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

Check out more COOL here:

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

See more COOL here:

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

WATCH THIS : GREATNESS

Nike: Find Your Greatness. — Jogger.

Wieden + Kennedy

Nike is not an Olympic sponsor this year, but that hasn't stopped it from borrowing interest in what it takes to compete in the games. The result—this thoughtful, unexpectedly moving video of an overweight pre-teen, Nathan, forcing himself to run down a lonely road in London, Ohio—is fantastic. Note that it's filmed in a single, unedited take. (Source: Business Insider : Advertising)

See more COOL features on our blog THAT'S COOL. Just click and scroll down. 

BRANDS THAT INSPIRE : BROOKLYN CIRCUS

Brooklyn Circus is a brand that can be described as neo-victorian, dandy, and retro-urban. Its a mix of old and new, lined with confidence and trimmed with grace. The company was founded by Haitian-American, Ouigi Theodore, whose goal is to "refine the image of urban America."
"BKc has produced garments that bring the past forward into the future while extending an ethos of education, empowerment and authenticity." - Source BKc Website 

That definitely gets our stamp of COOL.

Check out some of these videos to hear more about the brand and its founder.

Theodore studied graphic design at FIT and worked as a graphic designer right after he graduated with a history degree. He later scraped together $8,000 and opened his shop. Although he originally helped design the clothes at Brooklyn Circus under the BKC label, Mr. Theodore now farms out the designing, casting himself more as an idea-generator and curator.

Source: nytimes.com

 See more COOL features on our blog THAT'S COOL. Just click and scroll down. 

TREND TALK : MINT COLOR TREND

Mint Color inspiration by COOL Creative

Mint popped up on many fashion runways last Spring. Since then I've been obsessed with the color. This color is so versatile and can be carried over to any season. I love that a color so soft and subtle can make such a huge statement. The color pops beautifully on darker and olive skin tones... and give lighter skin tones an ethereal glow. Its one of those colors that I believe anyone can pull off. 

Some of my minty picks include: Chanel Vernis in 407 Jade (hard to find however ESSE carries Mint Candy Apple which is absolutely fabulous), Lime Opaque Lipstick, Mint belt, watch, dress and more available at ASOS. 

One of my fave pass times is to play with my internal color wheel and Mint is such a fun color to experiment with. For a more summery feel: try mint with pop colors like hot pink and chartreuse. For a bold and interesting look, try it with a black and white pattern. If you want to keep it light and sweet, pair it with neutral colors. You can finish off your minty look with some shiny gold shoes. The matte feeling of the mint against the shiny gold texture will really give your look a rich quality. 

Fresh inspiration that's cool for any season.

TREND TALK : GOLD RUSH

Saturday mornings are always an adventure in our family. One morning we woke up excitedly ready to head out on a GOLD RUSH adventure... we were going to trade in gold for cash! We got a tip that one of the most highly regarded gold buyers in the country was in town. So we got the fam together and headed out. Long story short, it was quite a pay day for us. The experience got me thinking about gold and fashion. I've always been partial to gold, especially since it brings out the yellow undertones in my skin.

So I went on a hunt for some of the coolest ways to use gold in an unexpected and bold way. Some highlights include: Laruicci Claw Rings (as seen in Beyonce's "Girls Run the World" video), Gold Nail Rocks Designer Nail Wraps, BiJules NYC Serpent Nail Tip Ring, and of course the ever popular "I'm Fly" ring which I bought from a street vendor in NYC last December and gold nail jewelry. One thing to note about going for the gold... make sure the tone is not too yellow otherwise it will cheapen the look. Gold will always be cool! Be creative and look for stand out pieces.