Small bricks transformed into phenomenal artworks

I attended the launch of 'The Art of The Brick' 3-months’ ago and have been meaning to write about the awe-inspiring exhibition since then (in fact it has proven so popular that its run at The Zone in Rosebank was extended to 12 August).

My defence for my delayed post; in the months since I attended the exhibition there has been a funeral, wedding and honeymoon to contend with, hence my tardiness. However, even though I saw the exhibition quite a while back I still vividly recall my amazement at the use of Lego bricks-which were masterfully and artistically transformed.

The artist:

Nathan Sawaya is the creative mastermind who saw the artistic value in Lego bricks and brought them to life through his colourful works of art. He has received worldwide praise and recognition for the skilful use of a toy brick. Warner Bros have commissioned Sawaya to recreate DC Comics' superheroes using his unique Lego interpretation. “The Art of the Brick: DC Comics” will showcase 3-D Lego sculptures of Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash, the Joker, Penguin and Harley Quinn. 

The Art of the Brick Exhibition

CNN has lauded Sawaya’s work as a top ten ‘must see global exhibition’ and rightly so, you really do have to see it to appreciate its splendour. The collection of over 70 pieces will undoubtedly inspire children and adults alike to ‘take those big ideas and set them free’.

This exhibition showcases Sawaya’s Lego interpretation of well-known paintings and sculptures, however there are also original pieces that evoke commentary on everyday social issues.

Below are some of my favourite pieces from the exhibition but the attention to detail evident in each piece, make every display a masterpiece.

Gray: 23 678 Lego bricks were used to show Sawaya coming into his own, leaving his career in law behind and embracing the artist within.

Dinosaur: The largest sculpture on display in this exhibition, used 80 020 Lego Bricks and stands 5.97m tall

Green Torso:  8990 Lego bricks used."Sometimes life gets so busy and there is so much going on in your head that it would be nice to be able to lift it off, empty out all the clutter and re-place ready to take on the day" Sawaya.

Starry night: 3493 bricks were used in the Lego interpretation of Van Gogh's best known painting 

Illegal traffic fines

With illegal Aarto infringement notices once again making headlines, I thought I'd post the original article I wrote as a reporter for The Sandton Chronicle, in October 2010. You will notice that there was an insistence by the director of the JMPD that motorists must pay these fines.

Almost 5-years' later the JMPD have issued an apology and this was only done after the public protector recommended "that the metro police chief, in consultation with the city manager, issue a formal apology to be printed in all newspapers in circulation in Johannesburg."

 

What I find a bitter pill is that the illegally procured money, just short of R1bn, will not be returned to those who have already paid.

Read JPSA's reaction to the apology

 

 

 

 

Harvesting rain to save water

We are encouraged to recycle just about everything these days, however with 18% of the world not having access to clean drinking water and with South Africa ranked the thirtieth driest country in the world, one of the most important resources we should consider recycling, is water. The aim of national water week from 16-22 March is increased awareness about the challenges facing our finite water resources and the sustainable management of water levels. Harvesting rainwater and grey water is a viable method of water conservation that not only reduces your carbon footprint but your monthly water bill too. I met eco-urbanite Jane Griffiths, author of Jane’s Delicious Garden, who harvests rain water and grey water and found out how she does it.

Harvesting rain water

Rain is a free source of water, recycling rain water is not as arduous a task as it may first appear and can be achieved elegantly and efficiently in your own backyard. This was demonstrated through a guided tour of Griffiths’ garden, her sagacious garden is maintained with harvested water.  “I had JoJo Tanks installed to harvest rainwater, 1mm of rainfall on one square meter of roof will supply 1 litre of water,” she said.

Grey water tank in Griffiths' backyard

With five rainwater tanks each with a 750litre capacity, her garden is proof that the tanks can be encompassed into your environment seamlessly and effectively. “I have a large roof and all those litres which were washing away down the storm water drain are now saved in my tanks and I can use it to water the garden or wash the car. In summer, when the tanks start overflowing from all the rain, I empty it into my natural swimming pond.”

