Showing posts with label art. Show all posts
Showing posts with label art. Show all posts

Friday, September 24, 2010

Love is Waiting SHOP!


My friend, Heather, and her husband, Aaron, are in the process of adopting a little boy from Ethiopia! Heather is a super talented designer and Aaron, a super talented musician. They just launched the Love is Waiting Shop to help fund the expensive process of bringing their little guy home forever.

Check it out & support the Hale's on their journey!

Absolutely beautiful work, Heather!

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Art by Amanda Boyd


J and I just purchased an original piece of art (Herman, pictured above) by our friend Amanda Boyd. She's super talented, super fun & I think you would really like her!

She and her husband are relocating to Kansas City. right. now. and she has spent the summer creating some pretty amazing things. You can visit her shop to check it out. I can vouch that her craftsmanship is impeccable and the work is so lovely in person.

THE BEST PART IS, she's doing a give away! Quick, go find out how to win a free print!

Thanks Amanda, keep up the great work!

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Stoop-Sale finds


Here in Brooklyn we don't have garages or yards (well, most of us don't) so we don't have yard sales or garage sales. But we do have stoops. So we do have stoop sales. I spotted these little gems at a sale 2 weekends ago and still can't get over that old ink packaging!


The gentleman I bought them from said they were his son's and that I should just tell him what I would pay for them. I got the whole lot for $3. Three. dollars. I've often eyed lino cutting tools at art supply stores but just can't stand buying the plastic kits they make now. Expect to see some lino prints coming soon!

And then there's this beauty... the couch J spotted on his way home from his Saturday morning bike ride. (it's a lot less orange and a lot more yellow in real-life.) Oh, and did I tell you? We moved. yes. again. For the last time in NYC. no more. But our place is bigger, cheaper and in the same 'hood. And quieter. We wake up to the sound of woodpeckers. I'm not kidding. Good-bye honking horns, we've moved to the country! (or at least that's what it feels like...)

Friday, March 26, 2010

Gathering Place


When I was in college I screen printed this coffee table that I picked up at a thrift shop. It was a lot of fun to make and I got a few good years of use out of it before we moved to Brooklyn (unfortunately there's no space for a coffee table in our apt). For those that are having a hard time it says "Gathering Place," which is, of course, what a coffee table is.

This table is currently homeless. My sister took some photos of it for me before she moved to Florida so I could try to find a new owner for it. It's a little rough around the edges (as you can see!) but the design has been sealed on the top and won't scratch off. It is also very sturdy.

If you are in the greater Lubbock area and would like to give this table a good home (for free!) please email me at: kd.mcnamara85@gmail.com

Sunday, October 4, 2009

a photo for this day.


I received an email from Brandi (who I have never met face to face though I'm happy to be getting to know) a few weeks ago requesting a photograph of my shadow during an adventure. This is what I sent to her. I should play with J's tripod more often, it was really fun!

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Fingerprint: Call for Entries


Fingerprint is such an inspirational book. When I'm designing I'm constantly trying to get that little touch into my designs to keep them from looking too "computery" even if I don't have the luxury of screen printing the piece... or sewing it, stamping it, etc.

Entries are due October 15th and are FREE! You can download the entry form here or here.

via mint and HOW.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

A little more illustration, because it's good for the soul!


While perusing Julia Guther's site (see last post) I came across this beauty. I'm a sucker for folk art, anything hand drawn, mountains, goats...yakks... I'll stop there for now but this illustration really caught my eye amidst all of her other really great work.

Seeing Guther's illustration made me think of this outdoor piece that made my heart skip-a-beat earlier today here. I love the colors they used, a little unexpected and reminecent of autmn. We're working on Halloween/fall photoshoots this week so mentally I'm being forced to change seasons a little sooner than I want to. Even though it's sweltering (I'm talking sweating while you sit still, breathing steam all night!) in our 4th floor walk-up apartment but I'm not quite ready for fall. This Texan can take the city's cement heat-bubble!

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Illustration + Music + Paper = giddy!


I love these illustrations for many, many reasons. I'm posting them especially for J (& his partner-in-crime, Jeff), who have each bought at least a record a day all summer—I'm pretty sure. What are two teachers out of school for the summer to do!? When I got home from work today he had a Billie Holiday 7" wrapped in tissue paper for me, sweet surprise from a man who is not known for his gift giving! Thanks J, xo.


*cut paper illustrations by Julia Guther.


**Morr Music, is the label that Mum is on, J just got us tickets to their show in October, so excited.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Charley Harper Coloring Book

I've been a little MIA lately but I'm trying to remember to take time to enjoy the city in the summer rather than sit behind the computer for 15+ hours a day. We've been doing a lot things in the new apt as well, it's starting to come together. Slowly but surely.

Today we took a little office-adventure to Kate's Paperie and I found a Charley Harper coloring book. I just couldn't say no. Now the dilemna is do I color in it, keep it to look at, frame them... send it to one of my friends with a kids as a gift? Now I'm thinking I should have picked up a few...

