The Fox and The Star - by Coralie Bickford Smith

How pretty this book cover is !!! - the first impression when I found it in a book shop yesterday. It was wrapped up by a plastic bag, so I really don't know what's inside?! But the fabric cover, the drawing, the title...all attracted me so much that I really want it, so I grabbed it without second thought.

I will say it just like starting an adventure whenever you bought a new book, imagine how it will lead you to another mysterious virtual world.

Aroma and touch of paper immediately bring me to the starry night of a forest. The orange red stitches inside is the color of this little fox, unfortunately I can't unveil all the amazing drawings of this book due to the copy right issue, trust me, they are so beautiful.

You can only find 3 colors here except the neutral white, black and grey, but it's more than enough to present the whole world of Mr. Fox.

The story is a simple one, but with open ending for you to explore much more than you can imagine.

If you see this by chance, bring it back to your bed side, it's worth and you will absolutely love it !

Life is Only One - Yoshitomo Nara

Yesterday I've introduced an exhibition about sound, today, I would like to talk about another exhibition that was introduced by my friend earlier in April, and is still on show until 26 July 2015 in H.K.

I must confess that I am not a fans of this artist, but I went to Admiralty by chance and remember this show was held nearby, so I went to have a look in a cold rainy day.

Life Is Only One - it seems a bit "serious" as I've original thought, by entering the hall after waiting outside for 15 minutes in wet air, a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere was suddenly echo around when a song was heard from a small room somewhere behind.

This girl -  I shall say is the artist herself being painted on raw materials, pure and sensation; message delivered touches life and death but in another way......through the eyes of a child......by the imagination and interpretation of the visitors.

Other media such as photography, sculpture and multi-media are also presented as part of Nara's work simultaneously. 

If you have a minute, go and have a walk, you may be inspired by this little girl.

Le French May - Beyond The Sound

I have to say we are really lucky as living in Hong Kong even thought it is only a small city, it's easy for us to reach different culture such as Le French May.

Yesterday while in the black rainstorm signal date, I 've visited  Comix Home Base (7 Mallory Street, Wanchai, H.K.), an exhibition : Beyond The Sound was held there, a scheduled exhibition for myself in this May.

It's a small exhibition hall which was transformed from a Grade 2 historic tenement houses, so the original structure of the building that were reserved are worth visiting. Although each floor area is quite small, it's good fit for such kind of extraordinary exhibition that require an individual and isolated space.

Usually I won't have high expectation to new media or arts exhibition because I am not an expert or well trained in these fields, but this time it is a bit of surprise. 

There are total 17 pieces of art related to sound, most of them are found on 3/F, may be it is so true that "sound" is no boundary like "music", you can easily touch and driven by their presentation. The no8, 11 and 13 are my favorite pieces, especially no. 11 - Distorsions by Pierre Laurent CASSIERE. 

I was so lucky that the black rainstorm resulting minimum visitor, so I can occupy the whole room by myself and feel how those three stainless steel liquify the concrete building under it's roar......very interesting and unforgettable experience. 

For the others, I will leave them to you. 
A highly recommended exhibition that is worth to take a walk, enjoy !

Before And After

There is a folder on my desktop which I've been keeping for a while, the original is a html shared by a friend whom I forgot who she is (sorry pal!) But the content inside is really amazing, although you may find something similar recently in the internet, those were done on the ground, these... are all onto an exterior of a building or wall; what the artist did not only enhance the overall environment, but create a virtual space for us to take a break with an applause to their creativity and superior technique.

Have your coffee ready, lets enjoy :)

Before

and After

Before

and After

Before

and After

Before

and After

 

Before

and After

Trompe l'oeil Murals by Eric Grohe

Color of Nature 大自然的呼喚

很愛雀鳥 ,尤其是牠們身上的羽毛, 豐富的顏色及千變萬化的組合, 總令人驚歎大自然的創造者, 肯定是一個藝術家.

每個人都會有特別喜愛的顏色, 單從身上的服飾配搭便略知一二.  為什麽有些人在色彩配搭上總比別人出衆呢? 即使一身紅黄藍綠, 配襯出來的效果不單止沒有凌亂的感覺, 反而是出奇地舒服, 甚至有嘉年華會的熱情、喧燦.

