If someone asks, this is where I'll be: Frank Chimero Art Show

On Friday night I zipped down to NE Portland to attend Frank Chimero's art show opening at Land Gallery. If you remember, I became acquainted with Frank and his work via an AIGA event this past May. As Frank said that evening, "Where surprise and clarity convene, you find delight." His art show was surprising and full of clarity and therefore very delightful. The work was very simple, human and concept-driven. Each piece told a little story or made a point. The execution was rudimentary: construction paper, sharpies, old books and colored blocks. But the messages were sophisticated and astute.

He really took the entire space into consideration. This same show can never be exhibited anywhere else in the same way because he used pieces of the gallery itself as part of the show - writing on the walls, point out pipes, captioning windows, dictating directions....again, delightful. Art should be full of personality.

I think Frank was showing us (among many other insightful things) is that what's most important is what we're saying, not how fancily we can say it. Right, Frank?

To read more about how Frank favors idea over prettiness, read this from Print.

Muddy shoes, locked doors and typography. At George Fox.

Yesterday I had the great privilege of speaking at my alma mater, George Fox University. I've gone back to speak in a few design classes over the last three years and it's always great to get back on campus and see the things I used to zip by everyday going to and from class like a chicken with my head cut off in a new, slower light. The grounds are just gorgeous. It smells wonderful. And the sounds...bustling students and professors, hushed rooms, laughing, the bell tower....I love it all.

Before the Typography class I was scheduled to speak to was in session, I scuttled over to The Coffee Cottage to get my caffeine fix. In my hurried way I cut across some grass and had an odd sensation I was sinking. Because I was! It was SO muddy. Before I knew it my black heels had completely sunk into the ground and my feet were moving on without them. Gross. Needless to say, I had to accept that my black shoes would be brown for the day.


Once I got to class, everything went smoothly. The students had great questions and I had a lot of fun filling them in on my journey and my work. After class I roamed through the art building, Brougher, to say 'hi' to a few people and track down some professors.

En route I saw the above pieces on the wall and they caught my eye because I designed those postcards for Mark Terry's Alchemy Show (which is currently on campus). I thought it was so cool that from my making art with Mark's art, someone took it and made yet another iteration of art. I don't know who did it, but whoever you are, I say, "Cool." My next stop, naturally, was the gallery to view Alchemy. I couldn't find Mark anywhere, so I trekked over there alone, super excited to see the show in person. Alas, the gallery doors were locked. Locked!

I peered through the doors best I could and then went around the other side of the building to peek through the exterior window. And peek sadly...

So close, but so far away. At least it made for some intriguingly layered photos...!? The black walls were gorgeous behind the signage and Mark's work is breathtaking, really. So besides the muddy shoes and the locked doors, yesterday was really nice. The end.

Alumni Art Show at George Fox University

'Voices', the Alumni Art Show closing reception was last night. It was really great to be back at George Fox, catch up with friends and faculty, and soak up some art in the meantime.

This was my bay in the gallery. It featured a Portland Advertising Federation event poster (yes, that's Steve Sandstrom staring you down), a promotional snowboard, six business card layouts and two French Press wall art pieces. Quite the variety, but all the pieces seemed to blend together well. Showing design work in what is typically a studio art format proved to be a bit of a challenge, but with a little ingenuity, a few trips to Home Depot and Ikea and some X-acto knife action, I pulled it off.

My girlfriends Bari (super style consultant) and Winnie surprised me and popped in to the gallery! Thanks, ladies. You make me feel loved. P.S. Bari, did you realize the top I was wearing was one of your hand-me-downs!? Love it.

During the reception I got to catch up with my dear friend and classmate, Jessica Brittell. She featured a body of work she did for a local wine bar called Crush. Sadly, the establishment has closed, so Jessica recreated the atmosphere with her work and some props as a sort of tribute.

Adieu! Thanks for having me...until next time, GFU!

Alumni Art Show | You're Invited

Tomorrow is the closing reception for 'Voices', an alumni art show at George Fox University in Newberg, OR. Although I was asked to participate, gratefully accepted, prepped my work and delivered several pieces for the show, I still have not seen the show officially up in the Lindgren Gallery. Shame on me! I am planning to remedy this and will certainly be showing my face at the closing show tomorrow. I'd like to see your faces, too, so you're all invited to join me.

Meanwhile, to feed our imaginations of what the show holds, I've posted an article written by a dear friend, Leah Rupp. She works with her husband, Bryan of Bryan Rupp Photography and is taking classes at GFU, including a journalism class. Hence, the article:

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Alumni Artists Exhibit Work
by Leah Rupp

Newberg- On Sep 1, six George Fox Art Department graduates returned to their alma mater to show their work in the annual alumni art exhibit. An artist’s statement accompanies displays that hang on the walls of the Lindgren gallery beside Bauman Auditorium. The title of this year’s exhibit is “Voices.”

Artists include painters Olga Ceballos, Kathleen Jones, Chelsea Carbonell and Elizabeth Kuzmovick, as well as graphic designers Jessica Brittell and Megan Clark. Brittell and Clark faced the challenge of showing design work, which according to Clark “isn’t typically found in a gallery setting.”

