But Do They Notice?

As a graphic designer, I spend most of my day rearranging elements around a page like a puzzle; hoping to convey the message in a hierarchical, readable, non-offensive way. What I do doesn't save or change lives... I just try to make things look pretty. So... do people notice?

Well thanks to a recent 99% Invisible episode*, I can take comfort in the fact, that at least Roman Mars does....

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"I firmly believe that people do care, even if we don't know why, even if we don't know how to articulate it, we feel the effects of bad design, whether we consciously notice it or not....  Once you get people to notice bad design, your annoyance spreads like a virus." 

               – Roman Mars

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In the episode, Roman talks with Kate Wagner of the website McMansion Hell; an architectural critic, focusing on ostentatious homes that are built to present an ideal image of wealth but give no consideration to the grammar of design. 

Wagner wants to empower people to have opinions based on design, rather than marketing. But mostly I think she enjoys that others now have to suffer with through her shared annoyance of bad architectural design. I mean, no one wants to suffer alone. 

I can relate to this, since over the years, I have introduced many a friend to Papyrus. And I am pleased that they now cringe every time the encounter it. 

So I will go forth and design on, in the happy knowledge that Roman Mars approves. 

*99% Invisible is my favorite. The fact that there are people out there who are constantly curious about random topics makes me love human beings a little bit more.

Update and Repost: Dimensional Fashion on Display in Grand Rapids

So I went back to the GRAM for another look at Iris van Herpen: Transforming Fashion

(yes it is interesting enough to warrant a second look!)

And I took the time this time to watch the footage of her runway shows. On mannequins, the dresses have a beautiful fascination, but when you watch someone try to move in them, you get a grasp of their absolute absurd ridiculousness. 

Honestly, these women look so uncomfortable and miserable. Mostly it's the shoes. The insane heelless shoes. I simply cannot get over them. I can't stop watching these 9-foot-tall toothpicks wobbling down the runway. And when someone is concentrating that hard on simply walking forward, it becomes less sexy and more degrading. 

So please, go see the show and enjoy it as art and sculpture, be awed by the materials, but I'm going to stop referring to the pieces as clothes now!

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Original post published December 22nd, 2016  

If you find yourself in Grand Rapids during the next few weeks, I must urge you to check out the Iris van Herpen: Transforming Fashion exhibit at the Grand Rapids Art Museum.

On display, are about 100 innovative pieces from Iris van Herpen, a cutting-edge fashion designer from the Netherlands. The stunning craftsmanship of Van Herpen's work is not overshadowed by her use of unorthodox materials, such as umbrellas and metal screens. But she is perhaps best known for creating the world's first 3-D-printed couture fashions.

The 3-D printed clothes, don't look particularly comfortable and I don't anticipate seeing them hanging in our closets anytime soon, but they don't fail to enrapture. The futuristic styles compliment the human form in an organic manner, yet create designs that function more like sculpture than apparel. 

Van Herpen revealed her first collection in 2007, after graduating from the ArtEZ Institute of the Arts in the Netherlands. Since then, her work has appeared on international runways and she has designed couture pieces for fashion powerhouses such as Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, and Bjork.

Van Herpen believes "Wearing clothing creates an exciting and imperative form of self-expression." This exhibition features outfits, while outrageously "different", are undeniable beautiful. 

The GRAM exhibition continues until January 15th. I cannot recommend a visit strongly enough. For a listing of hours of operation, visit artmuseumgr.org.

A New Year, A New Battle

When I sat down to make my 2016 holiday cards, I wanted an image that rallied strength and hope for things to come, but also reflected on the year that's passed. And let's be honest, a little bit of a lot of us was hoping that someone would swoop down and save the day before inauguration. 

So you combine that tiny bit of optimism, with my recent Halloween costume, and my sincere love for the US Postal Service, and the card just sort of happened. Yes, that's right, my holiday card was inspired by a postage stamp. 

The hand-painted image of a very buff, wonder(ful) woman punching out 2016 recognizes the challenges 2017 offers, and vows to fight on. 

Stay strong. Game on 2017. 

Wrapping up the Holidays

Looking for a simple, non-traditional way to decorate your holiday packages this year?

Try adorning your packages with hand-cut and hand-painted, paper feathers. This idea was inspired by Lia Griffith, who's gold-tipped feather wrapping is absolutely gorgeous and elegant. 

