A Look at Art & Design

Vote '08

The big day is finally here!  Get out and vote. Vote early and vote often :)

What do you want - Rethinking your art or design business in bad times?

Eight years ago I was going through a particularly tumultuous time.  Call it an early midlife crisis.  During those confusing years, my best friend would say to me, “Lisa!  What do you want?”  While this seemed like a fairly straightforward and easy question to answer, I can assure you it was not. The possibilities seemed endless.  There were a lot of options!  What the hell did I want? It took me a year and half to refine the answer but once I did, the path forward was a lot clearer. 

Entertaining the question brought with it all sorts of far out and crazy fantasies.   On more then one occasion, I took out a blank piece of paper and brainstormed about “What I want!”  I wrote down things and drew sketches regardless of how outlandish or simplistic they might have seemed.  I want a lot of money.  I wrote it down on the paper.  I want to travel the world and become an international spy.  I wrote it down on the paper. I want freedom to pursue my goals.  I wrote it down on the paper.

Over time I was able to refine these goals.  I’m not going to have a million dollars (I don’t think) but I can take steps to ensure my financial security.  I’m not going to travel the world, (or become a spy) but I can plan for Prague in 2010.  If I want the freedom to pursue my goals, I have to first define my goals, make them a priority and then go after them with a vengeance.

Our economy is in crisis and times are scary.  But crisis is also an opportunity for change and growth.  This is exactly the time to ask yourself as a business owner “What do I want?”  And I’ll go a step further and add, “How do I get it?”

Think outside the box: What do you, in your heart of hearts, want from your art, or design, clients, collectors and from your business.  Be brave and go crazy with this. Think the unthinkable.  What do you want from your business? Where do you want it to go?  How do you want to grow? Who do you want to align yourself with?  If you want to sell art in London…figure out a way to do that.  Even if you are just taking baby steps, move toward that goal.  If you want to design for a company in Helsinki, make a plan. I guarantee you this… if you take some initiatives now, even small ones; you will be much closer to your goal in 6 months then you are today. These are not tradition times and survival depends are creative thinking and you are going to have to take action!

Get Back to Basics:  Think about your strengths and your weaknesses.  Which   practices are making you money and which are not?  You might have to actually redefine what you are doing.  What are the necessities and what are the niceties?  When asking yourself what you want, it is also important to ask what you don’t want.  Isolate your true niche, and then draw and expand upon it. 

Cut costs:  This is obvious, of course.  Sacrifices are going to have to be made.  This means no more lunches out.  Reusing papers and supplies.  Yup, just like the old days when starving artists drew on cardboard and napkins.  Who knows this may inspire you to work with found objects in a whole new way.  Save money not just because of a bad economy, but because you have a bigger plan for the future.

Get new clients, projects and meet new people:  Just because times are bad doesn’t mean you can forego marketing and outreach.  You just need to re-examine the most cost effective way to do this.  This might mean using email campaigns for outreach instead of direct mail 5x7 postcards. Later this week, I will be posting an article about the advantages of Internet marketing and e-commerce and how it is an essential tool in a tanking economy.

Stay Active:  If things are slow keep your hands in the pie, even if the projects are pro bono or generated by yourself.  Keep your mind active rather than dwelling on doom and gloom and freaking out.  These types of pro bono or self directed projects also allow you freedom to explore your creative longings and perhaps even achieve a break-through in your creative work.   When I first found myself in the position of being a single mom, I sat around for 8 days saying “omg omg omg omg” and eating cookies.  That did absolutely nothing for me.  But then I started to create a website for single women and moms called “Fresh Start You.”  Sadly the site went by the wayside, but that was because my client load picked up and I started getting honest to god higher paying jobs.  Get out of your office or studio and go to a gallery opening or a museum. Search the Internet for opportunities. Call old contacts on the phone and inquire how they are doing. Activity brings activity.

Realize we are in this together:  The economy sucks and people are scared.  Rather than fighting or alienating one another we have to help one another. Together we can do better then we can alone.

Happy July 4th, 2008

Wishes and prayers to Finland

Sending wishes and prayers to the people of Finland, the families and friends of those effected by the tragic school shooting that occurred today in Tuusula.

