flat401: December 2009

The Trenholm Motor Lodge

The Trenholm Motor Lodge is described as a "handsome hostelry the last word in convenience, cleanliness and comfort". I love the artwork, it makes me want to stay there!

If you use Stumbleupon like me and spend hours trawling the net looking up many cool things, one website that has repeatedly come up again and again is Peter Callesen's site displaying his beautifully intricate paper sculptures. His work is similar to Thomas Allen's work (who I covered earlier this month) as they both have figures and objects that appear to climb out of the paper. His pieces are fantastic with one of my favorites being the skeleton crawling out of a sketch of a human body. Check out his site he has many large format art pieces as well!

How is the weather in Colorado?

This Weatherdial Map for the Colorado Tourist board has a great mix of black/white/red with wonderful black and white photography. The use of stark red (presumably for the main sponsor) works excellently in the bold serif underlined headlines and the powerful imagery.
I couldn't imagine a Weatherdial Map for Colorado looking so cool!

Native Trees of Canada

I found this little book from the sixties in a thrift store in Gravenhurst, ON. The cover is fantastic with the wonderfully simplistic arrow-shaped tree and the use of script, serif, and san serif typefaces. The contrast between the simple shapes and the bold colours gives an overall modern feel to the book. Using the "Department of Forestry" as the roots of the tree preventing the tree from being cut down is excellent.
As you flick through the book the pages display informal illustrations of all the various Native Canadian trees and their specific leaves, buds, branches etc. I would love to know who designed it if anyone knows out there!

An English Boy's Life and Adventures in Uganda

Found this old book at Goodwill, I love the illustration and the colours used!

Closed for the season

I took these photos whilst driving down the Bay of Fundy coast in September. Went past all these really cool little fishing villages dotted along the coast whilst the sun was rising. I want to go back to the East coast it was so beautiful out there! The first image is of a little fishing hut, which has a sign on it saying 'closed for the season'.

Winnebago

I saw this Winnebago in the Ossington area. I would like to own one.

Thomas Allen

I loved the artwork for the Born Ruffians Red, Yellow and Blue album and found out it was by Thomas Allen, a Michigan based artist who cuts out figures on the covers of old books to make these wonderful little scenes. The scale and perspective on these mini scenes really make the figures come to life.
Go and check out his work at: www.thomasallenonline.com

You've got red on you

Red in and around Toronto.

It's the most wonderful time of the year

All the decorations are up, the Elvis/Monroe/Father Christmas/Silver Xmas Tree is up in all it's glory. The count down has begun.

Thermos Picnic Set

I was at a Goodwill store in the city and was rummaging through the bags section when I came across this green box, which I thought was going to be a record player of some sort. To my surprise it was a mint green Brexton Thermos Picnic Set complete with a mini salt and pepper shaker! I love the pattern on flasks!