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L. Kimberly Leung

Lola Loves… The Glacier Project

Fire and ice. Two forces so diametrically opposed unite in support of a noble goal: climate change awareness. Called the Glacier Project and designed by native Icelander Brynjar Sigurðarson for PCM Design, these pale blue candles are a palm-sized likeness of their much larger, natural cousins. And like their wetter, colder, cousins, they melt when hot, just like what is happening to the glaciers around the world. It's hard to watch the slow drip of these candles burning without feeling a sense of urgency, spurring you to consider taking immediate action to protect and preserve our natural environment. Likely starting with glaciers. If you'd prefer to relax, pick up some tealights instead.

Lola Loves… Nepalese “Beware of Dog” Signs

Imagine, years ago, these charming signs were commonplace in Nepal. No generic dog silhouette here. These signs, hand-painted by a local artist, accurately render the dog in question and come complete with a warning you'd be unwise to ignore. During a trip to Nepal, these "Danger Dog" signs caught the attention of Michelle Page, an American film editor. After seeing these delightful signs slowly disappear over the years in favour of lower cost digital designs, Michelle decided to start a fair-trade initiative to save this dying art form.

Lola Loves… David Woodward Enigmatic Collage Art

David Woodward is no stranger to controversy. Asked by his school to display an art project at a donors event, he was quickly asked to take it down once they saw what it involved: undergarments embroidered with enigmatic (and occasionally obscene) phrases.  His collage series is no less provocative. Words seem to come up short when trying to describe it. Mystical? Eerie? Strange? Maybe all of the above. There's a theme in the elements he's using—the images look like they could have come from a vintage nature reference book. But his skill is evident in how he brings these disparate objects—limbs, fungi, birds, insects, stones, and serpents—all together into a coherent work. Even though your skin might crawl for a second, you find yourself sticking around for another, because you need a better look.  

Lola Loves… Naomi Okubo Patterns and Colours

Artist Naomi Okubo's bright and vibrant images are inspired by her experiences as a teenager growing up in Japan. As she explains it, "In my personal experiences, when I changed my own image, people changed their attitude toward me... I have been interested in appearances ever since". Okubo's paintings are beautifully saturated and visually appealing, featuring vivid florals, clear landscapes,…

Lola Loves… Lauren DiCioccio’s Embroidered Tote Bags

Ah, the plastic bag! Ubiquitous in modern life. A billboard for where you've shopped. Often stored under sinks, lining trash bins, or tangled in tree branches. The victim of bans in numerous progressive minded cities. But what if you're a fan? Surely there's something to appreciate about them: light, easy to carry, unassuming. With the plastic bag, it's what's inside…