Here’s an excerpt:

A New York City subway train holds 1,200 people. This blog was viewed about 4,700 times in 2011. If it were a NYC subway train, it would take about 4 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

Behold the visual poetry of a surprisingly mufti-faceted beach town…

First things first….bagels on Wilshire….

Mosaic mural juxtaposed with slatted building…packs the punch

Beach architecture…Santa Monica style…

Ahhh…do we have both the male and the female principal equally represented?

A different take on the design of the Hanukkah Menorah…

Curvilinear…indeed!

What sightings have YOU had lately?

If you feel so inclined, please share them with us here.

We love to hear from YOU.

Remember, we are all sighting this thing called Life, together.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND PEACE AND BLESSINGS TO YOU FOR THE NEW YEAR!

Leaving the familiar and entering the journey can take many forms.

Sometimes the journey offers us a miracle.

Leaving home in the cold dark, I entered the airport as the light was beginning to show itself.

Upon entering the temple of SFO, a great  miracle happened.

A bright light appeared, and began to rise, getting  bigger and brighter.

Burning its way through the darkness, there came the sun,

casting a brilliant reflection of its own light on the plane  opposite.

It  continued to rise like a prayer,

or voices raised in hymn of praise,

 For the miracle of Life, Hope, Joy, Renewal, Moving Forward…or just,  Moving!

GO!

Wishing You and Yours Peace and Blessings this Holy Day Season.

May You move forward into the uncharted adventure of your greatest Dreams, Hopes, Joys, and Loves.

Cheers!

]]> http://artissima.wordpress.com/2011/12/07/pictogram-ii-let-there-be-light/feed/ 4 artissima sun1 sun2 sun3 sun4 sun5 sun7 http://artissima.wordpress.com/2011/11/29/pictogram-i-sitting-pretty-in-santa-monica/ http://artissima.wordpress.com/2011/11/29/pictogram-i-sitting-pretty-in-santa-monica/#comments Wed, 30 Nov 2011 06:26:34 +0000 Artissima - Blog of ArtiFactory Studio http://artissima.wordpress.com/?p=2516 ]]> Pictogram I: Sitting Pretty in Santa Monica

Setting the scene for sensational seating….

To Be Continued….

By turns magical, moving, and magnificent, Santa Monica exemplifies the outsized and over the top sensibility Los Angeles is known for. However, this beach town also holds quiet gems often discovered by happenstance.  Join me for a magical, mufti-faceted look at the ebb and flow of this “home of the California beach lifestyle”.

Organic meets geometric, creating magic in concrete forms.

A magical curvilinear wall of stones stands in front of Santa Monica’s Yahoo Center.

An over-sized exterior sculpture bubbles out from the side of a building, adding a bit of magic to the urban landscape.

A flowing window grate creates artful protection, as well as magical  beauty.

The Zebra car plugs in…stay tuned for another post devoted to this magical car.

Madame Chou Chou  bistro and patisserie on Main Street, offers spiral magic with its cutlery, as if the delightful patisseries weren’t enough!

What magical convex, concave and curvilinear sights have You seen lately?

If You feel so inclined, please share them with us here.

We love to hear from You.

Remember, we are all in the ebb and flow of this magical thing called Life, together.

Wishing You a magical holiday filled with a heightened awareness of the extraordinary all around us.

Cheers!

]]> http://artissima.wordpress.com/2011/11/24/santa-monicas-magical-style-convex-concave-and-curvilinear/feed/ 0 artissima curve1 curve2 curve6 curve4 curve5 curve6 http://artissima.wordpress.com/2011/11/16/compliments-of-the-house-and-sky/ http://artissima.wordpress.com/2011/11/16/compliments-of-the-house-and-sky/#comments Thu, 17 Nov 2011 07:24:17 +0000 Artissima - Blog of ArtiFactory Studio http://artissima.wordpress.com/?p=2482 ]]> Compliments of the House…and Sky

L.A.’s beach towns offer an abundance of local, architectural, and natural color.  Recently, I have noticed a predominance of the complimentary pair, blue and orange.  In architecture, the urban landscape, and nature, this pair dances together with energy and grace, delighting our eye, and enlivening all of our senses.  Check out the images below,  for a visual feast that will may leave you full, yet ready for more!

