Edward Tufte: Beautiful Evidence

One of the best ways to look at data is through fascinating visual ways. I was turned on to Edward Tufte's work a few years back. His design is clean, eloquent and simply put, beautiful. Tufte is a world famous statistician who also teaches political and computer science at Yale. He is most famous for his undertakings of Information Design, and very eloquently describes quantitative information through drawings, graphics and sculpture. In a world with innumerable data, Tufte finds ways to expose profound relationships through visual means. Interestingly enough, in March of this year he was appointed by President Obama to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act's Recovery and Independent Advisory Panel to reveal how recovery money was being spent.

Check out more on Tufte's website.

NEW fabric wall hangings now available!

They've finally arrived. Affordable, stylish, elegant and articulate - fabric wall hangings will impress. Nature inspired motifs bring tranquility and cheer to your space, with beautiful whimsical patterns and hip designs. They're available in 6' or 8' lengths and feature sleek aluminum holders and stainless steel hardware. Eco-friendly inks on plain weave fabric. Check them out on modernmural.com for more details!

Create your own custom sized artwork

You're looking to beautify your walls but you need more or less than what we have shown on www.modernmural.com. We create wall art for any sized space; rule of thumb is we can do anything as long as it's in multiples of the standard tile sizes on the site. At 1.5" thick and gallery wrapped on 100% cotton canvas, it's affordably priced - call us for details!

Shown here is Art 2632 in qty 3 of the 34"x18" tiles.

sweet artwork for the extra large spaces

You're wondering how to fill up a 20' wall with one image and you want crisp exact quality. You'll want to use vector artwork, which will fulfill this need you once thought impossible. Vector artwork is illustrative, and typically artsy and conceptual. It is based on a mathematical formula and therefore can be exponentially enlarged without sacrificing any quality. We've got a lot on modernmural.com, check some out from a few of our artists: Nicemonkey and MightySmasha. You'll find fine lines, brilliant colors and intricate designs.

Photo above is Art 2903, Orange on White, and is vector artwork.

Featured Artist: Susan Riddle

I had a moment to ask Susan Riddle, one of Modern Mural's contributing
artists (a brilliant abstract painter), some things about herself: check it out!

MM: Where do you live?
SR: In Aptos, CA, a very laid back, quiet town just a few blocks from
the beach. It can be really mysterious and foggy.

MM: Where do you go to think creatively?
SR: To my garden, where I find colors, textures and composition. I like
seeing it go through its stages during the year. It's death and regrowth.

MM: Who are your design influences?
SR: Gorky, Kandinsky, Rothko, Frankenthaler, Miró and all children's art.

MM: What's your favorite piece of art that you've produced?
SR: It changes all the time, but if I had to pick one it would be a piece I did
called "Imaginary Dreams" because it was totally unplanned. Usually, I
determine the colors I want or the layout I want, but this one was just flowing.



MM: What's one of your favorite leisure activities?
SR: Riding my bike by the beach and gardening.

MM: What is your favorite color to paint with?
SR: Red, because it goes great with yellow and orange (which are my 2nd and 3rd favorites. I've also been getting
into gray to offset the "happy". My college professor always used to say to me, "Your work is too happy -
get some gray in there!"

MM: What's your favorite dessert?
SR: Definitely strawberry shortcake.

MM: What message do you want to convey through your work?
SR: Joy and happiness.

BBQ weather - decorate outdoors!

Warmer weather = grilling & BBQ...what's a girl to do when she wants to invite friends over for a backyard feed? Decorations are covered here (thanks to Martha, you can find how-to tips here.) Have a fantastic weekend!

Elegant white balloons and lanterns prove themselves a hit; votives decorated with real leaves.

String of lights with glued seashells add ambience; makeshift canopy adds intimacy.

Dual vases with tinted water in between creates a dreamy ambiance; shaded string lights glow.

The coolest cake cutter - ever.

I've been eyeing this cake cutter/server for a number of months now. It makes cake cutting and serving a cinch by cutting straight down then squeezing the handle to lift the piece! When I first discovered it last year, it was not yet on the market, but now it's for sale on Amazon.com. Created by Finnish designer Maria Kivijärvi combines the perfect form & function with lovely clean lines.

Dwell on Design LA - we'll be there!

