Photos By Gail
I spotted this adorable Shark Backpack for kids at the Gift Show at Javits Center this past weekend. The tag say it’s by Jack And Friends, a company that also makes super soft and cuddly animal blankets for Babies. You could probably find this wherever their other times are sold. These newborn baby clothes would go perfect with the backpack. So cute!
Look Out, He’s Right Behind You!
The One on the Far Left, Rear, Appears to be Some Kind of Pirate (All Photos By Gail)
I had just gotten off the C Train at Spring Street when I passed right by a lovely Christmas Tree Lot, where someone had created these adorable little Reindeer from leftover twigs and bits of trees.
What a clever idea! I don’t know if they were for sale, or if they were just for adding spirit to the lot, but I enjoyed looking at them.
Walden By Malorie Pangilinan (All Photos By Gail)
New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) design student Malorie Pangilinan created this Whale-shaped mirror, taking her inspiration from Kawaii; the quality of cuteness in the context of Japanese culture.
Mirror, Rear View
It sure is cute!
Photographed in May 2016 at the ICFF Trade Show at Javits Center in NYC.
All Images Courtesy of Roo Roo Games
Do you like Monsters? I sure do. If you have young kids who enjoy using your Apple devices and are looking for a fun iPad or iPhone App that you can download for your little ones to keep themselves amused (and maybe have fun playing it yourself) I recommend Monsterpark Zoo, a new children’s game, just released on October 15th.
Monsterpark Zoo was created by Brooklyn-based husband and wife team Eric and Shannon Althin, who are also fine artists and gallerists (being owners of the late great Bold Hype Gallery, which we miss very much). Eric and Shannon’s company, Roo Roo Games, previously released the popular title, Stumpy’s Alphabet Dinner. We expect that Monsterpark Zoo may become even pore popular!
Eric Althin offers that the couple’s 3 year old daughter was the inspiration behind Monsterpark Zoo. “She loves monsters and animals,” he explains, “and if she sees that someone is sad, she always wants to know how to make them happy again. During a trip to the Brooklyn Zoo it all fell into place and we knew we had our next game concept: Monster zoo animals that need help to make them happy!”
Monsterpark Zoo takes place in a friendly monster world, featuring 10 unique zoo monsters with different troubles. Some need food, some require a bath, while others need their enclosures cleaned. It is up to the player — who assumes the role of the Zoo Keeper — to figure it all out through fun, intuitive, and stress free game play!
This Monster Needs a Bath!
Monsterpark Zoo is designed to encourage problem solving, emotional development, coordination, and laughter! It is aimed at ages 2-6 but is sure to delight kids of all ages. “I’ve been drawing monsters since I was old enough to hold a crayon,” Althin continues, “so designing all the different monster animals for Monsterpark Zoo was a super fun and creatively rewarding process.
Our ambition is to keep updating the game with new monsters in the future (with no additional cost for the parents) to keep things fresh and fun.” We already have some awesome new characters in mind!
Download Monsterpark Zoo for just $1.99 from the iTunes Store at This Link!
Feed The Monster!
There he goes! Frog Riding in a Car was designed by Amanda Flagg and is available to purchase on a variety of T-Shirt sizes, styles and colors for just $21.95, at This Link!
Does This Teddy Bear Remind You Of Anything? (All Photos By Gail)
If you pay attention to global pop culture, then you’ve probably heard of the Japanese Harajuku style and Kawaii (Cuteness) culture, where the adorable has an undercurrent of rebellious edge. For just a short time you can immerse yourself in a kind of Cuteness Overload at Tokyo-based Artist and Fashion Designer Sebastian Masuda’s Colorful Rebellion (Seventh Nightmare) installation, through March 29th only at Kianga Ellis Projects. Geoffrey and I paid the space a visit yesterday and it was positively disorienting.
Detail of Walls and Ceiling
According to the Artist’s statement, Masuda has, “created this work as if I was writing my own autobiography.” The small room (about 150 SF), covered on all sides with the collage of multicolored material speaks to his different reflections on “the various mortal sins I have committed, or to which I have fallen prey, through my life thus far.”
The only props in the room besides the wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling ocean of multicolored brick-a-brack is a twin size bed, which evokes the feeling that you are entering child’s fantasy bedroom.
Since the space is so small, it gets crowded with, say, more that five people in the gallery at one time, especially of you are trying to get photos that show a good section of the space. But fortunately, people were being very courteous about waiting out in the hall of it got too crowded, since many visitors (including several Asian girls dressed in their full-0n Harajuku Babydoll Lolita fashions) wanted to get their photos taken against the colorful backgrounds. And who could blame them?
Details of Colorful Rebellion
You probably won’t see another exhibit quite like this again in your life, so if this seems like your thing, don’t waste any time in checking it out.
Sebastian Masuda’s Colorful Rebellion is on Exhibit only through through March 29th at Kianga Ellis Projects, Located at 516 West 25th Street, Studio 306B (when you get to the Third Floor Landing, walk through the door marked “3” and the exhibit is down the hall on the right) in the Chelsea Gallery District. Hours are Wednesday to Saturday, 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM.