Compliments of Venice’s Abbot Kinney District.

Compliments of the streets of Santa Monica!

Compliments of the  Canal District of Venice.

Compliments of Nature, Marina Del Rey.

What color compliments have YOU noticed lately in your environment?

If you feel so inclined, please share about  them with us here.

We love to hear from YOU.

Remember, we are all complimenting this thing called Life, together!

ENJOY!

What is a door? A magical portal into worlds of fantasy, mystery, magic and even mayhem?

Recent explorations of LA area beach towns have yielded some a-door-able results. Please see below some examples of the door that keeps you coming back for more.   Turn the key of your  perception,  and prepare to have your imagination turned on!

This amazing find in Venice near the storied Canal District looks straight out of Alice in Wonderland. What extraordinary creatures are playing croquet on the lawn beyond?  Privacy seems to be the goal here.

Here is a more rustic version on a delightful street in Mar Vista, minus the hedge, and plus a “half”  wall! The house and yard are in full view beyond.  The door seems to be there for the sheer joy of it.

Energetic red animates a cottage-like Santa Monica residence, set off by soft yellow, and the colors of nature.  A visual target, our eye is drawn to this door like a magnet to metal.

The red door is used again here to great effect, as a “real” element in the midst of a children’s mural.  Red elements all around it integrate it into the scene, yet it stands out as a strong element, letting us know where to go to get to the other side of a seemingly safe and self-contained world.

Venice’s Canal District is home to many remarkable architectural design gems and delicious creative elements, including mosaic-ed columns which lead us down the path to the door to the door!

Giant bowling balls? Well, maybe. At any rate, these strong forms direct us to the portal of  “UMG”,  the  Universal Music Group Offices in Santa Monica, where some of the giants of the music industry do business.

Who says a door has to be real? And what is “real”, anyway? Madame Chou Chou Bistro Patisserie on Main Street in Santa Monica is the perfect place to indulge your appetite for fantasy, and  your sweet-tooth.  Highly recommended for an elegant, yet fun indulgence.

What magical doors have YOU opened lately, and what fantastical worlds have You entered?

If you so choose,  please share about it with us here.

We love to hear from You.

Remember, we are all opening the doors to this thing called Life, together.

]]> http://artissima.wordpress.com/2011/11/13/a-door-ing/feed/ 6 artissima Dr1 WDr7 Dr3 dR4 dr5 dr6 Dr0 http://artissima.wordpress.com/2011/11/09/la-stories-v-navigating-the-venice-canals-2/ http://artissima.wordpress.com/2011/11/09/la-stories-v-navigating-the-venice-canals-2/#comments Thu, 10 Nov 2011 04:30:56 +0000 Artissima - Blog of ArtiFactory Studio http://artissima.wordpress.com/?p=2433 ]]> LA Stories V: Navigating the Venice Canals 2

Venice, like Los Angeles, like really most anyplace when you get up close…is a study in contrasts.  Seeming contradictions, unless you both look closely and widen your view. Even in the storied Venice Canal District, one sees the fascinating contrasts which give the place its unique texture and flavor, and perhaps aren’t such contrasts after all.

Architecture, Design, and Landscaping….

A cottage, its blue body and white trim punctuated with an energetic red door, nestled into trees and foliage,

and a stately stone and glass structure graced by palms.

Color…

Warm, vibrant, high contrast hues,

vis a vis earthtones, neutrals, black and white, and bricks….

And whether it be
warm and winsome sculpture,

hand-painted tiles,

or mosaic-ed columns,
The angels, are in the details!

Here’s to the beauty of contrasts, in all its forms.

What magical neighborhoods have YOU explored recently? What angels in the details have YOU discovered?

If You feel so inspired, please share about it with us here.

We love to hear from You.

Remember, we are all comparing and contrasting our way through this Life, together.

Cheers!