It took me about an hour to create 2 dozen feathers. I choose a set of feathers from Google images, cut from my selected paper—vintage sheet music for White Christmas—and then painted a variety of color accents. 

Paired with clean lines and solid kraft wrapping, the feathers add a whimsical and non-conventional touch to holiday gifts!

Like your feathers too much to give them away? Take another Lia Griffith suggestion and hang clusters for beautiful wall art!

Free Hotel Kitsch

"Nothing dates a [hotel] room more than old art and floral bed covers." 

Well at least Mike Mueller, Senior VP of the Super 8 motel brand, is both -honest and aware. 

The budget hotel Super 8 may not be known for their modern decor, but as the hotel chain undergoes a redesign, the "not-so-super art" is being removed and replaced with a more contemporary style. 
But across the country, there are thousands of Super 8 rooms, so what do you do with all those discarded art pieces?  You let hipsters fight over it....

Super 8 is holding a series of "Super 8 Innov8te" art shows across the country, and is giving away the most eclectic pieces from their collection. The free art is available on a first come first served basis. 
The brand recently had shows in Miami and New York City, where Mueller says, “We had people literally fighting over pieces of old hotel art. It’s really retro and ironic, and I think that’s what people like about it.”

As the hotels rebrand, the rooms will incorporate hyperlocal black and white photography into their furniture and decor. 
There are 1800 Super 8s across the country, by early 2017 they anticipate the new look will have touched every location. So maybe it's time to revisit a Super 8.

In the meantime, be on the lookout for a chance to grab some historic hotel kitsch at an art show near you.

2016: Another One Bites the Dust

Halloween has passed, which means the next time I go into the store, I'll be bombarded with holiday decor. Christmas is right around the corner, followed by...[drumroll]... 2017. 

In preparation for 2017, or, to help you get your holiday shopping done early, I've released calendar designs for 2017 on Etsy. 

Designs for 2017 include:

– Black and White Abstract

– Abstract Flower Designs

– Black and White Florals

– Rainbow Florals

Each calendar is a simple, clean, modern designs, that stand in a black wooden easel. Visit fivefeettall on Etsy to see the full line and place an order. Quantities are limited!

8th Annual Recycled Art Market at City High

This Saturday is the 8th Annual Recycled Art Market at the City High/Middle School (1720 Plainfield). This is our favorite show of the year — this year there will be more than 70 booths showcasing goods made from primarily recycled materials. 

Every year, we like to debut at least one new product, this year it will be kitty bowties. Bows are made from recycled neckties and fabric scraps. These dapper accessories are perfect for all you're cat's upcoming formal holiday occasions!*

We will also have most of our standard items available too. Last year the booth was full and the day was busy. We're looking forward to seeing many familiar faces again this year. 

Items are one-of-a-kind and of limited quantity, so get there early for first dibbs! Generally, 11 am to 1 pm are the busiest hours, so if you want to avoid the crowds, plan accordingly! See you Saturday!

*Miss the show or want a sneak peek at some ties, check out ScrappyLynn.etsy.com

Saving Halloween & Hiding Out at the Clique

When I started freelancing full-time, I thought I'd have all this "free" time to sew and read and cook. Frankly, that hasn't happened. It's been a whirlwind, and I feel like my feet have yet to touch the ground. 

BUT. Halloween did give me incentive to get creative and test my sewing skills, with two costumes I made entirely myself — I didn't even have to rip out any seams!

First up, Wonder Woman, which included designing a top, skirt, armbands, belt and head piece. A super shiny gold spandex for the accessories was the ultimate finishing touch (along with some killer boots from superherostuff.com).

My second costume needed to be bowling friendly. So I created "camouflage" for my natural environment... Clique Lanes. This included painting the wallpaper pattern onto fabric and then sewing it into a shirt. This was all around fun to make and fun to wear, and was a big hit with the bowling alley patrons.

Halloween will continue to reign as my favorite holiday, and the sewing machine was a great break from the computer. I'm inspired to make an effort to spend more time with needle and thread!

The Timeless Tradition of Knitting

Think about how easy it is to pop into Target when you need (or simply want) a new scarf. Think about how we simply toss two socks away when one gets a hole. Years ago these items weren't so easy to come by, and acquiring a new hat, a scarf or a pair of socks, meant making them. 