We recently reserved our spot for Dwell's design convention! We'll be Booth 924. Dates are June 25-27. If you're in or around the Los Angeles area, stop by - we'd love to meet our customers!

Halifax: abundant textures

We have several photographers from Halifax who exhibit beautiful textures and both brilliant and subdued colors. The simplicity of the context is extraordinarily captivating. The natural and man-made textures are captured expertly, and there is nothing more intriguing than that.


Because of its rich history, Halifax has bountiful texture all seeding from old naval yards natural formations on the coast. This texture is what caught our eye - peeling paint, rusty bolts and smooth ocean rocks. They make extraordinary modern wall art.


Halifax is known for its beautiful harbors. In 1749 Governor Edward Cornwallis and 2500 settlers created Canada's first town on the picturesque shores of the world's second largest harbor. Its geographical location on the Atlantic made it an entry point of immigration into Canada and Halifax later became the primary North Atlantic base for the Royal Navy.

All Natural Ginger Martini

Ahh, blissful summer. I've had my share of ginger martinis, and just recently started looking for an all natural recipe - the warm sun just makes me crave them!

Among my stipulations for martinis are: no sweet & sour mix, no Rose's lime juice, no weird sugary additions. (Ginger has many health benefits, check it out here.) Just pure and clean ingredients. I found a few, although I made some slight adjustments to my preferences:

All natural ginger martini

2 oz vodka

Juice of ½ lemon or lime

1/8 tsp fresh grated ginger

½ oz organic agave nectar

Splash of extra-dry vermouth (if you like it)

Shake all ingredients in cocktail shaker with crushed ice for 15 seconds. Serve Up in a martini glass. Garnish with lemon or lime twist.

Enjoy - and drink to your health!

Featured Material: Canvas

(6 months ago we changed the canvas we offered to one with a heavier weight that visually offers a richer and more substantial surface for displaying wall art.)

The canvas we use for your wall art is 100% natural cotton which gives an organic texture to your mural. The matte surface ensures fantastic image quality, and at 22 mil provides a substantial heavy weight canvas. Beautifully gallery wrapped edges are precision folded.

Because the canvas is 100% natural cotton you can see and feel the texture of the fabric with out detracting from the finished product. See photo.

It's made for long-lasting art reproductions - which means that you won't see edge cracking and gives undoubtedly superior print quality.

Clouds for Computers - What Two Very Different California Communities Have in Common

For students living in East Palo Alto, CA, life is challenging. In 1992 East Palo Alto had the highest per capita murder rate in the country, at 42 people murdered with a population of 24,322 people. Poverty seemed to be imminent for its residents and the community struggled with low academic performance. East Palo Alto was relatively untouched when the Dot.com boom surged the economy for the rest of the Bay Area in the early 2000's. During this past recession the town suffered a much higher unemployment rate than the rest of the country.

Sounds daunting, right?

It has been. However, projects headed by concerned community members are striving to improve the life of the residents of East Palo Alto, particularly that of the children. I was clued into one in particular, Clouds for Computers, which aims to connect the neighboring wealthier community of Palo Alto with East Palo Alto through art and technology.

Clouds for Computers is the brainchild of local San Francisco artist Peter Shaw. Shaw works with children at Costaño School, among others in the area, creating cloud paintings. The paintings are based on Peter's own series "100 Blue" which consists of a progression of perfect blue squares that graduate from barely perceptible to nearly black. Their precision indicates the accuracy that technology offers. In an effort to emulate "100 Blue" each student receives a 16"x16" canvas, acrylic paint and a brush and creates his or her own interpretation of the California clouds. The art materials were donated anonymously. Children from neighbor community Palo Alto are also creating their own cloud paintings. The paintings from both communities will be hung side by side - bridging the gap, in many more ways than what is seen. Dozens of tiles are hung, creating one large mural masterpiece and emulating the expansive sky that exists above all of us and across every community. The goal is to create 1000 California Clouds paintings, and already the count is 700.

The story doesn't end here. Peter has plans to scan all of the paintings along side the children so they can learn the process of digital art and reproduction. The process is an important one and links the two communities through digital means. Amazing for the kids!

I had the opportunity to see the paintings and to speak with Shaw and some of the students who are taking part in the project. Peter is extremely passionate about teaching the children the process of art to technology as well as social means of communication. The end goal is to sell the reproductions of the paintings to raise money for laptops for the children at East Palo Alto schools.

