Category: WOW

After experiencing a personal loss, designer Justin Crowe set about innovating new ways to keep the spirit of loved ones alive. Growing from his art project Nourish, where the ashes of 200 people were mixed to create dinnerware, Chronicle Cremation Designs was born. This newly formed company creates bespoke ceramics with a glaze that incorporates cremation ashes—whether human or pet. Bowls, mugs, bottles, and candle luminaries are some of the unique, food-safe offerings, though it’s also possible to order cremation urns or just the glaze itself for those interested in creating their own pottery.

Once the custom glaze is created, there is enough for up to 25 ceramic pieces and Chronicle stores it for two years, allowing you to order pieces for friends and family. The final product is both aesthetically pleasing and poignant, if not controversial. Crowe, who is based on Santa Fe, New Mexico, confesses to The Guardian, “I’ve had people threaten me and tell me they are having me investigated. Or they’ve quoted the Bible and told me I’m going to hell. But then shortly after someone contacts me and tells me it’s a really beautiful project.”

By infusing the memories of the deceased in objects for everyday living, Crowe hopes to spur conversation about what death means and how we think about remembrance. “Instead of observing an urn or photograph on a shelf, I wanted a way to interact with memories on a daily basis. Our process was born out of a desire to keep those who’ve lived before us remembered in daily life.” 

The finished pieces are both dishwasher and microwave safe and range in price from $199 for a mug or candle luminary to $649 for a pair of elegant bottles. Orders can be placed directly via their website. Customers will be sent a kit for ash collection and orders typically take 30-60 days for completion.

Chronicle Cremation Designs: Website | Facebook
via [Laughing Squid, The Guardian]

All images via Chronicle Cremation Designs

A vertical forest is much more than just an architectural style—for firm Stefano Boeri Architetti (SBA), it is a way of achieving symbiosis with nature. Widely known for establishing the world’s first vertical forest, SBA Studios created the prototype Bosco Vericale in Milan that encompassed the idea of giving back to nature while integrating it with continuous urban sprawl. The towering 27-story structure was certainly an impressive feat; and shortly following, Boeri revealed a second vertical forest called The Tower of the Cedars in Lausanne, Switzerland. Afterwards, it was clear that this innovative approach was a style all his own. 

Boeri is now back with his third plant-covered structure, the Mountain Forest Hotel, which is designed to be a 250-room hotel located in Guizhou, China. The concept was inspired by the unique topography and natural scenery of the 10 Thousand Peaks valley, the region wherein the hotel will be built. Its design is intended to restore and emulate the original landscape that had been flattened out years ago and help to reconstruct a former existing hill.

As indicated on SBA’s website, their approach to eco-friendly architecture is multifaceted. “Sustainability not only depends on energy conservation, but on a wider biodiversity. The symbiosis between man, architecture and nature is the real sustainability.” They also state that the trend of vertical forests and green architecture is “extremely important for the future of architecture and the Future of our planet, because the single thought can have certain impact, but thousands of thoughts can change the world. Slowing down the climate changes, reducing CO2 emissions, making our living sustainable and in harmony with nature.”

Ultimately, the hotel will be sustainable while also luxurious. It will feature a gym, bar, lounge, VIP area, conference room, and restaurant, and the interior will be designed by a local artist named Simon Ma. If that’s not reason enough to visit, The New York Times also named China’s Guizhou region on its list of 52 Places to Go in 2016, and the government established a $20 billion high-speed railway through the region in 2014.

Stefano Boeri Architetti: Website | Facebook | Linkedin | Twitter | Vimeo 
via [Inhabitat]

All images via Stefano Boeri Architetti.

We’re big fans of artist Levalet, who papers the streets of Paris with his whimsical, wheatepaste posters. The French street artist has a knack for using the surrounding architecture to give his work a sculptural effect, fused with humor. Each piece creates a vignette that highlights the artist’s strength as a storyteller. This ability has brought him across the globe over the past four years, and he has recently released a book, Des illusions comiques, that brings together his best work.

It’s easy to get lost in the illusion and humor of Levalet’s art, which is a purposeful choice that allows the artist to tackle serious issues with a light touch. “I think humor is one of the most effective ways to talk easily about the most sensitive topics,” he explains to Wide Walls. “It can reduce the unbearable and highlight the absurdity of the most common situations.” The absurdity of social dynamics is a strong undercurrent in his work, which asks us to laugh at ourselves and reflect on our own behaviors.

Levalet is not confined just to site specific work on the street; his new solo exhibition Little Boxes opens today in Berlin at the OPEN Walls Gallery. Running through December 17, 2016, the exhibition is composed of 30 miniature boxes that give Levalet space to create unique scenes. Playing with the confines of the box, much as he plays with urban architecture, he has created vignettes that live inside the gallery as easily as they do on the street. Figures burst from the depths of the box or climb atop them, with sculptural elements added to round out the theatrical scenes.