This was a time when idle hands were seen as sinful, and women spent every spare minute sewing and mending and stitching and knitting. Barbara Levine has compiled a lovely tribute to the virtue of knitting throughout the early 19th century through the '50s and '60s. People Knitting: A Century of Photographs recognizes a time when every minute was precious.


Whether it was their duty during wartime, or simply a matter of supplying their own goods, knitting was (/is) a virtuous skill. And people managed to continue knitting, regardless of what their day entailed—they knitted as a form of socializing, they knitted at the hair salon, they knitted in prison, they even knitted while they walked...

See more captivating photos and read more about Barbara Levine's book on atlasobscura.com.

The Memory of a Skeleton

October has arrived. And with it, all things macabre.

Check out these delicately, creepy creations by Caitlin McCormack. I'd love to dub this macabre macramé, but alas, it is actually crocheted.

The artist from South Philadelphia works with thin string and glue to give the impression of bone tissue. McCormack crochets skeletal remains which are bizarrely beautiful, like grotesquely fascinating doilies or lace. She began crocheting these forms after her grandparents passed away. You can read her interview with Make here. 

When she puts the specimens on display, they are remarkably striking—intricate details set against a black background. 

See more of McComack's work at Paradigm Gallery and Studio or follow her on Instagram. 

Gold Medal Design

The 2016 Rio Olympics passed with a sufficient amount of scandal, but no real disasters. In total, I watched maybe an hour of diving while sitting at a bar, waiting out a rain storm. I've never really gotten into the Olympics. Maybe I'm unpatriotic. Maybe I just don't like to sport. But I do like to brand— and the Olympics provide a very unique branding opportunity. 

Every two years, a different city hosts the Olympic games, and each city gets to design it's own logo, which will be reproduced on uniforms, on swag, in print, online, on stadiums — global exposure for millions, if not billions, of impressions. 

It's a challenging mark to create. It must include the 5 Olympic rings, the city name, the year, and a unique mark. Sometimes this is achieved quite elegantly, sometimes... not so much. 

The AIGA has compiled all the Olympic logos since 1924 and had Milton Glaser grade them on a 100 point scale. You can check out Eye on Design here to see if you agree with his grading (I didn't). Also, see how many of the recent logos you remember— the only ones that felt familiar to me were London 2012 (for it's horridness) and Atlanta 1996. 


As far as favorites, I picked three:
1. Athens 2004 - for bringing back the Greek. This is a simple, classy mark, that modernizes the traditional Olive wreath. 
2. Tokyo 1964 - it so clearly represents the country in a totally simple and uncluttered way. 
3. Montreal 1976 - I like that the rings are worked into the logo itself, though I'm not entirely sure if this is a "M" or a building. 

And what about Rio?

The Rio mark is fluid and organic. The color scheme is fresh. I didn't totally love the dancing dudes though... at least not until I noticed the corresponding family of icons that accompanies it. 

There's a full set of icons representing each sport in the games—clever little stick men sporting. These sort of sold me on the Rio mark. 

So what's to come? On the Eye on Design page, you can also get a sneak peak at the works-in-progress for the 2018 PyeongChang, 2020 Tokyo and the 2022 Beijing game marks. Nothing like spying on the design process! ;)

Saturday Morning at the Felter's Market

Peak farmer's market season has almost passed, but there's one market that never goes out of season.

I discovered the Felter's Market at the Eastown Bizarre Bazaar back in June. Featuring felt food goods, as soft, safe, washable toys for children ages 3+, their products are adorable, creative and they never go bad!

I love this imaginative alternative to plastic toys. But what really sets this concept and booth apart for me, (other than the clever name) is the attention to display and packaging details. Wooden quart baskets, wire bins, gingham table spreads, beautiful tags and stickers— all these things come together to create a lovely little scene. 

And just the other day I stumbled upon an in-store display at Pinky's Place on Alpine. The Felter's Market had built a full-on food stand within the antique mall. Once again, the product presentation really carries through and sells the brand concept. 

And in case your mother didn't teach you to eat your fruits and veggies, The Felter's Market has meals for the diner goer as well. The pieces are separate so you're little chef can build their own meals! (and all at affordable prices!)

