Public + Art = ?

I know you're all patiently waiting on my take of 2012's ArtPrize Top Ten....Well, yes, I was there for this afternoon's announcement. It would be hard to keep my away from a beautiful ArtPrize weekend (though the crowds did make it so I didn't stay long).

The Top 25 weren't too shocking, or entirely infuriating. But I am taken aback/disappointed in the Top 10. I had made my predictions last night, and I was only 50% correct.

I'm not going to go each one individually, but it is interesting to note, that GR sort of went away from our habit of selecting the cheesy larger than life things that have caused eyerolls in the past (SteamPig?). T-Rex and Norm (the dragon) made the Top 25, but were left behind for the Top 10 (phew!!). Instead we have four 3-D/sculptural pieces, four large fine art pieces, one performance art piece and (one) origami  (which i don't entirely know how to categorize). So it's a good variety, and there's some definite talent there, I would just like to see some "think piece" make it. Art with a deeper meaning, that's thought provoking, that makes an impact beyond a visual one.

That said, 3 of my personal Top 10 is in the public's Top 10. So I can't be too bitter. For lack of anything else disparaging to say about the public, here's my awards (and I know I'm hypocritical, these don't go that deep):
Plexus - Kendall
Elephants - GRAM
Origami - GRAM
Weightless - Independent Bank
Horses in the River (I'm not saying this one's real name again) - Grand River
Collective Cover Project - UICA
More or Less - UICA
Rainscape from East Broadway and Canal - Devos Place
Walk with Us - Calder Plaza
The Lake - Women's City Club

Best Venue Experience: Site:Lab
Best Gallery Experience: The Spot
Best Themed Venue: Calvin College 106 Gallery

Kudos to ArtPrize 2012— As far as art experiences goes, this year ranks second to Year 1 (I don't think anything will beat that first year of wonderment and surprise). My faith in ArtPrize is restored and I'm already looking forward to Year 5.

In Support of Standing Still

An incredibly interesting find shared with me from Explore.com. This photo was discussed recently on a Political Gabfest podcast.

This is the oldest known photograph of a person. From 1838 – a Parisian getting his shoes shined. It was taken in the middle of a busy street, but because the exposure time was over 10 minutes, the moving traffic wasn’t captured. Because the man stood still long enough to have his boots polished, he was captured in the daguerreotype.

If you want to hear the snippet, it can be found at 35:45 on this Gabfest podcast. 

Art and Patience

One of the wonderful aspects of ArtPrize is it's duration. By spanning several weeks, it becomes a presence that you can interact with and explore in different ways. There's time to absorb, revisit, and reinterpret. Time to stop rushing and enjoy. 

I was back up at Site:Lab Thursday evening to visit the Not Design space, and actually participate in a print-making workshop. 

Not Design is a collaborative studio focusing on solving problems in unconventional ways. As they say, "We design but we are not about design. It is something more."

By identifying needs and filling them, Not Design endeavors "to leave the classroom, to meet individuals on a common ground, and to engage non-design issues through design thinking." The goal is to engage with people and to create responsible communication within the community. Think, Not Design. 

It was a very hands-on workspace, where I got to design, lay type and make my own prints. I saw the painstaking efforts behind kerning a single word (and said a silent 'thank you' to Adobe), and experienced the satisfaction of realizing I can spell correctly in reverse. 

There's something absolutely pure about leaving the computer and getting ink under the fingernails. (I discover how wildly difficult it is to obsess over alignment–but obsess I did!)

Not Design is going to have several more working session in this next week, you can see the Workshop Schedule here.

Lay off my Monkey!

I love sock monkeys. Always have. Over the past few years I've patiently shared my love of sock monkeys with the population at large, knowing that the mass public's interest would fade and the trend would pass.

But this Halloween, Target has chosen to cheapen my love of monkeys* by offering costumes for the whole modern sock monkey family— we have daddy monkey, monkey mistress, cute little baby monkey, and spoiled brat monkey.**

Seriously? How pervy does daddy monkey look standing next to his baby momma/teenage daughter? 

Target, I beg you, please go back to profitting off of Harry Potter and his wizarding wands and leave my precious monkeys alone!


*I initially typed monkey-love here but then realized that was wrong, very wrong, and luckily corrected myself before publishing this post. However, I was entertained enough by the typo that I am divulging that secret with you anyhow.

**There's also a not-so-cute Zombie variation, because the best way to make a quick and disturbed dollar is to merge to trends together.

Is a Detropian Society the Future?

In 1930 Detroit was the fastest growing city in the world. today it is the fastest shrinking city in the US. There are 100,000 abandoned properties in Detroit.

The UICA has extended it's showtimes for Detropia until October 4th. This elegant and poignant film showcases the pluck and determination of the Motor City as it struggles to survive postindustrial America. We witness a middle class now faced with a collapsing economy, and are left with the brutal warning for the entire nation. 

This isn't a story about Detroit, it's a story about America, and I highly recommend seeking out a theater showing it near you.