See more of his street work and pieces from the exhibition below.

Levalet: Website | Facebook | Instagram
OPEN Walls Gallery: Website | Facebook | Instagram
via [Colossal, Wide Walls]

All images via Levalet and OPEN Walls Gallery.

With each piece taking between 8 and 54 hours to complete, artist Asmahan A. Mosleh displays infinite patience and a steady hand in creating her intricate mandalas. Sharing her ornate work and the process behind each piece on Instagram, Mosleh creates her own patterns, building up the finished product in several steps. After tracing the original pencil drawing in ink, the detail work begins. Watercolor or acrylic is used for the bright pops of color, with gold metallic paint adding a final brilliant touch. 

Mosleh has a knack for selecting vibrant colors to compliment her intricate designs, and is currently focusing on getting her work into galleries. If the stir the UK-based artist has created online is any indication of interest, we’re sure that an exhibition will be snapped up immediately. Her attention to detail and the hypnotic patterning of her work reminds us that while mandalas have a long, spiritual history, they continue to capture attention in contemporary society.

The mandala artist currently has over 130,000 followers on Instagram, where she frequently hosts giveaways.

Mosleh sketches out her own patterns by hand, first in pencil and then ink.

This work in progress image shows a layer of watercolor laid down before she begins the detail work.

Much of the brilliant color is acrylic paint accented with gold.

Asmahan A. Mosleh: Instagram
via [Colossal]

All images via Asmahan A. Mosleh.

A modern-day scavenger hunt is taking place as books are being hidden in the many nooks and crannies of London Underground stations, waiting to be found by avid readers and eagle-eyed commuters. The organization behind the book movement is called Books on the Underground and has a very simple, but selfless mission: to make sure there are books traveling the Tube network to be found by lucky travelers who read them and pass the story forward. Since 2012, the organization relies on “Book Fairies” to stealthily distribute a variety of new and used books throughout the underground city. This week’s Book Fairy happens to be the talented actress and UN Women Global Goodwill Ambassador, Emma Watson.

Watson has been delightfully sprinkling books throughout London with her signature charming style. The actress, who loves to read, has a particular affinity for essays on equality which help her give powerful speeches on women’s rights. She has even started her own feminist book club on Goodreads called Our Shared Shelf. In the past, the club has read books such as How to be a Woman by Caitlin Moran, Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl by Carrie Brownstein, and My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem. With a long list of favorites to choose from, the book Watson ultimately selected for the Books on the Underground project is Mom & Me & Mom by Maya Angelou—which also happens to be her book club’s latest read.

Tucked inside each copy is a handwritten note from the bibliophile herself, welcoming the lucky reader to their newly found book. “Just one hundred copies were hidden on the Tube…” the note reads. “Take special care of it and when you are finished please leave it on the Tube again for someone else to find.” She also encourages people to write their comments and questions about Angelou’s novel on Our Shared Shelf’s Goodreads page. Watson’s vision for the world is a place where people read, talk openly, and share with each other. This week, she is making it happen…one book at a time.

Image via @booksontheunderground

“When @emmawatson makes your day with secret books on the tube #booksontheunderground #oursharedshelf” ~ @jennnnysymonds

Watch the Book Fairy in action!

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VIG4NrnjZM?rel=0&controls=0&showinfo=0&w=750&h=480]

Emma Watson: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
Our Shared Shelf: Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads
Books on the Underground: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
via [Hello Giggles]

All images via Emma Watson unless stated otherwise.

Jewelry designer Marcella of Paperface Studio secrets away tiny messages inside vintage-style ball locket pendants. The Santa Fe-based creative has a flair for fun and nostalgia—remember those days of hiding secret admirer notes for a crush to find at a later time? She has a few styles of “secret message” lockets. The hollowed-out brass balls include two strips of accordion folded paper, while a tightly-rolled scroll fits snugly inside a cork-topped cylinder for a more “message in a bottle” feel. Customers can write a message themselves upon receiving the necklace or brief messages can be printed on parchment by request, if the necklace is directly sent to an admirer.

Marcella’s charming pendants remind us that handwriting a note is not a dead art form. In fact, it can be quite charming. Send a necklace to a loved one to say you’re thinking of them or write a sweet message for yourself and wear it proudly around your own neck. Secret messages, after all, don’t always have to be shared.

Marcella sells her timeless handiwork through her Etsy shop, Paperface Studio.

Paperface Studio: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Etsy
via [My Modern Met Selects]

The final deadline for entries to the 2016 National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year contest is rapidly approaching. We’ve been updating you on entries throughout the entire contest and as the contest heads into the home stretch we’ve scanned the final entries for our favorites. Photographers are welcome to submit entries into four separate categories—Landscape, Environmental Issues, Action, and Animal Portraits. ”The four categories of this year’s contest will give photographers a chance to capture the complexity and beauty found in the world around us,” remarked Sarah Polger, senior producer for National Geographic Travel and manager of National Geographic photo contests. “We anticipate compelling and revealing images.”

