(lovely masking-tape graffiti from down-under… found here)

Watching live-streaming news on Al Jazeera with a hopeful heart…

callipygous (aka callipygian)

For many years I have collected dictionaries—in printed book form, and also online. I take great delight in discovering new words, and in understanding their roots and etymology. “Callipygous” crossed my desktop recently, and I couldn’t help but ‘share’ this lovely, voluptuous word that means: “of, pertaining to, or having beautiful buttocks,” 1800, from Gk. kallipygos, name of a statue of Aphrodite at Syracuse, from kalli-, combining form of kallos “beauty” + pyge “rump, buttocks.” Sir Thomas Browne (1646) refers to “Callipygæ and women largely composed behinde.”

Gluteous maximus triumvirate image from unknown sources: Cooper Black (typeface) seemed to fit just right… (with a nod to Matt Warburton).

(just passing this on…)

“Tack’s Cartoon Tips have been prepared for the purpose of aiding those desirous of entering the field of Comic Art…”.

From a Flickr slideshow (scan of B. ‘Tack’ Knight’s 1923 instructional book on cartooning). 

Basel, Switzerland

It’s funny how one becomes so attached to certain places… I’ve found myself pining for Basel again of late (I spent most of my school-aged years in and around this fine old city on the banks of the Rhine).

Illustrated poster by Marcus Schneider, Graphis Annual 61/62.

Vilnius, Lithuania

I’ve just accepted an invitation to speak at the “spring” icograda design week (conference) in Vilnius in May. I’ve never been to Lithuania before—looking forward to this, and to crossing paths with many old (and new) Icograda friends again…

— Martin Luther King, Jr.

Winnipeg, Canada

I’m happy to be able to announce the launch of The Canadian Gallery, a collection of exquisite outdoor and nature photographs by friend and client Mike Grandmaison. The Canadian Gallery offers images of our great land specifically selected for their appeal to collectors—as fine art pieces, for corporate decor, and for use as corporate gifts.

My CIRCLE colleagues and I have been working with Mike over the past half year in preparation for the launch of the gallery’s new website (which went live earlier this week) and in preparation for the opening of The Canadian Gallery’s physical exhibit space (which is scheduled to open here in Winnipeg two months from today). Check out the imagery on display here.

Above: a few select images from The Canadian Gallery. All ©2011 Mike Grandmaison.