A is for Apeloig

I have a new hero and his name is Philippe Apeloig.

While recently researching new graphic designers in preparation for graduate school, I came across Apeloig's site and was blown away. I think he is the quintessential graphic designer. His sense of design and fonts are amazing, but what I really like is how he sees graphic design. You can check out his website at www.apeloig.com. I've read some of his articles that are linked to his website and he always comes off poised, direct, and even charming with his answers.

Above is a picture with me and one his most renowned works, for the Théâtre du Châtelet. It won the 2009 ISTD International TypoGraphic Award. I was lucky enough to pass by it on my way out of Bólivar metro station. Someone also seems to be a fan; since this poster is about a year old, I'd say someone had to rip out a lot posters to find this.

Lookbook Luv

I know my posts are about once a month but's hard to feel creative when you're stressed about teaching kids all the time. However, I've found a new inspiration website besides thesartorialist and garancedoré blogs. It's www.lookbook.nu and it's filled with an interminable amount of fashion-worthy photos. This website is quality and quantity rolled in one.

Still, the great inspiration is Paris. It's helped me realized how shitty Los Angeles is in comparison to the way the young folks dress here. It's casual and arty without being pretentious at all. They are the true hipsters. I suppose it helps that everyone is so thin and the weather is always cold so you can layer up in sumptuous knits. Even I slimmed down on the Paris diet which seems to be run around all day and forget to eat all the time.

Still, I've found some great and cheap (for Paris) places to shop. My first foray was Sympa and Tati. It's the Ross and Marshall's of Paris. Scored a black and white knit top because I'm obsessed with stripes; it seems so is all of France. I've also found my favorite vintage shop. It's called Fripe Star and it's hands-down awesome. Near Le Marais, all the cool kids, or gay kids, or gay and cool kids hang out there. I got my hands on the cutest brown boots for 20 euros. A steal, even in the U.S. Recently, I went to the biggest flea market in Paris, St. Ouen near Metro Porte de Clignancourt. If you want cheap sneakers, that's the place to go. Got some Victoria shoes for 25 euros. Again, 10 euros cheaper at any regular store. I'm rockin' them with my skinny jeans.

Actually, I feel like I'm hitting my stride now with clothes. Perhaps a sign of maturity and knowing what I want or like, but probably because I lost like 7 pounds, I feel as if it's not hard to dress up anymore. For example, my "little house on the prairie" vintage dress (above) was unwearable until now. Cali-style flip flops couldn't hang with this. But pair on some boots, a cute knit top, and stylish patent leather bag and it's perfect for Paris.

Ma Chambre, Rue Edouard Pailleron

My room has had an official Ikea make-over. The colors before in this room were originally red, orange, blue, teal (TEAL), and yellow. MacDonald throw-up. I almost cried when I saw my room. But for 100 euros a month and free visitors, I signed the check with a heavy gulp.

This was a true design challenge. I had to figure out what was wrong with my fuckin' room and that was the problem: it was everything! Everything was ugly or fucked up or had too much color. I couldn't rest my eyes anywhere and it was definitely depressing me. You can verify it http://www.flickr.com/photos/mnine/4059373232/, the former remnants of my room.

So, first it was a matter of editing. The curtain had to go and was replaced by Ikea curtains that rests all the way down to the floor. Stroke of luck that they were also the cheapest, but it heightened the ceiling and made my room like twice as tall. P.S. I love long curtains now. Best and cheapest way to make a room look trés chic.

Then it was the furniture. Teal, all teal!!! Painting was too much work, so I had to go with the next principle. Spread the ugly. Clumping ugly colors together just makes it uglier, so I had to move my furniture around. The closet moved next to the window and, presto¡, the feng shui of the room was starting to flow with movement and color. With teal being such a strong color, I knew I had to find another color as a complement but also accent. The pink chinese lantern was the key. Actually, it was the inspiration for the whole room. The minute I saw it, I knew I saw Paris, the lights, Eiffel tour, the feeling of what the whole room should be like.

After that, it was a matter of color for my duvet cover and chair. The duvet cover had to be neutral and almost graphic and abstract in nature. Brown was dark enough but warmer than a stark black. The choice of fabric for the chair was also its own separate challenge. Since my lantern was the accent, I couldn't go for a real strong color. I was shit out of luck with my first choice, but I did scour and found an acceptable second alternative. Again, I knew I had to keep the design abstract and also incorporate all the other colors in the room. The result, a true Paris studio!

Wlliam A. Laga, Bistrot Le Rousseau

Many don't know about William Laga. Unless you happen to be a student at UCLA rushing from class to class, he is a schizophrenic homeless man who would always hang around Starbucks near the Fox theatre. I myself only knew after turning on the news to hear that he is successful in Paris and has some paintings on view at Le Rousseau, a restaurant near Place St. Michel.

I took some photos when I was there. The paintings are just amazing to look at in person! My photos don't do it all justice because of the warm-colored walls, but you can see all the paintings on his site www.williamalaga.com. There is one photo you can see in particular that I am sitting next to, my most favorite painting of all his paintings. A wonderful day in Paris indeed!

Centre Pompidou, Paris

Finally in Paris! After all the sleep deprivation and 30 pounds of luggage, I'm trying to adjust to my new surroundings. After sleeping for 12 hours, I struck out for the Centre Pompidou and was not disappointed with the Inversion of Images exhibit. Excellent. The largest selection of surrealist works I've seen, surpassing the one at the Hammer I saw last year. Dora Maar, Man Ray, and a few other French/European surrealists that I wasn't familiar with with. I took a bunch of pictures but these are my favorites.

Funny Face

I am finally making use of this blog! After a year in deep hibernation and much contemplation, I am ready to re-define my own goals and that means keeping this blog up-to-date and consistent. The rest of my goal is to focus on my portfolio, especially when I will be in Paris this fall. Indubitably a hard task, but I hope this blog will allow me points of explorations that will circle back to me, again.

I'm putting up my most recent work, and also my current favorite. It's hard to put surrealism and kitsch into the same phrase so I'm happy with the final treatment of the photo. It was extremely hard to blend out my model's face (sorry Megan!) because it felt like blasphemy. But, the final result lends for a darker mood, more mysterious and thus more likely for endless interpretations. ¡Me gusta!