How To Be An Explorer of the World.

Saturday, November 7th, 2009

Most of my friends know me well enough to know that once the Borders coupons come around, it’s difficult, if not down right impossible for me not to buy new books– whether I need them or not.  So I know that no one is surprised to know that when my Borders coupons arrived in my inbox this morning, I was buying books this afternoon.

Today I picked up How to be an Explorer of the World, a book I’ve been meaning to pick up for quite some time, and now that I have it, I’m pretty excited about it.  It’s filled with endless exercises in creativity.  Not art projects, but projects designed to make us mindful.  Most of creativity, after all, is paying attention.

A Day in Paradise.

Tuesday, October 13th, 2009

Twice a year, Paradise City comes to Northamton, MA.  Paradise City is an arts festival held on the Three County Fairgrounds.  A giant tent, and two barns filled with artists and artisans, featuring everything from paintings and sculpture, to pottery and furniture.

I thought I’d share some of my favorites from the show.

The first is collage artist Sarah Ahearn, from Northampton, MA.  To demonstrate what a small world it is, we’re actually taking the same online photography course.  There are people in the course from all across the globe, and here we bump right into each other!  Sarah has prints available on her Etsy page.

The next is sculpture artist, Steven Fleury.  He creates these intricate mazes, from metal and wood.  This booth attracted huge crowds, and an exceptional number of children, all to watch the ball make its way through the maze over and over and over again.  This artist demonstrates how art and mathematics can work side by side, and often times there is a great deal of precision required in art.  There are freestanding sculpture, as well as ones for the wall, both found at his site, www.stevenfleury.com.

I saved my favorite booth for last, photographer Christos J. Palios.  His panoramic photographs play with your head, like a fun house mirror.  You get to look at all angles of a location at once, which makes a once closed in space seem very open.  I encourage you to check out his portfolio at www.giantcolorfulrevolution.com.

All work is copyright of its respective artist.

The Cost of Abundance.

Tuesday, October 6th, 2009

We live in a time of great abundance.  As much as we may focus on the things that we don’t have, and fear and fret on losing things, or worry about not having enough, our standard of living is better than it has been in history.  We have things that just 100 years ago were never even imagined.  We use these items everyday, and most likely take their whole existence for granted.  I’m not just talking Ipods and Tivo– think refrigeration and indoor plumbing.  There is a cost for this abundance though.  We don’t often think of this fact; when we have more, we discard more.

At the Daniel Pink lecture last night, I was introduced to an artist named Chris Jordan.  With his photography, he has put this notion of waste into a form anyone can comprehend.  His photos give us an unsettling view of just how much we waste.  How many cell phones get tossed when the next best thing comes along.  How many cars make it to the junkyard when we trade them in for the newest model.  We have all heard the numbers before, and not even batted an eye.  After viewing these images, no one can argue the gravity of the situation.  This is the power of visual art.

Cell Phones- copyright Chris Jordan.

Oil Filters- copyright Chris Jordan.

Crushed Cars- copyright Chris Jordan.

Inner Portrait with Dana Wilde.

Tuesday, September 15th, 2009

Last Saturday, I scheduled an inner portait session with local artist, and all around nice person, Dana Wilde.  We met in a large studio in the Arts and Industry building in Florence, and after a little chat, she began to create my inner portrait.  Unlike a normal portrait, where the artist creates an image based on your exterior appearing, an inner portrait is a visual representation of how the artist sees and interprets you on the inside.

Dana uses a method called ‘touch drawing‘, which incorporates drawing, painting, and printmaking, all into one process.  This was my first run in with this medium, but I can see how it would be conducive to intuitive work.  There’s no chance for over-thinking, all you can do is let the creativity flow.

Below are the two inner portraits that Dana created for me during our session.  I’ve been living with them for a few days, figuring out what they have to say to and about me.  As I was editing the photo of the face image, I realized that I had cocked to the right (as I usually do when I’m working), and it was like I was looking in a mirror.  As for the cat image, I’ve always had a connection with cats.  Being approached and loved by even the cats that “don’t like anyone”.  I also see a lot of my personality traits as being cat-like, but not in a bad way (I’m not catty!).

