Heath Nash is a favorite for Architect and Designer, Jason Fay of Reade Street Studio in NYC.  Here he highlights a beautifully simple stairway and landing in The Hamptons with Heath’s Leaf Ball Pendant furnished by and available at foundation4.com

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here’s a love note to a couple notable folks using their talent and intellect to create thoughtful items of value.  I find myself drawn to items that traditionally have a destructive or otherwise unsustainable nature and have been reinvented in a sustainable, positive way.bang! bang! I love guns, but hate guns you know what I mean? San Francisco artist Sarah Applebaum does.  she has created this amazing handgun using felt.  I have to have… eventually.  her website and blog (http://www.sarahapplebaum.com) are equally fantastic.

I’ve always had a fascination with taxidermy, specifically animal head trophies.  I just can’t bring myself to purchase one and I could never venture out into the wilderness to acquire my own.  I’ve always wanted to hang one over my toilet (wouldn’t that be awesome!)  San Antonio artist, Jennifer Khoshbin (http://www.jenkhoshbin.com/transform-_ation) has a great humane alternative to hunting for your own trophy mount.  I promise if I buy one I wont mount it over the commode.

I’m in no position to judge those who hunt animals and proudly hang their severed heads or carry and use handguns.  neither are necessities in my life.  I appreciate the symbolism and aesthetic without the destruction or ill intent.  the cost here is far less than the real thing… you know what I mean.

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apologies for the horrible blackberry photo, but I couldn’t help myself nor could I make a case for running out to grab my camera and take it into the rest area bathroom for a quick photo shoot.  I cant say what the artist’s intentions were for this graffiti masterpiece but I feel that all art, especially public work, is subjective by nature.

this really got me thinking.  my thoughts tend to drift to societal and environmental errors made by the human race and the consequences of those actions.  I like that the text in the thought bubble is written backwards suggesting that we all have these feelings but they are abstract for most of us.  you also have to consider the environment in which this was rendered (the business side of a bathroom stall door).

brilliant!

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Farm Sanctuary is celebrating 25 years in 2011.  since 1986, Farm Sanctuary has worked tirelessly to raise awareness about how food is produced in the US and the abuses suffered by factory farm animals.  Farm Sanctuary also runs two shelters in New York and California dedicated to rescued animals.

Co-Founder Gene Bauer penned “Farm Sanctuary: Changing Hearts and Minds About Animals and Food“  After reading I stopped eating meat, falling short, however, of becoming a vegan.  I have shared this book with many and support anyone who, faced with the reality of factory farming, have made any change to their diets, large or small.

you can help support Farm Sanctuary by donating, buying products, or simply reading the book.  check out their website by clicking the picture above.  Should you purchase something from the foundation4 website you can select Farm Sanctuary as the partner organization you wish to devote a percentage of your purchase.

congratulations Farm Sanctuary!

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I love the South African aesthetic.  Bold , colorful, daring, perhaps accidental?  This style is best represented in the townships.  These images from the  Quivertree Publications book Shack Chic are amazing.  I treasure this book and was so surprised to learn how difficult it is to get a copy in the US.

If you know anyone travelling to South Africa, have them grab all the Quivertree titles they can!

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we have a new line of accessories at f4. wallets, belts, and card holders, all made from re-purposed bicycle tire inner tubes.  I ride to work on my bike everyday, rain or shine, all year long and I’ve had my share of blowouts.  I’m not one to change my own tire and living in Brooklyn, NY, surrounded by bike shops, I don’t really need to.  What does become of those used and useless inner tubes?  well, Alchemy Goods in Seattle, WA has found the answer.

well designed, perfectly functional, and longer lasting than their leather counterparts.  each piece is also labeled with thier percentage of re-purposed content.  we’re pleased to offer this fantastic line.  there are so many re-purposed creations out there.  although all mean well and should be encouraged, at foundation4 we pride ourselves on finding those goods that are truly exceptional!

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it’s winter on the east coast and we’ve seen our share of snow (more than usual for some of us).  what better time to make the connection between the clean up involved with an environment we have no control over and maintenance needed to catch up on our lives and convictions at a time where so many of us are struggling financially.

this struggle plays out often in the supermarket isles. the best in us hopes to seek out local, organic, or otherwise sustainable choices, but when alongside more conventional, environmentally unsympathetic and less expensive options the decision is hard.  we all have our bills to pay and in poor economic times we need to pinch pennies wherever possible.  can we do this without throwing our sustainable principles under the bus?

i think it’s most important to keep the big picture in mind.  our choices go beyond the supermarket shelves.  that inexpensive can of whatever probably comes from somewhere far away; it was shipped many miles or possibly overseas and processed in such a way that the majority of its nutritional value has been lost.  It’s also likely to be swimming with chemical preservatives and born of a pesticide-laden environment.  on the other hand the choice to buy local and sustainable supports our economy by supporting small regional businesses.  as we pump more money into our local economy we help to improve our own financial situations.  even though these products may cost more we have a better opportunity to know what’s involved with how a item is made, who made it, and what impact it may have on our environment.

back to the snow analogy; one snow storm is easy enough to dig out of.  when we’re hit with storm after storm the cleanup begins to wear on us, it become difficult and more expensive.  more of our time is consumed by the inconvenience and we begin to lose track of our priorities.  the same philosophy that governs keeping your cool while shoveling applies to keeping our environmental concerns in check when struggling to make ends meet: one shovelful at a time.  let’s not be overwhelmed or too harsh on ourselves if we have to make a more financially responsible choice so long as we remember all that’s involved with that option.  before we know it, it will be spring.

