My New Hero: Chris Jordan

Whether you read them in the paper or overhear a friend rattling off some numbers at a dinner party, most statistics are often too abstract and/or overwhelming to have a real impact. Especially the ones we should pay attention to, such as our excessively wasteful consumption, the number of deaths from prescription medication overdoses, the pervasive use of GMO seeds in the world or the disturbingly high number of elective breast implants performed in our country annually, just to name a few.

But for years, artist Chris Jordan has been brilliantly illustrating the mind-blowing social and environmental issues we turn the other cheek to every day with his large-scale photographic series, Running the Numbers. Having just discovered his work, I feel as though I've been living under a rock (or under a pile of garbage, perhaps), but it's never too late to celebrate the creative geniuses using art to raise social awareness, of which Jordan certainly is a star. I've listed plastic bag consumption statistics on this blog before which may have been read by a few dozen people, at best. But Jordan's "Return of the Dinosaurs" piece depicts the 240,000 plastic bags that are estimated to be consumed around the world EVERY 10 SECONDS in a way that should get the attention of EVERYONE!!

(Please note that you must click on each image on Jordan's website to zoom in to the essential detail of each work.)



An image created in the likeness of a famous Seurat painting called "Cans Seurat" made with 106,000 aluminum cans, the estimated number of cans used in the U.S. EVERY 30 SECONDS:


"Barbie Dolls, 2008" depicts 32,000 barbies, illustrating the number of elective breast augmentations in the U.S. in 2006:


"Prison Uniforms" illustrates 2.3 million folded prison uniforms, equal to the number of individuals incarcerated in our prison systems in 2005:


"Plastic Cups, 2008" depicts one million plastic cups, the number used on airline flights in the US EVERY SIX HOURS. According to his 2008 lecture on TED TV, not a single one of these cups gets recycled. (If you have ten extra minutes today, I highly recommend click on the TED link for the full Chris Jordan experience.):

Monday Color: Aqua

I'm cheating today. I already wrote a post on turquoise several months ago, which is basically the fraternal twin of aqua. But aqua is a little muddier, a little deeper, with an intensity all its own, making it worthy of its own coverage. It's also a color I just used in a nursery project in Manhattan, so it's all over my radar right now.



















Images above:

1. A living room designed by actress Julianne Moore, featuring an aqua sofa, paler blue walls and layers of textural neutrals, from The Lennoxx.

2. Found on Travel for Design, the high gloss finish on these walls is perfectly contrasted to the mellow soft aqua blue (design by Steven Gambrel) .

3. The Upper East Side Manhattan nursery that I just completed for a client's second child, marrying a soothing aqua with bold orange and clean white.

4. A few pops of aqua have a big impact in a home office that I also designed.

5. Blue Lulu rug from Madeline Weinrib.

6. West Elm's new Organic Cotton Ironwork Duvet and Shams

7. Equinox Armchair from Barlow & Tyrie with Aquarmarine Sling.

8. From the colorful Juicy Jute grasscloth collection by Philllip Jeffries, this Tantalizing Teal hue in a natural woven paper is completely unexpected.

9. Labyrinth Dinnerwear from Z Gallerie.

Etsy Love: Art and Philanthropy

Everyone knows I'm a fan of doing good while doing what one loves, so I am especially smitten with Art and Philanthropy's creative, hand-made offerings on Etsy. But Rebecca Peragine, mother and social entrepreneur, takes this a step further by making beautiful pieces that pass on principles of philanthropy to the next generation, earning her place in today's Etsy Love post and in my heart. Her product line of "modern, eco-friendly and culturally diverse wall art, wall cards and posters....are designed to help children learn compassion for our earth and all who inhabit it." Changing the world one notecard or poster at a time......


Fundamentals of kindness for all children: Please and Thank You Print.


Inspire wanderlust from an early age with the World Traveler Room Collection (includes a large 11"x14" world map and four smaller 8"x10" prints).


One of the collection's beautiful blank journals.


100% recycled card stock with eco-friendly dyes, make these adorable Nature-Themed Alphabet Cards even sweeter.

Wild at Heart

Recently, a client asked me to source "modern and sophisticated" zebra print bedding for her young teenaged girl. I was pretty sure that was an oxymoron, but of course I obliged anyway. However in my searches, I came across not only a great set of organic cotton pink zebra pattern sheets for my client, but also a ton of modern, design-friendly spins on animal prints. Take a look at some general animal print accent inspiration and some great products that I found and feel free to go wild!!









