Fuck Off, I Love You

Images: Fad

It might seem that lately Checks and Spots is in need of a swear jar, but I couldn't help but share this with you.

Music Video Director, Huse Monfaradi, and photographer, Dan Wilton, recently collaborated to capture sixty of their friends and acquaintances in the process of swearing.

"The idea was really simple - to capture the emotive, cathartic outburst of energy from swearing to camera," says Monfaradi. "Then freeze frame the moment in mid-action. Whereas one would normally search for beauty and flawlessness in conventional photography, imperfections and facial contortions have been the driving force behind the project."

Not surprisingly, the shoot often ended up as a mass primal therapy session. Don't you think there is something weirdly liberating about letting a loud f-bomb rip?!

Les Khakis de Chanel

Image: Fashion Fame

You don't need a crystal ball to predict what the next nail polish trend will be. Just look at what Chanel has in the pipeline. From Jade to Blue Satin, every new polish this tastemaker launches creates mass hysteria.

On September 10, Chanel are are dropping three new hues - Khaki Rose, Khaki Vert and Khaki Brun. If you like the look of these military-inspired shades, act quick and preorder before they march out the door!

Image: Fashion Fame

Five Alive Friday

Image: Russell Leng

Was that the quickest week in history? Here's five...actually make that six...links to bring the weekend on even quicker!

1. This one is for all dog people. And to keep things fair, this one is for the cat people!
2. If you like stationary, you'll love this paper jewellery...
3. ...and you'll have serious heart palpitations for Marc John's post-it note drawings!
4. I never thought I'd covet a dirty washing basket - until I saw this one.
5. Take a behind-the-scenes peek as Style Rookie Blogger, Tavi, gets to work on her first styling gig for BlackBook.

A Reminder to Slow it Down

Image: Hollis Bennett

Ever get the feeling that someone's trying to tell you something?

Monday was one of those days. I had too many balls in the air and too many things went wrong for it to be a coincidence. Then to top it all off, I ended the day with a speeding fine.

As I crashed into bed, I thought that maybe there was a message in all this madness. Maybe I needed to slow it down. Let go of the details. Allow things to flow.

Gretchen Rubin of the Happiness Project says it perfectly, "Take your time. Especially when you're in a hurry."

It seems my day from hell was reminder that I need to stop rushing through life. I need to cram fewer things into my day; stop multi-tasking and eat, drive and walk slower if I'm to ever have a chance at truly living in the moment.

Maybe receiving the speeding fine wasn't so bad after all....

Interview: Artist and Designer, Scott Albrecht

If I had to sum up Brooklyn-based Scott Albrecht , I'd say he's a typographical fine art genius! From drawings and paintings to woodwork, fonts and co-founding Process, it seems like there's nothing Scott can't do!

I've long been a fan of his bold sense of colour and touch of retro appeal, but recently I stopped admiring from afar and got to know Scott a little bit better.

A culture-jamming experiment, called the Mixtape Proeject, was one of Scott's largest creative endevours to date and resulted in mass-participation around the globe.

My proudest creative moment was… when I was about 8 or 9 years old, I had discovered my Dad's light table and began tracing my favorite cartoon characters, mostly Looney Tunes characters at that time. I was so impressed with my newfound handy work, I decided to send some 'originals' to Warner Brothers. A couple months later, I received a signed glossy of Bugs and the gang with a personal message from Bugs Bunny himself saying "Dear Scott - Keep up the good work. Love Bugs". I still have it framed in my apartment.

My greatest style influence is… my Dad. He never ceases to amaze me with just about everything he does. His drive and passion for what he does is an ongoing source of inspiration for me.

I'm currently working on… A solo exhibition titled SOMETHINGMISTAKENFORNOTHING at The Curiosity Shoppe in San Francisco. The show is a culmination of works from the last year or so that in a nutshell focuses primarily on the idea of discarded interactions and resuscitating lost sentiment. I also just relaunched a website with a couple of friends called Process. Process is a collective blog aimed to spotlight the creative process of artists and creative individuals. The site features a wide range of content from artist features for inspiration to exclusive interviews, studio visits and more.

A day in my life is… not long enough.

The one font I never want to see again is… the one that looks like it's been horribly photoshopped.

I'm passionate about… high fives!

Home is… my girlfriend, Maléna Seldin.

If I wasn't an artist or designer I'd be… living out my childhood dream of being a superhero. My day job would be running a record label or something music related.

I'll never give up… tapping on my desk while I listen to music. I've tried. It's not happening.

People are often surprised to learn that I… am 6' 6" and don't play basketball. It never fails.

My golden rule is…be happy with what you do. If you're not, take whatever steps you need to change your situation.

SOMETHINGMISTAKENFORNOTHING, a solo exhibition by Scott Albrecht, runs from August 27-September 26, 2010 at The Curiosity Shoppe in San Francisco.

Three of the Best: Light Bulbs

Let's face it - while energy efficient light bulbs might make Captain Planet proud, they are butt ugly! So I thought I'd shine a little light on three bulbs that are all about looks.

Diamond Light

Image: By Jesper Lindström via Eric Therner

More of a sculpture with function, the Diamond Light by Eric Therner puts your garden variety bulb to shame and looks just as striking off as when it's on.

Cable Jewelry

Image: The Abbotsford Convent

Melbourne-based designer, Volker Haug, combines his industrial, minimalist style to give the pendant light a quirky makeover.

Wooden Bulb

Image: Decojournal

The Wooden Bulb by SUCK UK is a bulb...but not as you know it! Made from laser cut wood it can be hung from the ceiling or laid on its side to create a warm, waffle-like glow.

