COOL PEOPLE: JOHN BRAMBLITT

THE BLIND YET VISUAL ARTIST

John Bramblitt is not who you would call ordinary. After going blind due to complications with epilepsy in 2001, John, whose dream was to become a creative writing teacher, was crushed. Feeling deeply depressed John discovered the world of painting and the results have been quite impressive:

John had never painted before going blind. Yet after about a year of practice and figuring his way through, John has mastered the concept.

Sold in over twenty countries his art has appeared in print, television, and radio. It’s also been showcased in the CBS Evening News, ABC, BBC Radio, and featured in The New York Times and Psychology Today.

John uses brailed tubes to identify colors and preconceived recipes for color combination. He also paints using his hands as a guide for the paintbrush. By doing this he states that it helps put down better lines on the canvas. John has also used different types of paint and can figure out which is which by their texture. 

Though he is self-taught, he has learned to use raised lines to help guide him through the canvas, giving him a haptic visualization of what the picture looks like.

John Bramblitt is not what you would call ordinary. No, he is in fact exceptional. In his first art show John refused to tell anyone he was blind because he “didn’t want it to affect the way [people] perceived the art.” He has also embraced his condition. This is evident in how he signs each of his pieces where you’ll see two circles with “X’s” painted over them. Absolutely fantastic.

Here is an awesome CBS interview about the man himself:

Bramblitt has demonstrated to all of us that a set back (whether minor or major) does not mean you should despair because we are much more capable than we know. Sometimes it takes setbacks to discover what those capabilities are.

By: Oliver R. Pernt

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TECH TALK: THE DEZER COLLECTION

SUPER CAR ROOM UNVEILED AT THE DEZER COLLECTION

As a certified car lover, I always enjoy the opportunity of spending time with cars and with people who enjoy them as much as I do. Luckily, I was able to do that this past Saturday at the Dezer Collection on 146th Street in North Miami. I was there for the unveiling of the brand new Super Car Room, which was hosted by Michael Dezer, an Israeli-Born, New York real estate developer and founder of Dezer Properties.

The night started off with a brief meet-and-greet in the entrance room where the Mahindra Formula E Racing Team of India and special guests waited in anticipation.

  

As we roamed the museum, it was a match made in heaven. The event was a merge of fashion, tech, design and art. There was a huge “Super Car Room” mural made by the awesome London native INSA, a graffiti artist who created the Gif-iti app. With the use of his app, you can point your phone towards one of his murals and see it move! You can even view one of his murals from space when using the app. That is innovation at its best!

 

INSA Space Gif-iti:

After about an hour of roaming the museum, we were invited to have dinner in preparation for the unveil. Dezer and others said a few words and then the curtains were pulled.

From a Lamborghini Diablo to a Porsche Carrera GT, the collection was impressive. Yet the vehicles that caught everyone's eyes was first, the 650hp Mercedes-Benz Mclaren SLR 722 Edition. The Benz is a more hardcore version to the original SLR. You add 33 more horses and a stiffer suspension and you'll create the perfect car for the weekend drive to the racetrack. A little fun fact is that the 722 nameplate is derived from the victory race won by the legendary Sterling Moss in the Mille Miglia in 1955. The car was a Mercedes 300 SLR with the starting number 722 (indicating he started the race at 7:22 a.m.). 

The next car is non-other than the $2 million dollar, 1000BHP Bugatti Veyron. This car is different from just about every other car I have ever seen in the sense of presence it gives off.  

It was a perfect evening for the car-enthusiast. To see more of the iconic cars from the event, such as the Batmobile, the Aston Martin DB5 from 007 or the supercars like the Bugatti Veyron, visit the Dezer Collection.

By: Oliver R. Pernt

See more COOL here

COOL EVENTS: How To Be a Millionaire At The Armory Show 2015

Having a million dollars must feel nice, right?

I mean, most people at one point or another have thought about how it must feel to be a millionaire. We watch shows about it, keep up with celebrities, and lust for objects and amenities only available to the "elite" and wealthy.

Ah, yes, having a million dollars must be nice, but what if I told you, that you could know what it feels like first-hand?

You see, down at the Armory Show 2015 you can actually fulfill your lifelong dream of being a millionaire!

Jonathan Schipper, Million Dollar Walk (2015) at Pierogi Gallery, The Armory Show 2015.
Photo by Christophe Tedjasukmana for Artsy.

It's called the "Million Dollar Walk"! For 10 minutes,  you have the opportunity to walk around the fair with a briefcase filled with, you guessed it, a million dollars in cash!

The interactive work by Jonathan Schipper allows visitors to the Pierogi Gallery to sign up and walk around pier 94 with the well-equipped suitcase.

