these days more and more artists are coming up with new media and materials to create art that is unique and unexpected, so it was only a matter of time before artists started working with mud. but jesse graves, an artist based in milwaukee wisconsin, has taken it a step further by using mud to create stencil artwork that puts environmentally conscious messages in public spaces…so in his own way, he’s using earth in order to protect the earth…which is a very cool concept, i think.
msr = mud stencils rule.
according to jesse, “i use mud or earth because it is a fundamental life-giving substance, logical for my messages. mud stencils are an evolving medium, intended for art and social justice, not corporate advertisement. i see preserving and improving the environment we live in as all encompassing. the world is composed of interconnected systems or cycles. everything is connected, and every choice we make matters.”
here’s a look at some of jesse’s stencils and the meanings behind them.
"to me, industrial farming means agriculture on a massive scale that typically includes the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, genetically modified foods, erosion, and soil degradation. industrial farming is happening worldwide, it is reducing crop variety, eradicating traditional farming methods, and harming the health of animals (including humans). this mud stencil is a call to action. beat back industrial farming by supporting small sustainable farms and gardens."
"my original idea for this piece was to relate it to growing your own food. i enjoy gardening, and i want to share the joy i find in the sustainability of growing my own food. i considered writing “garden” with the plant letters, but eventually decided on “grow”. i wanted this piece’s meaning to be more ambiguous and personal to the viewer, instead of a bold statement like some of my other pieces."
"wild food is plants and animals that are not farmed, grown, or raised for human consumption. wild food is nutritious, and finding it makes you more aware of your environment. wild food is all around us, even in urban environments, most just overlook it and disregard it as weeds and nuisances."
"to deal with the infections cows are fed antibiotics which end up in the milk and meat produced by industrially raised cattle. this is just one of the many problems with industrial farming. corporations do not care about the health and well-being of the animals they imprison or and people that eat those animals."
"why do people drink bottled water when perfectly potable, perfectly healthy tap water is readily available? in places without clean drinking water, bottled water makes sense; everywhere else, it does not. it takes oil to make the plastic and packaging for bottled water, and even more oil to transport them. more oil is used to recycle the plastic, unless the used bottles are filling up landfills instead."
"free can mean a lot of things. hopefully this stencil means something to you. to me this piece is about how great it is to ride a bike. for myself commuting via bicycle means i am free from oil and free from the confinements of an auto. sadly while biking in a city i am not free from rude motorists, and the exhaust autos spew."
i like this last one…obviously, the notion of freedom is something that we feel strongly about here at free people :)
to learn more about jesse and his mud stencils, visit his website: mudstencils.com
in need of halloween plans for the weekend? here are a few suggestions going on this weekend...
...in new york:
the 36th annual village halloween parade takes place on saturday from 7 to 11 pm on the avenue of the americas between spring and 21st streets. the annual parade is open to any costumed member of the public and features live bands, enormous puppets, dancers, visual artists and revelers from all walks of new york city life.
…in boston:
tonight check out a very halloween-ish lineup of bands, including a place to bury strangers, dead confederate and all the saints, playing at the middle east upstairs (472 mass ave in cambridge). show starts at 8pm, tickets $12.
…in chicago:
the monsters of folk are playing tonight at the auditorium theater (50 e. congress), at 7:30pm. or catch a screening of the rocky horror picture show, tonight and tomorrow night at midnight at the music box. the screening includes a pre-show dance party and costume contest.
…in los angeles:
on saturday night lacma will hold their popular annual halloween party, with this year’s theme inspired by the current exhibit heroes and and villains: the battle for good in india's comics. the event includes extended hours, live music, djs spinning, complimentary cocktails and, of course, a costume contest (previous winners included an ostrich and centaur).
...and last but not least, in philly (in case you aren't attending pearl jam or the world series...)
a bowling costume party! the 5th annual vampire and vixens halloween party at lucky strike (1338 chestnut st, center city). $10 in advance or $15 at the door and includes one free drink and entry in the costume contest. vip tickets are $30 in advance and $40 at the door, and get you open bar from 9-12pm and exclusive access to the vip floor.
or, just head over to the infamous eastern state penitentiary on friday and saturday night with terror behind the walls, when the prison becomes a massive haunted house. the tour starts at 7pm and costs $30.
i’ve lived in philly my whole life and have never done this because i’ve heard it’s that scary.
photos from the village halloween parade, taken by joe marquez.
the other day i posted some ideas for decorating pumpkins that don't involve carving, and one of our readers sent these photos of some awesome painted pumpkins that i just had to share...read jennifer's comment and check out the pumpkins below!
for the past 5 years I've been painting pumpkins for andy's pumpkin express. myself and about 20 other artists from the state paint the pumpkins and they get sold at the event in brick NJ. 100% of the proceeds go to the diabetes fund. pumpkins are done in acrylic paint. every artist there has a specialty pretty much; theres landscape painters, portrait painters ect. i'm more of the animals/movie poster painter, and every year i do another led zeppelin pumpkin.
thanks for sharing jennifer, your pumpkins rock! especially the led zeppelin one :)
i just posted yesterday about the very admirable work our reader rachel is doing to help shelter animals, so it seems fitting to post about this event taking place tomorrow in philly…
PAWS will hold their 3rd annual mutt strut tomorrow at FDR park, which is a 1.5 mile walk through the park to raise funds and awareness for PAWS and their efforts to save shelter animals. it’s just $25 to register, and you can bring your dog but you don’t have to have one. they had the option to sign up to walk with a PAWS dog but the response was so overwhelming that all the dogs are taken!
the best part is, dozens of PAWS dogs will be at the event…meaning you could meet your new best friend and give it the loving home it needs.
