Andres Amador's Murals in the Sand

The beauty
of Life's transience
is perhaps
the most puzzling
of all.

At low tide, beach artist Andres Amador creates his spectacular masterpieces. If you visit the San Francisco coast frequently, you may have had the unique pleasure of catching a long glimpse of this artist's massive pieces of beach art.

"For Andres, his art is ʻmore about the process and less about the result.'"

The City Exposed: Earthscapes from San Francisco Chronicle on Vimeo.

21st Century "Food"

You are what you eat!

Eat mindfully, my friends. For the food you consume to nourish your body is the investment you make in your health and well-being.

The future of our food is in your hands! Please don't forget that as a consumer you vote with your dollars. So make the healthful decision today, and be conscious about what you eat. Next time you find yourself in the store look at the labels and read.

¡Salud!

Richard Feynman - Ode To A Flower

When worlds collide, we realize that our shared reality is relative in nearly every aspect of it all. Beauty, is at the very forefront, the most obscure focal point of each respective pair of individual lens. Meaning is left to the unique experience of the mind's eye, and yet it is a gift to be cherished as a shared experience. Be the beholder! Let the beauty of life rest in the seat of your soul as you revel in the fleeting transience of all the universe's ephemeral mystery...


Richard Feynman - Ode To A Flower from Fraser Davidson on Vimeo.

Jimbo Phillips Graphix: The 7 Deadly Sins

Can you identify all of Jimbo Phillips 7 Deadly Sins?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.




It may be no surprise that you recognize Phillips' iconic style. After all, his art is world-renown for bringing the artistic skate/surf counterculture to the masses, namely his screaming hand. If you are interested in adding some new pieces of art to decorate your dwellings or add to your tastefully poetic collection, check out this awesome website. 

100,000 Toothpicks, 35 years, One Kinetic Sculpture

Here's an artistic treat for those who enjoy a good marble maze or Rube Goldberg devices. It'll be an extra special treat for those who left their heart in San Francisco.  Take a close look and see if you recognize any of the memorable landmarks from the "city by the Bay." Enjoy!



Scott Weaver's Rolling through the Bay from The Tinkering Studio on Vimeo.

The Secret Story of TOYS

What would a childhood be without toys?

Did you have a favorite toy growing up? Perhaps a stuffed animal? Doll? Action figure? Ball? For those of us fortunate enough to grow up with toys to play with, we are able to look back on our formative years with a special fondness and sentimental delight. Toys help facilitate that carefree world in our imaginations where we create and play and maybe even destroy...

Unfortunately, there are many children out there who are toyless, and many toys out there who are girl and boy-less. As you know, it takes a village to raise a child. So in a way, we are all responsible for the positive upbringing of our youth. Please consider donating new and/or used toys to a happy child today. It might make a world of difference to a young mind in need of some inspiration. :)

For a place to start, check out Toys for Tots!

Here is a sneak peak into the world of modern day toy-makers. They truly are artists of a childlike imagination.


The Secret Story of TOYS from Anthony Ladesich on Vimeo.

The Pixel Painter

Do you have an undying passion? One you could cultivate over a lifetime? Perhaps the story of this seasoned artist will inspire you to find something for yourself. A hobby that you feel called to master one day could be one of the many standout features that will define you. Let yourself fall in love, my friends!

Enjoy!

Adrift by Simon Christen & A Tribute to San Francisco

Adrift is a wonderful time-lapse photography project that Simon Christen, completed over the course of 2 years. One of the most interesting, peaceful, and beautiful cities in the world, San Francisco is done proper justice in this awe-inspiring short film. Enjoy!












And now, a Mayer Hawthorne tribute to the classic Tony Bennett song about the greatest city on Earth.

Learning to Love.

I took some time to calm my heart

and really meditate on who I am

and the type of person my choice of actions have come to project.

At the very core of me,

I am still able to maintain

my true identity and my responsibilities that constantly remain.

On the surface it may seem

that Love has struck my heart so fiercely

and altered my state of being.

The gap between my emotions and my actions

may feel disjointed at times

And they must be in balance in order for our connection to survive.

For me, sometimes the most difficult thing

is to step back and let Love happen naturally.

I have already learned how to do this with life, but Love is another creature entirely.

Yes, too much of a good thing can be unhealthy.

I know this now without a shred of doubt.

Like water and sunlight, Love needs time and space to grow.

Lest it shall die without.  

 

The Latest Pieces of Art by Coolie L

Funky Broken Chicken's Electric Revelation.

Kill Your Idols.

More art by Coolie L found here.

Boffoli Photography - "Big Appetites"

Aloha everyone!

This here, is probably the one of the coolest photography finds I have come across in some time. A few of my favorites are displayed below to whet your appetite for more. I would tell you how the effect is achieved, but a magician never reveals his secrets. :)

Hope your week is going well. Peace & Blessings~

Unlocking The Truth: Malcolm Brickhouse & Jarad Dawkins & their heavy metal band

"Be free. Do what you wanna do. Just be yourself. Do what you do best."

