Below are pictures from the shows I participated in this past December and January.  A few photos are courtesy of my dear friend, Sarah Mohajery.  The others were taken with my Iphone.

Our guests shared their personal memories with us.

Preserves. Construction paper hearts, photographs, and canning jars.
We can always hold a special place in our hearts for the people and things of our past, even if they aren’t in our present.

Unravelling. Many, many, many yards of yarn.
The harder you try to hold onto things, the faster they slip away.

Miniature Memories.  Tilt shifted photographs, music box mechanism (plays Raindrops Keep Falling).
In your head, events of the past seem so vivid, and tiny.

Intertwined. Maple tree, ribbon, string.
It seems like everything is connected, and often we cannot experience the good without the bad.

Sarah, artist and photographer extraordinaire, started out by photographing us in front of a white wall.  Later that night- that’s when the Photoshop fun began.  I was inspired by the front pages of one of my favorite magazines, HOW.  Each month, it features headshots of contributing writers and designers in an artistic treatment, one month may be watercolor, the next charcoal illustrations.

First reactions to the final product? “Hey, have you ever seen the video for Take On Me?”

So, I was MIA for a little while, but I have a good reason!  I’ve been planning an art opening with three of my very good friends.  We met a little over a year ago, with the intention of going through Julia Cameron’s book, The Artist’s Way.  Well we made it through all of the exercises, but that didn’t mean it was time to go our separate ways.  As artists, and as friends, we became a creative support group and cheerleaders for each other.

One thing that was an issue for all of us was that we needed to create more.  Life always gets in the way for everyone, and it seems so easy to make excuses not to draw, paint, design, whatever your medium is.  One of the best ways to become motivated is to create a short term goal, and that’s exactly what we did.  That is how this show, Inward and Upward came to be.

You can read more about the creation of the show on the special blog that we put together- it has artist bios along with information about the venue, and some of the great people and places that have been helping us along the way.

http://inwardandupwardart.blogspot.com/

For now, I would like to openly invite you all to our opening.  It’s absolutely free, there’s no excuses!

Inward and Upward- A Study on Memory and Growth– Gallery Opening/Artists’ Reception

Featuring Works By:

Allison Biggs
Greg Konkol
Sarah Mohajery
Leslie Stasko

Location: Eastworks, 1st Floor – 116 Pleasant Street, Easthampton, MA
Date: December 11, 2010
Time: 5:00pm – 8:00pm

Wine and light refreshments will be served.

*As you can see above, just like everything else I do, I’ve designed and branded this show within an inch of it’s life.

So, with Suzanne behind the camera, me as the stylist, and both of us begging photoshop to work what we were trying to do, we came up with a set of four images, that in our own humble opinion, will knock your socks off.  There was one point in the photo editing session, where we simultanously jumped up and said “Oh, wow!”  It is so awesome to do work that you’re passionate about, and when you get to do that work with friends, even better.

Suzanne and I plan on offering these images as note cards and art prints in the near future, and hope to collaborate on a similar project in the near future.  The vintage cameras have an appeal for photographers, but how about us graphic designers?  Think type.

Creativity is all about coming up with new ideas. It’s about seeing, experiencing, and savoring the world around you. It is a way of life.

The Born Creative workshop series will be starting on March 4, 2010.  This 4 week course aims to help people reconnect with their life through creativity and curiousity.  Even for those of you that say you’re not creative.  Especially for those of you that say you’re not creative.

Take a stroll on over to the Born Creative Facebook Fan Page.  Once you’re there, become a fan!  You won’t just get boring old updates about the course (because the course is fun and exciting!), but also fascinating information on how people are using creativity in ways that you never imagined.

Below you’ll find a list of the workshop descriptions, and all the necessary details.  If you know someone in the Western MA area that would be interested in being happier and more effective in their career (isn’t that everyone you know?) then forward on the details!

Schedule

Thursday, March 4 – 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Overcoming Obstacles to Creativity
In this class we redefine creativity, conquer old stories and beliefs, bust through creative roadblocks, learn to trust our ideas, and grow through play.

Thursday, March 11 – 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Developing Awareness
Learn valuable techniques to help you become
more mindful in your everyday life, and how paying
attention and being an active learner can increase your joy and creativity.

Thursday, March 18 – 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Gaining New Perspective
Begin to see different possibilities and points of view. Understand how looking at things from a new angle
can aid in generating new ideas and in building and maintaining relationships.

Thursday, March 25 – 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Creative Problemsolving
Creativity isn’t just for artists. Pick up new
brainstorming strategies to assist with challenges at
home, and in the workplace.

Pricing

Classes are available in a 4 week package for $100,
and can also be purchased individually for $25*.
All prices include materials.
Please call to reserve your space.
Limited seats are available.

*we recommend the package plan (like people, the classes work better together!)

To sign up for this workshop series, simply send me an email at BornCreativeWorkshops@gmail.com.

Payment will be accepted through Paypal, cash, or check.

I made my way to the Smith Art Museum, but never actually got to see any art (I had seen it all before, at least).  Upon my arrival, I immediately discovered that the Northamptones were singing in one of the upstairs galleries.  The Northamptones are the much revered A Capella group of the Northampton High School.  They are good.  I mean good!  They rock out songs like Bohemian Rhapsody and I Am the Walrus.

And the music wasn’t over.  I wandered downstairs to hear the sounds of Unit 7, who call their style “Speakeasy music for the 21st century.”  Anyone that knows me can tell you how much I LOVE this kind of music.  It runs through my veins.  The music came complete with flappers, who came out with black bobbed wigs, fringed dresses, and graced us with the Charleston.

