BOOK REVIEW: Berberry

A new book is currently occupying a proud place on my coffee table: Berberry. And that’s not a spelling error.

The sly pictorial is a commentary on the world’s obsession with a certain plaid. British artist Toby Leigh spent a decade obsessively trawling the streets, documenting everything from birthday cakes to tattoos, wheelchairs, even toilet seats.

Toby-Leigh-Folio-Art-Pirates-Penzance-Opera-Gilbert-Sullivan-L

An award-winning illustrator based in Britain, Toby Leigh is not known for being a conformist. People are still talking about his anarchic tote bags during the London 2012 Olympics. Not to mention his Shite Britain Souvenir Tea Towels and Crap Christmas Cards.

Toby’s obsession with this tartan symbol of pseudo-luxury began with (what else?) a blog… which could explain why he became enamored with Blue Besos.While Toby took most of the photos himself, he was taken with this pic I snapped in Calgary. I was delighted when Toby asked if he could use publish it. Does that make me a professional art photographer?

Go mad with plaid and get Berberry yoursel f. It will give you a giggle.

[all photos submitted except for mine up top]

Crediting the Creator

10 / 13 / 1510 / 13 / 15

It’s cool when your photos get noticed. It’s even cooler when a publication asks your permission before it uses them, and offers to pay. This candid I shot while chatting with Jimmy Pattison (about his big Christmas tree star in the BPs, among other things) at the opening of Nordstrom Calgary caught the eye of Canadian Business Magazine…… who enlisted illustrator Alvaro Tapia Hidalgo to adapt it for an October 2nd story by Jim Sutherland, who was my first editor ever during the old Vancouver Magazine days. Nice story, Jim! And awesome illustration, Alvaro! Although I was digging the lavender plaid Jimmy was going with in the photo. He has some stylish moves, many of them tartan.Ripping stuff from the ol’ Interwebs has become so pervasive that many peeps out there don’t seem to realize that the person (or organization) who worked hard to create that content owns it. I appreciate it when credit is given where it is due. Like with my photo of this vehicle wrap on the streets of Calgary, to stick with the tartan topic. It resonated with super-cool British artist and author Toby Leigh, who’s so obsessed with fake Burberry he’s publishing a book on it. And of course, I support that! Delighted that my pic will be included, Toby. Especially because you asked.

Make Your Minivan Cool

5 / 23 / 132 / 19 / 16

This wrap almost makes the impossible plausible.Spotted in the Victoria Park district: the distinct tartan of a certain luxury goods clan. Tarted up by Ink’d Graphics, a Cochrane company that specializes in creative car wraps, I could almost imagine driving this Cadillac of minivans though the Scottish moors. But then I got ahold of myself and realized my Highlander fantasy makes much more sense when it involves more Burberry, less van. That buckle almost makes me want to take a look under the hood. Some things just make my engine purr.