Manifest Equality Shop graphics

Equality Arrow

Spray-painted mural by Retna, El Mac & Kofie

As Manifest Equality prepares for its VIP opening tonight, we are thrilled to present a sneak peek of the space. Blik proudly transformed the raw space into a massive pop-up art exhibition that goes live tonight with events continuing through Sunday.

We created the exterior banner for the giant sign outside; a quote “with certain unalienable rights, that among these are … liberty and the pursuit of happiness” that wraps around the interior of the space (pictured); interior and exterior graphics for the onsite shop; the logo/entrance wall that proclaims Manifest Equality’s mission statement and an exterior “Equality” arrow on Vine (pictured.)

“Being a part of Manifest Equality has been a tremendous experience for Blik,” said Scott Flora, co-founder of Blik. “The high caliber of artists involved have created an inspiring visual call to action that speak volumes about the fight for equal rights.”

The Manifest Equality gallery will be open to the public, March 3-7. Visit http://www.manifestequality.com/ for more details.

TheLofts@Cherokee Studios in Hollywood, California mark the first “green” LEED Platinum Certified mixed-use or market rate multifamily building in California. The development of 12 condo lofts and 2800 square feet of retail space pays homage to the amazing musical and Hollywood history of Cherokee Recording Studios, MGM Studios before it and all the artists who recorded music on the site. From Frank Sinatra to David Bowie to Dave Matthews…to now, BLIK. Four designers were chosen to vamp up 4 lofts for the Rock-n-Platinum Showcase: Dennis Design Group, Rogerio Carvalheiro, Cisco Home, and Jennifer Siegal & Sandra Sharma. PreFab designer extraordinaire, Jennifer Siegal of Office of Mobile Design, enlisted us to design, manufacture and install a giant graphic for her loft dubbed, “30 Seconds to Mars Penthouse”. She said she wanted something organic, tall, with the color yellow and we ran with it. Here’s the 18 foot high by 10 foot wide graphic our crackerjack designer conjured up. We think it rocks the house…but then again, we are biased.

A mere 200 feet from the sand and overlooking the famous (or is it infamous?) Venice Beach boardwalk, Hotel Erwin is totally rad. The rooftop bar alone, with its 360 ocean view, is worth the trip. But hotel planning gurus, Joie de Vivre, wanted the entire Erwin experience to be unique and capture the vibe of the Venice art scene. So, we decked out over 100 suites with graphics from our collaboration with Upper Playground. With artwork that mimics the graffiti artists who’ve characterized Venice for decades, our canvases ranged from glass doors to closet doors. We used each one to bring a bit of the energy outside, in, and tell a different story in every room.  So pack your sunscreen, kick up your feet and stay awhile!

We got to go to Greece this summer! Ok, no, not really. But our graphics did. One of our neighbors, clothing company, 291Venice, asked us to make some graphics for a special event hosted by one of their distributors in Mykonos, Greece. The graphics vamped up windows and walls to bring a bit of California sunshine to the Mediterranean. Coveted by celebrities and jet-setters everywhere, 291 is a collection of tees, hoodies, and bottoms created by 3 long-time friends. The aesthetic is inspired by the 1970’s beach culture of its namesake (Venice, 90291) and the global sophistication of today’s traveler. In other words, they’re perfect for kickin’ it in Greece. Sigh.

A couple of months ago, we told you we were hard at work on a custom mural for the Santa Monica Public Library, known for its innovative, one-of-a-kind “green” architecture and landscaping. The 539 square foot design for the Children’s Activity Center was conjured up by our stellar design team to both promote sustainability and ignite the imagination. We feel it hits the mark. Then again, we are biased. Let us know what you think! And keep your eyes peeled for more custom projects on the boards.

DNA 11, the inventors and creators of custom portraits made from customers’ DNA, has opened its first pop-up gallery called the DNA 11 House. The gallery marks the first location on the West Coast where authentic DNA 11 art is on display and available for purchase. Located at 218 6th Street in Hermosa Beach, California, the house is open to the public by appointment only now through April 1, 2009. We’ve known co-founders Adrian Salamunovic and Nazim Ahmed for years and manufactured the window graphics for this awesome house. But more importantly, we’re psyched for these guys - their stuff is amazing so you should definitely make an appointment to check it out.

We gave you the heads-up, now it’s time for the big reveal. The 14-story Hotel Andaz - formerly the Hyatt Continental aka Riot Hotel - has opened its doors. The 257-room hotel boasts spectacular panoramic views of the Hollywood Hills on one side and the Sunset Strip and downtown Los Angeles on the other. Visitors will experience West Hollywood culture, such as quotes from local neighborhood personalities, art installations from Los Angeles artists and impromptu performances from some of the city’s up-and-coming musicians. Pretty cool.

For our part, we decked out the rooms and public spaces with prose, blik Anise by Ilan Dei as well as customized pieces. We’re psyched we were able to be a part of this historic update to an icon of the legendary Sunset Strip.

Abstract painter, Stanton Macdonald-Wright, amazed visitors when he unveiled the Santa Monica Public Library’s landmark mural in 1935. Covering nearly 2000 square feet, the mural is both large in scale and ambitious in theme, detailing the history of humankind through the evolution of the creative arts and sciences. One-of-a-kind artwork, along with striking architecture, put Santa Monica Public Library (SMPL) on the map as one of the most beautiful in the country. What’s more, SMPL is certifiably “green”. Designed by Moore Ruble Yudell, the 104,000 square foot Main Library, which opened in January 2006, is the City’s second major facility designed and built with the intent of significantly reducing the building’s negative impact on the environment.

We were recently invited to design a four wall mural in the children’s reading/entertainment room. The theme: sustainability, of course! So we’re hard at work coming up with a design that’s educational, fun and true to the character of our neighboring town, Santa Monica, California. We can’t wait to show you the reveal, but in the meantime, here’s a glimpse of what’s on the boards.

Experian Cheetahmail, is a leading service provider of online marketing solutions for top enterprises worldwide, folks like Borders Books, H&R Block, Barclays, Sears Holdings Corporation and Wyndham Hotels just to name a few. We were recently commissioned to design graphics for several large walls in their So. Cal. headquarters. They gave us concepts and objectives for the space and our crackerjack design team went to work. We also collaborated with TheNatureOrchestra, a supremely creative design studio located in nearby Santa Barbara. Here’s what we came up with! Thanks, Cheetahmail, we had a blast with this one.

For additional images and more on our custom work, head on over to blik Custom.