In honor of Memorial Day, as we remember those who lost their lives in service, we wanted to highlight a story of design about aiding those who served. In 1942, Dr. Wendell Scott, a surgeon in the United States Navy based in San Diego, traveled to Los Angeles to visit an old friend, Charles, and...
In celebration of Women’s History Month, March Object of the Day posts highlight women designers in the collection. Louisa Etcheverry was born into a family of potters in California in 1911. Her uncle, Fred Meyer, was the founder of Meyer Pottery in Vernon, California, where her father worked and where Etcheverry herself started working in...
In celebration of Women’s History Month, March Object of the Day posts highlight women designers in the collection. This floral paper stuns with its bright warm colors and energetically-rendered flowers. The Cooper Hewitt has three other colorways of this particular design, each equally eye-catching and bold. This particular paper, though printed by a New York-based...
This poster for the La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art’s exhibition The Modern Chair: Its Origins and Evolution was designed by John van Hamersveld in 1977. Van Hamersveld, a California born and bred graphic designer, is most widely known as the artist behind the iconic 1964 Endless Summer movie poster. Incorporating fluorescent paints and striking graphic language, van Hamersveld brought...
In conjunction with a celebration marking the 60th anniversary of Heath Ceramics noted author and ceramic arts historian Garth Clark lectures on the early California pottery movement, its significance and its future through historic potteries. Design critic and author Amos Klausner introduces his new book HEATH CERAMICS: THE COMPLEXITY OF SIMPLICITY, (Chronicle Books) and leads...
The 2010 Fashion Design Award goes to Rodarte. Rodarte was founded in Pasadena, California, in 2005 by Kate and Laura Mulleavy. Inspired by things as diverse as California Condors, Japanese horror films, and our national parks they do amazing and magical things to fabrics and materials. They are creating a new lens for the world...
Why? A major earthquake could strike Southern California at any time, causing widespread injury and death, property loss, and disruption of services. Each individual and household must prepare for this disaster. Thats the message of the L.A. Earthquake: Get Ready campaign, organized by Designmatters, at Art Center College of Design.
From citizen journalists to user generated conferences the dialogue keeps expanding. Those of us who could not make it to BarCamp Africa this past October in California the organizers posted video clips of the panels. This user generated conference was designed to make connections between people and opportunities in Silicon Valley and Africa. Bryan Bell’s...
