Design is the conscious effort to impose meaningful order.

-Victor Papanek 1970

Birdhouse- designed John Greg Ball and Bobby Tripp

Well it’s summer, its landscaping season, and the birds are back here up north. Seems like great timing to create a new birdhouse design with my man Bobby Tripp. Bob is a tattoo artist at Lucky Strike Tattoos in Edmonton and also happens to be a good friend of mine. The form of our design takes cues from the anatomy of birds, using curved lines and steam bent plywood. Bob inked this fantastic custom cherry blossom pattern for the piece that is burnt into the plywood face with a laser.

More @toronto botanical garden

2009 Calgary Stampede- Souvenir Gifts

Meathead mirrors available for 2009 Stampede.

Hand signed by the Artist.

Find them at these retailers:

Calgary Stampede Giftshop- on Stampede grounds

Murmur- Marda Loop

“The trout streams where I flyfish are cold and clear and rich in the minerals that promote the growth of stream life. As I wade a stream I think wordlessly of where to cast the fly. Sometimes a difference of inches is the difference between catching a fish and not. When the fly I’ve cast is on the water my attention is riveted to it. I’ve found through experience that whenever—or so it seems—my attention wanders or I look away then surely a fish will rise to the fly and I will be too late setting the hook. I watch the fly calmly and attentively so that when the fish strikes—I strike. Then the line tightens, the playing of the fish begins, and time stands still. Fishing, like photography, is an art that calls forth intelligence, concentration, and delicacy.”

-Stephen Shore, 1982

Thanks Eric!

Murmur in Calgary

Buy the hoodoo rack and offcut clocks at a great new store in calgary’s Marda loop district:

Murmur

Calgary’s Environmental Design Movement

A great article on concept design and Calgary’s Environmental design movement including some kind words about Blend in this month’s avenue magazine:

Article here

“The West is not a place. It’s a state of mind.”

-Jack A.Weil (Rockmount Western Wear)

delay gratification.

-unknown

Display Magazine

Being a big fan of all things art + design, and in particular out here in the WEST; I highly recommend you pick up a copy of the new and creative Alberta-based- DISPLAY magazine. “With emphasis on Canada’s own grassroots design community, Display seeks to showcase the culture of design. By designers, for designers, Display is a platform for all things creative”.

Image above created by Jess Hogan for “The Alberta Design Boom” article by Greg Ball.

Greg Ball’s Top 5 Picks of 2008- Moco Loco

Being a contributing editor at Moco Loco it’s always alot of fun to take a look back and evaluate all the postings of each year and pick our Top 5 favorites. Here were my choices for 2008:
+ Greg Ball’s Top 5 2008