Things read, heard, observed, done; highlights from the month as found online and experienced IRL
1
Watching this short animated film. I haven't watched the Oscars in years, but I was glued to the 2024 broadcast; My friend's film was nominated for best featured documentary and she/her team won!! Along with crying tears of joy for her incredible work and accomplishment, I was happy to learn about the short film 95 Senses: "An ode to the body's five senses delivered by a man with little time left to enjoy them" ... a captivating story and depiction of the beauty and pain of the human experience.
2
Seeing experimental retail and marketing at its best through Anya Hindmarch. I'm kicking myself for not exploring her brand's world when I lived in London for nearly a year and half, but happy to re-discover it online now.
My re-introduction was Anya Mart, a love letter to the classic British corner shop full of clever merchandise and keen attention to detail from the branding, displays, and checkout. I then fell hard for The Village, a group of Anya Hindmarsh stores on the same street each with their own intention, product offerings, and customer experience. I fell even harder in love when I explored their experiential marketing campaigns that incorporate art, community, and delight. Time to book a ticket to London!
3
Going back to art history class...kinda. I enjoyed my college art history class for two reasons: 1) it was highly visual and 2) there was always so much more than met the eye. Great Art Explained is a large bite-sized art history lesson that focuses on one artist or work of art per episode, diving into the cultural context to deepen our understanding and appreciation. Shout out to one of my favorite places on the web, Aeon (and Psyche), for the share.
4
Wondering when I can take a nap on this new sound bed, or "a cocoon of sensation", with five zones of vibration. It's no secret that music makes us feel more connected from rhythmic dance beats to meditative sound waves. So, when an immersive sound bed hits the market to help us pause and reconnect to our best selves — and it looks this good — I'm intrigued.
5
Enjoying a special delivery from the USA. I'd been wanting to add a wind chime to a particular spot at our house, but could not find what I was looking for locally. I took advantage of my parents coming to visit and placed an order with my trusted wind chime source, Wind River Chimes. I bought one for my folks years ago and loved the shopping experience on their website: you can hear each chime before you buy and they make it so easy to find the perfect size, design, color, and tone (or is it pitch?). You can sense the company's pride in what they offer and why.
6
Setting my doodles free. I used to doodle like this a lot. Once in a while I'll get the inclination to pick it back up and set the swirls and squiggles free. I did the two pages below while my youngest daughter colored and it was such a nice moment/break in our afternoon. What doodles are waiting to be set free from your hand > pen > paper?
Side note: it's moments like this that I wish I could create digital animations — how fun would it be to bring doodles to life ... to "set them free" in animated expression and exploration?! Holler if you have this skill/talent and want to doodle with me :)
