Created by Japanese designer, Masashi Kawamura, this aptly named flipbook gives you the incredible ability to create a 3-D rainbow illusion (and endless smiles) with your very own hands. Check it out!
Love!
Monthly Archive for March, 2010
Page 2 of 11
Heyo, SuperForesters!
We’ve all noticed how more and more people are taking action toward becoming environmentally friendly. Just last night, many of us participated in Earth Hour as a way to demonstrate our global desire to respect our mother earth and when I flicked off the kitchen lights last night, I couldn’t help but take a look outside to see if there were any neighbors out there who were participating, as well. An interesting phenomenon, no? Taking action and immediately turning to see if anybody else was doing it…
This behavior isn’t anything new, and academics at the University of Minnesota conducted an interesting study to try and gain a better understanding of the “Green to Be Seen” concept. Though I, personally, would’ve participated in Earth Hour regardless of what everybody else was doing, they found that a lot of people behave differently. According to the study, it was found that people will often give up luxury in order to be more environmentally friendly or in order to be ethically responsible–but only when others are looking.
This is a conundrum I’ve often struggled with internally. Environmental awareness is something that’s considered to be “in” right now. The question of the matter is, is this a good thing?
On the negative side, trends are just that, trends. And they tend to fade away as quickly as they fade in. On top of that, there also seem to be a bunch of individuals that would be willing to take advantage of this trend as a way of making profit putting the question of intent and sincerity into play. On the plus side, trendiness brings awareness and as a result of all of the attention, ideally some of it would stick. But does the good outweigh the bad?
What do you think? I’m on the fence, help me out.
Spill all!
-C
(And of course, love to SuperForester Anastasiya and Cosmetically Conscious for the tip!)
This just came in from the wonderful SuperForester Melissa! No need for textual introductions, the video pretty much says it all within the opening seconds.
Haha! What a talent! I’ve had my guitar perched on its stand for several years and I still haven’t learned to properly play it. Watching this made me feel a mixture of guilt, inspiration, and motivation…but mostly the latter two. Thanks to Melissa for sharing!
Also, for a fabulous multitrack analysis of the classic Beatles hit, make sure you check out BBC Radio 6′s “Record Producers” if you haven’t done so already. It will leave you nearly as speechless as you were after watching Sungha Jung do his thing.
Good morning, SuperForest!
About a year ago, SuperForest launched a project called “Let’s Globalize the Humanifesto.” The goal was simple: find a way to get as many people on the planet to read the SuperForest Humanifesto as possible, but what we’d ask from you SuperForesters in order to achieve that goal would be anything but. We asked SuperForest readers who spoke multiple languages to take some time to translate the document and as far as I know, this was one of the biggest things we had ever asked from you guys.
I must admit, I was a little doubtful at first. It takes a lot of time and effort to translate a document, and I thought it was simply asking for too much from you guys. But I figured it was worth a shot and at the very least, I could get my aunt to do Spanish. With my fingers crossed, I published the first post and what happened afterward was truly amazing for my understanding of the awesomeness of our readers and fellow SuperForesters expanded tenfold.
You truly are a loving and generous group whose words and support inspire and fuel us to no end. Since my last update post, we have received two incredible translations: German by SuperForester Michael and Russian by SuperForester Maria. Meaning in the one year of having this project in motion, the humanifesto is now available in…20 languages!
Here they are lined up…
1.) The SuperForest Humanifesto by SuperForester Jackson
2.) Manifesto dell’Umanita’ translated in Italian by SuperForester Silvia
3.) El Humanifesto de SuperForest translated in Spanish by SuperForester Imelda
4.) Humanifesto translated in Bahasa Indonesia by SuperForester Anindya
5.) SuperForest Humanifesto-ja translated in Hungarian by SuperForester Larissa
6.) ヒューマニフェスト translated in Japanese by SuperForester Keiko
7.) SuperForest Humanifest translated in Dutch by SuperForester Erik
8.) Humanifesto translated in French by SuperForester Marie-Paule
9.) Humanifesto translated in Portuguese by SuperForester Anna
10.) Humanifesto translated in Korean by Superforester Soyoung
11.) SuperForest Humanifesto translated in Polish by SuperForester Ewa
12.) SuperForest Humanifesto translated in Danish by SuperForester Emil
13.) The SuperForest Humanifesto translated in Swedish by SuperForester Magdalena
14.) البيان الإنساني لسوبرفورست translated in Arabic by SuperForester Saja
15.) Humanifesto translated in Mandarin by SuperForesters Yangyide Ye, & Winnie
16.) Humanifesto translated in Romanian by SuperForester Ioana
17.) The SuperForest Humanifesto translated in Greek by SuperForester Mary Ann
18.) Die SuperForest Mens Manifes translated in Afrikaans by SuperForester Karien
19.) Das SuperForest Humanifest translated in German by SuperForester Michael
20.) Humanifesto translated in Russian by SuperForester Maria
I am filled with sincere joy and gratitude. Thank you to everyone in the list above for your time, dedication, and support. And thank you to SuperForesters everywhere who’ve helped turn a humble little project into a major SuperForest accomplishment. This is a win beyond measure. It is a milestone we could’ve never reached if it weren’t for you guys. And because of this, all credit (and congratulations) belongs to you. THANK YOU!
