages and doing more with altering items that I had around the house.
During the time that I was doing a whole lot of research into altered art, I stumbled across mail art swaps. These are groups that commit to some sort of art project. Each member of the group creates their part of the art project and sends it to the person they’re assigned to send it to. For example, I completed a swap in which we were each supposed to make two 8×10 collages for two people; we made our collages and mailed them off. In exchange, we got mail art from someone else in the group.
These groups are a source of inspiration because they challenge you to create something artistic given certain guidelines or parameters. You also have a tendency to try to do a better job than you might on a collage piece for yourself because you know that you’re giving it as a gift to someone else. Plus you get art in the mail and get to see how someone else in the group interpreted the same artistic instructions which can give you a lot of insight into creative perspectives.
I’m not sure how often I’ll participate in these types of swaps but I think it’s a good thing to do every now and then. I’d love to find a writing group that is similar to this. Perhaps sending a poem to someone in the group based on a certain theme. That’s something to think about …
Question of the Day: Have you ever participated in any sort of mail art swap; if so, how was it inspiring?
[Tags] altered art, art, collage, mail art, swap, creativity, inspiration [/Tags]
Inspired! is a daily column on this blog which shows the different things that have inspired me throughout the week. The inspiration source depicted here today is two art pieces that were hanging in the bathroom at The Brick Coffeehouse Cafe in Marysville, California.
I went up to Marysville this weekend and had to stay for a few hours after hotel checkout so I made my way to the Historic Downtown area to spend that time at The Brick. I’d been there once before and it’s a memorable little coffee shop for a small town. There’s art on the walls, free Wi-Fi, friendly staff and open mic nights. It’s charming and cute and artsy and nice. And they let me hang out there when I didn’t have anywhere else to hang out for those few hours so that’s a plus.
In any case, when I went to the bathroom, their art caught my eye. The first image is of what appears at first glance to be a painting but is actually a mixed media piece that combines images of a guitar and a wine bottle which are crafted from wood with artistic painting. The second image is a photograph which has been framed behind an old window frame. These are examples of art that takes what’s around and uses it in a new way that makes you like twice, something that I always find to be inspiring.
Both of the images just caught my attention. They’re pretty. They’re different. They’re noticeable. And the fact that they’re being displayed in a bathroom gives an interesting aspect to them. It’s not like you normally expect to see great art when you go to the bathroom of a coffee shop!
Question of the Day: Can you think of any bathrooms where you have seen interesting art?
[Tags] inspiration, creativity, art, marysville, california, brick, images [/Tags]
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