Come Draft with Us - Sustainable Bicycle Gifts

Along with pleasant spring skies and sunny days perfect for biking season comes a plethora of Bike-Inspired Design – everything from bicycle gear clocks to rehabbed furniture made from bikes, this has got me rearing to get my own butt in gear!

Make space instantly! I found these very practical and minimally designed ceiling hoists for your bike – perfect for small spaces that require the edgy charm of a bicycle. Simply mount to the ceiling, hook on both ends of bike and with each pull it clicks to lock. Best part: they’re supremely affordable and sell for around $15. Some homes boast fancy light fixtures, why not exhibit your Trek? Available at Amazon.com.

Waking up to the tick tock of a bicycle clock may just help you get out of bed to hit the trails! Made from recycled gear parts and chains, this sets up a playful yet functional conversation piece. Besides being made from sustainable recycled materials, even the non-biker would appreciate its cool design. Available at BrightandBold.com.

Hip vintage bicycle art is a fantastic way to brighten any space. This wall art is available in several different sizes, on a green or white background. Features both canvas and framed art, printed with eco-friendly inks and mounted on sustainable wood. Framed art starts at just $55. Available at ModernMural.com.

Designer Andy Gregg produces bar stools, chairs and more are made from recycled bicycle parts; side tables use glass from auto windows all to create modern furniture. Gregg was influenced from his years biking and does nothing less than impress. All host beautiful arcs from bicycle wheels, some bent gently to create fluid design. Donated materials from old bikes will warrant a discount on a purchase. If you like the look of aluminum, steel and rubber here’s the place to go for something truly one of a kind. Available at BikeFurniture.com.

Modern Mural's Genesis

I am asked this question quite frequently, and I just wanted to tell our story.

My husband and I lived in an old loft in downtown Chicago - the kind of loft that had the big red fire doors and a hand operated freight elevator. The real loft with charm, and lots of it. We loved the place and knew that we wanted to decorate it with some ridiculous edgy art. And LARGE. Being a few years out of college we were looking for art that was affordable but hot. Original art was too pricey and we didn't want to hang up a poster. We looked everywhere, with out success, and finally decided to do something unique.

Loft = large walls. We had something massive in mind, bought some huge acrylic sheets on eBay, drilled holes in the cement ceiling and purchased some stainless steel cable from Home Depot. The planning was done on weekends and after work, and involved more sweat than we thought.

Not knowing anything about the printing industry, we trekked over to a well known print/office supplies shop to get our photo printed. We were looking at blowing up our high res photo to 4 ft x 5 ft, black and white. For the price of a nice meal at Avec for 2 (with wine) we got a print that looked like it was xeroxed. We were crushed. We knew we could do better. For a few weeks, the acrylic sheets and tools lay by the wayside.

While waiting for our flight back to Chicago at the Phoenix airport a few weeks later, we pondered the situation more thoroughly. We wanted art that was cool, oversized, unique, bold and affordable. We couldn't find it. It was there in the airport bar in Phoenix where we scratched out our first business plan on a cocktail napkin. Modern Mural was born.

Customizing Your Wall Décor

Whether you’re partial to contemporary abstract art or your own personal pictures, Modern Mural can help you create stunning wall murals that fit your needs and your décor.

How does this work?

It’s easy! Check out the new “Design Your Own!” tool on the Modern Mural web site and follow the steps below to create your personalized or abstract wall art.

1. Once on the “Design Your Own!” page, choose a layout for your art. After selection, the layout may be changed at any time by clicking the browse button located above the picture preview. There is no risk for low resolution, as the site will not allow you to continue if the resolution of the photo is too low to print on the chosen layout.
2. Choose a design. There are three options: a) You can choose one of the many Modern Mural designs. All of the Modern Mural Art Collections are located on the left-hand side of the screen for you to browse through. b) You can upload your own high-resolution photo. To upload your own photo, click on the “My Art” tab and choose “Upload My Art!” You will then have the opportunity to browse your computer for the photo you wish to use. Keep in mind that high-resolution photos, for example, photos from an 8-megapixel camera, work best for this option. c) You can purchase images from other sites that may be uploaded and used to create a modern mural. Size requirements for these images are XL, XXL, or vector. Some examples of these web sites include: stockxpert.com, istockphoto.com, and fotolia.com
3. Click on the thumbnail picture of your choice.
4. Adjust the design. Your picture will appear in the large preview box in the center of the screen. At this point, you can use your mouse to drag the picture into the position you desire or use the Zoom Art and Visibility slider bars, located beneath the preview, to change the look. “Reset Art Layout” will return the picture to its original position.
5. When you are satisfied with the design, click “Add to Cart” and you will be able to see a final preview of your art. Click “Add to Cart” again to place the order into your shopping cart, then “My Cart” at the top of the page to check out.