If you speak (or know of someone that speaks) a language other than the ones listed above and would like to assist us in helping expand our collection of translations, please shoot us an email.
With so much love and gratitude,
Carla
Don’t forget SuperForesters, tonight March 27, 2010, at 8:30 PM local time is Earth Hour. Please support by turning off all your lights and electrical appliances and spending the hour in the honor and respect of natural connectedness to this great pale blue dot called Planet Earth.
“Let us not be satisfied with just giving money. Money is not enough, money can be got, but they need your hearts to love them. So, spread your love everywhere you go. ” –Mother Teresa
Last year, like so many other struggling Americans hard-hit by the economic tailspin, Reed Sandridge lost his job. He was a manager at the American Heart Association nonprofit in Washington, a time-consuming but inspiring job built around the core principle of helping others in need. When he was fired, Reed found himself struggling not only to pay his mortgage, but also what to do to fill the sudden aimless chasm of time . Of course he looked for new jobs, filled out applications, sent in resumes. But the rest of his days began to unravel in that strange freedom of doing anything he pleased.
Now imagine for a moment that you have all the time in the world to do whatever you wanted… what would that be? For me I’d spend my days hiking remote mountains, wandering the beaches, reading books… basically pursuing my own selfish pleasures. Not Reed Sandridge. His desire to help others in need, even when he himself became suddenly a member of the needy ranks, did not diminish with his dwindling savings. In fact, that desire got stronger.
And so on Dec 16, 2009, one week before Christmas, Reed began what he coins “The Year of Giving”. The idea is that everyday Reed finds someone who could use help and gives them $10. Now it doesn’t sound like much. We all know $10 won’t save anyone’s life. But remember that rush of euphoria you felt when you found a wayward $10 floating down the street? It’s the little unexpected and random acts of kindness that surprise and uplift our day, that perhaps catalyze the paradigm shift in attitude that help pull us out of the rollercoaster karmic ebb-flow into a positive state of mind.
And it is this attitude of giving and gratitude that Reed is hoping to foster in others. The money is just a symbol, an expression of care. The truth is, what most people are really looking for after the base needs of food, water, and shelter are provided — is acknowledgment and respect. Two simple things we could all benefit a little more of on a daily basis. Everytime Reed gives ten dollars, he first spends time with that person. He listens to their story, he acknowledges their humanity. And he videotapes each small mini-docs on his flip camera and posts them up on his daily blog (which i recommend following the link to check out).
By the end of the project Reed will have given out $3650 from his own limited personal savings. And you could argue that all together that money could have made a significant difference directed on one individual, perhaps an orphan in Haiti or a cripple in India. You could argue that Reed has diffused his goodwill into bitesize chunks of charity that leave a good taste but don’t satiate the desperate appetite. But just look at the people and stories he shares. 365 inspiring snippets of individuals struggling through adversity with smiles on their faces. All together Reed is inadvertently creating a compelling snapshot of humanity. It’s more than just giving money, he’s spreading Love everywhere he goes.
As Reed’s brother Ryan Sandridge reflects: “He forces attention to people who are usually ignored. I hope others maybe slow their life down just a little bit and see that there’s more than just the daily grind. I don’t know if that’s part of his message or not — but that’s one of the things I take out of it. Look around, pay more attention, be more giving.
Aside from just the daily gift, Reed also posts a Lend a Hand list on his blog where readers/followers can contribute to helping the people Reed has met with bigger needs in their lives. Whether it’s helping Ron find a construction job, or guitarist Bill book some new gigs. It’s a personalized bulletin board of altruism in which anyone can easily jump in and get involved.
