05 May 2012
Art can be found anywhere. From the whorl of a fingerprint to cloud formations across a clear blue sky. The world is a canvas and creativity abounds. So, I don’t know why I was so surprised to find that stunning works art also exist in virtual reality. Yes, obviously it makes sense in hindsight – computer programmers have done some amazing things with technology.
But I’m not talking about perfectly written HTML (although, a totally compliant script can be a thing of beauty), I’m talking about an artist who, stepping away from his physical canvas, has developed a cult like following for the work he exhibits under his persona on the MMORPG, Second Life (SL).
Bryn Oh (he won’t tell me his real name, which I think adds to the mystique) is a Canadian kid who, like most of us, started from humble beginnings – building little things in the snow (“winter clay”). Before heading to the Ontario College of Art and Design to work on his God-given artistic talent (and spending a requisite semester abroad in Florence, Italy), he tried his hand at studying Psychology in Montreal. He dropped out (to his parents dismay). After OCAD, Seneca to study computer animation, then the Toronto School of Art for Zbrush (a digital sculpting tool that combines 3D/2.5D modeling, texturing, and painting). It seems like such a technical leap from wielding a paint brush, but the end result – whether tactile or purely explorational – is an exceptionally crafted piece of fine art.
Originally published on thinkContra17 March 2012
Dim lights Embed Embed this video on your siteToronto’s Fashion Week is well underway and it seems like without trying we’ve made a concerted effort not to make a big deal of the whole situation. (Maybe it has something to do with the fact they’ve gone and changed the name on us to World MasterCard Fashion week. Probably not, but I like to believe in conspiracy…) I made special exception for only a few shows this season, the first of which was Lucian Matis, who still manages to keep me entertained.
04 March 2012
Originally posted on whanandcheez blog
Brand: Creekside Estate Winery
Year: 2010
Type: Sauvignon Blanc
18 January 2012
Austin Sherbanenko keeps his studio in Skid Row in downtown LA because “it’s a good hiding spot.” He’s not trying to hide, just escape the white noise so he can hear his own thoughts, so he can filter out the garbage and do what he was born to do – create. His creative contribution? Odyn Vovk, a brand as dark and mysterious as he is. It’s almost a tangible representation, an extension even, of self. It’s what he wants to see you in.
Since he was a child Austin has been “conscious of design and deconstruction.” Odyn Vovk – a name derived from his Ukranian heritage – evolved in 2007, and hit its stride with his first collection in 2009.
Part motorcycle culture, part metal head, part history lesson in the making, his designs are simple, and yet tell a complicated story. He chooses heavy, textured fabrics and hardware - canvas and leather – “because the structures in these mediums are so apparent and challenging at the same time to work with.”
But it’s also more than those things. Odyn Vovk is rock and roll before glitter and flashing lights.
Read the full interview on thinkcontra.com
16 January 2012
New series! I love to cook, or at least to try to cook. Food is another of my many passions and I want to share my kitchen experiences. If you know of a better technique or recipe, please share! I'm always open to suggestions.
I had pecan chicken once a few years ago - they were chicken thighs with the whole nut, I guess baked. I never asked. Why would I? But I always think about it and have been meaning to try. So since I'm trying to eat better I figured now's the perfect time to put those healthier(ish) recipies to the test.