Congratulations! You have created your own customized wall décor. Your personalization, along with the superior quality of these wall prints, makes the artwork the ideal fusion for your stylish and smart lifestyle.

By guest writer, Sandy Randazzo, owner of www.youhavemywords.com

An Ode to Wine

I tasted a wine that delighted me. Not too far from our studio, located atop the Santa Cruz mountains, is a gorgeous winery retreat that over looks the valley (Thomas Fogarty). I was tickled by their 2007 Estate Grown Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir. It has a unique element of spice and light tannins yet is so delicate and fruity. This pinot is truly recognizable and distinct, and we snatched up two bottles and will undeniably go back for more. Easily drinkable on its own - it was a beautiful find.

Thomas Fogarty Winery was started by a Stanford cardiovascular surgeon and has one of the most enormous and fantastic views of the valley. The drive to this spot is windy and serene. We had a picnic here and relished the gorgeous views of the vineyards, the valley and the bay.

Remember this wine! Thomas Fogarty 2007 Estate Grown Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir

Photons, waves and psychology, oh my! Color and your mural.

Color is complicated, there's no doubt about it. We all studied color and light waves in grade school. Color can change in virtually every situation, and what may look red at night may look magenta in the morning hours. Your upbringing and the country you were born in may influence your ability to see different colors.

Color is dependent on 3 participants: a light source, an object and an observer (you). If any one of these changes, the color may look different. Viewing conditions (daylight, incandescent lightbulb or fluorescent as well as the colors that surround the color you're judging) are all important when viewing color. However, when viewing images on a monitor, we must understand phosphors and what they mean to the color that appears.

What is a phosphor?

A phosphor is a chemical and mineral compound that emits light when struck by a beam of electrons. Your monitor contains thousands.

How can phosphors represent color differently?

The type of phosphors used, their age, characteristics of the monitor (ie brand, brightness, etc.) can influence the color that your monitor produces. Color can vary on screen by all these variables, and we match the prints to our own monitors.

Although color is different on every single monitor, this doesn't necessarily mean that you are going to receive a print that's far off the mark. Exact colors are extremely difficult to match when the color sources are different (print versus screen, etc.) so if you're trying to make an exact match, we do offer samples of any image that we offer on the website. Call us for details.

Wall Art - a Smash Hit

Here is a photo of the finished product (plus four more panels) hanging in the client's home which I wrote about in the previous post. The finished product measures 9 feet wide and over 5.5 feet tall. This is an interesting twist: the client chose to hang all the panels next to each other with out spacing, and it looks great! Note: this was a custom design and cannot be ordered on the website, but call us for details. All of the products on the website are made so that the panels hang 2-3 inches from one another.

Love the white furniture - shows fantastic contrast.

New Office Dog!

We just adopted Onyx, a retired racing greyhound, a few weeks ago. What a great asset to the company, he is the sweetest! Greyhounds are nicknamed "The 45 mile an hour couch potato" and it is definitely fitting. Onyx is only 2, and we're so happy to have him here. Welcome Onyx!

Huge mural for modern loft apartment!

We just did this custom layout for a client in San Francisco. In it we used the same artwork (Art 2264), repeated 4 times. The art is abstract enough, so we flipped it and cropped it in different areas, making a fantastic final piece. What a great idea!

The final dimensions of the wall art was 6.5 feet wide and 5.9 feet tall (this includes spacing in between the tiles) making a huge statement. It's really striking up on the wall, we had to hang it

in the studio just to get photos. You can get creative and combine any size you want, just like this client did. To get ideas, go to the Oversized section on the website, http://www.modernmural.com/OversizedModernWallArt. These are just examples, so you can combine any number of tiles with different layouts.

Gorgeous!