miette's New Writeups

Umbra (idea)

2000-05-11T11:19:28Z

Umbra is also a hip Canadian-based housewares manufacturer/design firm. Their products have the quality of patio furniture, only they are made of groovy juicy frosted and colourful poly ethylene.

The price of these items is inexplicable until you see the individuals who designed them.

Some Umbra products include the Garbo, a shapely waste receptacle, the Plato, a dishrack, and the Oh! chair. All show the characteristic cloudy plastic and low production costs (which are by no means transferred to the consumer).

Feminine hygiene products never cease to amaze (idea)

2000-05-04T17:57:06Z

I would caution anyone who decides to take a bar of

SOAP

to her vulva that this is both unecessary and can cause irritation.

The female genitals need only a gentle hosing, preferably with a detachable shower head. It is best to carefully pull back the hood of the clitoris and rinse the labia with a gentle stream of water.

Design Exchange (place)

2000-05-04T17:20:52Z

An essentially useless non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of Canadian Design

Located in the old Toronto Stock Exchange building, which could not be torn down because of its status as an historical landmark. Instead, a Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe highrise was erected around the old TSE, and it has been a writeoff ever since.

They now use the old trading floor as a conference space.

Another floor is used as an exhibition space for Canadian-designed product, which preference placed on the firms listed on the wall of donors, such as Umbra, Teknion and Nienkämper.

For more information, please call Lynda Friendly, President, at (416) 216-2130.

finger painting (idea)

2000-04-19T21:39:27Z

Finger painting (not to be confused with figure painting) is a process whose origins lie deep in the annals of history. The idea is to use your hands to directly and sensually create a work of Art.

There are many different substances available to express yourself should you choose to become a finger painter. Butterscotch pudding is tasty, and you can lick your fingers afterwards for a yummy treat. You can use chocolate, or real paint, but stay away from pigments such as cadmium and lead, and try to avoid the use of solvents.

Unfortunately, in today's broken world of video installation, you may have trouble becoming recognized for your work...

video installation (idea)

2000-04-19T21:36:21Z

With the appearance of video, the art world was forever changed. Artists could now independantly write, shoot and edit their own little movies. The finished product often takes the form of a video installation.

The video installation is characterized by a pristine, white gallery environment containing a VCR and television. The eerie, hollow noises are clues that you are, in fact, watching a video installation. Repetitive, disturbing imagery is also characteristic.

TVOntario (thing)

2000-04-18T23:15:25Z

The government-funded television channel in Ontario, Canada. Similar in content to the American Public Broadcasting System, TVO introduced the children of the 80's in Ontario to tv.

The Polka-Dot Door, Sesame Street, Today's Special, The Elephant Show, Dr. Snuggles and Dr. Who are favourites from the 80's TVO era, along with some wack offerings from the National Film Board of Canada or NFB, which have left a generation of former children scarred for life.