Jonathan Schipper, Million Dollar Walk (2015) at Pierogi Gallery, The Armory Show 2015. 
Photo by Christophe Tedjasukmana for Artsy.

Included are handcuffs, which will strap you to the suitcase, and a guard. Not included is The O'Jays "For The Love Of Money" as a soundtrack while you walk.

Jonathan Schipper, Million Dollar Walk (2015) at Pierogi Gallery, The Armory Show 2015. 
Photo by Christophe Tedjasukmana for Artsy.

There isn't a route to which you have to stick to but you are told to "avoid the exits".

Jonathan Schipper, Million Dollar Walk (2015) at Pierogi Gallery, The Armory Show 2015. 
Photo by Christophe Tedjasukmana for Artsy.

Jonathan Schipper, Million Dollar Walk (2015) at Pierogi Gallery, The Armory Show 2015. 
Photo by Christophe Tedjasukmana for Artsy.

The idea of this performative work is to "even the playing field". Schipper stated that art fairs are a meeting place for art and money. He realized this after reading various articles that discussed these art  fairs and how the focus was more on the money behind the artwork rather than the art itself. So even if its for 10 minutes, he gives the regular attendee the chance to even the playing field. That's why he does this during public viewing hours rather than on the VIP preview.

So if you're in the area of twelfth avenue and 55th street in NYC, check out The Pierogi Gallery Booth in Pier 94 and become a millionaire today (for 10 minutes of course)!

By: Oliver Pernt

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COOL ICON: GRAFFITI ARTIST DONDI

The Color Of Unity

It’s impressive what one action is capable of achieving, isn’t it? The concept that an idea, no matter how small can make such a big impact has always been a point of inspiration for me. How creating something astounding can come from a seemingly innocent, and perhaps irrelevant act like painting a simple “name” on random structures found in a city.

That is why I fell in love with the world of graffiti. As a kid growing up in the concrete jungles of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro it was easy to get lost in the greyness of it all. But it was the murals, the creative and colorful writing, and uniqueness of each piece that molded my love for the artistic world. It was graffiti where I was initially exposed to the intricate being of art. Da Vinci, Monet, and Klimt came later.

That is why, in honor of Black History Month, I want to speak about a hugely influential African American man you’ve probably never heard of: Mr. Donald Joseph White A.K.A. Dondi. Considered one of the most influential graffiti artists in the history of the art form.  

Born in Brooklyn, on April 6^th 1961, Dondi was born into a difficult world. Brooklyn at the time was an unstable region due to racial tension and social conflicts, which was mostly brought out by gangs. Gangs ruled the streets to such a degree that he joined several of them in order to avoid any unwanted aggression.

It was in the mid 1970’s, his teen years, where graffiti started to be a big part of Donald’s life. Using the tag name (graffiti signature/artist name) “NACO” and “DONDI”, Donald progressed (much like Taki183 or Tracy168, the Godfathers of graffiti) from simple tagging to richer, more elaborate pieces. 

After being a part of the TOP (The Odd Partners) crew, he went out and started his own. With such noticeable artists as CRASH, DOC, and RASTA, the CIA (Crazy Inside Artists) crew changed the landscape and throughout the next 20 years Donald became well known as the standard for stylistic pieces, influencing countless young artists for years to come.

Throughout his career his “Children of the Grave” pieces (part 1, 2, and 3) were the most famous. Each piece covered the whole exterior of a subway car and the name was taken from a Black Sabbath song.

These pieces, along with many others helped change the perception that graffiti was a foul, criminal attempt at art, and allowed Donald to bring graffiti to the world, making him the first graffiti artist to have a one-man show in the Netherlands and Germany, and furthermore his work was collected by European museums.

Looking over this art form, what I love about graffiti is the irony of it all: How you make limitlessness from limits. Whether it is financial limits (not enough money to afford decent paint and canvas), educational limits (no proper training), or city limits (walls, buildings, bridges, trains, etc), graffiti doesn’t care. The world is your canvas. All that is stopping you is your imagination.

Another irony, and perhaps the most important part of the graffiti movement, is how this colorful movement doesn’t see color. Since its birth, graffiti was established by diversity. Race was never a limiting factor, and through its expansion, it could be considered one of the best race unifiers to date.

From New York, to São Paulo, to Rio, to Wynwood, what I’ve noticed above anything else is that creative expression in raw form is a platform for the ever-existential need to create, to show, to be. As people we continuously strive to make a mark in this world of ours, whether it be in a positive or negative light and through the expression of an idea we are able to not only make a statement, but change its perception as well. It opens our eyes to new ways of seeing, and as I sit here in Wynwood, I can’t help but feel that Dondi needs abundant acknowledgement because without his actions, the action of some before him and many after him, this beautiful part of Miami I feel blessed to work in simply wouldn’t exist.

