I have a thing for birds, but not one to own one though. I would have to say that I'm really enjoying these oil paintings by Portland-based artist Meghan Howland, who likes to depict people caught in swarms of birds, flowers or fabric.  It's not quite clear if the people are safe or in a dangerous situation, an ambiguity that leaves each piece open for interpretation. Howland is represented by Bowerstock Gallery where you can see much more of her work.



Source: thisiscolossal

Welcome to Playlist-56. In this installment let's start off December with some upbeat yet nostalgic style music to get you in the holiday spirit of decorating, shopping and chilling indoors.  New music by Tycho, Broods and Star Slinger.

Click Play and have at it! If you want to check out any of the other Playlist then click on Archived Playlist in this post or on the right hand side of this blog or in the menu.


Cover art by Damion Schweizer

Tracklist

I'm a huge fan of Neuva Forma's monthly podcast's of there Listening Pleasures collection. So I thought I would share their newest addition #25. It was put together by there friend Jon Cox of WILDABOUTNOTHIN'. It's a little bit shy over a half an hour but what a way to get lost in that time. The emotional content of this playlist is a perfect blend of samples and cohesive song-mixing that makes the entire thing feel  like one beautiful song that ends much too soon in my opinion.

Check out Neuva Forma and find some amazing musicians and also check out other Listening Pleasures. You can even download and subscribe to their podcast. Enjoy!!!




Source: Neuva Forma

There seems to be a lot of different varieties of wireless speakers but the Grain Audio Wireless Speaker ($250) has a solid and sleek look. Its solid walnut construction gives it some heft and durability, while providing a natural beauty and acoustic properties of hardwood cabinet. It comes with Dual two-inch drivers, a passive radiator, and the technical proficiency Grammy Award-winning Waves MaxAudio Suite deliver music the way it was meant to sound — without all the gimmicky enhancements found in lots of portable speaker systems. Combine all that with powerful Bluetooth connectivity, eight hours of battery life, and a carrying pouch, and what you get is one of the best (and best looking) small speakers available.

Source: Uncrate

This is an ongoing collaboration between Russian photographer Alexander Knokhlov and make-up artist Valeriya Kutsan. In this collection, faces of models are transformed into two dimensional paintings and design using face paint. The first series of black and white photos titled Weird Beauty were released last year, and the duo brought on digital artist Veronica Ershova who helped retouch a new collection of images inspired by poster art titled 2D or not 2D. These new color images seem to have more digital assistance but they're still stunning to look at. See more here.



Source: thisiscolossal

I have a ton of friends that enjoy the occasional cigar and some are cigar enthusiast.  So let me introduce the Brass Cigar Stand with Ashtray ($160). It's a simple yet elegant piece that's perfect for the gentleman cigar smoker.  It's made from solid brass and weighs about 3 pounds. The interior of the ashtray is blasted with quartz crystal to contrast the machined brass and the entire piece is finished in lacquer. The piece is 4.5" long, 2" tall and 2.5" wide. It has a leather bottom by Frank Clegg Leatherworks to protect desks or tables the stand is placed on.

Here is an invention that can change everything about your commute. It can change the various things that can strain us while riding like hills, heat and sprawling distances. A group of bike enthusiast from New York have created the Smart Wheel by FlyKly Bikes ($550 Suggested price). This is a motorized bike wheel that fits almost any bike, instantly turning a regular old bike into an electric one.

The Smart Wheel is a pedal assist which means it helps you ride your bike effortlessly. The motor turns on when you start pedaling and begins accelerating to your desired speed. It stops when you stop. It saves you time by getting you to your destination faster and gets you there without losing your breath or breaking a sweat. This electronic rear bike wheel can take you on a 30 mph ride and last you for up to 30 miles on one charge.

We want to make cities more livable, and make them more people -- not car -- friendly, says Klansek.

 It's other features are security and we all need that. You can remotely lock the motor and track it in case someone with grubby fingers wants it. It also offers a FlyKly App to control and monitor the Smart Wheel. It also offers many other features like support and social connectivity and safety. It can also charge a phone and power lights on the bike.  You can even control the top speed for the wheel.



The New York-based team is currently raising funds to mass produce their invention on Kickstarter.

As of now, $493,256 has been pledged by 1,857 backers. They’ve got 10 days remaining in the funding period and expect to need at least $100,000 more to begin mass production by spring of next year.




Source: huffingtonpost, elitedaily

Thibaut Malet is the 24 year old from Montreal QC, Canada that designed these beautiful oak and beech wood handlebar's. They are not only minimal but also functional.  Who wouldn't want a slick looking wooden handlebar for their road bike.  The other thing that caught my attention was the packaging.  Each handlebar comes in a minimal box with all the shavings from the wood of the handlebar so nothing is wasted.

I think design should optimize space and minimize the use of materials, from his packaging to his final function, this is why I try to conceive simple objects, easy to dismantle, and mobile.

There currently is a store but it looks like he might be out at this time. I wasn't able to find a price either but check out his website to see his other projects.  Also I'm sure you can email him if your interested in purchasing his handlebars.

Caras Lonut photos are where digital and surreal landscapes come together to make these beautiful surreal photos. These are just a few of his photo's but you can see much more over on 500px.  Lonut also offers all kinds of workshops and tutorials on his website.



Source: So Super Awesome