]]> http://artissima.wordpress.com/2011/11/09/la-stories-v-navigating-the-venice-canals-2/feed/ 2 artissima ven1 ven3 ven4 ven6 ven2 ven5 ven7 ven8 http://artissima.wordpress.com/2011/10/26/is-your-color-centrifugal-or-centripetal/ http://artissima.wordpress.com/2011/10/26/is-your-color-centrifugal-or-centripetal/#comments Thu, 27 Oct 2011 03:00:01 +0000 Artissima - Blog of ArtiFactory Studio http://artissima.wordpress.com/?p=2403 ]]> Is Your Color Centrifugal or Centripetal?

Recently, during our Color Muze segment, on Artistically Speaking Radio, we discussed the fascinating phenomenon of centrifugal and centripetal action and complexity, as color designer and expert Frank Mahnke, of the International Association of Color Consultants/Designers,  terms it.

The concept of  centrifugal and centripetal action and complexity in this context,  is related to using color to create a mood, to support the function of a space. In essence, we create moods through use of color (and pattern), and we can support (or not) the function of a space by the colors and patterns we use in it.

Centrifugal action, derived from the Latin centrum, meaning “center”, and fugere, meaning “to flee”, does just that: directs our attention out and away from the center, or, our inward center, and towards the environment.  Warm color, with high luminosity, (” emitting or reflecting usually steady, suffused, or glowing light “), has a centrifugal effect, and can help to create bright, cheerful, animated environments, conducive to activity, and conviviality, such as Living and Dining Rooms!

Centripetal action, by contrast, from the Latin centrum “center” and petere “to seek, is associated with  inward direction, and can relate to contemplation and concentration. Cooler and softer colors, with less luminosity can produce a centripetal effect, which can in turn increase the ability to focus and perform demanding intellectual or visual work.  Or, relax, sleep or bathe!

Strong color contrasts will create excitement in a room,

while less contrast will feel more calming, as in “tone-on-tone” pattern.

The contrast of a dark and cool color, with a light and bright one can create animation and excitement in a space through contrast, while the colors themselves express restraint and dignity,

creating a fitting  (pun intended) mood for a sophisticated retail space.

Less color contrast, yet high warmth and luminosity, can create a contained aliveness,

“apropos”  for an entryway that is meant to be both welcoming and elegant, calming and warm.

By contrast, strong pattern and related colors can perk up even a small space,

without overpowering it, and distracting from its function!

In summary, when choosing colors for an environment, the function of that environment should be taken into consideration, and color’s ability to focus our attention inward or outward used to its full potential.  The warmth or coolness, luminosity, strength (or chromaticity) of a color, the contrasts between colors, and the use of pattern will have a significant effect on the perceived mood of any space, and thus on our ability to use that  space, and function in it to highest capacity.

Centrifugal and centripetal action and complexity is another example of the inherent power and effect of color, and how we can harness it to support and improve our lives.

Take a look around at YOUR color schemes.

Is Your Color Centrifugal or Centripetal?

If you so choose, please share about it with us here.

We Love to hear from You.

Remember, we are all trying to get centered in this thing called Life, together.

The canal district of Venice is one of the most amazing urban areas I have ever seen.    Just for that reason…how extraordinary to have picturesque waterways crisscrossing the urban landscape of this beachfront district on the Westside of Los Angeles, lined with residences ranging from the charming to the spectacular.  The stone design  of the embankment is a unifying factor, framing the multitude of creative energies and architectural styles.

The canals were built in 1905 by tobacco millionaire, and developer Abbot Kinney, who  sought to recreate the appearance and feel of Venice, Italy in Southern California.

Did he succeed?

A color friend of mine likened this residence to a sherbert sundae! I love the color reflected in the water…

A “boulevard” of water…can create a feeling of such peace.

Reflection of a palm darkly…everybody uses that water, and crosses it.

Yes, that is a swimming pool, adjacent to the green wall, under the blue roof, and next to the orange post.

The perfect vista…a bridge over untroubled water.

From formal to funky, stately to sculptural, and shutters to shingles,  the whole district is architectural eye-candy.

Multitudes of watery reflections turn the world upside down…a California preoccupation.

Classic forms remain.

Holidays on the Canals, anyone?

Have You ever visited the Venice Canals?

If so, what was Your impression?

If you so choose, please share it with us here.

We Love to hear from You.

Remember, we are all navigating this thing called Life, together.