Yes, a near full month without an update. For anyone who even bothers to check the site anymore, I’m sorry. I’m in Zambia, a country whose capital city has electricy for 1/4 of every day. Internet is scarce here and I didn’t have time before I left to organize the management of the site better. Soon though I promise.
I love you and I miss you all. Keep awesome and updates will come from me when they can. I expect to see a lot of new work by the time I get home too.
My friend Sheldon has a new site up featuring his design and photo work. It’s over at goneboarding.ca.
Still trying to find out about the notebook release party.
Moma is one of the top 5 reasons I want to live in New York. The other four, in no particular order: the Brooklyn banks, Brooklyn, train performers and the ever looming chance of a Mark Gonzales sighting. Design and the Elastic Mind is going on at Moma right now. I wish I could get down there and see it.
There’s also a new video up at Zune Arts. Click the zombie kids.
Sorry if you’re bummed on the update frequency. I went to the dentist on Tuesday and got a nice lecture about oral hygiene followed by my first root canal. The hygienist tsk-tsked as she flossed and I thought: “You think my gums are neglected? Well, you should see my website.” The low-postage problem is coming to an end though as my life settles down. Also, in the next week or so the Isle will have a new bloggy, poster person. Hopefully, monster dry spells are a thing of the past.
There’s some good news coming out of the notebook camp. Thanks to a lovely government support grant, the notebook will now be published quarterly! Turbo rad. They’re having a lanch party next week I think. I’ll find out when and where and let you know.
Edmonton’s hosting the Leonard Cohen festival this July. I was stoked until I found out that Cohen will not be playing. At least he’s getting ‘mad props’.
By tomorrow I meant next week. Geez, the Isle’s been lagging lately. I’m making up for it now with some gem fueled postage.
First of all, I recieved the newest version of the Magazine Project today (sorry, no link, their site is down) and lo and behold a 3 page feature on the prolific design stylings of Nate Mathews. Good to see this kind of thing. Nate is an amazing designer/artist/skateboarder and scene builder. A lot of great things have come from that mind and this site would not exist without his help. Go find the mag and read up.
Lets start some kind of typography club. Or maybe I’ll nerd out alone. Creating a font is a relatively easy process these days. Just ask Wired.
Does somebody want to hook me up with $75 to buy the new Arkitip? It comes packaged with an Evan Hecox 9 by 12 print.
Hamburger Eyes is super inspiring. Lets get Shutterbuds on the zine train. Talk to me if you want to collaborate. Watch this short vid. In the words of Biggie “If you don’t know, now you know…”
I finally made it down to the Generation show at the Art Gallery of Alberta. You should go and see it as soon as you can; its only up until the 24th so hustle. There is a ton of great work but I was really stuck by Daniel Barrow’s contribution. Check out his website here.
I have a lot of other stuff to write about but it will have to wait for tomorrow because I’m lazy right now.
Of course something so drastic as the death of Polaroid would stir some kind of response. Carmyn sent me a link to Save Polaroid. I’m really glad that so many people are working to keep the 600 burning.
Beautiful Losers premiered earlier this month at South by Southwest in Austin Texas. I hope some copies make their way up to Edmonton sooner than later.
I love DIY people. I think I’m going to meet many of them in Africa next month. I love this video made by the Uganda Skateboard Union. The effects, the humor, the complete disconnect from the self importance of the rest of the skateboarding world. Skating is fun.
All of my notebooks are covered in drawings, doodles and random design ideas and they have been for as long as I can remember. Someone is taking this personalization to another level. Engrave your book is a rad service through which you can burn your artwork into the cover of the classic moleskin notebook. If you’re super blingy you can also customize a bunch of stuff through engrave your tech.
I’m still being lame about the show photos. Maybe tomorrow.
The last week of my life has been turbo-stress. The Isle slipped through the cracks of moving, writing my senior paper, the Avenue show, work and finding a furnace. Hopefully from here on the time between posts won’t be so long. Does anyone know how to install a furnace?
I voted for the first time yesterday. The results are depressing. Alberta needs monumental change ASAP. Watch the VBS series Toxic Alberta. Does anyone care?
I’ll have some photos from the opening last week at Avenue up soon. I have to figure out a way to get them up here without spending the whole day re-sizing images. In the meanwhile watch this post-rad documentary on lomography. There are seven parts so keep digging once this one is done.
Yesterday I was driving down the Yellowhead and I saw “your beautiful” painted on the side of a train. As a language nerd I laughed and it reminded me of two things. This image:
and the You Are Beautiful Project. This is the kind of thing that gets me stoked. I haven’t seen the message around Edmonton yet but I am waiting.
Mumble Magazine recently posted a PDF version of Jason Dill’s photo book. One bizzare life he leads.
Tomorrow at Avenue Skatepark Local 124 is hosting a comp for the transitionally inclined. There will also be an art show and silent auction that will run from 5-8:30. The participating artists include: Myles Kanne, Sam Shinin, Bobby Tripp, Ivan Nguyan, Kevin Kunce, Keith Allred, Nathan Panousis, Mike Park & Klarnk. “Theres a little bit of everything for the show; photography, Tattoo flash, paintings, and everything else that is called art” - Tim Mercer. All proceeds will go toward the Tyler Wilson Recovery Fund. More info here.
Send me more photos. And art.