3rd annual PAWS mutt strut - saturday october 31, FDR park (1900 pattison avenue, across from the sports complex)
check-in/registration begins at 10am; start strutting at 11am!
for more info on PAWS, philadelphia's ONLY no-kill animal rescue organization, visit their website.
earlier this week we introduced you to dana of the blog summer teeth, who we asked to do a guest post for our blog. she came back to us with a beautiful batch of photos that she feels are free people inspired and infused. there are quite a few of them so we’ve decided to break them into groups, but keep in mind that they were carefully selected with a narrative in mind, so that the sequence of images tells a story. what's the story? whatever you interpret it to be :)
so without further ado, here is part one of dana’s guest post!
you might remember back in our august catalog, we featured animals from the philadelphia animal welfare society (P.A.W.S.) in several of the photos. well, one of our facebook fans, rachel, saw this and told us about a really amazing project that she was working on as her bfa thesis.
read on to hear more about rachel’s project and see some of her beautiful photos of the absolutely adorable animals…and tell me it doesn’t make you want to go adopt one!
chewie
what inspired you to do start the 4 to 5 million project?
from an early age i grew up aware that there was a serious problem pertaining to the overpopulation of pets in the US. this project stemmed from a passionate desire to communicate my concerns and love for these animals and while doing so, use photography to help inform the public about this heartbreaking and serious problem.
suzy q
what does 4 to 5 million mean?
every year approximately four to five million companion animals are euthanized. that amounts to 64% of all shelter animals around the country. the fact of the matter is, there are just too many pets and not enough homes.
rosie & sparky
how successful has the project been so far?
the project was extremely successful. it gained a lot of press for the shelters as well as for the specific dogs i featured in my photographs. the majority of which i have since been informed have found happy and loving homes. it also has provided people with new knowledge on this issue and with a variety of simple things that they can do to help.
taylor
who are your heroes?
the heroes who have had the greatest influence on who i am today are my parents. my father, a veterinarian and my mother, an artist, have too obviously, played a part on what i see through my lens.
zerbina
do you have a pet?
i have many pets, always have, always will, all of which were rescues! my house currently is home to two rescue chihuahua mixes and a terrier mix named mickey, as well as two cats, a tuxedo named tux and a calico, feather.
bocephus
what is your first memory of free people?
i first heard of free people when a model who participated in my project, saw your post about philly P.A.W.S. your plan to photograph the shelter animals with models was so similar to what i was doing that she passed on the video post to me. i admire that there are other people out there who are trying to do their part in helping spread the word about this problem. thank you free people!
Check out rachel’s website and blog to find out more about the project and see which animals have found happy homes thanks to rachel’s work!
last week was all about the layering tops, and the most votes went to the studded cuff thermal! good choice...nice and warm.
this week it's about layering jewelry... we love the layered jewelry look, including piling up the fingers with rings....so i want to know, which ring do you want on your finger?
that's right...it's girls on film on music, halloween edition! here are some creepy cuts selected by bunny and monkey (a.k.a. the girls of girls on film on music).
the rolling stones - some girls
easy dress up option for men – be a girl. problem being that even men as pretty as mick make seriously unattractive women…
bananarama - the greatest hits collection
blonde, brunette and redhead - a pick n’ mix for three ladies in need of a group costume pronto. and then you get to walk around and tell everyone you’re being “banaaaah-nah-raaaah-mah”.
kate bush - never forever
this album is kate at her best, both in terms of her songs ("babooshka", "army dreamer") and cover art…one musician on this album is credited with playing the harmonica, mandolin, balalaika, sitar, koto, banshee, saw, mando and delius. i have the feeling the “banshee” is the official instrument of hallowe’en…
steve martin - a wild and crazy guy
A SUIT AND BUNNY EARS. a man on the same page as me when it comes to his sartorial approach. and i do mean just every day.
bobby "boris" pickett - monster mash
thriller may be the current “grave yard smash” but i’ve always has a certain affinity for this one. and don’t be surprised if at the holidays i’m suggesting you pick up "monsters' holiday”...
misfits - walk amoung us*
anything by the misfits on halloween is prime, but i think danzig really knocked it out of the park on this one, zombies, martians, checking with your mom if it's ok to kill tonight, perfect!
various artists - luxury condos coming to your neighborhood soon
though it never received the attention of athens or seattle, hoboken was one of major players in the '80s indie scene, and the evanescent coyote records helped document this scene with this 1986 compilation. how is this halloween you ask? “elvis, what happened? what happened was you died” lyrics from the mr. bonus song “elvis, what happened?” proving that if you look, anything can me spooky.
good morning...how about some pretty photos to start your day? these pictures were taken by our reader sarah, who attended the treasure island music festival in san francisco a couple of weeks ago. she was nice enough to share them with the blog, and they're fantastic...
and here's sarah and her friends out and about in san francisco...
another trend we’re excited about right now is shoes in all different shades of brown…whether they’re hazel, chestnut, chocolate, tan or caramel, brown shoes look good with any fall look!