Thank Reed for the beautiful inspiration. Yet another example of a simple idea with a big impact. It just reminds me again that making a difference doesn’t require grand gestures. Often it’s the small things that spread the greatest Love.
So look around you SuperForesters. Pay attention. There is opportunity to be more giving everywhere. Don’t hesitate, give now. I gaurantee you’ll discover you are actually giving to yourself.
Always Merry & Bright,
aaron
In case you didn’t know, the Westboro Baptist Church is infamous for their hateful demonstrations, specifically against gays. They frequently “protest” with signs that look like these:
How do you counter such ignorant and intolerant rhetoric? Take a page out of University of Illinois at Chicago student, Jason Connell’s, book:
Yes, that’s the way to do it.
Chris
Good Morning SuperForest!!!
I am in Tokyo, Japan. Yesterday was packed with sights and sounds. The jet lag is working in our favor as we’ve been getting up around four, leaving much time to experience. Tsukiji fish market, Harajuku, Meiji gardens, Roppongi, all yesterday! I was fast asleep by 8PM.
Love!
Jackson-San
Good evening, SuperForesters!
Last week, we asked you readers to describe to us how you were “living SuperForest” as a way to kickstart our partnership with a dapper gentleman who would pick three submissions to be featured on SuperForest and send the people who wrote an awesome gift. We told you we were hoping to do this earlier in the week, but, as it is very obvious this hasn’t happened yet. You’ll have to forgive us, we are still kind of new at this and all of the secrecy was meant to make the celebration of this joining of forces even more grand. Alas, life gets in the way (and in the case of this partner, it had more to do with an epic novel he’s written), and patience must be exercised, but we hope to make all formal announcements soon! Trust us, it will be so worth it.
As far as the contest goes, if you’ve submitted a response, you should’ve received a message from us by now. If you haven’t, please be sure to email us to let us know.
And as far as the fabulous new partner, here are a few clues to help you guess who this person is. We’ll call him SuperForester Y (SuperForester X was taken). The folks that are able to guess who this person is will win major bragging rights.
- SuperForester Y is an artist of love and compassion whose genuine kindness shines through all of his work.
- It’s highly likely you’ve seen (or own) some of his artwork/designs.
- He’s been featured on SuperForest several times.
Any guesses? I figured writing “he’s rad” and “we love him” would be too broad, and saying anything more specific would be way too easy.
Thanks again to everyone that participated in our challenge! Hang tight, we’re all working double time to get this going pronto.
Love,
Team SuperForest
Last weekend I was lucky to be a part of a welcoming party to North Korean defectors who have come to the South. The event was organized by the incomparably passionate Lauren Walker, who has long been involved in North Korean rights. On Sunday night, we celebrated. Click on links to hear accompanying audio.
Lauren Walker, fount of wisdom
We were washed away by wild wooshes
Ramu and Russel raused raucous rhythms
Kim Bok Joo accompanied by Sato Yukie on guitar
The lovely Kim Bok Joo shared her songs and stories with the Seoul crowd. She came from the North not long ago, and is one of the new friends. She gave voice to her own work and traditional Korean song: airs of rivers, seperation and redemption. As Lauren told me above, what these people need is love. Last Sunday we felt it.
Hi, SuperForest,
I don’t normally do re-posts, but anyway, here it goes:
I’m not sure if it’s a function of advancing age or just the times we’re living in, but it’s almost impossible for me to find complete external validation in any one thought, desire, instinct or vision anymore.
Who do you want to be exactly like? Is there anybody in this world who’s laid down a template for your dreams and goals that you’d copy and paste over your own life’s story? Maybe you want to go to a music college as I did when I decided to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston. Start asking some alums whether it’s worth it and you’ll get two distinct answers. One half of the control group will tell you it’s not worth it, that you might as well just start a band and hit the road. The other half will tell you that it was the flash point for their music career and that without it they’d be nowhere. The answer depends on the experience had by each person you talk to. Maybe the “Nos” spent their semesters curled up in a ball fighting with their boyfriend or girlfriend on the phone and never applied themselves to making the most of the time there. You’ll never find the answer you want, just information with which to build your own idea and chart your own course.
