Posts made in May 2020

John McAllister Hand-Embellished Series

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Who can resist a portal into another world? Light and color beckon. The transport is swift: John McAllister‘s large-scale paintings and panoramas hold your hand while keeping you on a need-to-know basis as perspectives shift, borders interrupt, and the landscape saturates. Balance was achieved before you arrived. The world is dimensional but flat, sculptural with the serenity of a still life. In nature’s fertile decoration, we become immersed in the ordered chaos of pattern and colorful echoes of Pierre Bonnard, Henri Matisse, and Édouard Vuillard.

In ember blazons lazing daze, we are treated to a series of fifteen unique works by McAllister. The base print features a glowing scene of trees and brush surrounded by a massive border in which McAllister has taken pastel delight, electrifying each piece with hand-embellishments. The result is an intimate series, like a postcard from a dream.

John McAllister has a forthcoming solo exhibition at Wentrup Gallery (Berlin) this fall. Previous solo exhibitions have been held at James Fuentes (New York), Richard Telles Fine Art (Los Angeles), Shane Campbell Gallery (Chicago), and Carl Freedman Gallery (London) among others. His work has been included in group exhibitions at Le Consortium art center (Dijon, France), Marciano Art Foundation (Los Angeles), Almine Rech Gallery (Paris), and more. His work is included in both the Rubell Family Collection and the collection of the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles. McAllister lives and works in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Shop Limited Edition Prints:

John McAllister Unless Airy Dreams, Strike the Piercing Cord

Brad Phillips To Do List

Jesse Mockrin Garden of Love

Matthew Palladino Drapery

Brandi Twilley La Vie

Josh Reames Cowpoke

Oakley Clear Collection

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Oakley, from Luxottica, is launching its new Clear Collection with NFL star and Oakley athlete JuJu Smith-Schuster. Designed with performance and protection in mind, the collection includes sport performance and lifestyle frames with clear and photochromic lenses, so whether you’re working out indoors or running errands, this new versatile collection has you covered and protected.

Responding to consumer demand for more protection, Oakley’s Clear Collection features iconic Oakley models that feature a wider coverage area, as well as a selection of models that are certified as Personal Protective Equipment, also known as PPE (for the first time, as part of the range, consumers will have access to Luxottica’s ESS brand, which has been designed and distributed for decades for military, first responder and industrial use and certified as PPE).

Clear Collection // Key Product Highlights

High Definition Optics: Eliminates distortion to give you clearer, sharper, and more accurate vision

Plutonite® Lens: A proven and proprietary Oakley® lens material designed to provide UV Blocking and Impact Protection:

UV Blocking: Blocks 100% of all UVA, UVB, UVC up to 400nm

Impact Protection: Oakley lens material and frame geometry combinations are designed and tested to provide protection against high velocity and select products are tested to also provide protection against high mass impact

Anti-Fog: Select products have advanced anti-fog coating applied to back surface of lens to help prevent fogging while in use

Extended Coverage: The collection includes high-wrap frames with an extended field of view, providing increased peripheral vision, coverage, and protection

Luxottica Launches “Shield Your Eyes” Initiative

Luxottica Group, a leader in premium, luxury and sports eyewear, today announces a new “Shield Your Eyes” Initiative, featuring a curated collection of products that provide greater coverage around the eye area.

The “Shield Your Eyes” product offering was developed in response to a growing consumer demand for eyewear that provides extra coverage for everyday life and sport. The current offering includes Oakley® and ESS (Eye Safety Systems) clear and photochromic products.

Oakley, known for its strength in performance eyewear, will bring its expertise to the Shield Your Eyes collection, with a mix of iconic models that feature a wider coverage area, as well as a selection of models that are certified as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). For the first time, as part of this collection, consumers will have access to Luxottica’s ESS brand, whose products include eyewear designed and distributed for military, first responder and industrial use and certified as PPE. For decades, ESS has sold eyewear that has met or exceeded the most stringent U.S. military testing standards.

In addition to the frame offering, in July, the Oakley brand will bolster its apparel collection with the release of a series of masks, neck gaiters, bandanas and garments made from antibacterial fabric.