The grand prize winner will enjoy a 10-day trip for two to the Galápagos with National Geographic Expeditions and also have the opportunity for two 15-minute portfolio reviews with National Geographic photo editors—a photographer’s dream-come-true. Interested photographers still have time to submit photos until November 4 at 12 p.m. EDT. There is a $15 entry fee per photo, with no limit to the number of submissions per photographer.

Read on below to discover the meaning behind each of the stunning images in this newest selection, as written by the photographers. Whether they highlight the effects of climate change on our environment or give a glimpse into the social dynamics of the animal kingdom, the entries clearly demonstrate the power of nature.

Above: Andrès Miguel DomÌnguez/2016 National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year. Engagement present.

Kingfisher (Alcedo athis) male with an engagement present for the female.

Emily Riley/2016 National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year. Hummingbird.

This lil humming bird baby was caught in my home. Here he is recouping from what was a stressful time being stuck. Minutes later her flew away.

Mario Suarez Porras/2016 National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year. Puffin studio

This image was taken last summer on Skomer Island, Wales. It is well known for its wildlife, the puffin colony is one of the largest in U.K.The photo shows a detail or study of an Atlantic puffin resting peacefully under the rain. As Skomer is inhabited, puffins do not feel afraid of humans, and so people can be close to puffins and the photographer can think about the right composition and take this kind of intimate portraits. Also that morning the conditions came together: rain and light.

Bill Klipp/2016 National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year. Polar Bear Reflection.

As we cruised the ice fields near Prince Regent Inlet in the Canadian high arctic we came across a lone Polar Bear wandering across the ice seeking a meal.

Yosuke Kashiwakura/2016 National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year.Orphan Orangutan.

The island of Borneo, which is split between the countries of Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei, was once covered with a lush tropical rainforest, but in the wake of ongoing deforestation and the expansion of plantation farming, the habitats of the island is endemic and endangered species are being destroyed rapidly. Relentless deforestation has precipitated the loss of 90% of the orangutan population in 100 years. At this rate, some expect this species to become extinct within the next 20 years.

Alex Wiles/2016 National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year. Larger Than Life.

While photographing flowers at eye level, this grasshopper surprised me by crawling overhead and pausing to watch. To get the effect of a wide-angle macro image, I used an inexpensive lens with an extension tube attached. This allowed me to focus at a very close range to capture minor details, yet still allowed for a wide composition. I was so close that the front element of the lens nearly touched the subject.

Zhayynn James/2016 National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year. Tequila Sunset.

We were returning from a very successful day in the Masai Mara and were rushing to make it out the gate at the opposite end of the park, late one evening, when this scene presented itself. The beautiful melting orb of the sun, seeping through the clouds, lighting the sky a vibrant orange and in the foreground were these 4 zebras, set against that backdrop.

Rifky Setya/2016 National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year. Early morning rays at Mt. Bromo.

A scene of sunrise rays which is reflected on an intense smoke of Bromo eruption.

Stas Bartnikas/2016 National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year. Colorado river trees.

Aerial shot was taken in Baja California, where Colorado river meets the ocean.

Jassen T./2016 National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year. Our beloved possessions. Kalispell, Montana. Aerial Image (shot from a plane).

Automobile emissions are the number one source of carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen oxides, and volatile organic compounds released into the atmosphere according to the EPA.

NingYu Pao/2016 National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year. I Am Angry.

We arrived at one of the watering holes in Etosha National Park in the late evening. Four lions were devouring a large kudu that they killed. A pack of hyenas appeared from the bush nearby attracted by the smell of blood and food for them. What ensued was a fight for the dead kudu between 4 female lions and 16 hyenas. Needless to say, in the end the hyenas won and got the prized kudu.

cmoon view/2016 National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year. f/1.4.

Panorama near the Chamonix glacier.

Philip Friedman/2016 National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year. Sailing in Meringue.

Capturing the immensity of the landscape in Greenland is difficult. The sky is huge, the mountains are gigantic and the icebergs are colossal. When our zodiac rounded this beautiful iceberg, our sailing ship was in the background, giving some sense of scale to this whipped iceberg.

Brina Bunt/2016 National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year. Fire Dancer.

Sunrise over the Erta Ale lava lake created a dramatic dichotomy between the power and intimidation of the angry volcano and the childlike innocence of a dancing stick-figure. The spewing and showering of molten lava, the charred, cracking of the newly formed black basalt, and the fiery sunset within the sulfuric haze created for a dramatic, ethereal experience akin to a “gateway to hell.” The volcano had erupted only three weeks before this image was taken.