Rain water tanks in Griffiths' driveway

Rain and grey water specialist Patrick Rosslee from JoJo Tanks warned against drinking unfiltered rainwater. “Remember that untreated water is unsafe to drink. If your installer has placed the correct filters in place, and you have followed the maintenance regime correctly, this water should be safe to drink. If you do not have a water filtration system in place and need to drink this water in an emergency, we recommend boiling the water and keeping it at a rolling boil for at least a minute before drinking. If you’d like to regularly use your rainwater for drinking purposes please consult an installer with experience in installing water filtration systems.”

Grey water harvesting

Grey water is water from showers, laundry, baths and hand washbasins. It should not be confused with black water, sometimes referred to as sewage, which is waste water from toilets and dishwashers.

Rod Cairns managing director of JoJo Tanks simplified grey water harvesting for the average household. “For the average family, close to 90 percent of grey water leaves the household as waste water yet it could have been recycled and reused to water gardens, wash cars and flush toilets among other things,” said Cairns. 

He explained that grey water decomposed very quickly and had to be used within 24 hours or it would become black water, which smelt bad and could not be used due to all the harmful bacteria and pathogens.

“The simplest grey water system consists of gravity feeding water to an underground sump where it passes through a macro filter to remove hair fluff and lint. The water is then immediately pumped or drip-irrigated into the garden."

With the number of waste water management systems on the market you really are spoiled for choice when it comes to water recycling options that are effective and aesthetically non-invasive but reducing your water usage should always be the priority. Ultimately water conservation will not only have a big impact on the planet but on your wallet too.

Easy, fast and cost-effective decor tips

I recently interviewed an interior designer who had some good tips for sprucing up your living space, which I will share with you. Talking to him made me reminisce about designing the interior of my 'new' home, a year and a half ago, and I recalled the satisfaction that designing my interior space brought. Of course I hired professionals to handle all of the fitting, painting etc. but the ideas were mine and that made the results even more rewarding. So if you're a buddying d.i.y designer good luck, make it your own, happy designing! and here are some tips to assist.

Easy, fast and cost-effective decorating tips from my interview with Lean van der Merwe:

1. Replace old lampshades with new, contemporary shades in a feature colour. Colours need not only be introduced on cushions – a lampshade can make an even greater statement.

2. Applying a fresh coat of paint is one of the easiest and quickest ways to redecorate. Instead of repainting a whole room, paint one feature wall in a more vibrant and striking colour. A fun idea: Paint a rectangular shape, horizontally above a sofa and use this space as a “gallery” space for displaying personal photos.

3. Add some funk to a room with contrasting colours, black and white or white with one bright colour. Use these bold colours as a theme throughout the room. i.e. White wall with the display of a bright blue sofa and fluffy white scatter cushions.

4. Replace all your accessories. Walk through your home and place all your accessories on a table. Separate them into two allotments – one side with the accessories you absolutely adore, and the rest, knick knacks you aren’t too attached to. Now, take your favourite items and place them throughout the house, where they will create the most impact. Chances are, you wouldn’t need to position the less favourable accessories.

5. A great way of displaying family photos and smaller paintings, is to arrange them all together. Choose frames of varying sizes, shapes and styles and position on a large wall or a passage way. Firstly, lay them out on the floor to obtain a balanced composition, which will work optimally on the wall.

 

6. Replace old hanging lights with small chandeliers – crystal, wire or even wrought iron, works wonders.

7. Zhoosh-up your bedside tables. Position a tray on top of your bedside table and place the light on the tray. This on its own, already delivers a more rounded-off look. A pretty ornament or small vase with a display of fresh cut flowers, lends more colour and interest. Complete the ensemble with a beautiful coaster or small plate, for your evening glass of water, a small painting on the wall - and voila!

 

8. Purchase six unpainted, small pots. Paint in different shades of your favourite colour, plant some fresh herbs, and display on your kitchen windowsill.

9. Replace door handles in your kitchen, bathroom and bedrooms. Inexpensive, stylish door handles are available at most smaller décor shops these days, and they look gorgeous once fitted.

10. A really great way to add some interest to a built-in bookcase, is to hang small paintings on the corners, where shelves meet with the down slats. The effect is amazing, and simultaneously allows extra space, to hang small pieces.