i was inspired to search for brown shoes around the office and found quite a few…so here’s a look at office style, brown shoe edition…
check out the brown shoe selection on our website!
last week i asked you all to send in some of your halloween costume ideas and pictures. i’ve gotten some great ideas so far, but i’m giving you more time to send ideas and pics, seeing as halloween is this weekend. so for now, here are some of the ideas from our readers and home office employees to get the creative juices flowing…
oh and the rad robot costume was one of our home office employees last year…can’t wait to see what people have in store for this year!
homemade raggedy ann and andy costumes - ann hair was done by tying red yarn to a filigree-styled headband and bowing it at top. only cost was matching socks ($5) and sailor hat ($5) - from janella
for halloween, i'm going to the beaux arts ball here in lexington (the hood internet is going to be there!) & i'm going as a g lion. i spray-painted a party dress gold today and made a gold petticoat to go underneath, as well as spray-painted a tail and ears. i have really african-inspired earrings and lots of gold makeup, and i'm going to tease my hair to no end! last year i was amelia earhart, before that laura ingalls wilder, marie antoinette and elizabeth I. loving those historical female figures! – from leslie
my boyfriend and i are going as peace and quiet: i'll be a hippie and he'll be a mime! – from alyssa
i'm being a star trek geek! - anonymous
wednesday adams – from employee
little bo peep and her sheep – from employee and friends
as for me...i’m going to be at a pearl jam show on halloween, so i’m taking that opportunity to dress in 90s grunge gear…my inspiration is rayanne graff from my so called life.
some of you might be familiar with the awesome blog that is summer teeth...it is full of inspirational and fashionable images that always amaze me. we love it so much we decided to ask the awesome person behind the blog, dana, to do a guest post for our blog. but first, we wanted to know about her likes, dislikes, and more...read below to learn more about dana and stay tuned for her blog post later this week!
what is your first memory of free people?
age 15 or so. falling in love with, having to have, couldn’t leave behind so many of the free people tank tops and sweaters that i had a pile of about 20 in my arms. i was at the neighborhood loehmann’s (a discount mecca for the fashion-frenzied) and was dropping bits of clothing as i walked around the store.
what is the inspiration behind your blog?
my blog, as its been said before by many bloggers, started as a place to productively and effectively organize the thousands of images i had been accumulating in a few ‘inspiration’ folders on my computer. i comb the internet like a mad woman, and will save up to 20 photos to that folder a day. i had to find something that would make all the procrastinating from school work worthwhile! that, and for the last two years or so, i’ve been really trying to pick up photography. the best thing i’ve discovered for expanding your own aesthetic is by being exposed to the aesthetic of others. the blog was a way for me to compile this, and create a sort of inspiration board day by day.
what is your current state of mind?
expectant. i’m heading to a dirty projectors concert here in baltimore later tonight!
who are your heroes?
people who have the courage to go their own way, explore, be their own person, discover or at least hope to discover what makes them tick, and pursue it.
if you could choose what to come back to life as, what would you be?
this is a hard question! maybe a beautiful perennial flower. then, i could hide underground in the warm dirt during cold, wet months, regroup, and leap to life again every spring season. though the dying every winter thing might be tricky…
what or who is your greatest love?
john cusack, say anything.
name one thing necessary to your happiness.
things to look forward to (whether it’s a concert, going shopping, meeting up with friends, cooking some fancy and over-my-head recipe… etc.)
what do you hate the most?
cheese on pizza. and musicians who look horridly bored when performing in front of a crowd.
what would the name of your band be and what genre? what instruments do you play in this band?
summer teeth. oops! that’s the name of my blog… oops! that’s the name of a wilco album! actually, i really don’t know what i’d call it, but i think i’d design the sets and try and have a hand in the wardrobe of the band. i’m not so musically-endowed. But i do like to be surrounded by music.
what color are you?
iridescent. depends on which angle and in what light you look!
what is your motto?
don’t feel guilty for being a dreamer in a harsh world.
what is the one article of clothing you can’t live without?
this is much too hard. can i give three articles of clothing for this fall season instead? i’d say: well-fitting, worn-in jeans, my perforated oxford flats, and chunky knits (socks… sweaters… scarves).
what will we be is devendra banhart’s seventh studio album, but it is his first major label release, and has drawn mixed reviews from critics and fans who were expecting more of the raw, bohemian weirdness that banhart is known for. the overall sound of what will we be has a clarity unlike his previous albums and the vocals are smooth and relaxed, but the freak-folk moments and international influences are still there. the album starts out strong - the first few songs are like a breath of fresh air and the first single, “baby”, is addicting. “rats” is unexpected but interesting, starting out slow and then rocking out like a zeppelin tune…but for me, towards the end, the album sort of lost its excitement.
listen to the album here and let me know if you agree or disagree!
after 42 years of sports and musical history, this week the beloved philly venue will host its final concerts before being torn down early next year. pearl jam will play tuesday, wednesday, friday and saturday night, and rumors are swirling about possible guest appearances on the final night. the spectrum is known amongst performers for its excellent acoustics, and some of the most legendary musical acts of the '60s and '70s have played there- including led zeppelin, the doors, jimi hendrix, pink floyd, the who, eric clapton, bob dylan, neil young, the beach boys, frank sinatra, the jackson five, elvis, the band and bob marley and the wailers. the grateful dead played there 53 times, more than any other musical act.
i’ll be attending all four shows this week and will be sure to report back on the blog!
here are some of the greats who played the spectrum... jimi hendrix concert poster...check out those ticket prices!
we are loving lots and lots of layered jewelry...pile it onto the wrists and fingers to accessorize a simple outfit like a black dress to turn it into something rockin...
our accessories buyer shared some images that provided the inspiration behind this cool, eclectic look.
check out some amazing new accessories on our website.
stay tuned...we'll be bringing you more of the inspiration behind our favorite looks in the future!