The A.P.E. Gallery was next.  I had an idea that something was going on here, but had no idea that it would be this.  This installation/performance art was put on by the Royal Frog Ballet.  In addition to the people in period costume, there was also a real Victrola playing records (they had to wind it up every once and a while), and a projector playing old time movies (the ones where everyone looks like they’re moving really, really fast.  There are just no words to describe how visually beautiful this was.

A.P.E.’s description of the event.

The night finally ended up with a soy hot cocoa from Haymarket, and listening to people sing kareoke at the WWII club.  Because no night is complete without hearing some poor guy belt out Sweet Caroline at the top of his lungs.  Good times never felt so good.

I’ve hinted at a new project that I’ve been working on for a few months a few times on this blog.  It’s finally ready to be unveiled, and I am very excited to share it with you!

Beginning in March, for those of you in Western MA, I will be presenting a new workshop series called Born Creative.  I believe that we are all born with a capacity for creativity, and by reconnecting with it, we can live happier and more productive lives.

Below is a description of the series, as well as all the details for any of you that might be interested.

Live a more joyful life. Have fun.
Build better relationships. Be a problem solver.
Become a better job candidate (yes, you heard right!).

Overview

It’s high time we redefined creativity. You don’t need be an artist, a musician, or writer to be creative. We were all born with the capacity to be creative. Let me say this another way. You are creative. And I can hear you saying, “No, I’m not.”

Creativity is all about coming up with new ideas. It’s about seeing, experiencing, and savoring the world around you. It is a way of life.

In this four week workshop series, we will uncover the simple
acts that creatively inclined people do everyday, and learn how to incorporate these acts into our own lives. Each class will include special exercises, projects, discussion, and of course, fun!

You won’t become an artist. You’ll simply change the way you see the world.

Schedule

Thursday, March 4 – 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Overcoming Obstacles to Creativity
In this class we redefine creativity, conquer old stories and beliefs, bust through creative roadblocks, learn to trust our ideas, and grow through play.

Thursday, March 11 – 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Developing Awareness
Learn valuable techniques to help you become
more mindful in your everyday life, and how paying
attention and being an active learner can increase your joy and creativity.

Thursday, March 18 – 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Gaining New Perspective
Begin to see different possibilities and points of view. Understand how looking at things from a new angle
can aid in generating new ideas and in building and maintaining relationships.

Thursday, March 25 – 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Creative Problemsolving
Creativity isn’t just for artists. Pick up new
brainstorming strategies to assist with challenges at
home, and in the workplace.

Pricing

Classes are available in a 4 week package for $100,
and can also be purchased individually for $25*.
All prices include materials.
Please call to reserve your space.
Limited seats are available.

*we recommend the package plan (like people, the classes work better together!)

To sign up for this workshop series, simply send me an email at BornCreativeWorkshops@gmail.com.

Payment will be accepted through Paypal, cash, or check.

Become our fan on Facebook!

When I think of hearts, I think of them as being frilly, sappy, seasonal and occassionally cliche– and believe me, I am anything but frilly.  Sarah and Bendrix, a shop based in England, have changed my mind.  Their art uses hearts as rich and beautiful texture.  I find myself actually wanting to hang one of these in my house, year round.  Shh, don’t tell, you’ll ruin my rep.

You can buy these pieces on the Sarah and Bendrix Etsy shop here.

All images property of Sarah and Bendrix.

via Decor8.

Have you ever heard about an event, that sounds so mind-blowingly amazing, you wished you knew about it sooner, so you could actually go?  That’s me with the Alt Design Summit, which is going on now in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Next year, Alt, next year.

Alt is a three day conference on design.  Not just graphic design, but everything design.  There are discussions about what’s new, and why design is important in our world.

The Alt people say this is who should attend the Alt Design Summit:

- People that love talking about design in all its iterations. What it is. How it’s changing. Why it’s important.
- People that read sites like Apartment Therapy/drive German cars/subscribe to magazines from Europe.
- Design or lifestyle bloggers who want to (finally!) meet their fellow design and lifestyle bloggers.
- People from across all the design disciplines: graphic, industrial, fashion, interior, product, textile. Plus illustrators and photographers too.
- Business Owners who make pretty things and want to figure out how to get their products on design sites.
- Advertising Agencies and Marketing firms that want help creating social media campaigns for their design-minded clients.
- Employees who would love to get credit for working while actually hitting the slopes.
- People who create inspiration boards.
- People who look at inspiration boards.
- Star-struck film fans obsessed with the Sundance hype who want to spend a weekend celebrity sighting.

Yes. Yes. Yes, and yes.  Did I mention Sundance?  I am so there.

One name that keeps coming to me over and over again is Keri Smith.  You may remember her from when I mentioned the book, How to be an Explorer of the World.  I recently picked up Smith’s book Living Out Loud, and turned each page with sheer excitement.  This book, much like How to be an Explorer of the World, offers exercises in creativity.  These are not exercises meant to make you a better drawer, or painter, but to get you to pay attention, see the world from a different perspective, and conjure fresh ideas.

After visiting Keri Smith’s website, I have to admit, I have a little professional crush.  Her ideas are fantastic and witty, and I only wish that I thought of them first!  Take a trip to her site, and make sure you take a look at the Artist’s Survival Kit.

All images are property of Keri Smith.