Here is the bedding I used in the project referenced above:


PB Teen's Zebra Sheet Set with organic cotton content.


Leopard Fabric Shower Curtain from JC Penny.


Snow Leopard Wrinkle Free Bedding from The Company Store.


Leopard Print Wood and Faux Leather Tray Set from Cheap-Chic Decor.


Maha Fiberglass Animal Print Round 25" High Table Lamp from Lamps Plus.


Indigo Tiger Rug from Clayton Gray Home.


Alcott Flannel Bedding in "Animal Skin" (the middle pattern), also from The Company Store.


Zebra Pillar Candles from Z Gallerie.


Hand Painted Silk Pillow Cover in "Blue Zebra" from Michelle Mathiss on Etsy.


Worlds Away Zebra Print Oval Wastebasket in Orange from Layla Grace.


Brink & Campman's Brown & Beige Zebra Print Rug from Domestic Modern.


Silver leaf and Zebra Print Baby Grand Piano, a special commission by Jimmie Martin.


I know these aren't for one's home - unless you have a really big living room - but I just had to include them. Moxy Ivy Roller Skates from Urban Outfitters.

Well-rounded

I recently had to source the perfect round mirror for a client's home and found so many beauties that I just had to share. The only directive was that it be made of a natural material to support the eclectic beachy/safari/rustic vibe she has going on. Easy enough!! (The hard part was choosing just one.)


Driftwood Mirror $199 from Crate & Barrel.


Bali Hemp Rope Mirror $378.95 from Soft Surroundings.


Bone Sunburst Mirror $269 from Ballard Designs.


Buzz Round Wall Mirror $369.44 from Lighting Universe.


Round Bamboo Mirror $108 from Home Gallery Stores.


Recycled Scaffold Mirror $458 from Velocity Art & Design.


Buffalo Horn Mirror $495 from Clayton Gray Home.


Wooden Gear Mirror $429 from Shades of Light.


Birch Bark Mirror $214.20 from Sterling Lighting & Decor.

Irene vs. Baby Green

My life certainly has had its inherent challenges recently, from a fried logic board to natural disasters, but I'm committed to getting my blog going again come hell or high water (literally!). For anyone who doesn't know, I live in the South Shore of Long Island, an area, like most others on the East Coast, that was badly hit by the recent Tropical Storm Irene. But spirits are high and recovery has been swift, with the dominant perspective of "it could have been much worse" rattling through every conversation. For me, these are just bumps in the road, and ultimately I'm grateful to have a computer and a roof over my head, even if they are susceptible to breakage.

One of the main focuses of my business in the past year or so has been home organization. This is a general term that tactfully describes what is more or less home purging. Organization cannot be achieved until the unnecessary stuff is out the door, period. As I pass post-Irene curbside piles of contents removed from one flooded basement after another my heart first goes out to each homeowner. But then I can't help but wonder why they needed all that stuff in the first place. Extra storage is often not the blessing it appears to be. Whether it's a basement, an attic, a garage, or an extra room (none of which I have), these spaces tend to be a black hole for unnecessary accumulations. Irene was fierce with her purging, destroying the contents of peoples' homes, forcing them to part with whole roomfuls of possessions. My ways are a lot more gentle.

I recently visited a beloved family member (who shall remain nameless) for the first time and was given a tour of her charming home, only to realize that she didn't show me one room along the main hallway. The door was shut and she breezed by it in such a hurried manner that I knew she was guilty of something. With some urging, she finally showed me the guest room/closet/storage room and this is what lay within:





I knew I would not be able to enjoy the meal she was about to make if I just re-shut the door and kept walking. I begged for ONE HOUR in the room (with the help of my mom who was also visiting). The goal was to make it possible to walk into the room and decrease the visual chaos so that the homeowner wouldn't risk a heart attack every time she passed the room. WIth hurricane-like fervor, we tore through the room, sorted scattered items into a half dozen boxes that could later be sorted and purged one at a time, cleared the floor and desk surfaces, and when the timer went off 60 minutes later, these were the results:




Please click here to learn more about Baby Green's Organizing Services.