IMPRINT Culture Labs: Design Contest
ICL is hosting a purse design contest which is now in the voting stage. Please stop by and cast a vote for my two submissions and checkout the other entries. visit: http://imprintlab.com/designcontest

I talked to the folks at UNKL and it seems things are taking a little longer but they think my figure will release in or around March of 2008. My design was one of four chosen as part of a contest. Visit: http://www.unklbrand.com/

Last night several inches of the white stuff fell. Being that my mini doesn't fair so well in the snow this meant I had to shovel the walks and a path for the car. It reminds me of when I was a kid, we always used to have a foot of snow on the ground. These days snow seems to be more of a rarity.

Today my little lady had her 10th birthday and as usual she decided to be a drama queen. "But I asked for a bigger bone". "This wet food is cold". "I want sparkling water".

I will have several pieces on display at this years Design Miami

Die Gestalten Verlag, a German publisher, is firmly committed to identifying the zeitgeist of contemporary visual culture. They are constantly exploring all areas of creativity to examine currents in visual codes – from graphic design and illustration to photography, furniture design, interiors, architecture and art.

For Design Miami 2007, dgv presents Fragiles, an extraordinary collection of work created from porcelain, ceramics and glass that indicate how visual culture and high tech production processes are influencing and reshaping this delicate territory in pioneering ways.

Selected works by:
* Arne Quinze
* Jaime Hayon
* Scott Rench
* Marcel Wanders
* Jerszy Seymour
* Hella Jongerius
* Jurgen Bey
* Hans Van Bentem
* Stephen Burks
* Nik Schweiger | 3deluxe
* Stephanie DeArmond
* Charles Krafft
* Emma Woffenden & Tord Boontje
* Alessandro Mendini
* Commonwealth & Joshua Davis
* Malin Lundmark
* Maxim Velcovsky
* George J. Sowden
* Wendy Walgate
* Christie Wright | Elastichome
* Lola Goldstein
* Cynthia Hathaway
* David Amar
* Emily Forgot
* Frida Andersson & James Steiner
* Giordano Redaelli
* Miwa Koizumi
* Guillaume Delvigne
* Hana Vitkova
* Ineke Hans
* Jakub Berdych
* Kate Hume
* Laura Mckibbon | Cul De Sac
* Sebastian Menschhorn
* Lisa Goldberg
* Megan Bogonovich
* Katie Parker
* Mimi Joung
* tjep.
* Nathalie Schaap
* Doodle
* Nicolas Bovesse
* Robert Dawson
* Sarah Cihat
* Milan Pekar
* Guillaume Delvigne & Ionna Vautrin
* Thomas Paul
* Jason Miller
* Tamsin van Essen
* to22
* o-d-a
* Louise Hindsgavl
* KleinReid
* Dan Yeffet
* Dror Benshetrit
* Bathsheba Grossman
* Assa Ashuach

///////// visit: http://www.die-gestalten.de/fragiles/

I have a new t-shirt available through threadless.com. This 10 color shirt features black flocking and glow-in-the-dark ink. It's called ME VS. ME ss an homage to human regret. A visualization of the little voices inside your head that have you constantly second-guessing the decisions you make as you travel through life.

Well, I am back in Chicago now. Denmark was one of the top 3 journeys of my life and it has me looking and reflecting on my life. This trip has changed me in ways I cannot put into words. I am so grateful to all the new friends I've made. You made my trip special and I am glad we could share it together. I would be remiss in not thanking my friend Paul Scott for yet another amazing opportunity.

I'm not sure what this says in Danish, but when I pushed the button I farted.

It was time for me to board the train to the airport. Before leaving, I went to the room where all men go to reflect on their life. The bathroom.