Christopher Markisz/2016 National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year. Under The Waves.

Waves of fog roll over a neighborhood in Mill Valley, California, as seen from the top of Mount Tamalpais.

National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year: Website | Your Shot
National Geographic: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to use images and captions by National Geographic.

Tattoo artist Eva Krbdk continues to ink small and exquisite scenes onto her clients, proving that compelling body art comes in all shapes and sizes. Opting not for big, flashy pieces, the Turkish creative utilizes thin, delicate lines to tell a moment of a story through circular vignettes. The subjects run the gamut of tranquil landscapes to dreamy scenes that are seemingly plucked from the pages of fairy tales.

Like her previous pieces, Krbdk incorporates a soft, illustrative approach to her tattoos. There’s a special attention paid to the tiny details—the spire of a church, the branches of a tree—as well as a painterly focus on color, as the inks are a harmonious array of hues. This styling only further enhances these narrative tales, and they have a vintage appeal—like they were once discovered among the dusty pages of a well-loved book. And just like a good story, we’re eager to find out what happens next for the characters and places in Krbdk’s tattoos.

Eva Krbdk: Website | Instagram
via [Culture N Lifestylel]

Have you ever wondered if dogs really dream about chasing kittens and cats? According to Harvard psychologist, Dr. Deirdre Barrett, canines are likely dreaming about their human caretakers. Barrett has been studying sleep behavior in humans for years. Although she says there’s no 100% certainty to know what animals dream about, Barrett can extrapolate what she knows about humans—because after all, we are animals, too.

One certainty is that most mammals, including dogs, have a similar sleep cycle to humans—which means they move fluidly through deep sleep to a less brain-active state and then on to stage of Rapid Eye Movement (REM). This last phase of the cycle is where dreams occur in humans. Barrett deduces in an interview with People: “That certainly makes it the best guess that other mammals are dreaming, too.”

Above photo credit: @ber1496

Photo credit: @booboosadventures

Photo credit: @kinnari64

So what do they dream about? Again, Barrett looks towards humans as her guide. “Humans dream about the same things they’re interested in by day, though more visually and less logically,” she says. “There’s no reason to think animals are any different. Since dogs are generally extremely attached to their human owners, it’s likely your dog is dreaming of your face, your smell and of pleasing or annoying you.” Barrett also confirms the age-old tale that dogs really are acting out their dreams when they kick their legs out and run laying down.

While we can’t know for sure if human interaction can influence their dogs’ dreams, we can still try. Barrett recommends, “The best way to give ourselves or our children better dreams is to have happy daytime experiences and to get plenty of sleep in a safe and comfortable environment. It’s a good bet this is also best for pets’ dreams.”

Photo credit: @torsprz

via [Bright Side, People]

Austrian photographer Anne Geier has the ability to capture not only the outer beauty of dogs, but also the expressive wisdom, curiosity, playfulness, and tranquility that lies deep inside. Using the enchanting Austrian landscapes and natural changing of the seasons as her backdrop, her canine subjects continue to shine with power, strength, friendship, and grace. Some of her best work is done in autumn, due to the sensorial details given to each picture. See the effervescent leaves. Feel the crisp breeze and the golden sun radiating downwards. Hear the crunch of leaves between paws.

In an interview with Bored Panda, she explains, “The main reason why my photos are that colorful is that I am always careful about the light conditions. During sunny days I only take photos in the early morning hours or at the evening. Only at this time the light is gentle enough to create such intense colors. I love taking photographs on cloudy days without any sun and I love to use back-light.” She is also careful to draw inspiration not only from the environment, but from the dogs themselves because, she says, “Each dog has their own personality. Some of them are ridiculous, others are more concentrated.” Through the soulful portraits of each dog, Geier produces the embodiment of the fall season.

Geier was inspired to pursue portraiture when she got her first beloved dog, Cindy. She wanted to create memories that would last forever. When Cindy passed away this last August, Geier shares, “Losing her left a big emptiness inside me. I miss her every day and now I appreciate it more than ever that I have made so many different pictures of her.” Now, she can give her talent to other people with dogs they want to remember eternally.

For Geier, the most challenging part of dog portraiture is not getting the dog’s attention (though she does use toys, treats, or funny noises to help calm them). Instead, her goal is to capture “the real character and soul of the dog to create a living photo.” She does this best by getting involved with the dog during the photo shoot. She recommends shooting at a dog’s eye level because “it helps the dog’s stance appear more natural and gives a different view to what we usually see.” Geier’s entire portfolio is meant to change our perspective and the way we look at and experience the world, the natural environment, and man’s best friend.

Geier also captures the beauty of a peaceful snowfall…

Budding magenta meadows in spring…

…and the warm summer sea breeze.

Anne Geier: Website | Facebook | 500px
via [Pulptastic, Bored Panda]