The Dieline Awards by, well, The Dieline– which is one of my favorite package design sites. The official ceremony will be held at the FUSE Conference, April 14th, 2010 in Chicago.

We love to hear from our readers about the various creative endeavors they’ve got themselves into. Shane Ermitano posted a simple note and a link to his site packed full of graphic design beauty. A Filipino raised in Arkansas, he’s now a Chicago resident and has done quite well blending these influences. Have a browse through his collected print and web work, but don’t miss his food blog. Keep up the good work Shane and thanks for sharing.

Even if you feel like you lost Indiana Jones forever that fateful day this summer when you wasted $10 on Kingdom of The Crystal Skull, you probably still long to participate in archaelogical adventures inspired by your favorite onscreen professor. Well, there’s still plenty of artifacts out there waiting to be found. Among them is your very own Indy hat, a necessity for anyone on their first or last crusade. Luckily, if you live in New York, San Francisco, L.A., or Chicago, you might just happen upon one of 800 fedoras. An anonymous group has planted them in random nooks and crannies of the four cities for anyone to pick up. Just think, you could be that close to becoming your own version of Indy and carrying on the tradition as you please. We should note these hats belong on your head and not in a museum.

via Zoomdoggle

Josh Kenyon and Colby Nichols have been on our radar (as well as each other’s) for quite some time now. While it’s often said that familiarity breeds
contempt, their familiarity has bred nothing but appreciation of the other’s awesome design work. The two talented artists, who have both contributed to some of the same projects, are now a team. As art directors of the Portland and Chicago offices of Tangible Worldwide, Nichols and Kenyon  have teamed up for their first project, a limited run poster promoting Tangible Chicago. To sneaka closer peak at the work being done at the burgeoning interdisciplinary design agency check out their new site and then stop by their online shop to snag yourself a poster before they’re all gone.

It seems like it was just the other day we were talking about Si Scotts, but if you are looking for something other than playing cards, the FUSShop has just added new print, ‘Hype Type', to their already robust collection of Si Scott prints. Just to give a reminder, these illustratons are hand-drawn, i.e. no Adobe. Just good ol' pen and paper produce these elegant black and white images. His fusion of illustration and typeface has gained him notarity and his work is becoming increasingly sought after, just ask Nike Europe and the BBC. This time it is going to run you a little more than the $6 playing cards — the prints are £59.99 and are limited to 100. Also, if you happen to be in Chicago over the next month be sure to check out his exhibition at the Threadless Gallery.

Threadless is our kind of store (for more proof, see here). Their designs are driven by the creative minds of both artists and their devout consumers. These are the kind of T-shirts that when we wear them, we always get the obligatory “OMG! Where did you get that?!” so now we just carry their business cards (we don’t speak to strangers).
And, starting July 11th, Threadless plans to really bring art to the forefront by holding “Go with the Flow,” an exhibition at their Chicago store/gallery, featuring the urban-inspired art of graphic designer/illustrator J. Byrnes. In the meantime, you can check out more of his gritty designs at adapt-studio.com

What if you could go back to a summer camp where all you did was arts and crafts? Well, Firebelly Design is about to make you one happy camper. Camp Firebelly, a two week graphic arts program / sleepaway camp, is ready to accept applications for ten gifted design students to take part in a work-intensive project for a non-profit client. In lieu of tents, Firebelly is letting you camp out in their Chicago loft. And, if you really miss the swimming and canoing of your childhood…there’s always Lake Michigan. From the sound of it, the days will be long, and the nights may not be full of s’mores and ghost stories. But, it will look a heck of a lot better on your resume than that first place archery ribbon.

Not everyone lives in Chicago. If they did we'd imagine there would be a severe demand for housing, scores of infrastructure issues and extremely long lines at any of the three Jake retail stores in the region. Luckily for the city of Chicago, “everyone” is spread out rather liberally over the entire world. Problem is, that seems to place a few unfortunate souls far away from the Jake retail locations whose product assortment features collections from both emerging and established designers and offers a carefully edited selection of the world's best premium denim lines, not to mention their showcase of unique and wearable items for men and women. However, thanks to latest invention called the Internet, those poor scattered souls can now have their pick of Jake's fashion litter by heading to ShopJake; they've got everything you could ever want under the denim sun and plenty more where that came from.

We’ve written — animatedly — about Chicago’s new Threadless store, and about the gallery that the store contains. We’ve also written quite enthusiastically about Chuck Anderson’s, aka Nopattern’s, luscious designs and illustrations. Though it’s hard (especially at this point in our lives) to admit to peeing our pants, we will say that animated enthusiasm is a bit of an understatement when it comes to our excitement over the following tidbit of information: Chuck Anderson will be featured at the Threadless Gallery’s first show, opening this Friday, November 9th, from 7-9 pm. That sentence should be said in outside voices for a few reasons, but especially because Mr. Anderson will be showing a collection of brand new work at the gallery, and because this opening will mark his very first solo show. Congratulations to both Threadless for their new gallery and Chuck for filling it — we wish we could be there!

