HG Art and Framing Consultants

Vince Carter's - Daytona Beach, Florida

2010-08-24T09:27:00.000-04:00

After dining at one of her favorite restaurants, Darden Restaurants' Seasons 52, Michelle Carter-Scott, mother and business manager for Orlando Magic NBA star Vince Carter, knew she had found the design team for her son's namesake restaurant: Orlando architecture firm Cuhaci & Peterson and interior design firm Schmidt Design Studio. The design brief: a unique restaurant that Daytona Beach, Florida, had never seen before. Says principal interior designer Anna Schmidt: "I remember her saying, 'We want Vegas, baby!'"

But don't think Vince Carter's is packed with memorabilia a la Hard Rock Café. "Vince wanted his outstanding basketball career to only be represented by subtle touches," she says. The Highlight Zone, which is the high-end sports bar, dons a few pieces of basketball art; in the entry, there is a retail space that features some mementos of Carter; and custom painting of the star hangs on a high wall in the main dining room.

Elsewhere, throughout the 11,000-square-foot space, the designers used rich and contrasting dark wood stains, warm colors (raspberry, gold, metal hues), touches of metal (steel copper, and pewter), lots of textures, and clean lines. And there is motion and curves to the design—in the massive hanging features with undulating metal strips to curved details in the carpet pattern. "Our goal was to create a rich, high-class, yet comfortable and approachable atmosphere," Schmidt says. "While the color palette was different than you might expect, all the aspects came together to create a beautiful aesthetic. It really draws you into the space."

Schmidt's favorite room: the VIP dining room. Elliptical in shape, it features an oval ceiling cut out with staggered furrdowns, which guests can see on to the exterior 30-foot high windows, she explains. And the room has a warm glow, thanks to gold and pewter hues, custom blown glass pendants that hang from the ellipse, and a 25-foot custom glove glass chandelier that spirals from the ceiling.

"The restaurant features four inside dining and drinking environments, as well as three exterior patio areas. Each offers a unique guest experience for both traditional and private dining," Schmidt says.

Giacometti Sculpture Becomes Most Expensive Work Ever to Sell at Auction

2010-02-04T10:32:00.000-05:00

A rare life-size and life-time bronze cast, from 1961, of Alberto Giacometti's L'Homme Qui Marche I, better known as "Walking Man," improbably became the most expensive work of art ever to sell at auction today, selling for £65,001,250 ($104,327,006).

The price barely edged out the previous record, set in 2004 by Pablo Picasso's Garcon a la Pipe, 1905, which went for $104.1 million (£58,052,830) at the time. But Giacometti's personal previous record, achieved when Grand Femme Debout II, 1959-60, earned $27,481,000 at Christie's New York in May 2008, was vanquished in seconds.

The £65,001,250 ($104,327,006) result also pulverized the previous record for any modern sculpture sold at auction, achieved last February at the Yves Saint Laurent sale in Paris when Constantin Brancusi's Madame L.R. (Portrait de Mme L.R.) from circa 1914-17 sold for $37.7 million.

Estimated to sell for £12-18 million, the much-talked-about Giacometti figure of a spindly man, who resembles a survivor of a cataclysmic event, frozen in mid-stride, took off like a Roman candle, with multiple bids erupting in the packed salesroom.

At least four phone bidders tangled for the prize, as did several seasoned dealers, including New York private dealer Nancy Whyte, who went up to £23 million before dropping out, connected via cell phone to her anonymous client.

"That was peanuts," said Whyte shortly afterwards, alluding to her bidding, and expressing surprise at just how much higher the bronze traveled.

Pre-sale buzz that the Giacometti might hit $50 million was greeted with considerable skepticism by even seasoned players. No one even fantasized it would exceed $100 million.

There are two versions of "Walking Man," I and II, each in an edition of six plus artist proofs. It is believed that example of the first walking man, which was consigned by the Frankfurt-based Commerzbank, is the only life-time cast still in private hands.

Sotheby's senior specialist Philip Hook, who took the winning phone bid at a hammer price of £58 million, said that one of the unidentified underbidders told him before the sale that he had been waiting 40 years for the sculpture to come on the market. It turned out to be that kind of generational event. Hook declined to divulge any information about his phone client.

The six-foot-high bronze has an American heritage as well. It was first acquired in December 1961 by legendary New York dealer Sidney Janis, who bought it from Galerie Maeght in Paris and debuted it in New York at the Sidney Janis Gallery in 1968, according to the auction catalogue.

The catalogue also showed a vintage photograph of Giacometti covered in white plaster and working on the spindly legs of the figure in his Paris studio before it was cast in bronze. The image added to the iconic status of the astonishing sculpture, believed by some to be his greatest work. There's no question it's his most expensive

Architecture for Humanity Responds to Haiti Quake

2010-02-01T16:03:00.000-05:00

Architecture for Humanity members haven’t slept a wink since Monday night. The San Francisco-based non-profit design services firm founded by Cameron Sinclair and Kate Stohr, is busy mobilizing an architecture army for reconstruction efforts in Haiti following Tuesday’s horrific earthquake.

The firm, which provides design, construction, and development for nations and cultures in need, is currently fundraising for long-term efforts in the crumbled city of Port au Prince. Additionally, Architecture for Humanity has issued a call to architects, interior designers, engineers, environmental scientists, agronomists, and landscape architects across the globe to donate their time and talent to aid in the long road ahead.

“While Haiti is currently in desperate need of relief and recovery services, very soon we will move to long-term reconstruction,” said Cameron Sinclair. “When the world’s attention turns away from this disaster, that is when the design and building community is needed most. Give now to build back better.”

Currently, Architecture for Humanity is fleshing out a comprehensive, two- to four-year plan (including transitional, temporary shelter, as well as permanent construction) for the devastated nation that begins with a site visit in approximately three week’s time. Ideally, the firm will have professionals in the field by month two. Sinclair and his team are urging dedicated, passionate members of the industry, especially those who are French-speaking, to sign up to volunteer at architectureforhumanity.org/getinvolved/offerdesign. Monetary donations can also be submitted via PayPal sans service fee at architectureforhumanity.org/donate.

Tropical Turquoise Top Color of 2010

2010-01-19T11:13:00.001-05:00

Interior designer Debbie Sheaf of Orlando, Fla., is way ahead of the curve.
Last February, inspired by the blues and greens in her collection of antique majolica pottery, she painted the room that houses her collection a vibrant turquoise.

Turquoise was selected as the color of the year for 2010 by Pantone, a global color authority. The blue-green shade replaces mimosa, the sunny yellow that was Pantone's top pick for 2009.

Combining the "serene qualities of blue with the invigorating aspects of green," turquoise evokes thoughts of "soothing tropical waters and a languorous escape from the everyday troubles of the world, while restoring our sense of wellbeing," said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute in Carlstadt, N.J.

Just the kind of feel-good color we need in 2010, the year in which the depressed economy is expected to start recovering.

To determine color trends, the Color Institute's team of specialists travels the world, observing colors in many contexts and studying consumer psychology. Pantone then creates the standardized color palettes used in the design and fashion industries.

"In many cultures, turquoise occupies a special position in the world of color," Eiseman said. "It is believed to be a protective talisman, a color of deep compassion and healing, and a color of faith and truth, inspired by water and sky.

Most people respond positively to turquoise, she said. Universally flattering, it appeals to men and women, can look elegant or casual, and because it has both warm and cool undertones, it pairs well with any other color in the spectrum. It adds a splash of excitement to neutrals and browns, complements reds and pinks, creates a classic maritime look with deep blues and is especially trend-setting with yellow-greens.

People who like turquoise tend to be complex, imaginative and original, said Ron Redding, vice president of design for York Wallcoverings in York, Pa.

Once seen mainly in resort decor and clothing, turquoise now is making its way into "everyday homes," said Gina Shaw, a designer with York Wallcoverings. In addition, "turquoise and other ocean-inspired blues are 'eco-colors' that reflect increasing consumer appreciation of the environment and nature."

In general, a high-voltage color such as turquoise is best confined to smaller areas, such as a single wall. But if you're not brave enough to splash the color of the year on your walls, at least use accessories to update your decor, said Sheaf.

"Pop in a turquoise lamp, picture frames, towels or a painted chair. The result will be magical."

MoMA gives Modern a Makeover

2010-01-07T09:24:00.002-05:00

The modern design section of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) recently received a facelift. Running from December 23, 2009 to July of 2010, the museum’s third floor Philip Johnson Architecture and Design Galleries showcases “Shaping Modernity: Design 1880–1980.” The exhibit houses a selection of visionary objects, graphics, architectural fragments, and textiles from the Museum’s collection that reveal the attempts of successive generations to shape their experience of living in the modern world. Curator Juliet Kinchin and curatorial assistant Aidan O’Connor organized some 300 works into the following five sections:

The International New Art 1890–1914

The International New Art flourished in urban centers around the world taking on many localized forms and names (among them Art Nouveau, Jugendstil, Arte Modernista, Sezession, and Glasgow Style). The pieces in this installation were used in the office of the MoMA’s founding director, Alfred H. Barr, Jr. Other examples in the exhibition include a side chair by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, a side table by Mackay Hugh Baillie Scott, and a plaster cast of Antoni Gaudí’s original finial sculpture for the Church of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.

New Typography 1927–37

In the 1920s and 1930s, the movement known as the New Typography brought graphics and information design to the forefront of artistic avant-gardes in Europe. Rejecting traditional arrangement of type in symmetrical columns, modernist designers organized the printed page or poster as a blank field in which blocks of type and illustration (frequently photomontage) could be arranged in harmonious, strikingly asymmetrical compositions. Included in the exhibition are 14 works by Jan Tschichold, Ladislav Sutnar, Johannes Molzahn, Theo H. Ballmer, Herbert Bayer, Frantisek Kalivoda, Zdenek Rossmann, Joost Schmidt, and Aleksandr Rodchenko.

