Creative City Tour: San Francisco, CA

Today we’re featuring San Francisco through the eyes of Courtney Cummins. Cummins has the delightful job of running the bookstore at The Art Institute of California in San Francisco. In her spare time, Cummins is an aspiring stylist and scours her city for daily doses of creative inspiration. If you’re in the Bay Area, come experience San Francisco through Cummins’ eyes, as anyone in the fashion or art business knows you must live and breathe your environment in order to create tangible designs. Have a look, take the walking tour and let us know what you think!

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1. Murals, Clarion Alley: The Misson.

2. San Francisco Botanical Garden, 1199 9th Ave.

3. Vesuvio Cafe, 255 Columbus Ave.

4. De Young Museum: Hagiwara Tea Garden, Golden Gate Park
50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr.

5. Murals, The Misson: Sycamore and Valencia

6. Old Shanghai, 616 Grant Ave.

7. Ferry Building Marketplace: 101 The Embarcadero

8. Chinatown Kite Shop, 717 Grant Ave.

9. Public Sculpture, 333 Bush St.

10. Gold Textured Wall, 701 Grant Ave.

11. Grant Arts & Gift Center, 803 Grant Ave.

12. The Powell Hotel, 28 Cyril Magnin St.

13. Amnesia the Bar, 853 Valencia St.

14. The Orpheum Theatre, 1192 Market St.

15. Chinatown: Rant Ave. at Bush St.

16. Grooves Vinyl Attractions, 1797 Market St.

The full set of photos can be viewed here.

December 7, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Quick Links: Weekly Notables

1. A look inside Mark Giglio’s studio, via Grain Edit.

2. Dish towels from Maria Dahlgreen, via For Me, For You.

3. Vibrant works from Barry McGee and Phil Frost, via Dear Ada.

4. Modern takes on the trellis, via Design Milk.

5. The great lacey bicycle basket continues to please, via Refinery 29.

6. City or circuit board, via Data is Nature.

7. Jewelry made out of colored pencils, via Cyana Trend Land.

8. Digging illustrator Andrew Bannecker’s work and color palettes, via Kitsune Noir.

9. Interview with artist Kirra Jamison, via The Design Files.

10. Science and astronomy based infographics by Michael Paukner, via World Famous Design Junkies.

11. Personal paper trail, via Moco Loco.

12. Yayoi kusama: I want to live forever, via Design Boom.

Coverage by: Emily Gup

December 6, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Print: Giving in Style

In our world, packaging is just as important as the product. Megan Herbert, illustrator and artist extraordinaire from Reykjavik, Iceland gets that. She’s just upped the gift giving-ante with her newly released collection of wrapping paper. Each design is printed on reclaimed deadstock and represents the elements we all share as humans, be it blood coursing through our veins (Circulation), bones enabling us to stand (Skeletal), food that nourishes us (Digestion), oxygen for our lungs (Respiration), or shapes that define our history (Snowflakes). The colors range from a deep red and rich green to a soft teal and warm biscuity brown. This limited edition collection is available for sale online at meganherbert.com.

December 4, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Fashion: Graphic Spottings

Rather than eat Thanksgiving leftovers or reminisce at high school reunions, we plowed through Paris this past week, documenting everything from street fashion to high-end homegoods. One reoccurring theme we found throughout every neighborhood was graphic-heavy tights. Regardless of age, district or outfit, women were sporting asymmetrical looks, transforming their legs into fierce accessories.

Applying this textured technique to Susan Woo’s Spring 2010 catalog, Geordie Wood‘s hand painted photos reveals the perfect balance between mixed media and fashion photography. Proving equally playful, these leopard print leggings for kids remind us why even the youngest Parisians are so chic. In predictably beautiful fashion, Garance Dore’s portrait of Tennessee Thomas, the drummer and vocalist for The Like, is sporting a gorgeous pair of Emilio Cavallini stockings. It wont be long before these bedecked leggings cross the Atlantic.

December 3, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Trend: Mexican Masks

Whether you’re a fan of Santogold, Santigold or La Lucha Libre, knowing who any of these characters are means you’re clued into the Mexican wrestling scene (or you’re just a fan of good music). Variety acts such as these are joining the nightlife ranks, proving America’s fascination with Mexican culture is moving well beyond the menu. Hola Mexico, a Mexican film festival, made the rounds this past summer, gaining support from corporate sponsors such as American Airlines, Chipotle, Dos Equis and Taco Bell. Proving this trend is beginning to penetrate more traditional female markets, home good stores, such as Propeller Modern in San Francisco, are filling their shelves with Mexican inspired knickknacks. This glitter-lined tiger-striped piggy bank is just one creative take on this trend, proving the commercial fascination is just getting started.

December 1, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik

Art: 2D Tanagrams

Nearly every child is handed a tanagram on their first day of kindergarten. From day one, we’re taught that structures are built from a series of parts and encouraged to play architect on the classroom carpet. These early associations follow us through life and are a reminder that the most complex arrangements are comprised of simple building blocks. This windowsill scene, shot by the talented photographer, The Selby, captures this playful notion as he follows Natalie Wood, a Sydney-based fashion designer around her home. Striping these structures of their volume, Jonathan Runcio uses basic palettes and tonal shapes to convey depth and movement on a 2D surface. The results are stunning and a reminder that life’s continually an asymmetrical balancing act.

November 30, 2009 | By: Shayna Kulik