"the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars…"
- jack kerouac
one of our new features on the blog is all about artists we love...whose work strikes us in a certain way and inspires us. this week i stumbled upon the work of joe ryckebosch, who uses found images of nature and wildlife and overlays them with brightly colored lines representing patterns he sees in nature that are invisible to the human eye.
joe answered some questions for me about the thought process behind his work...check out the interview and some of his artwork below!
"discoveries"
where are you from?
i live and work in portland, or. i’m originally from a small town in southern california. i lived in the san francisco bay area for several years and it was there when i discovered the shapes and patterns that make up the work i produce today. my wife and i lived in nyc for a short spell, but it really didn’t work out very well (living in nyc). we moved to portland in 2007 and the change of scenery really inspired me to start the nature paths and wildlife analysis series in my art.
"radiant jay"
what is the inspiration behind memory screens of things seen and unseen?
i wanted to try and convey the idea that we sometimes remember or recall things a certain way and our minds have this strict idea of exactly how we saw it or perceived it, but that sometimes is not the case and these things, such as nature and wildlife, are not exactly that way and the entire time they had this sort of aura or life force surrounding them. in my work this life force becomes palatable in the shape of colored lines and patterns.
"panthervision"
where do you find your nature imagery?
ahh, well i find these things all over the place. i like to take little trips on saturday morning up and then back down 82nd ave. (in portland) and stop at all the thrift stores along the way. there are about 4 of them and in my “rounds” i usually end up with a few good finds.
"lupine shine"
how do the “unseen patterns” come to you?
they just sort of pop out of an image as soon as i see it. It’s funny, i will walk into a place and see an image just sort of staring back at me. i instantly know if i can work with it and perhaps, hopefully, remix it to the way i see the patterns emerging.
"forest relics"
can you explain the phrase “nature authors nature”?
well, i can provide an example: the water flows down the stream and feeds all life in its path. what if the water was really this colorful life source surging forth? it is not really a liquid anymore but rather a source of power, a necessary thing that will ultimately sustain life. nature then edits the way things really are, nature’s unseen editing will dictate and govern how things should and will be. i try and bring that to the foreground in my work.
"spectral falls"
who are your heroes?
hamish kilgour, jack k., william b., the ether spring, david r., jonathan ames, sara bir, and tony turano.
"majesty tree"
what does “free people” mean to you?
free to choose, free to live, free to think. un-inhibited and never afraid to try new things, despite oppressive factions and dictatorships.
memory screens of things seen and unseen is on display at half & half gallery in portland through november 1.
anyone going to any good shows this weekend? there are quite a few going on in philly…
on saturday night i’m going to see local band dr. dog at the tla. i’ve seen them live before and they’re a ton of fun, plus i looooved their latest album, fate. it's sort of folky, sort of poppy, sort of awesome. listen to some tracks on their myspace page…i recommend “the breeze”…
i hope the stage set-up looks like it does in these pics from their show at the fillmore in san fran.
if i’m able to get any good photos i’ll share them on the blog!
the 23rd annual bridge school benefit concert, organized by neil young and his wife pegi, is taking place this saturday and sunday at the shoreline amphitheatre in mountain view california. neil young is the man...if you don't believe me, watch this video.
benefits from the concert go towards the bridge school, a non-profit organization that helps children with severe speech and physical impairments. for more about the bridge school and the concert click here.
a new exhibit went up this week at gallery 543, the gallery in building 543 where our cafeteria is located. it’s such a beautiful space on its own, but having artwork on display makes it even better.
the new exhibit features the work of mark khaisman, who we’ve posted about before. he uses packaging tape to create these awesome portraits that play with the tactile nature of the tape and the familiarity of the images he creates.
i think they’re cool because up close all i can see are the lines of tape, but as you distance yourself the images reveal themselves.
gallery 543 started out as a way to showcase the artistic talent of employees here at the home office, but has grown to include local artists and institution shows, with installations rotating every 4-6 weeks. the current exhibit will run through december 1st, monday through friday, 9am-6pm.
after seeing all the fall florals on our website, I was inspired to go around the office in search of flowers. i found way too many to post…but here are some pretty ones.
they actually look very spring-like, which is fitting for this warm sunny day in philly.
the story is really moving…jamie hewlett, the artist behind gorillaz (who rock), recently traveled to bangladesh with oxfam and visited the island of char atra, where climate change has caused flooding that is affecting the daily life of the people who live there.
not only have families had to raise their homes above water on stilts, but some have lost children to the floods, and some kids in the area have to swim to school with their books on their heads due to flooding. visit the oxfam site for more info.
hewlett was inspired to record what he saw in a series of paintings that capture both the difficulty of their situation as well as the resilience of the people...can you imagine having to spend part of your day literally up a tree, for safety?
here are some of the paintings, and the explanations behind them...