Mind, Body, Machine 1925–40
The tone of this section is set by a giant railroad-car spring and a boat propeller first shown in MoMA’s landmark Machine Art exhibition in 1934, which celebrated such items of anonymous industrial design as symbols of social improvement and technological progress. The theme is further explored in utilitarian objects such as a streamlined meat-slicer (given in memory of the Yippie leader Abbie Hoffman), and the Vipp trash can, designed for a Danish hair salon.

What Was Good Design? MoMA’s Message 1944–56

This section,which opened in May of 2009, presents over 100 selections from the museum’s collection—ranging from domestic furnishings and appliances to textiles, sporting goods, and graphics—to illuminate the primary values of Good Design as promoted by MoMA within an international debate conducted by museums, design councils, and department stores.

Continuity and Critique 1960–80
The clean and elegant forms of classic modernism continued to appear in the domestic appliances of Dieter Rams for Braun, and the Vignelli Associates’ stacking plastic dinnerware. For many however, the emphasis on pop music, youth, and counterculture opened up new possibilities in materials, colors, and forms, as well as more humorous, expendable design.

2009-09-17T15:30:00.007-04:00

The BMW Art Car was conceived in 1975, the year that French auctioneer and racecar driver Herve Poulain first entered 24 Hours of Le Mans. Searching for a link between art and motorsport, Poulain asked his friend, noted artist Alexander Calder, to commission a rolling canvas on the BMW 3.0 CSL that he would race. In the years that followed, this unique combination of motorsport and BMW design fascinated the famous artists of our time. Frank Stella, Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol have all turned BMW racing cars into Art Cars.

Since 1975, outstanding artists from all over the world have been designing the BMW automobiles of their era. The BMW Art Car Collection include works by well-known artists such as Frank Stella, Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, A.R. Penck, David Hockney and Jenny Holzer. The Art Cars reflect the developments in art history with regard to fine art, design and technology and are displayed worldwide in major museums such as the Paris Louvre, the Royal Academy in London, the New York Whitney Museum of Modern Art, Venice's Palazzo Grassi, Sydney's Powerhouse Museum and the Guggenheim Museums of New York and Bilbao. In the future, too, Art Cars will document the fascinating link between art and technology in international exhibitions.

Chronological list of all BMW Art Cars.

Alexander Calder (USA) 1975 BMW 3.0 CSL

Frank Stella (USA) 1976 BMW 3.0 CSL

Roy Lichtenstein (USA) 1977 BMW 320i Group 5 Race Version

Andy Warhol (USA) 1979 BMW M1 Group 4 Race Version

Ernst Fuchs (Austria) 1982 BMW 635 CSi

Robert Rauschenberg (USA) 1986 BMW 635 CSi

Michael Jagamara Nelson (Australia) 1989 BMW 635 CSi

Ken Done (Australia) 1989 BMW M3 Group A Race Version

Matazo Kayama (Japan) 1990 BMW 535i

CÃ©sar Manrique (Spain) 1990 BMW 730i

A.R. Penck (Germany) 1991 BMW Z1

Esther Mahlangu (South Africa) 1991 BMW 525i

Sandro Chia (Italy) 1992 BMW 3 Series Racing Prototype

David Hockney (Great Britain) 1995 BMW 850CSi

Jenny Holzer (USA) 1999 BMW V12 LMR

2009-08-25T11:36:00.003-04:00

Cornell Professor Launches Interior Design Naming Practice

In the late 1990’s, professor Jan Jennings struggled to talk with her interior design students about design practices that had been used throughout history and across cultures, such as a dramatic staircase in the lobby of a luxury hotel, two similar chairs situated side-by-side in a large space, or columns in a restaurant ornamented by decorative means. For decades—even centuries, in some cases—these reiterative examples have gone unnamed and undocumented.Today, Jennings, a professor in Design and Environmental Analysis, leads a multidisciplinary research team of faculty from the Colleges of Human Ecology, Arts and Sciences, and Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University in building a new knowledge base for the creative dimension of design. The project is the first of its kind to assemble contemporary design theory in a searchable, online database that includes imagery from real buildings.“We had to invent a naming practice, a vocabulary for students to use in talking about design,” Jennings said. “Interior design had borrowed language from architecture and visual arts, but when you came down to it, we didn’t have a typology for contemporary design practices that have been occurring across history, style, and culture.”Today, that original concept is a full-blown research and teaching project called Intypes, which is short for the Interior Archetypes Research and Teaching Project. The project officially launched this summer at the NeoCon World’s Trade Fair in Chicago with partners Interior Design magazine and IIDA.

“This extraordinary undertaking, 13 years in the making, is sure to invigorate the educational process by creating a new vocabulary to define contemporary design,” said Cindy Allen, editor in chief of Interior Design."The project brings the field of interior design to a whole new level," said Cheryl Durst, executive vice president and CEO of IIDA. “The Intypes approach gives credence and relevance to the history and legacy of interior design as a profession, as a discipline and as a viable and vital contribution to society as a whole.”To date, the project has named nearly 70 interior archetypes. “Some of our alumni are using these words in the field,” Jennings said. “When they do that, they hear the word being used later by their colleagues. If the word is used without translation or definition, then it really has become a word that contributes to a design language.”In total, four faculty members and 16 interior design master’s students have actively participated in the project. Many of the students take on a market segment, such as health care, for their thesis projects, researching the history, cultural implications, and use. Their proposals go to the Intypes Research Group, which evaluates the research and considers the students’ proposed names.The Intypes workgroup is hoping their project inspires designers to think about these issues, and opens the door to more formal research in interior design. “Interior design is its own field and profession,” Jennings said. “We’re hoping the project provides a new way to talk about field and lends it the credibility it deserves.”

Images courtesy of Cornell University.

Mood, Memory Affected by Your Home

2009-07-06T16:11:00.002-04:00

(OPRAH.com) -- Anyone fond of coming home to a chilled glass of Chardonnay to help wind down may soon be dreaming of the front door keys rather than a corkscrew. The pleasure is due to a hot new field of design called neuroarchitecture.

Big windows that allow in lots of natural light can provide a mood boost.

Emerging research on how factors like light, space and room layout affect physical and psychological well-being are driving the buzz behind this new intersection of art and science.

"The premise is to consider how each feature of the architectural environment influences certain brain processes such as those involved in stress, emotion and memory," says Eve Edelstein, Ph.D., adjunct professor at the NewSchool of Architecture & Design in San Diego and a research consultant to the Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture (ANFA).

For example, light is already a well-known mood modulator -- candles, artificial sources controlled with dimmers, lots of natural sunshine. Beyond that, neuroarchitecture experts have a few suggestions about how to make the kind of home improvements that also might renovate your mood:

Decor

Surprisingly, sleek minimalist interiors may not feed the brain as much as a home or apartment that's a little cluttered, says John Zeisel, Ph.D., who serves on ANFA's board of directors and designs therapeutic environments for dementia sufferers through his company, Hearthstone Alzheimer Care, in Woburn, Massachusetts.

"Alzheimer's patients wander. However, if you provide good visual cues -- pictures and objects they're familiar with, destinations at the ends of hallways, such as kitchens, activity spaces and doors that lead out into safe and inviting healing gardens -- they stop wandering and begin to walk with purpose."

Similarly, when you look around your own place and see the evidence of who you are (the books you've read, the projects you're working on), you feel grounded. Oprah.com: 7 decorating essentials

The hearth should always be the center of the home, according to Zeisel and British kitchen designer Johnny Grey, who have collaborated since Daniel Goleman, author of "Emotional Intelligence," introduced them three years ago.

"Being in the kitchen links you to hardwired feelings of comfort -- beyond getting food, there's a sense of protection, warmth, sociability, sharing stories," says Zeisel, which is why, ideally, it's both a functional and a social space where friends and family can gather, do homework, and relax.

Grey says the "sweet spot" is a location where you can cook with your back facing a wall while looking others in the eyes.

Zeisel explains why: "After a busy day, if your kitchen design makes you face away from family or company, wondering what the noises and bustle going on behind you mean your brain is more likely to continue to produce adrenaline and cortisol, the hormones associated with anxiety, fear, and stress.

"But when you face into the room and can see what's going on, you feel safer and more in control; then oxytocin, the bonding hormone, and serotonin, associated with relaxation and enjoyment, have a greater chance of being released."

Better yet is a kitchen in which you have a view of the door where people enter, a window onto a landscape and a fireplace. Oprah.com: Go inside this dream kitchen

Windows

A yard is nice, but if you don't have one, big windows or a balcony also offer an emotional lift. "Just being able to see how the weather is and knowing what's out there relaxes people and makes them feel more in control," says Zeisel.

'Soft geometry'

Grey suggests the use of curves instead of hard edges on counters, furniture, and cabinets to help nurture contentment and well-being.

"The reason has to do with your peripheral vision and is linked to a primitive part of the brain called the amygdala," he says. "If you were to walk down a dark, narrow tunnel lined with sharp rocks, you wouldn't be able to think about anything except avoiding getting hurt. But if the same tunnel were lined with linen upholstery, you'd feel safe to daydream."

Everything need not be rounded --"that gets very tedious," Grey says. "But if the key pieces and places are curved, that makes the body relax."

Original art

Decorating with a signed painting or one-of-a-kind sculpture not only puts your unique fingerprint on your place, it transmits a sense of authenticity and trust, says David Lewis, PhD, research director of Neuroco, a British neuromarketing company that uses EEGs (which measure electrical activity in the brain) and other techniques to understand consumer behavior.

A room of one's own

Lack of privacy is stressful, Zeisel says. Even if you can't have your own room, it's important to find ways to guarantee yourself solitude (make a time when the bathroom is yours so you can put on makeup alone, find a corner away from the family traffic to read).