11. A fab alternative to a vase with flowers, is filling your vase with red apples. Rub them with cooking oil to add a beautiful, fresh shine to the fruit. Just make sure your guests don’t eat them, as they don’t taste as good as they look!

12. Redecorate your bookshelves. They don’t only need to hold books. You can create a special feature with beautiful accessories and book holders / decorative bookend.

13. Create a small feature space at your entrance. A painted feature wall with an entrance or wall table, large clock or painting against the wall, is beautifully completed with one or two special ornaments, placed on the table. An extremely warm and very welcoming look. If you are hosting a party, you can even display small party favours on the table, for your guests to take home, when they leave.

14. Update your window dressings. Even a small thing, such as replacing normal, white curtain tracks with either wrought iron or stainless rods, can make an enormous difference. Rods are generally inexpensive and they look so much better than the normal old boring, and often plastic track.

15. Retile your oven splash back with colourful mosaic or glass. The glass option is very inexpensive and you can then paint the background, in any colour imaginable.
 

 

The most popular beaded bracelet in SA, helps save rhinos

 

I vividly recall the day I met the team that would eventually become Rhino warriors; I was covering a story about a group of people who had just gotten back from an expedition delivering mosquito nets to a Malaria hotspot in Africa (Mission of the heart). Their excitement over the mission’s success was palpable and everyone was talking a mile a minute so it was hard to keep focussed on the story at hand, especially with mention of the exciting conservation programme in the pipeline. That was when I’d met Chris Thorpe-the man who would become the driving force behind the RHINO FORCE.  Fast forward a few months to June 2011 and the article 'You can help Save SA's rhinos' introduced the beaded bracelet to SA.

 

 

Now two-years and several media appearances later, RHINO FORCE is going stronger than ever having just donated R4.6 million to rhino conservation and to think it all started with a beaded bracelet! Well done team RHINO FORCE!

 

R4,6 MILLION FROM RHINO FORCE TO SAVE RHINOS

RHINO FORCE’s red, black and white beaded bracelet remains SA’s best-selling rhino accessory, maintaining unprecedented success in raising awareness and funds for rhino conservation. In total RHINO FORCE paid R3 050 597.59 to Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) from sales of RHINO FORCE bracelets. This multi-million rand donation, acknowledged in thanks by the EWT, supports the NGO’s rhino programmes.

 

RHINO FORCE also thanks the EWT for their conservation activities undertaken in security and protection; wildlife trade law compliance; judiciary awareness and strategic support as the bracelet organisation re-directs its efforts to fully support rhino translocation.

 

This fine-tuned approach is in response to an urgent need for immediate, direct action, and in support of IUCN’s principle of translocation as a method to save a species from extinction. Proudly sponsored by MITSUBISHI SA, RHINO FORCE support Africa Foundation, and fund the translocation of rhino from South Africa to Botswana – a safe haven in terms of security and monitoring. Relocating rhino to suitable habitats spreads them out over a larger area. Translocation also enables rapid growth rates, and is the reason we have 400 separate populations in 9 African countries today.

 

Rhino bracelet sales have raised R400,000 for Africa Foundation, over and above the R3 050 597.59 paid to the EWT. RHINO FORCE also facilitated a whopping R1.1 million from corporate donors, including Motorite Administrators, for the first RHINO FORCE relocation project. The first group of rhino are ready for release in Botswana.

 

The original RHINO FORCE beaded bracelet, launched in June 2011, is synonymous with rhino conservation, remaining a best-seller.  Over 500,000 local and international supporters have donned the conservation accessory. The continued support from retail, corporate and individuals has raised awareness for the critical threat to our rhino populations.

 

“We have identified a direct, immediate conservation action that is saving rhino today, through the sale of the beaded bracelet. Monies we raise and facilitate go directly to translocation. We believe it’s important to involve and educate South Africa in this fight,” says Joanne Lapin Thorpe, co-founder of RHINO FORCE. “We look forward to many more translocation projects and saving our rhinos.”

To help save the rhino, buy a bracelet online at www.rhinoforce.co.za