There was one thing I wanted to try that alluded me on our last trip to Copenhagen and that was these open air hot dog stands. I am told they are owned and run by people with disabilities. There was this lovely older lady running one near the city center train station. She could see my fascination and invited me into her stand so I could take more photos. I bought Fransk Hotdog for 20 Danish Krone's with the weak US dollar came to about $5 I think. It consists of a hallowed out roll filled with you choice of mayo, mayo with chopped pickles, ketchup or mustard. I went for the Danish choice which is mayo with chopped pickles. It was amazingly good. My mouth is watering just thinking about now. It was so good I walked back 5 minutes later and asked her for another.

I present to you Copenhagen's Chinatown. I was looking in the store windows and saw these cool boxes. You can bet this will show up in future work. I am attracted to the shapes, colors and repetition.

CLICK on any image to see a larger photo.

Copenhagen and much of what I saw while in Denmark was bike friendly with dedicated lanes for cyclists. It was really refreshing to see so many people riding from the littlest tike's, a father with his children to elderly. Chicago may have a bike lane but there is always some car parked illegally in the bike lane. It's to bad our city planners did not take cycling into account. To add cyclist dedicated lanes would be nearly impossible now.

These two photos on represent a small fraction of bikes in and around the city center train station. Maybe I should move to Copenhagen and open up a repair shop.

Here are some random images while cruising around Copenhagen.

Who wouldn't want to look this pretty?

BR toy store

Taking a taxi in Copenhagen is pure luxury as you are transported in either a BMW sedan or Mercedes. Think of that that next time you're in a stinky US cab.

The US could learn a lot from Denmark about the pace of life. It is against the law to have your business open on Sunday. There is an exception, if your business is small and makes below a certain amount you can apply for permission to be open. The Danish have a mentality of nothing is so important that it cannot wait.

Since I was traveling on a Sunday I couldn't get a train direct to the Copenhagen airport. This meant I would have to stop at the city center and switch trains. I looked at my watch and thought I would have more fun exploring Copenhagen for a couple of hours than sitting at the airport. I had also heard there was some festival which meant many of the stores would be open.

As I walked out of the train station I was greeted by this wonderful shirt. It's nice to see the Danish are worried about Britney too.

I headed toward the familiar, so I went back the area by the Hotel Fox where we had stayed previously. It is a really cool area full of great restaurants and shops. Sadly all the things I wanted to see were not open nonetheless I still enjoyed walking around. I was really sad to be leaving Denmark. I could really see myself making a life there.

Here are two videos I shot from the bus which depict rural Denmark. Sorry no sound. I really enjoyed my stay and could actually see myself living there.

On the morning of Sunday November 4th I left Guldagerard, my home for 3 weeks, pulling my suitcase behind. Jen accompanied me to the bus stop. I had to take a bus from Skaelskor to Slagelse to catch the train to Copenhagen.

Along the way I saw what must have been a glow-in-the-dark spider a cast off remnant from Halloween. It was a fitting good bye and one of the things I remember most about my stay. I have never seen the variety and number of spiders I experienced in the center.

Here is a classic Euro go-round a frequent route to the harbor and bar.

I know it is silly and immature but there are lots of funny signs.

Jen Woodin sees me off on the bus as I begin my journey back to Chicago.

Sadly this was my last dinner at the Denmark International Ceramic Research Center. I spent 3 weeks there, but it felt like 6 months. In the end it really started to feel like home and I was sad to leave.

This night we dined on a Mexican spread. It is certainly challenging cooking for 16 people. Each night a team of two had to factor in allergies, vegans and vegetarians. I was worried my trip would involve 100 ways to eat smoked fish but in the end I ate like a king.

I could spend all day watching the windmills. Look for a previous post which features a video where you can hear the sound of the blades cutting through the air.

As I was looking up I noticed a dragon in the clouds. Can you see it?

You are now entering the town of Skaelskor

You are now leaving the town of Skaelskor

On Saturday November 3rd, Jen Woodin and I went for a bike ride to the windmills here are some random things I saw along the way.


In the area there are several apple orchards and its not uncommon to see an honor based apple stand. In the center you can see the metal cash box.

This way to the Harboe Brewery. If you have been following my Danish adventures than you know I am big fan of their products.




This sign means you are leaving town.