The Genteel

The Genteel Has Launched!!

by wabibito

Dear readers,

It is with great pleasure and tremendous excitement that we announce the launch of our online fashion and design magazine, The Genteel (http://www.thegenteel.com). The Genteel is the definitive source for informed men and women such as yourselves, who desire global, in-depth and intelligent stories on fashion and design.

It’s just begun to sunk in that we are finally here – we have come a very long way in such a short amount of time. My partner, Mona, and I have worked very hard to create a magazine that is rooted in our deep passion for fashion, journalism and life. And here we are, curtains drawn back. We could not be more thrilled and proud of our baby!

We could not have done it alone. Our global team of contributors shape The Genteel. On a daily basis, the publication dispatches thought-provoking and insightful articles from the streets of Oslo, Toronto, Beirut, Moscow, United Arab Emirates, Seoul and beyond. Today a contributor from Tokyo joined us, and we continue to grow! Our daily Bulletin includes stories told through the lens of Business, Culture, Society, Design, Best Kept Secrets, Commentary and Street Style.

At this point I invite you to visit The Genteel (http://www.thegenteel.com) and enjoy a new perspective on global fashion and design. We also encourage you to “Like” our Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/TheGenteelMagazine) and follow us on Twitter (@TheGenteel) as we will be promoting stories as they come in.

Happy reading!

Yours sincerely,
Irene Kim
Editor-at-Large, The Genteel

Italy and The Arts

In one of my earlier post I mentioned how I would visit Italy.  It’s been almost a month since my visit and I thought I’d share some of the art and historic sights I exhibited in Italy.

Enjoy

Venice:

Galleria dell’Accademia di Venezia

In Venice for the first time I witnessed Picasso paintings at the Guggenheim Gallery (turned out to be my favourite Gallery)

Picasso’s painting: The Studio (1928) and Alexander Calder wind-driven mobile: Arc of Petals (1937)

Paul Klee: Portrait of Mrs. P. in the South (1924)

Marino Marini: The Angel of the City (1948)

Little Art boutique

This Store made suede book marks and book covers, and look I found Tim Burton, you could only go into the store by appointments

Fun fashion I adored in Venice

Florence:

Uffizi Museum

Cinque Terre:

Tile paintings on the wall of Cinque Terre

Wall graffiti

My Cutie Pie

Rome:

Piazza Navona: street art exhibition

A religious painting inside the Pantheon

Vatican Museum

Roman Map

Art and Craft: head pieces

Whether it’s for a party, your best friend’s wedding or even your own wedding, a head piece is a classy and fun accessory for an evening out.  Here are a few pictures below of some head pieces I made for my wedding:

Almost complete

Complete product

Kristy’s head piece (usher and assistant with my head piece)

My bridesmaid’s head pieces

Picasso exhibit coming soon to TORONTO!!!

Two Women Running on the Beach is a 1922 painting by Pablo Picasso, part of a major exhibit coming to Toronto. (Musée National Picasso/AGO)

CBC news announced yesterday the Art Gallery of Ontario will bring a major exhibit of the works of Pablo Ruiz Picasso to Toronto in spring of 2012.

What exciting news, instead of going to Paris to see Picasso’s work, we’ll have Paris come to us!!!

Apparently Pairs Musee National Picasso is under going renovation and because of this we now have the opportunity to view some of Picasso Masterpiece at AGO.

It is said the exhibit is drawn from the 5,000 works that Picasso kept for himself and his family, including drawings, sketchbooks, paintings and sculpture.  I agree that this will be an extraordinary opportunity for Canadian audience to view major work by Picasso.

 The exhibit will be at the AGO April 28 through Aug. 26, 2012.  I’ll go as far as to even take a personal day off if I have to, just to secure my spot and opportunity to see this exhibit!

Distillery Art Market

Toronto’s Weekend Art Destination:

 

Every weekend from April 15 to October 16, the Distillery Art Market will feature an outdoor market of artists, craftspeople and food artisans at the Distillery Historic District. Come see a wide variety of exhibitors – painting, printmaking, ceramics, fibre art and more!

This is also a great opportunity to visit the many vibrant artist studios and retail shops located in Artscape Distillery Studios’ Case Goods Warehouse! Open Studios are open from 11am – 6pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Tours of Artscape Distillery Studios will take place at 12pm, 2pm and 4pm each day of the market. Tours will meet at the Information Booth located in Case Goods Lane.

