Take It To The Streets

By Nichole Camarillo


Whether it's a well written and thought out commentary on the social and political issues that litter our society, or a sudden burst of anger vented in the form of a million and one F bombs, most of us have something to say. Not many, however, actually have the balls to stand up and say it. Very few are willing to step out and shake things up, in hopes of sharing and conveying what it is they have to say. I think that's what's so intriguing about street art. A street artist is not only willing to step out and speak up, but they risk numerous penalties to leave their message out in the open for everyone to see and ponder. Peter Gibson, better known as Roadsworth, is one of those artists.




Peter's style is so subtle that it would be very easy to pass it off as something less than what it is. Especially since there are no words to accompany his visuals. But rather than push his own words, his art is more of an invitation to come about your own. His intention is not to impose his opinions, but to push back at the ones imposing on him. He states, "An open-ended quality of expression would lend itself better to interpretation and dialogue than the "FUCK BUSH" or "OIL=WAR" kind of language that is typical of a protester‘s placard and that I felt people had become desensitized to."



[My personal favorite, "Affordable Housing"]
 

If you're interested in the full breakdown of what he does and why he does it, definitely check out his website, Roadsworth.com. You'll find much more of his work there, as well as a little insight to what each piece is about. Enjoy!



Dropped

By Nichole Camarillo

Quick! What's the coolest thing you've seen paint do? Too late- K, Look at this...



Tell me that's not awesome. You can't. Well, you could, but then you'd be a liar. These photos were taken by photographer, Mark Mawson. Unimpressed with the mundane and repetitive slew of photos he had been seeing of ink in water, he thought to kick it up a notch. By experimenting with different paints and densities, Mark was able to bring a bit more body (and a lot more life) into the mix. It's incredible how much life and you can see in these photos. They're so full of energy and evoke so many thoughts and images. Which is actually one of things Mark loves about these photos.




"...People see different things in them and they can make their own mind up about what they look like. Comments I've had range from looking like jelly fish, sea creatures, alien worlds, old men even Jimmy Hendrix setting fire to his guitar."





Now, as much as I'd love to both embarrass myself and scare you guys, I think I'll leave my thoughts of what I see off the Freudian chopping block for today. I would love to know what you guys think, though. Your thoughts are always so much more sane. It's comforting. And for those of you who are as curious as I was to find out what it is the artist sees, I went ahead and got the juice for ya. Mark's favorite is the white drop (up toward the top of the photos) because it seems so pure and calming. What he sees in it is a strange jellyfish hovering above some strange cloud.

Big thanks to Mr. Mawson for taking a moment and answering some questions of mine. You can check out more photos from this set, titled 'Aqueous', and more styles from this artist on his website, MarkMawson.com. Enjoy!




Fun Finds

By Nichole Camarillo

1.

Hand-Painted Heels By Cocopunkz

Speaking of young & reckless spending... Is it just me or can you never get enough hand painted shoes? The ladies at Cocopunkz sure do have me wishing I had a thousand bucks to blow. Or five birthdays in a year. These sexy, urban gems don awesome names like 'Hong Kong Nights', 'Infatuation', and 'Even Robots Fall In Love'. If your pockets are aching to unload some weight, you can pick up a pair for about $200 to $300 bucks.


2.


Hearts For Bluebirds By Josh Coulas

Do you heart birds? Josh Coulas sure as hell does. This super sweet fine crafted birdhouse is probably the only birdhouse I have ever actually wanted. Sadly, this precious wooden heart was built for competition, not for sale. *Sad horn plays* You can view more ultra unique bird pads at the Toronto Botanical Gardens Summer Showcase. The showcase runs through September 22nd.

3.


The Ex Knife Set & Holder By CSB

Because "accidentally" stepping on your cat and punch-fluffing your pillows is just not enough passive aggressiveness in your day. Take a bit more of that edge off with the most bitchin knife holder you have ever set your eyes on. This nogoodsonofa will run you about $70 bucks new on Amazon.com. And if you feel like rounding out your creepy collection, check out their toothpick holder and corkscrew.

4.


Cuffs By Tattooed Steel

Regular cuffs, brushed cuffs, color cuffs and limited edition cuffs. The creative folk over at Tattooed Steel are serious about their cuffs. The designs on the lamer end of the scale are definitely not worth the minimum $40 bucks you have to shell out for these babies. But when we start teetering over to the sicker side of the scale? That's when the big bills are gonna start dancin around in your pocket. And don't think you have to stop there. Oh no, friends... you can easily burn your whole paycheck on belt buckles, pendants, rings and more stuff you don't need. YAY for impulse shopping!


ARTSPROJEKT

By Nichole Camarillo


My shop got picked up by Artsprojekt! YAAY!! This is such exciting news, you guys. So, of course, I wanted to share it with you. For those of you that are awesome and frequent my store, you may already know that my store is powered by Zazzle. Artsprojekt is also powered by Zazzle, but its big shit. For those of you who are curious about the differences, I'll help you out with that in a minute. First, I wanted to give you a general idea of what Artsprojekt is. Andy Howell, the founder of Artsprojekt, describes it as 'a playground in which the world's most creative individuals and brands can turn unique ideas into dynamic product experiences that best represent each individual artist and brand.' And I think that most clearly and briefly sums it up.

So basically they pick the creme of the crop from across the globe and invite them to participate. Artprojekt currently works with brands such as OBEY by Shepard Fairey, NorCal Skateboards, and Crooks & Castles. They also currently work with an elite group of dope artists, representing themselves individually. And yours truly is now one of those artists. Woot.

Now, I want to give you a heads up. When you go to my shop, the storefront will look much different. In accepting the invitation, I also gave up customization of my shop [boo]. I was told I should have better control over that kind of stuff come mid-winter. But currently every Artsprojekt storefront has the same general look and feel, so mine will take that on as well. Please don't mind the very awkward right column that is built in but, as far as I can tell, serves no purpose. Everything else works about the same. You can still browse around my shop the same. All of my products are still available to you. And everything still is 100% backed by Zazzle. It's just that now I get to sit with the cool kids. Seriously though. This means more opportunities to be involved in cool projects, exhibits, and other art related awesomeness. Cheers to that!

I can't help but be so inspired right now. I just want to create really badass designs and products. I have so many ideas racing around my head right now competing for my full attention... It's great. This is probably going to snowball into something huge. You guys watch out for that. Well... it is time to bid adieu friends. Enjoy the rest of your evening and don't forget to check me out on ARTSPROJEKT.