Personal Photography By Nicole Trunfio

Images: Nicole Trunfio Facebook

There's no doubt that Australian model, Nicole Trunfio, is a glamour. But did you know that things look just as good when she's behind the camera?

Not only does her personal photography give you a behind-the-scenes peek at a model's life, they are also beautifully captured moments in time.

Is there nothing this good sort can't do?!

Found via.

Five Alive Friday

Image: Robert S Johnson III

By now you know the drill - so strap yourself in and away we go. Onward and upward to 5pm!

1. How to be Alone is a pretty little video with an even prettier narrative.
2. Sometimes signs can be helpful. And sometimes they can be downright obvious, funny or ridiculous. Thankfully Signspotting falls into the latter!
3. Whoever said you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover obviously hasn't seen this blog.
4. There's nothing like a flow-chart to sort things out. Especially when it comes to the age old question - can we date?
5. On 2 September, Season 4 of Mad Men hits Australian screens. If you can't wait until then here's a free download of Episode 1 from the new season.

Get Your Clog On!

You can blame it on this season’s revival of all things seventies – but clogs are a certified shoe-in as spring’s it footwear.

One Melbourne-based label leading the resurgence is May. Proving that the hideous, gelatinous Croc isn’t the only comfy clog on the block, May’s take on a vintage classic means you don’t have sacrifice style for comfort.

To find out more, check out my article for Broadsheet.

Patternity

Images: Patternity

I'm currently pattern mad. There's something so soothing about repetition of the beautiful.

But, Patternity are even more obsessed with patterns than I am. From the mundane to the magnificant, they see pattern everywhere and archive their discoveries for pattern-holics like me to fawn over. I'm hooked!

Interview: Artist and Taxidermist, Julia deVille

Images from Julia deVille's latest exhibition, Night's Plutonian Shore.

Have you noticed that taxidermy seems to be having something of a renaissance? One of the most fascinating artists in this realm is Julia deVille.

While her work is undoubtedly intriguing and hauntingly beautiful, it is Julia's philosophies on life, death and art that are just as captivating. "The nature of our culture is is to obsess over planning the future, however, in doing so we forget to enjoy the present," says Julia. "I consider my taxidermy to be a celebration of life, a preservation of something beautiful."

In the first of a new Interview series, I recently caught up with Julia to find out a little bit more about what makes her tick.

I describe my work as quiet, dark, sentimental.

I'm inspired by nature, life, death and the Victorians.

I'm currently working on new work for an exhibition at the Aesop stores in London and Paris, this October.

A day in my life. I get up, walk my dogs, work for a bit, go to yoga in the city and buy supplies, come home and work some more then hang out with my lovely husband Nick.

I'm passionate about life and animal rights. I believe all life is important and as conscious beings we have the responsibility to preserve it.

You'll often find me working!

If I wasn't an artist or jeweler I'd be dead...or a scientist.

I'll always being asked, "Where do you get your animals from?" They have all died of natural causes and most are donated to me.

People are often surprised to learn that I am a vegetarian (and not a goth).

My golden rule is life is precious and we can live very comfortably without taking it.

Night's Putonian Shore, is at Sophie Gannon Gallery until 21 August 2010.

Vogue Italia Oil Spill Inspired Editorial

Images: Refinery29

The August 2010 edition of Vogue Italia is dominated by a 24-page, oil spill inspired editorial. Shot by Steven Meisel, the images are a provocative interpretation of the injured and oiled animals that have been in the media since the Deepwater Explosion in April.

As 'art' these images are at once beautiful, eye-catching, poignant and revolting. But as a magazine editorial they leave me cold. By glamorizing this ecological disaster, Vogue Italia swiftly trivialises the situation. Plus, the cherry-on-the top must surely be that while highlighting an environmental catastrophe they feature clothes that cost thousands of dollars and were probably flown halfway around the world...

What do you think? Thought-provoking fashion journalism or just bad taste?

Hoodie Bag by Stephanie Simek

Images: Stephanie Simek

Is it a hoodie?

Is it a bag?

Is it a scarf?

Or maybe it's a top?

This niffty piece from Stephanie Simek is the hardest working accessory you'll find. Each limited edition Hoodie Bag can be reversed, twisted, braided, knotted, bowed, draped or zipped to create a multitude of options. Genius!

From US $98; available online from here.

Five Alive Friday

X-ray Hyacinth by British artist, Hugh Turvey.

Are we there yet? Give 5pm a wriggle on with these five links!

1. If you only check out one thing, make sure it's Christopher Neimann's visual diary of a flight from New York to Berlin. It's perfection!
2. Superstar designer, Beci Orpin, generously shares a few pages from her delicious travel sketchbooks.
3. Here's a great piece that looks at the latest interior trend - maximalist.
4. There's no doubting it, Spencer Pratt is a prat. But his Twitter feed entertains me like none other. Here's a round up of some of his best tweet moments.
5. Small on effort. Big on impact. Here's an easy peasy make 'n' do necklace courtesy of Lucinda from Thrift and Thread.

Mail Art by Ritta Ikonen

Images: BOOOOOOOM!

My letterbox is consistently a disappointment. It's got to the point where I can't be bothered opening it because it only delivers bills, bills and bills.

Which makes me wonder, whatever happened to pen pals?

Perhaps the only one still flying the pen pal flag is Ritta Ikonen. Ever since 2004 she has been sending her friend Margaret Huber amazing mail art.

Ritta, and chance you could send one my way and restore my faith in letterboxes?!

Found via.