dia de los muertos

die cut paper skulls, drawn and colored by kristin chapman

Inspired by last weekends day of the dead celebration at the Oakland Museum of California, my husband and I made these paper sugar skulls to hang in the window. Despite the rain, we enjoyed checking out all the arts and crafts for the kids, the dancing and the exhibit VIVO: Days of the Dead 2010. Although it was a small exhibit, it had great work.

Eternal Lovers installation by Tino Rodriguez at OMOC

One of my personal favorites was Eternal Lovers by Tino Rodriguez. Anytime an artist invites the viewer to interact with the piece always wins me over. Looking and not touching can get annoying when your in a museum. So when an artist keeps the viewer in mind with interaction it gives the piece a sense of community as well as feedback. In Rodriguez’s piece it demonstrates the use of love, memory and eternal life. In his statement he reflects on a personal memory of visiting the cemetery for Days of the Dead, which although might be culturally common in Mexico, in the states our visits are short and rarely do you see someone picnicking on a grave site. Which is a shame, more people should picnic in cemeteries. There such beautiful places and the lack of living makes it peaceful, yes, but also makes the dead forgotten which is sad. Rodriguez welcomes viewers to add their own thoughts of love, demonstrating that there is life in death with remembrance, love and tradition.

die cut paper skulls, drawn and colored by sonny rocka

I was hoping to check out MOCFA‘s VOLVER exhibit this weekend but the little one was sick…so I am stuck writing this post. 😉 But MOCFA exhibit goes till January so I still have time. VIVO goes till December at OMOC, there is also a PIXAR exhibit at OMOC that is worth checking out too! K

CHECK OUT THE NEW CREATIVE BLEED HERE!

Bay Area Maker Faire 2010 & Raygun Gothic Rocketship

The family friendly version of Burning Man is happening this weekend at the San Mateo Event Center. Yesterday, I got an opportunity to check things out and my favorite thing made, has to be the Raygun Gothic Rocket. It reminds me of a martini shaker I have, (a souvenir from the Space Needle in Seattle). Although there were no martinis aboard this ship, there was plenty of tips for bar hopping on an unknown planet. Much needed advice for those of us who are making a voyage beyond the galaxy. This ship is complete with 2 decks to explore (the third is viewable from the second) and specimens collected by the crew from their previous space voyages. After checking out the cabin of this rocket ship, I could only wish there was a slide to get back down to the launch pad! “Take your protein pills and put your helmet on,” here is a few pics of the Raygun Gothic Rocketship.

Other things to check out at the Maker Faire, Maker’s Square had lots of info on growing your own food, recycling and greening up your home. Last year Maker’s Square was a ghost town by the time we got there which was in the afternoon. So this year it was the first place we hit, I think I got enough reading material to sew a tree and sell at the Bazaar Bizarre. But seriously, I hope all that info will be put to good use real soon.

Hope to have one of these someday. Coop design by Just Fine Design Build.

There are a ton of things to make and learn at the Maker Faire from knitting to robots, and it’s a great place for kids and adults to learn and explore, be inspired and create. K

PS: To the asshole who spent 15 minutes telling his kids “not to touch” and then got annoyed with me for touching the Posables in the interactive sculpture garden. YOU FUCKING SUCK!!! (I didn’t get an opportunity to say it then because, I was so thrown off by his comment, that I have to say it now.) k

Bay Area Creative Happenings: May/June 2010

Now that we are approaching summer here are a list of upcoming art and design events/happenings throughout the Bay:

PINC Show 2010 @UCSF Mission Bay Conference Center, San Francisco, May 6 8 to 8 pm

South First Friday art walk in San Jose May 7
My Alma Mater SJSU is having their open reception for the BFA Graphic Design Exhibition at Art Ark Gallery from 6-9pm, check them out first the other galleries open around 8 till late see here for details.

SFMOMA 75th Anniversary San Francisco May 14th
Check out current exhibitions the Anniversary Show, A View From Here, Paul Klee and more.

Screening for Typeface (the film) at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco May 15th & 16th

5th Annual Bay Area Maker Faire @ San Mateo Fairgrounds May 22 & 23
plus the swap-o-rama-rama

Indie Mart 3 year Anniversary Bash @ the Parkside, San Francisco June 6, 12pm-6pm

Sustainable Brands 2010 @ Monterey Conference Center, Monterey June 7-10
“Where the Brand & Design & Sustainability Communities Come Together to Shape the Future.”

San Francisco Design Week sponsored by SF AIGA June 14-20

Congratulations BWC!

Entry Way, Because We Can

Local OAKLAND, CA based design firm, BECAUSE WE CAN, beats international competitors BURT HILL and HOK in onstage design competition.