The owners, Josh and Sam, started The Felter's Market in Grand Rapids but have recently moved to Canada. Their Etsy shop is on hiatus while they settle in, but you can see what other brilliant things they're cooking up on Instagram!

Political Mystery Solved

Election 2016 is less than two months away, and there's some important questions that have yet to be answered.

But FastCo has answered a really important one for use today...
What Pantone color is Donald Trump?

Donald's skin tone is just as questionable as his political policies, but at least the experts are here to help with that first quandary. 

The Pantone gurus say Donald has an orange to brown gradient range including Burnt Orange, Desert Sun, Golden Orange, Autumn Blaze, Orange Rust, and Burnt Ochre.If you blend together all his hues, we're looking at Pantone 16-1449: Gold Flame.

The color Gold Flame suggests "sturdiness, strength, and endurance, in addition to vibrancy and gregariousness." Color theorists may argue that Donald is orange because it matches his personality... it's a brash color that's extroverted and fickle. Paired with his flamboyant golden hair, we're looking at fiery, animated, temperament.

Interested in seeing what The Donald would look like with a more natural skin tone? Buzzfeed's on it, and... it still doesn't quite look human....

Read more about the process of identifying the gold flame on FastCo.
(and don't forget to Vote November 8th).

Dressed with a Hint of Salt

ArtPrize 8 starts up in Grand Rapids next month, and honestly, I'm finding that each year is really just more of the same... large sculpture, even larger paintings, enormous recycled "piles" and even more enormous crowds. Which is why I'd love to see something like the "Salt Bride" show up in GR.

For this project, Israeli artist Sigalit Landau submerged a black gown in the salt-rich waters of the Dead Sea for two months. 
The artist checked in on the dress at various times to document the gradual crystallization process. After two months, the "Salt Bride" emerged, a glittering, magical masterpiece. 

The dress will be on display at London's Marlborough Contemporary for one more week. Which means, we'll have just missed it when we land in London in a couple weeks!

The Pokémon Shock

So, after having a half dozen people explain (and one demonstrate) exactly what this Pokémon Go business is, I think I finally understand. And while it's a neat use of technology and augmented reality, I just don't see myself getting hooked. But what do I know, I'm not a gamer*.

What I am hooked on, is the news surrounding this app. Car accidents? Robberies? Dead bodies?

This isn't the first time Pokémon has caused injury to its fans. Back in 1997, at the height of Pokémon popularity, an episode aired in Japan that sent nearly 700 children to the hospital.

The episode was call "Electric Soldier Porygon", and towards the end of the episode, Pikachu uses lightning to blow up some missiles. Animators illustrated this using a rapid strobing technique which flashed red-to-blue to make the explosion look virtual.

The flashing colors had immediate effects – children passed out, or experienced blurred vision. Some even suffered from seizures and temporary blindness. Most of the 685 children that were taken by to hospitals recovered quickly, but a few were diagnosed with epilepsy, triggered by the lighting effect.

"Pokémon Shock" was the result of a strobe lighting. 1 in 4000 people suffered from photosensitive seizures. And since over 4 million kids were watching the episode, the effects were vast. 

After this incident, Pokémon went off the air for 4 months to evaluate their animation techniques. The episode never aired in the US. 

Nintendo stock took a major hit. Unlike this week, when Pokémon Go has their stock rocketing up this week. (And small business are even turning the Pokémon Go fad into creative marketing opportunities.)

Want to see the "Pokémon Shock" clip? Do so at your own risk!

*Also, I've never seen an episode of Pokémon, so I'm still not entirely sure what a Pikachu is....

Burning Art

Danny Shervin from Jackson Hole, Wyoming is lighting the art scene on fire. Literally. 

He calls it Painting with Gunpowder, and basically designs pictures with gunpowder, and then lights it on fire. When the powder burns away you're left with a beautiful etched effect.

It's a process he stumbled upon while a student at the University of Montana. He "paints" primarily wildlife subjects, which he meticulously lays in powder before setting the scene ablaze. Check it out:

I'm curious as to what the paintings sounds like while it's burning. Does it Crackle? Does it Pop? (is it reminiscent to eating a bowl of Rice Krispies??) 

Since I know all you pyros out there are having post-July4th withdrawal, here's another one. 
You can see (and purchase) more of Shervin's work on his website, paintingwithgunpowder.com.