Rearranging

"One of the keys to a home that elicits a lot of happiness and positive emotion is that it changes to some extent," says the University of Wisconsin's Richard J. Davidson, PhD.

Even an environment that makes our spirits soar -- an incredible view, for example -- tends, over time, to grow stale. We get used to it. Davidson isn't suggesting turning your place upside down, but if you get the bug to move things around a bit or play with the lighting, you might find your own interior gets a lift toward the sunnier.

By Tim Jarvis from O, The Oprah Magazine © 2008

Sears Tower to Be Revamped to Produce Most of Its Own Power

2009-06-30T16:19:00.002-04:00

By SUSAN SAULNY
Published: June 24, 2009
CHICAGO — The Sears Tower, that bronze-black monument that forms the 110-story peak of the skyline here and stands as the tallest office building in the Western Hemisphere, will soon have another unique feature: wind turbines sprouting from its recessed rooftops high in the sky.
The building’s owners, leasing agents and architects said Wednesday that they are literally taking environmental sustainability to new heights with a $350 million retrofit of the 1970s-era modernist building — and the turbines are only the tip of the transformation. The plan, to begin immediately, aims to reduce electricity use in the tower by 80 percent over five years through upgrades in the glass exterior, internal lighting, heating, cooling and elevator systems — and its own green power generation.
In such a huge tower, with 4.5 million square feet of office and retail space, 16,000 windows and 104 elevators, the project is bound to be one of the most substantial green renovations ever tried on one site, planners said. The Sears Tower is significantly larger than the 102-story, 2.6-million-square-foot Empire State Building, for instance, which is also undergoing renovation to reduce energy consumption.
“If we can take care of one building that size, it has a huge impact on society,” said Adrian Smith, an architect whose firm designed the Sears Tower renovation. “It is a village in and of itself.”
Buildings are among the world’s largest contributors of greenhouse gas emissions. After the retrofit, energy savings at the Sears Tower, which is to be renamed the Willis Tower this summer, would be equal to 150,000 barrels of oil a year, officials said. The savings are expected to help redeem some of the project’s cost, which is to be financed through private equity investment, grants, debt financing and government funds.
The Sears Tower plans to open a first-floor center to educate the public about the redesign, and hopes to serve as a model for other aging skyscrapers around the world, officials said.

2009-06-25T17:50:00.001-04:00

June 25, 2009

IC Green Container Dwellings Sprout Up in California

by Haily Zaki

Inhabitat loves shipping containers, whether from down under or the Great North. These self-contained quadrilateral wonders are the perfect modular building unit; easily transported, super durable, and, with over700,000 containers being abandoned per year in U.S. ports, in need dire need of being re-purposed. That’s why we are happy to see IC Green, another innovator in the field of shipping container architecture. Check out their line of modest but sustainable and stylish container dwellings as they sprout up all over Southern California, including this weekend at Dwell on Design!

IC Green is a Southern California-based design/build company that specializes in transforming overseas shipping containers into simple, comfortable and sustainable residences. The company features six main models ranging in size from a diminutive open floor plan studio to a full four-bedroom unit with courtyard.

All models come with water conservation measures such as rainwater collection systems, grey-water systems,green roofs, and dual flush toilets. Materials used include FSC certified wood products, VOC free paint, and metal products with high recycled content. All homes are also fitted with radiant floor systems paired with highly efficient insulation to reduce the overall energy demand of each residence. The large glass facades allow for ample daylighting and reduce the need for electrical lighting. IC Green is also currently investigating using LED lighting in their homes. Customized stackable designs are also available upon request. These boxy delights make simple but sweet abodes (and the perfect pool house).

For an up close and personal look at their dwellings, check them out at the special Dwell Outdoor pop-up community at Dwell on Design this weekend at the Los Angeles Convention Center. If you can’t make it to the conference, they also have an upcoming 2400 unit project in LA County, a 1200 unit project with a 480 studio over a garage in Torrance, and a 320 unit on display at their main office in Garden

2008-12-22T13:50:00.002-05:00

What is Evidence-based Art?

How are Evidence-based Art Programs different from regular art programs and what advantage do they offer hospitals?

Evidence-based Art is based upon the principles of Evidence-based Design, and makes a commitment to basing design decisions on the best available research evidence. There is a small but significant body of research evidence today on the impact of art on clinical and behavioral outcomes of patients in hospital settings. Viewing artwork with appropriate nature content has been seen to reduce stress and pain perception, as measured by physiological outcomes such as blood pressure, heart-rate, and skin conductance, in addition to self-report measures such as pain-rating scales and surveys. For example, in a study conducted in Sweden by Roger Ulrich, heart surgery patients in an ICU who were shown nature scenes with water, trees and high depth of field, showed lesser anxiety, suffered less intense pain, and required lower strength pain medication, than those shown abstract scenes or no image at all. Economic benefits of lower cost of pain medication, reduced length of stay, and increased patient and staff satisfaction, can be extrapolated from such studies and strengthen the case for taking an evidence-based approach.

Unfortunately, the critical importance of Evidence-based Art programs has not yet been fully appreciated within the industry....

While experienced art consultants have the ability to provide aesthetically pleasing artwork consisting of pretty, local pictures, the insight into whether this aesthetic is appropriate for healthcare populations is often missing. Given the evidence on the therapeutic effect of using appropriate art (discussed above), this could be a critical oversight.

Yet another aspect of evidence that is relevant, in addition to the therapeutic benefit of art, relates to how presence and quality of art can effect patient/visitor perception of the quality of care at the hospital, act as a de-stressor for staff, have an impact on the branding of the hospital, serve as a point of focus and discussion for visitors, and of course, add to the overall appeal of the visual environment (these themes are emergent from a 2007 post-occupancy evaluation of the art program at MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston). Artwork is often the most visible and noticeable aspect of the visual environment and this increases its potential impact on patients/ staff/ visitors, and in the final analysis, the economic bottom-line at the hospital.

There are well-researched guidelines in place today for appropriate healthcare art based on rigorous research findings, which can be implemented, creatively, by experienced art consultants. Ulrich and Gilpin’s chapter on Healing Arts, in Frampton’s Putting Patients First, is one of the most comprehensive resources and recommends the use of

Waterscapes (Calm or Non-turbulent Water),
Landscapes (with visual depth or open foreground, trees with broad canopy, Savannah Landscapes, verdant Vegetation, or positive cultural artifacts),
Flowers (familiar, healthy and fresh, in natural settings with open foreground), and
Figurative Art (depicting emotionally positive faces, diverse and leisurely in nature).

While these guidelines are in place today, an evidence-based art consultant has the onus of creative but conscientious interpretation, in order to ensure that the most appropriate art for the facility is chosen while maintaining a standard of visual appeal that is befitting to the hospital. Furthermore, there is little known on art for special populations, or different ethnicities, and mere prescriptive adherence to guidelines cannot suffice.

In the end, commitment to an Evidence-based Art program entails going the step beyond the implementation of existing guidelines, to improving and updating guidelines towards the maximum impact art can have on improving the healthcare environment.

BY KATHY HATHORN AND UPALI NANDA
Published in FacilityCare Magazine. Vol 12. Number 3. May/June 2007

ORANGE

2008-11-21T08:28:00.001-05:00

Orange evokes a variety of emotions and is said to stir up controversy more than any other color out there. It is a color that is definitely vibrant and is associated with energy, fun and warmth. It is used in many restaurants due its ability to stimulate ones appetite, which I found to be quite interesting. So, perhaps this may be a color that you may want to reserve for your kitchen or dining room.

HG's Walk for Autism awareness

2008-11-20T09:44:00.004-05:00

We had a great time for a great cause!! THANK YOU Lisa, for getting our team motivated and the money raised for Autism awareness!! To see more event photos check out our Event Gallery, don't let the dark clouds fool you, it was a wonderful day!!

Art and Design in the Ice Hotel

2008-11-18T16:02:00.002-05:00

Shigeru Uchida (Interior Designer)

2008-10-30T13:25:00.000-04:00

It is named after the Paramount Picture "Alfie" in 1965.
Its theme song is also a famous jazz number with the lyrics, "What's it all about, Alfie?" This petal-shaped chair was created on the image of flowers blooming in a neutral space. This product is suitable for the space with high ceiling.

You can arrange these system-centered chairs in various ways such as round shape, oval shape, waved shape, and rectangular shape and others by combining four different shapes while they can be used as an individual chair.
This product is suitable for a narrow hallway, irregularly shaped space, and high ceiling space and the like.
This system is truly "just in time" for space. You can apply part of this Series to private space such as a reception room in the office.

Chairs in this Series were designed based on the image of "Side by Side," a famous jazz number with rhythmical tune.
Its design was born from rhythmical and bouncing image. Connected chairs are mainstream products of this Series, but you can use them individually by placing them separately around a table as well.

"So in Love" was created by Cole Porter as a theme song of the musical "Kiss Me Kate" in 1948.
It is a sweet love song with a line, "When I'm close to you, dear, the stars fill the sky c" Since the chairs in this Series can be freely combined, you can create various images by arranging the bench seats with three different shapes at your own choice. Also, free combination of chairs will create a form of communication between space and people. Larger size chairs in this Series were designed to create a landscape in a space.

Shigeru Uchida(Interior Designer)

Born in Yokohama in 1943. Graduated from Kuwasawa Design School in 1966. Guest professor at Tokyo University of Art and Design and Kuwasawa Design School.
Uchida received the Mainichi Design Award, Commercial and Environment Design Award, the First Kuwasawa Design Award, and the Ministry of Education Award for Art. As one of the leading designers in Japan, Uchida has been engaged in a wide range of domestic and international activities from furniture and industrial design to community development as well as commercial/living space design. His major works include Yohji Yamamoto's boutiques, the Japanese Pavilion at the EXPO '85 in Tsukuba, Hotel Il Palazzo in Fukuoka, a lobby of Kyoto Hotel, Kobe Fashion Museum, Japanese tea-ceremony rooms called 'Ju-an, So-an, Gyo-an,' and Mojiko Hotel, etc. His works are exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum and others as permanent collection.

