Contemporary Rituals

{image courtesy of danwitz.com}

Recently I discovered the incredible paintings of New York artist Dan Witz. Witz, a 30 year member of the street art scene, has been capturing the energy of contemporary gatherings in his series "Mosh Pits (Human & Otherwise)". Besides the obvious technical prowess of Witz's paintings, he captures the primal energy and aesthetic beauty of people locked in celebratory chaos that make you forget that the finely rendered participants are not actually moving on the surface. The Mosh Pit works explore the timeless human urge to create a shared experience where all pulses beat together.

Geotag Art

{Eric Fischer makes this city map art using Flickr geotags, article found on fastcompany}

These info graphic images of photo maps look tactile, like fine Washi papers from Japan. That is what caught my eye when I was checking out fastcompany.com for the latest in design. The geotags tell where people took photos in major cities of interest. Fischer showcases 50. He can even compare tourists habits with locals and the results are amazing. I just love how textured they look. Check out the article on fastcompany! To see them on Fischer's flickr click here.

To decode the web of points and lines:

black is walking

red: bicycling or equivalent speed

blue: local photos, motor vehicle or normal road use

red: tourists or people who took pictures here for a short time span

yellow: local or tourist status can't be determined

green: is freeway or rapid transit

If you zoom in on flickr, you can actually see so much more detail. The true algorithm is not divulged, but the visual is so intriguing. What do you think?

The Occasional Blog Shout-Out

Every once in a while, we call out great blogs that provide us with information or inspiration. Here in the Northeast, it is raining as if it were the end of the world, so in honor of that I invite you to check out the beautiful photography of Andy Bell, whose abstract forms take me away from the dreariness of the day.

Image ©2010 Deceptive Media / Andy Bell

Of Masks and Men

(via Greenwala)

Upon first glance, these look like intricate, meticulously crafted masks. Well, they are, but they're meticulously crafted out of discarded toilet paper rolls. Yes, "whaaat?" was also my initial reaction. French artist Junior Fritz Jacquet sees art in what we see as trash. Using ninja-like origami skills and some amazing colors and lots of varnish, he turns them into mini works of art.

(via Greenwala)

I know what I'm doing if it rains this weekend! Why not give it a try yourself?

Celestial Canvas

{photo from www.nasa.gov}

Like a beautiful abstract painting the Carina Nebula, six to ten thousand light years from Earth, glows with luminous colors and textures revealing something new and wondrous with every viewing. Whether I am designing stationery or creating my own paintings I find inspiration from many sources, but it's in nature where the spark frequently comes.
Since the early nineties I, like many others, have been drawing influence from the stunning images, provided by the Hubble Telescope, of the far reaches of universe. I've always been interested in the scientific mysteries of the cosmos; and now, since countless images, like the one above have been available to the public, my artistic inspiration has flourished from its epic beauty.