Those of you that are close friends of mine, what do you see in these inner portraits?

Make sure that you check out Dana’s beautiful artwork on her portfolio site, www.danawildeart.com.

The Artist’s Way.

Tuesday, August 11th, 2009

Very shortly I will be joining a group of creatives in making my way through the book “The Artist’s Way”, by Julia Cameron.  It is a 12 week program that helps artists rekindle their creativity using self assignments and exercises that force you to discover who you are as an artist, and possibly what is holding you back.  The book is for creatives of all kinds, whether they be visual artists, writers, or musicians.  It is also for people that have always wanted to be an artist but never thought they had what it takes.

I’m looking forward to the challenge, and the new and interesting people and perspectives that I will meet along the way.  If you are in the Western MA area and would like to join us, comment on this post with your email and I will send you more information.

I Got (Inspiration) Bored.

Monday, June 29th, 2009

So, I have to say, the HOW Conference did not disappoint when it came dishing out some fabulous swag. Tshirts, bags, stickers, pins, samples, from every vendor you can imagine. Some of the stuff is very useful, and some of the stuff is just pretty without any other function. Until now. Today I put together an inspiration board for my office consisting of some of the attractive (and a few witty) pieces of swag that I received. Inspiration as well as a good reminder of the great time I had in Austin.

Prints Charming.

Saturday, June 13th, 2009

Moving gave me an excuse to cruise Etsy in search of great prints to fill my new place. I make a point of looking for items from independent designers and artists when looking for art for my walls.

1. The Pensive Wallpaper Print – The Black Apple
I understand the look she’s giving, but it’s completely indescribable. She’s like my kindred Mona Lisa.

2. SO VERY HAPPY (version 2) – dazeychic
Have you ever seen a bird that’s latched on to a french fry in the Micky D’s parking lot. They need to bottle that kind of joy.

3. STEEL GRAY Keep Calm and Carry On – Pressureless
This print is going in the office. Nuff said.

4. A Simple Pledge - Lure Design
So I promise that I have never used any of these fonts, but it can’t hurt to lead by example right?

5, 6 & 7. Amelie Set of Three Prints- Almost Famous
Favorite movie of all time. Every time I see it, it makes me feel better about life. These prints are a tiny reminder of that.

Backyard as Still Life.

Friday, June 12th, 2009

I recently purchased a new camera, with 9 fantastic megapixels and 10x optical zoom, which puts my old camera with its sad, lowly 4 megapixels to shame. I reasoned that with this new camera, I should really figure out how to use it. My friend (and fabulous photographer) Suzanne gave me some pointers, and off I went to take some photos. Where to start? Some local tourist attraction? A park? A beach? No. I headed to my parent’s backyard to put together a little collection I like to call “Backyard as Still Life”.
I find that with a camera in hand, I pay attention to the little things more; the things we pass by everyday. You also have the opportunity to see things in much more detail, and you notice the intricacies of something as simple as dandelion. Once considered a weed, is now a miracle of nature.

Let’s Begin at the Beginning.

Monday, June 8th, 2009

This is my very first post in my new design blog, In the Works. So allow me to introduce myself. My name is Allison and I am graphic designer based in Western Massachusetts. I am also an adjunct professor at a local state college, sharing my computer wisdom with the next generation (ok, I’m not going to lie, I’m only a few years older than them.)

The blog title “In the Works” has several different meanings for me, which you will see why they each apply equally. My graphic design portfolio site is www.amdesignworks.com, see the wordplay? Next, I intend to share current client projects on this blog, in progress, or as I like to say, in the works. And finally, this blog will serve as a place for me to share my design inspiration and appreciation, whether that be references to things other designers are doing, my own photography, my current, non work related creative endeavors, or basically what’s running through my mind, or again, as I said, what’s in the works.

I look forward to sharing with you several times a week. My first posts will most likely allude to the transformation of my new apartment (and when I say new, I mean new to me). I just moved into a great place, in a house that was built in 1890. Wood floors, big windows, and tons of, um, charm.