GOOD MONDAYS: Defend NOLA + Scout

Yes, it has been a year since my last GOOD MONDAYS post but let's get things going again...

Sometimes I get a little too excited when I find out about collaborations between some of my favorite brands and organizations. For example, I almost jumped out of my chair at work when I saw this tweet about the new Defend New Orleans notebooks, created with Scout Books. 

DNO has been a favorite of mine for a while. I have one of their tanks and made sure to stop by their beautiful store during my annual visit to New Orleans after they opened shop last spring. One of the best things about DNO purchases is that a portion of the profits goes towards various local non-profits, including Bridge House, New Orleans Musicians Fund and Sweet Home New Orleans, among others. NOLA is definitely a city full of love and I'm already counting down the days {339} to my next visit. 

Plus, Megabolt, another awesome Scout partner.  

And more New Orleans love. 

(all images DNO, via Scout)

GOOD MONDAYS: Stop the Violence

The images in Francois Robert's skeletal series "Stop the Violence" are stunning. In collaboration with 3st, he recently released a book of the images paired with President Barack Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech from 2009. On his website, Francois says:

The human skeleton is a powerful visual symbol. It’s come to represent the “remains”, what’s left after life has ended, after the flesh and mind cease to function. In my photographs, I use the human skeleton as the formal visual element, the subject of the image. In this manner, the skeleton is both the protagonist and antagonist (the Buddhist notion about, “the duality of man” seems apt).

For each photograph I disassemble the modular system of the skeleton and reconfigure the elements to form a new image. These images are man made. Images of aggression, images that cause suffering, devastation and conflict. I intend the images to plant the notion of restraint and charity in an effort to promote peace and tolerance.

This project is so powerful and a good reminder of the human cost of war, which we seem to so often forget.

The book, published by Classic Color, has sold out but I hope they'll print more in the future.


(book / images)

GOOD MONDAYS: Rebuilding After Disaster

On Thursday, I'll board a flight and head to New Orleans for the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. The Jazz Fest has become a bit of a family tradition and this will be our fourth year attending, as well as my sixth trip to the city.

I fell in love with New Orleans in an unconventional way. Before Hurricane Katrina I had never visited the area and didn't really have any interest in doing so. But when Katrina hit, I felt a connection to New Orleans that I couldn't quite explain. I was in a senior in high school at the time and ended up writing a story about families who were taken from their rooftops straight to recovery centers nearby my home in Michigan. When the story was finished, I began planning my first trip to help with rebuilding. Later, I wrote an article for my college paper about my second rebuilding trip (photo below: I definitely did not choose to match my hard hat with my shirt) and the impact it had on me, and why I continued to return to help the city.

I haven't participated in any rebuilding activities for a few years, but continue to support the city and look forward to my annual trip on an almost daily basis. In fact, the beautiful community I discovered and continue to admire in New Orleans inspired the Fleur de Lis tattoo that adorns my right wrist.

So what does this have to do with books? Well, right as I was about to create this week's GOOD MONDAYS post, I stumbled up "Rebuilding After Disaster: The Biloxi Model Home Program". The book is the story behind The Biloxi Model Home Project, an initiative of Architecture For Humanity.

The goal of the program is to provide design services and financial assistance for the construction of homes that for families in Biloxi, Mississippi whose houses were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Families are paired with a team of professional designers who work with them one-on-one to design a new home for their property that is not only affordable but is also sustainable and meets the area's new building requirements.

What an absolutely wonderful project. So many people seemed to forget that New Orleans wasn't the only city devastated by the hurricanes. Although I personally worked with Habitat for Humanity, I think it is such a great idea to have the designers working with families to build homes that work for them. So often I think we align "green" homes with lots of dollar signs, but these homes are sustainable and affordable.

To learn more about Architecture for Humanity, CLICK HERE, or to jump right ahead to purchasing the book (do it) CLICK HERE.

(images mine or Architecture for Humanity)

GOOD MONDAYS: Chicago Underground Library

I love living in Chicago. I love print media. I love libraries. I think I might also love Chicago Underground Library.

CUL is a collection of Chicago-specific media produced by and for the community. They archive books, magazines, zines, journals, broadsides, newspapers and art books of all types, genres and print runs from the Windy City area.

According to their website, their obsessive archiving "keeps records of everyone who contributed to a work, as well as keywording every subject, allows us to map the evolution (historically and contemporaneously) of Chicago’s communities and movements and encourage the production of new media by providing context, inspiration, and programming designed to support collaboration." Sounds pretty great to me.

CUL recently went mobile (library copter!) and is looking for a new home. Until they find a permanent location, they are doing pop-up libraries in Chicago's neighborhoods.

If you'd like help them find a home and really help them build and serve community, you can donate via PayPal. Or, if your wallet is looking a little slim lately, why not volunteer? Or both?!

CLICK HERE to learn more about CUL.


(CUL / books)

Megabolt

So, here's something good for your Monday: Megabolt Sketchbooks.

Reading the story behind Megabolt is bound to bring a tear to your eye (in a good way) and make your heart soften a little. Megabolt was founded by a group of friends determined to take action instead of just talking about doing something good. Through the power of art and community, they are raising money for children in hospitals, while also inspiring them to keep fighting their illnesses.

When you buy one of their sketchbooks, they also send one to a child in a hospital. The sketchbooks are paired so you know exactly who gets your other sketchbook. Once the kiddo completes their sketchbook, their artwork is uploaded to the Megabolt website for you to flip through. How awesome!

You can purchase your sketchbook by CLICKING HERE.

(all images; found via Fine Little Day)