The Craft Begins

I’m always interested in lettering that goes a step above average.  If you feel the same, I suggest checking out Handmadefont - below is just one of their gorgeous fonts in use.  The alphabets they create are so creative and inventive!

Of all of the amazing things that I saw in India, I think that the jingle trucks were by far my favorite.  All over Indian highways there are these Tata trucks that each driver fully customizes to their own liking, painting them brilliant colors, adding eyes to the back and front of the truck, dangling pompoms and tassels from every available point.  They’re all totally unique, and often made even more so by their unique horns – every time I heard them they would send me into hysterics.  meepMEEPmeepMEEPmeepMEEP or boopBOOP-beeeeep-boopBOOP-beep and so on, passing you at breakneck speeds and with mere inches to spare on each side.

If you’d like to learn bit more about these amazing trucks, click here for an in-depth history.

Instead of the boring and matching traditional groom’s boutonniere, why not try one of these fun ideas instead?

See more ideas here.

I am completely bowled over by these miniature bonsai sculptures/architectural models by Takanori Aiba.  The level of detail is just astounding.

I want to live in one of these tiny houses!

I’ve previously posted about Holi but I was reminded of it this week when I talked to all my new Indian friends and they were all gathering to celebrate this amazing festival.  If only we had stayed another week we could have participated with everyone!  Sigh.  Oh well, next time!

Has anyone ever been able to participate in any Holi festivities?  If so, I’d love to hear about it!  It looks like so much fun.

Imagine having one of these tents hanging out in your backyard, just waiting for a party – I think I’d have to have people over every day, just to show it off.

If you’re so inclined, you can get a fully-custom tent made for yourself at Boutique Tents!

When I was in India, there was this amazing temple that we had a chance to visit, but unfortunately I was not able to take pictures.  Thankfully, there are ones provided by the temple website that I can share here.  It was an amazing temple – incredible hand-carved details and a monumental scale.  We had to take off our shoes to visit, which I think only heightens the experience.  What’s amazing about it is that it was only built in the last 10 or so years, and isn’t some ancient artifact.  The level of craftsmanship is simply astounding; you really start to think that no one in the world values craftsman anymore, until you see this.

The above picture is a detail of the ceiling – not only do the layers go up in ascending order, but they’re all carved from just one piece of marble.  Can you imagine the patience and precision it would take in order to create something like this not just once, but many times over?  There are a dozen ceilings like this, all with their own unique design.

What’s amazing is that all of this lies in the heart of busy, congested, polluted Delhi.  The grounds alone are a fantastic respite from the hustle and bustle, and would be impressive anywhere, let alone in the middle of a chaotic cosmopolitan city.

I made a little road trip out to Arches National Park last summer and have only just now gotten around to looking at the pictures.  It was an amazing photographic opportunity – it had been raining on and off for several days so I was able to get lots of super-saturated colors and the usually blindingly bright light was more subdued.  Here are a few of my favorites.

You generally don’t think about the desert having so many different colors, but between the vegetation and all of the beautiful and strange colors caused by the unique geology of the area, there really is quite a bit of depth out there in the wastelands.

What is one of your favorite places to photograph?

I’ve always really been struck by Josh Keyes’ work, and the juxtaposition between completely disparate elements.  There’s a certain cheekiness to his paintings, the message of which is only bolstered by his evident skill with a brush.  Click here to see more of his paintings.

His official biography:

“Josh Keyes was born in Tacoma, Washington. He received a BFA in 1992 from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and an MFA in 1998 from Yale. Eighteenth-century aesthetics and philosophies, particularly those of the Neoclassical and Romantic movements, shape his work. Keyes is drawn to the clinical and often cold vocabulary of scientific textbook illustrations, which express the empirical “truth” of the world and natural phenomena. He infuses into a rational stage set many references to contemporary events along with images and themes from his personal mythology and experience. These elements come together in an unsettling vision, one that speaks to the hope, fear, and anxiety of our time. Keyes currently lives and works in Portland Oregon with his wife, graphic designer Lisa Ericson.”