THE DESIGN VOTE.. A VERY COOL SITE

2008-10-13T15:34:00.004-04:00

About

Sep 2nd, 2008 by admin

http://www.thedesignvote.com/

The Design Vote is a daily site where design items are presented to be voted on by you. You can either vote an item as thumbs up or thumbs down. The results are displayed as a running tally, pointing out the most popular item presented to date.

Fernando + Humberto Campana: Their art & their curated exhibit at the Copper Hewitt

2008-09-26T14:10:00.003-04:00

By Karen Uribe

If you’ve heard of the Vermelha chair, you’ve probably heard of the Campana brothers.

They are a two-man team of Brazilian brothers that are among the most ingenious designers in the modern art world. Their native Brazil is their home & inspiration. Each one of their creations are always wild, sensual & completely surprising. They say their inspiration comes from everything they see in Brazil. From the kids playing on the street, the street vendors selling all kinds of fruits, the poverty, the Favelas, the dense & lush scenery of the Amazon with it’s wild life & swamps. It all comes to life in each one of their creations.

Fernando + Humberto Campana: Their art & their curated exhibit at the Copper Hewitt

2008-09-26T13:59:00.013-04:00

BLOB MENTALITY

2008-09-19T12:41:00.004-04:00

A home-improvement project by Greg Lynn evolves into the Blobwall, a modular wall system produced by Panelite.

Its name may reek of science fiction, but Greg Lynn’s Blobwall was conceived under pretty prosaic circumstances. Inspired by kids’ outdoor toys and 1970s Italian interiors, Lynn had the idea to put a colorful plastic wall inside the home he is building for his family in Venice Beach, California. He designed a hollow plastic form—a blob, as it were—that could function as a whimsical alternative to bricks, with heat-welding replacing mortar. The commercial applications quickly became apparent. “A very big percentage of small-scale construction is plastic,” he says. “But it’s some horrible beige plastic made to look like wood. I thought, Well, why not tackle this big chunk of the environment that, really, nobody designs?”

Lynn hopes eventually to take the idea even further. “It’s in the air that people are thinking of these three-dimensional cellular lattice structures,” he says. “The Blobwall is simply one of the first, or the first, manifestation of it. But I think it’s very applicable at a lot of different scales.” Lynn says that the blobs, or a variation on them, could even be applied to building-scale construction. The Blobhouse? Now that really does sound like science fiction.

PROPERTIES
Linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) is recyclable and impact- and puncture-resistant. The wall modules are available in three standard configurations and five color palettes, or they can be custom ordered.

APPLICATIONS
Interior walls, partitions, and enclosures. (Panelite is currently testing its feasibility for outdoor use.)

COMPOSITION
Hollow “blobs” of LLDPE heat-welded into wall modules

THE FUTURE IS GREEN... BURKE, HOGUE +MILLS

2008-09-12T10:59:00.004-04:00

Burke, Hogue, + Mills, an architecture and interior design firm in Lake Mary, Florida, believes that " Every site, every building, and every interior, should be designed to function in a manner that responds positively to the environment in which it occupies and the people who use it"

With that in mind, the company had it's first "art exhibition" this month. The employees created wonderful pieces of art with recycled scrap materials only. Using items like old carpet, metal, and colorful leftover laminent chips, the pieces of art turned out to be brilliant. Enjoy the show!

Framerica Facility Certified Green

2008-09-09T09:33:00.004-04:00

Framerica's purpose built, New York- based facility has been certified as an Environmentally Preferable Product Downstream Licensed Facility (EPP Downstream) by the Composite Panel Association (CPA). The program is designed to provide retailers, distributors, designers, specifiers, OEMs, and consumers an easy way to identify environmentally responsible products.

Framerica has pledged to continue using its Bonanza Wood substrate from sources that are CPA EPP certified. It is the most widely specified environmental certification program for composite wood panels in North America. Framerica's entire manufacturing process has been designed to curtail any negative impact on the environment, which led to the company's request for certification.

Among it's actions, Framerica circulates its sawdust through a state of the art furnace system, using the energy in processing and to heat its facility, The most advanced fixtures and power systems also reduce impacts. Local initiatives include recycling all material possible. Company officials say that they will continue all "earth friendly" policies as a way of providing customers with quality products that help the environment.

For more information visit http://www.framerica.com/

DUTCH TREE WINDMILLS

2008-08-29T13:35:00.004-04:00

On the subject of art imitating trees, check out this awesome design for tree-like windmills, from One Architecture, Ton Matton and NL Architects in the Netherlands. Leave it to the Dutch to come up with such a clever, beautiful, eco-friendly idea for power generation.

This design was commissioned by the Dutch government, to develop a next-generation windmill that would be less intrusive in the flat Dutch landscape than the industrial mill-parks that currently generate much of the Netherlands power. The proposed windmill uses an organic branching design that can hold up to 8 turbines and grow as tall as 120 meters. I’m not sure I would call these “unobtrusive” - but they are beautiful enough that it doesn’t really matter.

Serving Architects, Consultants in Everything Green Become Mainstays

2008-08-27T08:25:00.006-04:00

Lauren Yarmuth of YRG Sustainable Consultants if one of a growing cadre of consultants who specialize in helping developers, architects and sometimes tenants gain an official stamp of approval from the United States Green Building Council through its LEED certification program — the undisputed calling card of environmental bragging rights.

“Going green used to be part of just a handful of organizations’ mission statements, but now it’s become part of everyone’s agenda,” said Ashley Katz, communications director for the Green Building Council. “That has, of course, increased the need for sustainability consultants.”

Many of the consultants are, like Ms. Yarmuth, trained as architects and work directly with the Green Building Council to develop and refine the guidelines they help clients follow. At the end of 2006, the Green Building Council’s membership included 679 consultants. By July 31 this year, there were 1,590.

This mirrors the rapid increase in the number of buildings certified by the council: In 2005, there were 404 buildings that met LEED standards. Midway through 2008, 1,705 buildings have been certified. LEED started certifying new construction as “green” or “sustainable” in 2000, and the fifth version of standards is being prepared for 2009.

Despite a seemingly straightforward point system and scorecard, getting LEED certification is not always easy. Even large firms with employees with titles like “environmental strategist” hire consultants to walk them through the process.

DESIGN BOOKS FOR UNIQUE HOTEL ROOMS...

2008-08-21T09:48:00.002-04:00

Fallen Heroes Project

2008-08-20T09:34:00.004-04:00

Fallen Heroes Project, founded by internationally- recognized portrait artist Michael Reagan, provides a family with a hand drawn portrait of its fallen hero, free of charge. Reagan believes his efforts can contribute to the family's' healing process and has produced 1,200 portraits to date! Of course, donations are accepted and are used to support the Fallen Heroes Project. In addition, Crescent Cardboard Company provides Reagan with artist boards at no charge!

"Our mission is to honor the American Fallen Heroes for their ultimate sacrifice during the war against terrorism. The foundation will provide the resources to produce and distribute to each family a hand-drawn portrait of their Fallen Hero, created by artist Michael G. Reagan, free of charge. Each portrait is intended to show our Love and Respect for these Heroes and their families."

Green products for your pets!

2008-08-14T12:21:00.003-04:00

http://www.greenergrassdesign.com/

Bella Beds employ the latest in fiber technology and design to ensure they are comfortable and supportive for your pets and still offer a beautiful and modern look. The cozy cave shape conforms to your pet’s body while the 100% hypoallergenic and washable fiber regulates temperature to keep your pet comfortable. The bed is mobile – just roll up and tie closed. So go ahead and let out your inner dog, roll around on the floor with your pup, and treat your pet kids to the ultimate in bedding.

NEW TECHNOLOGY IN ACRYLIC PAINTS! SLOW DRYING!

2008-08-05T08:33:00.003-04:00

A WHOLE NEW LINE OF GOLDEN ACRYLICS!
GOLDEN OPEN Acrylics are a true departure from all other acrylics on the market.
Designed with a unique and relaxed set of working characteristics, OPEN Acrylics dramatically expand the range of techniques that are available to artists who prefer to use acrylics.

GOLDEN OPEN Acrylics remain wet far longer than other acrylics and resist skinning on the palette during long painting sessions. Working time varies according to how thickly the material is applied. Thin applications “tack up,” allowing additional layers to be applied and blended. Thicker applications may be worked for hours. Films over 1/16” will dry EXTREMELY slow. For impasto techniques, blend with faster-drying GOLDEN Acrylics and Gel Mediums.

GOLDEN OPEN Acrylics feature a unique and remarkably relaxed set of working properties that facilitate blending, softening, shading, glazing and fine detail. The unique properties of OPEN Acrylics allow them to be used with natural fiber brushes and for a range of techniques including portraiture, plein air painting, monoprinting, and screenprinting.

TWO NEW MEDIUMS & 1 ADDITIVE for ultimate control...

Use OPEN Mediums and Thinner to maintain the maximum working time of
OPEN Acrylics. OPEN Acrylic Gel (Gloss) is recommended to adjust color strength and translucency while maintaining consistency. OPEN Acrylic Medium (Gloss) is formulated to a lower viscosity for a more fluid mixture with increased flow. OPEN Thinner contains no binder and is used to maintain and adjust the workability of colors on the palette without the use of water mist and moisturizing palettes.

COMPATIBLE WITH OTHER GOLDEN PRODUCTS...
For an unparalleled range of working options, OPEN Acrylics may be blended with GOLDEN Acrylics and Gel Mediums to change opacity or alter consistency, while proportionately speeding up drying and shortening working time. However, it is not recommended to apply fast-drying products over wet layers of OPEN Acrylics.