Burger of the Week #76

A few weeks back, I shared some vomit inducing shirts with you. This week I'm even more astounded to present this [insert preferred adjective here] item.

Tasty, Bubbly Design

I have to say, that most of the time I pick wine based on the label design (I am less ashamed to admit that than I am to admit that I often pick books the same way).

Here's an adorable label that my pal Amanda selected. I have to say, it tasted exactly as you'd imagine it would based on the design: Delightfully, pleasant. 

I like to imagine the creative brief specified "Emotional Reaction: Content Comfort".

Must Be Art

I spent 18+ hours at ArtPrize this weekend— eating, drinking and critiquing my way through downtown Grand Rapids. I went into Year 4 determined to accept ArtPrize for what it is, to acknowledge that art is subjective, and that this is ultimately a popularity contest. The public has 200,000 dollars to give away this week... and the public loves a gimmick. 

Historically, the best art has been where the crowds aren't– but it's often difficult to see past the clutter and actually find the gems. So if you have limited ArtPrize time. May I make some suggestions...

Must See Venues
Site:Lab at the Old Public Museum - Last year Site:Lab won the juried award for Best Venue for their work at the Junior Achievement Building. However I think their work this year is superior. Located at Jefferson and State, their incorporation of art into the old museum is quite brilliant. 
The SPOT at the Federal Square Building - A hot spot in 2011, the SPOT is once again full of well-curated, manicured pieces.
High Five Gallery at Riverfront Plaza Building - Had never been in this building before, in fact, had never noticed it. But the open space allowed for a very unobtrusive gallery space. Nice window vies too. 

Must See Art

Elephants - Adonna Khare - GRAM - The public seems quite taken with this one. And I have to agree with them here. Love how the artwork bursts free from the confines of the page. Real imaginative, and done with incredible skill. 

Plexus No. 18 - Gabriel Dawe - Kendall - I find this piece mesmerozing. It's remarkable from every angle. I audibly gasped several times. If this faces off against Elephants in the top 10 I'll have a tough decision to make. 

Vista La Grand - Ernest Grof - High Five - I like this piece because of the story of it's creation. The b/w photo above it is the view of GR north from the Varnum penthouse balcony. The mosaic is inspired by this view and will be the new floor of the balcony. 

Origami - Kimi Tamashita - GRAM - Quite a surprise here. Amazed by the details seen in these portraits. 

Stick-to-it-tive-ness Richard Morse - Grand River - We've all seen Deborah Butterfield's Horse at Frederik Meijer Gardens of which this is reminiscent. Even so, I just love the visual of these horses in the river, so (despite it's ridiculous name) I find this quite striking. 

Must Experience

More or Less - ABCD 83 - UICA - This is a fun installation made from found objects. But the brilliant part is the audio visual loop (about 7 minutes) that plays right on top of it. It is amazing and worth fighting the crowd to get to the front to see. 

Wave of Waves - Scott Naylor - High Five Gallery - Check this out at night if possible. It's a relaxing audio visual experience. If there had been waitresses comign around with cocktails, we may have never left. 

Grand Rapids (the city) during ArtPrize. You can vote for this, but you can definitely enjoy it. ArtPrize makes me proud to be a Grand Rapidian. 

So there's my suggestions. You have till the 29th to get Round 1 votes in (they lengthened Round 1 this year, which I love). And tomorrow they will reveal who leaders are. I have some hunches. Some I agree with, others not so much. But hey, it's art, it's supposed to be controversial. What fun would it be if it was unanimous? 

September: In Full Bloom

2012 is going to go down as the hottest summer on record—nationwide. But the hot summer seems to be behind us now, and the first thing I did when I realized Fall was upon us was head to Fruitbasket Flowerland to pick up 2 new sets of their sub-zero pansies. 

They immediately went into my south-facing window boxes, cheering up the whole Façade. I was delighted. So what's my obsession with sub-zero pansies?

Well I planted them last October, with little faith that they'd winter over as promised. But Christmas Eve they were still blooming.

And after a short January nap, they were back going strong by March. Here they are in purple glory on March 22nd. 

They held their own until the end of July, when, after I returned from vacation, they were looking pretty parched. By the end of August, the record heat had them pretty much sizzled. But now that temperatures are falling, I've filled the baskets up with some purple and yellow blooms, with high expectations of a repeat MVP performance!

The only place i've seen this breed of pansies is at Fruitbasket. Go get some—consider this my green thumb approval!

Art. Take 4.

The fourth year of ArtPrize kicked off tonight and after a lackluster year three, my hope is renewed (albeit expectations somewhat mellowed) for 2012.

From what I can tell, the rules haven't changed much from last year, when the top ten proved to be somewhat controversial. ArtPrize has responded to the criticism by lengthening Round 1 and adding additional juried prizes, including a $100,000 Juried Grand Prize, on par with the world’s major juried art competitions. If the public and the jury agree, a single winner could take home up to $320,000.

We spent the first night of voting wandering around Site:Lab at the Old Public Museum. I love this space—I loved it when they reopened it in 2010 for Land of Riches. And I found tonight that I still get a kick out of reminiscing about 5th grade field trips through these same exhibits. 

