May 27, 2011

A Random Online Encounter

On Tuesday I was feeling a little blah and decided to search online for some inspiration and motivation. I began on the lulu blog (naturally) and read a post entitled "Love Your Failures" from September 2010. Matthew Corker was the writer of that post so I had to check out his website/blog, and let me tell you I was SO glad I did. His writing and posts are filled with nuggets of inspiration, perspective and brilliance more or less. One post in particular really got me, "Living My Life Free From The Past." The post explained his personal journey on taking control and ownership over his past, which was leading/lead him to a newly liberated future. The posting was honest, vulnerable, human and made me feel SO good, my heart smiled as I read his words. I decided that I had to create a type treatment with one line in particular that I felt was very powerful. Again, this was another exercise in moving mediation; feel the meaning, draw the type and just go with it. DEFINITELY check out his website, http://www.thatsacorker.com/ Thanks Matthew, you're AWESOME! Keep the inspiration and forward thinking coming!


Hand Type and Photo

May 23, 2011

Mixed Flo Yoga at LuluSQ1

This holiday Sunday I tried my very first community yoga class at lululemon Square One and it was quite an enjoyable experience :) In addition to the instructors, there was a guy playing music (mainly the drums) which was pretty cool and different! The goal was to connect our breath while in postures, to the rhythm of the music. I found the addition of some sort of rhythm helped to remove the thinky- brain and get the yogi-brain going a lot more, in a weird way the music helped to create focus. I'm not sure if it's because I practice Bikram, but 10 minutes in and I was pretty soaked! Yikes to those around me (who's brows got a little dewy, while I was the gross sweaty guy :S). I would definitely recommend people giving one of these classes a try, it exposes you to different forms of yoga practice (and....did I mention it's free?!). It is pretty awesome that there is available access to health and wellness right in our own communities, well done lululemon! I will be going next week as well, Lisa from BYM is teaching, holla!

On a side note, I'm trying to be more sincere with the aspect of 'moving mediation' while practising- just letting MY mind go, and following the dialogue without thinking/hesitating. It is TOUGH to say the least, but I'm gonna stick with it! This illustration was an exercise in moving mediation applied to design: creating something, seeing where it takes you and not thinking about it! Now, to apply similar principles in the hot room...


Mixed Media Collage




May 19, 2011

Top Chef Canada

Top Chef Canada is in full swing and I think we are getting an indication of who may make it to the end and who... may not.  I LOVE Mercatto! My bro, sis and I have eaten there many times and I have never, ever been disappointed (tried my first ever deep fried lemon slice there- heaven!). As a result I am rooting for Rob Rossi, I definitely think he has the skills to be the first Top Chef Canada champ. However I am certain Coonie, Andrea and Dale will give him a run for his money (their awesomeness is pretty up there as well!). Either way, should be a GOOD season, especially when it's down to the final four. I think it is pretty cool that Rob is so young and doing SO incredibly well for himself- very inspiring! GO ROB!

Mixed Media Collage

Marker

Pencil

May 10, 2011

RIO!

I saw Rio over the weekend and my I just say WOW WOW WOW! The film was spectacular!!! I do realize I have a self-serving bias but a movie about tropical birds that takes place in Rio DURING Carnival- come on! That has me written all over it :) I am in love with this movie! 


There were some very powerful and relatable themes going on as well. Messages about species extinction, environmental protection, connecting with you're inner strength, finding true love and believing in yourself were all explored during the movie. Talk about feel good!
I really like the idea that through this movie children will be exposed to images of Carnival, and in turn inquire what carnival is all about.


The soundtrack is killer! The title song 'Real is Rio' has been on repeat on my iPod since Saturday, I can't stop listening to it! Over the past few years or so I have been trying to keep up with sambas in competition for Brazil Carnival, I felt the title song remained true to pulsating Brazilian samba rhythms (YAY for not North American-ing it up!). 


I thought the visuals were stunning! The animation was top notch, the way their feathers were rendered was so real! The Carnival scene in the movie was wicked, plain and simple. To see an animated version of the Sambadrome in full action was incredible! I know during my lifetime I WILL design Carnival, and for some reason seeing this movie made me feel validated, lol. I fosholy recommend watching Rio, you won't be disappointed :D 


Opening scene: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZ81_Q0lYAM  
Carnival scene: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUpFSu9az6Q




"ALL THE BIRDS OF THE FEATHER
DO WHAT THEY LOVE MOST OF ALL
WE ARE THE BEST AT RHYTHM AND LAUGHTER
THAT'S WHY WE LOVE CARNAVAL!!!!!"






May 9, 2011

Fo ma Mama

It was Mother's Day yesterday however our fam did mother's day on Saturday, where we had brunch, but for lunch! Mom is QUITE a healthy eater, so despite my junky tendencies I thought it would be best to make 'light and healthy' the theme of the brunch (with a few rich indulgences here and there). Yet again the lululemon blog was oh so handy, and suggested Eggs Benedict as a posh (but do-able) brunch main. I would have had no trouble baking a cake and smothering it in an inch of icing, but that's not mom's style. Instead- we have a pavlova! It was my first attempt at making a pavlova (hence the effed up edges) but MAN it was so good, a great desert for the warmer months ahead. I think brunch for lunch came together quite nicely, I hope Mom thought so too!






Mimosa

Smoked salmon with chives, capers, onion, lemon and fleur de sel

Apple pecan muffins

Bacon, but baked!

Eggs Benny with heart-healthy hollandaise

The spread (with arugula and heirloom tomato salad, finished with parm)

Pavlova!

May 2, 2011

Into The Woods

Here is another illustration project done for Hardly Magazine. The beauty shoot (shot by Lynsie Roberts) was inspired by Red Riding Hood on her path to beauty (and grandmother's house :P). My job was to illustrate a dark, ominous forest over top of the photographs. I also got to create the deck and credits page, of course with hand type- holla! I had fun with the illustrations and I should make an attempt to work with collage more. This was collaborative work, so yall pay special attention to the credits page!! Check out Hardly's spring issue; http://www.hardlymagazine.com/