“In 2020, consumers are looking for something that reflects their state of mind – and safety along with style and functionality is now on everyone’s mind,” said Fabrizio Uguzzoni, President of Luxottica Wholesale North America. “There is no company better equipped to help consumers shield their eyes than Luxottica. We see the trend continuing to evolve and we’ll evolve with it, leveraging our strengths and expertise to provide consumers with the best offering to meet their needs.”

The Shield Your Eyes collection will be supported by a global marketing campaign that will come to life through digital assets, educational touchpoints, athlete portraits, testimonials, product seeding and more. The campaign will launch with NFL star and Team Oakley athlete JuJuSmith-Schuster.

About Luxottica Group
Luxottica is a leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of fashion, luxury and sports eyewear. Its portfolio includes proprietary brands such as Ray-Ban, Oakley, Vogue Eyewear, Persol, Oliver Peoples and Alain Mikli, as well as licensed brands including Giorgio Armani, Burberry, Bulgari, Chanel, Coach, Dolce&Gabbana, Ferrari, Michael Kors, Prada, Ralph Lauren, Tiffany & Co., Valentino and Versace. The Group’s global wholesale distribution network covers more than 150 countries and is complemented by an extensive retail network of approximately 9,200 stores, with LensCrafters and Pearle Vision in North America, OPSM, LensCrafters and Spectacle Hut in Asia-Pacific, GMO and Óticas Carol in Latin America, Salmoiraghi & Viganò in Italy and Sunglass Hut worldwide.

KID CUDI × VIRGIL ABLOH

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KID CUDI C/O VIRGIL ABLOH™ “PULLING STRINGS” T-SHIRT RELEASES IN CELEBRATION OF KID CUDI’S RETURN SINGLE “LEADER OF THE DELIQUENTS”

To celebrate the release of Kid Cudi’s first solo track since December 2016, he has partnered with long time creative director, Off-White founder and Louis Vuitton Men’s Artistic Director Virgil Abloh, on an exclusive t-shirt available on shop.kidcudi.com
now for a very limited time.

The shirt which features a sketch from Abloh, references an iconic Kid Cudi moment that fans will recognize and features the track title in Abloh’s hand on back.

In addition to the t-shirt, Cudi has also released a limited edition pressing of the “Leader Of The Delinquents” single on 7″ vinyl, 12″ picture disc and cassette featuring updated single artwork from Abloh.

World Bee Day × RR

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World Bee Day aims to strengthen measures to protect bees, which are vital pollinators for almost 90% of the world’s wild flowering plant species and more than 75% of global food crops. Despite their importance in supporting food security and biodiversity, bees are under significant threat worldwide from intensive and monocultural farming practices, land-use change and habitat loss, pesticides and rising temperatures linked to climate change.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is actively involved in helping to safeguard these essential, remarkable and highly vulnerable creatures. In 2017, the company established an Apiary at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, West Sussex. The Apiary is home to around 250,000 English Honey Bees, which reside in six traditional English-crafted wooden beehives. As well as foraging on the 42-acre Rolls-Royce site, with its half-a-million trees, shrubs and wildflowers, together with eight acres of sedum plants growing on the manufactory’s ‘living roof’, the bees roam over the surrounding 12,000-acre Goodwood Estate, at the heart of the South Downs National Park. Each year, ‘The Rolls-Royce of Honey’ is meticulously hand‑processed by local specialists and served to guests of the marque, including customers commissioning their motor cars in the company’s Atelier suite.

The United Nations designated 20 May as World Bee Day to mark the birthday of Slovenian artist, designer and apiculturist Anton Janša (1734-1773). Considered the father of modern beekeeping, Janša pioneered many methods still in use today. In his seminal treatise A Full Guide to Beekeeping, published posthumously in 1775, he declared: “Amongst all God’s beings there are none so hard working and useful to man with so little attention needed for its keep as the bee.”

