Games for Type Geeks

Here's a fun website for all you typography geeks out there (you know who you are). Typehype.net has a set of interactive games that in some way involve type. They include "Faceoff," which tests your ability to identify matching typefaces, "Serif," a Western-themed game where you shoot out the badly-kerned words, and "Type Invaders," where you defend Earth from poor punctuation.

I can't claim that it improves your typographic abilities, but it certainly is a fun way to learn about it, and if your boss catches you playing it at work, you might be able to convince them that it's professional development and you're just beefing up on your design skills. :)

Textile Artist Exhibit

I just recently finished a poster (right) for the first of a series of art showings at Aryaloka Buddhist Center in Newmarket.

This month the featured artist is Betsy Sterling Benjamin, a textile artist and teacher at the Massachusetts College of Art whose exhibitions have been shown internationally, including in Asia, Europe, Central America and the U.S. Her work is also part of the permanent collection at the Peabody-Essex Museum.

She spent many years in Kyoto, Japan, training in the creation of kimonos, and her work blends her experiences living in the Japanese culture with her experiences with other cultures aroud the world. She uses "hot wax and liquid dyes on thirsty cloth" to create her gorgeous works of art on silk.

Check out her website here, or even better, come visit her exhibit. Opening reception is on December 12th from 6-9 p.m., and her work will be on view from December 12th through December 31 (Mon - Fri 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and  Tues, Wed. & Thurs nights from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.).

p.s. - For all you artists of all stripes out there, Aryaloka is taking submissions for future exhibits & performances. You can contact them at art@aryaloka.org.