In mid-March we took a trip to New York City to visit some of our best friends that live there. It was an amazing trip, not only in the fact that I hung out with awesome people, ate awesome food and saw awesome art, but I also got some new scenery for a week which was much needed!
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In a bold effort to bring back the lost art of the mixtape, then there’s a new online service called Muxtape that allows you to create a music mix and share it easily with others online. It’s simple, easy to use and is even supposed to be iPhone friendly. Although it seems like there are certainly some legal issues here, it’s a neat way to learn about different music, so we’ll see how long it sticks around. The creator, Justin Oullette, is also a photographer with some pretty cool work.

You can check out a mix I made at designojek.muxtape.com and I’ll change it around from time to time.

UPDATE: They’ve added RSS feeds now, so you can keep track of any edits using your favorite feed reeder! Also, I’ve been trying out Google Reader for the past couple of months and I think I’m sold on it.

Good ol’ pen and ink wash!

Image courtesy of AIGA KC

On March 10, AIGA Kansas City hosted a lecture by New York based graphic designer and typographer, Stefan Sagmeister. Mr. Sagmeister is one of the most recognized living graphic designers and I’ve always been an admirer of his work and the way that he works with concepts to complete his projects. In his hour long talk, he touched on the work that he has been doing since he took his self-imposed sabbatical (the “year without clients”). He has set up his small design firm, Sagmeister, Inc., in a way that I think would be ideal for most designers. The firm breaks down work into 4 categories:

1. Design for music (i.e. the identity for Casa de Musica and also his long list of famous album covers.)
2. Socially responsible design (i.e. True Majority)
3. Corporate design (Zumtobel)
4. We are the authors (his most current typeographic work)

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All photos: Designojek

Studio 804 is a design/build program at the University of Kansas School of Architecture and Urban Planning. It provides hands-on designing and building opportunities for KU architecture students in their final semester of their degree. Focused on service leaning projects, Studio 804 has built a number of low-income housing in the blighted neighborhoods of Lawrence and Kansas City. Their efforts not only provide a service, but also help to elevate the awareness of architecture and urban planning in those communities.

Photo courtesy of Studio 804

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For the chamber music fans out there, at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 11, 2008, saxophonist Vince Gnojek will give a recital at the University of Kansas. Mr. Gnojek is the professor of saxophone at KU and will be accompanied by Holly Beneventi Page, piano and Brian Gnojek, clarinet. The program will feature works by all modern composers with the exception of Jules Demersseman who was one of the very first composers for the saxophone. This recital marks Gnojek’s 20th year at KU and coincides with the 50th Anniversary of Murphy Hall.

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