In the interest of full disclosure, let me state the following: I have not gone, nor do I ever intend to ever go, to Burning Man. There are a myriad of reasons behind my reluctance, not the least of which is my strong aversion to placing myself in situations completely out of my control and difficult to extricate myself from, much less huge gatherings of less-than-sober strangers in the Nevada desert. I’m far more comfortable with the idea of engaging with such things at a distance. That is not to say, however, that I’m not interested in the annual festival of hedonism and self-expression. Part of what I find fascinating about Burning Man is the temporary nature of the “experimental community” both in terms of the event itself (held just one week out of the year) and the works of art, performances, costumes, and other forms of expression exhibited by the participants. Photographer A. Leo Nash has been attending Burning Man for over a decade, rising early in the morning each day to document the bizarre and wonderful assortment of vehicles, structures, and other constructions that often defy description. The nature of his subject — like the festival itself — is fleeting , yet through Nash’s understated black & white compositions, we can see each surreal flight of fancy captured in time prior to being disassembled or put to the torch. Nash released a hard-bound compilation of photographs last month in Burning Man: Art in the Desert that is worth reviewing if only to appreciate the book’s unique matchbox design, if not its contents. For those interested in viewing his work up close & personal, the Catherine Edelman Gallery in Chicago will be exhibiting a selection of his photos beginning Friday, July 13.

The Wrigleyville neighborhood in Chicago will never be thought of as a shopping destination, at least not unless you’re in the market for an Old Style, roasted peanuts, or a Hebrew National frank. There are a few spots here and there, though, worth visiting both for city-dwellers and visitors descending upon the Windy City this summer. The recently christened Lakeview Manufacturing Company, just a few minutes from Wrigley field in the heart of Lakeview, has gotten a lot of pub by the local press & scene-spotters — and rightly so. LMC, the latest concept from Lakeview Broadcasting Company owner Stephen Westman and FOB bassist/Ashlee Simpson boytoy/sometimes-tool Pete Wentz, presents itself as a “lifestyle boutique” which seems to mean that it’s just like any other boutique, but with a mini styling salon in the back. The shop goes all out for the ’80s theme with a shag carpet wall, strewn-about copies of Teen Beat, and other endearingly tacky details sure to trigger a wave of nostalgia and possibly, some impulse buys. In addition to Wentz’s Clandestine Industries line of apparel, you can find other rad goodies for both guys and gals from labels such as 426 Brand, DITC, Lying Laundry, Old School Arts & Crafts Movement, and Royale. In contrast to most other “lifestyle boutiques” in the city, most of the stuff here is relatively affordable and won’t leave you weeping in your 16-oz SOLO cup when you spill mustard down the front of your “new” vintage tee. Just remember kids, in the words of Martin Q. Blank: “You can never go home again… but I guess you can shop there.”

Before reading further, please take stock of your past and current employment situation. If you an obnoxiously rich heiress whose most taxing chore will be deciding on your outfit for the after-party (or the after-after party), or anyone else fortunate enough to have avoided a 9-to-5 job, skip to the next post. Now, for all of the rest of us poor bastards seeking relief from the tedium that is our daily lives, Chicago’s Three Walls has an upcoming exhibition inspired by the infamous day job that may do the trick. Three Walls is a nonprofit organization focused on providing education, workspace, and exhibition opportunities, to emerging artists — and fans of same — within contemporary art. The upcoming show, “Day Jobs”, will feature photography, drawings, mixed media, and sculpture by artists Tim Best, Kyle Brumfield, and Japeth Mennes, some of which directly references the soul-crushing world of watching the clock for a living. You can also take comfort in that fact that the three artists featured in the exhibition, like us, have to grind it out during the week to support their true passions.

After moving across town last year, I have fallen in love with my new neighborhood. Despite some dispiriting signs of obvious gentrification, enough creative energy remains in the residents and environs of this area that just walking down the street can make me feel revitalized. And yet so much demands my attention (a new restaurant moving in, a new shop opening, the shirtless Asian guy dancing on the street corner, etc.) I sometimes miss the finer details. But if you pay attention while walking along, say, Milwaukee Avenue, you’ll get a visual treat as scores of posters promote this DJ or that band. Occasionally, one or two will pop out as particularly engaging and often it turns out the poster is the work of Spike Press. Spike Press is the nom de squeegee (his term) of John Solimine, a Chicago-based design whiz and illustrator extraordinaire whose art has graced posters for groups such as The Wrens*, Tokyo Police Club, and The National. In a recent interview, John mused on the definition of success in regards to his work, saying that “…a piece or illustration can be beautifully crafted and have a clever visual twist to it, but can still leave you cold…if I can get someone to laugh or say “awwww!” then it’s a success.” By that definition, I’d say John’s work has been — and will continue to be — very, very successful.

*Anytime you guys want to come back is absolutely fine with me. — H

Every so often, I review my browsing history and start to feel a bit jaded. I mean, surely there’s more to life than secret retail sales, snarky blogs, and open bars… right? (I don’t know where you’re getting these crackpot ideas from, Luce. -ed.) Fortunately, the folks at Literago have come along to buoy my spirits and spread the word about literary happenings in the Windy City area. I think it’s a genius idea – a bit like Myopenbar, but for bookish types, and/or those of us who would like to meet and perhaps even date bookish types. Chicago gets a bad rap at times for its elusive cultural scene — it’s all there, across music, art, fashion, and yes, literature, but connecting to events and people can get a bit frustrating. One pervasive problem has been divisions between neighborhoods and cliques throughout the city – for example, folks in Andersonville may have a tough time hearing about a reading or a workshop in Pilsen. Literago fills the gaps by providing a home on the interweb for literary events, including an editorially reviewed calendar and corresponding weekly newsletter. The site is not just a clearing-house of activities, however, as you can also find essays (”Bulletins”, on topics such as Punk Planet and McSweeney’s) on the state of literature in Chicago and beyond. Finally, if you really want to dig in, there’s a comprehensive list of local resources such as publications, publishers, venues, and other websites. The Chicago literary community owes co-founders Gretchen and Eugenia a big high-five. Awesome stuff.