Pirates and Old Panama

My newest vintage postcard find: a glossy linen card (1915-1930's era) of the ruins of a cathedral in Old Panama, destroyed by the Pirate Henry Morgan.

I discovered my find while researching images for a wedding invitation / save the date project - the wedding is to take place nearby in the ruins of the monastery; in the country of Panama, of course.
I love destination weddings; especially ones taking place on historical pirate burning grounds.

~ Marja

Flagler's Folly

We are finally back (mentally) from our little jaunt to the Keys! It was pure Florida sunshine as we drove our Jeep top down from the edge of Miami all the way down to Key West on the Overseas Highway.

The Florida Keys are the islands that time forgot, all down the highway there are old shacks, loads of peeling paint and sea scrubbed signs. We stopped at this classic example of a forgotten building, Papa's Lounge, just as the light was beginning to wane.

At the Bahia Honda State Park we had a blast of a sunset photo shoot, (my Colcci's even got their own portrait) and learned a bit more about the tragic history of Henry Flagler's Overseas Railway; you'll see pieces of it as backdrops in the photos.

~ Marja

The Art of Vector Weaving

Just finished my latest logo design- based on a Cocijo Headdress Mask carved into a Zapotec vessel from Pre-Columbian Mexico.
It was quite a challenge transforming the sketch into a vector graphic, and then into a pseudo-weaving for the website, but in the end the effect is a unique combination of the modern with the traditional, which describes the client's company perfectly.... His family and ancestors have passed down the art of Zapotec weaving which is continued today in his studio in Teotitlan Del Valle, Mexico and his studio in California. His work unites the historical and cultural art of ancient dyeing and weaving techniques with geometric designs from the Zapotec, Mayan, and Aztec archaeological ruins. Learn more on their website (also my design) at xhinnau.com .
I prefer the red lined version with the simpler text placement, the client however decided on the reverse Indigo background and the modified lettering. ~ Marja

Vintage Blog

So here it is, at last, our first real post on our new Blog....
Now we can finally give our customers a better idea of how we come across the lost treasures that inspire our creations and give a glimpse of current projects in the works.
I will be posting my latest finds and sketches, along with musings from the artists and designers that we work with. Feel free to send in a comment, email us at ideas@motuartdesign.com, or just browse our website at www.motuartdesign.com

Ia Orana

Arave ato'a ia'u le Motu !