Jeffrey McGrew, Founder of BECAUSE WE CAN, LLC, a small design-build studio in Oakland CA, won the annual “DESIGN SLAM” competition held at Autodesk University, Las Vegas in December.

Jeffrey has been invited to be a speaker at the conference for the past four years, but this year his company was selected to compete in the DESIGN SLAM, an event run by CUT&PASTE at the conference. Two other firms were also selected, Burt Hill and HOK, both multinational firms numbering into the hundreds of employees. One representative from each company was chosen to participate. The contestants were given a design problem, and had to create their solution live on stage in twenty minutes using AutoDesk’s Architectural software: REVIT. Think of it like an ‘Iron Chef’ for Architects!

Their entires and final presentations were then judged by a panel of industry design experts, including individuals from companies like KlingStubbins, N. Grimshaw architects, and the Ford Motor Company.

…and at the end of the twenty minutes, Jeffrey McGrew was declared the winner representing BECAUSE WE CAN, LLC.

BECAUSE WE CAN is a design – build studio with a focus on sustainably created commercial interiors and furniture. Under the brand 10MilesWide, they also produce breathtaking building designs for commercial and residential use.

You can see photos, descriptions and video about the design slam here: http://www.becausewecan.org/BWC_Design_Slam_2009_Winning_Entry

Crapvertising

The worst in advertising 2009

Can’t believe no one has done this sooner, but finally an award for the worst of the worst, shitty advertising. The Tracy awards, named not after the crappie town I spent my youth in (which would seem highly appropriate) but after it’s founder Tracy Crowell of Crowell Advertising in Salt Lake City, UT. The First Annual Tracy Awards included awards such as Best reckless waste of expensive talent, which went to Oreo’s ” Double Stuff Racing League,” Best use of cross-promotion to single-handedly destroy comedy forever, which went to Microsoft’s “Family Guy/Windows 7,” Best use of a dead horse to beat another dead horse while jumping the shark which went to Coors Light’s “Post-Game Coach Interviews” and my favorite Best cavalier perversion of the English language in a PSA which went to Utah Governor’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities “Don’t ‘dis’ ability” Billboard. Although I am sure the state had a budget, there is no excuse for such perversion and horrific design. However, the Tracy Awards left one very important award out, the award for Best use of an old fart trying to sell homogenized condiments to sandwiching eating hipsters who will not tone it down [Miracle Whip, We will not tone it down]. To see the full awards list check it out at The Tracys Awards.com. K

South First Friday 8/7/09

Pjota, Walking in the White at Anno Domini Gallery

My apologies for being behind on my posts. It has been a chaotic couple of weeks between work and preparing for a baby, I just haven’t had the opportunity to sit down and write. However, I got some things ready to go, to keep me on track. So I hope your all still there and no one has abandoned me yet!

This Friday I checked out First Friday in downtown San Jose’s, SOFA district. With the Jazz Festival in town for the weekend, there were many festivities for First Friday besides the galleries. Anno Domini had the Street Mrkt as well as the Jazz Beyond stage featuring  Midival Pundits with Karsh Kale and Panthelion.

I only made it to a few of the galleries, but I did check out the Street Mrkt that had a lot of great local artist selling work at an affordable price. Anyone looking to purchase art should check out the AD Street Mrkt. Until then the Kaleid Gallery has Two Buck Tuesdays, every third Tuesday of the month, next one is August 18th.

So… what was happening at the galleries?
Anno Domini’s current resident Pjota from Brazil had his opening for Walking in the White. Pjota’s large canvases appear bland and washed out but getting a closer look these large canvases reveal detailed figures and lettering immersed in textures and layers. Despite all the white and pastel colors, the over all tone feels negative and almost frightening. Pjota’s work will be on view at AD until September 19.

Christopher Reynolds, San Jose Yacht Club at Space 47

Space 47 aka the San Jose Yacht Club (till August 21st) had its opening reception for their mentoring artist, Christopher Reynolds. Poking fun at elite social clubs, the San Jose Yacht Club juxtapose nautical symbols such as flags, boat names and helms with low riders. The entire exhibit consist of paintings, sculptures, photographs and souvenir buttons. Despite the clever humor, the overall exhibit is lacking an artist connection and undertone of the overall concept to the viewer. It almost feels like an inside joke.

Down the Rabbit Hole

Disney Promo Pictures for Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland

Next March 2010, Tim Burton’s new Alice in Wonderland hits theaters in 3D. Filmed in London in less then 40 days, Tim Burton takes Lewis Carroll’s classic tale of Alice in Wonderland and appears to incorporate with Carroll’s follow-up, Through the Looking Glass. The casting seems appropriately fitting for Carroll’s neurotic characters which includes Helena Bonham-Carter as the Queen of Hearts and of course who else but Burton’s version of Alice, Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter. It is no surprise Burton is recreating Alice in Wonderland, this adventure is right up Burton’s alley. Yet so was Willy Wonka and well… that was a little disappointing, but the squirrel scene was cool. Needless to say, can’t wait to check it out! k

Mary Ellen Mark, Anne Hathaway as the White Queen with Dormouse

Did you know?