"this is the river erosion, showing how the bank has almost been sliced away. you can see the men folk looking at us on our boat – watching us quizzically as to who we are.”
"this shows the kids up in the trees, which for many of them is the safest place to go during the floods – gathering some food rations to keep them going and climbing up, staying there for as long as they can."
"this is in dhaka where most people’s transport is the rickshaw. it seemed the right thing to draw really, cycling through the floods. of course, there weren’t floods there then - artistic license."
i think they’re beautiful in their simplicity. i especially like his use of materials…as he explains, “i liked the idea of putting the paintings on paper and envelopes that were a bit dog-eared, as if they had been dropped in a puddle.”
the paintings are on display as part of a free exhibit on climate change taking place now through october 31 at the dray walk gallery at the truman brewery in london, and are available for purchase through oxfam, with proceeds going towards continuing their work in bangladesh.
the 2009 cmj music marathon and film festival starts today in new york city. cmj spans five days and showcases hundreds of new acts playing small shows at a variety of venues in the city. highlights include atlas sound, who we posted about earlier today, playing two shows (tonight and tomorrow night), and the very best, playing tomorrow night. for a full list of bands, venues and showtimes click here.
also if you haven’t heard of the very best, check out their song warm heart of africa featuring ezra koenig of vampire weekend…i dig it.
if you're a fan of jack kerouac, a new documentary came out today called one fast move or i'm gone, which focuses on the phase of kerouac's life chronicled in the novel big sur. one of my favorite jack kerouac books, it is set mostly in a cabin owned by lawrence ferlinghetti in the scenic section of the northern california coast called big sur. kerouac stayed in the cabin for several weeks as he struggled with alcoholism and depression after publishing his famous novel on the road. the documentary tells the stories behind big sur through voice-overs paired with high-def imagery and interviews with people who knew kerouac or were influenced by his work, including ferlinghetti, tom waits and patti smith.
bixby bridge at big sur, which kerouac wrote about in the novel. i was lucky enough to go there and it's incredible.
click here for a list of theaters where the film is playing.
atlas sound is the solo project of bradford cox, the lead singer of deerhunter (whose album microcastle was one of my favorites of 2008). with atlas sound, he is able to be more experimental than he is with the full band, blending ambience, airy electronics and soft, warm lyrics. you can hear the influence of 60s pop and doo-wop in the undertones of songs like "walkabout", "my halo" and "shelia", which when compared to the dreary melancholy of most of cox’s music, sound just like a crisp sunny day. "walkabout" is a collaboration with noah lennox (a.k.a. panda bear/member of animal collective), who also rocks. check out this cute video set to the song.
atlas sound is touring now, so check out the tour dates on myspace to see if he's coming to a town near you.
the above image is from the deerhunter/atlas sound blog.
we love hearing from our fans and readers, and we’d like to give you all a chance to share your passion and creativity with us. we've created a free people flickr page where we will post pictures from around the office as well as images that inspire us, and we want you to share your images with us as well! check out the new page here.
furthermore, in a new feature on the blog called fp photo hunt, we will introduce a new theme or subject and invite you to send us a photo displaying that theme/subject in a fun and creative way. our favorites will be selected at the end of the week and posted on the blog the following monday.
this week…what is the strangest object in your home?
this is by far the weirdest thing in my apartment.
introducing another new feature on the fp blog...employee profiles! tune in to meet fp girls who work in the home office and hear about some of their own personal passions.
"be not the slave of your own past. plunge into the sublime seas, dive deep and swim far, so you shall come back with self-respect, with new power, with an advanced experience that shall explain and overlook the old."
- ralph waldo emerson
directions:
- In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt, stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.
- heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. brown on both sides and serve hot.
yesterday we told you about a show taking place at johnny brenda’s to benefit the philadelphia independent artist collective vox populi.
i went to their website to check out some of the artists and I was inspired by these paintings by local artist kate stewart, who’s work explores notions of escape and shelter.
after months of anticipation…where the wild things are is finally out in theaters today. this is one of my favorite books of all time and i cannot wait to see how it translates to the big screen.
check out the urban outfitters feature on wtwta, which includes an interview with director spike jonze.
if you’re looking for something to do in philly tonight, vox populi is holding their second annual benefit show at johnny brenda’s at 9pm. tickets are $10 and proceeds go towards supporting vox, a philadelphia independent artist collective. the benefit show will feature bardo pond, arc in round and ape school, comedian andrew jeffrey wright and dj scott sullivan.
check out some of the artists on vox populi’s website…you might be inspired to support the collective and go to the show: http://www.voxpopuligallery.org/
those of you in the san francisco bay area this weekend should check out the treasure island music festival, taking place saturday and sunday. the annual festival typically chooses a lineup of dance-friendly acts for saturday and more low-key acoustic acts to mellow out to on sunday. this year, saturday will feature mgmt, girl talk and passion pit, among others, while sunday has a killer lineup including the flaming lips, grizzly bear, yo la tengo, vetiver and edward sharpe and the magnetic zeros.
not to mention, the scenery is breathtaking.
if any of you go, let us know how it is and send pictures!
here are a few of our vendors who visited the office this week as part of our mill week festivities...along with one of our designers...aren't they all adorable?
have a lovely weekend, everybody!