#worldbeeday

Puerto Vallarta Re-opening

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VENTURE OFF THE BEATEN PATH IN PUERTO VALLARTA

Mexico is known for its outstanding beach towns, which pull hundreds of thousands of tourists each year. But just because a destination is popular with tourists does not mean that there are no local, under-the-radar secrets to be discovered. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico’s west coast beach capital, is a destination that is very much on the tourist trail, yet still provides adventures off the beaten path for those who are willing to look.

Puerto Vallarta is the jewel of Mexico’s west coast, strategically located on the Bay of Banderas. The city itself has a fabulous marina, hotel zone, and historic downtown, and is also within driving distance from some of the smaller beach communities that sit along the bay. It is a haven for luxury, fine dining, all-inclusive resorts, local culture, art, history, adventure travel, and more.

Of course there is plenty to see and do in the resort areas and on tours, but travelers looking to venture off the beaten path will find so much to discover. Adventure enthusiasts will love the many hiking opportunities available in and around Puerto Vallarta. One of the best is a coast-hugging hike that runs from the small village of Boca de Tomatlan to Las Animas beach. The hike is relatively unknown to tourists and is mostly a local activity, but those who make the journey are rewarded with dramatic views over turquoise-colored water, private beaches and coves, and even a secret beach club that acts like a private party hideaway on its own stretch of sand. To access the hike, hire a taxi or take a local bus south to Boca de Tomatlan to find the trailhead. To return travelers can hire a water taxi back from Las Animas to Boca de Tomatlan.

Speaking of beaches, visitors can discover a small beach community only accessible by boat. The small fishing village of Yelapa is surrounded by jungle-blanketed mountains, offering a quiet beach escape far from the activity of Puerto Vallarta’s more central beaches. A handful of restaurants dot the shore, and there are a few basic hotel accommodations for those who wish to spend the night. One of the best things to do in Yelapa is to take the hike back into the jungle to find the beautiful waterfall.

Get your cameras ready for one of Puerto Vallarta’s ‘wow’ factors: its sunsets. Epic almost any night of the year, the skies over Puerto Vallarta explode with fiery colors. While most visitors will pick their perches down along the shore, those in the know will be high above the city taking in the sunset and views below from the Mirador Cerro de la Cruz. This hilltop vantage point has sweeping views over the entire city, Zona Romantica, and the bay. It’s beautiful at any time of day, but for those truly Instagrammable photos, sunset is unbeatable.

Finally, foodies will delight at the off the beaten path dining that packs the city. While the restaurant gastronomy scene is absolutely worthwhile, it’s the local spots that truly set Puerto Vallarta dining apart. Roam the taco trucks in the 5 de Diciembre neighborhood, or sink your teeth into delicious fish tacos and ceviche at El Solar Beach Club.

Tip: Remain at El Solar after sunset for live music and a local party almost every night of the week.

From isolated beaches to the next undiscovered taco experience, adventures in nature, and everything in between, Puerto Vallarta might be one of the most popular destinations in Mexico but it offers a world waiting to be experienced off the beaten path.

About the Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board

The Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board is responsible for promoting the destination in national and international markets. Nestled between the rugged, tropical Sierra Madre Mountains and Banderas Bay – Mexico’s largest natural bay and second largest on the American continent – on Mexico’s balmy Pacific coast, Puerto Vallarta is easily accessible from the U.S. and Canada. The city enjoys a warm tropical climate year-round, with average daytime temperatures of 80°F and cooler evening temperatures in winter months. Located four miles from downtown Puerto Vallarta, Gustavo Diaz International Airport receives more than four million visitors annually. The destination is home to 300,000 residents and offers an estimated 12,400 hotel rooms, with more than half in 4-star-plus properties.

Astralwerks × Leica

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Astralwerks has teamed up with Leica in a creative partnership that will provide the label’s recording artists with powerful new tools for artistic expression. ZHU – the GRAMMY®-nominated producer who recently signed to Astralwerks – is the first artist to bring Leica into his creative process.

Watch Leica’s IG Live with ZHU on Saturday, May 23, at 12PM PST, on Leica’s Instagram – @LeicaCameraUSA – to learn more about ZHU’s vision for the visuals that will accompanying his forthcoming projects. ZHU and Astralwerks’ Toby Andrews discuss the new partnership in this interview, and also share a collection of photos they have taken with Leica equipment.