Take your favorite artist, the one you look up to and see as the perfect specimen of talent, values, output, whatever the case may be – and someone else has a reason why they’re not worth even a passing glance. Is “Bob Dylan: Don’t Look Back” the documentary of a genius iconoclast or was he a self absorbed pseudo-intellectual bully? It depends on who you ask. Is Jay-Z the reigning king of hip hop or is he “all business” now? It depends on who you ask. I bring up both names because if you ask me, I put them at the top of my list of people who can do very little if no wrong at all, but it won’t take long to read someone’s opposing point of view. If you’re not sure of what you love, that means you can be talked out of it, and that’s a slippery slope.
Is your boyfriend cute? Was Hurt Locker the best movie of the year? Are you going to go out in those shoes? Should you take the promotion and move to Boston? Did I wear “Hammer” pants on stage in Houston or is Rick Owens a visionary clothing designer?
It all depends on who you ask.
Which is a pretty great reason to stop asking all together. Nobody’s life template will ever lay evenly over yours. And in those times when they clash completely, you have to walk alone, with confidence that you’re creating your own template, made out of your own instincts and your own dreams and your own goals. And if you do it long enough, maybe someone someday will look to yours as the life to model theirs after. Of course, some people won’t agree with them. It will all depend on who they ask.
I’ve been following John Mayer’s blog for a good three years now and every once in a while, he posts things that resonate so much with the stuff I’m going through, it’s almost eerie. This particular post was one of them. And in a time of a fuzzy future and taking bold steps toward creating it, it served as a wonderful piece of validation. It’s interesting, though. I shared these words with a few people and then when watched their facial expression change when I told them Mayer wrote it.
Maybe some of you might’ve done that, too. I know, I know, there could be a long debate on whether or not he is a good person, but maybe you might’ve felt some connection with that post, too. Because after giving it a good amount of thought and wondering whether or not I should post this, I thought perhaps all of my hesitation was beside the point. Perhaps the whole trick to the celebrity and sports athlete fiascos is being able to step away from all of the drama and appreciate the things that you enjoyed about them in the first place. I still love listening to Mayer play the guitar. I still loved (and love) listening to Michael Jackson whenever I’m getting ready to go out. And I still loooove watching Kobe on the basketball court during a Laker game. To deny myself any of that would hurt nobody but myself, because the rest is all subjective. The rest is all just an interpretation of good and bad. Truly, the rest all depends on who you ask.
Thanks, John.
-C
First there was Hey Jude, then I Am the Walrus, and now there is this…
…because it’s Friday and we really love you.
(found via.)
Hello Superforesters!
I have a question for you:
If there was a custom-made painting hanging in your room that you felt represented you, what would it look like? What colours would be used? What images? How would you feel when you looked at it every day?
Well, I know someone who knows exactly how to create such a custom painting. Superforesters, I would like to introduce to you my very talented sister — Wendy Heagney-Bakewell of Tiny Brushstrokes!
Growing up with two amazing older sisters was a childhood to remember — my other sister Andrea was (and still is) a strong, compassionate and protective older sis; while Wendy was (and still is) a creative, artistic and thoughtful older sis — how lucky am I to have such fine older sisters? I am very grateful.
L to R: Heather, Andrea & Wendy rocking some fab ’80s swim attire
Every day with Wendy was pretty much a creative game and art-related extravaganza, as she began painting and drawing passionately from a young age. Now, through her business, Tiny Brushstrokes, Wendy is making the most amazing, detailed and personalized paintings and painted objects that anyone can enjoy! She does focus on artwork for children, but she also loves creating paintings for people of all ages. I asked Wendy to share some of her thoughts on her art, creativity, music and the environment with all of us here at Superforest:
Superforest: Did you always know you were going to be an artist?
Wendy:Yes! I always wanted to do something artistic and although I have explored different creative paths along the way, I think that I have found the best way to share my artwork. For me, the focus on artwork for children was natural — I love teaching art to kids and allowing them to explore their own talents and imaginations. I hope that in the future I can incorporate that element of art instruction into Tiny Brushstrokes.
Superforest: What are you working on right now?
Wendy:Right now I’m working on a custom order for a 2-year old girl. A great friend of mine started a tradition of ordering a little birthday painting for her daughter from me each year that reflects what she is “into” at the moment. This year she has a new baby sister, so I am incorporating them both into my design. Other current projects include: new paintings, new coaster designs and handmade collage greeting cards — on recycled cardstock! I also would like to make some fun stickers (colouring book-style) to go along with my A to Z Organically alphabet book set.