thank you arunav, krishan, sarika!
i was devastated when news broke that the production of polaroid film was being discontinued, because I’ve always loved the instantaneous, old-school quality of the photos. but polaroid announced on tuesday that they will restart production of analog instant film for vintage polaroid cameras in 2010!
the comeback is due in part to the success of the impossible project, a group that has been working on saving polaroid products ever since their discontinuation was announced.
as mentioned last week, our image team went to prague to shoot photos for an upcoming catalog. they have returned with some amazing images and today they laid them out on the floor for everyone to mark the ones that moved them the most with post-its.
as you can see, people found several of the images quite moving.
more picks (and pics) from our very own musical experts!
rhythm to the madness - weltschmerz
got this at an amazing record store down the street from our free people chicago store, reckless records (www.reckless.com). if you're in the mood to start your record collection, they give the best recommendations right on the record, so you don’t have to worry about looking like a dork when you just like the album cover. anyway, this album is rad and features members from rise & fall and justice. rttm's appearance at the justice release party got kids wanting more than just a cameo, so they put out this album (as if it were that easy...), which has some of the most kickin’ guitar solos around.
bibio - hand cranked
first, forget that you’ve heard stephen wilkinson’s, aka bibio's, music in commercials for l.l.bean and toyota. now get ready to dance because this album is KILLER.
lily allen - it’s not me, it’s you
brit pop brat maybe, but that doesn't stop this record from being really good. like, REALLY good.
owen/ the rutabaga - split ep
so this isn’t really new (was re-released 2004), but it’s new to me. owen is the solo project of mike kinsella who also led the band american football, and played in the bands cap'n jazz, joan of arc and owls. the rutabaga is the one man show of joshua wayne hensley. normally a split has a good side and a bad side, but not this one – the sum is definitely greater than the parts.
loudon wainwright III - attempted moustache
loudon knows how to mix the bitter and the sweet. it includes a favorite: swimming song – “salt my wounds, chlorine my eyes, i’m a self destructive fool”. swoon.
madness - one step beyond
one step beyond is all good times. we highly recommend putting this on at a party just as people have lost the momentum – you’re going to have a throng of dancing in your living room before you know it.
leadbelly - huddie ledbetter’s best…
as much as I hate to recommend a compilation, leadbelly is a true legend and there’s no better way to cover the breadth of his work. known for his 12-string guitar, these classic songs are different when touched by his wicked trifecta of talent, heart and soul.
yves montand – aimez-vous yves?
side one is for putting on a frock and pouring yourself a café latte, side two is to talk in your most outrageous french accent and go off to live la rive gauche.
these 10 quick questions will give you an idea (transcribed below)...
what is your job here at fp?
lifestyle blogger :)
what is your current state of mind?
still half asleep... (i filled this out first thing this morning)
who are your heroes?
mom & dad, john lennon, bob marley
if you could choose what to come back to life as, what would you be?
a sea otter
what or who is your greatest love?
friends and family
name one thing necessary to your happiness.
music
what do you hate the most?
violence
what would the name of your band be and what genre? what instruments to you play in this band?
stoked. it would be a reggae/jam band. i would play keys and steel drums.
an old friend of mine is doing something really cool…
kael robinson is the founder of brazilets, a company that brings bracelets based on a 200-year-old tradition in brazil to countries all over the world. for years the bracelets have been worn throughout latin america, where it was believed that when the knots come undone and the bracelet falls off, your wishes will come true.
not only are the bracelets super cute (and they come in lots of fun colors), but 20% of all proceeds for selling the bracelets goes towards plant a billion trees, the nature conservancy’s campaign to restore the atlantic forest of brazil.
kael was nice enough to answer some questions for the fp blog.
where are you from?
i am from bryn mawr, pennsylvania.
when did you start brazilets?
i launched brazilets in august of 2008 and i launched live brazilian in august of 2009.
what inspired you to start the company?
i was inspired to start brazilets when I was given a brazilet as a gift. i made my three wishes on the braclelet and wore the bracelet for about 9 months until it fell off. when my ruby brazilet fell off in one month all three of my wishes came true. i thought if this can help me why not start selling brazilets to help other people around the world. so, i slowly started importing these bracelets from brazil, i went to brazil and met with manufacturers and went to the place where they originated,bahia brazil, and learned the history and found how amazing the culture is and the tradition of this 200-year-old tradition. i also wanted to donate back to brazil by preserving the amazon rainforest. so, i chose to donate a portion of our proceeds to plantabillion.com. since, then we have grown to have three distributors world wide and we have helped thousands of people have their wishes come true.
how successful have you been in your goal of protecting the amazon?
we have planted thousands of trees in the amazon and are trying to reach a goal of 1,000,000 by 2011.
what is the one article of clothing you can’t live without (besides brazilets!)?
i would have to say the one articles of clothing i can not live without are my sweatshirts! i love being comfortable and whether it is a worn old sweatshirt from high school or a new nice one that is a little dressier i can not live without it.
erica prince is freelancing for our visual team right now, and she’s also a great artist! her work is part of an exhibit called far in far out going on right now at fuel (3rd and arch in philadelphia).