Astralwerks GM Toby Andrews said, “Partnering with Leica is a huge statement for Astralwerks. As a label, we’ve always tried to put ourselves at the creative forefront for our artists. Working with Kiran and her team at Leica is allowing us to bring so much to the table, at the highest quality. Their equipment is world-class, and to launch this alongside ZHU feels special. He’s a visually driven artist so working with a new team to amplify that to the world is a perfect match.”

Kiran Karnani, Director of Marketing, Leica North America, added, “We are honored to partner with Astralwerks during this momentous occasion as supporting artists is an integral part of our ethos. By offering a new layer of visual storytelling to recording artists such as ZHU, we are able to see firsthand the incredible journey they go through. We hope to provide a new element of insight into this creative process through the lens of a Leica camera.”

ZHU said, “I’ve loved the Leica sensors from the day I picked up a camera.”

A longtime Leica user, ZHU’s personal photo archives are already massive. See a collection of photographs he shot with his Leica TL2.

Lost Draw Cellars Creates Rosé Hand Sanitizer

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Lost Draw Cellars recently distilled a Texas Rosé batch to create hand sanitizer for winery patrons. The Rosé hand sanitizer is now being given away to winery visitors and included in wine club shipments as a gesture of the winery’s ongoing support of the wellbeing of its wine club members. Bottles are adorned with the message “Made From Rosé To Keep the Germs Away.”

Lost Draw Cellars’ Rosé Hand Sanitizer is available along with to-go purchases of Texas wine at Lost Draw Cellars location in Fredericksburg, Texas at:

Lost Draw Cellars
113 East Park Street
Fredericksburg, Texas 78624

Or online at lostdrawcellars.com.

3 JEWELRY TRENDS TO TRY OUT THIS SUMMER

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The lovely, leisurely days of summer are almost upon us, and each new season brings the opportunity to try something fresh. Even if you haven’t been able to get out and shop for a summer wardrobe, never fear. Accessories offer a quick and easy way to making the old look new again, and they also add an instant touch of individuality to any ensemble. Whether you’re looking for yourself or in the market for Mother’s Day gifts, following are three of the hottest jewelry trends to try out this summer.

LARGE BAROQUE PEARLS

Traditional, round pearls are a classic that never goes out of style, but in 2020 baroque pearls are stealing the scene. You’ll see their edgy elegance cropping up everywhere this year. The term ‘baroque’ covers every type except round, from pearls as tiny as grains of rice to ones as big as eggs, and this year, the bigger the better. The unique shape of baroque pearls gives you the chance to express your personality, and it’s one of the reasons they’re so popular right now.

The unique, abstract quality of baroque pearls make them more laid-back than traditional ones; they give off a relaxed vibe that is perfectly suited to to lazy summer days. Avant-garde or vintage, worn layered or singly, baroque pearls make a statement and are the focal point of any outfit.

CHUNKY CHAINS

Just like with pearls, the ‘bigger is better’ trend holds true for oversize chains as well. There are so many options when it comes to wearing chains: as a necklace, they work equally well with V-necks, scoop necks and bra tops (which are another hot trend this year too). Chain chokers are super popular too, and they definitely make a statement. But even though chains look edgy — and literally have an edge — they can still be worn with eveningwear. Expect to find them in gold, silver and even black.

Chunky chains won’t be limited to necklines. You’ll notice them everywhere, from head to toe. Chain belts can be worn at the waist or slung low over the hips. For a more preppy look, you can add a chain to a second belt. Meanwhile, a chain strap for your hand bag is ultra-cool and retro, and adds a glint of glamor to any accoutrement. As for your feet, don’t be surprised to see chain anklets, some attached to shoes, others floating free and easy as a day at the beach.

COLORFUL GEMS

Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but in the summer of 2020, fashionistas are gaga for colorful gems. There’s a strong bohemian vibe going on out there so don’t be afraid to mix and match stones and metals. The more colors you add, the easier it is to coordinate with the rest of your wardrobe. Inject some color and let your inner flower child blossom.

