Last night I finally had the chance to watch the film Where the Boys Are which I had rented on Itunes about two weeks ago. While discussing the film in the studio the next day, Tammy and I went on an IMDB promenade to learn more about the actresses who played in it. The film, having been released in 1963 and was MGM’s highest grossing film of that year, is incredibly modern and ahead of its time, the script containing such words as “Puke”, “Upchuck”, “Cool” and “Makeout”, terms we all (or mostly all) use regularly.

The character and actress we were most infatuated by was Merritt Andrews played by Dolores Hart. After a few Google searches of the Hollywood starlet, we made a mind blowing discovery: at the peak of her career, Dolores Hart decided to give it all up to become a nun. HOLY MOLY, RIGHT?! Thinking this must have been a hoax, we investigated further. After numerous newspaper articles (now online) and a 20/20 interview with Dolores Hart we were left bewildered, heartbroken and oddly… inspired.

The now Mother Dolores Hart, was 23 when she joined the Abbey located in Connecticut. At the time she was named “The Next Grace Kelly,” she was Elvis Presley’s first on-screen kiss, she earned a seven-figure salary on a 7-year contract with MGM, and was engaged to the love of her life.

One evening, out to dinner with her fiancé (Don Robinson, a successful businessman), she told him the news of her decision to join the abbey. Robinson broke down crying, and has since never loved anyone else. They both declare a devout love for one another, but Mother Dolores Hart just declares a stronger, more committed love for someone else.

If this is as mind-blowingly amazing to you as it is to us, watch this interview with Mother Dolores Hart as she takes you through her side of the story.

“The MASON is a contemporary culture magazine that features the resurrection of post-industrial cities through the efforts of their creative communities.” Their premiere issue focuses on the city of Detroit, Michigan.

The launch party took place at the Burroughs which had all the fixings a cool launch party venue should have -exposed wooden beams, cool brick walls, oversized cow hide couches, a bar, and last but not least, a dance floor.

Being all about creative communities, it was only fitting that the Mason team sourced local business owners such as The Depanneur who provided some amazing gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches (paired with home made ketchup!) and Great Lakes Brewery who provided a variety of Ontario brewed brews.

Now about the magazine itself, well let’s just say we loved it so much we placed a bid on their “dream issue” which was printed in a limited number of copies. The large run of magazines was printed just like a newspaper but the images and the text inside set it apart from any other newspaper or magazine you have ever read. Co-creators Elyse Moland and Sarah Lambert made sure to include the voice of artist communities from within Detroit, as well as those from within Toronto. The images and graphics reflect the current state of the city’s landscape, infrastructure, and spirit.

Serious kudos to the Mason team, the co-editors, the event planners, the DJ, the collaborating artists and writers, and the event volunteers are all current students or recent graduates (of one month!). You would never have been able to tell especially since the event drew in media from The Huffington Post, Worn Fashion Journal, and ELLE Canada.

Thanks again to the Mason for inviting us! We had a blast.

Hey, remember us?

We used to blog and post pictures and spew tidbits of design-y fun things?

Well, after an inexcusable hiatus (though you will soon get a list of excuses), we are pleased to be back and (hopefully) blogging in full force once more. This year we moved studio locations from our shared space with the always wonderful Six Shooter Records and into the Liberty Village area. The last couple of months have been a whirlwind adventure of flooring, painting, settling, bringing on a new Jr. Designer (whom you’ll be introduced to in time), and of course, designing things.

Photos of the new digs to come soon. In the meantime, keep checkin’ back, and thanks for not forgetting about SQUAB’s little nest of a blog. Goodness knows I did, but only for a bit.

Tammy

Some of my favourite’s from last night’s 4th Annual Harbord St. Pumpkin Festival.

Tennessee artist Herb Williams has been commissioned to construct 3-D flames out of 60,000 to 70,000 Crayola crayons that melt and warp under the raging Texas sun. Blazes have become a very serious threat in Texas this year, as the state endures its worst drought in history. Unwanted Visitor: Portrait of Wildfire opened October 7 to educate the public about the rising issues of wildfires.

The Throwable Panoramic Ball Camera was invented by a German computer engineer, Jonas Pfeil. It allows the user to explore a full representation of the captured environment (see a demo video). The ball’s 36 cell phone cameras capture the panorama, which is stitched together afterwards on a computer. I can’t wait to see this device on the market, which could be available for around $100.

A recent road trip took me up through the swaths of Muskoka where I was lucky enough to catch our great Canadian autumn in full swing. Aside from from the highlights of seeing a train with hand-painted “Warning” instructions, countless inukshuks, and a meandering black bear, driving along the #17 was the perfect setting for soaking in the oranges, reds, and yellows of fall against the charcoal greys and browns of the rocks.

Simply great.

Steve Jobs (February 24, 1955 – October 5, 2011), illustration by Tammy Yiu

One of many (too many) things to tackle during tomorrow Nuit Blanche in Toronto:

Rocky Railway High an Interactive Art Project for the symbolic return of the Chinese railway workers to Guangdong, China, their homeland (an important Chinese custom at the time).

Between 1881 – 1884, about 15,000 Chinese laborers from the southern Province of Guangdong were hired to build the most treacherous part of the Canadian Pacific Railway in British Columbia. Over 5,000 Chinese railway workers perished during the job. It’s a part of Canadian history that affects us all but yet is not widely known or acknowledged (the Canadian government only officially apologized five years ago).

This project aims to collect 5,000 submissions (roughly one for each worker who died) that is currently exhibiting in Toronto, will exhibit in Vancouver and then will be brought to China to be buried as a symbolic homecoming for the workers. The submissions will also be digitally archived not only on the project website but also at UBC and a museum in Kamloops, BC.

We designed these postcards for Rocky Railway High so that Canadians (both young and old) across the country would be able to learn about the cause, and also contribute to the interactive art project by drawing within the shingle-shape on the reverse.

Friends in Toronto, you can fill in a postcard (it’ll only take a couple of minutes!) tomorrow sometime during Nuit Blanche at  Red Head Gallery (401 Richmond Street West, Suite 115). If you won’t be out clawing your way through the crowds, you can contribute from home as well – but a simple contribution for the incredible sacrifices made for our fair country.