事實上並不一定要有專業訓練才能有運用色彩的能力, 受過美術或設計訓練只是其中一個幫助提升這個能力的途徑, 讓我們對顏色世界有多一點認識. 但是如果你擁有一對富洞察力的眼睛, 便會從大自然當中學習到色彩運用的"祕技".

樹葉的深淺綠, 黄昏的紅橙黄, 日出前的透明魚肚白, 夜幕低垂的藍與黑. 花朵雀鳥、山脈雪地、星空北極光......說不盡的色調. 你所需的配色事典就在身邊, 不用花一分一亳, 我們能不向大自然致敬嗎?

Bird - especially their feather is always my favorite,

what a million color combination, our creator must be an artist.

Everyone has his/ her own favorite color choice, it's easy to tell from what their wear or what they've pick in their product of daily living. But why can some one always make the right choice, presenting the color in such a gorgeous way; even though it seems they are melting in red, green, yellow, blue...still, so harmonize without a pitch of messy, but only the greeting of carnival. 

Truly speaking, there is not any secret training or professionalism that we must have to achieve this ability. But is for sure you will learn more in a wider and deeply sense of color technique by training as an artist or designer. To us, if only if you have a pair of open eyes and learn from the nature.

Shades of green from tree leaves, red yellow orange in the sunset, transparency white and all kinds of grey in dawn, the mysterious blue and black in the twilight zone. All those wonderful color mixing in flower & bird, valley & ice burg, star night & the northern light......this valuable "color guide" is here, free of charge, you can read from any moment at anywhere, salute to our nature? 101%

絢爛繁華的Art Deco

photo source

每年情人節總會令我想起這個畫面, 在 Sleepless in Seatle 這套電影入面, 帝國大廈的浪漫演譯, 隨之而來便是紐約的Art Deco 世界.

繼 Rococo 洛可可之後, 第二個最想介紹的設計風格就是Art Deco.這個在1909年巴黎隨着一系列芭蕾舞的表演服飾所引發, 既華麗又不會過於沉重. 適逢當時人們對室內設計風格的追求, 渴望打破十八世紀流行的法式古典設計, Art Deco 便於1914年填補這個空隙了.

Art Deco (或 Jazz Moderne) 其實包含了不少原素如 Neo-classicism, Ballets Russes 的Orientalism 及 Exoticism, 當時埃及考古文物所帶來的影響, 新興的探戈舞蹈, 藝術畫界 Cubist 及 Fauvist 風格, 甚至非洲的服飾潮流.....全部都在一點一滴地把Art Deco 塑造起來.華麗雅緻的古典原素混合清簡背景; 又或是加上表現線條, 力量與速度的圖案從而帶出當時在先進工業科技上的成就......好一個有趣的組合. 我時常覺得Art Deco 是屬於男性, 而Art Nouveau 就較女性化, 也許這便是個中原因.

Chrysler Building

Empire State Building

在建築上, 最能代表這個設計風格的有位於紐約的帝國大厦 (Empire State Building) 及Chrysler Building, 兩者的外型各有不同, 但設計風格絕對是Art Deco 的代表作. 鑄鐵、雕刻黄銅工藝造出各式各樣精緻的圖案, 由大理石,石屎或紋理豐富的木料...等天然素材作為背景, 座落於大厦頂部, 入口, 大堂甚至電梯,欄杆, 信箱等室內佈置, 營造出絢爛豪華的效果.

要仔細欣賞這個風格, 非進入大廈內部不可, 由於篇幅關係, 誠意介紹一本十分藉得細閱的書籍, New York Art Deco Skycrapers BY A+U. 這本於1987年4月臨時增刋号當中介紹了很多關於在紐約區有Art Deco風格的摩天大樓, 圖庫極之精美, 是一本很值得珍藏的書藉.

其實Art Deco 之豐富及受不少設計師喜愛, 除了其個性鮮明, 圖案及層次感佷強之外, 其他衍生出的風格如 Tropical Deco 也是我的最愛, 也許下次我們一起去邁亞美感受一下罷.

最後讓大家欣賞一下Art Deco 的細緻演譯.