3 Amazing 3D Graffiti Artists: Street Painting and Sidewalk Chalk Art

2008-08-04T10:42:00.004-04:00

Most people tend to think of graffiti as subversive art spraypainted in the dead of night on urban walls. Some artists, however, including Edgar Mueller, Julian Beever and Kurt Wenner, defy that stereotype, painting and chalking openly on city streets and sidewalks. Beyond merely entertaining crowds, their work has at times even broken world records. These street art images and biographies merely scratch the surface and begin to convey their amazing artistic talents.

Edgar Mueller is a world-famous street painter, perhaps best known for the above work: The Riverstreet River. At nearly 1000 square feet, this graffiti mural took up an entire city block. His other works often exhibit similar life-like qualities and take on renaissance themes.

Julian Beever is a sidewalk chalk artist whose work has appeared all across Europe. He skillfully and humorously plays up his illusions in a variety of ways, from interacting with the finished piece to making his street art’s evolution part of the work itself. Clearly, his artworks are as much intended to entertain himself as it is to dazzle the crowds that gather around them. His other street graffiti includes renderings of master artworks and pastel portraits.

Kurt Wenner’s amazingly detailed street artworks conjure images of both Baroque religious murals and a Salvor Daliesque surrealism. They are somehow less tame than Mueller’s work, and far less playful than the art of Beever. Wenner is also an architectural designer in the US and Europe, fascinated with classical ornament tied to allegories and myths as well as literature and theater.

"Children's City" Creates Cheerful and Relaxed Atmosphere for Sick Children

2008-07-08T15:16:00.009-04:00

Kinderstad (which means "children's city" in Dutch) is an addition to the old VU Medical Centre in Amsterdam, designed by Sponge Architects & Rupali Gupta in cooperation with IOU Architecture.

This was the winning entry of the Young Architects Competition of the Dutch National Board of Architects (BNA) and the penthouse now serves as a visiting area and offers a great space for the parents and their sick children to spend their visiting hours in. Roland Pouw of IOU Architecture says

"I hoped to create a space where young patients can forget for one moment their sickness and where they are in their own dreamland...".

New Standards for LEDs

2008-07-03T08:18:00.005-04:00

Scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), in cooperation with national standards organizations, have developed the first two standards for solid-state lighting in the United States.
Also known as light-emitting diodes, (LEDs), the new generation of lighting uses light-emitting diodes (LEDs) instead of incandescent filaments or fluorescent tubes to produce illumination that cuts energy consumption significantly.
Solid-state lighting is expected to significantly reduce the amount of energy needed for general lighting, including residential, commercial and street lighting. “Lighting uses 22 percent of the electricity and 8 percent of the total energy spent in the country, so the energy savings in lighting will have a huge impact," says NIST scientist Yoshi Ohno.
Solid-state lighting is expected to be twice as energy efficient as fluorescent lamps and 10 times more efficient than incandescent lamps, although the current products are still at their early stages. Ohno chaired the task groups that developed these new standards.
In addition to saving energy, the new lighting, if designed appropriately, can produce better color rendering—how colors of objects look under the illumination—than fluorescent lamps or even incandescent lamps, Ohno says.
NIST is working with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to support its goal of developing and introducing solid-state lighting to reduce energy consumption for lighting by 50 percent by the year 2025. The department predicts that phasing in solid-state lighting over the next 20 years could save more than $280 billion in 2007 dollars.

Nearly Every Top 100 Interior Design Giant Specifies Green

2008-06-24T15:57:00.006-04:00

Interior Design magazine surveyed the Top 100 Giants in 2003 and found that 95% specified green products. Virtually all Giants are involved in sustainable design or think it's important to specify environmentally minded products.

The below survey shows how the percentage of actual green products used also has been rising each year.

MOMA Exhibition

2008-06-20T15:31:00.006-04:00

Home Delivery: Fabricating the Modern Dwelling

July 20–October 20, 2008

Home Delivery: Fabricating the Modern Dwelling is both a survey of the past, present and future of the prefabricated home and a building project on the Museum's vacant west lot. Not since the mid-century House in the Garden series has MoMA built occupiable model buildings to demonstrate contemporary issues to the public. The fives homes erected on the vacant west lot are designed by Kieran Timberlake Associates (Philadelphia); Jeremy Edmiston and Douglas Gauthier (New York); Horden Cherry Lee Architects / Haack + Höpfner Architects (London/Munich); Massachusetts Institute of Technology School of Architecture and Planning / Associate Professor Lawrence Sass (Cambridge); and Oskar Leo Kaufmann (Dornbirn, Austria).

The exhibition, and its accompanying Web site (www.momahomedelivery.org), display the process of architectural design and production in equal measure with the actual end result. Within the gallery, eighty-four architectural projects spanning 180 years are presented by means of film, architectural models, original drawings and blueprints, fragments, photographs, patents, games, sales materials and propaganda, toys, and partial reconstructions. This diverse collection of material illustrates how the prefabricated house has been, and continues to be, not only a reflection on the house as a replicable object of design but also a critical agent in the discourse of sustainability, architectural invention, and new material and formal research.

SOLD for $86.3 Million!

2008-06-20T14:31:00.003-04:00

New York City - A 1976 triptych by Francis Bacon brought $86.3 million at Sotheby’s, becoming the most expensive work of contemporary art ever sold at auction and a retort to doomsayers who had predicted that the art market would falter seriously this season because of broad economic anxieties. “Recession? What recession?” Barbara Gladstone, a Chelsea dealer, said jokingly.

NYC Waterfalls

2008-06-20T13:56:00.001-04:00

NEW YORK CITY - The New York City Waterfalls, a major new work of public art by internationally acclaimed artist Olafur Eliasson, will be on view in New York's East River from late June through mid-October 2008. Commissioned by Public Art Fund, the project consists of four monumental, man-made waterfalls temporarily installed at sites along the waterfront in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Governors Island: one on the Brooklyn anchorage of the Brooklyn Bridge, one between Piers 4 and 5 below the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, one in Lower Manhattan at Pier 35 north of the Manhattan Bridge, and one on the north shore of Governors Island. The 90- to 120-foot-tall Waterfalls are erected on the shoreline and have been designed to protect water quality and aquatic life. They will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week, and will be lit after sunset.

Websites Trends of 2008!

2008-06-18T08:55:00.006-04:00

Can a web site designer really learn anything from upcoming trends in the world of physical product packaging? Contrary to popular belief about the two different branches of design, packaging trends and web site design trends are actually derived from the same complex combination of fashion, evolving design philosophies, shifts in cultural value, and technology.So what’s going on in packaging that the web site designer should be aware of?

The most popular these days:

Go Green

The phrase is so overused that it has gone beyond cliché; but overuse of the term should not blind smart marketers to how much environmental concerns and the desire to slow the runaway pace of pollution has impacted our culture. So if you want to jump on this, when it comes to your site, capitalize on the growing concern for the environment by installing electronic bill pay systems, emphasizing the reduced environmental impact of a digital rather than brick-and-morter storefront, and using the copy-oriented culture of internet selling to explain all of the “green” initiatives your company has created.

Make it personal

By adding a blog or some other form of personal interaction will make more customers come to see what you or others have posted. Also adding mission statement and personal saying help customer feel more in turned to your product or services. Bold Bright colors may seem as old fashioned as Captain Crunch cereal packaging, but when incorporated into smart design in an abstract way, bright colors take on a trendy, artsy tenor.

Graphic Images

The generation of 18-34 year-olds has been casually labeled the ADD generation for its total inability to concentrate on anything for more than approximately 30 seconds. That might be a slight exaggeration, but the truth remains that imaging with a clear, concise illustration of product use beats out good copy on the shelf. People want to look at a product, know instantly if it is something they like, then take the time to peruse the copy for more information.

Minimalism: Less is More

The overarching trend in much of product design, packaging, and even digital graphics is that subtle touches and minimal composition are preferable to busy design. This is perfect for the web site designer because it reduces the need for distracting patterns in favor of a focus on the product or service being sold. Look at your pages as total work of art, with its own composition, and path for the eye. Guide the visitor’s eye the images of your product and use concise copy that treats each word as a strategic decision. Avoid as much as possible, distracting banner ads or excessive copy, especially on index pages. If customers are interested enough to click and read more, then you can provide more details about the product.

Artistic and Free

Break away from carefully stylized images and let loose the artistic creativity of counter-cultural design. Experiment with the shapes, style, and shading of everything on your site from the tabs to the windows. Remember, though, that just as artistic design should never detract from the utility of product packaging, so artistic design on your sight should never detract from ease of use, intuitive set-up, or well laid-out navigation. Artistic design should wrap around, not manipulate, the basic structure of your web site.

So here are some helpful hints on trends of website design for 2008.

2008-06-17T15:43:00.000-04:00

Find out at www.greeniq.com

Michael Corbin Helps "Everyday Joes" Become Art Collectors

2008-06-17T14:53:00.004-04:00

Many people think that they have to be rich or highly cultured to be art collectors, but that's not true. Michael K. Corbin proves it with his brand new, color-illustrated book, The Art of Everyday Joe: A Collector's Journal.
"This book is my way of saying 'hello' and 'welcome' to people who are afraid of even walking into an art gallery," says Corbin.
He proves that people can afford to collect art on even modest incomes. "But more than that," says Corbin, "it shows readers the role that art plays in their everyday lives and they may not even know it."

The Water Cube

2008-06-16T15:32:00.006-04:00

Designed by PTW Architects of Australia, the completely compelling "Water Cube" (Beijing National Aquatics Center) has a shell that's a mere 0.008 inch thick made from ETFE, a material that both insulates and transmits light. The design invokes the bubbles that form in sea foam.

• The Water Cube is the world's only public building fully made of a membrane structure and is the most complicated membrane system in any single project globally.