erica’s drawings explore the implications of distinct design decisions within interior spaces. by arranging furniture, “art”, clutter, and décor, prince creates environments of indulgence, frivolity, and dramatic potential. as she says, "i urge the viewer to make themselves at home. become the missing character. feel the silk upholstery, meditate, host a cocktail party, and entertain a lover. try the spaces on like trying on a bad outfit. you know it is too flamboyant, but you have a sick curiosity of how it might look."
i would definitely like to step inside this space…
i have a problem. i never throw anything away.
as a result, i have lots of scraps of fabric left over from past sewing projects, and old clothes that don’t fit any more, so i decided it would be fun to try and make a quilt…plus this way i don’t have to throw them away, and if it turns out well i have a nice new quilt for the cold months ahead.
to start out, i cut the scraps into evenly shaped squares – to do this i used a record and a cd and cut around them, because i can’t cut in a straight line to save my life.
then i just started sewing them together in whatever pattern i felt like. i lined up the two squares, turned them over and sewed them by hand.
pretty simple- it would go much faster with a sewing machine but i don’t mind doing it by hand and it’s actually a pretty relaxing thing to do on a rainy day while listening to music :)
these are leftover from an old pair of jeans i made into cutoffs. i think they’ll look really cool in the quilt!
i cut some of the squares in half to make triangles.
i’ll probably cut some flowers, stars and other shapes out of some of the extra fabric and then stitch those onto some of the larger squares to add some flair.
if any of you try making your own quilt, send us photos!
i love this idea…every sunday from 11am-6pm a one-of-a-kind diy market takes place at the old american can factory in brooklyn. each sunday a different “maker” creates their product live, giving visitors the chance to see how it is made. the makers specialize in a variety of crafts including jewelry, clothing, food and home décor. I definitely want to go one weekend – if any of you are attending, let us know!
welcome to another new feature on the fp blog! each week we will review a new album coming out that we think you all might enjoy. this week…brooklyn band grooms with rejoicer.
grooms (formerly known as muggabears) is a trio consisting of emily ambruso, travis johnson and jim sykes. grooms might be another indie band based out of brooklyn but they differentiate themselves with their ability to create soundscapes that alternate between noise-pop and clean, smooth guitar and vocals. this unpredictability makes rejoicer an interesting album to listen to, and it's sure to make for a great live show as well. rejoicer officially comes out on october 20 but is available starting today on itunes. you can listen to some songs from the new album on their myspace page, here.
psst…If you live in new york, you can catch grooms at the knitting factory in brooklyn on thursday night for the rejoicer album release party, and they’re also playing a few shows during next week’s cmj festival (check out the full cmj schedule here).
a few weeks ago, i shared my love of the cure from way back when...
well, a couple of you emailed me with your faves...here's a sampling. i love all these guys (and gals) too!
artist stephen powers grew up in west philadelphia, where walls and rooftops were a blank canvas for the former graffiti artist. now, with the help of the philadelphia mural arts program, he has put a spin on the traditional notions of graffiti with love letter. the project is literally his love letter to the city where he grew up, that can also be read as a love letter from one person to another or from the residents of west philadelphia to their neighborhood.
hi all,
one of our planners thought you may like to try your hand at making her apple dumplings! here's the recipe below...
dumpling pastry:
4 cups flour
2 cups shortening
1 cup ice cold water
1 teaspoon salt
4 large apples, peeled and cored
4 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon **NOTE: she indicates in her recipe that it says to spoon in 1 tbsp brown sugar and 1 tsp of cinnamon - yet the total cinnamon amount in the ingredients list is 2 tsp. so she only put in 1/2 tsp for each of the apples to equal 2 tsp...
preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
lightly grease a cake pan.
prepare dumpling pastry. roll the pastry into a rectangle, 10 by 8 inches. cut into 4 (4-inch squares) with pastry cutter or knife. place apple on each square. spoon 1 tablespoon brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon into the center of each apple. moisten corners, pinching edges of pastry to seal. brush with slightly beaten egg and sprinkle with additional sugar. bake 30 minutes or until crust is golden and apples are tender.
i missed out when she brought them into work, but the consensus is/was they were delicious!!!!!
did a scavenger hunt of sorts around the office recently, trying to find hot pink things. it wasn't really all that hard, but...maybe a fun project for you? just pick a random color/object, and spend a day trying to find it.
if you live in jersey, and you're a student of some sort, come out and visit our short hills store!
come out this saturday, from 5 to 8pm, and with a valid student id you receive 10% off your entire purchase! snacks and refreshments, too...how can you pass it up?
p.s. this is not a pic of short hills... :)
just a quick pic of our image team as they were leaving the office last week...they're currently shooting a book in prague! it's gonna be pretty sweet, i bet...
marc hummel, a philadelphia native and founder of b minus designs, makes these really cool bike-loving products that i thought you would enjoy. all b minus designs are screenprinted by hand. check them out below, along with a short interview with marc.
interview with marc:
where are you from?
philadelphia! south philly, to be precise.
when did you create b minus designs?
in the fall of 2004.
why did you start b minus designs?
my friend leah and i came up with the idea for the "bicycles are for lovers" design while goofing around in our dorm rooms our freshman year of college. our school was in a fairly rural part of new jersey, and we both thought tandem bicycles were the coolest things on the planet. we decided to use our design to launch a t-shirt company that would eventually buy us our very own tandem!
we eventually got our wish, when a fellow student saw our web site and offered us (free!), a red tandem bicycle he had taking up space in his shed. the bike still needs a lot of work, but we're siked our plot was successful!