Lift lobby of Goelet Building

Chrysler Building Lift Panel

Chrysler Building Mail Box

Empire State Building Shops

Chrysler Building Staircase Balustrade

Photo reference : New York Art Deco Skyscapers by A+U
Content reference : Period Style by Mary Gilliatt

Picasso and a bird?

 有人見過呢隻鷹嗎？一隻我覺得好有型嘅鷹！線條簡單，雙目應該係單目有神，有堅定信念，有目標．．．卻又帶點傻氣． 雖然你不一定有同感，但或多或少會有些感覺罷？！為何如此簡單的圖畫卻令人有所感染呢？　除了是大師作品（右下角寫明，但不知是否屬實），又或是純粹本人亂嗡之外，我想關鍵在於看的人是否懂得去感受和欣賞．試從這隻鷹開始，別讓身邊接觸到的事物輕易溜走，當你嘗試去理解多一點，感受多一點，欣賞多一點的時候，不知不覺間，你便會慢慢有個人體會，而不再人云亦云．藝術，設計．．．其實並非什麼高深哲學，只需要學懂生活，任何人也可享受箇中樂趣。

I wonder anyone see this "bird" or "eagle" before? To me, I think "he" is very cool. What a simple line figure, sharp eyes  eye full of power & faith, seems he knows what will be his destiny...plus, a touch of cute. Well, you may not have the same thought of mine, but at least you shall have your own interpretations.

Why could a simple picture like this do touch our emotion? Is it due to the superior technique of the famous artist (at the lower right hand corner, not sure whether it is real or not)? Or simply because of my  nonsense expression? I think the key is the audience ourself, the one who with or without the ability to feel and appreciate.

Start from this little bird, don't let things passes by as usual, take time to feel a little bit longer, touch a little bit deeper and appreciate a little bit more...... when time goes by,  we will have our own interpretation, our own thinking pattern that don't need to follow others. 

I've always say, Arts & Design is not rocket science that anyone should be able to enjoy what they brings to enhance our life, if only if you know how to live.

Amazing Paper Art

Although it's already New Year, this Christmas art work is still worth to be shared to you all. I kept these image in my file long long time, I just can't remember where I got it from, sorry ! I only knew I was so amazing by what the artist did in this paper art. Yes, they are created by colour paper, so beautiful.

Many years ago when I was studied in design school, I also had an assignment by using this technique, actually it's not difficult, but need a lot of patience plus some art sense to create an attractive scene. If by adding some lighting effect like this one, the overall atmosphere is even more realistic. Japanese artist are quite expertise in this field but I think this one is more likely created by European, just guess. No matter how, this is excellent and should be framed as one of my home's wall decor.

Let me show you another one, which is more wild but still, amazing !

年畫Chinese Folk Art

 

年畫-是中國的民間藝術之一, 用農曆新年作為主題的尤其多.但也有不少是取材自民間生活的. 這套共有四款, 名為四合院---春、夏、秋、冬的作品(Artist, Bai Yanping), 不用介紹也知道其內容是環繞北京傳統建築:四合院內平民在四季的生活及景緻.

還記得當年在北京公幹, 小休期間便在某商場內發現這一小套印刷品, 我要强調是印刷品,因為如果是原稿畫作,其色彩必定會更加豐富和較有層次感.年畫的趣味在於沒有透視,即沒有消失點, 所以一眼可以看清前後景所繪畫的內容,這也是我認為最獨特之處.

現在大家不妨細心欣賞這裡四季怡人的景緻.

Chinese Folk Art has one special kind of painting style - 年畫 , celebration of Lunar New Year is the most popular scene that artist will express in their painting, that's why in a straight forward translation, you may call it "Painting of the Year". But besides this, everything related to daily living of Chinese are also their favorite topics, like the one above are a Four seasons drawing in count yard house, i.e,  si-he yuan- a very traditional and historical apartment in Beijing, by artist - Bai Yanping.

This set of commercial print out was found during my business trip, once in Beijing a few years ago. If these are the original paintings instead of print out, you will see a more subtle but rich color effect; but what I like most is the non-existing of perspective = no vanishing point, a very unique criteria of this kind of painting, so you can see clearing what are happening inside each corner of the small garden.

Now, be my guest to take a Four Season trip, enjoy !