• The building uses solar energy to heat the pools and the interior area. All backwash water is filtered and returned to the swimming pools.

• The Water Cube is designed to act as a greenhouse. This allows high levels of natural daylight into the building and enables it to harness the power of the sun to passively heat the building and pool water.

• It is estimated that the sustainable design has the power to reduce the energy consumption of the leisure pool hall by 30 per cent.

• Twenty per cent of the solar energy falling on the building is trapped within the building and used to heat the pools and interior.

Simply enjoying design

2008-06-13T12:35:00.003-04:00

The two lowest steps of this staircase are used as shoe drawers. Found at

http://desiretoinspire.blogspot.com/2007/04/stairs-and-storage.html

Dispatchwork

2008-06-13T12:25:00.004-04:00

...there is enough machine within our eyesto fill a thousand junkyards fullto make the stone break into plastic cloudsof colored dustand happy play

...there are enough straight lines that bound a shapeto make us speak right to the pointto get us thinking we are right or wrongbeneath the clouds

See more of Jan Vormann's Dispatchwork here http://www.janvormann.com/dispatchwork.php

LEED Friendly Parking Garage

2008-06-10T09:44:00.006-04:00

Although an environmentally sensitive garage might seem an oxymoron, Moore Ruble Yudell Architects has built a stunner for the Santa Monica Civic Center that is actually LEED-certified. Pre-cast ribbed concrete panels and multicolored glass bays conceal the cars and create a light, luminous quality for the viewer. On the roof, photovoltaic panels accentuate the skyline and provide all of the building's energy needs.

Redefining Las Vegas as an Artistic Destination

2008-06-06T13:58:00.004-04:00

MGM Mirage has unveiled initial plans for CityCenter's $40 million Fine Art Program. Opening in late 2009, CityCenter will feature works by acclaimed artists, including Maya Lin, Jenny Holzer, Nancy Rubins, Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, Frank Stella, Henry Moore, among others.
The CityCenter Fine Art Program will feature numerous scultures and fine-art installations in both interior and exterior octaions to create a dynamic and enriching collection. The program is designed to become a benchmark for enlightened corporate involvement in the arts and on a global level and will be one of the world's largest and most ambitious corporate art programs. Additional pieces will be announced at a later date.
The CityCenter Fine Art Program will encompass a multitude of styles and media to engage visitors on both a visual and intellectual level. Some will be exitsing pieces, carefully chosen for their artistic value and cultural significance; others will be site-specific installations for which the artist has been invited to command his or her vision over the space. The comtemporary masterpieces will transform CityCenter into a living, breathing museum of iconic works of art. The artwork has been paired with CityCenter's unique architecture to create a sensory journey that presents the works in a never-before-seen fashion.
For more info visit www.citycenter.com

Just Another Green Concept in Design

2008-06-06T09:31:00.003-04:00

I was surfing around online, looking for some kind of art show or event to attend this weekend and stumbled upon this company! And with all the buzz about how design companies are consciously becoming more green, I could not pass up the opportunity to share this company with you!

RESTORATION TIMBER

"Restoration Timber provides reclaimed wood with an unmatched beauty to professionals like you. With an unparalleled level of service. Our wood: quality and uniquenessWe warehouse an inventory of gorgeous recovered woods that have aged naturally for a century or more. They come from sources like old barns, abandoned schools and mills, warehouses and factories that fell into disrepair.They also come with a history, and they invite your clients to bring their own stories and create a new heritage together.Naturally weathered by a century or more of use, our woods are rich in grain, beautiful in color, and rock solid with age. As first or second growth timber, now unavailable for environmental reasons, our wood provides a strength, stability, integrity and beauty unavailable in fast-grown new wood."

And to give you a little more insight on their environmental impact here is what they say,

"As responsible citizens, we need to do what we can to protect our environment. Using reclaimed timber is a contribution we can make today.Aficionados of great wood know that the best quality of timber comes from old growth trees. Left to age naturally, these antique woods are rich in grain and color, with a structural integrity and beauty often lacking in wood from young fast growth trees.But old growth timber typically comes from ancient forests, an endangered and precious resource. Using reclaimed timber helps to maintain and preserve our forests, especially old growth forests.Also, unsustainable forest management causes massive soil erosion and loss of biodiversity. This hurts the economic future of communities around the world. Markets for new timber strain our forests, but using reclaimed wood offers compelling social and economic benefits."

Jon Tarleton- Another GREAT HG Artist

2008-06-04T16:20:00.004-04:00

WOW! Love this new work!!!!

Where do you guys keep finding these great artists?

Doggie Dens and Cat Condos

2008-05-30T13:48:00.004-04:00

The Washington Animal Rescue League's newly renovated facility incorporates the best design concepts from shelters around the world and takes them a step further to set a new global standard for the humane care of homeless and abused animals. In a recent $4 million renovation, designers created a more nurturing place to better prepare abused and abandoned animals for adoption. Architecture firm Stoiber and Associates created the design that swapps out steel-cage holding tanks for glass-walled play and living areas and adding space for increased human contact and interaction.

In addition to creating a more comfortable and healthy setting for the animals, the new design can now house close to 400 animals, which is a 66% increase.

Interior Design has greatly affected the healthcare business in recent years. The concept is that the right design can help in the healing process of the patients. That same concept is now obviously moving over to the animal world...and I say it's about time!

"Comfort, Color, and Grand Enough Scale"

2008-05-30T08:56:00.005-04:00

The surge of bold high end design in the Hospitality industry can be attributed to the legendary designer, Dorothy Draper. In the 30's and 40's Dorothy turned the hotels into "self-contained theme parks", more than just a place to stay the night while travelling. Draper was the first to “professionalize” the interior design industry by establishing, in 1923, the first interior design company in the United States, something that until then was unheard of, and also at a time when it was considered daring for a woman to go into business for herself. She was the first designer to take control over ALL aspects of the design of the hotel from matchbooks to the staff's uniforms. Her trademark for her restaurant and hotel projects was contrasting bold colors, bodacious colors with clean white neo-baroque plasterwork. Some of her renowned projects are the Camellia House at Chicago's Drake Hotel, Fefe's Monte Carlo in New York, and most of all, the most ambitious and enduring, the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, which she resuscitated after WWII. Dorothy's success in design was definitely credited to her marketing and public relations. She knew that over-the-top designs would generate a buzz and thus create business and profits for her clients. Now through June 23rd we have the privilege to admire her works that are now showing at the Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale. Draper was not only a "'proto-feminist" who demanded full creative control with the major real estate developers, but also a visionary who decorated hospitals with bright curtains and uplifting washable wallpapers. Another progressive design Dorothy was proud of was transforming the Roman court at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art into a cafeteria with a 75- by- 40 foot pool in the middle with surrounding black and white Doric columns. The trend setter's influence is everywhere from Frank Gehry’s architectural forms to Philippe Starck’s Ghost chair. “Taking an eighteenth-century chair normally done in wood and making it in clear plastic is a Dorothy Draper kind of thing”. All of her tips must have been really great for housewives in the fifties. To have this woman telling them, ‘Don’t be afraid! Paint the door green!” Her inspiration and message "your home is the backdrop of your life,whether it is a palace or a one bedroom apartment, but it should honestly be you own. It takes courage to seek your own taste and express it", is as fresh as her bright pink walls and as black and white as her famed checker board floors.

Mikel Robinson- New Work

2008-05-29T15:15:00.006-04:00

Love HG's new artist

Mikel Robinson!!!!!

Charles & Ray Eames Postage Stamps

2008-05-29T12:35:00.006-04:00

In recognition of their groundbreaking contributions to architecture, furniture design, manufacturing and photographic arts, designers Charles and Ray Eames will be honored next summer with a pane of 16 stamps designed by Derry Noyes of Washington, DC. If you’ve ever sat in a stackable molded chair, you’ve experienced their creativity. Perhaps best known for their furniture, the Eameses were husband and wife as well as design partners. Their extraordinary body of creative work — which reflected the nation’s youthful and inventive outlook after World War II — also included architecture, films and exhibits. Without abandoning tradition, Charles and Ray Eames used new materials and technology to create high-quality products that addressed everyday problems and made modern design available to the American public. Visit the USPS website for more information.

Art As Life

2008-05-27T10:11:00.006-04:00

On April 25, 26, and 27, 2008, in conjunction with the exhibition Allan Kaprow—Art As Life presented at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), LACMA coordinated the reinvention of Allan Kaprow's Fluids. First realized for his 1967 exhibition at the Pasadena Art Museum, Fluids was recreated by teams of volunteers at a wide range of sites across Los Angeles.

Allan Kaprow's was an American painter, and a pioneer in establishing the concepts of performance art. He helped to develop the "Environment" and "Happening" in the late 1950s and 1960s, as well as their theory. His Happenings - some 200 of them - evolved over the years. Eventually Kaprow shifted his practice into what he called "Activities", intimately-scaled pieces for one or several players and devoted to the examination of everyday behaviors and habits in a way nearly indistinguishable from ordinary life. Fluxus, Performance art, and Installation art was, in turn, influenced by his work.

Small Works/Large Images

2008-05-27T10:08:00.001-04:00

Orlando’s original art event is the award-winning 1st Thursdays presented by the Associates, an Orlando Museum of Art volunteer support group committed to expanding Museum Membership and encouraging appreciation of the visual arts. From 6 pm - 9 pm on the first Thursday of each month, the Museum showcases a new theme with works by local artists, live music, cash bars serving wine, beer and soft drinks, and café offerings from area restaurants. Plus, 1st Thursdays guests receive free entrance to current Orlando Museum of Art exhibitions.

Thursday, June 5, 2008Art

Small Works/Large Images

Small, little, diminutive, minute, petite or miniature. Not all art is defined by large format. Good things come in small packages confirming why less is more! Works may not exceed 12” in any dimension including mats, frames or bases.

