In Tokyo, there is an artist’s dream come true: thousands of pigments with names like “Autumn Mystery” and “Luxury Twinkle” line the neat, airy bamboo shelves of a store called Pigment.
Pigment is dry concentrated color dust used to give fabric, ink, plastics, and, of course, paint their hue. By adding a binding agent like oil or glue to the powder, the pigment becomes adhesive. It’s an older style of paint-making as opposed to purchasing paint pre-mixed, but many artists prefer it for its simplicity and versatility. The store also sells other traditional Japanese painting supplies like brushes, papers, frames, natural animal glue, and ink stones.
Pigment the store is just as beautiful as its contents. It was designed by renowned architect Kengo Kuma, whose work connects ancient principles of Japanese art and ideology to the modern day. Much like pigment, it’s simple, natural, and basic but elegant too. The store is made almost entirely of bamboo with gently waving lines, lots of open space, and light. The store does ship art supplies ordered online, but Pigment’s physical store and displays are something to behold.
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‘we all have the same palette of emotional paints
it’s how we pigment them on the canvas of life that dictates our artistry.’
-ged thompson (liverpool poet)
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credits: atlas obscura, pigment, tokyo
kinders explore light and shadows.
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‘find beauty not only in the thing itself but in the pattern of the shadows,
the light, and the dark which that thing provides.’
-junichiro tanizaki
Karen Schaefer took her turn at painting the Rock in Ann Arbor’s George Washington Park, announcing her conclusion about the boulder that was put on the spot in the 1930s. Schaefer wrote her master’s degree thesis on the Rock, (Objects that communicate).
all kinds of people with all kinds of agendas paint the rock in this decades-old tradition in ann arbor. the chat below was found on my community website and i especially loved how s.a. was at the ready with his how-to directions and a bit of historical support.
G.A. Does anyone know how much paint is required to paint a message on “The Rock” at Hill and Washtenaw?
P. L. Funny, my husband and I were just talking about this when we drove by it the other day.
S. A. Old gallon of house paint for the base, one old mop or broom, go to Denny’s down the road, come back and it’s dry for the message.
T. S. Can’t believe that no one has commented that is is illegal and vandalism…
S. A. Even Al Gallup, the living son of the Gallup who placed it there in honor of Washington, is okay with it.
‘passion is one great force that unleashes creativity,
because if you’re passionate about something,
then you’re more willing to take risks.’
—yo-yo ma
At some point in 2016, persons unknown adorned a tiny cinderblock shack along US 90 with the big-box chain Target’s lettering and bullseye logo. Located about 15 miles outside Marathon (pop. 430) in Brewster County, Texas, the shack is now unofficially known as the Target Marathon.
The raison d’être of the Target Marathon remains unclear. It was perhaps inspired by the Prada Marfa, an art project in the West Texas desert. Unlike the Prada Marfa, however, no one has ever claimed to have created the Target Marathon. Both “stores” are non-operational, although the Prada Marfa does at least contain some Prada merchandise.
The tiny Target contains absolutely nothing, save for some sand and an occasional desert creature sheltering from the midday sun. So if you’re trundling along US 90 and spot the bullseye up ahead, don’t get all excited about discount goods.
But if you appreciate unusual art installations, if that’s what you can call the Target Marathon, then pull over and have a look. Don’t delay, however, or it might not be there at all. As no one has claimed ownership of the Target Marathon, and it could conceivably be stripped, knocked down or otherwise altered at any time.
The Target Marathon is located about 15 miles west of Marathon on the way to Alpine. You’ll see it on the south side of the US 90 alongside some railroad tracks. Entrance is free for humans, rattlesnakes and all other desert dwellers. Target REDcards are not accepted.
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‘a creative project is a moving target.
you never end up where you start.’
-evangeline lilly
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credit: atlas obscura
kinders transform with hands, finger paint, foil, and joy.
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“the goal of life is rapture. art is the way we experience it.
art is the transforming experience.”
— joseph campbell
Finally! Your color-on-the-wall childhood dreams just became a reality.
All you need is this black-and-white floral wallpaper and some washable markers.
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“you have to color outside the lines once in a while
if you want to make your life a masterpiece.”
-albert einstein
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image credit: etsy.com
i went to the u of m dermo clinic
for my annual skin checkup
and remembered
just how thorough they were
when 3 different docs
checked me out.
the first one asked,
“did you know that you have some glitter stuck to your back?’
the second one asked,
“how did you get glitter in your hair?”
and finally, the third, the resident doc asked,
“did you know that you have glitter on your feet?”
i think they all imagined that i’d been to a wild party
or secretly am a dancer as my second job
i really couldn’t attribute it to working with the kinders
now that it’s summer break.
i told all of them that i wasn’t really surprised
that it’s always on me somewhere
thanked them for letting me know
and for another clean bill of health.
i think it lightened things up a bit in their clinic.
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“i must bridge the gap
between adolescent glitter and mature glow.”
-sylvia plath
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image credit: instyle
lucky encounter
of a piece of summer’s art –
when crossing paths
with a melted ice cream heart.
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“besides being a useful adjunct to courtship,
ice-cream is often employed to feed poets upon.”
~”A Few Casual Remarks on Ice-Cream,” Puck, 1881
ann arbor art fair is coming today.
bring it!
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“it is easier to go down a hill than up, but the view is from the top.”
-arnold bennett
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photo credit: ann arbor/scio hill- 1980s,*eck stanger-ann arbor news, aadl archives, ann arbor townies
*Eck Stanger, chief photographer for the Ann Arbor News for 40 years, landed the job because he was the only News employee able to read the German instructions for his secondhand Speed Graphic camera. Or so the legend goes. Over the course of his four decades as photographer – and the News’ sole photographer during its first 12 years–“one-shot Stanger,” as he came to be known–captured famous statesmen, princes, and presidents, as well as eminent artists, musicians, scientists, and athletes. But he spent most of his time capturing everyday Ann Arborites with skill and a keen eye.
I didn't have my glasses on.... 