Archive for May, 2010
Our editorial staff will be out all month traveling in China. We’ll be gathering bunches of fresh stories and adventures to write home about. Keep an eye out for upcoming features and posts on Chinese artists, food, design, and travel!
[ image via Nostalgic Collage ]
Afraid of sharks? Do you suffer from Selachophobia? Now there’s a cure:
Who wouldn’t want to be eaten by this adorable guy?
[ via Nerd Bastards ]
Emily Weil is a talented artist based in Oakland, California who creates stunning large-format watercolors. Her mixed media Abstract Series (pictured here) combines watercolors with varied materials such as charcoal, ink, pencil, pastel, and even some good old “French dirt”. In addition to her work as an artist, Emily is also the founder of Red Eye Design, a graphic design studio with an impressive client list that includes Bon Appétit, UC Santa Barbara, and Sony Entertainment.
Culture Vixen caught up with Emily to find out more about her creative process:
Culture Vixen: How did you get started as an artist?
Emily Weil: I’ve always had a pencil in my hand, it seems, since I was little. Went to art school (CCAC), studied graphic design. Along the way I took various watercolor workshops, loving that medium. A year and a half ago I stumbled upon the artist and gifted teacher, Leigh Hyams, teaching an art workshop at Esalen, on the central California coast. She encourages her students to toss out the rules, and things learned at school, and be true to the feelings and passions that move us as creative humans, using our own powerful, personal voices. I try to express myself authentically and honestly. I certainly work best when I am not worrying about the final product, or what someone more talented than I am might think about my work!
: : : CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL INTERVIEW : : :
Inspired by old sci-fi movies, pin-up girls, anime, electronic music, and H.P. Lovecraft, Colin Christian transports us to a world of sculpted magic. His work ranges from anime-fashioned heads to robots, to the capsules pictured here.
(Click here to view more of Colin’s work…)
Seven Definitive Tearooms Making Steam in Los Angeles
If you are as particular about your tea as I am, you already know that L.A. is a mecca for tea lovers. From rose petal elixirs served in tearooms on Melrose Avenue, to sleek tea-based cocktails you’ll discover out on the town, L.A. is stronghold for both unique and classic tea spots. The following are a sampling of the city’s steamiest hot spots:
1. Jin Patisserie
Jin Patisserie takes afternoon tea to the beach—Venice Beach, that is. Nestled behind an orange door on eclectic Abbot Kinney Boulevard, Jin Patisserie’s tranquil garden welcomes tea goers with soothing sounds of fountains and urban forests of bamboo. The owner, Kristy Choo, hails from Singapore and is a graduate of the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. Her teahouse is a fresh blend of Asian aesthetics and fusion pastry concoctions.