Orlando Fringe

2008-05-22T16:15:00.003-04:00

The Orlando Fringe Festival is in happening right now in and around Loch Haven Park. The Orlando Fringe is the longest running Fringe Festival in the US, and still follows the original Fringe philosophy - 100% unjuried, 100% uncensored, 100% accesible for artist and audiences alike, and 100% of the ticket sales are given back to the artists. It is frequently referred to as "the premier springtime cultural event in Central Florida" and takes place annually over the course of the 12 days that lead up to Memorial Day.
It has something for everyone - even kids! While adults walk around looking at the visual art or are waiting to see a performance, kids can take place in workshops, art lessons, dancing lessons, or a moonbounce!

Visit http://orlandofringe.org/ for more

Coloring Outside the Box

2008-05-20T12:43:00.003-04:00

Color pencils have commonly be used for the obvious, coloring. But artist, Jennifer Maestre, colors with these pencils in texture and creating 3-dimensional sculptures. She is inspired by the forms and colors of sea urchins and nature. The points of the pencils, yet dangerous and intimidating, also intrigue and captivate the admirer. This emulates the defense mechanisms of the sea urchins. Jennifer also uses both ends of the pencils, showing both the sharpness and smoothness.

The artist cuts hundreds of colored pencils into 1" sections and drills a small hole in each section. Jennifer then sharpens the pencils and begins sewing a pattern together using the peyote stitch technique. This technique allows her to create such flexible turns and curves, to give the natural organic look.

So, if you have sharpened your last colored pencil and down to the 1" nub, think outside the box and create something colorful!

to view other works www.jennifermaestre.com

The Orphan Bill Threatens Copyright for Visual Artists

2008-05-20T12:35:00.001-04:00

From the APA:
“Today at 2pm EST The House of Representatives is going to “markup” the current proposed Orphan Works bill. In a nutshell, means that they will go through the motions of a debate and perhaps vote to keep moving it forward or table it for a while. This Bill will be disastrous to photographers and visual artists in general. It will devalue what we photographers make our living from which is licensing our copyrights. Originally the bill was put forward to help museums, and educational institutions have access to old copyrighted items of historical value where the copyright holders are dead or impossible to find. However, this bill as written goes way beyond that goal.
Here are just a few of the significant negative impacts this bill will have on our livelihood:
Any published or unpublished work, including images that reside or have ever resided on the web, will become potential orphans if this bill becomes law. The consequences of this blanket stripping of copyright protection will be a gold mine for opportunists. Within two weeks of the issuance of the Orphan Works Report in 2006, countless domain names associated with “orphan works” were registered by commercial interests in preparation for the profit taking that will result if this legislation is passed. This bill will allow stock agencies and commercial archives to harvest these newly created “orphans,” alter them slightly to make them “derivative works,” then copyright these derivatives as their own “creative” works.Photographers will be sued by models for allowing the works to “go orphan.” This wave of litigation between models, photographers and the users of orphan works over publicity and privacy rights will be a particularly disastrous consequence of the proposed legislation.Mandatory Attribution: The Copyright Office has suggested that authors must bear the burden of including attribution in their works, so as to prevent their works from being orphaned. In other words the user or infringer of any work has the upper hand. It is up to the artist to make sure that they have complied with all the registration and paid the registration fees that goes to a commercial enterprise which will manage the database.
There are a few trade organizations including some photographic organizations that are supporting this bill on the premise that it’s the best deal we can get. I disagree; it’s APA’s job, as a trade association to keep fighting for our member’s rights, and not throw in the towel when it is convenient or perhaps profitable for the trade association. There has been a good amount of closed door negotiating with the powers in Washington by a few trade associations who are willing to accept this proposed bill as it is now written. Many associations have been left out of those negotiations, including APA, and now we are being labeled as naysayers and not team players because we will not accept the bill as it stands.
There is so much wrong with this bill that it needs to be thrown out and rewritten.
Please take a few minutes and get informed on these bills and the issues at hand.
Download & read APA’s position paper on this topic: http://www.apanational.com/i4a/pages/Index.cfm?pageID=3866
John Harrington’s Photo Business Forum Blog Post: http://photobusinessforum.blogspot.com/2008/05/orphan-works-2008-wolf-in-sheeps.html
Most importantly, I implore everyone to go to this website as soon as possible: http://capwiz.com/illustratorspartnership/home/ where you can send a letter to your congressman telling him or her not to support this bill. Forward it to every artist you know, because this will affect all of us. We must get the word out and kill this Bill before it puts many an artist out of business.
Sincerely,
William VazquezAPANY Chairman
APA - NEW YORK27 West 20th St., Suite 601 New York, NY 10011p 212-807-0399 f 212-727-8120

2008-05-20T11:39:00.002-04:00

Watch Out! This site could be addictive! Forget about color forcasting.. on this website you choose your color trend!

Artexpo Celebrates Year Two in Las Vegas

2008-05-20T08:27:00.003-04:00

Artexpo, the most noted name in the fine and popular art industry, is proud to announce its return to Las Vegas, September 19-21 at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. With the world’s most exciting city as its host, Artexpo Las Vegas will serve the expansive West Coast trade and consumer marketplace, creating an exciting new buying event in a western location.

After its inaugural success in 2007, drawing over 8,000 consumers and 3,000 trade buyers, Artexpo has tailored this year’s show to connect our exhibitors with the most qualified members of the art community. Artexpo will draw from over 8,400 of trade buyers from the west alone and thousands more national and international trade and consumer buyers.

This year the show will include:

Artexpo Las Vegas Main Floor
SOLO (Independent Artist Pavilion)
Decorative Arts
Exposure (Independent Photographer Pavilion)
International Art Business Conference

Atendee Registration open June 1st

2008-05-19T14:08:00.006-04:00

New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) gives more support to artists and arts organizations in all disciplines than any other private organization in the country. For more than three decades, NYFA has nurtured the people and environment that make art happen by providing the time and resources for the creative mind and the artistic spirit to flourish. NYFA helps artists move from the moment of inspiration to the completed work of art.

Check out NYFA.org, stay up to date on current artist programs, exhibitions and tons of support materials for artists surviving in the real world!

2008-05-19T12:57:00.004-04:00

I attended the HD Expo in Las Vegas last week. HD is a must-see Expo for interior designers, hoteliers, restaurateurs, architects and other creative professionals. The Expo and Conference brings together the industry’s most talented and significant players under one roof. This year's expo featured many new Green products and ideas.

The Expo featured over 1,000 exhibitors and had a reported 20,000 attendees.

Design Competition

2008-05-14T12:27:00.001-04:00

2008-09 Awards for Design Excellence (ADEX) - Project Division Entry Form - Deadline May 31, 2008
O V E R V I E W
For its first 14 years Design Journal's ADEX Awards has become the largest and most prestigious award competition to recognize superior product design of furnishings marketed through the international design trade. For our 15 year anniversary, we are introducing our first annual formal competition to honor superior space planning and architecture on a project basis. Projects are judged by a distinguished jury of professionals representing a cross section of the A&D community. All entries are featured in Design Journal, on adexawards.com and on designjournalmag.com.
Q U E S T I O N S
For further details visit adexawards.com, designjournalmag.com or contact us at (310) 394-4394 #116 or email us at adexawards@verizon.net.

Entry Form
https://www.designjournalmag.com/signupform/project-form.html

Classic Gift With A Twist!

2008-05-14T11:58:00.001-04:00

Tired of giving that predictable frame or framed photo for events such as weddings, graduations and holidays? Are you looking to find the same sentimental value with a more contemporary and fresh approach? Then imagine this…

In a world so technologically driven, even the picture frame has been revamped! There once was a day when giving a custom, framed picture for a variety of occasions was a thoughtful and gracious gift. And even though there are still plenty of us traditional people out there not giving up on this gift, there are increasingly more and more outside the box thinkers trying to take it away. For example, the digital picture frame. Cool concept indeed and incredibly versatile with multiple picture being stored, displayed, rearranged and updated when new photos become available. But what happens when you prefer the classic frame look with the endless choices for matching the frame that best suits you and your interior design? Are you forced to conform to the ultra contemporary style of these digital devices? The answer is simply…compromise! When considering the digital picture frame, consider framing it with a custom frame of your choice and be the talk of the town! As soon as your friends and family witness your trendy new technology in a fancy frame, I guarantee that everyone is going to want one too! Or be the person who truly gives a unique gift amongst the crowd and break ground as a thoughtful and creative trendsetter!

Imagination

2008-05-12T14:49:00.001-04:00

“Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire,

you will what you imagine and at last you create what you will.”

-- GEORGE BERNARD SHAW

Additive color and Subtractive color

2008-05-12T14:36:00.004-04:00

During the Giclee process, a graphic designer runs into two main color models. These color models are known as additive color and subjective color. To explain and differentiate the two, one must understand the involvement with the two. I will start by explaining what additive color is.

An additive color model involves light emitted directly from a source of illuminant of some sort. The additive reproduction process usually uses red, green and blue light to produce the other colors. By combining one of these additive primary colors with another in equal amount produces the additive secondary colors known as cyan, magenta, and yellow. Combing all the three primary lights (colors) in equal intensities produces white. Varying the luminosity of each light (color) eventually reveals the full gamut of those three lights (colors). Computer monitors and televisions are the most common application of additive color.

Results obtained when mixing additive colors are often counterintuitive for people accustomed to the more everyday subtractive color system of pigments, dyes, inks and other substances which present color to the eye by reflection rather than emission. For example, in subtractive color systems, green is a combination of yellow and blue. In additive color, red+green= yellow and no simple combination will yield green. It should be noted that additive color is a result of the way the eye detects color, and I not a property of light. There is a vast difference between yellow light, with a wavelength of approximately 580 nm, and a mixture of red and green light. However, both stimulate our eyes in a similar manner, so we do not detect that difference.