That Lewis Carroll’s real name was Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, and besides writing, he was also a photographer. His inspiration for Alice came from a young girl named Alice Liddell whom he often photographed.

Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, Alice Liddell, 1859

Just for Fun:

Having read Alice in Wonderland several years ago, I found it to be a creatively inspiring tale that influenced some of my own work. In college, I was assigned a product packaging piece for my Photoshop class. I created a product called Tall Tale Alice Ale, a microbrew from the Rabbit Hole Brewing Company, Fine Ales & Adventures. It was a fun piece, however now looking back I wished I would have hand tooled the typeface instead of using Curlz. Yuck! What was I thinking! I got so into it; I even sketched out other illustrations for different brews such as Mad Hatter Stout and The Queen’s Ranging Red.

Tall Tale Alice Ale Bottle Label

Patchwerk Press

Chair on Fire Cardigan. Screen-printed on a 2nd hand cardigan at the Swap-O-Rama. Screen-printing courtesy of Patchwerk Press

At this year’s Maker’s Faire Pachwerk Press of Oakland, California was lending a hand with screen-printing at the Swap-O-Rama. These dedicated men & women need an extra pat on the back for their patience, hard work and dedication to their craft. They must of screen-printed thousands of t-shirts, bags, patches, skirts, sweatshirts you name it for tips only over the course of two days. They deserve an extra shout out.

Patchwork Press is a collectively owned and operated community screen-printing shop located in Oakland. Patchwork Press offers screen-printing services, memberships to use their screen-printing studio and community screen-printing classes through Rock Paper Scissors Collective. Check them out at patchwerkpress.org. Thank you for sharing your designs and hard labor with the DIY community.

2009 Maker Faire

Dress made by Casual Profanity from surgical plastic tubes and some sort of liquid.

Remember Mouse Trap the 3-D board game? At the Maker Faire it was brought to life.

Last Saturday, I checked out the Maker Faire at the San Mateo Expo Center. Although their tagline reads “The World’s Largest DIY Festival,” I was still surprised by its scale and the amount of attendees. But most of all by the Maker Faire’s eclectic gathering of events from robots to steam punks, cheese making to screen printing, alternative vehicles, a life-size mouse trap and iron sculptures that spit fire. The Maker Faire had something for everyone, and I mean EVERYONE! Despite the crowds and the long lines, my husband and I checked out as much as we could and had a great time making cards, screen printing tote bags and attempting our own diy fashion designs. K

Consommé, Skateboards, DIY Indie Art fest!

5 places to check out in the next few weeks!

My Warhols

1) The Prints of Andy Warhol at the San Jose Art Museum ends Sunday, May 31st. It’s a small exhibit of his screen prints from the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh. The exhibit consists of prints of Norma Jean, the Campbell Soup cans (umm, beef consommé with gelatin, anyone?) and Volkswagen Beetle ad. There is even a little table set-up to create your own Warhol. Don’t waste your time on the text scavenger hunt, lame.

Upstairs is an exhibit called Women’s Work: Contemporary Women Printmakers that is showing until Sunday, August 16. This exhibit consist of work by female artist Barbara Kruger, Wangechi Mutu and a beautiful lithograph by Vija Celmins. A solid collection addresses issues of gender, race, identity, politics and nature.

Maker Fair Swap-O-Rama

2) Maker Fair at the San Mateo County Expo Center, May 30 & 31. This year’s theme “Remake America.” The Maker Fair is a DIY festival. Festivities include interactive DIY projects, Swap-O-Rama-Rama (bring old clothes, accessories to swap and remake!), Bazaar Bizarre (shop for handmade crafts and indie arts). Tickets are $25 for an all day pass.

3) Skate this Art at the Market Street Gallery, SF, ends Saturday May 30th. Skate this Art is a group show of over 50 local artists whom hand painted decks and donated them for an auction on May 8th to benefit the Roaddawgz Homeless Youth Center. Check out this article from SF Chronicle for background info.

4) Signs: Wordplay in Photography at the deYoung Museum until June 14. Features work by Walker Evans and Lee Friedlander. Should be a great exhibit for not only photographers, but also graphic designers and typography lovers!

Artwork by Souther Salazar

5) First Fridays in downtown San Jose, Friday June 5th at 8pm. Free. Check out the Scion Art Tour at Anno Domini Gallery.

Have FUN! Please feel free to email me if you had an opportunity to check any o these out or have any suggestions. K