i am loving the work of nigerian-born, dc-based artist victor ekpuk. i first came across his work last summer in a local gallery and have been keeping my eye out for him ever since. he typically draws on traditional african graphics which he incorporates into his graphic, contemporary pieces. he says he is guided by the aesthetic philosophy of nsibidi, where script and sign systems are used to convey ideas. ekpuk applies this philosophy to his work, which always aims to capture aspects of the human condition.
HEIRLOOM DC GIVEAWAY
this one is for my DC-based ladies and gents! i'm very excited to announce the first boss aesthetic giveaway!
i will be attending heirloom DC’s big launch party on thursday, april 16th at 6pm and i'd love for you to join me! so, i'm here to help you snag a spot on the guest list and sample bites and drinks from awesome DC based vendors. as i've said before, i am passionate about supporting thoughtful, creative small businesses and these are some of my favorites! you'll get to sample food and drinks from heirloom's team featuring products from local artisans such as charm city meadworks, element shrub, deep eddy vodka, gordy's pickle jar, one eight distilling, dc distillers, compass coffee, and bazaar spices. AND you'll also get some goodies from typecase industries and marigold and grey.
to enter just leave a comment below and tell me in a line or two what "heirloom" means to you: memories, timeless things, family recipes, or anything that embodies tradition for you.
i'll announce the winner next monday, april 13th on my instagram and see you and a friend on the 16th!
so, what does heirloom mean to you? leave a comment below!
from heirloom: heirloom is a chic, fresh and artisan approach to catering. we offer stylish tablescapes, custom event design, award winning chefs and local, fresh food throughout the washington, dc area. the company’s team of experienced culinary and catering professionals produce events that range from small, intimate affairs to large red carpet-worthy extravaganzas. overseeing heirloom is founder and style director vicky theodorou, a long-time restaurant and fashion industry veteran. vicky’s business acumen and passion for event design and fine cuisine is already making heirloom the go-to catering company for many large corporate clients, social celebrations, intimate soirees, galas, weddings and more!
more from heirloom DC on their website, instagram and twitter! (the photos above are from heirloom DC's lovely instagram)
Update: Thanks for your beautiful comments! CONGRATS to the winner, Anais Navarro-Laurent! I will see you on and a friend on Thursday! xx
MY NAME IS INIGO MONTOYA
PASS THE PRETTY PAPER
i wanted to share a project that kind of combines all the things i love: design, small business, female entrepreneurship, the dc creative community, and well, just pretty things in general.
appointed is an american-made brand of beautifully designed desktop goods.
from them: "we believe a beautiful work environment fosters creativity, productivity and overall well-being. and we believe that each new notebook represents untapped potential and endless possibility. our goal is to add beauty to the workday and to outfit workspaces everywhere with tools that energize and inspire."
i've written here before about how important i think it is to bring design and beauty into everyday spaces that are typically beige and boring. so, i love the idea of having polished, thoughtfully designed office products that can go in and out of all the spaces of life - from the 9-5 stuff to the creative stuff to the to-do lists and the big dream brainstorming. if it's something you're interacting with multiple times a day it should be beautifully designed!
pretty right?
added bonus? appointed was started by dc-based graphic designer and creative powerhouse suann song. i've been following suann for years and she's consistently made beautiful things and supported dc small business.
they launched on kickstarter a couple of days ago so go and get em!
as they say on their kickstarter, "beautiful tools to inspire beautiful work." indeed!