Additive color is simply what you see on your monitor before printing. After a Graphic Designer has created their final render of the art piece or product, the file will go through a subjective process in order to make the final rendering.

The printer is a subjective color model, which mixes and combines inks to create the visual.

Subtractive color systems start with a white medium, such as the canvas or paper to “mimic” light. Color inks, paints or films placed between the viewer and the light source or reflective surface (such as white paper) subtract wavelength from the white, and make a color.

Conversely, additive color systems start with no light (black), while subjective color systems start with a light source, such as white paper. Light sources add wavelength to make a color. In either an additive or subtractive system, the three primary colors are always needed to match humans’ trichromatic color vision caused by the three types of cone cells in the eye.

By explaining the differences between light and paper, I hope this will explain the differences between what is on screen and what the final printed product is. Nowadays, the gamut precision is almost a perfect match to what additive colors a person sees on screen to its final subtractive colors printed.

The origin of the Giclée

2008-05-12T11:07:00.002-04:00

Some of you might be familiar to the name and the process of a Giclée, but maybe not its origin.
For one, the name Giclée itself is an invented name. It is believed to have derived from the French word "le gicleur" meaning "nozzle" or more specifically, "gicler" meaning "to squirt, spurt or spray." This process was developed by Jack Duganne. He was a printmaker working in the field, to represent any inkjet-based digital print usd as fine art. The intent of that name was to distinguish commonly known industrial "Iris proofs" from the type of fine art prints artists were producing on those same types of printers. the name was originally applied to fine art prints created on Iris printers in a process invented in the early 1990s, but since come to mean any high quality ink-jet print as is often used in galleries and print shops to denote such prints.

The earliest prints to be called "Giclée" were created using the Iris Graphics models 3024, 3047, 4012 or "Realist" color drum continuous Hertz inkjet printers. Iris printers were originally developed to produce pre-press proof from digital files for jobs where color matching was critical such as product container and magazine publication. Their output wa used to check hat the colorw would look like before mas production began. Much experimentation took place to try to adpt the Iris printer to the production of color faithful, aesthetically plesing reproduction of artwork. Early Iris printers were relatively fugitive and tended to show color degradation after only few year. The use of new inkjets and printing substrates have extended to longevity and light fastness of Iris prints to last for 50 to 100 years.

Frozen Grand Central

2008-05-09T16:02:00.001-04:00

Artists Bid for for Custom Art Projects

2008-05-09T15:13:00.000-04:00

The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) found some interesting information on a Blog from Dwell Magazine. Etsy, an online crafts market, has a feature called Alchemy that allows users to post requests for custom items along with a proposed price. Crafters and artisans then bid on the opportunity to make it. Blogger Michael Cannell remarks "It appears Etsy is tapping into something with seismic rumblings, but what? A craft phenomenon? A backlash against brands? A shift in the way we shop?"

3D Sidewalk Art

2008-05-09T08:24:00.000-04:00

Julian Beever is an English chalk artist who's famous for his art on the pavements of England, France, Germany, Australia and Belgium. His unique quality? His art deforms into incredible "3D perspectives" when viewed from the correct angles. He's just an amazing artist who can brings anything with chalk to life.

Teetering Between the Ordinary and the Strange

2008-05-08T10:44:00.000-04:00

Gregory Crewdson’s is one of the most influential photographers of our time. His shoots are epic productions. He has a crew of over 40 people, sometimes utilizing over 50 lights and even has city streets shut down, street signs removed and buildings demolished! His images all seem to have an eerie tranquility. He is infatuated with moments which teeter between the ordinary and the strange. For me the first time I saw one of his photographs, I remember a chill running through my entire body and truly recognizing the true power of pictures.

http://www.artnet.com/Artists/ArtistHomePage.aspx?artist_id=4589&page_tab=Artworks_for_sale

Rubik's Cubism

2008-05-08T10:09:00.000-04:00

Remember the Rubik's Cube? Man, that thing was hard to figure out. You basically had to have some signs of genius to be able to solve it.

Well there's an artist out of England who goes by the moniker, Space Invader, who not only can solve the Rubik's Cube, but has created his own style of Cubism, using the complicated puzzle as a medium. Check out some of his work at:

http://www.space-invaders.com/rubikubism.html

Need A Little Honesty?

2008-05-06T16:44:00.000-04:00

For ALL of you "artists" out there who are in need of a little honesty, well as far as the quality of your portfolio goes, Orlando Museum of Art will be hosting SPOT 2008 on Thursday, May 15 from 6pm - 9pm.

AIGA, the professional association for design.

History:
Founded as the American Institute of Graphic Arts in 1914, AIGA is the oldest and largest membership association for professionals engaged in the discipline, practice and culture of designing. AIGA now represents 22,000 designers through national activities and local programs developed by 59 chapters and 240 student groups.

EVENT:
AIGA Orlando presents SPOT 2008
Student Showcase, Portfolio Review Special
Guest Speaker: Sean Adams Adams Morioka, AIGA National President
Thursday, May 15th, 6-9pm
Orlando Museum of Art
2416 N Mills Ave
Orlando, FL 32803
$5 Members
$15 Non-Members($15 Additional Fee for Portfolio Reviews)

Overall, it sounds like a great organization to be a part of and this event is definitely on my list of things to do! And for all those people (including myself) who refer to themselves as an "artist," don't miss your opportunity to recieve a professional review of your work.... it can't hurt, especially when there is NOT a job at stake!

Hope to see you there! Krafty

Green Design

2008-05-05T14:01:00.001-04:00

What is the “Green Development” Movement? It recognizes the impact building projects have on the environment and encourages the use of resources more efficiently through Design, Material Selection, Waste Reduction, Water Conservation and Reuse, and Energy Efficiency.

Since 2000, a total of 2,164 projects representing over 300,000,000 square feet of building space, have registered under the LEED system for certification

285 projects have achieved some level of LEED Certification under the LEED Program

20,900 building industry professionals have achieved LEED accreditation from the USGBC

I believe the Green Movement is here to stay and the design industry is just beginning to explore the many ways to create responsible interior environments.

iGoogle Gets Personal

2008-05-02T15:32:00.000-04:00

Google has recently started an iGoogle Artists project. Google collaborated with about 70 artists in multiple countries to have them create special iGoogle themes. Notables include Jeff Coons, Dale Chihuly, Coldplay, Diane von Furstenberg, Dolce & Gabbana, Yann Arthus-Bertrand, Michael Graves, Philippe Starck, Robert Mankoff, Mark Mirros, Oscar de la Renta, Anne Geddes and Tory Burch.

The iGoogle page is mainly to have everything you want on a homepage there as soon as you open then internet. Whether that be stock updates, weather updates, the time, what new videos have been posted to YouTube, etc. Now with this new project, you can have all of your updates at your fingertips with a nice artistic touch.

Just another example of how art is everywhere.

Art Sites!

2008-05-02T13:51:00.000-04:00

In today’s world websites no longer consist of large text-based content, now with the web able to hold larger amount of space websites with a lot of multimedia elements, such as photographs, graphic design, music, animations, and movies and so on, all of course in digital form are able to be showcased for the public to see. This is why the explosion of art and art-related sites devoted to artists displaying their work, galleries promoting their artists' work, museums extending location-based exhibits or auctions houses selling their merchandise created a focus for the modern day artist.

Like other websites, art sites consist of certain fairly distinct parts. The first are graphics and other media, which is the substance of the site. Some or all the content maybe created or modified from existing content, specifically for the web site. The second element of an art site is the design and layouts, which is part of its look and feel this is most important to artist today. The artist needs to express who they are and showcase their style for the public to see. Artist use website to promote themselves in ways they were never able to do before.

For example a struggling artist in a small town in Ohio has been trying to sell his art around town, but because of his unique style his art seemed to fail in his hometown as well as near by towns, but with the use of the world wide web he was able to sell a huge amount of his art in Chicago, New York, California and Florida. His art became well known in the United States. Thanks to his website he was able to accomplish his goals as an artist.

Artist nowadays utilize the web to gain recognition for their style, to help book their work with museums, and also to sell their art in the hospitality world. All of these things are thanks to the web. So if you are an artist struggling to sell ones work, look into a website for yourself.

Is a TAG a Signature?

2008-05-01T15:58:00.000-04:00

Recently I had an opportunity to sit down with a friend of mine, who is currently brokering an original piece of graffiti art produced by Keith Harring in the mid 1980's.

The piece is actually a store front sign for Harrings New York space, known as the

"The Pop Shop".

She was telling this great back story about how the piece was created and how it ended up in Orlando.

She explained that Harring and a young New York graffiti artist, by the name of Andre Charles, collaborated to create the piece. This provoked me to ask what the appraised value of the piece was. After I heard the dollar amount I immediatly asked, "is the piece signed by Keith Harring"? She replied, "it is" but, it is signed Keithroc, which was Harrings graffiti moniker, or "tag".

So I ask....Is a "tag" a signature?

art with a capital A

2008-05-01T14:30:00.000-04:00

I went to the opening of the 2008 Senior Art Show at Rollins College on Thursday, held at the Cornell Fine Arts Museum (located on the Rollins campus). While I was going only expecting to see the art from the very talented seniors, I ended up stumbling across another exhibit – Painting for Joy: New Japanese Painting in the 1990s which had some very interesting pieces expressing the progressive art of Japan.

The senior art show entitled, art with a capital A showed the unique style of 11 different seniors.

If you have a chance I would suggest stopping by, if not to see the two exhibits from above, but just to see the beauty of the Cornell Fine Arts Museum. The shows run until May 12th.

HD Expo 2008 - LAS VEGAS

2008-04-17T08:27:00.000-04:00

HD 2008 Expo & Conference will be held at the Sands Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, May 14th -17th. The Expo is a great resource for new products and services in the hospitality design industry.