Rebranding Northern Wind

I guess you can call it spring cleaning. Out with the old, in with the new. With that in mind, I’ve decided to officially drop ‘Northern Wind’ as a company title, and rebrand both my design and artwork under a unified name, ‘Anthony Chase.’

The Northern Wind branding has been added to the Design section for a short time for those curious. -view here
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image - Out with the old, in with the new.

Contrast

While on my way to meet a new client, I took a moment to admire the design of the Alfred Zampa Memorial Bridge (2003), as it stands in contrast to the older Carquinez Bridge (1927).

The two parallel bridges spanning the Carquinez Strait are monuments to the engineering and design of their times. I’m sure, some day, the older bridge will be replaced, but for now, the contrast of history is beautiful.
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image - Photo by Chase

More

I spent the morning up in Sonoma, and after getting a little lost, I found myself walking along this path. I couldn’t help but think I need more of this in my life - more simple pleasures, more shades of green, more foggy days just like this.
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image - Photo by Chase

Nevada

I came across this photo, taken almost a year ago today, while el and I were traveling across the dusty stretches of Nevada to visit my family.
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image - Photo by el

J Crew and a Mouse

Arriving home this afternoon from a short walk, I leafed though the usual assortment of mail as I walked up the stairs to my flat. A few bills, some junk mail and the recent JCrew catalogue. The cover photograph and the unusually clean design held my interest for a moment before being dropped on the floor as my focus turned towards my easel.

After a few hours of painting, I noticed Stella, my monster of a cat, had come in from outside, and was now vigorously rummaging about the pile of mail on the floor. I casually glanced over at the commotion, said a few encouraging words about attacking the bills, and started to turn back to my oils when I noticed a little grey tail poking out from under her forward paw.

In the interest in sharing her new found toy, she batted the mouse towards me, and onto the top of the JCrew catalogue. It froze, scared and covered in saliva.

Postscript - The little mouse was rescued, and returned safely to the backyard. It scurried off to live another day.
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image - Photo by Chase

Dia De Los Muertos - Art Show

I will be showing a few paintings in the annual Dia de los Muertos group show at Victorian Rat gallery.

Also in attendance - David Seiler, Randy Noborikawa, Deja Garcia, Matt Decker, Brianna Brandow-Seiler and Obi Kaufmann; some great California art talent. Come check it out.

Opening Party!
Saturday October 15th, 7-10pm

Gallery Hours:
Sabado 10/23 6-9pm
Sabado 10/30 6-9pm
Martes 11/02 9 till…
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link - Victorian Rat
image - Show Invite - illustration by David Seiler

To the Courageous Ones

To me, it seems like there is something truly ‘All American’ about hanging out in the local laundry mat on a saturday morning, knocking back coffee and hatching a grand plan to start one’s first business.

This morning, I did just that with my neighbor el, as she described her plans to open Old Salt Studios, a home accessories and garden store featuring her own line of hand made products, along with artisan merchandise and locally-sourced plants.

I understand the economic climate across the States is down, but here in the Bay Area, I see the thriving entrepreneurial spirit of many friends taking root, as they stake their claim, bravely starting up their own businesses.

Godspeed to the courageous ones!
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image - Photo by Chase

Hiroshima Armchair

I am drawn to this chair everytime I see it. The design, by Naoto Fukasawa for Maruni, is an elegant balance of proportion. Looking at it, you cant help but want to draw you fingers along the sharp lines of the arms as they extend into the serene arch of the back. The joinery is seamless, providing smooth transitions down to the legs and the crossmember supporting the seat, giving the feeling that the chair was hewn from a single piece of wood.

Naoto Fukasawa wrote the following which I found insightful.

“I had always wanted to design a good wooden chair. I believed what would be good was one whose essence seeped into our daily lives as it was used over time. With Northern European plain wood, which until now has been the world standard for wooden chairs, for example, what is present is the warmth that one gets from handcrafted objects, rather than “design”. There is a similar kind of artistic crafted element to Japanese wooden products; with uncoated objects made of Japanese cypress in particular, there is a subtle, exalted feeling of freshness, one that disallows any kind of impurity.”

Naoto Fukasawa
深澤 直人
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image - Maruni Hiroshima Arm Chair (cushioned) N°2956-31
link - Maruni