Artist: David Lance Goines

A few years ago, I came across a book of posters by artist and pressman David Lance Goines in a village bookstore and ended up buying two copies -- one for my bookshelf and the other to pull out pages and frame them. What I know about graphic design could fit on the palm of my hand, but I know what I like and based on the number of books he's written and the quality of businesses who have commissioned him to design advertising for them, Goines has a knack for what turns heads. Goines likens his work to a pair of "blue jeans" that get better the more they are worn. For me, the blue jeans comparison only relates in so far as his work is timeless -- denim will never be retired from the American wardrobe. Goines' posters manage to be retro and modern at the same time and he employs a soothing color palate strong on grays and dusty pinks that asks for attention rather than shouting for it. So many years after first discovering his work, I still find myself leaning in for a better look at the prints on my wall and wishing he would put his hand to designing a poster for my own shop.

Images: Posters 1970-1994, David Lance Goines, published by Ten Speed Press, 1994. For more of David Lance Goines' work and story, click here.

Visit: Chanticleer

Every spring, when winter has breathed its last breath and everything turns green and blooms almost overnight, I put aside an afternoon to spend at Chanticleer in Wayne, PA. Termed a "pleasure garden", it has never failed to live up to the bill. Once a summer estate for the founders of Merck & Co., the gardens were opened to the public in 1993. Seven horticulturists are responsible for keeping the gardens fresh and inviting and every year the flora changes (multiple times in a season too). Often flowers are planted en masse to create a feast for the eyes. With groupings of custom-made benches and chairs dotted throughout, sitting and luxuriating in the surroundings is encouraged. Sculptures are integrated into the landscaping--stone faces hover just underneath a rectangular pool of dark water, bobbing when people touch them and delighting visitors with their creepiness. This is a garden that doesn't take itself seriously, yet offers serious relaxation and inspiration. Even the restrooms, Japanese style and always immaculate, show imagination. 

Images: Chanticleer.