Here is an inspiring story of two young men on their journey to becoming the next big thing on the heavy metal scene. Unlocking the Truth, formerly know as "Tears of Blood," are Malcolm Brickhouse and Jarad Dawkins. Hailing from Brooklyn, New York these young musicians are on a mission to inspire and to have fun. Enjoy! And don't forget to embrace your creative side every once-in-a-while!



On the grind.

Revolution by Coolie L

Aloha mai kākou!

Recently, I have been attempting to crank out some new art with aims of submitting my subject matter in specific art and design contests (usually T-shirt designs). All this at the encouragement of a artist friend of mine. So here is my latest attempt to capture a special message of my own in a display of artistic experimentation. The theme is that of a punk nature, and here is my best attempt to express those sentiments in a series of nonrandom lines scribbled by my #2 pencil. Enjoy!

P.S. Here is a link to an alternate vision of my creation.

18 Of The Coolest Water Slides From Around The World

Have you ever been to the waterslides as a kid? Maybe even as an adult? If you can recall that sudden rush of heart-pounding adrenaline you get when hurling down a giant plastic tube with some spirited nostalgia, then you will not want to miss out on these incredible waterslides around the world.

Real Beauty Sketches

Here is an interesting little psychological experiment on self perception and esteem in American society. Is the face you gaze upon in the mirror every morning really the same face that the rest of the world sees everyday?

Remember to smile      
Love and be Loved. Aloha~

Photos of Children From Around the World With Their Most Prized Possessions

Here is a brilliant piece of work from Italian photographer Gabriele Galimberti produced from the convergence of art and journalism. Although these portraits are obviously staged, the juxtaposition of the photos taken of children around the world do succeed in telling a story and evoking quite the emotional response. Actually, what makes these images so profound and philosophically powerful, are the questions they elicit:

Why are we as individuals the way we are?
Is who we are predominantly defined by where we are from?
Are we predestined to become a product of our environment?  

At the same time, the photos portray a stunning depiction of the very raw, and life-affirming tragedy of global inequality. As a friend said, "Simple, yet cogent."  

Manu Chao - Mr. Bobby

This is probably the coolest music video I've seen in a while.

:)

Liquid Drop Art

Here's a totally different perspective. Artist Corrie White turns simplicity into breath-taking close-ups of physics in action. Results in psychedelic awesomeness may vary.

Tilt-Shift Crazy

I finally got around to leaning how to create these awesome miniaturized style photographs on photoshop. I've included the how-to below so you can learn how to create your own tilt-shifted photos too. Have fun!












1. Enter Quick Mask Mode in Photoshop by pressing Q on your keyboard.

2. Make sure that your foreground color is set to black and the background color is set to white. If they are not, you can reset them to this setting by pressing D on your keyboard.

3. Select the Gradient tool by pressing G on your keyboard. If the Paint Bucket tool is set as the default, simply click and hold down the mouse button over the Paint Bucket icon, then select the Gradient tool icon.

4. Set the gradient to “Reflected Gradient” and the gradient type to “Foreground to Background”

5. Move the mouse cursor to a focal point of the image. This is the part of the image that you want to make appear to be the most clearly miniaturized. Hold Shift, click and hold the mouse, then drag the cursor vertically to about halfway up the picture and release. For scenery pictures a good guideline is to drag the cursor from your focal point to about where the skyline meets the horizon. 6. A red gradient will appear. This is why it is necessary to be in Quick Mask Mode.

7. Exit Quick Mask Mode by pressing Q on your keyboard. The red gradient will disappear, and in its place, the image will now appear with a selection around the area of the focal point.

8. Now apply a lens blur to the image. Select “Filter” then “Blur” and click on “Lens Blur”

9. The Lens Blur dialogue box will open. Apply the following settings to the blur--set the “Shape” to “Hexagon”, set the “Radius” to “15", set the “Threshold” to “245” and set the “Distribution” to “Uniform”. If you’d like, you can play with these settings until you achieve the desired effect. Click OK to apply the blur.

10. The image should now look blurred with a clear area where you selected your focus point. Now, deselect the selection around the focal point by clicking “Select” then “Deselect” or by pressing “Ctrl + D” (on a PC) or “Cmd + D” (on a Mac).

11. Open the Hue and Saturation settings for the image by selecting “Image” then “Adjustments” and clicking “Hue/Saturation” or by pressing “Ctrl + U” (on a PC) or “Cmd + U” (on a Mac)

12. Set the Saturation to roughly 25 to 35. You can also play with this setting until you get the desired effect.

13. Click OK to apply the Saturation change. Objects in the image should now appear miniaturized or toy like in their appearance.

And here is a different, supplementary site for learning how to create the tilt-shift effect.

Macklemore - The Town

Hip-Hop LIVES.

Have a nice day everyone.
Remember to support your local artists - they bring creativity into the community.