In her artist’s statement, 2006 alumni Jessica Brittell said, “Design is complicated. It’s not easy to portray in exhibit fashion.” Her solution was to re-create a life sized model of the graphic and interior design work she did at “Crush,” a wine bar in Newberg. Viewers can flip through the menu, wine list, and other printed materials in the setting of a real dining room with place settings.

Clark chose to exhibit one of her favorite pieces, a promotional poster created probono for the Portland Advertising Federation. “I really like the strong concept behind it,” she said. “The creative director proposed a boxing theme and we all really got into it. We did a whole photoshoot - Rocky music and all. That’s why it’s a favorite of mine, because of the memories made in the process.”

Painter Elizabeth Kuzmovich said, “since graduating from George Fox in 2008 I have been experimenting with visual ways to illustrate displacement, replacement and ambiguity in
relationships.” Kuzmovich’s work includes acrylic, gouache, and watercolor paintings that she said are, “an approach to the human figure done less objectively.”

One goal of “Voices” is to inspire current George Fox art students about what the future holds. “I remember how much I revered those who traversed before me,” said Megan Clark. “My desire is to do for current students what viewing alumni work did for me.”

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Hope to see you there!

Sincerely,

Megan

Art Show Process | 'Voices' at George Fox University

You might have seen my call for help last week. I needed to get all my ducks in a row ASAP for an art show: 'Voices' at George Fox University. It's an alumni art show. Obviously, I studied there. I'm so honored they've asked me to come back with several projects in tow. After sifting through countless files and print samples (see above photo), this is what I settled on showing:

• French Press Wall Art #1, 2x2’
• French Press Wall Art #2, 2x2’
• 2008 Rosey Awards Call for Entries Poster, 28x40”
• Livengood|Nowack Snowboard, 6' snowboard
• A Business Card Series of 6

For a split-second I thought, "Great! I'm done." And then I remembered I still had to prep all of the work. Boo. I forgot how much work this involved until I tacked it this week. Thankfully my husband lent a couple extra hands and eyes to get it all centered and mounted. Thank you Bryce and all my informal editors! My work is finally ready.

Rulers and mat board and frames, oh my!

The show will be up from Tuesday, Sept. 1st - Tuesday, Oct. 20th. There will be a closing reception on October 20th from 5:00-6:30pm. You can view all of the George Fox gallery schedules here.

Alchemy Art Show. Goosebumps.

Mark Terry's show was up in Azusa last month. Mark filled me in this morning. It was a big hit! He said, "The critic for whom I have the most respect had one simple word to say about the show. He stood there open-mouthed, and then waved me over to take a close look at his arm, simply saying... 'Goosebumps!' " What a high, high compliment.

For a look at what part I played in the show, click here and here. And, check out the plexi signage in the gallery photos. That came from StudioM, too.

I'm not at all surprised the good reviews coming from California quickly made their way up the coast to Portland. Galleries will be scrambling for the Alchemy pieces. But there's always someone first in line: Bella Perla is a Portland gallery that has been keeping tabs on Mark and is hosting his work as of last week. If you're in the area, be sure to check it out. There will be more Alchemy news to come. I'll be sure to let you know when and where the next Alchemy show will take place. To stay in the loop yourself, follow Mark on his blog.

The artist and his wife, Missy.

Another gallery shot. Goosebumps.

StudioM | Help.

Here's the deal. I'm a part of an upcoming art show and have to submit my bio to accompany my work. It's so hard to write about myself! Therefore, I'd love love love some feedback and/or edits from all of you lovely followers. Help!

Here we go:

Since it’s onset in 2005, StudioM has primarily become known as a branding studio, but also executes communication design, web design, art direction, marketing strategy and believe it or not, studio art and illustration. The studio’s clients range from boutiques and cafés to iPhone application developers and private eyes and are located across the world — from Australia to Philadelphia to Portland. This client base makes for a exhilarating range of projects.

Designer and owner, Megan Clark, works out of her home office in a little 80-year-old bungalow in the Pacific Northwest where coffee’s always brewing and her very large, lazy Great Dane can usually be found sleeping by her desk.

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Megan grew up in the Midwest as a pastor’s kid. She always had an inclination for artistic endeavors, but knew from the day she won Michigan’s Corn Festival Coloring Contest that she was destined to be an artist. That was in second grade. The following years held many art classes, toothpicks, popcicle sticks, paint fumes, pens, charcoal, kneaded erasers and ModPodge®. More formal training was received once Megan entered George Fox University, majoring in Art with an emphasis on Graphic Design. During the time she was at George Fox, she attended numerous conferences, design panel discussions and networking events. She obtained design internships on and off campus and registered StudioM as a business to accommodate freelance work.

Fortunately, all of the time and energy she invested in herself paid off; Megan received and accepted a job offer from a Portland advertising agency only two weeks after graduation. The ad agency, Livengood|Nowack, was a modest size, but offered a wide client base to work with and learn from. Sadly, the agency went bankrupt in September of 2008. This turn of events accelerated Megan’s plan to eventually work for herself. She immediately updated her portfolio and StudioM’s promotional materials, had business cards printed and hit the streets on a mission: help others grow and profit through design. Oh yeah, and keep the bills paid.

So far, so good. Megan is still running her own design shop and loves (almost) every minute of it.