The Street to Studio feature of the Brookly Museum’s website is a great example of innovative ways of introducing artist and their work to young people. My reasons for sharing this with you have more to do with presentation and the distribution of information than content (I don’t think all of the content here is appropriate for children under 12).

Through music, dialogue, movement, text and photographs, young children are able to connect with artist and their work. It is important to give them opportunities to experience this wonderful world of art/culture, no matter how complex the artists lives and art pieces seem to our adult minds.

“This fall, UPPERCASE is going old school. The “Old School” theme celebrates the aesthetics of twentieth century education through an art exhibition and companion book, as well as curated objects. It is inspired by vintage flash cards, old desks, biology class, science fairs, crayons, card catalogs, textbooks, class photos, teachers, yearbooks, lunchboxes, gym class, maps, lockers, report cards, film strips, recess, spelling, chalk… and the list goes on!

In addition to drawing, painting and collage, we will be exploring old school technology such as typewriters, film projections and polaroid photography.”

Explore photographs of the exhibition as well as the gallery of old school artwork & old school things.

A fabulous resource for Early Childhood Educators, especially those living and working in Canada. I continue to go back to their Reports and Data section.

You are cordially invited to the conference: Can Early Learning Prevent Youth Violence?

September 17, 2008, 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

CHU Sainte-Justine – Albert-Royer Amphitheatre
3175, chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine
Montreal, Quebec

The conference will address the issue of youth violence and how it can be prevented by early learning interventions in preschool years. It is co-organized by the Early Childhood Learning Knowledge Centre (ECLKC), the Centre of Excellence for Early Childhood Development (CEECD), the CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre, and the Fondation Lucie et André Chagnon.

You are also invited to join us at noon for the official launch of “Early Learning Prevents Youth Violence”, a report by the Early Childhood Learning Knowledge Centre of the Canadian Council on Learning.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Journal of Urban Typography is dedicated to the documentation and study of signs, word fragments, and typography created with utilitarian intent in urban environments.

via swisslegacy

“Green designers Contexture Design have set their sights on naptime, creating a stylish hanging mobile for babies, hip parents and anyone who appreciates good design in their nest.

““As The Crow Flies”, depicts a family of crows returning to a rookery, or communal nesting place. Employing eye-catching colours, shapes and moving parts, the mobiles are handmade from recycled travel maps and paper, wire and thread.

While pop culture and mythology have often associated crows with dark themes, Contexture co-founder Nathan Lee says crows create a surprisingly emotional family portrait.

“Crows are very family oriented animals,” says Lee. “They mate for life, live in family groups, and even though their offspring may travel the country and live in other cities, they often return to visit.”

“That said, crows do look pretty bad ass,” Lee adds. “We wanted to create something for people looking for alternatives to the super-cute, Disney-type of children’s product – that’s why we rendered the crows realistically.”

The mobiles are constructed from recycled black paper (30 per cent post-consumer waste, the highest percentage available) and outdated roadmaps salvaged from travel companies’ recycling bins. Seven two-sided hanging pieces are laser-cut to depict 14 crows and a large hand-folded tree. Babies are known to see contrast best, so the crows are rendered in black while the flipside reveals the colourful travel maps.

Inspiration for the mobile comes from the daily flights of crows over Contexture’s design studio in Vancouver, BC, says Contexture partner Trevor Coghill. “Every evening, in cities all over North America, you can see hundreds of crows flying home,” he says. “We used maps from across the continent to reflect the universality of this phenomenon and the distances these birds travel.”

“As The Crow Flies” are available online for $49 with free shipping for any online sales. The mobiles have been designed to fit in recycled envelopes for shipping, reducing the need for further packaging and related environmental impacts.”

I would like share a thought provoking photography series that I came across online today.

‘Me Again’, a series by Ritta Ikonen is “focused on the effects of global warming and the changing environment around.”

Photograph by Anni Koponen.December/2007

“Snowflake.For two years now we haven’t had snow in Finland for Christmas. This is very unusual and worrying and prompted me to start an ongoing site specific project looking at the effects of global warming.”

Photographs by Alexandra Hodgson.March/2008

“House Martins are migrating little birds. In Scotland the Martins are troubled by the warming climate; They make an extra set of chicks too late in the summer without realizing it. When the time comes to make the long flight to winter in Africa, the little Martins are still too small and have no chance of making it. There is just a lonely wait until it’s inevitable demise.”

Photographs by Anni Koponen.May/2008

“Baltic Sea, off the coast of Helsinki, was the third destination to the ‘Me Again’ series. There is an abundance of issues troubling life in the Baltic Sea. Pollution from marine traffic, oil leaks and the longer iceless growing season to name but a few.”

“In March the Canadian WWF did an interview about the snowflake project and the Climate Crisis. It can be found Here”

Bird & Leaf is another of Ritta’s projects that made me think.

Poster by theposterlist

“We produce and design all the posters in-house. You won’t find these anywhere else!”

Ordered! This simple, soft collection of numbers has given me a moleskin page full of ideas – Thanks Adam!

via youknowwho

Indio Love Of Reading Foundation

via openeducation.net

Kidsbooks “started as a small idea and has grown over the past decades to be a thriving, exciting environment for children and adults who love reading and great books. In 1983 Phyllis Simon decided that she would take her love of children’s literature and her librarian’s skills to branch out into the world of business and open a children’s bookstore in the Kitsilano neighbourhood of Vancouver.”

“We are proud to be considered a partner of educators, librarians, parents and children as we work together to put the best books into the hands of booklovers in our communities.”

If you are unable to make it into the physical store, please visit the website for recommendations and the best sellers list.