The One Campaign

During this last week of celebration of America's independence, I feel good.  I remember the TV show FRIENDS where Phoebe and Joey debated the unlikely notion of "the selfless act."  This last week I have taken steps to reach beyond my own borders to help others who are in greater need than myself. I wanted to reach out and learn more about strangers in need. On this week of America's independence I wanted to in my own small way provide a tiny shred of independence for someone else...or at least begin to work in that direction.  It was to be a "selfless act" but it didn't turn out to be so. My efforts (only just begun) feel really really good.  I feel connected to something bigger than myself and it is incredibly satisfying on a deep emotional level. It is a feeling I haven't experienced before.

What does this have to do with design?  Well, really not much.  This post won't talk about making a great online portfolio, or how to market your art.  But... it is my firm belief that as a designer and as a citizen of this world, I need to have a solid understanding of current events and issues effecting my neighbors on a global scale. I believe that as a designer I need to have a basic understanding of different cultures and that the field of graphic design is uniquely positioned toward ethics and social responsibility. I believe that significant damage has been done to the reputation of our nation during the present administration and I believe that leaving repair up to a handful of politicians is not going to be terribly effective..regardless of their party.  I believe that it is the people who can make a difference as long as we don't all sit in front of our TVs grumbling over the state of the things and do nothing.  We must move.  We must act.  And it is through this action that we might not only better someone else's life, strengthen diplomatic bonds between nations, but also experience that amazing feeling that comes with the "selfless act."

For those of you who read ArtLOOK regularly, you might already know that I have taken the pledge at Eric Karjaluoto's Design Can Change regarding issues surrounding global warming.  I believe this is an issue we should all be concerned with and act upon.  Making lifestyle changes toward this end, even the smallest changes (replacing light bulbs, using both sides of the paper in our printers), should be givens just as we wake up each morning and brush our teeth.  Designers, please consider taking the pledge.

Participating in one movement or concern shouldn't necessarily prevent us from caring about or participating in others.  Additional concerns I have are:
HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
Education for children and women in developing countries
Clean water for all

I don't consider myself a terribly religious person; however, I know that rather than having religion tear us apart it can, (and should) bring us together.  Christian, Jewish, and Muslim religions all speak of the tenets on care for the widow, the orphan and the stranger.  This is a common bond.  From a political standpoint, lets look to the 2008 presidential candidates to inquire what they would do for the poorest in the world.  As Bono states in the July issue of Vanity Fair "It's hard to hate a country which puts your kids in school and gives medication to save your husbands life."

Books and publications: I have read the following to better educate myself on a variety of topics.  I recommend them to you:
The Mighty Heart by Mariane Pearl:  Story of Wall Street Journalist, Daniel Pearl
Dispatches From the Edge - Anderson Cooper
Three Cups of Tea - Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin (excellent excellent!)
Note from my Travels - Angelina Jolie
The Assault on Reason - Al Gore
July Issue of Vanity Fair, Africa - Co edited by Bono (pick it up at the newsstand or visit the VF website)

Websites I have visited and read:
Save the Children
The One Campaign - Devoted to fighting extreme poverty and HIV/AIDS
Ryan's Well - Amazing story of ONE boy making a difference. H20 For Africa
One Shared World
Global Volunteers International
Vanity Fair, Africa
Vanity Fair, Green - sorry folks but each time I tried to access this site for the URL it crashed my browser! But you can find the issue of this magazine in your local library, I'm sure.
(Red)
Live Earth

Websites encouraging artistic expression and marketing for artists of developing countries:
Novica
Aid for Artisans - Please see my article in the August issue of INK (distributed in CT)

Steps I have taken thus far:
In addition to signing the pledge for Design Can Change, I have joined Live Earth.  I hope some of you were able to enjoy yesterday's amazing concerts from around the world and that the program offered you some ways in which you might be able to assist saving this beautiful planet.

I have also added my voice to The ONE Campaign. I have signed the Declaration, sent emails to Congressmen Joe Courtney, Senator Joseph Lieberman and Senator Chris Dodd. I have joined as a volunteer to ONE and will be writing newspapers to increase awareness and open discussions up about extreme poverty and HIV/AIDS. It is my hope that this post also serves as a start to my beginnings on opening up and continuing a dialog on these issues.  I have made a small donation to ONE and will be also wearing my ONE wristband everyday with pride. A larger goal for myself, is to visit Tanzania in 2008 or 2009 to learn more about this area and to assist however I am needed.  I have looked into Global Volunteers International and to this end, I will put a percentage of my earnings toward this goal.