But before voting officially started, I was lucky enough to make it to the UICA's second annual Odd Ball last night—and alien chic event with non-traditional entertainment...and guests. And while the event wasn't quite as outrageous as one would anticipate, it was nice to be one of the early few to see the UICA's extended gallery space and terrace, and get a sneak peek at their "Somewhere Else" 2012 ArtPrize exhibition. 

So we have 10 days people. Time to get out there—go places you don't normally go, and [undoubtedly] see things you don't normally get to see. I fully encourage you to get off the beaten track–I guarantee it will be more interesting. Vote on!

Burger of the Week #75

I love the simplicity of this print! Just some color spots, yet so obviously a burger!! This print was done by Intercity Design for the BurgerMat show. 

Feeling Crafty?

If you've got the bug, and you're itching to channel you're inner Martha, here's a project that is so simple, yet looks so impressive, you'd fool even Martha herself. 

Adapted from this project found here on Pinterest, where they took rubber bands, wrapped a vase and then spray painted it. It's the same basic concept, except with a etched glass effect. 

I used a plain vase, created a pattern using tape, then generously applied Armor Etch (purchased at Hobby Lobby). Wait 5 minutes and wash off. The design is completely permanent and washable – dishwasher and everything!

It's that simple. 

Burger of the Week #74

For designers, getting feedback on a work in process is critical. Dribbble is a show and tell for designers—where they can share the process and promote feedback. 

One can see inspiring things on a site like Dribbble.... like food app icons! Yup, we need these. Nutella and Oreo are some of my favorites, but of course I'm going to honor the burger. 

An Ambling History Lesson

I grew up in Grand Rapids, which means I'm often immune to the things I pass everyday. Sunday I took the time to actually get out of my car and walk through one of Grand Rapids' historic cemeteries during a Grand Rapids Historical Society Tour.

Oak Hill, located on Hall between Madison and Eastern, is a Park Cemetery, meaning it rejects the rigid structure of a traditional graveyard. It is a landscaped site of reflection where the visitor is encourage to amble amongst it's inhabitants. 

Sunday's tour was led by Thomas Dilley and about 170 guests attended (about 400 attended the same tour on Saturday). It was a beautiful day to spend walking among the city's oldest and most prominent families. The cemetery is almost a map of GR's heritage neighborhood, families opting to be buried next to their neighbors—spending eternity next to the friends they spent their life with. 

And while it was an architectural lesson in the significance of cemetery markings, it was also a mini Grand Rapids based Soap.  I learned about the notorious murders of John and Hannah Peck in 1916, and where EGR's San Lu Rae Drive got its name. 

The Celtic Cross on the Lowe Family Plot–the largest plot in the cemetery. The richest family in GR in the early 1900s, Lowe was successful in the lumber and foundry business, but also a great philanthropist, bringing the Salvation Army to Michigan. In the distance, the top of the Bissell family Obelisk. 

This very ornate stone marks the site of David Kendall and his first wife. Kendall was a wildly successful furniture designer. His second wife funded Kendall College of Art in his memory. 

Romanesque revival mausoleum for the Morris Family. 

Egyptian Revival mausoleums of lumber baron Marcus Brown. 

Spending three hours wandering around a cemetery is one of the more unusual ways I've spent a Sunday morning, but it feels amazing to get a little but closer to the history that surrounds me every day. Dilley is an endless stream of stories and facts—a book is in the works, and, based on their popularity, I suspect there will be more tours in his future too.

FIVE minutes with FEW

When the seasons change, so do our shoes. So as we put away our flip-flops and retrieve our scarves, I thought it may be time to go behind the scenes of the Hush Puppies FIVE photoshoot. 

We shot this collection frantically last April on location at FEW Spirits—a beautiful gin and whiskey distillery down the street from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.

FEW Spirits is the passion project of  Paul Hletko, a patent attorney who wanted to do something to honor his late grandfather—a home brewer for over two decades. 

Opening a distillery in Evanston, Illinois, was an interesting notion. A notoriously dry town—Evanston was the home of Frances Elizabeth Willard (for which FEW is named), the president of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union in the 1800s. Alcohol wasn't even served in restaurants until the 1970s and in order to begin brewing, Hletko not only had to get the liquor laws changed, but also zoning laws and health department permits.
The law changes were received unanimously, and after a year spent dealing with the legal business, FEW started production in 2011. Today, in the tradition of craft quality spirits, FEW offers new takes on the timeless liquors of the past. Each batch is distilled from the best grains, bottled in-house, and handled with the utmost care. 


FEW is a beautiful product, from ingredients through to the presentation. The remarkable bottle designs  modeled after World's Fair imagery, and the rest of the FEW materials were done by local Evanston agency Wilburn Thomas.

Shooting at FEW was a fantastic experience. The staff was more than accommodating, and they were happy to share their entusiasm for their product with us. Here you can see me situated at my office for that day. 

You can see the results of our shoot in the FIVE Manifesto. The much anticipated FIVE collection will be available a little later this fall.