BIGBRIGHTBOLD ON FACEBOOK

Wondering what you're going to do without your daily dose of BigBrightBold? To kill the ennui that might set in until I return from Istanbul, you can visit the brand NEW BigBrightBold Facebook page and hit LIKE :) After listening to my social media savy friends, I realized the importance of linking all of the popular social media sites. I started an official BigBrightBold Facebook page and linked it with a brand new @BigBrightBoldLa Twitter account! So, follow, like etc. and you might just get some fun Istanbul updates before everyone else does! 

Maybelle Imasa-Stukuls: 21st century CALLIGRAPHY

I came across Maybelle Imasa-Stukuls' work on Pinterest and signed up for her Los Angeles Poketo workshop over the weekend.

Pretty lettering is everywhere lately. But, Maybelle's beautiful, classic calligraphic style stands out among all the hand drawn designs. Her style is so pretty, not quite perfect, and as she mentioned during the workshop, she strives for that imperfection. Maybe that's why her letterforms feel so classic and modern. When Maybelle wrote a paragraph at the end of class, the letters flowing out of the nib naturally and elegantly, most of the class just stood around her and gaped. She made it look so easy, as we could barely draw a single A. I guess she's been doing this for 10 years, so I won't be too jealous, but I am still very impressed. Maybelle's calligraphy elevated letters into art forms. As a typography teacher, I want to exploring hand lettering my own designs. With my custom nib, ink and practice booklet from Maybelle, I'm in a good place to start.

POKETO: MODERN CALLIGRAPHY WORKSHOP

I am so excited to share a few photos from this weekend's calligraphy workshop at Poketo. I stumbled upon Poketo's workshop page on Friday, while perusing Pinterest for pretty calligraphy inspiration. The timing was perfect, as I discovered that the workshop would be held on Saturday afternoon. I fortunately happened to grab one of the last openings in the afternoon session.

I have been looking for a modern calligraphy workshop for some time, as it's a pretty rare course to find. The teacher, Maybelle was really awesome! She shared her own work and chatted about her own beginnings in the calligraphy world. I love talented people who are so humble, relatable and helpful. Not only did I get to learn a lot of tips and tricks, got a great starter kit with ink and nibs and practice manuals specially designed by Maybelle, but I got to meet a bunch of interesting people.

It was pretty hard, and I definitely do not have a natural knack for perfect, pretty lettering. But, Maybelle broke down the process into somewhat "achievable" steps. Most people around me were writing complete words, as I kept writing and rewriting the letter A. But, it was fun and meditative. The workshop was so inspiring that I really want to keep practicing! Definitely want to go back for future Poketo workshops. 

Thanks to my table mates who were so friendly and let me capture their calligraphy forays! Huge thanks to Poketo and Maybelle for such a wonderful day! 

BIG BRIGHT BOLD AUGUST

Wow, it's definitely been a bright month. Time is flying by. I can't believe we are already in the second week of September! Wanted to share a few highlights fromm the past month, before it's already October.

My favorite August highlight was the week of Marimekko. I'm so glad I got the chance to visit the store, and happy I had a bunch of photos to showcase the adventure on the blog. Check out the Marimekko fashion, back to school supplies and store favorites.

The James Turrel show at LACMA was spectacular! When do you ever get the chance to walk in a room bathed in hot magenta light? It was an incredible experience testing the essence of perception and space. 

Visiting the Malibu Getty Villa with my mom was also a fun weekend. Though I'm not the biggest fan of antiquities, I enjoyed strolling the grounds and listening to our witty tour guide tell Roman and Greek tales. Check out the Getty's floor mosaics here!

Another awesome museum day was the Loving Lilly retrospective at the Palos Verdes Art Center. Definitely make a point to drive down to see this super colorful show. It's rare to see so many Lilly Pulitzer outfits in one room! 

And, now, onto welcoming September! 

PALM SPRINGS: RAINBOW HOTEL

It's been a definite heat wave in LA, so much so that the Palm Springs temperature is pretty much the same! I'm definitely thinking rainbows and pools. Last June, a friend and I ventured to the newly opened Saguaro Hotel which was such a fun weekend. Granted, the pool was super crowded and The Parker is more my style but I had to stay in a place where the rooms are color coded. Somehow, the summer is over, and we did not get the chance to get to Palm Springs. So, as we're finally planning a trip in the cooler fall weather, I had to reminisce about the rainbow walls. The Parker or the Colony Palms Hotel? Can't decide!