what was your inspiration? (this may be a bit off topic, but I'd like to mention it...):
in the summer of 2009, we decided to make b minus designs a 100% non-profit company. the proceeds of every sale go toward my fundraising goal for the 2010 "climate ride," a charity bicycle trip from new york to washington, d.c.
okay all...
this is my last night before i leave the west coast. in california, but didn't make it out to los angeles before dark...
i have been absolutely humbled by the beauty and kindness of strangers on this trip.
after austin, we stayed a night in amarillo, tx. dinner was amazing...i had bbq brisket at the country barn. check out their menu.
there is also an incredible donut shop there, called...the donut shop. i didn't get one of these for breakfast, but in hindsight should've.
the weather in texas was miserable; i have never seen so much fog in my life! but as we neared the border with new mexico, things started looking up.
yes, things got much brighter...
we skirted through to the painted desert. let me just say that if you have the opportunity to come here, DO. it took my breath away many times.
and i fell in love with petrified wood again...loved it when i was a kid, for some reason.
and then on to california, so that i could catch my plane today... :)
hope you've all enjoyed seeing some of my trip. peace.
persistent green, a creator of handmade goods, is offering a giveaway for one of her beautiful handmade journals pictured below. we love the way they look, love that they are unique, and love that they are handmade crafts!!! and, we found the giveaway just in time, because today is the last day to enter!! click here for details.
i don't know where i got these...been sitting in an "i love" folder on my computer. except the last pic is of kurt vile...if you recognize, feel free to write and let me know from where they originate.
i found herbert pfostl's book "to die no more" about a year ago...somehow i can't help but visit his work every couple weeks...it inspires me beyond belief.
his blog is very intelligent, thoughtful and just plain perfect, too...
since i last wrote, my friends and i were in virginia. our next stop was asheville, nc. this is rebel, my backseat travel companion.
our blue ridge mt morning was unbelievable.
from there, we ended up in new orleans. thanks to aforementioned cat, we got a sweet pet-friendly hotel room just outside the french quarter.
beautiful...
my favorite street, in my fave converse.
and then...we hit austin. and while we were at dinner, my friend spotted an aspiring designer - christie - who was wearing one of our knit tops. she loves fp, and i appreciate that she let me take her pic for the blog. :)
"the art of living does not consist in preserving and clinging to a particular mood of happiness, but in allowing happiness to change its form without being disappointed by the change; for happiness, like a child, must be allowed to grow up."
- charles langbridge morgan
before my friends' and my spiritual reading (!), we decided to get some breakfast...i haven't been to morning glory in a long, long time. but it's just as good every time i go. this was our server...kind of a character, but super nice.
close-up of my southern frittata - incredible. full of sausage and okra and goodness knows what...
and look at - even a straight-up scrambled egg looks delicous. (the biscuits are killer)
sam's morning glory diner. 10th and fitzwater. get there early...
luren, who used to work for our store display team, is curating a show at copy gallery...
it's called desert. and it will probably leave you thirsty for more...
sorry, that sounds silly.
if you're in philly, make it part of your first friday festivities. there, that's better...
artists from philadelphia and los angeles are creating sculptures inspired by plants and structures of the desert using commonly found materials.
hi all...
this is the first chance i've had to post some pix...as of tonight, i am in tuscaloosa, alabama. it has been absolutely incredible thus far; i am already planning my next road trip. but anyway...just a few images to share.
first, waiting for my ride on my porch. wearing some sweet converse that i think are going on sale in the october catalog...not an advertisement for 'em, but they look great with everything. :)
our first (and maybe only) toll booth operator...definitely has the most coiffed 'do i've ever seen in one of those booths.
this is on the road in virginia...reminded me of maxfield parrish or something...
we capped off our first night in harrisonburg, va...where they served some of the best bar food i ever ate - this is a gouda grilled cheese from the blue nile.
forgive me...this poll was created a few days early (b/c of my road trip) so i don't have the results for last week's poll...but, if you're curious, you can look at edition 61 and find out what tight/sock was your favorite.
this week, we wanted to know what you thought about these shirt/dress/skirts! we love convertibility and versatility these days; hoping you do, as well. but which do you like the best?
and if you're free tonight, check out the preview! right after, deitch studios generously hosts a benefit for printed matter, featuring industrial punk-and-dub duo, I.U.D. (lizzi bougatsos of gang gang dance and sadie laska of growing). djs tim lokiec and gary murphy play vintage house. tickets begin at $20 and include limited artist editions by elmgreen & dragset, jutta koether, tom sachs, and mungo thomson.
from our call center supervisor, julie, on timepiece jewelry... :)
(from: http://jakandjil.com/blog/?p=2473)
i am a fan of loading up on accessories to create a show-stopping statement. a new trend of stacking watches has surfaced, and I’m replacing my bangles and bracelets with piles of timepieces. it may seem like an expensive endeavor, but I went the route of eBay and bought a “lot” (group) of vintage watches that had stopped working long ago. come on ladies, does it really matter if the watch is ticking or not? i scored a lot of 12 watches for a mere 11 bucks. mix it up—break out that old swatch watch that you kept in your jewelry box and slide it on next to a sleek mens ticker or a dainty bracelet-style watch (everyone’s mom has one of these, I’m sure she won’t mind you borrowing it for awhile!)