Because of this I, as well as everyone here at COOL want to thank the late, great Donald “Dondi” White. His “irrelevant” actions made a very relevant contribution by breaking the color barrier with color.  #CertifiedCOOL

 By: Oliver Pernt

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COOL PEOPLE: JAMES ROBERTSON

Hard Work is as COOL As It Gets

Our lives are interesting rollercoasters, aren’t they? It is easy to say that all we have to do in life is work hard and that through hard work, we will give our lives meaning. But what about when times get tough? What do you do then? Well, if you’re someone like James Robertson you find a way to keep going.

As a 56 year-old Detroiter, James has most likely had his fair share of hard times, but I’m not sure he was prepared for what was to come. You see he works at a factory in Rochester Hills, which is 23 miles away from his home. And up until about 10 years ago he would take his 1988 Honda Accord to work everyday; but that all changed when the car died on him.

Because of that James had to find another way to get to work, so he started using public transportation. Since the public transportation system could not take him all the way to the factory he worked at, he had to walk the remaining distance. “So what?” – You’re probably asking, “people walk to work all the time”. Well, as true as that may be I doubt they’re walking as much as he is. The closest he can get using public transportation is 10.5 miles. That means James is walking an extra 21 miles every weekday.

Now here at COOL Creative we like to celebrate amazing fashion, art, design, innovation, and such, but we also believe in celebrating amazing individuals. Individuals like James, that continue to show hard work, dedication, and passion for their work regardless of profession or how tough life is. We consider this as #CertifiedCOOL as it gets. Because even though he has to embark in such a journey every weekday he still maintains a perfect attendance record. He has never missed work. And even more so he never complains, simply stating that he can’t see himself not working.

Because of this, the Internet in all of its glory has banded together to create a kickstarer campaign to get him a car, and after only one day over $50,000 has already been raised. If you’d like to be a part of helping this hero of a man, just click here: http://www.gofundme.com/l7girc

The world needs more people like you, Mr. Robertson. You are an inspiration, and in our eyes, #CertifiedCOOL.

By: Oliver Pernt

See more COOL here

ART SAKE : COOL TAKES BASEL WITH #TheSELFIE

Interactive Art Exhibition Shows Us 

the Two Faces of #TheSelfie

The interactive art exhibition took place in the heart of Wynwood at the Lab Miami, known as the hub of the tech movement in Miami. Guests were greeted by hosts then directed to the interactive fine art pieces featuring some of Miami’s influencers in music, fitness, fashion, art and entrepreneurship. Selfie subjects include: Cuchi Of Afrobeta, Tony Smurphio Of Afrobeta, Johanne Wilson, Julz Goodard, Terrance Wilson, Sheyla Beaujin, Rosie Pradel, Ramses Principe, Annie Vasquez, and Charles Reynolds. “It is an honor to collaborate with COOL Creative on this project,“ says photographer Adrian Ruiz of Uneeq Productions.

Each work of art features a black and white portrait one of the influencers surrounded by a vibrant custom graphic pattern inspired by their personality. The portraits are “faceless” as they are covered by a smartphone to similate the way we look as we take selfies in the real world. As they visit each piece, people are invited to scan digital codes to see the other side of each selfie, without the phone covering the face. #TheSELFIE explores the relationships between the real and digital world, the duality of selfies, and stories behind the selfies. “I took a selfie in a dressing room and when I looked at it, I realized that my entire face was covered up” explains artist, Johanne Wilson.  ”At that moment, I was inspired to do this project. It’s about the duality of our lives in the digital and real world.”

The art exhibition continued to the back of the building where artist, Terrance Wilson was completing his monumental mural that explored the relationship of nature and technology. “It’s a representation of the past, present and future,” says the artist. It is one of Wynwood’s only free-hand murals. The artist did not create a pencil drawing to trace or project the image onto the wall, “I just let my hand flow,” says the artist. The black and white mural can be seen from 25th street between 4th and 5th avenue.

Guests enjoyed art, great vibes provided by DJ Legato, and the most artful sangria by Sangria Lolea. Lance Bass of NSYNC even showed up, spent time and enjoyed the exhibition. “When he asked me to sign the prints he purchased I almost passed out,” recounts the artist. The exhibition was very thoughtful, well organized and engaging.  “This is one of the only events I’ve been to that had a great melange of art and event,” boasted Juan Carlos Arcacia of Pure Etiquette. “This is a celebration of our inaugural appearance at Art Basel. It’s only going to get bigger and more creative,” says Johanne Wilson.

To purchase prints and original pieces visit the shop: https://squareup.com/market/cool-creative-inc

Recap video can be viewed here:

To purchase prints and orginal pieces visit the shop: https://squareup.com/market/cool-creative-inc

See more COOL here.