Mike Lenhart (bio)

In the late '80s and early '90s, Emigre magazine was THE source for all things visual and graphic. By the end of the '90s and into the 21st century, Emigre was not only scaled down, but ultimately went away. I miss it.

As you all know, the summer Olympics in Beijing are pretty much a memory. Granted, with all the controversy and foul air swirling around the Games, and some blatant examples of poor sportsmanship, they still came off pretty well. From a visual guy's perspective - mine - I was really impressed with the branding of this year's Olympics and how the Beijing logo and associated imagery were tastefully placed all over the venue scenery. The Chinese got that right. What can happen at the next Olympics, say in Vancouver or London?

I've always been fascinated by optical illusions. I've never been able to create one myself, but I marvel at those constructed by those who can. Recently, I came across some optical illustions, some classic, some rather new, and wanted to share some of them with you. As designers who look at a computer screen all the time, I think it's good to exercise the mind and eyes during the day.

It's been awhile since I've had a chance to review a book for GDF, but I recently recieved an informative piece of literature from Chronicle Books that I just had to write about. It's all about the history (and mystery) of the Golden Gate Bridge. Being a local myself, I wanted to not only review the book, but also have a chance for a little nostalgia for the City where my heart is.