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

South Mississippi





A few shots shots from our trip.
photo 1. Hercules. A plant that made gun powder during WWII, most recently a paper plant, and is now closed.
photo 2. (left) mural on the outside of the New Yokel Market in downtown Hattiesburg. One of my favorite cafes anywhere. (right) Farmers selling their produce on the side of the road on the Fourth of July.
photo 3. (right) Cadillac Corner.
photo 4. The evening of the 4th at the McNamara's home.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

yep.



*unknown source

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Fort Defiance


I work in Red Hook, Brooklyn. (though not for long! DUMBO here we come!) It's on the water & once upon a time Red Hook was a port run by the shipping industry. Those days are long gone and gave way to decay, feral dogs and a Meth clinic. Those days too are in the past. Red Hook is thriving and growing with hot spots like Saipua, Baked, The Good Fork and the largest IKEA in the world (not that that's a good thing, but it's here). The newest edition to Van Brunt Street is Fort Defiance, set to open this Saturday. St. John (owner, mixologist) asked me to do a large chalkboard sign in the cafe/bar. He wanted it to follow the identity that by boss, Steve, did for all of the print pieces for the cafe/bar.

It was really a great hands-on project for a few reasons: 
1. You can't get too perfect with a chalkboard (though I used pastels to grant myself some control). 
2. With the opening being so soon I couldn't play around too much with different methods etc. it was a "get in, get it finished!" project. I loved that because I know I have a tendency to want to explore all of my options for weeks before I settle on how/what I'm going to do for a project.
3. The imperfect typesetting was exactly the look we were going for, like an old historical document where the kerning and printing is just a little off.

*Thanks Steve for recommending me for the job & St. John for giving me the opportunity!

Monday, June 15, 2009

sneak-peek!

I've cryptically mentioned "projects in the works" & "new work to come..." in the past. Well, friends... I can't release some of them yet but here's a little teaser of of what's been going on in the studio of Paper City Design.



More photos with details to come (I promise).

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Swoon


Oh man, as a huge fan of street art this is beautiful!

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

something old, something new


(This has nothing to do with weddings.)

I saw the There Will be Brunch sign this weekend in D.C. and can't get over it. I know some boys that were (read: are) obsessed with There Will be Blood and the egg with a 'stache is just too perfect! – as is the hand drawn blackletter!

I spied the shoe shine sign on my way home from work yesterday in front of an old shoe shop in my 'hood. very iconic. It would look pretty rad hanging in a living room.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Iron & Wine


J got me Iron & Wine tickets for my birthday. The show was last night & it was so beautiful in a small theatre under the Williamsburg Bridge in Manhattan. He played this song last, (Trapeze Swinger) I had never heard it before but it made me weep.

They also gave us these beautiful letterpressed "commemorative tickets" so pretty!

Thanks J for an amazing night! xo!

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Paris in the rain.



You may have noticed that I listed Paris in the rain as one of the things that make me terribly happy. And with Wednesday's french-fetish that started to go too far I thought I would dig up a few pics of Paris (in the rain!)


Abbey (my partner in crime) & I went to the Rodin Sculpture Gardens & we haven't been the same since. It had a profound affect on Abbey especially who continues to talk with all sincerity about going on sabbatical in Santa Fe and learning to work in the medium. We practically wept while wondering though the rain & the larger-than-life bronze sculptures. I still can't look at the The Burghers of Calais (Les Bourgeois de Calais) with out getting choked up.


*Abbey, please don't kill me for including this pic of you... you let me walk around clutching your arm declaring that I was in love for the entire trip!

wrestling + typography


pretty much the best thing I've seen all week.

*via seesaw designs.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Marc Johns // illustrations





oh man. Illustrations of 3 of my favorite things! (I don't think I even need to say anything else.)

*rad illustrations by Marc Johns.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

joy.


Insipred by rockstar diaries... a list of 10 things that make me terribly happy:

10. fireflies at camp
9. the silence of fresh snow at night & the glow it creates
8. waking up with my husband
7. sitting outside with blankets & coffee
6. the first time I wear a scarf in the fall
5. the first time I wear a sun dress in the spring
4. holding babies (animal or human)
3. red wine
2. old friends
1. my sisters

Once I got rolling I found this little exercise to be really refreshing & I didn't want to stop. So here are a few more for good measure!

the smell of fall // fires in the backyard, or camping, or in a fireplace // going thrift store shopping... alone (I find this incredibly inspiring) // falling in love with a new album // wearing J's flannel shirts // the smell of my friend Lacey's bedroom! // listening to Patty Griffin and baking, alone. // hugging my dearest friends... for a long time! // a great massage // sitting around the coffee table with all my favorite ladies... in pj's! // linen. // perfectly folded laundry // a little sunburn // salty beach hair (or Guad hair) // Martha's Vineyard. // getting water from a stream. // waking up with the sun // seeing the sunset over Manhattan from my roof. // listening to & smelling rain though an open window while I shower. // opening all of the windows after a spring rain // italy // paris in the rain // driving off of the caprock on a roadtrip listening to good music // hand lettering // embroidery // sewing. // OUTDOOR SHOWERS! ... that's a good one to end on!

*if it's gloomy where you are I recommend writing your own list, it does help! photos by me.