The Encampment

by Tim Yu

Like a geometric nomadic village of art, The Encampment is a project that erects 100 illuminated expedition-style tents on the south point of NYC's Roosevelt Island from 5-7 October 2007. Organized by Thom Sokoloski and a Toronto based team, each tent will house an installation.

The Encampment's creation and completion requires the participation of the public so they're currently looking for volunteers to join in the creative process. In an effort to create a collective memory of the former insane asylum locale and its storied past, volunteers will collaborate with the creative team to research the stories, people, culture and architecture of Roosevelt Island's history. Collaborators will then use this information to create the original installations within each tent.

Intended for night viewing, the installation will be open from 7pm-1am, but the tents can be viewed from afar at anytime from both sides of the East River. Choreographed ceremonies and musical landscapes of past eras will add another element to the festivities. More info here

Bat For Lashes: Fur and Gold

by Leonora Oppenheim

Welcome to the fantastical and magical world of Natasha Khan. This British singer-songwriter, working under the name Bat For Lashes, has shown herself to be an amazing creative force on her debut album Fur and Gold. The remarkable album was recognized last month with a nomination for the prestigious Mercury Music Prize. And her recent single "What's A Girl To Do" was mentioned on the Refinery29 Summer Playlist last week.

We love the beautiful ethereal sounds of the album and the extraordinary dreamlike imagery that goes with it. In the video for "What's A Girl To Do" we see Natasha biking at night down a road with woodland creatures performing a sort of dance routine on BMXs. If that sounds extraordinary, it's really only the tip of the creative iceberg. Eccentric and eclectic fairytales make up the album's content with beautiful artwork created by Natasha herself. She says that the opening song "Horse + I" came to her in a dream. "Inspired by tales of Joan of Arc, She was woken by a black horse at the window and sent on a fateful quest." Comparisons to Bjork, Tori Amos and Joanna Newsom should give you an idea of what's in store on this musical journey.

Fur and Gold is out on Caroline Records in the U.S.and by Echo in the U.K. Pick it up from Amazon or download from iTunes.

Susan Bijl Bags

by Jacob Resneck

Rotterdam designer Susan Bijl's colorful tote bags make the trip to the supermarket or department store (or wherever) more eco-friendly and more fashionable.

Weighing in at less than thirty bucks, the rain-resistant nylon bags are available in assorted colors (some more nu-rave than others) and two sizes. Either one conveniently packs down to stow away inside of other bags for on-the-go use.

The 10.5x21.5" version's online at Fred Flare for $28.

And oh yeah, did we mention that the concept's Big in Japan?

Yuko Shimizu

by Lost At E Minor

We love the work of New York-based Japanese illustrator Yuko Shimizu—the sense of drama her work conveys and the apparent color clashes that somehow gel despite pre-existing rules about their compatibility.

What have you been up to of late?
I just came back from a week in Georgian Bay in Canada. No internet, no cell phone reception for a week. It was fantastic! Now I am getting ready for a group show at Visual Arts Gallery in New York that opens in September. I am creating two new 40" x 60" drawings. I'm also slowly refurbishing my website here and there.

What other creative medium (outside of illustration/art) do you most get into?
I love books. I admire writers who write really well about characters that are so different from who they are. My favorites are Haruki Murakami and Yukio Mishima. I know, I always say I hate Japan and everything Japanese and … look at what I am doing! I am reading "Hotel New Hampshire" [John Irving] and "Kitchen Confidential" [Anthony Bourdain] right now, both of which are so interesting and fun to read in completely different ways. My studio-mate Marcos Chin—his boyfriend and I have a mini-book club now, and we often read the same book together at the same time. Marcos' boyfriend had already finished with "Hotel New Hampshire" and complained I am too slow! I have to catch up on my readings.

If you teleport yourself anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and what would you be doing?
I am in Sesimbra, south of Lisbon, in Portugal, watching the ocean, eating fresh seafood and drinking white wine. And I don't even drink, usually!

Do you ever get illustrator's block, and if so, what do you do to overcome it?
The older we get, we learn not to struggle when suffering. When you get drowned, the best way is to not panic. When you have a block, the best you can do is walk away and do something else. Get a good night sleep, don't think about it.