Saw this MAC Cosmetics ad campaign on a blog recently and had to laugh. Now that I've been working on email campaigns for most of my clients, I see this email "failure" as a great pixel art form and solution for images that fail to load properly on a browser. How easy (or not) would it be to code for this?
Recently visited SculptureCenter (Long Island City, NY) and must say that the space is great (and probably the best part). The institution was started in 1928 by a group of artists with the purpose of offering an exhibition space to experimental and innovative sculpture works.
There is an underground area where the piping, etc., is still visible and you can walk around (not recommended for claustrophobics).
Upcoming Exhibitions:
September 10 - November 28, 2011
Sanford Biggers’s Cosmic Voodoo Circus, in which he “exploits the carnival aesthetic to address profound issues of identity, the power of objects, as well as spiritual and cultural transmigration.” Can’t wait.
After getting a phone call early in the morning from my sister demanding that I go see Mountain Man play at Mercury Lounge (NYC) this past week, I grudgingly went. My mood completely changed once I heard these girls' voices, which I can only describe as lovely, raw, and beautifully haunting. The show began with an a cappella song, followed by songs accompanied only by a guitar and ending in a cappella once more. Not only was the audience completely silent the entire performance, but as I walked out I turned to see several people with tears running down their faces.
I had the pleasure of meeting two of the singers who humbly told me that they had no idea they would ever be making a living from this. I wonder if they saw the photographer from the New York Times taking photographs from the corner...
Despite their young age, these girls already give one mind-blowing performance, and we'll definitely be hearing from them in the coming years.
Got a sneak peek of MoMA's exhibition “Talk To Me: Design and the Communication between People and Objects” this past Tuesday (opens to the public July 24). Well over a thousand people were present at the preview, including a curious Stefan Sagmeister. The exhibition brings together everything from small gadgets to large technological installations that serve as “gateways” (emotionally, sensually, or intellectually) between people and other people/things. This is a must see for anyone interested in the advancement of technology in regards to communication.
The past couple of months have been CRAZY. There's been work to be done left and right, with two things standing out:
I'm currently working as a full-time Creative Services Designer at Experian's CheetahMail, "the trusted service provider of email marketing and customer intelligence technologies for top enterprises worldwide." Our clients include top brands like Adidas, RadioShack, and Starbucks, to name a few. I have only good things to say about CheetahMail and its people and am totally proud to have joined the team.
I've also started working with Mex and the City by writing a Weekly Post on their site in which I explore the foodie and other Mexican-inspired happenings in New York. I hope to collaborate with them on some art/design projects soon (see Previous Post on the collective for more info). What better way to get to know the City than a la Mexicana? ;)
And finally, I've moved into a beautiful new studio. Now that the dust is settling again, you'll once again be seeing the latest Art & Design happenings here (hint hint: MoMA private reception coming up).
Gros Bisous,
Lily Ann
The much-anticipated Neon Desert Music Festival went down in my hometown, El Paso, TX this past Saturday, April 30th. What is the Neon Desert Music Festival, you ask? It's the next Coachella and/or Austin City Limits to hit the music scene (among other great things happening in El Paso is the ongoing Plaza Classic Film Festival). The lineup included some 30 great bands, among them the Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Group (shown below), Dirty Vegas, Kinky, and Los Amigos Invisibles (below). More than 10,000 people showed up to the festival in its debut year. How many will we expect next year? And the year after that? The stars have definitely aligned in El Paso's favor... And to my fellow El Pasoans, if you have any groovy videos/pics from the festival you'd like to share, please feel free to send them my way and you may just see them up on this Blog soon.
Was introduced to the Mex and the City blog not too long ago and simply fell IN LOVE. Their site promotes the efforts of young Mexican creatives by giving a voice to their personal stories in the City and how they adapt and contribute to the ever-changing culture of New York. I was invited to attend their one year Anniversary Party at Hous Projects and got the scoop on how it all began: Mex and the City began as a group of young Mexican women sharing their scandalous stories in the City through the means of a blog. People became interested and soon nicknamed the ladies "Mex and the City" (see: Sex and the City). The word kept spreading until they were eventually featured in all sorts of Press. They've now "grown beyond a blog into a budding creative consultant agency, developing cultural initiatives with existing and emerging brands and communities in NYC". How can you not love them with posts like these (video below)?
Just had the pleasure of working with Olivia Fox Cabane on some printed Branding material. She was not only a complete sweetheart, but she has quite the interesting career: Olivia Fox Cabane is a well-known Leadership Coach who travels around the world to help people "increase their ability to help influence, persuade, and inspire others". She has been featured everywhere from The New York Times, to Bloomberg, Businessweek, & The Wall Street Journal. Why can't we all have a job like this? Video below of this charismatic lady in action:
What happens after a late night of philosophizing about life and how hard the times are for everyone? An impromptu “Do” for me by Derrick Keith, of course! Although it may seem that all I’ve been writing about lately is about the stylish people I meet (next post will be about some new work + a fantastic cultural group that’s going to explode), I couldn’t help but show off this very special Stylist. Derrick has given everyone from Fergie, Halle Berry, Ciara, Ashanti, to Oprah Winfrey (just to name a few) their stylish (Hair) “Do’s”. To see a complete list of what Campaigns this Stylista has been part of, what Magazines have featured his work, and what Awards he has won, checkout his Website. Love it!
Mexican-born Sustainable Designer Carmen Artigas and I recently met at a free textiles workshop, where she jokes that I seemed "possessed and working as if I was getting paid by the hour" (I was on a mission to sew a coat and hardly spoke with her). This past Sunday I had a chance to sit down and talk with her one-on-one about her life and work so far, and what a lovely surprise I got:
"Carmen received a grant to study fashion in Milan and, against all odds, was hired right after graduation by the hottest designer working at the time, Romeo Gigli." Here, she tells me, she had a chance to work alongside one of the most respected fashion designers in the world: Alexander McQueen. They were both only 19 at the time and still fresh fish in the fashion world. Carmen mentions that McQueen ("Lee," as she knew him) was always extremely sweet and down to earth.
Carmen continued moving to bigger and better things, later landing a much-coveted job with Donna Karan, where she worked as Assistant Designer for the Season's Collections. After that, she went on to do everything from curating the only Shoe Museum in Latin America; to designing costumes for movies, commercials, & dance; to finally showing her own line in the great city of New York.
Then came her 4-month trip to India... which changed her world. Here Carmen experienced the totally different sustainable lifestyle and realized she could never go back to the fashion world she knew. From that moment on, she chose the way of Sustainable Design and has since launched her latest collection: Viva La Vida, products made by prisoners in Mexico who have found positive outlets for their energies. Carmen also teaches an Ethical Fashion course at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT). Ole!
