It just kinda became clear to me the other day, while reading a lot of crafty, arty, lifestyle blogs out there, that there is a real appetite for simple, yet clever things. The days of fussy decadence are not today’s most popular aesthetic, at least among people I relate to or find interesting. This is not to say that luxury is out, or that things do not need to be made with skill and refinement, but overall, I think we are all appreciating a simple, almost naive-style in art, craft and design, maybe because the world, and daily life can be so exhausting. So planned. So corporate, so many logistical stresses, like commuting, the economy, loud commercials on tv, trends coming in and out of style, I don’t know, you don’t have to buy into it but you’d have to be living deep in the forest to not notice how urban living can grind you down. I just looked in my trash can at work the other day and I just completely froze… there was so much packaging in there, dunkin donuts coffee cup, breakfast bar wrapper, just so much freaking plastic, grossed me out. It just told me, I’ve been rushing in the mornings, and this trash can should be full of banana & grapefruit peels, egg shells, and tea bags. Should represent less about convenience and more about quality. Time to be a little more thoughtful I suppose. In living life. But maybe a little less contrived, in fun!
I think part of what attracts so many of us to small simple things, is the energy or vibrations of the thing itself. There is something refreshing in things that are unique, one-of-a-kind, made with love, made by hand, made without an aggressive purpose (like I need 5000 to go to retail or something.) And I think those things, whether meals, or pieces of art, really buzz with the energy of who made it, and the conditions it was made in. Sometimes, I really struggle with this when I know that my job involves factory work in 3rd world countries. I guess I try to balance it with the things I make at home, on my own. So, with all of this prophetic rambling, I give you a few simple, 5 minute sketches that I did by hand and then colored digitally. Just keeping it simple for now.
Oh and I had a great time in NYC last weekend, like I always do. I ‘worked’ 2 full days but managed to see my friends and eat some tasty food, and i walked for hours and hours and hours in the cold, but it was wonderful. The city is amazing to walk in, you can go forever and ever and not even notice the blisters! Stop and have a delicious coffee, snack, or drink, and then keep on going. Here are just a few details of things I saw, nothing monumental, cuz, you know, I’m keeping it simple these days!
