Don't worry...this isn't my house. Yet. (image via Pocklington Carpets)
When the end of August rolls around in DC you know it’s Back-To-School time! Technically, it never ever feels like school season until the first Tuesday after Labor Day for me; I grew up in districts where September 2nd, 3rd, or 4th was the traditional start date, and it seems like now anywhere from August 1 to September 7 marks the first day of the school year for kids across the country.
Fortunately for my sanity (or maybe not, actually) I don’t have to worry about my kiddo heading anywhere on a big yellow bus quite yet because he’s only one and a half years old. That said, I’m unable to resist the urge to gather school supplies, so he’s aggressively armed with (washable) crayons, little round animal-shaped markers, and huge sheets of drawing paper.
Though this isn’t a post about interior design, it is an homage to a back-to-school object that I think is an endless source of inspiration for color, art, and even texture: The Crayon. Below are a few things that really make the crayon especially dear to me, and I hope you find them inspirational, too.
Carved crayon sculptures are something I can’t even imagine trying to tackle, but a few artists have and they’ve done a phenomenal job.
Pete Goldlust is one:
Carved Crayons, Pete Goldlust, 1999-2000 (image via http://www.PeteGoldlust.com)
Diem Chau is another. These were part of a set of crayons done for the 2010 World Cup through a partnership with Nike. Incredible:
World Cup Crayons, Diem Chau for Nike, 2010 (image via http://www.trendland.net)
World Cup Crayons, Diem Chau for Nike, 2010 (image via http://www.trendland.net)
Christan Faur is an Ohio-based artist who strives “to mimic […] elegant structures of nature by developing systems of my own with which to express my thoughts and ideas, so that the medium and the message appear as one.” Too much art speak for you? Ok, look at these…they’re made of crayons:
Umbilical Sky, 2007, Hand Cast Encaustic Crayons (image via http://www.christianfaur.com)
Boy, 2008, Hand Cast Encaustic Crayons (image via http://www.christianfaur.com)
Departure, 2007, Hand Cast Encaustic Crayons (image via http://www.christianfaur.com)
This next infographic is an image after my own heart. The creator was looking to document the evolution of new Crayola colors, and composed this chart to show the development over the years. Gorgeous, informative, and simple but intricate….I can’t get over it.
The Crayola Color Chart, 1903-2010 (image via Stephen Von Worley of http://www.weathersealed.com)
…and if those things don’t make you love crayons then I urge you to go out, buy a big box of Crayolas, smell them (ahhh), and lay them out to sort by color. I bet they’re even on sale this time of year. If that doesn’t make you smile, well, then there’s nothing I can do for you.
Design consultations for all styles and budgets: JGB Interiors.
Paint It What I Tell You 
I’m actually just starting back to school (grad school, but still) and in shopping for my school supplies, one friend told me, “Make sure you get crayons! They make everything more fun!” So very true.
Incredible art in crayons! It’s very unusual post. Thank you for sharing this. I have passed my school age many years ago. Still remembering those days it’s a pleasure ! At least back to school in dreams 🙂 I shall buy crayons for my nephew and feel the wonderful time with him.