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Over two years ago now I had the privledge of traveling to Uganda with the social enterprise BeadforLife.  just recently I came across a short article I wrote detailing one day that we spent in the Namugongo slum in the capital city of Kampala.  In light of the BeadforLife paper bead necklaces we’ve begun to sell on the f4 website.  I thought I’d share my observations here:

Simply described as one of Kampala’s sprawling slums, Namugongo is a captivating place of displaced expectations and overwhelming hope and love.  On October 21st 2007 I entered a world both foreign and familiar forever changing my global perspective.

Nothing could have prepared me for what I would experience. We see video and pictures on television and in print of what would appear to be depressingly impoverished slums.  Images of starving children, disease stricken adults, and crumbling shacks flood our hearts with despair.  I admit to being uneasy about my visit here, but as it turns out my time in Namugongo was one of the most uplifting and enriching experiences of my trip to Uganda.

Upon entering, we were greeted with smiles and good wishes.  The children emerged to hold our hands and marvel at my tattoos.  Residents were genuinely pleased to see us and didn’t resist the urge to reach out to us as we passed by.  There was no begging, embarrassment, or disdain resulting from our presence.   The people we encountered were dignified and proud to share their lives, homes, and thoughts with us.

I do not deny that extreme poverty and its effects exist in Namugongo.  I was impressed, however, by the will of this community to overcome their circumstances and live the best lives they can with the tools they have.  The people here do not share the entitlement and expectation we come to embody as Americans.  I believe this to be the reason for their successes.  We have so much to learn from those who appear to have so little.

Among the burning piles of trash there are children at play. In a maze of jumbled mud slicked alleys, people create community. Disease and death are abandoned for health and life. Where there is no electricity there is light.

learn more about BeadforLife at www.beadforlife.com.  buy paper bead and sterling silver necklaces at fountation4.com. a percentage of every sale will be donated to BeadforLife to support thier programs in Uganda.

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By drew diley

one of our brightest lights was extinguished today.  Barbara Jackson was one of the visionary women who pioneered the MonkeyBiz Project in South Africa.  an artist in her own right she was quite simply one of my greatest inspirations and I was privileged to consider her a friend.  she will be greatly missed and my hope is that her vision for the women (and men) of Cape Town (and the world) will continue to inspire and affect change.  Please visit the MonkeyBiz website and learn more about this inspirational woman and the project she devoted her life to.

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by drew riley

what better way to reduce carbon emissions than riding a bike instead of driving or taking public transportation.  granted, we don’t all have the option of riding a bike to work, the store, etc, but we do all have the opportunity to champion and respect those who do… right?

i ride my bike to work almost every day, weather permitting.  i didn’t always, but i do now and i’m enjoying the freedom and health benefits associated with this activity.  i will also say that bicyclists are increasing and bike lanes are popping up everywhere, making my ride easier and safer.  we are still, however, in desperate need of a shift in awareness when it comes to bicycling and road use in general.

not too long ago i was commuting to work on my much loved 1965 Schwinn Collegiate when i was struck from behind by a minivan.  details of my injuries and recovery aside, the driver was speeding to beat a traffic light in a 25mph zone.  i was moving into the intersection to get a head start on the cars waiting with me for the light to change.  if the driver had obeyed the speed limit and slowed for his yellow light, he surely could have avoided the collision. he was kind enough to honk his horn in hopes that i would hurry out of his way, but not generous enough to hit the brakes.  to my surprise, some of the witness’ at the scene expressed their displeasure of the bike lanes that had been added in their community, claiming that the increased bike traffic put pedestrians at risk.

i happen to ride in New York City, not everyone will share my experiences, but i think it’s important to site a few truths and point out a couple of things we can all do to make our travel safer for everyone involved.  bicycles are moving vehicles driven by individuals and subject to the laws and protections governing our roads.  click here for a listing of all state bicycle laws.

drivers need to respect bicyclists as the moving vehicles they are.  a driver wouldn’t make a left turn from a center lane if there was a car traveling in the left lane, but i’m often grasping my brakes to avoid a collision with a car who has chosen to make that turn despite the fact  that i’m riding right next to him/her on my bike.  it is also illegal to drive, park, or stand in the bike lane.

pedestrians also need to respect bicyclists as moving vehicles.  before crossing the street, you wouldn’t walk halfway into a car lane while you waited for a car to pass, so why stand in the bike lane?  the bike lane is also not a track.  running in the bike lane is incredibly dangerous and like jaywalking it’s illegal.

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bicyclists don’t have the right to run red lights, ride on the sidewalk, or weave in and out of traffic… also illegal.   you wouldn’t speed through an intersection against a red light in a car so why do it on a bike?

i was hit at an intersection where a bike lane ends and the two lanes of one way traffic merge into one lane.  i always try to inch out when the light is changing there; otherwise you run the risk being pushed off the road as the drivers are only focused on merging with the other cars.   this intersection needs a light allowing the bicyclists to have that head start safely (such a traffic signal exists).  until more safety measures are taken, there is a hierarchy that cannot be ignored.  cars yield to bicycles ALWAYS and bicycles yield to pedestrians ALWAYS.  it doesn’t matter who has the right of way, EVER.  we should never assume we have the right of way in any situation, but instead be aware of our surroundings and respect one another despite how we each choose to get from point A to B.

on a sad note, I never did see my Schwinn again after the accident.  it’s been replaced and i’m back in the saddle, but i’ll forever miss that old girl.

there are increasing organizations who work to create awareness about bike safety and advocate riding a bike.  the advertisement at the top of this blog post was created by www.looknyc.org. click on the below logos and further enlighten yourself…  if there is a great bicycle related resource in your community please leave a comment and let us know about it.

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