You can find out more about this book here
Superforest: What is something you hope to accomplish through your artwork?
Wendy: Through my artwork, I want to:
- celebrate the hand-drawn, painted image and provide accessible paintings (not prints) for kids to enjoy on their walls as they grow up
- share and encourage creativity and imagination
- promote handmade, customized, Canadian products for my clients
- show how easy and gratifying it is to give a personal, memorable gift
This one was for Orla, a little girl born in Brooklyn
Superforest: How can someone who doesn’t think they are artistic start to explore their creative side?
Wendy: Well, generally I think that every person has at least the tiniest little bit of artistic talent, even if it may be buried deep down there somewhere! I would say that the best place to start would be to just explore whatever you may be interested in — drawing, photography, painting, sculpting, design, music, dance etc. Take a class or try it on your own! Just go for it — have fun and see what happens! Art appreciation is another way to explore your creative side. Go to a museum, art gallery, play or performance. Supporting the arts is important and can be another type of experience in which to connect with your creative side. If all else fails, sit down with a 5 year old, some paper and crayons and I am sure you will be inspired to express your creativity!
the artist as a young girl…
Superforest: What was one of your favourite custom projects thus far and why?
Wendy: I have a lot of favourite custom projects, but the ones that stand out most in my mind are those with little stories attached to them. A recent favourite was for a little 1-year old boy in Calgary. His Mom contacted me to discuss getting a custom painting for his room, inspired by one of my Animal Friend paintings. She had a specific idea in mind, and I was totally enthusiastic to bring her idea to life! She decorated his nursery in a “great white north” theme, and thought that a larger version of my Canadian Friends painting would be a perfect finishing touch.
the inspiration…
…the custom painting!
Once the painting was completed; the polar bear, moose, beaver and owl were on their way to Calgary to complete the nursery in celebration of his 1st birthday. His Mom emailed me upon opening the painting with the most wonderful message describing how her son went right over to it and gently touched each of the animals. His bedtime and morning routine now includes greeting each of the four animals! Also when he is on the floor, he looks up and reaches toward the painting with a big smile — I couldn’t have asked for a better response than that!
Superforest: Do you listen to any specific types of music while you paint?
Wendy:I listen to a variety, depending on my mood — anything from ipod mixes to the radio and cds. I am lucky enough to have a very diverse music collection. I will often listen to everything I own from one artist, giving myself “concerts” as I work. One mainstay is always rock music: old, classic, hard, new and timeless.
Superforest: Your maps are awesome! Do you have any more in the works?
Wendy: Yes, actually! I have sketches for upcoming maps waiting in my sketchbook. I’ll be bringing more animals into my maps and I have a poll on my blog right now where you can vote for which group of Animal Friends will get to star in my next illustrated map!
One of the things I like most about the maps is that they are somewhat ageless. They are cute in a baby’s room, but they can also live alongside the child and spark their imagination as they grow. I’ve even had some adults proclaim that they would love one in their space! I suppose my work is for the young, but also the young at heart!
Superforest: Here on Superforest, we talk about the environment as “everything that disappears when you close your eyes”. We want to start with our own environments and improve those, and go from there. What are a few things that you do in your daily life to improve the environment?
Wendy: I use a stainless steel canteen for my drinking water on the go, and I use public transit and walk around the city. In our condo there is no green bin program yet for composting, but we do recycle. We also started growing our own herbs this year and we have plants in the condo as well. I always participate in Earth Hour, and I try to buy from local vendors and promote handmade products where possible. When shopping for food, I try to purchase local produce wherever possible and I try to avoid foods with lots of packaging, or are in non-recyclable containers. I always bring along reusable tote bags for shopping — my favourite one is from Lu Prints (in B.C.) — it’s the perfect size, I love the design and it rolls into a little pouch.
With Tiny Brushstrokes, I use recyclable kraft paper to wrap all of my work and I use stretch canvas that was made in Canada for all of my paintings. A goal of mine is to try to find a good quality, eco-friendly acrylic paint, so if there is anyone who can suggest one, that would be great!
I’d like to thank Wendy for answering our questions! If you’d like to take a closer look at her work or you’re looking for a great gift idea, head on over to Tiny Brushstrokes, and you can keep in touch with Wendy’s projects on her blog of the same name.
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