When I have finished this post, I will email everyone I know inviting them to visit ArtLOOK and the resources listed here to learn more about sustainability and extreme poverty.  I will send the URL to my contacts at the press and just about anyone else I can think of.  I don't know if my words will fall upon deaf ears.  I don't know who will take action.  I don't know who will provide feedback but I know...Americans are among the most generous and kind hearted people in the world.  And if ONE man, Greg Mortenson, can nearly single handedly begin a school building project in Pakistan and ONE boy, Ryan Hreljac, can build 266 wells providing clean water for Africa...I can certainly write a few articles and letters.  If just one of you clicks the banner below and signs your voice to the ONE campaign, my time writing here is well spent.  ONE is not looking for your money...just your signature and consideration.  With the some of following good people signing the ONE declaration we would be in good company: Claudia Schiffer, Bono, Dave Matthews, Danny Glover, Bob Geldof, No Doubt, John Cusack, Kate Hudson, George Clooney, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas, Kate Bosworth, Liam Neeson, Susan Sarandon, Steve Buscemi, Orlando Bloom, Brad Pitt, Heidi Klum, Tom Hanks. Already almost 2.5 million Americans have signed up for the ONE campaign...Please join us.

 


 

Going Green - Terracycle Organic Garden Products Being Sued by Miracle-Gro

Terracycle manufactures organic gardening products made from worm poop. The poop is liquified into a potent yet Eco-friendly plant food and then packaged using reused soda bottles. Terracycle collects the bottles, washes them and then pays you for sending in the bottles. Evidently the tiny but brilliant Terracycle located in Trenton New Jersey has scared the pants off of big huge conglomerate Scotts Miracle-Gro. Terracycle is now being sued by Miracle-Gro on two counts.

1. Scotts claims that Terracycle's packaging looks too similar to Miracle-Gro and will confuse customers, (are you kidding me?) because of the green and yellow label and depicted flowers/veggies.

2. Scotts also objects that TerraCycle says its plant food is as good or better than "a leading synthetic plant food" and is refusing Scotts' demands that TerraCycle hand over its scientific tests conducted at the Rutgers University EcoComplex.  Miracle-Gro also refuses to hand over it's findings to Terracycle.

Terracycle has earned the Zerofootprint seal. In it's search for 20 oz soda bottles the company will "donate $0.05 to the charity of your choice or save 10 square feet of the rainforest through The Nature Conservancy. We provide four boxes with prepaid UPS labels and all you have to do is mail them back full of 20 oz. soda bottles with the labels removed. After they're cleaned, your bottles are used to package TerraCycle Plant Food™. To date, we have been able to rescue over 1,524,382 bottles."

Wanna sign up to help Terracycle's search for bottles?  I did!  Sign up here.

This is an inspiring story about sustainability and responsible design on so many levels.  I wish Terracycle all the best.

Read more about the lawsuit at the blog "Sued by Scotts"

Not sure if this is true, but on the blog Apartment Therapy, where I originally read about Terracycle,  commenter Chris Johanesen states that on the label of Miracle-Gro, Scotts claims to "own" the green color when used on lawn and garden products!!

David Black :: Featured Artist at Alliance for Living's Art for Life XIV

David Black is the featured artist at Alliance for Living Art For Life XIV being held at the Mystic Arts Center, 9 Water Street, Mystic CT.  The Alliance for Living is dedicated to improving the quality of life for people affected by HIV/AIDS in New London County (CT).

Art for Life XIV is at the Mystic Arts Center April 14, 2007. Benefactors Reception begins at 6 pm with general admission at 7 – 10 pm.  Over 100 artists from throughout the country are donating their works of art to help “Keep the Promise” of eradicating AIDS.

This year's featured painting “The Path” has been donated by David Black, Tony Award winning producer, artist, and actor.  Black resides in New York City and Stonington Village.  He has received critical acclaim from The New Yorker, The New York Times, Arts Review, London, to name only a few..

Read David Black's Blog for his thoughts on this very special painting "The Path" which will auctioned off on Saturday.

Keeping My Pledge - What I'm Doing to Go Green

The pledge that I took last week over at Design Can Change was pretty simple.  It goes like this:

In my professional practice, I will endeavor to:
Learn:  Engage in the topic and seek to understand the issue
Think: Make a sustainable mindset second nature
Act: Put my knowledge to use in my daily work
Inform: Share information and build awareness for sustainability
Unite: Spark change through collective strength.

I encourage you to visit the Design Can Change website, read the resources and pdfs and take the pledge.