Colored stones are also being selected for their spiritual meaning and healing properties. Try amethyst for its psychic powers or emeralds for rejuvenation.

Hot weather makes us want to strip down to the bare minimum as far as clothes are concerned, and this only gives your accessories all the more chance to shine. Whether you decide to go modern or retro, there’s something for everyone this year. The only rule is to pick what suits your style so you can enjoy it all summer long!

So You Want a Career in Journalism?

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Journalism is an exciting, fast-paced, and interesting career where no two days are the same. Journalists can work for newspapers, TV stations, websites, magazines and radio stations. Most of the time, the best way to get into a career as a journalist is to earn a relevant degree, although you might be able to get into the field through an apprenticeship. If you’ve decided that a career in journalism is a good fit for you, here’s the experience and qualifications you’ll need to beat the competition.

Qualifications:

There are two common routes into journalism, which include earning an undergraduate journalism degree, or taking an undergraduate degree in a different subject, followed by a master’s degree in journalism. You can search journalism courses at University Compare; a website where you can look at all the different degree options available, where to study them, and the differences between them. When you choose where to do your degree from this list, make sure that you opt for a course that is NCTJ (National Council for the Training of Journalists) accredited if you want to eventually work for a news organisation based in the UK. You can also choose a degree with an area of specialisation, such as newspaper journalism, multimedia journalism, or broadcast journalism.

Blogging:

While studying for your degree in journalism, using your spare time to start a blog can be a great way to get relevant experience in your career and make valuable connections that will help you when looking for work in the future. A strong blog and a large Twitter following will help you get noticed by potential employers who are looking for new hires that have a solid understanding of online journalism. And, many postgraduate degree courses will expect applicants to have blogging experience and an active Twitter account with a large following, so this will be extremely helpful if you want to go on to get a master’s in journalism in the future.

Choosing the Right University:

Most universities in the UK will offer a course in journalism, but not all of them are created equal. Along with making sure that you are only applying to NCTJ accredited courses, you might want to consider other accreditations, such as the BJTC (Broadcast Journalism Training Council) if you are considering a career in radio journalism. You should also look at the facilities, reputation, teaching staff, course content, and where journalism graduates from a particular university go on to study further or work. Bear in mind that journalism graduates who have a wide range of skills tend to have more options in the job market, so it’s worth considering a course that teaches extra skills such as data journalism, financial reporting, or video production.

Getting Work Experience:

While there will be plenty of opportunities for you to get valuable work experience as you study, the experience that matters the most is that you get after graduating. Typically, your first job will be working as a junior reporter, covering any stories that are allocated to you. Generally, these jobs are long-term contracts rather than short-term, which is great if you’re looking for a position with plenty of security, which isn’t always the case when working in the media. However, starting salaries are low, so you might want to consider freelancing for more than one news organisation, something that will become more accessible to you as you build up your experience and contacts.

Working as a journalist is a very exciting career choice. Finding the right university and course to study, however, is just the beginning; start focusing on building your network and experience as early as possible.

Morrison Hotel Gallery – Idols Exhibit

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From gallery walls to the Great Wall of China, Morrison Hotel Gallery invites you to hit the road with Idols, a web-exclusive world tour spanning seven continents and more than a half-century of iconic imagery. Playing on portrait tradition, conventional sites of exhibition and the pangs of wanderlust presently felt worldwide, Idols reframes the exemplary works of internationally-acclaimed photographers such as Terry O’Neill, Peter Hujar, Lynn Goldsmith, Bob Gruen and Timothy White through irreverent virtual renderings at the intersection of kitsch and hallmarks of human expression. Like uncanny postcards of iconic worlds colliding, Idols ushers in a new age of virtual expression and MHG experiences as this fine art activation makes its way to MorrisonHotelGallery.com on Wednesday, May 6, 2020.

Follow along both here and at @IdolsWorldTour on Instagram as we explore, in real-time, what it means to take these epochal works of modern portraiture beyond their Morrison Hotel Gallery home and out in the “real” world at large, situating iconic imagery in cross-contextual dialogue with billboards, megaliths and masterpieces.

WEBSITE / INSTAGRAM