The Distillery Historic District has been labeled as a “must-visit” location by the New York Times, Frommer’s, Toronto Life and The Globe and Mail. The 13-acre arts and entertainment district comprises more than 40 heritage buildings and 10 streets, and is the largest collection of Victorian era industrial architecture in North America.

Friday to Sunday*
11am – 6pm
At the Distillery Historic District (Google Map)
Every weekend until October 16
*including Mondays of long weekends

Check the event page on Facebook!
Learn more about being an exhibitor

Thanks to my friend Bonnie for sharing this link with me…

Tim Burton Sketches

Illustrations by: Tim Burton

 

 

 

I’m Leaving on a Jet Plane…

All our bags are packed we’re ready to go, we’re standing here outside our door.  I hate to wake you up to say goodbye… But we’re leaving on an airplane; we wish we weren’t coming back again, oh baby we can’t wait to go!

Lyrics Inspired by: John Denver

This is it, the beginning of a new chapter for Steve and I, our marriage.  We are both excited and counting down the days till we say our “I do’s”.

But what is more exciting is what usually comes after a wedding, “The Honeymoon”.  All our bags are packed and we’re ready to… fly to Italy.  I was just mentioning to Steve, that I couldn’t remember the last time I took a vacation longer than 3 or 4 days; I think the longest was back in 2010 and not that I’m complaining.  A vacay is better than no vacay!!!

We originally thought about passing through Milan on the way to Venice.  After some thought, I decided Milan (a fashion mecca) would have to wait.  Someday I’ll splurge and visit during fashion show season.  Some day right, Krup?  Wink!

Melissa Sung took the photo above; we are so thrilled by the turn out of our engagement photos.  I went in wondering what was the purpose of taking engagement photos and was it necessary?
It was part of our wedding photography package.  Also, others have told us that it’s an once in a lifetime opportunity and an excuse to take beautiful photos for memory purposes. So, we took the suggestion and the package, and the end results were more than positive; they were delightful.  We loved all the photos and it helped that our photographer was so open minded and accommodating.  She really made it about us, and it showed because the photos came out exactly the way we wanted…vintage/nature inspired and just my hun and I on an easy Sunday afternoon.

Tim Burton

Back in April my art -partner and crime- and I exhibited Tim Burton’s exhibition held in Toronto at the TIFF building.

I got so inspired after going through all of Tim Burton’s work, I couldn’t help but to take out my pencils & Sharpie’s and sketched away.

I was totally thinking about an upcoming wedding while drawing this Burton inspired picture.

Candies from Japan

I received a gift from one of my kiddie’s today.  She and her mom both came back from Japan, and brought back a souvenir for me, an edible one.
If you read back to one of my previous post, you’d know how much I love things from Japan.

Once I opened the box, I gasped at the pretty colors…

Thank you Aya!!!

    

Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition

This weekend at Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto held an outdoor art exhibition.  It’s one of Canada’s largest free admission art exhibits.

The weather was perfect, and tons of people arrived to take a taste of all the Canadian artists.

I took the liberty of snapping some photo’s of the many art booths, and here are just a few that I really enjoyed:

Stefan’s exhibit was one of the first that caught my eye; his pieces – in some ways – reminded me of Tim Burton’s work.  I really liked his live standing art and the use of materials. The way they were displayed made them feel real and eye catching.  The drawings and his standing art all related very well together, dark yet quirky .

Artist by:  Stefan Thompson

Jon Riosa is a fiber artist and designer – his booth displayed every piece of his art with an intriguing description. These signified his thoughts and a voice he once lacked due to growing up in a confined environment.

I got the chance to speak with Jon about his work.  From Jon’s exhibit he displays his battle by “magnifying this struggle through the break down of layers, interlacements and bindings”.  His work really speaks to you, from his compassionate personality and abstract pieces – it really demonstrates the harsh reality our society faces today, not having a voice.

Art by: Jon Riosa,  http://jonriosa.blogspot.com/

I couldn’t stop taking photo’s of Sonja Ahlers booth.  Her hand-sewn “The Fierce Bunnies” are made from de-constructed vintage sweaters made of natural fibers such as angora, lambswool and cashmere.   I totally regret not picking one up for myself…=(

I had my eye on the bunny with the pink hat in a tea cup…

Artist by: Sonja Ahlers

I may have regretted not buying a Fierce Bunny, but I did purchase a brooch from Amanda’s booth in lieu.  Her stuffed objects were eccentric and hand drawn brooches were quirky – I loved.

Artist by: Amanda Ho, Denture-thief.com