I've been thinking about what it is I can do as an individual toward being a more responsible designer. Because I work from my home, I'm also including items I can do as a homeowner. Here's my list:

1. Use both sides of the paper from my printer. Reusing paper as scrap for notes, sketching etc.
2. Ride my bike to the post office.
3. Instead of using plastic bags at the grocery store and the office supply store, I'm committed to bringing the lovely tote given to me by my friend Pirjo Loisa for bringing home purchases. As a fellow tree lover, I think Pirjo will like this idea.
4. Replacing those old fashion lightbulbs in my office with CFL energy saving bulbs.
5. I'm faced with having to replace some appliances in my home, I'll be replacing all with energy star models which will also save some bucks on my electric bill.  Energy saving insulation, exterior doors and windows will also help.  According to Time Magazine's issue "The Global Warming Survival Guide," April 9, 2007, you can also get a tax break for going green. "This is the first year you can take advantage of incentives built into the landmark 2005 Energy Policy Act, which will reduce your tax bill if you simply buy a fuel-saving car or install energy efficient appliances."
6. I'll be including those Design Can Change PDFs in my proposals and client materials.

Going Green - How Designers and Clients Can Help the Environment

Those of you who have been reading ArtLOOK know I've endeavored to practice, speak and write about Responsible Design and how it can effect our global community. It was with great pleasure that I received an email from Peter Pimentel at smashLAB announcing their newest initiative: Design Can Change.

Pimentel writes, "This initiative works on the premise that designers are a critical hub to business, industry and the public; therefore, we have the ability to lobby, inform, and subsequently enable positive change, by working together. Key to this effort is the pledge: a set of guidelines for becoming more sustainable. It gives designers an actionable framework for embracing sustainability and also helps quantify our collective strength as we lobby for change."

SmashLAB and Design Can Change invites you to visit the website. Read and learn about sustainability, and please take the pledge. After having made the commitment to embrace responsible design you are welcome to download the logos (see my sidebar) for use on your blog/website with a link to www.designcanchange.org.  Download this PDF and send it to the designers you know.  Recommend and include in your studio materials this PDF for the buyers of design.  You can also read more about Design Can Change at Eric Karjaluoto's blog ideasonideas.

I salute smashLAB for taking this initiative and I firmly believe that together we can change design and our business practices for the better and make a positive impact on our global community.  Please join us.

I also include here again the First Things First manifesto.

Swedish Design :: Hotter Than Ever and New York City Loves It

The Swedish Consulate General has posted several upcoming events and announcements regarding hotter than ever Swedish Design in NYC. Loving all things Scandinavian, the following are on my "Springtime in NYC To Do List":

Just Scandinavian: A Living Store For Living Homes. 161 Hudson Street. The brand new TriBeCa Shop is being touted as one of the most beautiful design stores to open in Manhatten in recent years. "Proprietor Ann Ljungberg, a Swedish art historian and antiques expert, presents a personal and impeccably edited selection of classic and contemporary Scandinavian furniture, household products and home furnishings, many of them exclusive to the U.S. market."

New Scandinavian Design: An Evening of Dynamic Discussion and Engaging Encounters. Scandinavia House, 58 Park Avenue at 38th Street, New York. Join authors Katherine Nelson and Raul Cabra of the new book “New Scandinavian Design” for an evening of intellectual and creative exchange as five influential Nordic designers discuss the current climate in contemporary Scandinavian design. Monday, May 2 - 6:30 pm - 9 pm
$15 general admission
$10 ASF & Cooper Hewitt members
(interestingly the book was published in October 2004...but ok)

Swedish By Design: Highlights rom the Contemporary Swedish Scene at ICFF. Tuesday, May 17 (trade and general public) 10 am – 4 pm, Booth 1048, Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. During the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) on May 14-17, a stellar selection of new Swedish design will invade New York and put the spotlight on the country’s vibrant creative climate.

Designed in Sweden: From Minimal to Maximal in the New Millennium. Designed in Sweden, May 11 – June 4. Felissimo Design House, 10 West 56th Street, New York City. Young furniture designers are currently re-inventing the Scandinavian Modern legacy with warmth and humor, while the crafts community is infusing glass and ceramics with vivid colors and daring textures. The exciting new exhibition Designed In Sweden covers the current state of Swedish design by presenting a wide range of furniture, glass, ceramics, metalware and textile work by more than 60 contemporary designers.